VolumeVolume 42, 42, Issue Issue 1313

March 14,March 14, 2011 2011maconstatement.commaconstatement.com

SHAKESPEARE | Page 7 BOOK REVIEW | Page 7 TRIVIA | Page 6RUGBY | Page 5 SYMPOSIUM | Page 8

STATEMENTn acon MM SSnnSSSSnThe

Macon State infl uencing culture in Middle-GA

Dangerous streak for Blue Storm Baseball Club

By Allison L. BoutwellJOUR 3131

By Kaleb ClarkSports Editor

BASEBALLcontinued on page 5

The comedy duo Bean and Bailey will perform at Macon State College in two shows on March 15 and 16. Bean and Bailey are made up of Bradley Bean and Jackson Bailey. Bradley and Jackson met in 1992 at Carson-Newman College where they were both fr. Along with mutual friends, they began using their leisure time in the dorm to make humorous videos and comedy sketches.

Bean and Bailey show includes everything from stand-up comedy to musical songs and parodies, all wrapped up in a friendship between Bean (an organized conservative personality) and Bailey (a random free spirit). They discuss all the important things of life, such as: Wal-Mart Greeters, American History, Love, Dating, Marriage, Doughnuts, Michael Jackson, and

Elvis, just to name a few. See http://www.beanandbailey.com/index.html.

The duo’s Macon State performances are free and open to the public.

7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, Warner Robins Campus Auditorium.

11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 16, Student Life Amphitheatre, Macon Campus.

Comedy duoBean & Baileyat Macon StateStaff Reports

Macon State will be hosting a free arts festival in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building Mar 14-16, and it’s open to the public.

According to Macon State’s website the theme for this year’s Arts Festival is “The Arts at Work”.“We chose ‘The Arts at Work’ because there are so many potential interpretations of that statement,” stated Arts Festival Committee Chair Laura Thomason, Ph.D.

“‘The Arts at Work’ could be about making art ... it could be about ... professional careers that, that have an artistic basis; it could be about having some other job, but, you know, doing your art on the side in some way,” said Thomason.

Events will take place from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Arts Complex Theatre, and from 5-7 p.m. in the Rehearsal Hall each day, according to the Macon State website.

The afternoon events will include presentations

of works and discussions, as well as question and answer sessions. Evening events will include a gallery showing

and music and dance performances.

“We’ve really left it open to the participants as to how they want to

interpret the theme,” Thomason said. “Some people are going to be focusing on diff erent kinds of professional careers in the arts. Some of the participants are, you know, people who have jobs in other fi elds but are still practicing some form of art ... either professionally or more as a hobby.”

According to Thomason, each day of the Arts Festival will feature a diff erent arts medium. As stated on the Macon State website, Monday will focus on visual arts; Tuesday will highlight music; and Wednesday will feature dance.

Thomason also said that the Arts Festival will give students exposure to the arts and how they can make art part of their lives, as well as help students realize how they can use the arts in their careers.

Thomason further said that one of the guest speakers will be a music therapist, and there will be a tango performance.

After sweeping Georgia Tech in their opening series, Blue Storm baseball has lost fi ve straight games.

Momentum took a dive during Blue Storm’s Feb. 19 series against Darton State’s Cavaliers. The red stands of Cavalier’s fi eld were full of Darton fans cheering their team on while Blue Storm took to the fi eld with the confi dence of their previous home fi eld sweep.

Bunting became one

of the main plays in the Cavalier playbook once they discovered Blue Storm’s third basemen, Jake Wood’s, struggles of fi elding. The streak of poor defense from the team, as a whole, is what lost the two games of the Darton series for Blue Storm.

Coach J.P. Mitchell explained after loosing the series that the player’s hearts were not in the game.

Looking to bounce back, on Feb. 26-27,

Blue Storm hosted West Georgia Tech for their second home series of the season.

The fi rst two games of the series were plagued with the same unenthusiastic playing as the Darton Series. Defense was shaky with the exception of the improvement of Wood’s playing at third.

Blue Storm, with a four game loosing streak, faced West Georgia Tech on Feb. 27 for the fi nal

Photo by Kaleb ClarkAn exhausted Shane Smith exits after starting game three.

e-mail us at statement@maconstate.edu

staff478-757-3605 FAX 478-757-2626 OFFICE: SLC-120 www.maconstatement.com

LETTERS POLICY: The editor of the Macon Statement will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include: full name, professional title if a Macon State employee or Georgia resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent, but this personal information will not be published. The student newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel, or length. The newspaper

will not, under any circumstance, withhold names. Please address all correspondence to Letter to the Editor at editor@maconstatement.com. Where current events are concerned, priority will be given to those letters written by students, faculty, and staff of Macon State College.

DISCLAIMER: The Macon Statement is the recognized student newspaper of Macon State College and is published biweekly (Mondays)

during fall and spring semesters. Opinions and ideas expressed in the student newspaper are those of the individual artists, authors, or student editors, and are not those of Macon State College, its Board of Regents, the student body, or the advertisers. The Macon Statement is paid for, in part, through student activity fees. For a review of all Macon Statement policies, see The Macon Statement Handbook at http://www.maconstate.edu/studentlife/statementmedia.aspx

March 14, 2011 March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com2222

Editor-in-Chief: Norma Jean PerkinsManaging Editor: Summer LeverettCopy Editor: Marian G. BrewerCopy Editor: Alexis Meeks

Layout Editor: Lily Billingsley Photo Editor: Kimberly WaddeltonSports Editor: Kaleb Clark

Webmaster: Harry UnderwoodStaff Writer: Kayla BartonStaff Photographer: Sarah Walker

Several students from Macon State were chosen for the fi rst ever attendance at “Macon Day & A Taste of Macon” on Thursday, March 3 with state legislators in Atlanta. Two members of the media department made up the attendees, Meaghan Smith and

Norma Jean Perkins.The Economic Development

sessions were clearly aimed at what Georgia is doing to bring companies, and more importantly jobs, to this state. It all sounded good. Education was a large component of what is really at the core of getting companies interested in locating

or relocating to Georgia.Companies are looking for

employees that are, or can be trained, and can communicate well. Additionally, the employees must have skills or the ability to learn skills. Quick Start, a 43-year-old program in Georgia provides “complete work-force development packages for free .

. . “ and is being copied by other states according to the website www.GeorgiaQuickStart.org.

We are hopeful this will mean a good many of the college students, MSC in particular, will be able to stay in Georgia by fi nding jobs to improve their own economic status. To say nothing of paying off any student loans.

&EDITORIALSEDITORIALS OPINIONSOPINIONS

“A Taste of Macon” was really a taste of economicsBy Norma Jean PerkinsEditor-in-Chief

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 33CAMPUS & COMMUNITYCAMPUS & COMMUNITY

The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) will be hosting a candy bar fundraiser the week after spring break.

There will be designated places and times for tables to be set up for selling the candy. “For the most part, just fi nd a person carrying around candy,” Amy Rehner, a Macon State senior and president of the GSA, said.

“A variety of chocolate will be available for a dollar a bar at the Macon and Warner Robins campus,” Dr. Sheree Keith, GSA advisor, said.

There will be tables

set up during high traffi c times in the lobbies of the Humanities and Social Science buildings.

GSA is hoping this fundraiser will allow them to do more fundraisers for charity and bring events to Macon State.

The GSA, according to the Macon State Student Handbook 2010-2011, strives to educate about the needs, rights and social interest of its members and to promote political awareness. It seeks and strives for a safe, secure and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight students, faculty and staff .

The GSA also sponsored a movie night at College Station on Feb. 24. They showed “Saved!”, and held a discussion afterwards.

“The discussion is the most important part, and this movie has a lot to discuss about,” Keith said. The movie will help raise awareness for the gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual population.

For more information about the GSA or to join, email Rehner at amy.rehner@maconstate.edu, or come to their bi-monthly meetings at the Warner Robins campus Academic Service building room 102. The next meeting is March 16

at 9 a.m. The GSA works closely

with the Student Life center and any upcoming events can be found on the Student Life calendar

on the MSC website. Click on the Student Life tab and on their main page on the right hand side is the upcoming calendar events.

The Baptist Association holds three races to benefi t ministries and summer sports camp, and off ers a guaranteed plaque to all registrants.

The Laurens Baptist Association in Dublin will be holding three races on April 9 to benefi t their ministry centers that provide charity to the homeless, elderly and disabled.

Phyllis Hunsicker from Warner Robins commented on sponsoring these races, “I don’t mind sponsoring my daughter to run these races because I know that the entry fee goes to a

good cause and running is so good for the mind and body.”

There will be a 5K-trail run at 7:45 a.m., and the 5K and 12K road races will begin at 9 a.m. All race participants that register before April 5 will receive a race t-shirt.

For fi rst-time and seasoned runners, this race is a must because of its laid-back nature and fellowship with other running enthusiasts.

The course is smooth and fast which provides a good run for any level athlete, and is a good beginning course for novice runners training to do longer distances.

Possible race

participant, Anna Fisher, Macon State biology major from Palmetto, said, “I would run a 5K because it would make me feel better about myself. I’d feel accomplished and as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It’s something that you have to work for.”

There will be no awards ceremony after the race, but refreshments will be provided for the runners. Also, those who register before March 31 are guaranteed a commemorative plaque with a personalized decal with time and place of fi nish mailed after the results are tallied.

For more information

and registration form, go to www.macontrack.org. Prospective runners can also register online at http://stp.webconnex.

com/stp. This race is part of the Run & See Georgia Grand Prix series as well as the Macon Tracks Piedmont Race Series.

The Association of Information Technology Students (A.I.T.S.) was organized “to eff ectively use Information Technology to enrich the lives of people.”

A.I.T.S. was founded by Glen Stone in 2008 and is free to join and open to any student of any major. Members believe in having fun, volunteering for community service opportunities, educating others about IT, career and resume building.

Charles Garrett, president, said A.I.T.S.

is “currently promoting an e-recycle event, mentoring high school students to graduate and move onto college, and using our technical knowledge to build computers that will help local students have better access to educational resources here in Bibb County.”

The members are also helping fellow students

learn about technology and the safest ways to use it. A.I.T.S. is putting together many events to teach people about technology over the course of this semester. “We are here to help educate them more about technology and how to use it safely and effi ciently. We also want to have fun with diff erent events such as our tournament we run every semester,” said Garrett. The members of A.I.T.S. are in the process of planning the tournament the club has each semester.

This Spring A.I.T.S. will

be having a Call of Duty: Black Ops tournament. It is open to all students of Macon State and there is no entry fee; you just have to register before you play. Even if you are not brave enough to compete, you might realize how much fun you could have by just watching!

Food and drinks will be provided. For this tournament, the club will add a costume contest to the event.

If you would like more information about the tournament visit the AITS Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MSCAITS

GSA to host candy bar fundraiser

Share the Path, 5K and 12K road races awards all participants

A.I.T.S. provides for Macon State students and the middle Georgia community

By Natalie DismukeJOUR 3131

By Jacqueline HunsickerJOUR 3131

By Kayla BartonStaff Writer

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com44 SPORTSSPORTS

Blue Storm Tennis club is set to host state tournament

In order to gain experience and raise funds, Blue Storm Tennis Club will host the USTA Georgia Campus Championship on April 2-3.

Treasurer of the Tennis Club, Marie Dixon explained, “Tournament format is a 32-team draw. The matches are gonna be World Tennis Team formatted, one set of each; men’s singles and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles.”

The club has not had the opportunity to play any games in the club league since the forming of the team.

Two players on the team are currently playing tennis outside of the club. Freshman

Lonnie Castellano plays tennis in the USTA Woman’s League, and sophomore Josh Deaton plays in the USTA Men’s League.

According to Director of Wellness James Hagler, the reason the team is hosting the tournament is to bring people and revenue onto the Macon State campus.

The club is looking to play in a national tournament next year. In order to play at nationals, the team has to perform well at a sectional tournament.

The USTA Georgia Campus Championship is an opportunity for the players to gain the experience needed so that they can improve and play at a national level in the future.

By Kaleb ClarkSports Editor

On Feb. 28 Blue Storm Basketball Club hosted Clayton State for a fi nal spring game worthy of remembering.

The two teams had faced each other on Feb. 7 where Clayton State dominated over Blue Storm by a score of 96 to 49.

It was clear at the start of this game that the game was not going to be dominated by Clayton State. Blue Storm covered their opponents with strong defense and they played an organized off ense. Still, Clayton State managed to push an early lead.

Half time buzzed on the scoreboard and the score was Clayton State 42, Blue Storm 25.

A rejuvenated Blue Storm took to the court after half time. Thanks to the 6-foot-5 scoring duo of Jayce Goosby and Koba Kobaidze, who combined for 27 points in the second half, Blue Storm found themselves in a battle that would run to the wire.

With 29 seconds on the clock, Blue Storm held a lead of 68 to 67. Disaster struck with less then 10 seconds of the clock. Clayton State’s No. 25

scored a 2-point basket to steal the winning score from Blue Storm.

The score of Blue Storm Basketball’s fi nal spring game was Blue Storm 68, Clayton State 69.

Director of Wellness, James Hagler stated earlier this season, “Winning isn’t always the outcome of the score.”

Blue Storm basketball left the court with their fans applauding.

Kobadaidze led scoring with 22 points, followed by; Dennis Jackson scored 16, Goosby scored 15, Tyler Johnson and Torey Clowers scored 5, J.P Ocubillo scored 3, and Damien Fluellen came away scoring 2.

When asked about the improved playing from the team, Coach Joseph Bowen said, “Well I think what helped us a lot is that we were able to have some controlled practices.”

Bowen’s last words of the season were, “If we can play this well with just kids on campus, we’re going to be a lot better next year as I bring recruits. I’m working with a lot of high school coaches trying to get other kids to come to Macon State which I think is gonna help aid us in becoming a better basketball program.”

Final game shows promise for Blue Storm basketballBy Kaleb ClarkSports Editor

Photo by Kaleb ClarkFrom left to right: Josh Deaton, Lisa Tran, Nikhil Patel, Marie Dixon, Adam Shealy, Lonnie Castellano, Abbey Awoyeye, Lila Castellano, (in front) Phil Cao

Photo by Kaleb ClarkNo. 7, Koba Kobaidze leaps for a basket.

Photo by Kaleb ClarkBlue Storm awaits the outcome of a shot.

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 55SPORTSSPORTS

game of the series.The game began with

cheers from the fans of Blue Storm, but the team still struggled with spirit. In the bottom of the third inning, third basemen Wood ignited a spark with a 3 RBI blast over the green monster left wall.

This was Blue Storm’s fi rst home run of the season. After the homerun, Blue Storm’s fl ame was burning blue.

Starting pitcher for game three, Shane Smith, set down West Georgia Tech in the top of the fourth.

Blue Storm tied the game in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a

RBI triple by shortstop, Devon Crouse. Following the triple, Wood beat out a single at fi rst, which scored Crouse.

Second baseman, Coach Mitchell, doubled in the fi fth inning to score courtesy runner Elijah Acklin. This pushed Blue Storm ahead by a score of 6-5.

The game came down to the seventh inning with a score of Blue Storm 5, West Georgia Tech 7. Smith was still pitching for Blue Storm after showing signs of fatigue. Smith’s dad even stated from the stands that he knew that Smith had pitched his limit, and if Coach J.P. Mitchell didn’t pull Smith, then Blue Storm was going to lose the game.

West Georgia Tech scored seven runs in the top of the seventh. To end the game, Blue Storm scored two runs and left

the bases loaded when the home plate umpire called the fi nal out.

After the game, Coach Mitchell explained the reason why he didn’t pull Smith from the game earlier was because of his lack of a bullpen to go to.

Blue Storm is on a dangerous streak. They are now sitting on a conference play record

of 0-3 (regular season record of 3-5). The team will be forced to come out of their slump against Chattahoochee Tech during their next conference series on March 4-5. If they don’t, they shouldn’t expect to return to the Division 2 College World Series this season.

BLUE STORMcontinued from front

Photo by Kaleb ClarkNo. 20, Elijah Ackiln rolls in for a score

Photo by Kayla Barton

Photo by Sarah WalkerBlue Storm Rugby beats up on GCSU

Photo by Kaleb ClarkNo. 11, Jake Wood lifted Blue Storm’s spirit with his three RBI home run

A temporary alliance with the Macon Love semi-pro rugby team allows rugby to be played by students of Macon State.

Director of Wellness, James Hagler, and Coach Daniel Kirk, Ph.D. met to form a rugby team at Macon State. Tackling the responsibility of leading the new team, Adam Shealy has taken the role of president for the newly formed team.

Blue Storm’s Rugby team played their fi rst game on Feb. 12 against Georgia College and

State University (GCSU). Blue Storm won by an overwhelming score of 29 to GCSU’s 0.

One of the current problems the rugby team is facing is a lack of players. The current roster consists of 12 students: Shealy, Jamiah Walker, Mikey Sanders, Stuart Spears, Xavier Cross, Josh Bryant, Alex Bauer, Billy Stephens, Dhaval Desai, Matt Poley, Taylor Gaines and Malcolm Lemons.

During a typical game of rugby, there are 15 players on the pitch (fi eld of play) at a time. To fi ll the 15 player requirement, an agreement has been

reached with Macon’s semi-pro rugby team, the Macon Love.

According to Hagler, rookies from the Macon Love, ranging from three to four players, will play on the Macon State rugby team to gain experience.

This temporarily helps Macon State’s lack of rugby players, but if the team continues to be at a loss for players, then they plan to play a diff erent form of rugby called Rugby Sevens. The new format would allow the team to play shorter games that require only seven players on the pitch at a time.

Blue Storm outsources to build rugby team

Blue Storm Soccer Round Robin event

By Kaleb ClarkSports Editor

Upcoming for Blue Storm Soccer, they will be hosting a home Round Robin event Vs Mercer University and Kennesaw State University on March 19 at 12 p.m. Blue Storm Soccer home games are held on the Macon Soccer Club fi eld (Across the Street- Past Goodwill Conference Center) Macon Soccer Club has been located on Raley Road (near intersection of Eisenhower Parkway and I-475, near the Goodwill Emporium and Good Books Cafe) since 1987.

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com66 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Trivia nights have become popular with local establishments in the Macon and Warner Robins area.

According to BJ’s Billiards employee, Natalya Polishcheik, BJ’s s in the process of upgrading their trivia nights to a kind of electronic trivia called Buzz time, where players will experience playing trivia through HDTVs using electronic controllers.

Buff alo’s trivia games are on Thursdays from 8 -10 p.m. According to Macon State graduate, Richard McWilliams, players of Buff alo’s trivia enjoy making up team names and wagering points based off their knowledge of a category and their confi dence in having the right answer.

Macon State senior, Cliff ord Pauley, enjoys going to trivia nights, especially at the

Hummingbird on Wednesdays starting about 7 - 7:15 p.m.

Pauley said that he enjoyed team trivia more than single player trivia games. “Through a collaborative eff ort, it is a lot more fun, and also Will is a lot more my style of intelligence. He asks questions to do less with sports and more with diff erent disciplines,” said Pauley.

When asked what his favorite part of trivia night is, Pauley said, “The conversations and arguments about the answers to the questions.”

According to Hummingbird employee, Lindsey Ledlanc, ladies’ night at the Hummingbird starts at 8 p.m. with no cover for anyone and free beverages for ladies. After trivia is over, a dance party with DJ Kidd goes from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.

According to owner Nick Smith, Rivalry’s has its trivia on Tuesdays; starting about 10 p.m. Smith said that trivia

leader, John Michael, normally kicks off once there are enough teams.

“The questions are completely random with questions that can go from cars from the 70s to music from the 20s,” Smith said.

Wild Wing Cafe holds its trivia night on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. According to hostess Ciera Williamson, the trivia time is announced 30 minutes ahead of time to allow people to sign up to play.

The Shamrock holds its trivia game on Thursdays around 9 p.m. According to employee, Rhiannon Bruner, owner Dargan McAfee leads the trivia.

The Rookery holds its trivia games on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. “We have a local personality, Roger Riddle who is a DJ and employee. He has a lot of personality,” said part owner Chad Evans.

Giuseppi’s holds its trivia nights on Tuesdays from 7:30 p.m. until about 9 - 9:30 p.m. Giuseppi’s just recently started

holding trivia nights. Mellow Mushroom in

Macon holds its trivia night Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., while the Warner Robins Mellow Mushroom holds theirs on Thursdays at 8 p.m.

Jacob Hinshaw, a Macon State graduate, leads trivia three nights a week at three diff erent locations: the Mellow Mushroom

and Locos Grill and Pub in Macon; and the Mellow Mushroom in Warner Robins.

“It’s tough to keep a crowd engaged, but you have to have respect for the crowd. It’s great if you can make eye contact and talk to people. It’s great to do your own thing, but that respect is more important,” Hinshaw said.

Winston Massey loves the fact that he can laugh at himself and make others laugh.

This fun loving graduate from Macon State contains an infi nite arsenal of talents including; skateboarding, guitar playing and is a licensed pilot. Each one of these skills takes passion and dedication, but what Winston pursues at night is standup comedy.

“Growing up, I was never the cool guy in school. I was a nerd and I was never socially active,” Massey said. “So to help break the ice, I would come up with funny jokes to make girls laugh.”

Massey’s journey began on the couch, as a critic watching diff erent styles of comedians like Dane Cook, Richard Pryor and Dennis Leary. As an avid fan with his own twisted sense of humor he decided to book himself someday.

“A friend of mine invited

me out to an open mic night and I asked myself if I could do this,” Massey remembered with a cocky grin. “After the show I emailed the club owner and booked a date for my fi rst show.”

With little experience Massey has had some good and bad experiences on stage. He has even faced drunken crowds that came for music, at open mic nights. His fi rst performance like anyone’s fi rst time doing anything was memorable.

“Although I was nervous about my fi rst performance, I practiced several hours a day. The practice paid off because the audience liked it and I have yet to get booed off stage,” Massey continued.

“Being on stage is a combination of excitement and nervousness. When I went on stage for the fi rst time, I was taking a step into the unknown but after I heard a few chuckles and laughs in the audience I felt a sense of relief and

accomplishment.”Massey will be

performing consistently at the Laughing Skull and Funny Farm in Atlanta. He will also be doing local venues such as the Comedy Club and the Humming Bird. Massey will be fi ne tuning his skills before he sets off on his Lack of Chocolate tour in 2011.

“Standup comedy is an art that takes years of practice and experience to be the best. I would love to see how far I can go in the standup world, but I right now I am focused on developing my personal style of comedy,” Massey said. “It would be a blessing to make a living out of it.”

Macon and Warner Robins residents gather at trivia night competitions

Macon State graduate’s talents include making you laugh

By Kelly GeeslinJOUR 3131

By JR PeeplesJOUR 3131

Photo by Kelly GeeslinMacon State graduate Richard McWilliams and Kate Vinson enjoy trivia night at Buff alo’s.

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 77

Tina Whittle’s debut mystery novel “The Dangerous Edge of Things” is an engrossing story full of Atlanta’s regional fl air.

The book features the tenacious Tai Randolph who discovers the body of a young woman in a car parked across the street from her brother’s home in Atlanta.

After the discovery, Tai is catapulted into a web of intrigue including Atlanta’s political elite, the adult entertainment industry, and the inner-workings of a shifty corporate security fi rm. The ingredients for a great mystery are set.

What makes Whittle’s writing even more appealing is that she, as a native Georgian, used knowledge specifi c to her location to build a solid story. For example,

Tai’s detective skills were acquired while working as a ghost tour guide in Savannah.

But unraveling the mystery still has its obstacles. Enter Trey Sever, an ice-man with a clinical disposition due to a head injury. Whittle’s characters jump off the page; Tai is cheeky, strong and organic.

Her witty dialogue balances Trey’s mechanical, mysterious nature, giving him the necessary pages to develop into a convincing yet enigmatic man straight out of the GQ magazine.

From the very beginning, the story grabs the reader and keeps them enthralled. With seamless timing, new questions appear just as others are

answered. The story is further sparked with plot twists that fi t perfectly and surprise the reader.

As Whittle explained some of those twists were uniquely inspired by tarot readings.

Whittle became worried when half way through her novel she lost direction. But a friend

suggested she try a tarot reading to spark her creativity and get the book moving again. Later Whittle spoke of how the tarot cards tied into her novel.

“It was amazing! I suddenly saw connections I’d never been able to see before. And yes indeed, I found my way out. Intrigued at the process—which for me is very intuitive, not like fortune telling—I learned how to do it myself. And now it’s a very fun and rewarding part-time job, plus an invaluable tool in

my writer’s toolkit,” Whittle said.

Due to growing up in Cochran and now

residing near Savannah, Whittle considers herself a southern writer because her writings refl ect her surroundings as embodied through Atlanta.

“The Atlanta I write about is a crazy quilt of cultures and ethnicities, all kinds of people dealing with a rapidly changing social landscape in the very specifi c time and place that is the modern American South.” Whittle said.

Currently, Whittle is writing the second book of the series started by “The Dangerous Edge of Things.” It’s set in Atlanta’s slam poetry world with characters sure to be smart and fresh.

For a great mystery by an independently published author pick up “The Dangerous Edge of Things” at Golden Bough Bookstore, located at 371 Cotton Ave. in downtown Macon.

Recently on Feb. 17, Macon State’s English Studies Organization, aka ESO, took a night away from their usual studies to experience a production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” as presented by The Shakespeare Tavern.

The play is usually taught to students in their high school years. Yet rarely are students allowed to see a live production of the play. When directed by Drew Reeves, the play was not only tragic, but also highly entertaining.

Actors Matt Felton and Kelly Criss respectfully brought the roles of Romeo and Juliet to life. J.C. Long, who is a member of or has worked with no less than 10 other companies, made the character of Mercutio stand out in ways that just cannot be expressed through imagination or words alone.

Being able to see the play in person and being

able to meet the amazing cast was an experience that should not be passed up by anybody, be they an

avid Shakespeare fan or just a casual reader.

In interviewing two newcomers to the Tavern

experience, both had some good things to say about the play.

“It was a fun experience

seeing a Shakespearean play in such an intimate setting”, stated Nathan Kirkpatrick, an English

major at Macon State. “And you can’t beat the $5 ticket price as purchased through the ESO”

Jacob Funke, whom is co-secretary of the ESO and an English Education major at MSC, said that,

“The performance was fantastic and I had never been there before so it was a fi rst time for me.”

The drive to downtown Atlanta may not be every body’s cup of tea, but all in all, a night at The Shakespeare Tavern is enjoyable. Plus each of the plays is worth every penny of the ticket price, which ranges between $12 and $32 depending upon the show night or seating options. You can even get the student discount of $5.

At the end of March the ESO will be taking the “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Tour” in Savannah; which goes along with the ESO’s “Book to Film” series.

For more information about this next trip please contact Benita Muth, Ph.D., or Mary Wearn, Ph.D., or just keep a look out for fl yers around the campus.

For more information on upcoming plays and ticket prices at The Shakespeare Tavern, go to http://www.shakespearetavern.com or call them at 404-874-5299.

A book review of “The Dangerous Edge of Things”

A night of Shakespearean comedic tragedy

By Shanna DixonJOUR 3131

By Alexis MeeksCopy Editor

Photo by Alexis MeeksESO Members from Left: Laura Thomason, Mary McCartin Wearn, Janie King Boyd (back), Benita Huff man Muth, Alexis Meeks (back), Heather O’Neal, Kim Sorensen (back), Nathan Kirkpatrick (back), Rebecca Kidd, Jacob Funke (back), Sarah Durden, Leia Bray (back), Unknown (front), Karmen Lenz (back).

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com88

The 11th Annual Georgia Tutoring Association (GATA) Conference was held Saturday, Feb. 26 in the Professional Sciences Center at Macon State College.

According to Tim Vick, director of Academic Resource Centers (ARC) at Macon State College and conference chair for the 2011 conference, 235 attendees were expected at this year’s conference, making this the largest conference since he’s been a part of the organization. Vick said he has been a member of the GATA since 2003.

“The conference is an opportunity for anyone involved in tutoring or academic assistance at the post-secondary level … to network … [and to] provide professional development,” Vick said. “For the tutors, we hold workshops [and] talk about the tutoring craft.”

The GATA Conference has been held at Macon State for the past fi ve years, Vick said. The conference will be held there again next year

on Feb. 25, 2012, GATA Secretary and Coordinator of the Warner Robins ARC Jeannie Ruggerio stated in an email.

“We’ve held it here … because of our central location in the state,” Vick

said. “Everybody can drive in, and then drive back home before dark.”

There were 21 diff erent workshops off ered at this year’s conference. Among presenters were Macon State’s own Jeannie Ruggerio; Paul Johnson, coordinator, ARC; Nalini Pattanaik, academic resource specialist; Burgundy Mathis, part-time academic resource specialist; Joshua Harrelson, peer tutor; Omar Aba, peer tutor; and Allison Boutwell, peer tutor.

“The GATA Conference was helpful by giving me useful tips that I can take

into the tutoring sessions,” Allen Wilson, peers tutor at the ARC and a student at Macon State, said. “The benefi t to the students is better tutors.”

According to this year’s secretary for the GATA,

Jeannie Ruggerio, the following offi cers were instated at the Conference: President Kim Ascani, Coordinator – Tutoring Center, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; President-Elect Robert Jordan, Math and Science Lab Coordinator, Kennesaw State

University; Vice President Kimberly Sloan, Manager of the Student Success Center, DeKalb Technical College; Treasurer Alan Craig, Coordinator – Learning and Tutoring Center, Georgia Perimeter College; Secretary Jeannie Ruggerio, Coordinator – Warner Robins ARC, Macon State College.

Ruggerio also stated that Vick will be the conference liaison to the council for next year’s conference.

The writer of this article attended and presented at the conference, and is a tutor at Macon State College.

Tutors get a dose of training at the11th Annual GATA Conference

By Allison L. BoutwellJOUR 3131

Spring Garden Symposium teaches community members

about gardeningBy Allison L. BoutwellStaff Writer

ON CAMPUS & COMMUNITYON CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

Photo by Kayla BartonThe majority of Macon State College tutors attended the 2011 GATA Conference. Top Row-left to right: Jeannie Ruggerio, Burgundy Mathis, Omar Aba, Trey Bernard, Paul Johnson, Tim Vick, Allen Wilson, Josh Bryant, Johanna Acevedo; Bottom Row-left to right: Nalini Pattanaik, Frankie Israel, Joshua Harrelson, Allison Boutwell, Elisa Acevedo; Not Pictured: Sandy Calla

The Spring Garden Symposium was held on the fi rst fl oor of the Professional Sciences Building at Macon State College Saturday, Feb. 26 from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Attendees were greeted with breakfast and provided lunch later

in the day. During the conference attendees had the chance to purchase plants and pictures of plants at the plant and art sale.

“The Garden Symposium is part of the Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens,” Director of Plant Operations David Sims said. “The purpose of the symposium is to allow folks to be able to come out and learn more about gardening in Central Georgia.”

According to the registration form, guest speakers included Tom Patrick, a botanist for the Georgia Department

of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program; Mike Sikes, Horticulturist and Marketing Coordinator for McCorkle Nurseries, Inc.; Hal Massie, Local gardener and naturalist; Ian Campbell, of Bartlett Tree Experts; Tm Smalley, UGA Horticulture Department; and keynote speaker, Dorinda Dallmeyer, editor of Bartram’s Living Legacy: The Travels and the Nature of the South.

“My mother worked for Dr. Barnes for 33 years, so I’ve known Dr. Barnes ever since I was a child,” Dallmeyer said. “That’s really my connection with [the Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens], is through him and his ability to get something like this started like this in Macon.”

“It’s just great to be able to see something that he has been so instrumental in creating,” Dallmeyer said, after noting that this was her fi rst time coming to the Symposium.

According to Andrew Goodman, a reporter with MSC-TV, Tim Smalley spoke on cutting propagation and had participants actually taking cuttings.

Attendees paid a $30 admission fee that went toward the programs, paying for the speakers and the food, according the Sims.

Photo by Lily Billingsley

Photo by Lily Billingsley