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A FREE Independent Paper for Springfield, The Ozarks and Beyond!

HB CB CHThe

create • share • evolvelogo by Ben Blauvelt

September 2013

THE BHC September 2013 PAGE 2

HB CB CHThe

The

Bare HandCollective

create • share • evolve

Publisher. Tim Robson

Editor. Amy Robson

Layout. Tim Robson

Graphics. Tim Robson

Logos. Ben Blauvelt Chris Mostyn

Website/Tech. Simon Nogin

Contributors. Paul Killingsworth Aaron Rozeboom Chris Mostyn Jordan Gwaltney Krista Fogt Nathan Gray Cassandra Bergh Anna Davies George Elerick Adam Lauderdale Silas Miener Madison DuPree Evan Pollock

Here at The BHC we want to draw young creative professionals to Springfield and Southwest, MO. We strive to do this by drawing attention to the amazing creativity, culture and craft that is the atmoshpere and environment of our cities in The Ozarks.

We are asking you to help us do this by investing in several ways. You can invest in a Sponsorship Space (3x3 ad space), Sponsoring an article (Logo and contact details at the end of the article), or a Story Ad on your business (1/3 page or full page).

Contact us for our Media Kit pricing and to set up an appointment with our sponsorship team. Let’s get our name out there together!

Sponsorship!

From the Publisher.Well, we are on to our third issue which is pretty exciting! The BHC wants to thank you for such a warm reception. Already the encouraging words and the feedback has come pouring in. Community is really important to us. We hope to experience more of this gathering sense of connectedness as we all share stories with each other of what we are making and being!

Would you help us over the next month to increase the awareness that “The BHC is in town!”? Share this issue with a friend, interact with the content on Facebook and our website, and support the sponsors of The BHC with your business! They are amazing people with quality goods! Also, If you know of anyone who should be featured in The BHC just get in touch with us. We are always looking for fresh content and contributors!

An important concept to us is “Relational Commerce”. This is an idea where we focus our energy and rhythm of life around relationships rather than individual/corporate consumption. We choose to support our local businesses because we know these folks and want them to succeed. We recognise quality and put an emphasis on creative sector making as a key to our growth together as humanity. We celebrate the process involved in making things with our Bare Hands! We embrace the long way around over the “Fast Food” mentality that has arisen out of large corporate consumerism. We realise that we have to pay more for quality in order to buy our souls back after years of mindless consumption.

So join in the fun and hard work as we walk out Relational Commerce together!

Looking forward to getting to know you!Tim Robson

The BHC - 4176161477

Get Involved!If you are a photographer, writer, illustrator, graphic novelist, poet, storyteller, editor, graphic designer, public relations - anything having to do with putting together The BHC and you want to contribute - get in touch through:

facebook/TheBareHandCollective or barehandcollective@gmail.com

If you know someone that we should do a story on, get us connected through Facebook, email, or phone at 417-616-1477.

Participate in our live Bare Hand Collective events each month as a creative vendor, performer, short film producer or musician/band. Get in touch through the details above!

www.facebook.com/TheBareHandCollective

www.barehandcollective.combarehandcollective@gmail.com

Drink.

"Harvey, want anything special for your birthday?""Just a decent cup of coffee.""You're kidding!""I'm serious. Honey, your coffee is undrinkable.""That's pretty harsh.""Well so is your coffee. You know the girls down at the office make better coffee on their hot plates."

That was a clip from a television commercial for Folger’s instant coffee from the 1960’s. Wow, how times have changed.You see, I’m always trying to learn, but sometimes I get in a rut. What I’ve come to realize is this - the best part of waking up is actually good coffee!

It seems everywhere that there are writers that are trained to focus on the negative and really be a critic. This testimonial is not that way. I honestly hate snobs. What I strive for is sharing my personal evolution with coffee, and what steps I’ve taken on this journey. This pilgrimage. Where I started was being mindlessly content with what I knew, but now I want more.

My initiation into the coffee world started at a young age. My mom and dad told me that once at the end of a church potluck, I went around finishing everyone's half-empty cups. Talk about getting a healthy exposure to germs! Anyway, I loved it. I grew up in a house where my folks had a Gevalia mail order subscription. I remember asking to smell the beans as the bag was opened, as if I was some connoisseur. They would grind the beans every morning, using the classic push-down blade chopper, and dump the grinds into their Mr. Coffee auto drip. By the time I was an older teenager I had been to Europe a couple times,Italy specifically, and tasted the espresso there. I was blown away and was convinced that their history and heritage had shaped their coffee tradition, and no one else could do it. During college, coffee wasn't so much of a passion as it was a necessity, and more of a date spot living in a conservative town.

Fast forward through years of brainless Starbucks consumption and out of nowhere, something hit me. I didn't really love it. It was okay, and filled the spot as a vehicle for caffeine like orange juice for vodka. I stopped going to Starbucks for coffee. It wasn’t 100% cold-turkey, but only in crisis "college life" situations. I remember the day that I first tasted freshly roasted coffee beans. The favors and aromas were so pure I almost got goosebumps. It was then that I understood, what some of my seasoned coffee drinker friends were talking about when they described Starbucks as burnt or over-roasted. Over roasting literally kills the bean, muting the freshness, aromatics, and extraction that a talented roaster can coax out of them. The best way I can describe it is like slow cooking a rump roast. The long cooking time breaks down the fat and strength of the muscle and makes it incredibly soft and tasty. But it is totally different than a freshly cut and grilled filet mignon. With the right cut and quality, minimal seasoning is needed, and is stunning at the hand of an experienced griller. Both the roast and filet are good in their own right, but one is all about the cooking procedure and the other about the quality ingredients.

Asher Yaron, owner and chief roaster in Bali for “Wake-Up” and “F.R.E.A.K.” coffee, is on a mission to create the highest quality coffee (the freshest) while being Organic, Green, and Sustainable. One of their mottos is “From the Cherry to the Cup”, where they grow, hand-harvest, roast in small batches, and ultimately brew and serve the best local 100% Arabica coffee from the mountains in Kintamani, Bali. (Coffee beans are actually the seeds of a cherry-like fruit.) He said this: “Indigenous coffee cultures around the world, they roast their coffee like this [a tin roasting pan]! Their focus is on freshness, and immediate consumption. Commercial coffee cultures [who use multi-thousand dollar/large production roasters] focus is on marketing, packaging, and shelf life. One produces coffee that is alive, vital, and potent. The other produces coffee that sits on the shelf for weeks and months and is old, stale, and dead.”

“Ah Ha!” moment number two was realizing that there was other methodology to brewing coffee other than drip or espresso. Once I tasted it, my world was wrecked. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the French Press (or the Plunger, as my South African friends call it) for about 15 years now, but it’s been over this last few months that I’ve been converted to the world of the pourover. The overly simplified recipe is this: hot water, not boiling, freshly and properly burr ground coffee beans that have been roasted within a week (2 weeks at the max), a filter, and a gram scale. As with any recipe, each ingredient holds its own importance and ability to swing on a pendulum of good and bad, which should more accurately described as ‘perfectly’ to ‘poorly’ executed. Long gone are the days of dumping a pre-ground bag of “whatever” into a percolator. The pourover is truly the coffee geeks paradise. This is exact pure-water temperature, the weight of pre-ground beans and ratio to water (there’s an app for that: kohilabs.com), the coffee’s country of origin, the amount of filtration and implement to use, a water kettle with a gooseneck spout (so the water is gently laid on the grinds), the initial infusion of water and patience to let the grind “bloom”, the grace of slowly pouring the water over the slurry. Honestly, the tweaking of each step is an art in itself.

There are quite of few different implements or methodology to use. I cut my teeth on a Hario V60 that is an absolutely perfect single cup brewer. It has a very large hole at the bottom, so it’s a bit challenging to keep all the water from running straight through the filter. But there are many others: Walkure, Woodneck, Wave, Bee House, Kone, and my current crush, the Chemex. I’m exactly 72 years behind the trend (I’m 37 now), because the Chemex was invented in 1941 by a German inventor named Peter J. Schlumbohm who had a Ph.D. in chemistry – hence the name. In 1956, it was called “one of the best-designed items of modern times”, and has a permanent spot at Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Smithsonian. Last month, I asked my wife for a Chemex for my birthday. She said okay in a way that was unsure (or “what the heck?”), but later searched the web for more clarity. She said to herself, “THIS is a CHEMEX?”.I didn’t know this, but for the last 20 plus years she had watched her mother throw lose change in this weird vase that had a wood and leather collar. She never thought for a moment that it was a coffee brewer from the 40’s, or that true barista’s everywhere were in the middle of a Chemex coffee revival. Long story short, I got a brand new 6-cup glass handle, and her mother gave me her classic 10-cup with weathered wood and broken leather strap. (My best friend also gave me a half-poud of Kopi Luwak as a joke (I think), but that’s a whole other story in itself.) I really do value the quality of the Chemex itself, but I really adore the final product. There’s nothing more genuinely “made with love” than hand-grinding your own beans at home first thing in the morning and making a pourover. Not sure if I’m woken up by the grinding time or the coffee!

If you live in the Springfield area, I would highly suggest you check out

“The Hub” at 811 N Boonville Ave.

They only serve freshly roasted beans from some of the best roasters in the country, and receive them as soon as 2 or 3 days after roasting. They are also one of the few spots in the area that you can find someone brewing on a V60 or a Chemex.

So, in summary, stop going to Starbucks unless it’s absolutely necessary. Be insistent on freshness. Let that standard pourover into other area’s of your life… like your coffee ritual.

by Paul Killingsworthfollow me on Instagram at “killerpixx”

Coming Soon...The Gentlemens Corner

by Sean Brownfield

The Bare Hand Collective

Aug 2. Coffee Ethic. 7pm. Release Party.

Requires Coloring!Eat Paste #1

To begin with, let me introduce myself. I am a middle school art teacher and a professional artist. I create artwork for galleries and clients.

The purpose of this column has several folds. To begin, I wanted to celebrate the amazing things that kids can do. It has been my great privilege for the last nine years to work with young minds and to help develop their creativity. They are amazing, and I don't simply mean that they make beautiful things, but they think in ways even I can't imagine.

Next, there is the issue of culture. We live in the most visually flooded culture ever to exist in human history. This does not mean, however, that all images are equal. Our kids and our culture both need the ability to create new and innovative things, but also to evaluate their worth and affect on society. Not only do we need to see the value, but also we have to put our money where our mouth is by supporting the arts and local vendors of the handmade, handcrafted and home grown.

Lastly, this column will look at the state of the arts in schools and how we can both support and promote them in our communities. The future belongs to them, our children. The world is changing faster in more ways than in any other time. If they are not equipped with flexible minds, able to adapt and envision what could be, they might as well be left in the dust of the past. To be creative does not mean being an artist. It has much more to do with being human.

by Chris Mostyn

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Madame Leroy tending her “enfants.”

Our Place in the World of Wine

I must confess that I am not the most social person in the world. In fact, truth be told, I’m a bit of a recluse. I do not go out much. I care very little about who is doing what or with whom they are doing it. And I rarely seek contact with unfamiliar individuals. So it might seem the height of irony that therelationship between wine and humans is one of the primary reasons I am fascinated by wine.

Perhaps it is my own shyness that makes me so passionate about wine, because wine happens in the context of human interaction. It creates a safe space in which individuals, be they friends or total strangers, can gather around something deemed mutually important. This relationship begins in the vineyard and runs all the way to the moment someone inhales the last fading aromas that remain in his or her empty wine glass.

Not to get carried away, but one of my favorite relationships in the wine world is the one between the vigneron and his or her vines. Of course, while not strictly a human relationship, I have seen growers who are as connected to their vines and the ground they occupy as they are with any human being. Lalou Bize-Leroy, owner of Domaine Leroy and Domaine d’Auvenay in Burgundy, France refers to the vines as her children and hearing her talk about them leaves little question that wine growing is personal. A great wine can speak volumes, and it is the human connection to the vine that determines whether a vine will produce wines that say nothing at all, blubber like an idiot or sing the praises of it origin with perfect elocution.

We were not morally opposed to it, but the case of beer in the refrigerator was nonetheless liable to last all summer and well into winter if we didn’t have much company. Suffice it to say that I needed some guidance. Enter Mike Dombrowski. Mike was the ‘wine guy’ at a corner shop called Art of the Table in the historic district of Grand Rapids, MI. I told him I wanted to get into wine, and he happily obliged. He sold me bottle after bottle of wine that accurately demonstrated the characteristics of its type - and all for less than my college days’ cap of $15 per bottle. He patiently guided me around the world of wine while I learned things like the difference between right and left bank Bordeaux and how to pronounce grape varieties like Viognier. That relationship altered the course of my life, and these days I get no greater joy than from leading a newbie into the abyss of wine appreciation.

Perhaps wine’s relational element is most obvious and significant when it is shared among friends. We all take for granted that wine often marks the difference between a Tuesday night dinner after work and something like a ten-year anniversary. But there is something inherently relational about wine that is tied into the age-old, almost contractual significance of dining together. The fascinating thing about wine though is not so much that it is shared among friends so much as sharing it makes one another friends. It uniquely unites a gathering whether it’s a new couple embarking on a life together or a motley crew of family members over for Sunday dinner.

“Ah,” you say, “coffee can do the same thing!” Perhaps, but coffee is always in order to something else it seems—an alert day at work, a long night of studying, a serious conversation maybe. But it is wine that makes merry the heart of man, whereas coffee makes it hyper.

Hemingway noted that, “Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.” I’m not quite sure either Hemingway or I know what it means to be civilized, but I am confident a little wine will help sort it all out.

by Aaron Rozeboom

Furthermore, great wines are made by great wine-makers. In a culture dominated by technology and industrial manufacturing, many super-market offerings are in fact wine-by-numbers selections. They offer about as much interest as the mass-produced finishing nail you grabbed to hang your last picture frame. However, one of the things that make a fine wine worth a few extra dollars is the connection the taster has with the vintner. Every time I have a wine from Luciano Sandrone in Piedmont, Italy, I think of him - a flesh and blood human being who is generous, brilliant, mischievous, and just happens to make staggeringly good wine. That experience makes it worth the dollar or two extra it costs to drink a wine made by the guy or gal whose name is on the label.

Without intending to self-promote, I also appreciate the relationship between vendor and consumer. I’ll never forget the fellow who got me into wine. Somewhere about half way though college, it occurred to me that, generally speaking, folks who were into wine knew a lot about a lot. So I surmised that there must be something to it. I came from a family that did very little drinking, so I was pretty un-initiated.

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Perspective.On Doing and Making

There is something fantastic that happens when fear is stared down by doing.

A while ago, I bought a very old, used kiln. I studiedceramics in college and the idea of creating my own studio sounded amazing. But, you know, life happened. I had a baby, my family and I moved to a new town, and the kiln sat cold and alone at the back of a barn for a whole year. Fast-forward to this summer. I had a feeling it was time. But where does a full-time mama even begin to tackle all those little tasks that, together, seem completely overwhelming?

I think one of the biggest roadblocks to starting something new isn’t just time or even money. It’s more often fear that holds us back: fear of what we don’t know, fear of failure, or fear of what other people think. But sometimes we need to stop and ask, “What is the worst thing that could happen if I fail?” I love the quote, "perfect love casts out fear." The opposite of fear is love. When you let what you’re doing be motivated by love, fear has no business anywhere near you.

So, I decided to get started despite my apprehension. I made a list of everything I needed to begin, and I took it one thing at a time. A little here, a little there. I drove 60 miles to get fresh clay with a toddler in tow and then built pots while my sweet little son played in the grass. I researched blogs, watched videos online and ordered materials. I dusted off the kiln and loaded the shelves. I hooked up the re-wired plug and flipped switches during the first six-hour firing. I waited patiently for eighteen hours while everything cooled down. And to my pleasant surprise, it all went just fine. I am now making some really fun pieces and planning to open an online shop this fall.

Whatever your unique circumstances and story, I want to encourage you to begin doing and making whatever it is you've been dreaming about. Let the fearful places in your heart be filled with love. Pull out that sketchbook that's getting dusty on your shelf. Write down that song or that story you keeping thinking about. Get out your chisels or crochet hooks. Start with one small, but meaningful thing. Do it again tomorrow, and the next day. And who knows? In a month, you just might be on the path to something amazing and beautiful.

by Krista Fogt

HB CB CHThe

create • share • evolve

Come and join the fun with The BHC Crew as we...

Follow and like us! www.Facebook.com/TheBareHandCollective

Connect, Download, and Follow us on ISSUU!!Smart Device Version- https://issuu.com/thebarehandcollective/docs

Coming soon The Brand, Spankin’ New!!!

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See.

Nathan Gray

dinktography.com

Eat. Several years ago, my father and I visited a community of people who practiced communal living - they shared living space, possessions, gardens, responsibilities, everything. Each had come from a unique place, but they had found their way to this place hidden in the hills of the Ozarks. The property that they shared was breath taking; acres of pasture for the cows and goats, vegetable gardens that grew heartily, medicinal gardens, a river that coursed through the land and hugged by a forest of

trees on either side. As we admired their home, and chatted with our new friends, something felt amiss. They had left their respective homes to create a utopia - a place where there would only be love, freedom, no judgment, all-encompassing acceptance and perfect people. Unfortunately, none of these people came into this place perfect and without baggage, and each came in with their own set of expectations, different than the rest. This created a

community, who yes, worked together, and sometimes things went well and everyone got along and laughed and they sang "Kumbaya" around the campfire at night. But a lot of the time they were getting frustrated with each other, bad-mouthing one another behind their backs, discontent, and still not sure why things weren't working out perfectly. They didn't have a common goal to work towards, but a small personal idea of what it "should" be, and they weren't happy unless it was perfect according to their standards. The kind of love and understanding that they had for each other wasn't genuine, but a conjured up thing that they imagined would exist in a utopia. It is

impossible to really love someone without knowing what love really means, and knowing what it is that enables each of us to love. Understanding only comes with removing oneself from your comfort zone and stepping into the dirty, side-by-side, life in the hard place, patiently waiting and being until you know the struggles each person you are reaching is going through. They were searching for the perfect Eden without knowing what it was that they were searching for.

I have sat on porches and patios, car rides and couches, mulling and searching while munching on these granola bars. It has become a pause in my morning, a chance to refresh my body and organize my thoughts. I hope that when you make them, you are able to do some searching, mulling and discovering yourself.

* You can use whatever dried fruit & seeds/nuts you like here! Craisins & almonds, pistachios & dark chocolate, walnuts & dates, the possibilities are endless.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a medium-sized bread loaf with tine parchment paper, letting a bit of excess paper hang off the sides.

Grind a 1/3 cup of the oats in a food processor (or a small blade coffee grinder designated for grains & nuts) until powdery. Add them to a large mixing bowl and combine with the remaining oats, salt, spices, flax seeds, dried fruit & seeds.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, then stir them into the dry ingredients.

Pour the mixture in the prepared pan, and pat down the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned. Remove form the oven and let cool for approximately 15 minutes. Using the parchment paper as a sling, remove from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 4-6 individual bars. When fully cooled, wrap in plastic wrap for an easy ‘grab & go’ pick me up. "

by Anna Davies

1 1/3 cups quick-cooking (not instant) rolled oats, divideda generous pinch of ground cinnamon & ground gingera pinch of sea salt1/3 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped1/3 cup pumpkin seeds1/3 cup sunflower seeds1 Tablespoon chia seeds1/4 cup flax seeds1/4 cup canola oil1/4 cup high quality maple syrup2 Tablespoons raw honey

Uniek.Over the last week and a half I picked up a DIY project, that I first started over two years ago. I plucked this beautiful coffee table, dark cherry in color, from an unsuspecting little thrift store downtown for five dollars. Solid wood and a delicious deal! Over a couple of weeks I sanded it down to the bare wood and refinished it with clear gloss and white paint on the top. It was so beautiful!

Well, fast forward two years, and time had left its mark on the once white table top. Strewn across the little brush marks were black and grey smudges from anything and everything that had moved over it.

My first refinishing had had more than enough use, so I set myself to reviving it from its permanent dirt and grime. The original plan was to sand down the white paint, add another coat, and finish it off with a hearty gloss that would protect its pretty white surface from the marks it would receive over time.

I started sanding it down and realized, as I went over the edges of the table, that other pieces i had seen refinished, looked so amazing with a lot of the old paint and decoration left on. Sanding down the edges and sanding out spots on the tabletop gave it a change to a rustic, timeless character, even though it looked old and used.

An interesting series of thoughts struck me throughout this entire process. For the last nine months of my life things had not been so easy. It wouldn't be far from the truth to say that they had been quite hard at times. Through life, as with anyone, I have collected my share of scars, bumps and bruises. Nobody gets out, or stays in, from hard times unscathed. These last months have proven to be extra challenging for a lot of different reasons: I had to leave a group of people that I love, things were the same and yet so different when I came back home, family situations came up and many other questions and things happened, as they do.

Maybe it is odd that I parallel my life to sanding and painting a bedside table, but I do. Perhaps it is that working with your hands, bringing life and beauty to something otherwise worn out, is healing to the soul. Either way, as I worked on my coffee-turned-bedside table, I couldn't help but think about it. I wondered if the sanding down of all the bumps, grooves, black marks in the paint, was similar to how going through really hard times brings a refinement to this thing called life. When it all hits the fan, the superfluous and unnecessary takes a back seat and pale in comparison to what really matters.

The waves of frustration and hopelessness bring to the forefront of my mind, what is either immovable and sound in me, what needs to be slowly worn away and reworked. Like the grit of the sandpaper slowly tearing at the paint and polish on my table, the difficulties of life have worn away all of the things that stick out and get in the way of the important things that lie beneath waiting to be discovered. I think that over time, if we allow it to work out the bad things in us, we can come out more beautiful and refreshed than when we first started. I don't think that our scars or bruises will completely fade, but instead of being shameful attributes to when we couldn't beat back life, they can be badges of pride for all of the things that we overcame.

My little bedside table is not whitewashed or perfect looking anymore - somehow showcasing all of the left-over scratches, worn out bits , see-through sections - it is much more beautiful than before. Even though it took a little roughing up, its purpose and usefulness has far from run its course. by Cassandra Bergh

The Media as Thought Police Think we’re capable of independent thought and make informed choices? Not if big media have anything to do with it.

I love watching commercials. One of my all-time favorites is the Cadbury gorilla who is drumming to the Phil Collins ‘In The Air Tonight’. I have like Cadbury chocolate for a while now. The taste, the wrapper, the prestige of eating chocolate has its own merits! But have I really made that decision or has the advertisement made it for me?

In the commercial, a gorilla has the ability to play the drums and existentially feel the music. In this moment in time, the chocolate bar isn’t just a chocolate bar it has the ability to empower a gorilla with the skills of rhythmically playing to one of Phil Collin’s songs. This advert is encouraging fantastical engagement with the impossible. It is telling me I should believe that THIS chocolate has the ability to make what we might think is untrue to be true.

Obviously, no one really believes that a gorilla can play the drums. But our belief is suspended for a while, enough to go out and buy Cadbury the next time we need a sugar fix. And, certainly, our impression of the brand changes for the better. So, the ad succeeds.

The thing is, the media believes for us. When I use the word media I include any and all forms of media.

Let’s take listening to the radio. Most of us might have a favorite radio station we spend most of our time listening to. Some of us might even have very staunch allegiances to one over the other. The reality is that in our allegiances we are dedicating ourselves to the fantasy of choice. We think we choose the weekly set-list that goes on the air, but in an act of fraudulent perversion the radio pre-chooses the songs way before we tune into the station.

It is all staged.

Yet, the appearance is that we get to choose what is already chosen for us.

What about reality TV? The irony of something being called reality television flies in the face of conventional common sense. Common sense says what is in front of me is what is real. In this age of the postmodern shift, the central question that haunts us as viewers of something like reality television is "What is reality?"

With reality television, the answer is what is real isn’t what’s real. The unreal is what is real. Another way to say this would be to say that the virtual worlds we create in our minds are more real then what we (personally see, taste, drink and feel) are taught in classrooms. So, rather then simply believing that touching the fire on the stove is hot for everyone, reality television posits that each person has their own experience of reality.

What about going to the movies? For some venturing off to go see a movie is an event, they need their popcorn, their drinks and sweets. The illusion though is when we go up to the ticket booth to purchase our ticket that we ultimately choose what movie we desire. Yet, in reality the choices are constituted for us. The reality is the actors get together with directors who discover scripts that might or might not mirror where society is. Society is either being led by Hollywood or Hollywood is leading society, you make the choice. The internet is the new microcosm. A place for people to interact, discover and empower one another. But, I also think the internet gives us the false idea of choice propagated in creative mediation. Let’s take Google for example. Google uses a what they call a ‘Pigeon Ranking System‘, a system based on theory from psychologist B.F. Skinner whereby virtual pigeons search for the words we place in the search bar and choose through a series of algorithms what seems to be the closest object we desire.

So when we choose the words we are looking for mysterious pigeons search the page for us. Someone else is actually searching for us, in fact, someone else is searching for Google. So, Google is being mediated by something bigger than itself. This idea, of not being able to choose ourselves, tends to come out of the belief of some transcendent other or idea that chooses for us. If we are ethical people, for example, then meta-ethics will be the object that mediates what we desire.

Our emotions are mediated for us.

Notice that ‘the what’ is almost every time assumed and then the goal of the media (in its many forms) is to explain why we should believe. We don’t get to choose the what it is chosen for us.

Movies do the same. The content, the characters, the words, the music, the beginning and ending everything is constituted for us. We don’t get to choose. We simply participate in what has been chosen for us. In this instance, our ideology believes for us.

If all of this is true, then where do we go from here? How do we take take the red pill and remove ourselves from such a constituted world? I think we must come to realize that our choices will always be tainted and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It just means we have to be more aware of what we are reading and why we are reading it.

We must be willing to ask really hard questions that push us beyond our own comfort zones and begin participating in society as full-thinking individuals. This is what the world needs, better thinking people.

by George Elerick

Muse.

Worm Holes

The Part of The BHC that is a networking space for creative people/small business. $10 to put your contact info, logo/photo and links in.

$100 for a year. $50 for 6 months.

Val Cooley Photographywww.valcooleyphotography.com

Sean BrownfieldBarber & Purveyor

Fine men’s Products

417-501-6885

One Hundred NinePark Central SquareSpringfield, MO 65806

sean@downtowndapper.comwww.downtowndapper.com

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Word SnacksBy: Adam Lauderdale

Memories of the Pearl DressIn dark blue waters he drowned. He was diving for pearls that looked like bronze bullets in the oceans depths. As the sun he would never reach faded from his starving brain, he felt the brush of shark’s skin against his leg. They can live to be over a century old, he thought and his left hand brushed its snout as it passed. He imagined finding his grandmothers cuckoo clock somewhere inside its ancient belly. She was in pigtails in the photo. “It was a blue dress… My favorite dress.” She had told him. “But you can’t tell because the photograph is so old.”“What color are the polka dots grandma?” he had asked. “White. White like little pearls.” It was the last time they met before she died. “It was my very favorite

dress.”

The Boat

The young man and the old manWere in a little boatWhen all was going wrong.In the stormHe lookedAt the old manAnd he said,“I won’t knowWhat to doIf you died.”And he repliedSagely,“Shut up and row”

Babel

“I always used to draw big flying cities on islands in the sky.”-“Why don’t you now?”“I don’t know, I guess they got too real.” He was in the city gatesDressed like a mad-princeOr a GQ Hobo with sunglasses and a smile.With some kind of sirens callHe drew us all to himLike a playground rabble.And without drawing breathHe pointed a twice brokenFinger deftly, shoutingThat he was pre-leasing apartmentsIn the Tower of Babel.

Favorite Pet

I have a two headedTurtleNamed TombobAnd Grey

A little truck called Baby Girl Baby Girl

He called it “Baby Girl”And it was his littleRed pickup.You know, the kindOf truck you seeOn CNNWith guns andMen, hanging fromWindows, ones with bullet holes.And his, with its Only one rear-view Mirror and an idleThat sounded Like a syncopated stomp showWas promised, with oathsOn the beardsOf the ghostsOf all the long dead gods,To be our safe and sturdyTransport, from here to thereAnd to hell as well, he saidIf it could but goIt would be backOnly slightly blackenedOn the edges.

Short fictionby Silas Miener

“Hilda”

Hilda has always gone to Riverside Baptist Church. Hilda leads the women’s Bible study in the 60+ years group. Hilda is too humble to admit that she’s the best quilter in the Wednesday night group. Hilda tithes twenty percent. Hilda says ‘amen’ aloud during Pastor Willard’s sermons. Hilda works in the nursery two Sundays a month. Hilda works in the soup kitchen twice a week. Hilda cooks three pies for every Sunday evening fellowship. Hilda cooks T.H.C. butter into all three pies.

“How Long Do I Have?”

Tess has breast cancer. Some days she walks to the overpass of I-44, and flashes truckers.

“Old Nicky”

Reporters must be objective, emotionally removed from the story, morbidly curious. A mischievous streak doesn’t hurt. Nicky thinks devils would make the best reporters. Nicky isn’t half bad herself. She always finds news. She always finds the right angle. She’s writing a piece about the seeing-eye dogs that have been killed across the U.S. Most people wouldn’t think to interview the seeing-eye trainers. What must that feel like? Knowing the creature you put so much of your life into had been… Who wouldn’t read that? Nicky is good at her job. Nicky is in a Detroit alley, cutting a Labrador’s throat.

“The Show Must Go On”

“Now, a timeless classic by one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time…” It’s a fitting song, considering the circumstances. In the radio business there can be no such thing as ‘dead air.’ If the broadcast goes silent, the station is dead. The average listener will wait one full second before tuning out. Lila’s tough, she can handle the pressure. There will be no dead air. There is no turn of fate that can’t be solved, ignored or endured; this situation is no exception. She turns off the microphone and sifts through the L.P.’s for her ‘final vinyl’ segment: one vinyl song at the bottom of every hour, her signature gimmick. Yeah, it’ll be fine. Her only worry is what she’ll do when the body on the floor starts to smell.

“The Spirit of Things”

He won’t tell his secret, no good chef does. Cooks from around the globe buzz around the table in awe. It is the perfect flan. They have all kinds of questions for Pascal. What is his secret? Is it the flour? The way the crust is folded? Perhaps he heats the milk before mixing? Organic sugar? Pascal smiles. He knows that the true secret to a perfect flan, is to get into the spirit of things. Pascal Louis Dubois cooks naked.

We live in the age of the iPod, and if you're under the age of 15 or 16, you probably never experienced music consumerism pre-mp3 player, which is unfortunate. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPod, but even for all my love and constant use of it, I'm glad it didn't come around until several years after I really “got into” music. There are many who would argue that I too am unfortunate because I missed out on the golden days when it was only vinyl records. However, my main point here is that it wasn’t just the medium that changed, but also the invention of the playlist and/or track-by-track selection. I would say that the birth of the iPod was also the death of the album.

In the decade, since the popularization of the iPod, we have seen the music industry turn from being album based to single based. When the shiny new iPod came waltzing hand in hand with iTunes for the first time it became incredibly simple to buy a single song or two from an artist, instead of the entire album, as in the days of yore. Still, there are many musicians and musical groups that make fantastic albums, where value can be found in listening from beginning to end. So, without further ado I would like to share a few of what are, in my opinion, “perfect albums”.

Now, when I say “perfect album’, I am referring to an album I see as complete with a cohesive set of tracks that were written perfectly, recorded perfectly, and arranged perfectly to form a single piece of art. In saying this, these aren't just what I consider generally good albums to own or the best album from an artist I love. For instance, I LOVE Sufjan Stevens, but I wouldn't say that he has any perfect albums. It pains me to say it, but it's true. Seven Swans may be close, but it still doesn't make the cut of "perfect". Additionally, there are many classic albums like Fleetwood Mac's “Rumours”, Phil Collins's “No Jacket required”, Billy Joel's “Glass Houses”, etc.… that I think fit the criteria of being perfect albums, but that’s why they're classics. So for the sake of keeping my list to a manageable length I'll limit myself to albums within the last decade... or decade-ish.

Andrew Belle’s The Ladder – Andrew very recently released his sophomore album “Black Bear” and while it is great I don’t know that he could possibly top The Ladder in my opinion. The acoustic guitar parts combined with the violins make the perfect platform for the wonderfully poetic lyrics.

Ryan Adams's Easy Tiger - I know a lot of people may not be able to appreciate the Nashville-country vibe most of his work has. If that's you then you're missing out because this is an amazing album! Just because it was once featured in Starbucks doesn’t mean you should write it off as commercialized crud. There was a time where I assumed the same thing but at some point you may find yourself looking back and wondering how you ever thought your CD collection was complete without it.

City & Colour's Bring Me Your Love – This one is from the Canadian singer/songwriter and part time screamo band member, Dallas Green. From the first time I listened to this album I knew it was a perfect album. Of course every album on this list has to stand the test of time but I can safely say that I rarely come across albums full track listing that doesn't have a single rating below 4 stars.

John Mayer's Continuum - I know this album doesn't contain as many of his radio hits like "Your Body Is A Wonderland" and "Georgia" but it's great start to finish. This is the album that officially made me a John Mayer fan and earned my respect. All the tracks feel like they go together yet they're different enough not to get boring. A++ Johnny boy.

Damien Rice's O – Some may argue that this album is great but only if you’re in the right mood, but I disagree. For me this is one of the few “any time, any place” albums in my collection. You wont find a whole lot of fancy studio production on this album but I think that only enhances its honesty. M

usak

.

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live At Radio City Music Hall - I know this isn't a studio album, but it makes the list. I'm not the biggest Dave Matthews fan ever... great musician but the saxophones often irk me just a bit, but this whole show/live recording is a masterpiece. Check out the DVD too, it's splendid.

Ben Howard’s Every Kingdom – Ben Howard is a young up and coming British singer/songwriter and is an exceptionally talented acoustic guitarist. Every Kingdom is his debut album and a one of a kind masterpiece. Asking me to pick a favorite track would be like asking a parent to pick a favorite child.

Coldplay's Parachutes – This one was released in July of 2000 so I know I’m fudging the “in the last decade” rule here, but I have to include this one regardless. For me this is the perfect album that made me believe that “perfect albums” even exist. The only thing I could even conceive of changing would be making the title track 'Parachutes' more than a 46 seconds long. But since the only thing that I want to change is to add MORE is a good indication that this is indeed a perfect album.

Kent's Hagnesta Hill – This one is a bit obscure and I can’t even remember how I was introduced to their music but somehow I came into possession of a burned copy of this album in 2003. I was 15 at the time yet I still knew that this album was phenomenal not only on a song by song basis, but as an entire album. They are a Swedish band and this is the only full album that was ever released entirely in English. But they really do know how to get you going with tracks like 'Music Non-stop' but can also hold your attention with extremely mellow tracks like “Cowboys”. You can dance to it, you can cry to it, you can groove to it… the options are endless.

There is a secret ingredient for creating these albums that I do not know. Maybe it’s writing it all at the same time, or maybe it's having one primary writer in the band, or maybe each album was blessed by a saint and dipped in unicorn blood, who knows? But I do know that just because a band goes into the studio to record a set of songs, it doesn't mean they'll come out with an album. But when they do it really is something special. Overall, no matter what musical era you're from I hope that as a music lover you stay loyal to the album and keep supporting the bands who know how to make good ones.

by Madison DuPree

The Show.

The Mystery HourSpringfield’s Best AND Only Late Night Talk Show“I think weird should be celebrated.” – Jeff Houghton

Have you ever been to a town that has its own late night talk show? Well Springfield has one! The Mystery Hour is a live comedy show that features guests from around the Ozarks. Jeff Houghton has been hosting the show ever since November 2006.

The show was created when Jeff Houghton asked Jeff Jenkins (owner of The Skinny Improv) if he could start his own live talk show at the Skinny, which was something that Houghton had always wanted after interning at The Late Show in his earlier years. Jenkins liked the idea and so they began creating this unique and fun show.

“It’s great to have an idea and just do it instead of wonder how cool it would be if there was something like this… and Springfield’s the kind of place you can do that and the right size where you can support something like that. I don’t even know if other smaller places have light night talk shows…”

“So, first night we didn’t know how it was going to go, but we had a guy who was running for State Senate on, and a political science professor at Missouri State University got wind of it and told his students that they could get extra credit if they came. So we had a packed house the first night. After that I was like, ‘Oh man, I wanna do this more!’” Houghton explained. Within the first five episodes, they had guests like local musician Jeremy Larson and Branson’s famous Yakov Smirnoff, who became a favorite guest several more times.

Back then, it was just a live show at The Skinny Improv in front of a live audience. “We would sell out and people would be sitting on the stage, which is kind of a cool packed atmosphere. But then I moved to Los Angeles, The Mystery Hour died, and then I moved back and it was reborn as a real TV show on KOZL for two seasons and was amazed when FOX called.”

In 2008, the show split off from the Skinny and stood on its own two feet. “Jenkins was an important part of it all along, so he will always remain a producer.” Houghton goes on to describe the Skinny Improv as the big incubator of comedy in Springfield.

And get this. All of their staff (excluding media production crew) is completely volunteer-based. The writers, actors, staff, producers, etc. are all volunteers who just love working on the show. They all see the show’s huge potential and already substantial

growth in the past two years. “The first season was this big experiment like, ‘Can you pull off a TV show with no budget?’ And the answer is, ‘Yes, but barely!’… I’d love to have a consistent sponsor for the show, because I like to write and be onstage. But when it’s YOUR thing, you end up spending 90% of your time with all the other stuff. If I could, I’d hire a producer to do all the logistics and it would be wonderful. But for now, this is my lot.”

Houghton’s main objective is to keep the show weird. “It’s just so different than other local TV shows out there. I think that my sense of humor is pretty quirky and kinda weird, and the writers have the same sense of humor as I do… I respect weird. I think weird should be celebrated. People will say, ‘Hey, I saw your show! It’s kinda weird,’ and I’ll reply ‘Good!’ I wouldn’t have fun making a show that isn’t what it is now. We just want a show that we find funny. And luckily a small percentage of Springfield agrees,” Houghton chuckles.

When asked why volunteers stick around, Houghton answers laughing. “I don’t know! I worry about that a lot! It’s a fun unique thing. There aren’t a lot of TV shows you can just work on without having experience. It’s just fun creating something and really, we’re all just creating something together. There are a lot of people that just enjoy doing something unique with new challenges, so it’s a good fit in that way. I just want to be involved with people who have kind hearts.”

The Mystery Hour live event is the first Friday of every month, during Artwalk. They have found a new home at the Gillioz Theatre at 7PM. It’s $5 dollars to get in. Three episodes will be filmed, with a free concert at the end of the show, presented by the band that plays the third episode.

by Evan Pollock

For more information, visit them online at www.themysteryhour.com or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/themysteryhour.

Why Springfield? Why do we need a live talk show? “It’s kind of cool to have a comedy about this place. National shows aren’t going to reference us, so it’s fun to laugh about where you live.”

Those Bare Handers.Aaron Rozeboom is a Certified Specialist of Wine working at the Brown Derby Wine Center where he specializes in Old World wines and food pairing. aaronr@brownderby.com

Cassandra Bergh is an aspiring photographer and writer who's hopes for life are to capture moments that people of-ten miss. Whether it be through words or a snap of a shutter; she loves to surprise people with a different perspective. When Cassandra isn't at work or church you can find her pounding out poems on the keyboard or pondering the mysteries of life while humming to herself happily. In pursuit of finding different perspectives her travels have taken her to Mexico, Guatemala, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. Currently she is working her way towards saving tuition for a Bachelor of Design Degree, majoring in photography in Canada where she lives. You can find Cassandra online at www.miss--perception.tumblr.com.

George ElerickAuthor & SpeakerWebsite: www.crosscultureconsultancy.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/lovechangesTwitter: www.twitter.com/atravelersnoteBuy My Book: Jesus Bootlegged

Evan Pollock, of Pollock Pictures, is an Electronic Arts-Vid-eo Studies major at Missouri State University and has had over six years of experience in cinematography.From 2010-2011, his film experience led him to the scenic capitol of the world, New Zealand. During his year there, he managed to work on the set of "The Hobbit" trilogy for a short amount of time.

Krista Brand Fogt is an artist, a student of grace, a lover of the simple and the small. She lives with her husband and small son in the forests of northern Idaho, and creates when she can. More at www.behance.net/kristafogt

Paul Killingsworthis a certified wine sommelier who lives in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land. He currently is working for Pioneer, a Texas distributor who specializes in family owned vineyards and wineries. He hates snobs, and hopes to help people have genuine “ah ha!” moments in life with wine, food, coffee, music… whatever.

Simon Nogin was raised in Saint Louis. He loves the STL community and the improvements that have come to the region in the last 15 years. He is currently studying IT Management at MSU and is excited to be involved with The BHC. He looks forward to travelling after he graduates, but also looks forward to the day he can settle back in Saint Louis.

My name is Madison DuPree and I hail from Houston, TX! I’ve been an avid music lover since a very young age and I’ve been sharing the music I love via my weblog, Predictably Me, for over 3 years now. I come from a big family and I love spending my free time with them playing guitar, writing, and drinking exceptionally good coffee.I’m passionate about sharing some of the great music that’s out there and supporting talented musicians who are working hard to make it in what is current-ly a tough market. While I may use print as a medium I do believe that music is something that should be experienced. As Billy Joel said, “There’s a new band in town but you can’t get the sound from a story in a magazine.”

www.predictablyme.typepad.com

Among other things, Silas Misener is a figment of your imagination.

Adam Lauderdale is an aspiring writer living in Springfield, Missouri. He currently works at Mudhouse coffee, and in the Youth Services division at the Central Branch Library. Adam is a member of a writer’s circle in Springfield called "The Barstool Bards", and takes inspiration for his short stories from his upbringing in the Ozarks, as well as from his travels and experiences abroad. Adam is currently working on a number of projects that he hopes will help define the way that Americans approach the written word. He enjoys bike rides, and Battlestar Galactica.

Anna Davieswww.cheekybaker.com

Markit.

A space for Artist/Musicians/Craftsman/Gardeners/Writers/Etc. to sell their goods.

$10 for 3 items. 5 for $15. $10 discount for 6 months. $20 discount for a year (can add new items as others sell)

Pay up front. We also can run individual Facebook ads for $5. $10 discount for 6 months. $20 discount for a year.

(Basic profile and connections, photo and price. Artist is responsible for putting this together and getting it to us)

Dreadlock Rasta Tam: https://www.etsy.com/listing/121954609/rasta-tam-hat-in-bright-colors-blue?ref=shop_home_active

Chevron Earwarmer: https://www.etsy.com/listing/108221504/tribal-chevron-headband-in-wool-mustard?ref=shop_home_active

Purple Wool Poncho: https://www.etsy.com/listing/155739480/wool-crochet-shawl-wrap-purple-poncho?ref=shop_home_active

Desirees online store:regrowroots.etsy.com

$61 $25 $175

www.bodysmithpilates.com

317 E Walnut Street/Springfield, MO 65806/417.865.0500

The BHC. Sponsorship Spaces and Story Ads.

Unique. Creative.

Relational.You and The BHC.

On Springfield, Mo- “Few cities fill me with feelings such as youth, kind heartedness, and dreams succeeded as this one does. It is my home town. Although, not where I was born and raised or grown to maturity, it is where my friends and family sleep. Home, not so much due to number of years spent but due to the relationships and memories that I've collected. My dreams were born here. My heart belongs here in Springfield.”

Brandon Cook

Cut this out, check your option and hand it to our distributor or sponorship salesman to reserve your space with The BHC in the next edition. -Email your graphics to barehandcollective@gmail.com. -Call 4176161477 to arrange a visit to discuss your options.

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