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Taking the last train to Clarksville (3/2/12)This will be my last column for the Southeast Missourian. I'm moving to Clarksville, Tenn., where my local -- who's been elevated to fiancé -- has landed a new job. Though I'm happy to be engaged, I must force these words of goodbye upon the page...
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The art of buying art (2/24/12)In the years I've spent as arts and entertainment editor, I've learned a lot about art. I've learned what flies here and what will probably flop. I've learned to identify some of the local artists. I like to think I've also learned a little about buying art...
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Get the blues (2/10/12)While many people maintain that blues came before jazz, that's not quite how it will work in Cape Girardeau this month. This weekend, the Clark Terry/Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival swings into town at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus, exposing university and high school students to workshops and experts like trumpeter Allen Beeson...
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New Orleans flair (2/3/12)While most things float south from Cape Girardeau to end in New Orleans, sometimes a gem travels upstream. Exhibit A: Will Page, a New Orleans artist with a show at the Aartful Rose this month. Page doesn't paint scenery from New Orleans. His works are more abstract. But to me his color palette evokes unmistakable NOLA emotion and energy. It's not the typical purple, green and gold, but it works...
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Saturday shopping (1/27/12)A friend of mine recently told me he liked grocery shopping in New York City more than Cape Girardeau because he felt like part of a community. How could Cape Girardeau fall to New York City in terms of community and friendliness? I thought the notion was ridiculous until I heard the explanation...
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Artist outpouring (1/20/12)A few weeks ago, SE Live ran a story about a silent auction and extravaganza to raise money for seniors in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University. After the story ran, a funny thing happened. The story told about an event to raise money for a Senior Showcase in New York City, where Southeast students would perform for theater industry professionals. It serves as their collective audition...
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Recognizing the River City Players (1/13/12)As the local entertainment section for Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri, we strive to recognize and highlight the talent in the area -- from rock bands to classical musicians to community theater. This weekend, the community theater group in town will acknowledge and commend itself and its members during the annual Abbott Awards...
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Paint the street (1/6/12)We adorn the walls in our homes with pictures and art. We should decorate the streets of our city the same way. A Public Art Committee -- while still swaddled in infant clothes -- aims to be the voice of Cape Girardeau's public artscape. The group began the discussion a few years ago and has slowly gathered interested parties. It has an artist, a businessman and a city representative (no, this isn't the beginning of a bar joke)...
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January Events (12/30/11)January gets a bad rap sometimes. The bleak weather often influences us to wish the month away in anticipation of warmer days and greener grasses. But January in Southeast Missouri does offer a few things to look forward to this year. The Harlem Globetrotters will play Wednesday at the Show Me Center. It's hard to smile while whistling "Sweet Georgia Brown," however, it's hard not to smile when you hear it...
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Newsroom jingles (12/23/11)I might still be a 7-year-old girl at heart. It's Christmastime and I can't concentrate. I struggle to finish my to-do list at work. I'd rather be chatting with co-workers or wrapping presents for our office Secret Santa. Anything but the norm. It's Christmas, and I want it to feel different. Not much differs in the day-to-day duties of a newsroom...
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1 Night, 2 Parties (12/16/11)I'm normally an advocate of promoting or celebrating only one holiday at a time. I abhor the common sight of Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving or, increasingly, Halloween. However, I have decided to take this space to talk about two New Year's Eve events in Cape Girardeau on Dec. 31...
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Christmas is here (12/9/11)Christmas is in the air. It's also in the ink. I didn't realize it when assigning stories for this week's entertainment section, but when I see it all laid out on paper, I noticed a distinct holiday lean. Can you blame us? It is the most wonderful time of year, right?...
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Recorded History (11/18/11)In further efforts to highlight and preserve area heritage, a local organization has published a small collection of poems, essays and short stories by Southeast Missourians. The Cape River Heritage Museum has put together "Heartland Heritage Anthology 2: A Collection of Writings by Citizens of Southeast Missouri" and will celebrate the book's release with a launch party from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the museum on Independence Street...
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A growing collection (11/4/11)The closet at the Crisp Museum just got a little smaller. The New York Artists Equity Association recently donated 151 works to the museum at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. That bunch, added to the 24 works the museum already owned, brings the total to 175...
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A fan call to party (9/30/11)Some people would just send a card. But to thank their fans, local rock band Isabella invited them to be a part of the group's next music video. Isabella will play a 13-song set at 7 p.m. today at Port Cape. They'll play the 10 songs we're all familiar with from iTunes plus three new ones...
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Artful meaning (9/23/11)Different causes inspire different actions from individuals. For Cape Girardeau artist Roger Sanford, children, hunger and military service catch his attention. Sanford, who grew up in a large family and spent some time in the Army, identifies with each of these issues...
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Backstage Access (9/16/11)I enjoy my job partly because it allows me to study creative people. I recharge by observing and absorbing creativity. Artists exude passion. Dancers radiate energy. It's captivating and inspiring. The Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts has invited the public to explore its campus Saturday as part of a celebration recognizing the start of the fifth season at the River Campus...
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Side Attractions (9/9/11)We give a lot of advance coverage to the main events at the SEMO District Fair. This week's SE Live features two grandstand acts; and next week we'll have a story about David Nail, the grandstand entertainment for Sept. 17. But there's a smaller venue that deserves some recognition: the activities tent...
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Uniquely classic (9/2/11)Many jobs require employees to wear a uniform. Symphony orchestra musician usually appears on that list. The guidelines can vary from one group to another, but it usually sticks to black or black and white formal attire. As I've watched the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra play over the years, I've noticed certain small touches of personality from a tasteful feather headband and gorgeous shoes on girls to bow ties and Afros on guys...
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Changes in the arts (8/26/11)The Cape Girardeau art community welcomed a new friend this week, but it's only one of a few changes recently. Eustis Studios opened Wednesday with the art of Karen Cauvin Eustis and Eddie Granger. The gallery on Independence Street will also host a First Friday reception Sept. 2...
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Giving joy away (8/12/11)I met the most amazing man last Friday night. He spoke with passion, was driven toward his goals and dedicated to leading a meaningful life. Timothy Orikri exhibited his art at the Global Cafe the first two weeks in August and he won me over as a fan on First Friday. We ran the story of Orikri in SE Live July 29. His art was spectacular on the page, but in person it's downright stunning. They make you stop and stare and look and think...
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Experiencing theater (6/17/11)I've been thinking a lot about the theater lately. The River Campus released its 2011-2012 season of events last week, describing touring musicals, student plays and symphony dates. Early this week, Twitter chirped with links to news outlets with talk about the Tony Awards and its winners, Neil Patrick Harris's performance and, of course, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark."...
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Music at any age (6/10/11)As a person who can play only half of a handful of songs on the piano and can rock barely more than the open G on a guitar, I respect musicians. I'm not in awe of all of them, but I respect them. I played the clarinet in high school and can tell you the difference between a whole note and a triplet, but that's about the extent of my abilities. ...
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Keeping art on the walls (6/3/11)The Bilderbach Art Plaza downtown might appear different each month while artists try to keep the space open and inviting. The O'Tenem Gallery, which opened in the building at 5 N. Main St. in May 2010, recently disbanded, but a few artists are stepping up to keep the area full of art...
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Broadway visions (5/27/11)Entertainment lives downtown. Sure, it takes vacations to other parts of the city at places like the Show Me Center or Rhymer's in Town Plaza, but entertainment lives downtown. When friends or family come in from out of town, I take them downtown. I walk them by the floodwall to see the murals. We pop into the shops along Main Street...
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Young artists (5/20/11)Mixed in with the professional touring acts and college performances at the River Campus are a few productions by the future of performing arts. The young talent with the Southeast Missouri Music Academy have put on a few exhibitions this week to show what the students have been composing and practicing. ...
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Flood of assistance (5/13/11)It's been a rough few weeks for much of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, and our misfortune is cascading down the map. Even as the waters slowly withdraw from the communities and houses, people will need help. A flood does not hit this house or miss that house. A flood spreads its girth evenly and destructively...
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Starting young (4/29/11)Kids do the darndest things. I received an email this week that stood out from the barrage of flood updates and political statements. The email promoted an art sale Saturday. The attachment gave the time and location of "The Joey Hazard Art Sale" and included a picture of a little boy with a paintbrush and a big smile, sans one front tooth. Under the picture, it read "He's seven years old. He does a lot of art. Please come buy some of it."...
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Tale of two dances (4/22/11)The calendar at the River Campus plainly shows the flexibility of the dance world. The ballet set for April 29 at Bedell Performance Hall leaps -- toes pointed, of course -- far down the spectrum from Monday's "Aluminum Show." In less than two weeks the stage hosts a modern, abstract dance performance and then one that showcases the grace and lines of classical ballet. ...
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Band, disband (4/15/11)Lots of things in life prove transient. Unfortunately, that sometimes includes bands in Cape Girardeau. Surtsey will play a farewell show at 9 p.m. Saturday at Pitter's Cafe and Lounge. The trio hit the Cape Girardeau scene in 2009. It played shows around town, a slot the River City Music Festival and in cities across the Midwest but has been far less active in the past year or so...
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An artful idea (4/8/11)We're all friends here, right? Because I need to get something off my chest. Make a confession, you know? Up until Tuesday, I had never bought an original piece of art. I have posters with images by famous painters. I have my own photographs framed and hanging on my walls. I have a few reproductions of work by a South American painter I bought while studying in Ecuador...
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A good problem (4/1/11)The River Campus has problems, and people are starting to notice. More than once in the past two weeks, I've been told or heard about these problems. They don't have enough seats available. The student production of "To Kill a Mockingbird" has been sold out for weeks. Organizers transformed the last dress rehearsal Tuesday into a full performance, added a Friday morning show and a Sunday night performance. Once word got out, the tickets quickly disappeared...
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Supporting public radio (3/25/11)When I was in college, my newspaper was funded mostly through a grant from the local paper. The University of Memphis contributed zero dollars to the operation, keeping the paper free to report on whatever it wanted to without fear that funding would be yanked. For the same reason, professional news outlets shouldn't depend on government funding for what they do...
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Sporting support (3/18/11)Entertainment isn't just about music and art and bars. Sometimes it's about helping people while you're having fun. The Alzheimer's Association has organized a Celebrity Sports Trivia Night at the Cape Girardeau Country Club on March 25, and it sounds to me like a fun, charitable event. A "regional sports celebrity" will lead each table in the contest...
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End is near for 'Men' (3/11/11)I don't normally delve far into pop culture in this column; I like to keep it local. But humor me for just 370 words (or tune in next week when I revert to the norm.) I like TV. I don't like it enough to invest in cable for my house or splurge for DVR at my Local's house, but I do like it. Up until recently, "Two and a Half Men" was a favorite in the house -- the one with cable...
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Shuttle suggestions (3/4/11)In addition to the new galleries joining the First Friday festivities, comes a service to help people enjoy the receptions on that opening night each month: the First Friday Art Shuttle. This shuttle bus, borrowed from Southeast Missouri State University and organized by the ARound Town group of galleries, runs from the River Campu, through downtown to catch people filing out of places like the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri or the Bilderbach Art Plaza and takes them to Garden Gallery and Aartful Rose.. ...
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The art of inspiration (2/25/11)I recently had a conversation with an artist who told me he doesn't like to look at work by other artists while he's coming up with his own pieces. He said he didn't want to be influenced by anything anyone else was doing. To his credit, this artist is talented and original...
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Tweet it out (2/18/11)We've all done it. You drive down Broadway at the speed limit or just below it in the hopes of catching the message on the Burritoville sign. Sometimes they're useful. I found out the fish tacos were back a few weeks ago thanks to that sign. Mostly, though, they're amusing -- like the short and sweet "Good luck this year. You'll need it" or the classic Burritology course list...
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Art from pieces (2/11/11)Despite the cold, Feb. 4 was a successful and busy First Friday. With Malcolm McCrae's colorful airbrush art at O'Tenem and a few hundred pieces by area children on display at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, there was a melange of items to appreciate...
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A life of art (2/4/11)Interests and hobbies often change. They can be influenced by fads or dropped because people simply lose interest. Lou Varro is not one of those people. Varro has been drawing, painting and taking pictures for nearly 80 years. He just turned 94 and just completed another painting for his February show at the Aartful Rose. Varro displayed several pieces there in December 2009 as well...
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Lights, music, orchestra (1/21/11)A vibrant old friend is coming to town in May. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra released dates to its fan club for an American tour this spring. The organization is currently playing in Europe. While the date hasn't been announced to the public, TSO tells its fan club members that May 12 will be the Cape Girardeau date...
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Hit the track (1/14/11)Roller derby is a love-it or hate-it sport. Almost every woman I've talked to for stories about the sport either loves doing it every week or hates that she sprained something and can't skate right now. And you can catch the addiction this weekend. Nearly a full year after its inception, the Cape Girardeau Roller Girls are looking to suck more women into flat track roller derby. They organized Fresh Meat practices for 6 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Arena Building...
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Editing Twain (1/7/11)Mark Twain, a century after his death, continues to spur social and political discourse. The first volume of his autobiography became a best seller when it published in 2010. Twain himself put a hold on parts of the publication until it could be printed in full in a time when it wouldn't offend people...
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Body of dance (12/17/10)A New York Times dance critic came under scrutiny this week for comments about a classical ballet dancer in the New York City Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker." He accused her of indulging in too many sugar plums this holiday season. Alastair Macaulay, the Times critic, was watching a performance by the ballet company, which was created and shaped by George Balanchine...
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Holiday spirits (12/10/10)Hot on the heels of launching our electronic events newsletter, we bring you a holiday roundup of entertainment options in this week's SE Live. The holidays always seem to bring out the performers. Churches plan pageants -- logical, given that Christmas is sort of their thing -- schools put on concerts, and musically inclined community members appeal to the festive spirits floating around with a Christmas-themed show...
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Events in the inbox (12/3/10)I'm a planner. I like knowing about things and going to them. Luckily, the nature of my job keeps me updated on the latest events and community get-togethers. I'm constantly looking at the calendar and planning advance stories and coverage of concerts, plays, musicals and the like...
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Talking Potter (11/19/10)Shortly after the last Harry Potter film hit movie theaters, I decided to reread "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." After the movie swept me back into the wizarding world, I had to have more. I couldn't wait until "Deathly Hallows" came to the silver screen. I needed to relive the adventures of my Hogwarts friends immediately...
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Filling stomachs (11/12/10)I knew I wanted to write this week's column about the Empty Bowls Project. I just couldn't figure out how to start it. I distracted myself with a handful of Skittles. I munched on some chips. I took advantage of some cut-up celery. And I realized how lucky I am...
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Hop on board (11/5/10)A few galleries in town would like to give you a lift. Just in time for the chilly weather, the ARound Town group of art galleries has restarted a shuttle service to take us around on First Friday. We no longer have to bother with finding parking or choose whether to drive to galleries that are farther afield or stay downtown...
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The reality of fame (10/29/10)While brainstorming costume ideas for the front of this week's SE Live, we also had to choose which ones to feature in the pictures. We decided the female costume had to be Snooki. We couldn't pass up the opportunity. Snooki is one of eight 20something "guidos and guidettes" selected by MTV to be filmed sharing a beach house in New Jersey for summer vacation. She's up there with Lady Gaga for the 2010 most popular costume...
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Missing TV tunes (10/22/10)Whatever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy? Theme songs on TV? I can still quote the lyrics to theme songs from childhood shows like "Full House" or "Family Matters," and I know we all know the story all about how a life got flipped, turned upside down and Will Smith became the prince of a town called Bel Air...
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Fashion then and now (10/15/10)We don't cover much fashion in the pages of the Southeast Missourian. Allow me to dedicate the next few paragraphs to it and to a good cause. Pastimes Antiques is helping host a fashion show featuring new ways to wear old clothes. "Vintage Now" will benefit the Safe House for Women, a not-for-profit women's shelter that offers refuge to women in domestic abuse situations...
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Don't be afraid of being silly (10/8/10)One thing that often keeps people from participating in new activities is fear. Fear of failing. Fear of looking silly. Fear of being laughed at. I let go of that fear last week when I drove down to Sikeston, Mo., to participate in a dance lesson for the "Thrill the World" event, scheduled for Oct. ...
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Artists give back (9/24/10)A large part of art and music is representative of the human condition -- the joy we feel or the struggles we endure. Aside from expressing these things through their works, artists and musicians are notorious for hosting charity art shows and concerts to raise money or awareness for those struggles...
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Sounds of symphony (9/17/10)Everybody likes a little sneak peek, right? The Symphony Sampler at the River Campus on Sunday will give Southeast Missourians just that. The Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra will play selections from a few of its upcoming concerts. If you've never been to an orchestra concert -- here or otherwise -- go to this one. It's like a free variety show starring the Symphony Orchestra...
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Get Crazy: Audition (9/10/10)Not 24 hours after their murder thriller closes, members of the River City Players will hold auditions for a comedy they plan on doing in November. The current production, "Panic," runs today and tomorrow with a buffet dinner preceding it. The next play the community theater group will do is "The Crazy Time," a comedy about an older man who leaves his wife for a younger woman and ends up being cheated on himself...
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Fair fun for free (9/3/10)I'll get this out of the way right now: My favorite part of the SEMO District Fair is the fried Snickers. I get one a year, and I thoroughly enjoy it. You know you do, too. But the fair has come a long way to get to fried candy bars and Heartland Idol. The first fair in the area was held in 1855. It survived a few name changes and a brief pause in action during the Civil War...
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Taking the stage (8/27/10)For most people, the new year begins in January. They make resolutions and prepare to start over. For me, however, a new year begins each August when Southeast Missouri State University starts back up. I make plans for a school year of new plays, new musicals and new talent...
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Ready, set, film (8/20/10)It's not often you start the weekend with a mission, but a few dozen people in Cape Girardeau and Paducah, Ky., spent the 48 hours between Friday and Sunday night making a movie that may bring them fame. The Paducah 48-Hour Film Project operates like the more than 90 other events across the world. Filmmakers have 48 hours to write, film, edit and deliver a seven-minute movie...
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Coming alive (8/13/10)If there's one thing that can make a small town's downtown come alive, it's people. People walking, shopping, having fun. The more programs and events we have to bring people to downtown Cape Girardeau, the better. Tunes at Twilight -- which starts back up at 6:30 p.m. today -- is one program that does just that...
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Artful space (8/6/10)Area artists have added life, light and color to the building at 5 N. Main St. One by one, the rooms have been transformed from dark, empty spaces with drab walls and sometimes hideous flooring into colorful, vibrant grottos full of works by local artists...
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Funny business (7/30/10)People love to laugh, that's for sure. Laughter is the reason we TiVo "Saturday Night Live" or "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." No one sadly and reluctantly buys a ticket for a Vince Vaughn movie. They're smiling with anticipation of his one-liners and lightning fast monologues...
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Music mania (7/23/10)Nashville, Tenn., may officially be the Music City, but Cape Girardeau will hold its own in the smaller market this weekend. From old favorites to new acts, local stages will be busy today through Sunday. Well Hungarians will perform at 8:30 p.m. today at the Pink Galleon. The group plays its country hits around St. Louis and will make the drive down today to entertain the straight country crowd in Southeast Missouri...
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Create something (7/16/10)Covering the arts and keeping up with the artists in town sometimes sucks me down the colorful rabbit hole of creativity. I slip to the other side and wander aimlessly around the art world until I wake up and realize I should stick to reality and writing...
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The winery experience (7/9/10)If the key to real estate is location, the key to a winery is atmosphere. Anyone can buy a bottle of vino at the store, schlep home, pop it open and drink away. But the wineries in the area have built an atmosphere that enhances the wine and the way we experience it, like dark chocolate after deep reds...
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Rocking the Fourth (7/2/10)I'm confident that the Fourth of July activities today, Saturday and Sunday have been covered extensively. I debated devoting this column to the three-day event for fear of overkill, but after careful consideration I realized the U.S.A. Veterans Independence Day celebration really is the most exciting thing going on this weekend. It's got racing, music and "Redneck Games." What's more American than that?...
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Passion for playing (6/25/10)Passion is a powerful emotion. It can influence people to make rash decisions and even endure torture. In this particular case, I'm talking about community theater, where one rash decision to audition -- just for the heck of it -- pulls a person into an intimate group of people devoted to putting on the best possible show with its resources...
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Escape into photos (6/18/10)They say the summer blockbusters fall during this season to give people refuge from the oppressive heat, something we're familiar with in Southeast Missouri. For the next nine days I'd like to suggest a free alternative to spending two hours sitting in a dark room watching Hollywood's latest motion picture...
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College connection (6/11/10)Every local in Cape Girardeau knows that summer means a slowdown in the town. Most Southeast Missouri State University students have wandered away to their homes or vacation or maybe even a summer study program, leaving the roads less crowded and bars a little quieter...
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Creativity adds up (6/4/10)I think those involved in technical fields like engineering or medicine have a predisposition for art. Yes, there are those artists who are artists to the core and think of no other occupation that would satisfy them except that of a professional artist. I, however, am talking about the people who retire or have enough time for a hobby and a career...
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Female friendships (5/28/10)This week's SE Live edition seems a little estrogen-heavy when I look at the pages. I hope the gender-neutral dart league story and the family-friendly Tunes at Twilight artist preview will abate the "girls, girls, girls" theme we've got going on here...
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Women on wheels (5/21/10)The women in this town are up to something. They're disappearing on Monday nights. They're coming into work sore and sometimes bruised on Tuesday. The first rule of roller derby is you tell everyone about roller derby. A group of about 30 women have been learning to skate, learning to fall and learning the rules of roller derby from 6 to 9 p.m. ...
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Family fun on a Friday night (5/14/10)God help the Southeast Missourian employee who leaves on a Friday afternoon. He'll never get back into the parking lot. The building, if you've never been, stands watch on the corner of Broadway and Lorimier Street. We can see the N'Orleans out the front windows and the First Presbyterian Church and Common Pleas Courthouse out of the side. ...
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The next dimension (5/7/10)When something is new, it often gets used a lot. From a new toy to a new fashion trend to new technology, when people get a little, they often want a lot more -- as is the case with 3-D films right now. Last year, a few big ones hit, led by the record-setting "Avatar" and "Monsters vs. Aliens."...
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Radio station makes a focused appeal (4/30/10)Tuning in to KRCU on Wednesday morning I expected to hear the usual Morning Edition program and spend an hour or so with all my faceless friends on the radio. Instead, I heard station staff reporting membership numbers and repeating phone numbers, and I realized they've been very lenient. ...
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Art for the kids (4/23/10)When the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri announced it was planning a scaled-back version of ArtsCape with no big act, food vendors or children's tent, many people just accepted it. Not the Cadmium River Group. When members of the Cape Girardeau-based art group heard there wouldn't be a children's tent, they stepped up to host it, promising art and craft activities to show children how fun art can be...
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Dance story (4/16/10)"Dancing with the Stars" recently aired an episode with its competitors walking like Egyptians and posing for paparazzi a la Lady Gaga to tell stories. But you shouldn't need producers to mandate that choreography tell a story. Every dance -- any good dance -- tells a story...
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The art experience (4/9/10)I like to touch art. Most people frown upon it, I know, but I can't help it. I like to experience art with all my senses. I stand as close as I can to examine the details and then walk backward slowly. I squint to blur it and see something else. I inhale deeply in pottery studios, smelling the sweet burn of the kiln or the dusty smell of a finished product...
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Tweeting the news (4/2/10)Journalism is not a dying industry. It is a changing industry, for sure, but it is not dying. I don't know how many times I've said that to friends, family or new acquaintances in the past few months. They ask if I'm looking for a new job yet, and I laugh sarcastically, but sweetly and tell them, "No. I'm looking at how my job is going to change."...
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New music springs up (3/26/10)Ah, spring. Flowers blooming. Grass growing. New CDs poppin' up everywhere. It seems several area bands have been using their time stuck indoors productively. They stuck themselves in the recording studio. Doug Rees went "Looking for a Better Day" with his fourth album, released at a party March 13. The CD has 11 tracks that sound just like Doug -- folksy, country, insightful and hilarious...
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House music (3/19/10)The name Underberg House Concerts leaves nothing to the imagination. They are concerts in a house owned by Larry and Jean Underberg. I attended my first one Sunday to see the Canadafest singers -- four Canadian singer/songwriters traveling to South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. I've run stories about the house concerts in the entertainment section before, but I'd never gone to one...
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Alienating movies (3/12/10)No, I didn't watch all the 2010 best picture nominees before the 82nd annual Academy Awards aired Sunday. I tried. I did. OK, maybe I didn't try as hard as I could have, but, hey, a girl's got to live sometime. I saw "Avatar," and as I stated earlier, I'm glad it didn't win. I managed to sit through "District 9" and am ecstatic that it failed. The two movies sit at complete opposite ends of the alien spectrum...
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Dance moves (3/5/10)The River North Chicago Dance Company performed in Bedell Performance Hall on Tuesday, and as part of their visit, they held a free master dance class Monday. "Open to the public" and "geared toward all levels" coaxed me into the practice room. In case there's any doubt, I'm in the lower level...
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An All-Star good time (2/26/10)Last week's SE Live featured two stories about local bands doing great things -- The Big Idea working on quality original sounds with a new bass player and Rockface Barband gearing up to battle for Pointfest today in St. Louis. I'd like to draw a bit of attention, however, to the name at the top of both of those stories. Darren Burgfeld writes often for the Southeast Missourian and often writes about music and bands in the area...
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Best picture round 1: 'Avatar' and 'Up' (2/19/10)After only one week of my Oscar quest, I've already fallen behind. I took friends with me to see "Avatar" and then watched "Up" on my own. Then I forgot my mission for a day. Couldn't borrow one movie (stupid Blu-ray) and had to pack for vacation. But I'll be back to it soon, I promise (she wrote with trepidation and uncertainty)...
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Shared passion (2/12/10)I set out last month to find couples in the arts to profile for a Valentine's Day feature. I had the idea in mind for some time and luckily remembered it in time to get it done. I've always been fascinated with artists. They're passionate, detail oriented, creative, colorful and usually don't mind a little mess. I'm always spilling stuff, so that works out nicely...
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On a mission to watch all 10 best picture nominees (2/5/10)Let's talk globally for a moment, shall we? The Oscar nominations were released earlier this week, including the 10 best picture nominees. Not five this year, but 10. It figures that the year I decide to watch all the best picture nominees is the year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decides to double the number of films...
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Changing spaces: Cat Ranch Art Guild to exhibit with Cadmium River Group (1/29/10)Those who frequent the First Friday art openings in Cape Girardeau will notice one less stop on the trip around town Feb. 5. The Cat Ranch Art Guild, based in Marble Hill, Mo., has decided to leave Westray Studio to combine efforts and art shows with the Cadmium River Group at Global Cafe...
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Local talents (1/22/10)Before the Golden Globes kicked off the Hollywood award season Sunday, a small but mighty group of actors in Cape Girardeau held their own trophy party. The River City Players community theater group hands out Abbott Awards to its actors, directors and members each year. Some say the sound of a happy audience is enough, but for this small group of thespians the awards banquet is a chance to get together and celebrate one another...
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Art swap (1/15/10)Art intimidates me. Not looking at it -- I enjoy that -- and not in the "don't tell mom on us or we'll squish you under the mattress" way. It's more on the creation end. Sprawling art that would take me weeks to produce cover the walls of the galleries here. They're large. They're detailed. They're just too much for me to imagine creating. So when I heard about the Artist Trading Card workshops at the Black Door Gallery, I was admittedly intrigued...
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Artful windows (1/8/10)Dear lord, it was cold this week. Usually when this weather comes, I bundle up and camp out in the office. Phone interviews only, please. But not this week. This week I was walking around town, shoulders hunched, hands shoved deep in my pockets and my coat wrapped tightly around me...
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Setting facts straight on 'Boys' Life' (12/18/09)A story in last week's SE Live prompted a few clarifications and corrections. The story about "Boys' Life" called Dr. Kenn Stilson a professor and chair of the department of theater and dance. He is the former and no longer the latter. Stilson hasn't been chair of the department since his wonderful wife, Rhonda Weller-Stilson, took over in May 2008 as the interim department chair and signed on in May 2009 as the official department chair...
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No place like home (12/11/09)The normal progression of life in Southeast Missouri as I have noticed it seems to be "Well, I was born here, went to school here. I left for (insert random college town or entry-level job here) and now I'm back here." No matter where they go or what they're doing, people just come back here...
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Players & playing (12/4/09)November seemed like it was missing something. Look no further; I've figured it out. The River City Players canceled its third and last play of the 2009 season. Apparently the flu took its toll on the handshake and the Players' holiday cast. The director cited illnesses and sparse practice attendance for calling off "Sorry, Wrong Chimney."...
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Giving creatively (11/27/09)Times are tough, no doubt, and that's bad news for me this holiday season. Months ago a significant someone made me sit down and work out a personal budget -- Excel sheet and all. The normal money suckers are on there: rent, insurance, groceries. But my Local made me add a category: gifts...
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Christmas come early (11/20/09)For any person who has ever looked around Cape Girardeau and proclaimed we have too many meeting centers or banquet halls, let me give you exhibit A: the inordinate number of craft fairs in town this weekend. Just as the city and area businesses have already strung up Christmas decorations and attempt to peer pressure us into the holiday spirit, one-time-only craft fairs will flood the city today, Saturday and Sunday to remind us of all the Christmas shopping we need to do...
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Local talent scores big breaks (11/13/09)It's exciting when someone you know gets a "big break." I put the term in quotations because it can be subjective -- to the person, his field and his friends. The two big breaks that have excited me recently go from music to modeling. A local face-rocking band got word earlier in the week that it will be performing Nov. ...
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Art and charity go together (11/6/09)Handmade pottery can be expensive. Or, it can cost only $12 and come with Sunday lunch. The annual Empty Bowls Banquet will be from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Salvation Army, with a variety of soups, bread and a dessert on the menu. Diners get this modest meal to remind them that food can sometimes be hard to come by and many people only get a small amount -- sometimes not even daily. Diners also get a handmade bowl of their choosing to take home to remind them of the need every day...
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A blog to read by (10/30/09)There's a new blog in town -- one that has print repercussions. Some literary friends have started a blog called "Read It and Reap" focusing on books, how they relate to life, how people talk about them and why people should (or perhaps shouldn't) read them. These are people involved in the University Press at Southeast Missouri State University, which options and publishes books by authors from here and far...
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Costuming pop culture (10/23/09)We in the news industry are a scrappy bunch, some more so than others. It's a creative, high-energy environment and the stress sometimes gets to us, hence the fight that almost broke out between a page designer and a photographer Tuesday. We were brainstorming and the creative juices were flowing, and both of them wanted to be Octomom for Halloween. To clarify, only one's a girl, but I think the other could pull it off, too...
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Talking about art (10/16/09)Many people shy away from talking about art. Some can be discounted because they simply don't evaluate it beyond "pretty" or "not," but many others don't talk about it because they don't feel they know enough about it. Perhaps you're afraid someone will disagree. ...
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We are so cultured (10/9/09)Who would've thought that in one week a person living in or around Cape Girardeau could enjoy an opera, a symphony orchestra and a Ukrainian dance company? The cultured, the curious and the classes who need extra credit can see the opening concert of the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Bedell Performance Hall...
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Festival feedback (10/2/09)One fun aspect of the Internet is the ability to hold a community conversation. Anyone who has spent time on semissourian.com knows that readers have the option to comment on stories. Sometimes that's a bad thing, but many times it's a great thing, as was the case with an open blog I posted this week about the River City Music Festival asking for comments...
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Music weekend (9/25/09)It's hard not to get excited when talking to Mary Ramsey. Her face lights up at any mention of the River City Music Festival, playing out on stages in downtown Cape Girardeau today and Saturday. This time last year, Ramsey was slightly frantic with loose ends and hanging decisions. ...
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Fall in full swing (9/18/09)There truly is no rest for the weary. As fall arrives Tuesday, it brings with it a barrage of arts and entertainment events. The SEMO District Fair wraps up today and Saturday with two country acts who bring several old favorites. I don't think the drink stands at the fair sell tequila, and it's a good thing because with Joe Nichols on stage, we don't want any clothes coming off. Well, some of us might...
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Tunes is tops (9/3/09)Every Friday night for three weeks people have gathered at the gazebo in the park by the Common Pleas Courthouse to watch another musician play an hourlong set for Old Town Cape's Tunes at Twilight. The same thing happened in May and last year and the year before. People drag out lawn chairs, coolers, blankets and toys for the children, set up and enjoy the music, the weather and the company...
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Authors coming to town (8/27/09)Looking at the coverage in this week's entertainment section, you'd think Cape Girardeau is a music town. We're something of the sort, but this area also produces writers and artists to chronicle and draw the experiences of living in Southeast Missouri...
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A little bit of everything: gaming, arts and music (8/20/09)Following the trend of recruiting viewers to submit content, MTV has enlisted its fans to fill in an award spot for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc., has teamed up with Pepsi-Cola and Rock Band to host a Rock Band Video where a fictional band can win a Moonman at the VMAs. Judges narrowed the field to five semifinalists. Now, viewers will vote on which video they think should win the grand prize: a trip to New York for the VMAs and a Moonman...
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Planning a festival (8/13/09)My voyage north to Lollapalooza was tarnished this year only by a constant rain Friday and what we considered to be a great beer fiasco Saturday. Friday, the three-day music festival offered 24-ounce cans of beer for $8 or 12-ounce cans of beer for $5. You don't have to be a genius to figure out the better deal. Heck, you don't have to be sober to recognize that the Tallboy is the way to go -- and the way everyone went...
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Action in August (8/6/09)August seems to be a time for action: Schools and concert series starting back up, new shows planned and another month of new art hanging around town. Friday will again be the First Friday Art Walks. This will be the last weekend to see the "Equity: Selections from the Permanent Collection" at the Crisp Museum. ...
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Art and nature (7/30/09)Art can pop up in the most unlikely places. It's not relegated to galleries or museums. SE Live has written about art in school cafeterias, stairwells and yards. Here's another: the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center. It was news to me. The Nature Center welcomes visitors into its educational and stimulating depths through a tall, bright hallway. ...
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Live on location (7/23/09)Back by popular demand, with more windows, more bar space and easy-to-locate bathrooms, everybody put your hands together for ... Breakaways! The bar/pool hall/concert spot has reopened with a new face and a few new innards. To celebrate, the bar brought back the Tone Def All-Stars for a Saturday night of pool, music and fun...
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A new dance company, pH Exchange, is putting on free show before its festival debut (7/16/09)There's a new company in Cape Girardeau, and it's giving its product away for free. In May, Philip Edgecombe and Hilary Peterson started pH Exchange, Cape Girardeau's first professional dance company. They and two other dancers will perform a free hourlong show at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Rust Flexible Theatre as the company's onstage debut...
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Death of an icon (7/2/09)Death can be sudden. Death can be expected. Either way, death is always hard to deal with. For the past week the world has mourned. I was in the St. Louis airport June 25 when my travel buddy and I found out Michael Jackson had died. Word spread through Facebook, Twitter and news websites like a flood. By the time we deplaned in Boston, Anderson Cooper had devoted his show to the deceased King of Pop...
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Festive First Friday (6/25/09)Adding to the holiday festivities next weekend will be the First Friday Art Walk, scheduled to go on as planned July 3. The night before you get to see colorful fireworks in the sky, you'll get to see colorful (or maybe black and white) artwork on the walls in galleries around town...
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Make a bowl and make a difference (6/18/09)Most people do not have the resources on hand to be artistic. I personally do not have the creativity or skill it takes to "use what you've got." I can't turn a sheet into a purse or paint a mural on a wall, and even if I did, it would make a mess and I wouldn't want to ruin anything...
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Balanced entertainment (6/11/09)You've all heard of and seen the food pyramid, the USDA's recommended servings for a balanced diet. That concept -- the thought that one only needs or can handle certain amounts of certain things -- applies to other elements in our lives. Southeast Missouri State University just announced the entertainment nuggets it will be serving at the River Campus for the 2009-2010 season...
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Letting art grow (6/4/09)There's a garden in My Local's backyard. We didn't plant anything, but you can see the little black guard outlining it and green stuff shooting up everywhere. We dismissed most of it as weeds. If it grows like a weed and doesn't look like a flower, it must be a weed. Then a lily popped out...
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Tuning in to Tunes (5/21/09)Old Town Cape's Tunes at Twilight series started last week. The Tunes musicians follow the same path each week. They arrive on Thursday; play a set at 8 p.m. Thursday at Stooges in Jackson; play KFVS12's "The Breakfast Show" on Friday morning; hang with Larry and Jean Underberg; and play Tunes at Twilight at 7 p.m. Friday...
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Has the standing ovation lost its value? (5/14/09)Certain things lose their meaning when used too much. A comeback tour is only significant the first time, then it reverts to being just another string of concerts. Best of show means one piece stood above the rest in the gallery, not "this painting deserves the same amount of recognition as the ones on either side of it."...
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Spotlight on film (5/7/09)The arts, in the simplest of terms, encompass painting, literature, music, dance and film. We have First Fridays, a storytelling festival, theater and dance productions and music nightly. Why does film get treated like a stepchild who rarely gets to go outside and play?...
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The beauty of talent (4/30/09)Ugly people can sing. It's OK. A singer does not have to have high cheekbones, a small waist, lean legs and perfect hair to hit high notes and pull heartstrings.
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Giving is the reward (4/23/09)I am no longer a public radio freeloader. During the spring fundraising campaign, I called in, donated and got a bald cypress tree. Then forgot to pick it up.
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'E' is for enjoy (4/16/09)This weekend will be brought to you by the letter E. E is the first letter of eclectic, meaning to derive ideas from a broad and diverse range of sources. Use it in a sentence. The eclectic calendar for Friday, Saturday and Sunday includes dance shows, alt rock/punk concert, an Arena Building show with multiple local acts and various out-of-town or new bands packing bars in downtown Cape Girardeau...
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Spring blooms (4/2/09)I've diagnosed myself with SAD. I am so tired of being cold. I hole up with a blanket as soon as the sun goes down. It's like I've organized a one-woman sit-in against Mother Nature.
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Donation station (3/26/09)Whenever I drive into a new town I automatically flip my radio dial to the lower 80s and slowly go up from there to find a radio station. I know the majority of music stations are in the 100 FM area, but I've got CDs for music. I'm looking for something a little more informative: the public broadcasting station...
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Christmas time is singing time (12/26/08)My radio hasn't turned off of 93.9 Kiss FM since I stumbled upon the fact that they were playing nonstop Christmas music since around Thanksgiving. Our librarian here at SE Live and the Southeast Missourian has a varied collection of holiday CDs, and Christmas music has floated through the newsroom at the Southeast Missourian each morning for the past three weeks. ...
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Sugar plum fairies dance at Bedell (12/18/08)Some things just scream Christmas, and none do it louder than the music of "The Nutcracker." The Moscow Ballet recently brought the show to Bedell Performance Hall for a two-night gig. I had the unexpected pleasure of receiving three tickets to Monday's opening performance and loved it...
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Celebrating arts family (7/31/08)Cape Girardeau's arts and music scene lost a member of the family recently. Rick Procter died July 20 after a long illness and an active life. Friends and loved ones spent the weekend honoring Procter in the best way they knew how: playing music and displaying his art. ...