Fp191225

COLORBEARER OF ATHENS DANCING AWAY THE DECADE

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1987

DECEMBER 25, 2019 · VOL. 33 · NO. 51 · FREE & JANUARY 1, 2020

I ta l i a n c a f e

g n i t a r leb

Ce

s ar e Y 2

3

of Good Food and Good Times in Athens, Ga

DOWNTOWN 401 E. BROAD ST. 706-354-6966

EASTSIDE 1965 BARNETT SHOALS RD. 706-369-0085

WESTSIDE 2080 TIMOTHY RD. 706-552-1237

www.DePalmasItalianCafe.com 2

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

this week’s issue

contents

TROPICO PHOTO

Low Cost Spay/ Neuter Clinic

Open Monday - Thursday $35 - $125 for surgery depending on size/gender of animal Vaccinations & services (such as heart worm tests & combo tests) $10 - $25

$10.00 OFF towards adoption or surgery with this ad

Adopt/Foster/Volunteer/Donate YOU can help! Check out our adoptable animals & other ways you can plug in by logging onto our website. Help us in our mission to reduce the number of animals that are euthanized atanimal control facilities every year.

Sat, Jan. 4th · 1:00–4:00 p.m.

Low Cost Vaccination & Pet Care Clinic

UNDER THE SEA: Barber Street café Buvez hosts a two-day music fest Jan. 3–4 featuring Avery Leigh’s Night Palace and more. See Calendar Pick on p. 10.

City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 NEWS: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

What Did Athens Argue About in 2019?

The Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

ARTS: Flag Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

What Does the Sugar Bowl Mean, Anyway?

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Pet Supplies Plus · 191 Alps Road Prices range from $10 - $25 depending on vaccination/ service including rabies, FVRCP, microchip & registration, deworming and more.

All animals must be on leash or in a kennel No appointment necessary!

Adoption Center is open 7 days a week!

Monday - Saturday 12pm-6pm, Sunday 12pm-4pm 1781 Mars Hill Road, Watkinsville athenshumanesociety.org Find us on Facebook!!

Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Go Bar Says Goodbye With Week of Shows SPECIAL SECTION: Slackpole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

WHITLEY CARPENTER

MUSIC: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

NOTICE

The vacancy resulting from the resignation of Dr. Frances Berry as a member ofthe Clarke County Board of Education will be filled by the Board pursuant to Georgia Laws 1993, Page 3514, Section (5)(f)(2), which provides:

Readers Write So We Don’t Have To ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Jessica Pritchard Mangum MANAGING EDITOR & MUSIC EDITOR Gabe Vodicka CITY EDITOR Blake Aued ARTS EDITOR & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jessica Smith CLASSIFIEDS Jessica Smith AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack PHOTOGRAPHER Whitley Carpenter CONTRIBUTORS Jay Barnes, Matt Beall, Cy Brown, Liz Conroy, Connie Crawley, Jill Hartmann-Roberts, Alex B. Johnson, Kat Klimt, Kathryn Kyker, Gordon Lamb, Erin Lovett, Sharon Wright Mitchell, A.N., Heidi Espenscheid Nibbelink, Steve Piazza CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Ernie LoBue, Mike Merva, Taylor Ross OFFICE ASSISTANT Zaria Gholston EDITORIAL INTERNS Jessie Goodson, Caroline Gregor, Reid Koski, Rosemary Scott

“The remaining members of the board shall appoint a qualified resident of the education district wherein the vacancy occurred to servefor the remainder of the unexpired term anduntil a successor is elected and qualified.”

Any qualified resident residing in District 2, Clarke County Board of Education,and desiring to serve on the Clarke County Board of Education for the remainder of the term through December 31, 2020, is invited to submit a letter of interest, biographical sketch, and up to two signed letters of support to: LaKeisha Gantt, Board President Clarke County Board of Education 440-1 Dearing Extension Athens, Georgia 30606

COVER ARTWORK of Flagpole’s 2019 covers

STREET ADDRESS: 220 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 · ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 · FAX: 706-548-8981 CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editorial@flagpole.com

LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com MUSIC: music@flagpole.com NEWS: news@flagpole.com ADVICE: advice@flagpole.com

Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 14,500 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $70 a year, $40 for six months. © 2019 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 33 ISSUE NUMBER 51

comments section “This is an amazing article. I wish I could say I didn’t understand or I didn’t [agree] with it.

But I can say, I believe our local government is hearing and seeing the issues and trying to find solutions. But this is heavy lifting for everyone concerned.”

— Ovita Thornton From “Searching for Solutions in Athens,” at flagpole.com.

Applicants must reside in District 2, and meet the qualifications required by law. The following materials must be delivered to the Clarke County Board of Education Office, 440-1 Dearing Extension, Athens, Georgia 30606, personally orby U.S. Mail by 4:30 p.m., Friday, January 10, 2020: 1. A signed letter of interest 2. A resume or biographical sketch 3. Two letters of recommendation from supporters This 13th day of December, 2019.

LaKeisha Gantt President Clarke County Board of Education

Association of Alternative Newsmedia

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

3

news

city dope

BOE Appoints Interim Superintendent XERNONA THOMAS WILL LEAD THE DISTRICT POST-MEANS

By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com The Clarke County Board of Education voted unanimously last week to name Xernona Thomas as interim superintendent.

Thomas had served as former superintendent Demond Means’ chief of staff until earlier this month, when the board placed Means on administrative leave, ending his controversial two-and-a-half year tenure.

Thomas is a Clarke Central High School graduate who holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a master’s in social work and a doctorate in education from UGA, and has 27 years of experience as a social worker and school administrator in Clarke and Oconee counties.

Thomas said she will approach her new role “slowly” and “thoughtfully” and does not anticipate making major changes. The entire administrative team remains devoted to continuing Means’ focus on racial equity and making sure every child receives a rigorous education, she said.

“We’ve had a lot of people and a lot of situations that have been a distraction, but the work is not going to change,” she told Flagpole.

Thomas said she will not be a candidate to hold the position permanently. There is no timetable for naming a permanent superintendent, according to board president LaKeisha Gantt. Nor is there a timetable to conclude negotiations with Means on his severance package, she said.

“Dr. Thomas has the board’s full support to lead the district through this transition,” Gantt said in a news release.

About a dozen protesters from the local NAACP held signs in support of Means as the board met behind closed doors for an hour and a half at a called meeting Dec. 17.

Chapter president Alvin Sheats said he is pleased with Thomas’ appointment. “I think Dr. Thomas will be a fine superintendent,” Sheats told Flagpole. “I have the utmost

confidence in her.” But, he added, he is still disappointed that Means was dismissed.

The board also voted 7-1, with Charles Worthy dissenting, to hire Atlanta law firm McFadden Davis to handle negotiations with Means, as well as with Cognia, the accreditation agency Means asked earlier this year to investigate allegations of micromanagement by board members. McFadden Davis’ website describes it as a boutique law firm specializing in employment law.

CCSD Wants More Help From State School board members’ requests of state legislators can be summed up in two words: more money.

With the General Assembly set to start its annual 40-day session in January, the school board’s Government Relations Committee met last week with four members of Athens’ delegation to the Gold Dome—Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) and Reps. Spencer Frye (D-Athens), Houston Gaines (R-Athens) and Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville).

While expressing gratitude that for two years in a row the legislature has fully funded QBE—the formula used to decide how much state money local school systems get—the committee asked for adjustments to QBE that would net Clarke County additional funding, including tying the formula to inflation and accounting for the needs of districts with high poverty rates. “It does cost more money to educate a child who doesn’t have the home life clearly we would all like them to have,” committee chairman Greg Davis said. Children from low-income families are more likely to experience health problems and start kindergarten at a disadvantage, according to CCSD officials. “When students don’t have language exposure, they come in already behind,” Thomas said.

CCSD is also looking for the state to bear more of the burden of treating and transporting students. The state covers just 20% of the $1.3 million cost of nursing and 10% of the $10 million CCSD spends on busing.

The district also wants to the state to raise the pay for parapros, who make about $16,000 a year, and equalize pre-K teachers’ pay with their K-12 counterparts. Pre-K teachers make an average of $8,000 less, which leads many of them to apply for K-12 positions, creating a shortage of experienced pre-K teachers, interim finance director Byron Schueneman told lawmakers.

Even Gov. Brian Kemp’s $3,000 raise for state-funded teachers wound up costing CCSD $850,000 to provide raises for locally funded teachers and non-teachers like custodians and bus drivers whose salaries aren’t covered by QBE. And Kemp wants the legislature to approve another $2,000 raise next year.

But state revenue is “not growing at the rate predicted,” Cowsert said, and Kemp

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Open New Year’s Day 11:30 a.m.–Midnight Join us for all the bowl games!

SALON, INC.

MON – SAT 11:30AM – MIDNIGHT SUN 11AM – MIDNIGHT BRUNCH 11AM – 3PM

2440 West Broad St, Suite 2 706-548-2188 www.alaferasalon.com

1354 PRINCE AVE IN NORMALTOWN

4

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

has ordered budget cuts. Legislators are also contemplating another 0.25% income tax cut; a similar cut last year cost the state about half a billion dollars in revenue. Any additional spending will require cuts somewhere else, Cowsert said. “It is a zero-sum game,” he said.

As for adjusting QBE, Cowsert said two governors have tried and failed. “All the people advocating for their different positions creates a real nightmare,” he said.

Other items on CCSD’s wish list include funding for mentoring to recruit and retain teachers; need-based college financial aid in addition to the merit-based HOPE Scholarship; requiring the Georgia Lottery to devote more revenue to HOPE and preK; and ending the ban on undocumented immigrants who grew up in Georgia from attending UGA and other top-tier public universities, as well as ending the practice of charging those students out-of-state tuition at open enrollment institutions like UNG. f

The

Hope Keegan Foundation IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

The Hope Gala PRESENT

January 25, 2020 Hotel Indigo • Rialto Room • 6 pm - 10 pm

X

Silent Auction & Raffle • Food provided by LRG Provisions Music by DJ Marcus D. Dobbs

NOW OPEN 10am–7pm DAILY Official Grand Opening Weekend January 23rd–26th

(MD Sound and Entertainment Services)

Sponsored By

Faye Fleming

Ed & Kim Keegan Hot Coffee And a Keyboard James & Jessica Whitley Rich & Linda Crooks Grant Grissom

Pat & Cheri Cherry • Coca-Cola United, Athens • FORTAY Roofing • Jackson EMC • Mallory Moye Rebecca Bundrick • Suphred’s Cake Creations • The Rotary Club of Athens

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

Visit AshtonHopeKeeganFoundation.org to get yours before they are gone!

Free food, samples, chair massages and more!

2361 WEST BROAD STREET

facebook.com/frannyfarmacyathens

706-224-9505

For the first time ever, every elementary CCSD will have the chance to choose twelve brand new free books from Books for Keeps this Spring

TREK Foster Care is celebrating 20 years as a Foster Care provider in Georgia!

TREK Foster Care is celebrating 20 years as a Foster Care provider in Georgia! Located in ALL 159 counties, TREK provides 24/7 Foster Parent support, FREE training, and monetary support, as well.

Go to bit.ly/volunteerbfk to see how you can help get more books to more kids!

@bfk_athens

facebook.com/booksforkeeps

bit.ly/volunteerbfk

TREK –Athens in currently recruiting for Foster Parents! Please call the local TREK Office at 423-208-1259 for more information!

TREK provides 24/7 Foster Parent support, FREE Training, and Monetary support.

TREK Athens is currently recruiting for Foster Parents!

Please call the local TREK office at 423-208-1259 for more information!

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

5

news

feature

2019 in Review

The Year’s Top Stories, According to Our Facebook Fans

By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com

F

or better or worse (mostly worse), the bulk of Athens’ civic discourse these days seems to take place on Facebook. So, for our annual year-inreview article, Flagpole decided to take a peek through a slit in our fingers at our analytics to see what news Mark Zuckerberg’s almighty algorithm thought you should see in 2018. Since said algorithm creates a feedback loop of outrage intended to provoke flame wars that keep people on the site longer, this list could be more accurately titled, “What Did Athenians Argue About in 2019?”

RESTAURANTS: At least half of the top 50 Flagpole stories

that generated the most Facebook engagement involved restaurants opening or closing. But we’ll let our food critic, Hillary Brown, handle all that in our next issue. Also, read Gabe Vodicka’s tribute to Go Bar on p. 9.

CCSD: Besides restaurants, the one thing people couldn’t

stop talking about this year was the Clarke County School District. Everyone had an opinion on former superintendent Demond Means. He generated lots of news articles and a hard-to-follow narrative involving obscure public agencies, contracts, connections and finger-pointing from multiple angles, but a few things broke through the clutter: Popular Chase Street Elementary principal Andrea Neher quit. Then, popular Cedar Shoals High School principal Derrick Maxwell quit. Newly appointed Gaines Elementary principal Luther McDaniel tried to help organize a prayer gathering at the school. And Means wanted to put off renovations to roach-infested Clarke Middle School to free up money for an expensive administrative office.

SAVANNAH COLE / FILE

see the game while they imbibe.

Boo! POLICE SHOOTINGS: ACC police offi-

cers shot six people, killing five, in 2019—a disturbing trend, even if each individual officer’s actions were defensible. Two, in particular, caught the public eye. One was the shooting of Thomas Swinford, who engaged in an hours-long standoff in a Westlake Drive parking lot that ended when he pointed what later turned out to be a realistic-looking air pistol at police, who opened fire. The other was Aaron Hong, who attacked two officers responding to a call about a man with a knife at a Macon Highway apartment

Pet psychic Theresa Flemming

JESSICA SILVERMAN / FILE

years, so perhaps Athens residents experienced a bit of schadenfreude when Oconee County Observations blogger Lee Becker reported in May that three stores at Epps Bridge Centre—Gap Factory, Kincunnan’s and LifeWay Christian Store—had closed.

PET TELEPATHY: Flagpole’s Pet Issue profiled Theresa Flemming, a local woman who claims she can communicate with animals on a nonverbal plane.

HEARTBEAT BILL: Georgia’s ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy—proposed by Gov. Brian Kemp, an Athens native, and currently enjoined from taking effect thanks to fellow Athenian and U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones—confused and enraged many people, especially women, in liberal Athens. Will there be repercussions at the ballot box in 2020?

office records and gave a big publicity bump to local brewery Creature Comforts. Directors the Russo Brothers became fans while filming in Atlanta, and

The Frank C. Maddox Center

SCREENCAP VIA MARVEL STUDIOS

complex. The body camera footage apparently made for morbidly compelling viewing.

Seems like Thor would be more of a Bibo guy.

they included scenes where the Asgardian drinks a can of sour Berliner weisse and a Tropicalia IPA. SUDS AT SANFORD: Speaking of drinking, the internet exploded

when UGA announced that beer would be sold at Sanford Stadium. But there was a catch: Access to the bar area requires a minimum $25,000 donation, and fans can’t even

6

PLACES IN PERIL: Historic Athens, formerly known as the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, released its first-ever list of local “places in peril” that are threatened by neglect or development.

They included the wooded retreat of Beech Haven, now slated to become a public park thanks to SPLOST 2020; the Frank C. Maddox Center, a former American Legion post off Magnolia Drive; the abandoned Central Baptist Church cemetery in Winterville; a one-room black schoolhouse behind Billups Grove Baptist Church off Lexington Road; the Whitehall Village mill town; and the Reese Street School, the first high school for African Americans in Georgia.

EPPS BRIDGE: Atlanta Highway retailers have been fleeing for

(formerly) greener pastures off the Oconee Connector for

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

SHOWDOWN AT THE SUGAR BOWL: Before Georgia’s showdown

with Texas, Longhorns mascot Bevo broke out of his corral and charged at Uga X. The tussle prompted People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to ask both UT and UGA to UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS VIA TWITTER

THOR, GOD OF ATHENA: Avengers: Endgame shattered box

Uga and Bevo made up.

stop using live animals as mascots (fat chance). While it’s true that English bulldogs have been inbred all to hell, we should probably note that Ugas live in the lap of luxury. f

WELCOME HOME TO JACKSON OAKS C O M F O R TA B L E , C O N V E N I E N T A N D C A R I N G .

Jackson Oaks offers Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care living options. This friendly and engaging community, with its exceptional staff and service levels, provides a maintenance-free lifestyle and all the comforts of home, as well as the security you desire for true peace of mind.

Enjoy chef-prepared meals, a wide range of activities, exciting events and unsurpassed care available 24/7 as needed. Come join us to enjoy new experiences while connecting with your neighbors.

CA L L US T ODAY T O S C H E DU L E A V I SI T.

888.828.6276 • JacksonOaksSeniorLiving.com 50 Sumner Way • Jefferson, GA 30549

Thanks for an amazing

28 YEARS

downtown! Come see us at our 2 Great Locations: EASTSIDE

2230 Barnett Shoals Rd

MILLEDGE

670 N. Milledge Ave.

The Original

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

7

FINE WINE · LIQUOR · DOMESTICS & CRAFT BEER

PLeiqruroyr’s

LIVE MUSIC

NIGHTLY

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26TH

BIG BAND ATHENS

OFF RIGHT!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27TH

LIVE MUSIC

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28TH

HONEYCHILD AND TALL ORDER THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND

JAZZ

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3RD

LIVE MUSIC

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4TH

ON E

WES DELK FUNDRAISER Happy holiday from hendershots!

“We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.”

Love you athens, stay gold.

CALL FOR KEGS! 265 NORTH AVE W E I . D . · D R I N K R E S P O N S I B LY

I remember a phrase Dawg fans used to celebrate their triumphant return to New Orleans in 2002 when Georgia went to the Sugar Bowl for the first time in 20 years: “You can’t spell ‘sugar’ without ‘UGA.’” After Georgia defeated Florida State in that game, I remember it showing up on a lot of T-shirts, too. The phrase made a return ahead of the 2006 Sugar Bowl, which was played in Atlanta following Hurricane Katrina, although I saw fewer shirts after the Dawgs lost to West Virginia. But the saying popped back up in 2008 when Georgia beat Hawaii in New Orleans.

Georgia fans have always loved the Sugar Bowl. For decades, the top team in the SEC earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl, so a trip to NOLA meant you were the best in the conference. Hell, we won our last national championship in the Sugar Bowl. And we still love the Sugar Bowl, right?

year: This year, Kirby still has something to prove.

Last year, we knew how good that team was. Despite all the nits that we picked during the 2018 season, what we had was essentially a playoff-caliber team, one that could have made a run for the title had a few bounces—or fake punts—gone our way in the SEC Championship Game. A handful of our best players were injured or sitting out to prepare for the NFL draft. We lost, and no one cared, because it meant nothing.

This year, we’ve spent months watching a dull, ineffective offense. And even though we came up just one game short of a trip to the CFP, most honest fans would admit that this team would probably get slaughtered

by Clemson or Ohio State the same way it got slaughtered by LSU. But because of those failures on offense, Kirby has a chance to end the season on LAUREN TOLBERT

... just listen

KICK 2020

706.543.0005

Sugar Bowl Preview

By Cy Brown news@flagpole.com

GREAT SERVICE · LOW PRICES HUGE SELECTION

LL Z

flag football

HERE’S HOPING KIRBY OPENS UP THE OFFENSE

SERVING ATHENS SINCE 1991

C HI

arts & culture

ATHENS’ INTIMATE LIVE MUSIC VENUE

hendershotsathens.com

237 prince ave. • 706.353.3050

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2019 Come walk our RED CARPET and have your picture taken as you enjoy a fantasy of lights, silver, and gold.

Enjoy DJ Mellow Myers spinning your favorite tunes as you partake of hot, heavy hors d’oeuvres from 7pm-9pm, then DANCE your way into the New Year with Make the Sugar Bowl Great Again.

THE SENSATIONAL SOUNDS OF MOTOWN

Starring

MR. MOTOWN AND FRIENDS

Enjoy a Champagne Toast at midnight and continue to dance into 2020, then prepare yourself for a gourmet breakfast buffet with DJ Mellow Myers spinning your favorite classics.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019 Where: VFW • 835 Sunset Dr. Doors: Red Carpet Photos at 7pm Price:

$40/person

Call Sherry

8

for table reservations:

706-546-0543

It doesn’t seem that way. Georgia is back in the Sugar Bowl for the second time in as many years, playing No. 7 Baylor this time around. And for the second time in as many years, no one seems excited about it. Just look at the ticket prices. Considering the state of college football, and the state of Georgia football, that old saying feels more like an insult than a brag.

The College Football Playoff reigns supreme. If your program is considered among the elite of the sport, anything less than being one of those four teams feels like a failure. And for the second year running, Georgia ain’t one of those teams. finishing just outside the top four. For most of Georgia football history, any number of fans would have traded a finger for a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Now, it feels like a consolation prize, as well as a reminder that we fell short—again.

Kirby Smart’s challenge this year is effectively the same as it was last year: Get the players excited and prepared for a game that essentially doesn’t matter. He failed last season, losing to Texas. But there is one major difference between this year and last

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

a positive note. To do that, he has to win the Sugar Bowl and score a lot of points in the process. After all the hubbub about the offense following the SEC Championship Game, Kirby can silence a lot of critics heading into the offseason if he opens up the playbook and the players execute. The Sugar Bowl may mean nothing now, but it also means a whole lot.

To be fair, Kirby and offensive coordinator James Coley tried to open the offense against LSU, but, like all season, the routes were often far too predictable, and there wasn’t any cohesion between the receivers and Jake Fromm. So, as much as I want to see inventive play-calling, I also want to see better execution from the players, specifically Fromm.

With nothing on the line, if the offense continues to play conservatively, it’s probably a good indicator that Kirby doesn’t see a need to change his “manball” approach.

If he continues with an offense that has proven to be ineffective with three weeks to prepare and no stakes, it’s a sign that doesn’t bode well for potential changes to the offense in the offseason. f

music

feature

Flynt Flossy & Turquoise Jeep

New Year’s Noise GO BAR GOES OUT WITH A BANG, AND MORE SHOWS TO SEE

By Gabe Vodicka music@flagpole.com

N

ew Year’s Eve 2019 may fall on a Tuesday—that least partiest of nights—but there’s still a lot of live music leading up to the advent of 2020, starting with nearly a week of shows at a venue in transition: Prince Avenue haunt Go Bar, which will close Jan. 1 to begin a journey from nightclub to eating establishment.

Go Bar will open with a new name and a new look in spring or summer, says co-owner Tom Hedger. Plans include adding a kitchen and outdoor dining area and ending the late-night events that have made the bar a sleazy-chic haven for Athens’ club crawlers and night owls for the past 20 years.

GABE VODICKA

Hedger announced the change in an Oct. 10 Facebook post, in which he thanked “all of our wonderful customers, countless bands, DJs, and performers who have come through our doors and helped provide all of the years of freaky, funky fun.”

Hedger—who, at age 49, can be found pouring drinks most nights until last call— says the decision to end late-night oper-

ations was based on several factors, chief among them sheer burnout. As he jokingly explains, the change sprang from a desire to “figure out a way to age gracefully in the nightclub business.”

However, one aspect of the new model has been a dream for some time. “We’ve always wanted to put a kitchen in that space,” says Hedger, but the building’s tiny footprint meant that the current stage and performance area took up much of the necessary square footage.

Hedger points to the mixed-use development going up in the former St. Joseph church property across the street from Go Bar as another reason for curtailing loud, late-night shows, citing past complaints from residential neighbors.

Go Bar The development will include 126 apartments, as well as a Piggly Wiggly grocery store, a restaurant and other commercial space.

The Go Bar news has elicited a mixed reaction from the local creative community, specifically those in the experimental music scene, which has found a home there in recent years due to the venue’s anything-goes booking policy. “Happy for y’all to be making the right changes for you, but sad for live freaky music to be more and more irrelevant to people,” read one comment on Hedger’s Facebook post.

Hedger says he sympathizes with that sentiment and appreciates what Go Bar has meant to Athens, but after two decades of decadence, it’s time for something different.

“It’s a very bittersweet thing,” he says.

To mark the end of an era, leading up to Dec. 31, the venue will host a series of shows from some of its closest friends and allies. On Thursday, Dec. 26, Dr. Fred will host the last edition (for now) of his weekly karaoke event, while Friday sees performances from Dead Neighbors, Wieuca, Free Ride and DJ Mahogany. Saturday’s action kicks off at 5 p.m. and features no fewer than 12 acts, including Frank Hurricane, Calico Vision, Thrüm, Sad Dads and more.

On Monday, Dec. 30, Madeline and Nana Grizol play their annual homecoming double bill, and New Year’s Eve features the dance-tastic DJ lineup of Immuzikation, Twin Powers, Mahogany and Fog Juice. See The Calendar on p. 10 for complete listings.

Five more shows to check out:

Hayride

Friday, Dec. 27 @ Georgia Theatre

Long-running local rock trio Hayride hosts its seventh annual Hayride Holiday Party with support from fellow OGs Donkey Punch and more recent punk faves Monsoon. It’s a rare townie throwdown on the Theatre’s main stage, so get those tallboys ready.

Drivin’ N Cryin’

Saturday, Dec. 28 @ 40 Watt Club

Still going strong after more than three

PULASKI HEIGHTS

Professional Piercings

706-850-3330 159 W. Clayton St.

across from the Georgia Theatre

The Leathers bldg.

675 pulaski st, ste . 100

ns

e

Follow us on IG @3ravenstattoo

706.583.9600

at h

Uniquely Athens

f l ag p o l

e

Friendly & Helpful Staff

There’s a chill in the air. come warm up with bbq & stew. es

Beautiful Modern Studio

fa vo

Winner

SUN-TUES 11am-9pm WED-SAT 11am-10pm

or when the meat runs out

Randall Bramblett Band

Saturday, Dec. 28 @ The Foundry

Another local tradition returns to The Foundry, as Randall Bramblett hosts his annual holiday performance with his ace backing band in tow. Bramblett deftly blends old and new Athens with his rootsy, genre-spanning work.

Flynt Flossy & Turquoise Jeep

Saturday, Dec. 28 @ Caledonia Lounge

A viral internet sensation that just won’t quit, Flynt Flossy and the eclectic Turquoise Jeep crew channeled “Tim and Eric” energy on early singles like “Lemme Smang It.” It’s good, mindless fun for letting loose post-Christmas.

Marcus King Band

Monday, Dec. 30 & Tuesday, Dec. 31 @ Georgia Theatre

South Carolina guitarist Marcus King brings his buzzy brand of bluesy Southern rock to the Theatre each of the last two nights of 2019, with an upcoming debut solo LP, the Dan Auerbach-produced El Dorado, on the way in January. f

ng rati b e l Ce ears !

12 Y

it

Versatile Tattoo Artists

decades, acclaimed Atlanta hard-rock crew Drivin’ N Cryin’ sounds newly invigorated on Live the Love Beautiful, its latest studio album, released in summer.

r

MAY HAVE ADULT THEMES AND LANGUAGE

WED, JAN 8 7 PM • THE FOUNDRY • $7 295 E Dougherty St

DOORS OPEN AT 5 PM FOR DINNER

RABBITBOX.ORG

Dog Spa

Happy New Year!

Bring your pet in for a

New LLook ook!!

Voted Athens’ Safety-Certified Favorite Groomer Salon

We Groom Dogs & Cats!

1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy · 706-353-1065

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

9

the calendar!

calendar picks

Patrick Dean’s “Star Wars” Flagpole cover art

COMEDY | MON, DEC 30

MUSIC | THU, JAN 2

MUSIC | JAN 3–4

Moonlight Theater · 8 p.m. · FREE! If you missed Fruit Salad’s recent run of dates at the 40 Watt and Moonlight Theater in October, here’s a chance to catch it for free, as the crew films a live special for the Beijing Comedy Festival. Two long-haired men dressed in colorful tights and capes—Nicholas Hemerling and Moonlight founder Chase Brantley—team up for a night of sketches influenced by clowning, physical comedy, Andy Kaufman and disco. Despite its childlike silliness and scenes about watermelons, pineapples, Spanish guitars and superheroes that sound innocent enough, the show is best viewed by adult eyes. [Jessica Smith]

Flicker Theatre and Bar · 10 p.m. · $7 From the unlikely indie-rock mecca of Hattiesburg, MS, comes Goth Dad, a flannel-clad five-piece conjuring the moonlit moodscapes of 1980s dreampop. Chorus-saturated guitar tones and twinkly synths guide 2018’s Fade EP, an impressive four-song outing where the songwriting stands up to the sonics. After wowing local listeners with a self-titled, full-band album in early 2019, indiepop songwriter Dagmar Vork returned in fall with Suffer Fruit Demos, an ongoing collection of home-recorded acoustic oddities and the like. New local psych band Canary Affair rounds out this Flicker bill.

[Gabe Vodicka]

Buvez · 7:30 p.m. · $5 Everyone’s favorite gathering place on Barber Street is adding a full bar and fully expanding into the live music game. To usher in this welcome phenomenon, make plans to attend Buvez Fest Friday, Jan. 3 and Saturday, Jan. 4. The first night features Avery Leigh’s Night Palace and Nina Garbus, and the next night will feature LeeAnn Peppers and Ethan Mullenax. Word on the street is the space is already booked out clear until March, so if you feel like you might wanna play there, you should make some moves really soon. For more information, see facebook.com/buvezathens. [Gordon Lamb]

Fruit Salad

Thursday 26 GAMES: Music Trivia (Saucehouse Barbeque) Meet at the bar for a round of trivia. 8 p.m. FREE! www. facebook.com/saucehousebbq GAMES: Trivia Night (Terrapin Beer Co.) Hosted by Shelton Sellers from Classic City Trivia every Thursday.

5:30–7:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer. com

10

Goth Dad

KIDSTUFF: Teen Thursdays (Madison County Library, Danielsville) Teens can drop in each week for a different activity.

This month’s activities include book themed snacks, a superhero movie and button making. No registration necessary. Ages 13–18. 5–7 p.m.

FREE! athenslibrary.org/madison LECTURES & LIT: Inclusive Book Club (Madison County Library, Danielsville) This facilitated book

club serves adults of all abilities and will be reading out loud and discussing book of the month Cat Stories by James Herriot. 1 p.m.

FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ madison

Friday 27 COMEDY: So Happy For Christmas (Moonlight Theater) A

Buvez Fest

holiday comedy featuring wild characters, live music and award-winning comedians. Tickets sales support the Athens Area Homeless Shelter. Dec. 27–28, 8 p.m. & Dec. 29, 5 p.m. $8–14. www.moonlighttheatercompany.com FILM: Family Holiday Film (ACC Library) Watch a 1992 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

1 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650, www. athenslibrary.org/athens

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

ART | TUE, JAN 7

Gallery Talk: Richard Fausset

Georgia Museum of Art · 2 p.m. · FREE! New York Times correspondent and former Flagpole editor Richard Fausset will speak on the museum’s new exhibition, “The Monsters Are Due on Broad Street: Patrick Dean,” a retrospective of the local cartoonist’s illustration career. Fausset hired Dean in the mid-1990s to create a weekly comic for Flagpole, which Dean drew until 2006, along with numerous covers. Dean was diagnosed with ALS in 2018 but has continued to draw, despite difficulties. His solo show begins with student work at UGA in the late ’90s and spans until the present day, showing influences of Mad magazine, Jack Davis, George Grosz and Tomi Ungerer. [JS]

Saturday 28 COMEDY: So Happy For Christmas (Moonlight Theater) See Friday listing for full description.

Dec. 27–28, 8 p.m. & Dec. 29, 5 p.m. $8–14. www.moonlighttheatercompany.com KIDSTUFF: Storytime & Activities (Barnes & Noble) Enjoy a storytime and activities dedicated to The

Kindness Book. 11 a.m. FREE! www. barnesandnoble.com KIDSTUFF: Yoga Storytime (Madison County Library, Danielsville) Enjoy a story and learn some simple yoga poses. Attendees are asked to bring their own yoga mat or beach towel; a few will be available to borrow. Children under age 10 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. 11 a.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/madison

Sunday 29 ART: Family Playtime Yoga (Rubber Soul Yoga) Children, parents, extended family and caretakers are invited to share a playful yoga class focused on movement, games and imagination. 10–11 a.m. $10. www.rubbersoulyoga.com COMEDY: So Happy For Christmas (Moonlight Theater) See Friday listing for full description.

Dec. 27–28, 8 p.m. & Dec. 29, 5 p.m. $8–14. www.moonlighttheatercompany.com GAMES: Rockin’ Roll Bingo (Starland Pizzeria and Pub) Play to win. 9 p.m. FREE! 706-613-8773 GAMES: Trivia (Southern Brewing Company) General trivia hosted by Solo Entertainment. House prizes and discounted tabs. 5–7 p.m.

FREE! www.sobrewco.com KIDSTUFF: Baby & Me Storytime (Barnes & Noble) Read a book and participate in activities featuring sensory growth for the little ones.

For caregivers and children ages 0–2. This week’s book is Pop-Up Peekaboo: Things That Go. 11 a.m.

FREE! www.barnesandnoble.com

build their fine motor skills with lots of fun and creativity. 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart KIDSTUFF: Graphic Novel Book Club (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Molly for a teen book club featuring graphic novels. Enjoy discussion, activity and snacks. 4:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart KIDSTUFF: Homeschool Hangout (Madison County Library, Danielsville) Homeschool families are invited to join staff for an introduction to library resources geared toward homeschooling. There will also be a library scavenger hunt activity for children and teens. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ madison KIDSTUFF: Open Chess Play for Kids and Teens (ACC Library) Teen chess players of all skill levels can play matches and learn from

Wednesday 1 CLASSES: New Year’s Day Flow (Shakti Yoga Athens, 940 Prince Ave.) Celebrate the new year on your mat with co-teachers Ruby Chandler and Maggie Scruggs and some tunes. 3:15–4:15 p.m. FREE! www. shaktiyogaathens.com

Thursday 2 EVENTS: KnitLits (Bogart Library) Knitters of all levels are invited to have fun, share ideas and knit.

Beginning knitters are encouraged to attend. Ages 16 & up. 6–8 p.m.

FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart GAMES: Music Trivia (Saucehouse Barbeque) Meet at the bar for a round of trivia. 8 p.m. FREE! www. facebook.com/saucehousebbq

each week for a different activity.

This month’s activities include book themed snacks, a superhero movie and button making. No registration necessary. Ages 13–18. 5–7 p.m.

FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ madison LECTURES & LIT: Inclusive Book Club (Madison County Library, Danielsville) This facilitated book club serves adults of all abilities and will be reading out loud and discussing book of the month Cat Stories by James Herriot. 1 p.m.

FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ madison

Friday 3 ART: Coffee and Crafts: Crochet (Bogart Library) Learn basic crochet techniques to create a decorative bookmark. Registration required.

Home and Garden Showplace, Clarke Middle School, Sandy Creek Nature Center and Chase Street Elementary School. Recycling centers are located at Georgia Square Mall, Winterville Public Works Building, Lexington Road Tag Office and CHaRM. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! www.keepathensbeautiful.org EVENTS: Low Cost Vaccination & Pet Care Clinic (Pet Supplies Plus) The clinic offers vaccinations and services like microchipping, deworming and more. All animals must be on leash or in a kennel. No appointment necessary. 1-4 p.m. $10–25. athenshumanesociety.org

Sunday 5 GAMES: Rockin’ Roll Bingo (Starland Pizzeria and Pub) Play to win. 9 p.m. FREE! 706-613-8773

Monday 30 CLASSES: Shakti Restorative Yoga with Live Music (Shakti Yoga Athens, 940 Prince Ave.) Ruby Chandler guides the class as Emily Unwin plays the harmonium. This class offers a nourishing, opening practice that incorporates props such as bolsters, tennis balls and blocks to facilitate healing, the release of tight muscles, trigger points and surrounding connective tissues. 6–7 p.m. $15. www.shaktiyogaathens.com COMEDY: Fruit Salad Live Filming (Moonlight Theater) Fruit Salad is filming a live special for the Beijing Comedy Festival. Come be a part of this surreal night of playful, idiotic and childlike physical comedy. Children are not advised to attend. See Calendar Pick on p. 10.

8 p.m. FREE! www.moonlighttheatercompany.com COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (The Globe) Local improvisors invent scenes on the spot and compete for the coveted screaming chicken. Every Monday upstairs. 9 p.m. FREE! www.krakinjokes.com GAMES: Geeks Who Drink Trivia (Highwire Lounge) Test your general knowledge for prizes. 8–10 p.m.

FREE! www.highwirelounge.com GAMES: Rock and Roll Trivia (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Get a team together and show off your extensive music knowledge. Hosted

by Jonathan Thompson. 9 p.m.

FREE! www.facebook.com/lkshuffleclub KIDSTUFF: Fine Motor Fun (Bogart Library) Drop in for a special program created just for your little ones!

Using everyday objects, children will

“Master, Pupil, Follower: 16th- to 18th-Century Italian Works on Paper” is currently on view at the Georgia Museum of Art through Sunday, Mar. 8.

Pictured above is a work by Pietro Giacomo Palmieri. members of the local Chess and Community Players, who will be on hand to assist players and help build skill levels. For ages 7–18.

Registration required. 4–5:30 p.m.

FREE! 706-613-3650

Tuesday 31 GAMES: Happy Hour Trivia (The Rook and Pawn) Hosted by James Majure. 6 p.m. FREE! www. therookandpawn.com

GAMES: Trivia Night (Terrapin Beer Co.) Hosted by Shelton Sellers from Classic City Trivia every Thursday.

5:30–7:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer. com KIDSTUFF: Kids Cook (Bogart Library) Kids are invited to learn a healthy, easy recipe they can make at home. This month’s recipe is taco soup. 4 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart KIDSTUFF: Teen Thursdays (Madison County Library, Danielsville) Teens can drop in

10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart

Saturday 4 EVENTS: Bring One for the Chipper: Christmas Tree Recycling (Multiple Locations) Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (KACCB) encourages citizens to recycle their undecorated trees and wreaths. Receive a free tree seedling.

Drop-off locations include Cofer’s

Monday 6 CLASSES: Western Partner Dance Lessons (VFW) Linda and David lead Western partner dance lessons.

Singles welcome. 6–8 p.m. $5. bgeddis@mindspring.com EVENTS: Coffee and Conversation (Madison County Library) Enjoy coffee and chat with neighbors. This program is free and open to all ages and abilities. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/madison

GAMES: Geeks Who Drink Trivia (Highwire Lounge) Test your general knowledge for prizes. 8–10 p.m.

FREE! www.highwirelounge.com GAMES: Rock and Roll Trivia (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Get a team together and show off your extensive music knowledge. Hosted by Jonathan Thompson. 9 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/lkshuffleclub KIDSTUFF: Monday Funday (Bogart Library) Songs, finger plays, wiggles and giggles for ages three and under. Caregivers will receive pointers for building literacy and language skills. 10 a.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart KIDSTUFF: Preschool Pals (Bogart Library) Preschool-aged children will learn social and language skills through songs stories and crafts.

Ages almost 3–almost 5. 11:30 a.m.

FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

Tuesday 7 ART: Gallery Talk (Georgia Museum of Art) New York Times correspondent and former Flagpole editor Richard Fausset gives a gallery talk about the work of comics artist Patrick Dean in the exhibition “The Monsters Are Due on Broad Street.”

See Calendar Pick on p. 10. 2 p.m.

FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org CLASSES: Western Style Square Dance Lessons (Athens First UMC) Learn how to Square Dance.

The first three lessons are free, and couples and singles are welcome.

6:45–8:45 p.m. $5. 706-340-0480, michel344@charter.net EVENTS: Swing Night at the Garden (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Choose between an hourlong East Coast Swing or Lindy Hop lesson then dance under the palms. 7 p.m. $4–6. www.botgarden.uga.edu GAMES: Full Contact Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern, 2301 College Station Road) Every Tuesday. 8:30 p.m.

FREE! facebook.com/blindpigtavern GAMES: Happy Hour Trivia (The Rook and Pawn) See Tuesday listing for full description. 6 p.m. FREE! www.therookandpawn.com GAMES: Locos Trivia (Locos Grill & Pub) Westside and Eastside locations of Locos Grill and Pub feature trivia night every Tuesday. 8 p.m.

FREE! www.locosgrill.com GAMES: Trivia (Hi-Lo Lounge) General trivia hosted by Jacob and Wes. 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-850-8561 GAMES: Trivia (Starland Pizzeria and Pub) Test your trivia knowledge. 8 p.m. FREE! 706-613-8773 GAMES: Trivia (The Office Sports Bar and Grill) Play to win. Every Tuesday.

8 p.m. FREE! 706-521-5898 KIDSTUFF: Anime Club (Bogart Library) Meet other fans of anime and manga to discover books, art, shows, snacks and Japanese culture.

Grades 6–12. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart KIDSTUFF: Full STEAM Ahead (Madison County Library) Ages 5–10 can explore topics in science, k continued on next page

flagpole’s office will be closed from Dec. 23rd–27th DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

11

THE CALENDAR! technology, engineering, art and math. 4:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/madison LECTURES & LIT: Bogart Bookies Book Club (Bogart Library) Discuss Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. 1–2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart MEETINGS: Candidate Jail Debate (ACC Library) A panel of former inmates will share their experiences inside jail or prison and discuss opinions about political candidates fielding questions from inmates, extending economic and political power to inmates, and the misperceptions about the prison population. 6–7:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/athens

Wednesday 8 EVENTS: Rabbit Box (The Foundry) Rabbit Box is storytelling by adults for adult ears. This month’s theme is “Hindsight 20/20.” 7 p.m. $7. www. rabbitbox.org GAMES: Cornhole Tournament (Saucehouse Barbeque) Gather a team and compete. 8 p.m. www. saucehouse.com GAMES: Dirty South Trivia (Mellow Mushroom) Dirty South Trivia offers house cash prizes. 8 p.m. FREE! 706-613-0892 GAMES: Nerd Trivia (Grindhouse Killer Burgers) Every Wednesday.

Prizes and house cash. 8 p.m. FREE! www.grindhouseburgers.com GAMES: Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern, 2440 W. Broad St.) Compete for prizes. 8 p.m. FREE! www.fullcontacttrivia.wordpress.com GAMES: Trivia (Willy’s Mexicana Grill) Every Wednesday. 6 p.m.

FREE! www.facebook.com/willysmexicanaathens KIDSTUFF: Mother Goose on the Loose (Bogart Library) This special storytime is designed to promote parental bonding and early learning in babies ages 0–24 months.

Registration required. 10–11 a.m.

FREE! 770-725-9443 www.athenslibrary.org/bogart KIDSTUFF: Step into Music (ACC Library) An afterschool music class with Mr. Evan. For children ages 5–7 and their caregiver. 4 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/athens KIDSTUFF: Wonderful Wednesday: What’s the Story?

(Bogart Library) A program to engage school-aged children in storytelling. Ages 4 & up. 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. & 4–5 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart LECTURES & LIT: Tapping into Community: Craft, Culture and Innovation (Studio 225, 225 W. Broad St.) A panel discussion with representatives of Creature Comforts and Allagash meet with Grace Bagwell Adams of the Athens Wellbeing Project for a discussion on breweries and culture. Presented by the Global Georgia Initiative public event series of the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. Followed by a reception at Creature Comforts at 6 p.m. 4 p.m. FREE! davemarr@ uga.edu

LIVE MUSIC Thursday 26 The Globe 5 p.m. www.facebook.com/globe. athens THE FUSILIERS New area project featuring well-known musicians

12

Tuesday, Jan. 7 continued from p. 11

playing original and traditional Celtic greengrass music.

Go Bar 10 p.m. FREE! 706-546-5609 KARAOKE Hosted by karaoke fanatic Dr. Fred and featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.

Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. www.hendershotscoffee.com BIG BAND ATHENS Local group playing swing and jazz standards.

The Foundry 8 p.m. $20 (adv.), $25 (door). www. thefoundryathens.com RANDALL BRAMBLETT BAND This established Georgia singer-songwriter’s Southern-tinged music pulls from a variety of influences. See story on p. 9.

Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. $40 (adv.), $45 (door). www. georgiatheatre.com SEVENDUST Atlanta’s longtime heavy-rock heroes perform a stripped-down AcousticXMas set.

Jerzees Sports Bar 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/jerzeessport PRE-NEW YEAR’S PARTY Featuring DJ K. Liente and DJ Louii Blanco spinning salsa, bachata, reggaeton and more.

Live Wire Athens 8 p.m. $7 (adv.), $10 (door). www. livewireathens.com HEART OF PINE Roots-rocking local four-piece.

TODD COWART & THE BLANK CANVAS Southern-fried local rock group.

Monday 30 Georgia Theatre 7:30 p.m. (Mon), 9 p.m. (Tue). $25 (Mon), SOLD OUT (Tue). www.georgiatheatre.com THE MARCUS KING BAND Bluesy, Greenville, SC-based psychedelic funk-rock group. See story on p. 9.

Go Bar 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/go.bar.35 MADELINE Formerly local singer-songwriter playing songs of love,

Georgia Theatre 7:30 p.m. (Mon), 9 p.m. (Tue). $25 (Mon), SOLD OUT (Tue). www.georgiatheatre.com THE MARCUS KING BAND Bluesy, Greenville, SC-based psychedelic funk-rock group. See story on p. 9.

Friday 27 Flicker Theatre & Bar 10 p.m. www.flickertheatreandbar.com WYLIE CHIP MCKENZIE Longtime local singer-songwriter performs country-inflected originals.

Go Bar 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/go.bar.35 DANCE PARTY Say goodbye to Go Bar with sets from DJs Immuzikation, Twin Powers, Mahogany and Fog Juice, plus lighting by Parks Miller and projections by Nicholas Gould. See story on p. 9.

Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. $5 (adv.), $7 (door). www.georgiatheatre.com HAYRIDE Long-running local threepiece rock band led by guitarist Kevin Sweeney. See story on p. 9.

DONKEY PUNCH Raucous, long-running local hard-rock band.

MONSOON Athens-based band informed by punk, anime culture and new wave.

Nowhere Bar 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens BLOODKIN Long-running Athens quartet playing a bluesy style of roots-rock with big guitars and sharply written lyrics.

Go Bar 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/go.bar.35 FREE RIDE Local ’70s hard-rock cover band featuring members of Wieuca and Material Girls. See story on p. 9.

DEAD NEIGHBORS Local group playing punky, emotive garage-rock.

WIEUCA Local four-piece experimental outfit that fuses indie rock, psychedelia and trip hop.

DJ MAHOGANY Popular local DJ spins freaky funk, sultry soul, righteous R&B and a whole lotta unexpected faves.

VFW 8 p.m. $10. www.vfwathens.com CHRIS HAMPTON BAND Local variety cover band hosts a dance party, playing classic and new tunes.

Saturday 28 Caledonia Lounge 9 p.m. $10 (21+), $12 (18–20). www. caledonialounge.com FLYNT FLOSSY & TURQUOISE JEEP The internet-famous cult-hiphop heroes bring their satirical tracks back to town. See story on p. 9.

40 Watt Club 8 p.m. $20 (adv.), $25 (door). www.40watt.com DRIVIN’ N CRYIN’ Legendary Atlanta band playing hard-charging, Southern-inspired rock. See story on p. 9.

LAUREN MORROW Americana artist from Nashville, TN.

40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $10. www.40watt.com BOOTY BOYZ DJs Immuzikation, Twin Powers and Z-Dog spin dance hits into the night.

The Foundry 9 p.m. $45. thefoundryathens.com EMERALD EMPIRE Wedding band specializing in party-pop favorites.

DJ CHIEF ROCKA Local DJ spins Top 40, hip hop, funk, soul and more.

VFW 6 p.m. $5–10. 706-543-5940 GROWN FOLKS DANCE PARTY WXAG’s DJ Segar plays jazz and R&B.

Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens AVERY LEIGH’S NIGHT PALACE Ethereal indie-pop group fronted by former Athenian Avery Draut.

FAUVELY “Deeply personal dreampop” band from Chicago.

ANNIE LEETH Local experimental violinist and multi-instrumentalist composer.

Caledonia Lounge 9 p.m. $7 (21+), $9 (18–20). www. caledonialounge.com TRIBUTE NIGHT Featuring local bands playing the music of System of a Down (allcaps), Alice in Chains, (Beatrice in Ropes), The Stooges (The Grawks) and Blink182 (The Dookie Brothers).

Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. facebook.com/NowhereBarAthens FIVE EIGHT Legendary Athens band known for its boisterous, thoughtful rock and roll.

HUNGER ANTHEM Local indie power-rock trio.

The Rialto Room 8 p.m. www.indigoathens.com PUMP Dance band featuring former Arrested Development member Nicha Hilliard.

Sevendust plays an acoustic show at the Georgia Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 28.

DEEPFALL Hard rock group from Grand Rapids, MI. Go Bar 5 p.m. www.facebook.com/go.bar.35 LIVE MUSIC An all-evening lineup to commemorate Go Bar’s closing, featuring Raleigh Hatfield, Fourth Mansions, Sex Pat Acid Riot, Better Living, Sad Dads, Catherine Rush, Coombsbot, Dejada, Frank Hurricane Band, Thrüm, Calico Vision and Can Band. See story on p. 9.

Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. $8. www.hendershotscoffee.com HONEYCHILD SJ Ursrey plays folky pop songs with romantic themes, backed by an all-star band.

TALL ORDER Local duo of Greg Hankins and Andrea DeMarcus.

Highwire Lounge 11 p.m. $2 (headphone). www.highwirelounge.com SILENT DISCO Dance the night away to two different channels of music.

Nowhere Bar 9:30 p.m. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens HUGHES TAYLOR BAND Energetic blues and classic rock outfit from Macon.

Terrapin Beer Co. 5 p.m. FREE! www.terrapinbeer.com E.T. Acoustic singer-songwriter from Tennessee blending country and rock.

VFW 8 p.m. 706-354-6942 THE GRAINS OF SAND Popular Athens-based band with a four-piece horn section offering up your favorite ’60s and ’70s beach and Motown music.

Sunday 29 Cali ’N’ Tito’s Eastside 6 p.m. FREE! 706-355-7087 THE LUCKY JONES Local band playing old-school rockin’ rhythm and blues.

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

hope and other torments and joys.

See story on p. 9.

NANA GRIZOL Literate, heartfelt folkpunk band led by Theo Hilton.

MAGGIE CARSON New York songwriter and banjoist known for playing with Spirit Family Reunion.

Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. FREE! hendershotscoffee.com OPEN MIC Showcase your talent at this open mic night most Mondays.

Hosted by Larry Forte.

Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. facebook.com/NowhereBarAthens THE SHADY RECRUITS South Carolina band mixing jazz and rock.

THE ICEMAN SPECIAL Swamp-funk outfit from New Orleans.

Tuesday 31 Boutier Winery & Inn 8 p.m. $30. www.boutierwinery.com SOUTHERN IMPACT Playing Southern and classic rock and country.

VFW 7 p.m. $40. 706-546-0543, www. vfwathens.com THE SENSATIONAL SOUNDS OF MOTOWN Six veteran musicians deliver an exciting, live-energy show to usher in the new year. Featuring Mr. Motown! Plus, a set from DJ Mellow Myers.

Thursday 2 Flicker Theatre & Bar 10 p.m. $7. flickertheatreandbar.com GOTH DAD Dreamy indie-rock band from Hattiesburg, MS. See Calendar Pick on p. 10.

DAGMAR VORK Athens-based indiepop artist with a crisp, warm sound.

CANARY AFFAIR New local indierock trio.

The Globe 5 p.m. facebook.com/globe.athens THE FUSILIERS New area project featuring well-known musicians playing original and traditional Celtic greengrass music.

Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. $5. www.hendershotscoffee.com LIVE JAZZ Enjoy an evening of jazz standards and originals. k continued on p. 14

CALL FOR ENTRIES

2020 film contest!

Film submissions due Feb. 2, 2020

Kickoff show for songwriter award nominations Featuring past finalists:

THEME: World Water Day

Contest is open to K-12th graders Submission Guidelines:

RippleEffectFilmProject.org

Dana Downs, Carly Joy King, Don Chambers and Greg Meredith • Emcee: Mariah Parker aka Linqua Franqa

Friday, January 10 • 7:30 PM • FREE Hendershot’s • 237 Prince Ave. Nominate an Athens-area songwriter for 2019 work!

Nominations close March 1st • www.vicchesnuttaward.com Winner will be announced at the 2020 Vic Chesnutt Award to be held on Thursday, April 9, 2020 at the Foundry

cash prizes! brought to you by:

Want the best birth control for your body and lifestyle?

-for low or no cost? and don’t forget: free condoms too! visit one of your

Athens Area Health Departments publichealthisforeverybody.com

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

13

Five Points Bottle Shop THE BEST SELECTION IN TOWN!

THE CALENDAR! VFW 6 p.m. $5–10. 706-543-5940 GROWN FOLKS DANCE PARTY WXAG’s DJ Segar plays jazz and R&B.

Friday 3 Buvez 7:30 p.m. $5. www.facebook.com/ buvezathens AVERY LEIGH’S NIGHT PALACE Ethereal indie-pop group fronted by former Athenian Avery Draut. See Calendar Pick on p. 10.

NINA GARBUS Atlanta-based experimental pop artist.

The Foundry 8 p.m. $10 (adv.), $13 (door). www. thefoundryathens.com RICK FOWLER BAND Original, guitar-driven local blues-rock group.

Thursday, Jan. 2 continued from p. 12

Flicker Theatre & Bar 10 p.m. $5. www.flickertheatreandbar. com THE MOVERS New local new wave-inspired rock band.

HYPER OLYMPIC New, Athens-based math-rock group.

LAZARIS PIT Raleigh, NC-based psychedelic rock band.

SUSIE No info available.

The Foundry 8 p.m. $10 (adv.), $15 (door). www. thefoundryathens.com TRIBUTE Eight-piece ensemble that recreates the Allman Brothers’ first five years using vintage equipment.

Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. www.hendershotscoffee.com WES DELK FUNDRAISER Live music to support the local sound engineer.

Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens BLUES NIGHT WITH BIG C Nobody in Athens sings the blues like Big C. Expect lots of soulful riffs, covers and originals.

Tuesday 7 Nowhere Bar 10 p.m. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens MIDNIGHT REVEL Southern rock and soul group from Hattiesburg, MS.

Wednesday 8 Boar’s Head Lounge 11 p.m. FREE! 706-369-3040 OPEN MIC A weekly open-mic jam hosted by Louis Phillip Pelot.

All musicians welcome. Backline provided.

Cheers to 2020!

An Athens Landmark Since 1985 1655 S. LUMPKIN ST. · 706-543-698

@5POINTSBOTTLESHOP

3685 ATL. HWY. · 706-316-2337

www.FIVEPOINTSBOTTLESHOP.com

Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful

BRING ONE for the CHIPPER Christmas Tree-cycling Event The Iceman Special plays Nowhere Bar on Monday, Dec. 30.

VFW 8 p.m. 706-354-6942 COUNTRY WESTERN DANCE Dance to some country and western music provided by a live band.

January 4th, 2020 9 AM to 1 PM

Bring your undecorated Christmas tree to one of the following locations and receive a FREE tree seedling! **Also accepting wreaths and lights for recycling**

Drop-off Locations: Cofer’s Home and Garden Showplace Clarke Middle School Sandy Creek Nature Center Chase Street Elementary School Recycling Centers at: Georgia Square Mall Theater Parking Lot Winterville Public Works Building Lexington Road Tag Office CHaRM (Limited Hours Site Hours. M & W 10 AM - 7 PM, Sat. 8 AM - 12 PM) For more information, visit www.keepathensbeautiful.org

Saturday 4 Buvez 7:30 p.m. $5. www.facebook.com/ buvezathens LEEANN PEPPERS Local singer-songwriter playing sparse, tender folk music. See Calendar Pick on p. 10.

ETHAN MULLENAX Local folk singer-songwriter with an eclectic, evocative sound.

Caledonia Lounge 9 p.m. $7 (21+), $9 (18–20). www. caledonialounge.com STONEMAN Atlanta-based metal band with touches of doom and thrash.

HIT LIZARD Athens-based grunge band.

BUZZARD CULT Southern grunge act from the Atlanta suburbs.

Highwire Lounge 11 p.m. $2 (headphone). www.highwirelounge.com SILENT DISCO Dance the night away to two different channels of music in your headphones.

Sunday 5 ACC Library 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org THE SOLSTICE SISTERS Old-time country ballads, traditional folk and ’40s-style swing, plus tunes from their new album, “Maybe By Christmas.”

Monday 6 Hendershot’s Coffee Bar 8 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotscoffee. com OPEN MIC Showcase your musical talent at this popular open mic night most Mondays. Hosted by Larry Forte.

The Globe 8 p.m. FREE! 706-353-4721 THE HOT HOTTY-HOTS Mary Sigalas, Dan Horowitz, Steve Key and some surprise guests play swingin’ tunes from the ’10s, ’20s and ’30s.

Porterhouse Grill 6:30 p.m. FREE! 706-369-0990 JAZZ NIGHT The longest standing weekly music gig in Athens! Enjoy an evening of original music, improv and standards.

The World Famous 10 p.m. $3. www.facebook.com/theworldfamousathens FOURTH MANSIONS Original acoustic pharma-pop starring Joe Rowe, Peter Alvanos and Bryan Poole.

FABULOUS BIRD Catchy, lo-fi indie rock with the character of old guitars and drums that’ve been collecting dust in a garage for years.

JIM WILLINGHAM Local songwriter known for fronting the bands Old Smokey and Harry Carey. f

Deadline for getting listed in The Calendar is FRIDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Contact us at calendar@flagpole.com.

14

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

flagpole invites you to For the adult in all of us.

Your EROTIC

2020 Is Here, With Us!

ElectroSEX

Support our local economy Shop at Athens-owned businesses… or lose them www.flagpole.com

Couples Friendly Atmosphere!

DO YOU NEED A FLU SHOT? Researchers at UGA are studying how individual characteristics and experiences are related to the body's immune system response to the flu vaccine.

You can receive up to $90-$150 by participating in the study.

STUDY REQUIRES THREE TO FIVE VISITS

PARTICIPANTS WILL: • Receive the flu shot • Have blood drawn at each visit

• Provide urine samples at each visit • Complete questionnaires at two visits

This t n e s e Pr er For: Off

15% OFF Your Total Purchase!* (*Offer not to be combined with other discounts or offers.)

ELIGIBILIT Y REQUIREMENTS: • Be between the ages of 50-85 years old • Weigh at least 110 lbs.

• Have not yet received the current season flu shot or had the flu this season • Have not had a prior adverse reaction to the flu shot

• Have no autoimmune disease diagnoses • Have no recent treatment with oral steroid medication • Live in the Athens area or surrounding communities

FOR MORE INFO OR TO SIGN UP, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL:

706.713.2721 | CTRU@UGA.EDU

Movies • Toys • CBD • Hookahs Vapes • Tobacco • Lingerie • Fetish Body Oils • Detox • Alt. Party Gifts Plus SO MUCH MORE ADULT FUN!

4100 Lexington Rd. Athens

Adjacent to Willowood Square • 706.552.1492 SAVE

24/7:

ShopElations.com

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

15

bulletin board Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.

Art AAAC GRANTS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council is seeking applicants for its quarterly $500 grants. All local artists, arts organizations or arts-based projects are welcome to apply. The next deadline is Mar. 15. info@athensarts.org, www.athensarts.org ART CLASSES (Lyndon House Arts Center) Now registering for winter classes. Subjects include wheel thrown pottery (Thursdays, Jan. 9–Feb. 20, 6:30–8:30 p.m.), mosaic art (Tuesdays, Jan. 7–Feb. 11, 6:30–8:30 p.m.) and more. www. accgov.com/leisure CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) ATHICA presents a new literary zine called Local Honey.

Writers can submit up to three word or pdf documents of written work including poems, essays and short fiction. Artists can submit up to three 300 dpi or higher resolution jpeg/pngs. Deadline Jan. 15. The zine will be printed in March. local honeyathens@gmail.com, www. athica.org 45TH ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION (Lyndon House Arts Center) The annual show will be juried by Larry Ossei-Mensah of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. Drop off entry forms and up to three works on Jan. 23–24. 706613-3623, www.athensclarkecounty. com/lyndonhouse

OPEN STUDIO MEMBERSHIP (Lyndon House Arts Center) Local artists can access studio facilities through a new open studio monthly membership program. Studios include ceramics, jewelry, painting, fiber, printmaking, photography and woodshop/sculpture studios. Up to 32 hours per week. $65/month or $175/three months. 706-613-3623, www.athensclarkecounty.com/leisure

Auditions DEARLY DEPARTED (Arts!Oglethorpe) Arts! Oglethorpe hosts auditions for Dearly Departed, a Southern comedy by Bottrell and Jones. Characters are ages 35–70.

Rehearsals will begin Jan. 20, and performances run Mar. 26–29.

Audition on Jan. 4, 2–4 p.m. 706540-0785, sbdillard@windstream. net, www.artsoglethorpe.org

Classes ART CLASSES (KA Artist Shop) “Silk Painting with René Shoemaker,” Feb. 8–9, 1–4 p.m. $120. “Modern Dip-Pen Calligraphy with Kristen Ashley,” Feb. 16, 2–4 p.m. $35.

“Brush Lettering with Kristen Ashley,” Feb. 23, 2–4 p.m. $40.

“Calligraphy Club: Monthly Skillshare” is held every first Thursday, 5:30–7 p.m. FREE! hello@kaartist.com, www.kaartist. com

art around town AMICI (233 E. Clayton St.) Artwork by Matthew Ward. Through January.

ANTIQUES & JEWELS ART GALLERY (290 N. Milledge Ave.) New paintings by Mary Porter, Greg Benson, Chatham Murray, Candle Brumby, Lana Mitchell and more.

ART ON THE SIDE GALLERY AND GIFTS (17 N. Main St., Watkinsville) A gallery featuring works by various artists in media including ceramics, paintings and fused glass.

ATHENS ACADEMY (1281 Spartan Lane) On view in the Harrison Center Children’s Instructional Gallery, a retrospective show shares original art, prints and paintings by Jacob Wenzka from three books co-created with Bart King.

ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) “Sharing Our Visions” presents paintings, drawings, collages, photographs, fiber pieces, sculptures and other works by staff members of regional libraries. Through Jan. 26.

ATHENS LATINO CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND SERVICES (445 Huntington Rd., #120) See 20 paintings by Stanley Bermudez.

BENDZUNAS GLASS (89 W. South Ave., Comer) The family-run studio has been creating fine art glass for almost 40 years.

CINÉ (234 W. Hancock Ave.) Paintings by Chasity Williams.

CIRCLE GALLERY (UGA College of Environment and Design, 285 S. Jackson St.) “Snapshots: 50 Years at the College of Environment and Design” celebrates the school’s 50th anniversary with a timeline, wall of curiosities in the tradition of wonder rooms, and a rotating exhibit.

CITY OF WATKINSVILLE (Downtown Watkinsville) “Public Art Watkinsville: A Pop-up Sculpture Exhibit” consists of sculptures placed in prominent locations around downtown. Artists include Benjamin Lock, William Massey, Stan Mullins, Robert Clements, Harold Rittenberry and Joni Younkins-Herzog. • “Artscape Oconee: The Monuments of Artland” features a total of 20 paintings on panels installed around town. Artists include Claire Clements, Peter Loose, Andy Cherewick, Lisa Freeman, Manda McKay and others.

CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) “Good Vibrations” features photographs of cruise life by Brittainy Lauback, drawings of beaches by Warren Slater that are influenced by Aboriginal mark-making, and vivid abstractions

by Hannah Betzel. • “Building Facades” is a solo exhibition by Mike Landers that features sophisticated, symmetrical and minimally composed photo-

16

CLASSES (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) “Gentle Nia,” Mondays at 1 p.m.

“Oil Painting,” Mondays at 1:30 p.m. “Drawing,” Mondays at 6 p.m. “Community Coffeehouse,” Tuesdays from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

“Coffee with a Veteran,” Tuedays at 9 a.m. “Threadwork Crafting Club,” Tuesdays at 9 a.m. “SilverSneakers Stretch,” Wednesdays at 10 a.m.

“SilverSneakers Yoga,” Wednedsays at 11 a.m. “Acrylic Painting,” Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. “Aikido,” Wednesdays at 2 p.m. “Zumba,” Wednesdays at 6 p.m. “Belly Dance,” Wednesdays at 7 p.m. “Mah Jongg,” Thursdays at 1 p.m. 706-742-0823, wintervillecenter@gmail.com, www. wintervillecenter.com SALSA & BACHATA BOOTCAMP (Dancefx) Start the New Year off right with some dancing. Jan. 4 (Salsa) and Jan. 5 (Bachata), 3–4 p.m. $10/ class. www.unstrictlyballroom.com STUDIO WORKSHOP: DRAWING MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES (Georgia Museum of Art) Phil Jasen leads a four-part series of studio-based classes exploring tools, techniques and styles of the Italian regional schools. Jan. 2, 9, 16 and 23, 6:30–8:30 p.m. $15. 706-5424883, madison.hogan@uga.edu TAI CHI (Healing Arts Centre) Tai Chi yang style, the 108. Thursdays, 7:15–8:30 p.m. panlexcie@hotmail. com, www.healingartscentre.net UGA COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL (Hugh Hodgson School of Music) Musical instruction in pop-

Dan Smith’s “Spontaneous Monsterification” paintings are on view at The Rook & Pawn through December. ular and classical styles. All ages.

Registration ends Jan. 13. Classes begin Jan. 21. ugacms.uga.edu WINTER CAMP (Canopy Studio) K–6th graders are invited to learn

graphs from downtown Athens in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

COMMUNITY (260 N. Jackson St.) Hannah Jones’ paintings burst with geometric patterns and shapes. Through December.

DONDEROS’ KITCHEN (590 Milledge Ave.) “Connections” shares rug textiles

by David M. Hayes as well as figurative and animal watercolor paintings by Judith K. DeJoy. On view Jan. 6–31. Opening reception Jan. 10.

FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Artwork by Steve Dyson.

GALLERY AT INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “FUN” features works by Neil Hancock, Marla Star, Jolene O’Brien, Kim Truesdale, Katherine Miele, Hannah Betzel and Brittainy Lauback.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Mary Lee Bendolph: Quilted Memories” features 17 works spanning four decades by the Gee’s Bend, AL, artist and freedom-fighter. Through Dec. 29. • “Storytelling in Renaissance Maiolica” offers a selection of tin-glazed earthenware produced in the duchy of Urbino, Italy, in the 16th Century. Through Jan. 5. • In the sculpture garden, Rachel Whiteread presents five cast-stone sculptures that reinterpret her earlier resin castings of the space beneath chairs. Through Mar. 7. • “Master, Pupil, Follower: 16th- to 18th-Century Italian Works on Paper” includes approximately 30 drawings and prints. Dec. 21–Mar. 8. • “Material Georgia 1733-1900: Two Decades of Scholarship” celebrates the 20-year anniversary of the museum’s Henry D. Green Center for the Study of the Decorative Arts. Works include furniture, silver, pottery, textiles, basketry and portraits.

Through Mar. 15. • “The Monsters Are Due on Broad Street: Patrick Dean” offers a retrospective on the local artist’s work, including his illustrations for Flagpole. Dec. 21–Mar. 29. • “Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome” celebrates Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s influence. Through May 31.

GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Supple Moments, Dark Corners” is a site-specific installation by Eli Saragoussi that is accompanied by a soundscape by Max Boyd called “Jungle Drone.” Through April.

HEIRLOOM CAFE & FRESH MARKET (815 N. Chase St.) John Ahee creates vibrantly colorful portraits. Jan. 6.

JITTERY JOE’S FIVE POINTS (1230 S. Milledge Ave.) René Shoemaker presents “Sharing the Magical Landscapes,” a collection of 16 fine art prints of silk screened and hand-dyed silks. Through January.

JUST PHO…AND MORE (1063 Baxter St.) “No Way! Nineties” features colorful digital paintings by Xavier Watson.

LOWERY GALLERY (2400 Booger Hill Rd., Danielsville) The gallery celebrates “24 Years of Art” with Giclee prints, originals, photographs and sculptures by over 24 artists including Claire Clements, Ben Rouse, Peter Loose, Kip Ramey

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

trapeze, participate in movement arts and crafts and explore the studio.

Register online. Dec. 30–Jan. 3, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. $175. www.canopy studio.org

YOGA CLASSES AT 5 POINTS (5 Points Yoga) “Happy YOU Year’s Eve” includes a Vinyasa practice focused on radical self-love. Dec. 31, 5:30–7 p.m. Classes include

and more.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (293 Hoyt St.) Collections from our Community presents a collection of unique flyswatters from Tad Gloeckler.

Through Jan. 7. • The biennial Clarke County School District Student Art Exhibition, “WILD,” presents artwork inspired by the new children’s garden at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. • Leah McKellop’s “Interior Worlds” combines printmaking and silk dying techniques to explore personal history through objects and their place within domestic spaces. Through Mar. 1.

MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison) The Atlanta Photography Group’s juried exhibition, “People, Places, Things,” presents photographs by 35 different artists. Through Jan. 18.

MAMA’S BOY (197 Oak St.) Paintings by Jim StipeMaas. Through December.

MAMA’S BOY AT THE FALLS (8851 Macon Hwy.) Collages and paintings from Lorraine Thompson’s series, “The Nest, The Angel, and The Muse.”

NORMAL BOOKS (1238A Prince Ave.) A variety of art on display, including paintings by Mary Eaton, GCH Pet Portraits, metal art by Julia Vereen, ceramics by Shannon Dominy, sculpture by Doug Makemson and handwoven rugs

by Bonnie Montgomery.

THE PINE & THE ROOT (1235 S. Milledge Ave.) Artwork by Emmi Walker.

PINEWOODS PUBLIC LIBRARY (1265 Hwy. 29 N. #12) See paintings by Stanley Bermudez as well as a community mural.

RICHARD B. RUSSELL BUILDING SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “Beautiful and Brutal: Georgia Bulldogs Football, 2017” is a display of photographs, uniforms and other artifacts from the UGA Athletic Association Archives and on loan from the UGA Athletic Department. Through Feb. 28.

THE ROOK & PAWN (294 W. Washington St.) Dan Smith’s “spontaneous monsterification” technique utilizes spontaneously painted cartoonish and monsterish faces to enhance spaces through a jigsaw arrangement of shapes and faces. Through December.

STEEL + PLANK (675 Pulaski St., Suite 200) Kathy Kitz creates abstract watercolors. For the holidays, hand-painted ornaments by Ink + Indigo, Meredith Mejerle and Studio CRL are available.

VERONICA’S SWEET SPOT (149 Oneta St., #6C6) See work by local and regional artists, craftsmen, potters and sculptors.

VIVA ARGENTINE (247 Prince Ave.) Brad Morgan, the drummer of the DriveBy Truckers, creates abstract paintings.

THE WORLD FAMOUS (351 N. Hull St.) Permanent artists include RA Miller, Chris Hubbard, Travis Craig, Dan Smith, Greg Stone and more.

ns

fa vo

r

Runner-Up

1150 Mitchell Bridge Rd. 706-546-7879 · www.hopeamc.com Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm Saturday 8am-1pm

ATHENS, GA

655 BARBER ST. · 706.354.0038

ACTIVECLIMBING.COM

On The Street

PAIN & WONDER

TATTOO

VOTED ATHENS’ FAVORITE TATTOO STUDIO

OUR NEW EXPANDED LOCATION IS BOOMING!

NOW HIRING TO FILL THE DEMAND! FEATURING

NINE YEARS IN A ROW!

ATHENS’ BEST SELECTION OF E-LIQUIDS YOUR E-CIG & ACCESSORIES HEADQUATERS ROLL YOUR OWN!

3125 Atlanta Hwy.

(BRICK BUILDING IN FRONT OF TARGET AND NEXT TO HARDEE’S)

es

e

CIGARS (NEW WALK IN HUMIDOR!) DETOX AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS MODERN AGE IS KNOWN FOR!

f l ag p o l

ns

e

ACCA LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (Athens Community Council on Aging) A 10-session leadership program aimed to engage adults 55 and older in the ACC community.

Weekly sessions will cover topics ranging from health and human services, local government, education and more. February through March, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. www.accaging.org/ senior-leadership-academy-2020 BRING ONE FOR THE CHIPPER: CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING (Multiple Locations) Keep AthensClarke County Beautiful (KACCB) encourages citizens to recycle their undecorated trees and wreaths.

Participants will receive a free tree seedling in return. Check website for drop-off locations. Jan. 4, 9 a.m.– 1 p.m. www.keepathensbeautiful.org CORNHOLE LEAGUE REGISTRATION (Southern Brewing Company) Register for this seven-week cornhole league.

The season begins Jan 9. Register

by Dec. 30. Ages 21 and up. www. cornholeatl.com HOLIDAY CARDS FOR HEROES (Oconee County Library) Swing by the library and make a holiday card for a soldier, veteran, police officer or whoever you see as a hero.

Supplies are located in the children’s area, and the library will mail them to the appropriate address. www. athenslibrary.org/oconee RIPPLE EFFECT FILM PROJECT (Athens, GA) Filmmakers of all ages and levels of experience are invited to create original short films about water conservation and water stewardship. Finalists’ films will be screened at the Morton Theatre on Mar. 22. Deadline Feb. 2. www.film freeway.com/rippleeffectfilmproject TABLE TENNIS (East Athens Community Center) Table tennis games are held three times a week.

All skill levels welcome. tabletennis athensga@gmail.com f

at h

ALS SUPPORT GROUP (Oconee Veterans Park, Watkinsville) Provides awareness and education to individuals living with ALS. Meets fourth Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. December meetings will be held on the third Wednesday due to holidays. 706-207-5800 AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking.

Meetings are held daily at various times and locations. 888-425-2666, www.ga-al-anon.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you think you have a problem with alcohol, call the AA hotline or visit the website for a schedule of meetings in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee Counties. www.athensaa.org CHRONIC ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP (Contact for Location) Meet others who are dealing with chronic illness such as ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Lyme.

Third Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. athenschronicillness@gmail.com EMOTIONS ANONYMOUS (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens) EA is a 12-step program open to anyone with a desire to become well emotionally. Meets Sundays, 4–5 p.m. 706-202-7463, www.emotionsanonymous.org FIGHT 4 CHANGE (Email for Location) Help advocate for a mental health system that serves everyone.

f l ag p o l

it

Support Groups

Boarding · Digital X-Ray Acupuncture · Chiropractic Laser Surgery · Endoscopy e

ART CLASSES (KA Artist Shop) “Art Club Junior” is for ages 8–12 and held on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. “Art Club for Teens is for ages 12–18 and held Fridays at 6:30 p.m. Subjects include printmaking with linoleum (Jan. 24), relief casting with plaster (Jan. 31), rawing upside down (Feb. 7), stop motion animation (Feb. 28). $15. www.kaartist.com EXPLORING THE EARTH SUMMER CAMP (Little Rose Nature Adventures, Watkinsville) This camp is a nature-based, visual and performing arts, STEAM program for kids ages 5–12. Runs June and July, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. $200/ week. www.exploringtheearth.org

EXCEPTIONAL CARE FOR EXCEPTIONAL PETS

e

Kidstuff

1 INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING GYM!

#

at h

ATHENS LITTER RESCUE CHALLENGE (Athens City Hall) Brain Aid Fest hosts an Athens Litter Challenge. Volunteers will break into teams and help pick up litter.

Every first Saturday of the month, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Meet at City Hall. www.brainaidfest.org CASA SPRING 2020 TRAINING (YMCA) Athens Oconee Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) will host an orientation Jan. 7 at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

CASA training begins Jan. 23 and ends Feb. 27. Meetings are held Thursdays, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 5:30–9 p.m. athensoconeecasa.org COAT AND BLANKET DRIVE (Bogart Library) The library is collecting new and gently used blankets and coats of all sizes to donate to local charities. Through January. www.athenslibrary.org/bogart MITTEN TREE (Oconee County Library) The library is decorating a tree with donated mittens, hats and scarves for children this holiday season. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee

NORTHEAST GEORGIA’S

es

Help Out

Meets the fourth Monday of each month. letsfight4change@gmail.com NAMI (Multiple Locations) “NAMI Connections” is a support group for adults living in recovery with mental illness. “NAMI Family Support” is for family members, friends and caregivers of individuals with mental illnesses. Both groups meet every fourth Tuesday, 6:30–8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Athens. (No meeting Dec. 24). 770225-0804. NAMI Family Support Groups are also available the second Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Oconee Presbyterian Church in Watkinsville; and every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Ridgeview Institute in Monroe (No meetings Dec. 25 or Jan. 1). namihallga@gmail.com, www. namihall.org NICOTINE ANONYMOUS MEETINGS (ACC Library) A 12-step recovery program of mutual support. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. nicotineanonymous.org RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma, 8801 Macon Hwy., Suite 1) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction. Thursdays, 7–8 p.m. FREE! Find “Refuge Recovery Athens GA” on Facebook RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME SUPPORT GROUP (Athens, GA) Forming a support group for people who have Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS sufferers). 706-612-6934 SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (Email for Location) Athens Downtown SAA offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from a compulsive sexual behavior. athensdowntownsaa. com

it

Slow Flow, Iyengar, Restorative, Yin, Power, Hot Yoga and beginners classes. athensfivepointsyoga.com

fa vo

r

Winner

285 W. Washington St.

Athens, GA 30601

(706) 208-9588 www.painandwonder.com

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

17

cla cl assifi fie eds Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad anytime, email class@flagpole.com

 Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com

REAL ESTATE APARTMENTS FOR RENT 1BR/1BA. $525/mo. $525 deposit w/ 12-mo. lease.

Unit with hardwood flooring, carpet & fresh paint. All electric w/ water/ trash incl. Pets welcomed under 30 lbs. w/ dep. $40 Application fee. On bus line. Close to Dwntn./UGA. Quiet community. Avail.

Now. bondhillapartments@ gmail.com.

HOUSES FOR RENT 197 Normal Ave. Available 1/01/2020. 3BR/2BA, dishwasher, disposal, washer/ dryer connections. $1950/ mo. No pets. Reply with email address for rental application. chching618@ gmail.com.

Find a new place to live, sell your house or buy a house! It’s all in the Flagpole Classifieds!

February: Responsive owner seeks long t e r m re n t e r s . Wa l k to Homewood Hills eating, thrifting, bowling. 3 beds, 2 baths, large yard. $1500–18 month lease.

HouseInHomewood@ gmail.com.

FOR SALE ANTIQUES

MISCELLANEOUS

ROOMS FOR RENT Seeking great housemate!

Deck, W/D, CHAC, plenty of parking, fire pit, large backyard. $840/mo. Text name, indoor temperature preference & questions to 404-834-8197.

SUB-LEASE Stuck in a lease you’re trying to end? Sublease your place with Flagpole Classifieds! 706-549-0301.

Flagpole ♥ old things.

Reach Over 30,000 Readers Every Week!

Employment Vehicles Messages Personals

BASIC RATES* Individual $10 per week Real Estate $14 per week Business $16 per week (RTS) Run-‘Til-Sold** $40 per 12 weeks Online Only*** $5 per week *Ad enhancement prices are viewable at flagpole.com **Run-‘Til-Sold rates are for MERCHANDISE ONLY ***Available for individual rate categories only

PLACE AN AD • Call our Classifieds Dept. (706) 549-0301 • Email us at class@flagpole.com

• Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid

18

BUSINESSES Therapeutic massage business for sale. Located at 8 Court Street Watkinsville, next to Oconee County Courthouse. Business is 23 years old with a very lucrative income. Must have at least 5 years experience in therapeutic massage.

Clients are super and faithful, so you’re in for a great job! I have loved my work but it’s time to travel!

Asking price is $500,000.

The hard work has already been done for any therapist. All they need to do is maintain what I have started! Sybil Manley, 706207-6186.

flagpole classifieds Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale

Archipelago Antiques is celebrating our 30th anniversary in 5 Points. We are offering price reductions storewide. Open 9:30–4:30 daily. 1676 S. Lumpkin St. 706-354-4297.

Better than eBay! Sell your goods locally without shipping fees. Awesome run–til–sold rate! 12 wks. for the price of 4. Email class@flagpole.com or call 706-549-0301.

Flagpole ♥ classified ad customers and readers.

Want old newspapers for your garden?

Paper mache? Your new puppy? They’re free at the Flagpole office! Call ahead, then come grab an armful. Please leave current issues on stands. 706549-0301.

Violin teacher wanted.

Multi-instrumentalist preferred. (Interview and audition required.) Call 770868-1977 or text 770-8561074.

MUSIC

SERVICES

EQUIPMENT

HOME AND GARDEN

Nuçi’s Space needs your old instruments & music gear! Currently in need of crash cymbals and cases.

All donations are tax-deductible. Call 706-2271515 or come by Nuçi’s Space, 396 Oconee St.

INSTRUCTION Athens School of Music.

Instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin, fiddle & more.

From beginner to expert.

Visit www.athensschoolofmusic.com, 706-543-5800.

MUSICIANS WANTED

Is your pool trashed from fall leaves? Clean Pool Care LLC will bring it back to magnificence. Call or text Kevin at 706-2472226.

Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront Pricing. Free Estimates. $30 Flagpole Discount. Call 706-7697761. Same Day Service Available. www.plumberproservice.com.

JOBS

MUSIC SERVICES

OPPORTUNITIES

Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records, at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-3699428.

Are you searching for the per fect employee? Let us help you get the word out through the Flagpole Classifieds. Call 706-5490301 or email class@flagpole.com.

ADOPT ME! ACC Animal Control 125 Buddy Christian Way, Athens 706-613-3540 Open every day except Wednesday 10am-4pm Available animals can be seen online at Athenspets.net Athens Area Humane Society 1781 Mars Hill Rd., Watkinsville 706-769-9155 Open Monday-Saturday 12pm-6pm Open Sunday 12pm-4pm Available animals can be seen online at AthensHumaneSociety.com

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

DON A FOS TE! TER !

ADO THA PT! NKS !

PART-TIME Big City Bread Cafe is now accepting applications for a counter staff/food runner position. Restaurant experience preferred. Must be available to work early mornings & weekends.

Apply in person please.

Big City Bread Café is now interviewing for line cook and prep cook positions.

Experience preferred but not mandator y. Please apply in person.

Line cooks needed. Apply in person at George’s Lowcountry Table, 2095 S. Milledge Ave., Athens, GA. Tues.–Thurs., 3 p.m.–5 p.m. No phone calls.

Retail Sales Associate needed in established l o c a l s t o re . 2 5 h o u r s weekly from 12-5. Must be energetic and great with people. Contact Irvin@ masadaleather.com with your resume. No phone calls please as we are busy attending to our Christmas customers.

VEHICLES AUTOS 2000 Cadillac DeVille.

White, 3 almost new tires, 2 broke windows, blown head gasket & needs a new alternator. 126,000 miles. Asking $1200 as is.

Good for parts! 706-2013810.

NOTICES LOST AND FOUND Lost and found pets can be advertised in Flagpole classifieds for free. Call 706-549-0301 or email class@flagpole.com to return them home.

MESSAGES Flagpole subscriptions delivered straight to the mailbox! Perfect present for your buddy who moved out of town! $40 for 6 months or $70 for 1 year.

Call 706-549-0301.

Flagpole wishes you a very happy new year!

Edited by Margie E. Burke

SUDOKU

7

1

7 4 2 3

9 3 4

7 3

1

The Weekly Crossword 14

15

17

18

20 23

4 6 36 8 41 9 7 45 3 1 55 2 59 5 31

7

by Margie E. Burke

8

9

10

11

12

13

21 24

9 2 6 43 3 5 8 4 57 1 7

2 8 8 6 5 HOW TO SOLVE:

The Weekly Crossword 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

by Margie E. Burke

8

9

15

16

19

17

18

19

22

20

21

22

24

25 28

29

30

39

40

44 48 51

52

3 7 38 5 42 2 9 8 51 1 56 4 62 6 32

35 38

27

53

54

58 61

Solution to Sudoku: 28 29 30 4 2 1 6 9 7 8 33 8 9 3 5 2 4 1 1 6 8 4 7 9 392 5 4 6 943 8 441 3 6 1 248 7 3 5 494 7 353 4 1 5 6 9 52 3 5 7 2 4 578 6 2 7 9 8 6 3 5 63 64 9 8 5 3 1 2 7

25

10

5 6 3 45 7 8 2 9 58 1 4

34

35

40

54

59

66

67

69

70

71

DOWN 1 Lines on a map 2 Circle around 3 Spicy dip 4 Optional course 5 Scarf securer 6 "My bad!"

7 Church topper 8 Tax form ID 9 Muscle malady 10 Silvery strands 11 Stamina 12 Doohickey 13 Connection point

39 40 43 46 48 50 52 53 54 55 56 58 60

Puzzle answers are available at www.flagpole.com/puzzles

Winner

A BOARD GAME CAFÉ

Holiday cabin fever?

Get out of the house and join us at the Rook & Pawn!

HOLIDAY HOURS: Christmas Eve: 11 a.m.–4 p.m (Games, Coffee, and Bar Service)

61

New Year’s Eve: 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

DRINK & FOOD SPECIALS PARTY FAVORS CHAMPAGNE TOAST AT MIDNIGHT ONE OF OUR FAVORITE NIGHTS OF THE YEAR! New Year’s Day: CLOSED

65

65

30 31 32 33 37

r

55

68

Bun, for one Jacket feature Juice extractor Joined by treaty Lugosi of horror fame Peony part Many miles off Fishing item Trespass Autumn blossoms Civil rights org.

Arrowhead material When soaps usually air Wintertime airport supply Willie Mays' team, mostly Old-fashioned rewards Second longest African river Valuable veins Lose ground?

"What've you been ___?"

Battleship shade Stir up Match, in poker

60

50

67

19 21 25 27 29

37

47

66

51 December dangler 55 Rougher on the eyes 57 Magician's secret exit 59 Funeral parade 61 Prefix with China 62 Recorded, in a way 63 Radiate 64 Like some cheddar 65 Some court hearings 66 Morays 67 Facial feature

36

41 46

fa vo

Christmas Day: CLOSED

26

64

ACROSS 1 It's more, in a saying 5 Larger-life link 9 Country album?

14 One way to run 15 Political contest 16 Bogus 17 iPhone assistant 18 From the beginning 19 Fruit container 20 German-born female tennis champ 23 Mixed in with 24 Sandpaper grade 25 Place to store wheat 27 Quid ___ quo 30 Military rank 32 Mother-daughter event 34 Was head of the class?

38 Choir part 39 Kindergarten break 41 Dragon's home 42 Navy clerk 45 Major tea exporter 48 Abundance 50 Ruby, for one

13

31

63

Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

12

23

62

ACROSS 1 A Golden Girl 5 Office honcho 9 Draft holder 14 Kind of hygiene 15 Decomposes 16 Bygone Ford 17 Cutting the mustard 18 Like a slap 20 Reveal 22 Take over, as a loan 23 Radio problem 24 Body shop application 26 Asthmatic's device 28 Research sites 31 Full of pep 34 Coveted role 35 URL ending 36 "Death at a ____" (2010 comedy) 38 Col. Klink wore one 41 It may be framed 42 Potatoes, maybe 44 Crosswise, on deck 45 Basket material 47 Crowd disperser 49 Medicinal cure

11

ns

· Family Friendly · 700 Games · Signature Cocktails · Georgia Beers · Local Foods · Patio · Parking

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain Week 12/30/191 -to1/5/20 theofnumbers 9.

14

16

Solution to Sudoku: 26 27 5 2 6 7 3 8 1 32 33 3 7 9 1 8 4 345 1 9 2 4 5 373 7 8 5 7 6 4 421 2 4 1 346 8 2 479 6 2 649 1 550 9 7 4 7 8 5 3 6 2 9 56 6 4 8 9 7 5 3 60 9 3 4 2 1 6 8

5

9

HOW TO SOLVE:

6

4 9

Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain Weekthe of 12/23/19 12/29/19 numbers 1- to 9.

5

4

4

Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

4

7

2

5

3

6 3 7

e

2

8 2 6 9 8 7 1 8 2 6

2 1 3 6

es

3

e

6

4

2

f l ag p o l

at h

5

1

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Easy

it

SUDOKU

Difficulty: Medium

Copyright 2019 by The Puzzle Syndicate

51 Liked by many 54 Cancel out 56 Support, in a way 57 Never odd or even, e.g.

62 Spot for a grill 64 Groove in a board 65 Opera highlight 66 Modify, as a law 67 At any point 68 Patriot's play, perhaps 69 Clothing size 70 Steak preference 71 "If all ___ fails…"

DOWN 1 Glasgow gal 2 Shed 3 Peeved 4 Flat-bottomed rowboat 5 New hire, often 6 Persistent follower 7 Computer brand 8 Like Enya's music 9 Steelers' grp.

10 Creepy crawler 11 Pack animal 12 Out of bed

13 Disreputable 21 Pike or perch 22 "Animal House" house 26 Santa ___, Calif.

27 DVR option 28 Reign over 29 Not taken in by 31 Grind, as teeth 33 Using a PC 35 Turf occupier 36 Walk in the woods 37 Disney World transport 40 Part of ISP 43 ___-in-one 44 Kind of tide 46 Magnetite, for one 47 ____ to rest 49 Dow dabbler 51 Vatican-based 52 2009 Peace Nobelist 53 One of the Monkees 55 Hang loosely 58 Etna emission 59 Spoken 60 Shoot wide 61 Facilitate 63 Praiseful poem

Every Tuesday: Happy Hour Trivia 6pm Every Wednesday: Service Industry Nights Drink specials/Free games Every Friday: Happy Hour 5–8 p.m.

Themed cocktails paired with great games

294 W. Washington St. (Across from the 40 Watt)

www.therookandpawn.com

@WUGAFM WUGA.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

®

WUGA IS A BROADCAST SERVICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.

Puzzle answers are available at www.flagpole.com/puzzles

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

19

slackpole Flagpole Readers Write E

very year, we’re reminded that Flagpole’s readers are a talented bunch of writers, photographers, artists and poets. Thanks to these dedicated locals, our staff is able to take a week off each year to enjoy the holidays and recharge. We’ll be back Jan. 8 with our first issue of 2020. Thanks, Athens!

THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALWAYS WAS

By Jay Barnes

I awoke, to giggling this time.

“Merry Christmas, Daddy!” The twins, Irma and Irwin, jumped onto the bed, and I grabbed them in a terrific bear hug. Diane must have snuck off to start breakfast and sent them back for me.

“Merry Christmas, you two. C’mon, let’s get downstairs.”

As each of these holidays pass, I’m continually reminded of the togetherness of the season. The cozy rooms, the conversation, the sheer joy of being with your family and spending special times together. This Christmas went like clockwork: our breakfast building anticipation, until the kids were told they could begin by opening one present at a time, and then the flurry of wrapping paper, the shrieks, the scampering off to play with their new things.

After dinner, I found myself alone in the den, admiring the well lit tree. From behind me, I began to notice a glow.

It turned out to be two glowing lights: one pure white, and one with a Christmas tree in it, different from the one next to me. I stepped towards the image of the tree.

I awoke, to a gentle shaking this time. I smiled at Sarah and admired her strength. This would be our first Christmas without Sonya, yet she gave me the best present of all that day: her smile. “Merry Christmas, Daddy.”

Abagail had prepared her famous thin pancakes—she called them ‘crepes,’ but why get fancy?—drenched in syrup and butter. We engaged in small talk over the meal, the fourth chair empty and conspicuous.

The holiday went like they mostly do: presents, phone calls, a rich meal to finish. I found myself alone in the den after dinner, admiring our tree, still radiant, even without presents underneath. When the glowing appeared behind me, I wasn’t surprised this time. Something inside of me recognized that this would happen. It always happened right after our dinner. The white glow was tantalizing, but the Christmas tree opposite held too much that was tangible, real. I stepped forward…

I awoke, to a carol. Sara, Sonya and little Timothy were singing “Up on the Rooftop,” with Timothy keeping up as best he could. He so admired his sisters. In the back of my mind, a number appeared: 493. Odd. What could it mean?

We spent our holiday as we had in years past, celebrating the good, preparing for another year ahead. I was in the den, admiring the tree, and almost anticipated when the glow behind me was to begin.

I awoke, to giggling. 494, I thought. But Matthew and Micah were at the foot of the bed shaking me awake, so I joined in the laughter and let them lead me downstairs,

20

where Anne was preparing her famous buttermilk pancakes. After a day filled with family and celebration, I stood alone in the den, admiring the tree, knowing that the glow would soon appear.

“Dr. Jonns?” came an unfamiliar voice. I turned, and in front of the two glowing spots was a young man I didn’t recognize. “Dr. Jonns, I’m Hank, one of your research assistants. This is a recording of me to remind you that you entered the Reality Helix over 20 minutes ago, and you didn’t want to stay more than 30. Please enter the portal on the left to return to our reality.” Then he paused, and stood perfectly still.

Twenty minutes… I thought. That can’t be. The next number was 495—that much I knew. The two glowing portals shimmered before me, each beckoning.

CHARLOTTE’S THREAD YEAR-END MEME ROUNDUP!

By Heidi Espenscheid Nibbelink

Charlotte @SpinSister52 Ladies, if he · Wears boots · Thinks it’s okay to “do away with” runts of the litter · Is heading to the barn with an axe He’s not your man, he’s Farmer Arable Charlotte @SpinSister52 Who runs the world? GIRLS! #FernArableIsAwesome #Life$aver #BeyHive Charlotte @SpinSister52 TFW your new roommate turns out to be a total pig.

Charlotte @SpinSister52 Wilbur: What am I doing here?

Me: Don’t say it Don’t say it Don’t say it Don’t say it Don’t say it Don’t say it BACON! Charlotte @SpinSister52 Your Game of Thrones name is your fatal character flaw + the last thing you ate. I’m Cares-Too-Much Fly. Charlotte @SpinSister52 Some of you haven’t had to save a life by weaving words into a web and it shows.

Charlotte @SpinSister52 “You were at my wedding, Templeton!” (JK, spiders don’t marry, we eat our mates ) Charlotte @SpinSister52 Ladies, imagine this: It’s 15 years from now. You’ve birthed 500 babies who’ve gone on to have 500 babies each year. You’re a grandmother of 6.1x1037! You take over the earth. It’s the Webpocalypse!

THAT WOULD BE LIVING MY BEST LIFE!

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

Charlotte @SpinSister52 By age 8 months, you should have: made a friend mated eaten your mate learned to spell propelled your friend to regional celebrity traveled with friends (to county fair or other) saved a life prepared a legacy

SINGING IN THE WOODS AT NIGHT: LOCAL MUSICIAN TURNS PET DETECTIVE

By Erin Lovett

They say you have to sing to them. Calling their name, whistling—all our known approaches lose their power when a dog runs away. Alone in the woods or sprinting along dusty highways, a lost dog goes into a survival mode, reverting to their primal instincts: food, water, shelter. So, for five weeks, walking through the woods each night, he sang.

It happened on Sept. 21, the day of the Georgia-Notre Dame game, with people flooding into Athens by the hundreds of thousands. The mood downtown was tantamount to a coastal strip battening down for a hurricane, and according to Airbnb, the average cost for housing in Athens that weekend was $781 per night.

Christian DeRoeck, a local musician (Deep State, Blunt Bangs, Little Gold) had successfully rented out his Odd Street home once before using Airbnb and decided to use the game day weekend to try it a second time. He made plans to leave his 11-month-old puppy, a gangly blue heeler mix named Coach, with a friend.

“He had never stayed away from home before,” said DeRoeck, still pained. It is easy to understand his anguish.

Only 20 minutes after dropping Coach off, the puppy bolted in an anxious panic, slipping from his collar and disappearing into the woods.

In the first 24 hours after a dog is lost, there’s about a 90% chance of a safe return. After that first day, those odds plummett to about 55%. DeRoeck and his partner, Allison Lamb, a social worker, spent that entire first day searching for Coach, combing the subdivisions and sprawling woods off Freeman Drive and coming up empty-handed.

“I had to work at Flicker that night, and it was just awful,” recalls DeRoeck. In the midst of an overwhelming game day rush, he found himself retreating from the bar to cry, only to find his roommate and co-worker, Barrett Smith, already in tears over Coach.

“It was especially terrifying losing him on that particular day,” DeRoeck said, referencing the record number of outof-towners. “I just thought, he could be halfway to Indiana by now if someone scooped him up.”

Despite fearing the worst, DeRoeck continued to act under the assumption that Coach was still somewhere near where he went missing. Hundreds of flyers were hung, every shelter was called, and a plea was posted to Facebook and shared 67 times. For a week, he and Lamb searched every day for hours at a time. “It became our routine,” said Lamb. “Look for Coach, eat dinner, look for Coach.”

Any time they weren’t working, the pair was knocking on doors, scouring the woods alone and with friends. The community support was overwhelming. “One night, we were out hanging flyers, and a truck pulls up beside us,” DeRoeck recalls, “And it’s Seth Martin from Georgia Dish Boys. He was out looking for Coach, too. I just immediately started crying when he told us that.”

“People were Venmoing Christian money for dinner just to make sure he was still eating,” adds Lamb.

a lead. “That’s when I really started feeling like a pet detective,” DeRoeck laughs.

They started targeting every house with a white truck in the driveway, leaving flyers on the windshields. It finally felt like progress was being made. If nothing else, someone had seen Coach alive. That alone felt astonishing.

Then, weeks passed. The tip about the boys in the white truck led nowhere, and DeRoeck became convinced that if Coach was out there, he had been inadvertently kidnapped.

could, began to sing. But the snapping of a branch pierced the moment, and Coach bolted away. It was back to their routine—searches conducted under cover of night, frantic drives to the construction site when Clay, their contact, would call saying he just saw Coach. Somehow, they always just missed him.

Then, on a sunny Saturday, Smith decided he would ride his bike by there one more time, just in case. In what feels like one in a series of small miracles, Coach was there.

Smith squatted down by the dumpsters where Coach was rooting, cautious, hopeful. He sang: “My Coach he lies over the ocean/ My Coach he lies over the sea.”

He approached. Reached out. And suddenly, Coach was in his arms.

“FIVE WEEKS TO THE DAY,” DeRoeck posted to Facebook with a teary-eyed photo of Coach’s face, his tongue in midlick, leaning against his own. “I’m losing my shit!!!”

503 Likes, 162 Comments—many in shock and disbelief.

“I will watch the Lifetime movie based on this,” says one.

“It’s just so surreal,” DeRoeke says, petting Coach’s head.

As I spoke to DeRoeck and Lamb on his Odd Street porch, Coach kept coming to my side, his brown eyes peering up at me, hopeful for a treat. His big head and gangly body have the sweet awkwardness of a baby horse, all limbs and playful energy. Free to wander the yard as we talk, he never strays too far from where we sit. He’s just turned 1 year old.

Where do you go from here, in the afterglow of the miraculous? “We just invented a game called Dogsketball,” DeRoeck says.

He beams. So does Coach.

MAKE BELIEVE IN THE WHITE OAK WOODS

By Alex B. Johnson

DeRoeck and Lamb with Coach safely home on Odd Street.

Despite all their efforts, their relentlessness didn’t seem to be paying off. After a week, no one had called the number on the flyers or seen any sign of Coach. Sleepless and anxious, DeRoeck would search through the night.

“He was getting up at, like, two in the morning and going out in the woods,” says Lamb.

She recalls tenderly that the fence was never latched that month. DeRoeck always left it cracked, just in case.

It had been seven days.

“You ain’t gonna find him,” a woman yelled, growing tired of seeing the couple walking the streets of her neighborhood. But there were more doors to knock on.

It was then, while canvassing after a week of rejection, that two women saw the flyer and said yes, they knew the dog. They had seen him get picked up on the side of the road by three young guys in a white pick up truck. Finally,

He was starting to get paranoid. “I would hear a bark from inside a house and think, That could be him,” DeRoeck says.

“I was going crazy.”

Then, after an entire month of radio silence, the phone rang. A construction worker had seen a scrawny little dog come by his worksite two mornings in a row—a dog that looked strikingly similar to the one on DeRoeck’s flyer.

“I was out there every day that week,” DeRoeck says. “I had the cops called on me twice by the property owners, so I knew I was taking a big risk every time I went back, but I didn’t care.”

The risk paid off: It was there that he finally saw Coach.

“He was about 30 yards away, and he saw me, and I just froze. At that point, we had no idea if the dog visiting the construction site was Coach or not, and I was finally able to confirm that it was actually him.”

DeRoeck crouched low to the ground and, as gently as he

When I go home to North Georgia, I bring my 1-year-old son to visit the old foothills philosopher. A wise man, he speaks in primordial chords.

He lives in a cabin in the white oak woods where he listens to coyotes by firelight. Each day is Thanksgiving, he reminds me. He shares stories of what he’s seen. Turkeys wandering along springs. Buck deer that stalk and then disappear. Trees with dancing leaves of a thousand starlings.

These stories are the appreciations of a foothills philosopher. “Your young son needs you to remember,” he says.

We follow a trail along the creek bed. He points at the sunlight where it plays on the water as it flows between rocks. He calls this his favorite kind of glitter.

Preoccupied with my daily life, I ask, “Why do we care what the birds do? And why should I care that coyotes gather to howl in the night?”

“I am old, and the search for that answer keeps me alive,” he says. “We must keep looking, keep listening for the primordial chords.” I say I will try, but that I do not know water light like him. k continued on next page

Residential • Office • Construction • Move In • Move Out

Make the New Year bright with a clean house!

Adilene Valencia 706-424-9810

aecleanathens@gmail.com

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

21

THRIF T S ALE! DONATIONS NEEDED!

DROP OFF GENTLY USED ITEMS Jan. 4 –Feb. 15

Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday • 10am–3pm Rocket Hall 34 School Street Watkinsville, GA 30677 TO SCHEDULE A PICKUP CALL (434) 203-1885 OR FOR MORE INFO, VISIT WWW.OCAF.COM DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE SALE

SATURDAY, FEB 22 • 8AM–4PM SUNDAY, FEB 23 • 1PM–5PM

flagpole’s office will be closed from Dec. 23rd–27th and Jan 1st Enjoy your

Slackpole

2 week issue covering events from Dec. 25th–Jan. 7th

we do HAIR 70 6 -39 5 - 6633 washingtonsquarestudio.com

22

JOHN BEASLEY

slackpole

continued from p. 21

Further in the forest, we find a glen, a sanctuary. Our entrance seems to have cued up the breeze to come in to conduct the orchestra of late autumn. I’d forgotten that sound, the crisp rush of so many leaves falling simultaneously, flooding the air so heavily and completely that we might be standing in a dream, or under water, even, dry as old bones in a khaki colored waterfall.

“They play whether we notice or not,” the old man says.

“You can bear witness even in the city. You will see more when you look through your son’s eyes.”

I remember the time I once saw a hawk snatch a mouse from the street, and how it used a telephone pole top to perch in victory. Cars clunked by underneath where I stood on the sidewalk. The hawk struck a pose over its prey, spread its wings and gaped its beak as if to gloat before the feast. I knew I was lucky then to be right where I ought to be.

I feel similar fortune today at home with my son and the old man in the white oak woods.

The trail leads out of the forest to a pasture where we meet a young black bull. From my left hip, the boy smiles and watches the bull with blue eyes wide enough to receive all of the beast. This bull approaches us at eye level and is enormous, by far the largest creature my young son has ever seen. With each step, his hooves sink slowly in the mud. He breathes in and exhales loudly with the quick strength of a gust of wind, as natural a force as wind too, only it blows from a more grounded source.

The foothills philosopher is gone on into his cabin, but I understand what he means. The sound of the bull’s nose is one unchanged in the millennia that massive mammals have roamed the earth, sniffing out grains and blowing away hard dirt and snowpack to get at the sweet, get down to the good. But my son and I don’t have any food to offer, so we just admire him awhile before we leave him be in his pasture.

Right when we turn, though, the young bull wails his horn, and we spin around to watch him finish his long call, a meandering bellow strange to urban ears. It is nothing like the make-believe moo the boy’s learned in Old MacDonald’s song. It is the real thing—one of the old man’s primordial chords, the kind that makes us believe.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

By Sharon Wright Mitchell

“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays…”

There’s a lot of pressure associated with the holidays. If you have multiple parents, step-parents and in-laws, it’s worse.

Throw a couple of kids into the mix, and winter holidays can become a logistical nightmare, with each branch of your extended family playing not-so-subtle war games over where you quaff your eggnog.

As a young adult, I always worked Christmas Eve, which made getting to my family’s Christmas Eve celebrations challenging. I remember one Christmas morning in particular—not because of the thoughtful gifts or the pancake breakfast, but because I was so exhausted I woke up crying (and I was an adult, not a cranky toddler).

I had worked at the mall the afternoon before and then driven two hours to partake in two family gatherings. I hadn’t had enough sleep and was facing driving another two hours to join my husband’s two family celebrations, and they couldn’t understand why I wasn’t giddy to see them. Maybe it was because they always insisted I sample every dish along the 12-foot folding table and then sing Christmas carols for them afterward, on a full stomach.

By the time I made all the rounds each year, I was exhausted, overstimulated and driving a car full of gifts I appreciated but didn’t need. I always enjoyed the spirit of the season, but when you’ve been observing Christmas mall-style for eight weeks, you kind of just want to keep it simple. Once I was an adult and could furnish most necessities for myself, I didn’t really need that family-sized all-inone breakfast station with coffee maker, griddle and toaster oven.

Then there were the behind-the-scenes dysfunctional shenanigans, like the aunt who always arrived at family

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

What the foothills philosopher sees.

gatherings mid-argument with her husband. I guess it was tough to weather the long car ride together. After my parents divorced, there was always a tug-of-war over how long I’d spend with each side of the family. I don’t know why my mother cared. She always professed to hate Christmas.

Every year, she’d procrastinate about buying gifts, and then we’d end up waiting for her on Christmas Eve while she wrapped them. Good times.

Sound familiar? So, this was why, when I became a parent, I put my foot down about being at home with my daughter on Christmas Day. I decided I didn’t want my holiday or hers to be an annual reenactment of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Gradually, I bowed out of many of the gatherings and traditions that made the season a chore instead of a joy.

These days, our celebrations lean more toward the minimalism of Yule than the traditional commercial Christmas.

I find a simple Christmas without driving hours is just what my spirit needs. “Home for the holidays” means my home.

Home for you can mean wherever you feel good and safe and happy. For some, that’s with family. For others, it’s the last place we feel welcome or accepted or at peace. Your home is where you make it.

In our part of the world, this is the time of the winter solstice, when nature settles down to sleep. Enjoy the gifts of the season—no wrapping paper needed—and take some time at home for rest and renewal.

“If you want to be happy in a million ways/ For the holidays/ You can’t beat home, sweet home.”

GADGETS LIKE ME

By Kathryn Kyker

In my world, the word “remote,” as in “The Remote,” was first in regard to remote controlled cars—the toy your 12-year-old brother got for Christmas. Remotes were not a ubiquitous part of our lives until a couple of decades ago, when they entered the living rooms of ordinary folks and took aim at our chunky, four channel TV sets.

Remotes quickly rose in cultural importance. They symbolize power dynamics of relationships—who controls the remote in your household? They define personality types— are you a restless surfer or a more patient watch-and-decide type? One type for each household keeps things fun.

Remotes progressed from cultural gadget to essential tool to access culture. But the impact of a remote on my daily mood? I never saw that coming.

Confessions of persons struggling with a technology

that gets more complex daily are so first-world boomer.

Suffice it to say, when a remote first came to my house, there was just one, and now I have four—for one TV. I wave them around, synchronizing points, clicks and now scrolls, like an orchestral conductor privy to a secret language whose success depends on perfect adherence to cryptic directives. When I succeed, achieving my viewing goal, it’s embarrassingly satisfying, whereas if I fail (again), I’m consumed by frustration and shame. Technology inferiority complex will be a diagnosed disorder, if it isn’t already.

Years ago, my daughter sat me down on the couch for a final tutelage before she left for college. She said, “There are things you don’t know about using the remote.” I said, “Really? ’Cause I can get the TV on almost every time now.”

She then took me on a tour of the many buttons that were a mystery to me, unveiling options that amazed me.

Neglecting to use those options regularly, that esoteric knowledge is now buried beneath how to pair my phone.

After all this time gazing at remote buttons, I’ve begun to identify with them:

persian CUISINE

Athens’ largest variety of fresh seafood.

Tues. Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve Regular menu • Specials Reservations suggested Open 4pm–till

FLAG POLE .COM

HAPPY HOUR • TUES–FRI 4–6PM LAMB SHANK • FRI–SUN

BRING IN THIS AD FOR A FREE APP OR DESSERT 1155 MITCHELL BRIDGE ROAD 706•850•1509

Sundays Happy Hour 4pm–9pm Mondays Industry night $2 PBR tall boy $2 Kentucky Gentleman $3 Domestics 10% off food (oysters not included)

Tuesdays Date Night

Go ahead, put it down.

Which remote button most closely resembles the way you navigate through life? (Facebook probably has a survey on this already.)

Is your POWER status on or off? No judgment, just askin’.

Hit TOP MENU to reveal what is currently trending in your life.

INPUT tells us your mode/mood, not to mention your communication style. Are you being heard, or would SUBTITLES be helpful? Maybe you should try listening for a change and go MUTE. Struggling with existential angst? Find the GUIDE. RECALL will kindly return you to the path you were on.

I have been guilty of FASTFORWARD-ing through much of my life, but now, on the back end, I find myself in a thoughtful REPLAY tendency.

But the button I most identify with is PAUSE. Pause your life, your mind, your show, and process. Or not—just pause to pause.

But whatever button you choose, remember that some require an extra step—your engagement. Hit ENTER. Now, put down the remote.

1 salad or appetizer 2 surf n turf 1 dessert 1 bottle of wine $60 + tax and tip

Monday–Friday 4pm–6pm Happy Hour

$1 Apalachicola Oysters

1298 Prince Ave. in Normaltown

SHOW US YOUR BOTTLEWORKS PARKING PASS, GET A

FREE MINI CUPCAKE!

EMPANADAS ARGENTINE CHEESE STEAK CUPCAKES HOME MADE SOUPS VEGETARIAN & VEGAN OPTIONS

STEPS FOR INSTRUCTIONS

k continued on next page

We’d love to introduce ourselves to you if you’re new in town!

Stop by your local movie theater and community space and:

-Sign up for our weekly newsletter -Become a member -Tour the space 234 W. Hancock Ave. Check our website for current films and upcoming events

By Steve Piazza

1. Learn how to read.

2. Select appropriate instructions.

3. Read instructions.

4. In order (mostly).

5. Follow instructions, unless they do not make sense.

6. If they do not make sense, reread the instructions.

YOUR LOCAL, NON-PROFIT, ART HOUSE THEATER IN ATHENS, GA

Open Tuesday-Sunday • Patio Dining • Kid Friendly 247 PRINCE AVENUE • 706-850-8284

ATHENSCINE.COM

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

23

slackpole

continued from p. 23

7. Look at any images as needed (if appropriate, don’t get angry; laugh at them instead).

8. If the instructions say skip ahead, follow the instructions.

9. Skip ahead to the next step.

10. If you skipped the previous step, you actually didn’t (just checking in to see if you are still following).

14. Always be sure to distinguish between mandatory and optional instructions. Kind of like fact versus fiction, but without the screaming.

19. If you accidentally miss a step in the instructions, forgive yourself, and if you have to restart, really forgive yourself. Don’t be afraid to forgive yourself. Really.

46. If others are offering unsolicited advice, share the instructions with them, then talk with them. Just about the instructions. Concentrate on the instructions. a. If you need help with the instructions, don’t be afraid to seek help. Best if before. Acceptable after. Stubborn if never. iii. If instructions lead to meandering, make sure you’re following the appropriate instructions appropriately. If you keep meandering, give into it. It’s where your heart is, anyway.

15. If instructions become unwieldy or tenuous, don’t break anything, then proceed. Jump to the proceed part.

You’ll be glad you did. So will those around you.

Part E. Become one with the instructions, even if they seem evil. Leave those discussions to philosophers and theologians.

Almost there. If the instructions do not turn out as expected, remind yourself you’re really just where you were to begin with, and things weren’t so bad then.

More almost. Remember this: Instructions do not wield power over you. You do.

Morer almost. Also remember this: if it does not turn out as expected, remind yourself that this is not a perfect world, and thus, we have to live with imperfections.

(Exceptions: building a rocket and anything else that might put someone in danger. Other than that, you’re pretty much in the clear.) This said, keep striving, not why-me-ing.

Somewhere near the end. Once you have completed all the instructions, regardless of how it turns out in the end, go be good to yourself and somebody else.

the throne in the near future, Rabbit Box will return to monthly shows.

In fact, the next gathering of Rabbit Box will take place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 at The Foundry with the theme “Hindsight is 20/20.” A small fee of $7 is all that is required for entrance. All citizens of the Kingdom of Athens and the surrounding area are invited to attend this joyous gathering to start the New Year right with renewed knowledge and fellowship. In particular, more stalwart storytellers are sought to beguile the audience with their tales of learning from mistakes and overcoming challenges.

If you cannot make this first celebratory event of 2020, another gathering will be Apr. 8, when the theme will be “Nesting,” extolling the wonders of home and family.

THANK YOU, ATHENS WRITERS ASSOCIATION

By Jill Hartmann-Roberts

I moved to Athens in December 2011 with my husband, who had recently achieved his dream of becoming a tenure-track professor. I’d never lived outside of California before. A year and a half later, I was still struggling to find my own life in a part of the country where I’d never visited, much less lived.

Still, I had to find my own way in Athens. As optimistic as I was when I arrived, and as hard as I tried to fit in, I kept falling on my face—and that was hard. Many times, I felt like giving up, but I kept reaching out to new people. I’d made a commitment to my husband and myself to make it work. This was the life I had chosen. There had to be a place for me.

For I’d also come to Athens with high hopes of realizing my own lifelong dream of becoming a published writer.

THE MAGIC OF RABBIT BOX

By Connie Crawley

Once upon a time in the not so far away Kingdom of Athens, GA, there was Rabbit Box. Only a few chosen people knew what Rabbit Box was. Some people thought it was a place where Easter rabbits were raised, but those who really knew understood it was a magical event where people addicted to their screens miraculously put their devices down for two hours and listened to real people telling real adult stories, not fairy tales, about their lives.

Rabbit Box took its name from a song by a famous Athens minstrel named Vic Chesnutt who sang about true emotions and life-changing events, so it was natural for this special gathering to be called by this noble name.

For nearly eight years, many brave knights and ladies from the Kingdom of Athens and other surrounding kingdoms have pitched their stories to be selected for Rabbit Box on the Rabbit Box website, rabbitbox.org. Then, if they felt unsure of their skills, a mighty wise woman named Pat Priest would help them to make their stories more powerful so they could slay their fears and inspire, amuse and enchant the people who gathered together at The Foundry, a stronghold of entertainment and culture in downtown Athens. All these stories had to be told in eight minutes or less without notes or other props to distract the rapt listeners.

The stories must represent a theme selected for each gathering by Kingdom leaders, like “Summer Love” or “Pride and Prejudice.” For a while, the gathering met monthly, but recently, it switched to meeting quarterly, as the Kingdom leaders searched diligently for a new executive director. Hopefully, with the ascent of the new director to

24

A friend once told me that people come into your life for a reason. Sometimes, it is just for a season. Sometimes, it is for a lifetime. When they come into your life, they are meant to be there at that time. Sometimes, the reason is not always clear until years later, long after they have left your life.

My fellow AWA writers came into my life at just the right time. It is because of them that I have blossomed, and I know as I move forward, the petals on this beautiful, glorious flower I have grown into will never wilt. The AWA will always be with me in spirit, and I will always be writing.

And, although my life in Athens started out rocky and frightening and lonely and uncertain, I have grown to truly love this college town with all my heart.

Athens, I love you.

THREE STORIES

By Matt Beall

Signs The other day, I was driving down Prince Avenue while listening to John Prine’s “Lonesome Friends of Science.” The song implies that a world shaped purely from a measurable, scientific perspective would lack a spiritual dimension, and that such a world would be a lonely place. Naturally, this brought to mind the sign over the fish restaurant that opened in Normaltown last year. This sign looks as if the guys who painted it first spent a couple hours in one of the adjacent bars, doodling on napkins and drinking. I don’t know how long these places—those bars and the fish restaurant—will be able to survive. The zombie-like redevelopment of Athens suggests that it’s gonna go some day, this strip on Prince, and be replaced by a chain restaurant and boutiques that sell designer handbags and stuffed bulldogs with semi-precious stones for eyes. The Chamber of Commerce types will say they’re building a better tomorrow or other such rhetorical bamboozlement. I say they will be neutering the neighborhood. By the time they have finished monetizing Normaltown’s character, they will have succeeded in making Normaltown normal, with the bland architecture essential for rendering any location undetectable from countless others. It goes without saying that the signs will be perfect, every one of them, shining emblems of all that Athens is to become.

Debate Event at the Normal Bar The author’s first AWA meeting.

My first attempt at joining a writing critique group in 2012 was a disaster. I was the poster child for blowing a first impression. During the meeting, I proceeded to bluntly tell them that they were discouraging other writers with their focus on negative commentary in lieu of praise. Talk about putting my foot in my mouth.

I’ve since learned how to catch flies with honey instead of vinegar here in the South, and in general, but needless to say, I burned that bridge with that writing group. To my credit, I went back to two more meetings, and to their credit, they were polite, albeit not particularly welcoming.

Who could blame them after this stranger from the West Coast had lectured them on night one?

After that, I decided writing groups were not for me… until I found the Athens Writers Association.

Little did I know when I walked into the Coffee Shop of Athens that night in July 2013 how my life was about to change.

I’d missed their kickoff in March, but the Athens Writers Association, fondly known as the AWA, did not fully take off until their August meeting. I met many writers, and we decided to launch our own critique group. I’m proud to say we have been working together for more than six years.

Sometimes in life, it takes someone, or something, to turn the tide of the storm. For me, the Athens Writers Association was that something. My life in Athens has since changed for the better. I’ve created a life of my own that has not only led to my becoming a published writer, but also to my own new career at UGA.

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

Last summer, I attended a Democratic debate party at Normal Bar. I have noticed that many people who frequent or live in Normaltown are NOT NORMAL, so the name is definitely ironic. There was a turnout of around 50 people for the debate. It was mostly a bifocal, closed-captioned, Subaru crowd, people who’ve had insomnia since 2016, not heroic drinkers, but often enamored of policy minutiae, likely to be familiar with and approving of the Birkenstock ethos. I thought Elizabeth Warren came off well in the opening rounds. But I could tell which way the wind was blowing, and not wishing to be overwhelmed by an oratorical roller derby, I left. On Normal Bar’s outdoor patio were 100 or so mostly young folk, getting absolutely hammered.

I envied them.

Motorpsycho Guy’s sitting next to me at a bar here in Athens. Three in the afternoon, he’s headed for oblivion via the Irish whiskey method. We get to talking about Triumph motorcycles, since we both rode them in the 1970s. One of the signal characteristics of drunks is that they can convince themselves of anything and believe it heart and soul, until they about forget it. This guy is dead sure he’s gonna buy a new motorcycle, soon, and ride it to Valhalla, because “everything is meaningless.” The nihilism I can understand, albeit with reservations, but the motorcycle purchase is difficult to square with his admission of catastrophic financial affairs. This isn’t the first free-association motorpsycho rant I’ve listened to, and I suspect the emotional weather is about to undergo a serious pressure drop. Which it does. In

the midst of an incoherent paean to the mystical qualities of Slavic women (don’t ask), he stops, glares at me and says: “BUT LET ME FINISH MY STORY!” I have not uttered a syllable for several minutes, but I tell him to get on with it while signaling for my tab. I leave, and as the sunlight on Clayton Street washes over me, I am thinking that it is too early for serious drinking, and too late for me to ride Triumph motorcycles anymore.

SWEET, SCARY, SAD: ENGAGING OUR DREAMS

By Liz Conroy

Hours after the Wild Rumpus in 2016 ended, our younger daughter died. In the early hours of Oct. 30, Laura ended her life in a dark Chase Street backyard. Many of her friends, family members, Canopy students and co-workers shared their grief to help ease the pain. Similarly, dreams of sorrow and fear are often best shared, too.

When Laura was pre-school age, she happily shared her dreams and expanded them into stories. In one dream, she described turning on the faucet. Instead of water, bunnies bounded into the sink. They were her favorite colors, yellow and orange. They’d all fly to planet “BUPITER,” a yellow and orange planet, where they could play.

I knew to listen with interest and not judge what Laura was telling me. After all, she was having such a good time!

I wish we’d spent more time discussing dreams. Hopefully, today’s parents take time to talk with their kids about dreams, too.

Diane Bales, associate professor and human development specialist with the UGA extension, explains that when children report something they dreamed, we can’t confirm it. This may make the adult listener skeptical. “Just because other people can’t observe the experience, it’s still important to that individual,” Bales says.

Scary dreams or nightmares are outlets for our inner fears. For a child, sometimes a changing world is enough

835 Sunset Dr. Athens

to cause dreams about monsters. “Younger children aren’t good at distinguishing what is real from what is imagined,” Bales explains. “This cognitive misunderstanding generally occurs about 4–7 years old.”

What to do about a child’s scary dreams? “Monster spray works well!” Bales says. Find a small, empty spray bottle and allow the child to help label and decorate it. Then, put some water in the bottle. Just before bedtime, the child and adult can carry the bottle around the room and spray the corners and under the bed to keep monsters away.

“Children are often scared of things they can’t control. Yet there are little ways to offer a sense of control to a child,” she says.

Adults can help children process their dreams in several ways. “Ask your child to draw a picture of a scary dream.

Then let them tear it up or burn it up to feel that sense of control.” As a young child, Laura saw a cartoon involving an animated extension cord with angry eyes chasing kids. It terrified her. Drawing the extension cord on a slip of paper and burning it in a metal bowl helped her get rid of the fear.

It seemed so simple, yet it worked!

“

Dream discussions have the potential to help all of us.

For children who express fears about their dreams but can’t converse easily, Bales recommends using a puppet. “If you can, try to find out what’s behind it,” she says. “Let the child talk to a puppet, act it out or draw it on paper without you taking the lead.” Children like knowing their words are being taken seriously, she adds.

Heidi Simmonds, an Athens dream leader and workshop presenter, understands the importance of dreams and taking time to discuss them. She helped me with a heartrending dream about Laura’s death. She listened to me describe it and encouraged me to engage with it. To do so, I imagined placing my dream outside in a patch of sunlight, walking around it in a circle and fully acknowledging it as I walked. Suddenly, the weight lifted from my shoulders, and

Thursday, December 26

6-11pm R&B and Jazz, $5

Friday, December 27

CHRIS HAMPTON BAND 8pm-12am, $10

Saturday, December 28

THE GRAINS OF SAND 8pm, $10

Tuesday, December 31

THE SENSATIONAL SOUNDS OF MOTOWN 8pm, $40

Thursday, January 2

GROWN FOLKS DANCE PARTY WITH DJ SEGAR 6-11pm R&B and Jazz, $5

Friday, January 3

COUNTRY WESTERN BAND 8pm-12am, $10

Monday, January 6

WESTERN PARTNER DANCE LESSONS WITH LINDA & DAVID 6:30-8pm

Lots of Free Parking Large Dance Floor • Full Bar

EVERYONE WELCOME!

BYE

By Kat Klimt

A triangle. A teardrop, maybe, formed by two streets. A row of blue cylinders, a willow tree. Winter now so there’s a fire, but they’ve stopped feeding it, so we reach up to grab fistfuls of needles from a fir and cast them into the embers, where they sputter and hiss with the immolation, and waves of smoke drift up to sting the eyes. Water meets the glitter in mine, and it burns twice as much. I light a cigarette, and we huddle around the warmth pulsing into nothing like some living thing surrendering itself to sleep in the snow. How kind. How rich the perfume of spools of smoke tobacco and pine. I can still smell where we bruised the fronds when we stripped the fine green needles to feed our pathetic little pit of soot and sparks quailing against the night.

I think it’s about dead. Yeah. Inside? It’s so cold. Almost done with my smoke. I tuck my thumb and index and middle finger back into my glove. It is cold. The little pit huffs out more smoke, but the heat has retreated within. No point throwing more needles in there now. We’re all gonna reek of this tomorrow. Cigarette butts and the cardboard packs they come in and old Flagpole newspapers and incidental leaves and soft logs of split pine probably too wet to work in the first place.

The PBR is empty. Gotta run to the bathroom, just saw someone walk out. It’s a narrow window of opportunity, always a line there. The stag gleams rippling scarlet and gold above, a blind patriarch in imitation brass. Silver sea urchin chandelier, disco ball eclipse. The room is full of stars.

We keep the parties going, even if they’re melancholy now because we are old. More sad memories than happy

NO WHERE BAR

706-543-5940

GROWN FOLKS DANCE PARTY WITH DJ SEGAR

my despair lessened. It helps to engage our dreams, because they’re really about our inner selves and an important part of us. Dream discussions have the potential to help all of us—no matter what our age or the sorrow we bear.

Your Table in 5 Points

make your new years eve reservations now! catering also available!

Martini Monday $4 $4 House Martinis All Night Oyster Tuesday $8.95 One dozen raw or grilled Mardi Gras Wednesday $11 Crawfish Pie, add gumbo and jambalaya for an extra $7 Date Night Thursday $35 2 Prime Rib Dinners add a bottle of house red or white wine $10 also available for one

Saturday & Sunday Brunch $3 Mimosas $4 Bloody Mary’s Open at 4pm Mon-Fri and 11am Sat & Sun By the Loop Next to Tall Boy Beverage Co. Free Parking!

8 Voted ll# Bar a b t o o F rica in Ame

LIVE MUSIC (All shows start at 10pm)

Mindfulness Based Stress

Reduction Workshop

in Athens, GA

Starts Jan. 27th Register Early, class size limited Learn More At

Fri. December 27

AVERY LEIGH’S NIGHT PALACE WITH FAUVELY Sat. December 28

HUGHES TAYLOR BAND Mon. December 30

SHADY RECRUITS WITH THE ICEMAN SPECIAL

FLAGPOLE.COM

Tues. December 31

NYE EVE EARLY SHOW WITH BLOODKIN LATE SHOW WITH FIVE EIGHT Wed. January 1

CLOSED

Mon. January 6

BLUES NIGHT W/ BIG C Tues. January 7

2095 S. Milledge Ave.

MIDNIGHT REVEL

georgeslowcountrytable.com

240 N. LUMPKIN ST. / 706-546-4742

706-548-3359

k continued on next page

Better Service, Better Plumbing Insured • Local • Free on-site Estimates

$30 Flagpole Special Discount* *Call for details

706-769-7761

www.plumberproservice.com

DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

25

slackpole

of the 14th Century. “When I was your age, I had to bury them. Nothing. Krispy Kreme can’t even compare. Not to my entire village!” And so on, and so on. mention their cupcakes. Oh my goodness! They are out of In their defense, millennials have been bottle-fed the this world! have accumulated in the dust of our minds, we varnish curds of the college degree and company job for too long.

There’s a lot I can say about what’s been happening to them over with room-temperature vodka. Cheapest shots Real-world education tells them that a college degree is now local businesses in Athens. It started with the closing of in town, throw some money to the bands. There’s music a luxury item that might sink them into debt for the rest Two Story Coffeehouse in Five Points, which was not my every night. It’s always something weird. We love it so, no of their lives. And for what? Holding the same single job regular hangout, but still, it was someplace where I loved other place for us, really. for the length of time required for a sustainable retirement to go from time to time for the atmosphere and to meet for It’s 2:15 a.m. This is when most have to pay for their is nothing but nostalgia. Even the fabled benefits of the coffee. lack of preparation, but we are not most people, because we University Job can’t hold up against an approaching reality But Ike & Jane—this one really hurts. Not just me, of have haunted the space between the slender neon torches in which people have to work two or more jobs for the rest course, but many of us who have memories there, who love and slender cypresses too long, whittling away the last of their lives. I will not be enjoying retirement right along the amazing staff—they are role models for customer serflickers of a chill white night with cheap beer and expensive with you. vice, hands down. And the overall experience—it’s hard to cigarettes in the glow of purple Christmas lights. A couple But boomers were once young, too. Millennials might describe it if you have not ever spent any time in the café, to-gos stuffed in the pockets, and now we lamp on the have even enjoyed FaceTiming with them. They were, in but if you have, you know what I mean. The character of the porch as the morning comes on cold and fact, one of the most rebellious generations neighborhood—creative and friendly and warm and invittoo soon, stars fade out. in modern memory. They established moding and open-minded—radiates in the smiles of the patrons Boomers were We remember and we lament and we ern activism to fight “The Man,” and were and staff alike. People from all walks of Athens life flocked once young, too. pretty successful! They actually called out cling like so many blinking barnacles to the to Ike & Jane. sinking ship of this town’s most glorious and canceled, in real life, many forms of When I drove by the café on that last Sunday morning eccentricities. My low-rent paradise done gone. institutionalized hatred. They also wrote the canon on isms, and saw the line down Prince Avenue, I thought, it’s 43 Commune in joy between a willow tree and a string of and it should be no surprise that in the autumn of their degrees outside, I’m not going to stand outside in line for a latte. cheap lights. We freaks, we straggling soldiers in a war of lives, they added “ageism” to the list. Those who weren’t I don’t need to say goodbye. attrition already lost. A cigarette, a $2 beer at last call, Tom occupying spaces and un-occupying their clothes were getBut when I reached the intersection of Oglethorpe and shooing your drunk twitchy ass off the patio till you shuffle ting sent far away to die fighting strangers in a strange war Hawthorne, I changed my mind. I turned the car around home in clinging warmth. against their will. I raise my glass. and waited 20 minutes outside with other local fans for one The fire sighs itself to sleep helplessly, the warmth flees So, let’s make a holiday toast. Here’s to giving each other last soy latte at my favorite coffee house in Athens. forever. Memories are a mausoleum. a break from this ancient tradition! Let’s step outside of Even though I had not been to Ike & Jane in a month, At least the wallpaper here is sublime. ourselves and try to conjure the smell of the burning bras they remembered me and my favorite drink. That’s one of of our youth. Remember how the perks about a small town strong and open-minded we place where people People from all walks of Athens life gathering are, and let’s learn something are happy to work and happy to flocked to Ike & Jane. new and uncomfortable. It will see you. It’s not a cookie-cutter keep us young. And though franchise, and that quality was

By A.N. things may be economically tough right now, rather than not only reflected in the taste of their food, but also in the lament the state in which things were left to us, let’s think personalities of their people.

Since the dawn of modern humans’ time on earth, wizened about how we might leave things for generations after us.

I said to the young lady at the counter, “I know you are elders have shaken their fists at rebellious youth, who volSound easy? Ask a boomer. Then, ask a boomer to show probably hearing this a lot, but I wanted to tell you I am ley back an eye roll. It’s an unshakable and predictable turn you how to can a food item, and do it together! Then, very really going to miss you guys. This was where I brought my through the seasons of our lives. A child is born tabula rasa. patiently, show them how to login to whatever accounts dog, Reggie, the day before he died. It was one of the last It grows curious and strong and dangerous. If it survives, their computers “won’t let them” login to. We were all places in Athens he visited, and you all were so nice to let it pairs with another for long enough to create one of its young once, and I’m all for the tradition of growing old. Fa him stay with me in his stroller. It meant a lot to me.” own. It learns to be cautious for the sake of its own curious la la la la, la la la la!

She smiled and said that a lot of people have been telling and dangerous child. It grows older and wiser and begins to their stories. I also told her that in the past year, in what offer its lessons on caution without being asked. Dangerous has been the hardest year of my life to date, the time I’d children roll their eyes until they too learn to be cautious, spent at Ike & Jane had helped me feel better.

By Jill Hartmann-Roberts on their own, the hard way. The circle completes with But, see, Ike & Jane is that kind of place, where someDangerous shaking its fist at Danger. thing like that can happen. It’s special. It’s unique. There is If you’ve ever been to Ike & Jane, you know why the closThe context may change through history, but the major no other place like it in Athens. ing of this local treasure in Normaltown was such a tragic moves are fixed. Today, tradition carries on with “OK I doubt there will be for a long time. But maybe, if loss for this neighborhood and, truthfully, for Athens as a boomer.” When I was dangerous, I rolled my eyes and said we’re lucky, eventually they will find another space in whole. “whatever” before turning back to Fight for [my] Right to Normaltown and be back to brighten up the whole neighAlthough I gave up desserts a few years ago, I still Paaaaaaaarty! Before that, Dylan howled at the watchtower. borhood with their glorious return! remember my first Ike & Jane donut—there is nothing like Imagine grandpa at dinner after surviving the great plague Ike & Jane, I will miss you. f continued from p. 25

“

TRADITION OF GENERATIONS

“

GOODBYE, IKE & JANE

flagpole’s office will be closed from Dec. 23rd–27th and Jan 1st

Enjoy your

Slackpole

2 week issue covering events from Dec. 25th–Jan. 7th

26

FLAGPOLE.COM | DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020

Talk About It If you have a friend you think may be in an abusive relationship, talk with her or him about it. Don’t ignore the problem; it will not go away. You can make a difference by starting a conversation with your friend or coworker. You don’t have to be an expert to talk about abuse, you just need to be a friend. Listen to and believe what your friend is telling you.

Our hotline advocates are here to help if you have questions about how to start the conversation.

706-543-3331

Hotline, 24 hours/day

Linea de crisis, las 24 horas del dia

215 North Lumpkin St. • Athens, GA

18 & over / ID reqd. Tickets available online and at Georgia Theatre Box Office

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28

UNDERGROUND SPRINGHOUSE

1/16

YACHT ROCK REVUE

CBDB

1/25

RANDY ROGERS BAND

1/29

TODD SNIDER

1/30

BIG SOMETHING & ANDY FIASCO

1/31

MOTHERS FINEST

2/5

LOST DOG STREET BAND

2/6-7

MOON TAXI

W/ DEEPFALL

2/8

SPACE JESUS

2/10

SHANE MAUSS – HEAD TALKS

DOORS 7:00PM SHOW 8:00PM

2/12

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS

2/13

SHOVELS & ROPE

2/14

COLONY HOUSE

2/15

INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS

2/20

RUSTON KELLY (40 WATT CLUB)

2/25

ANDERSON EAST & FOY VANCE

2/26

TRAMPLED BY TURTLES

2/27

OF MONTREAL

2/28

ASHLEY MCBRYDE

3/17

AFTM W/ SLEEPWALKER

3/19

LAWRENCE

3/20

RYAN HURD

3/25

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY

3/26

MINNESOTA

3/28

THE CADILLAC THREE

4/1

THE CHOIR OF MAN

4/2

AGAINST ME (40 WATT CLUB)

4/17

JAMESON RODGERS

4/20

ANGEL OLSEN

4/21

CITIZEN COPE

4/22

SHANNON & THE CLAMS

4/23

AARON WATSON

4/24

PJ MORTON

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30 & TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31

Grace Bagwell Adams, assistant professor of health policy and management, UGA and principal investigator, Athens Wellbeing Project.

JANUARY 8

willson.uga.edu

1/14

1/24

Chris Herron, CEO, Adam Beauchamp, brewmaster, Matt Stevens, vice president of strategic impact, Creature Comforts Brewing Company

THE MARCUS KING BAND 12/30 DOORS 7:30PM SHOW 8:30PM

Part of the Global Georgia Initiativeof the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts Presented in partnership with Creature Comforts Brewing Co. and the UGA Office of Sustainability

CHARLIE STARR W/ BENJI SHANKS

PIP THE PANSY

Rob Tod, founder, Jason Perkins, brewmaster, Allagash Brewing Co.

Public Reception • 6 p.m.

Creature Comforts Tasting Room 271 W. Hancock Ave.

1/11

1/23

With panelists:

Conversation • 4 p.m.

Studio 225 225 W. Broad St.

REHAB

TURKUAZ

Craft, Culture, and Innovation A Conversation with Creature Comforts and Allagash Brewing Companies

1/10

1/18

SEVENDUST

TAPPING INTO COMMUNITY:

COMING SOON

12/31 DOORS 9:00PM SHOW 10:00PM

SOLD OUT!

* FOR COMPLETE LINEUP VISIT WWW.GEORGIATHEATRE.COM * DECEMBER 25, 2019 & JANUARY 1, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

27