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Gratitude for Beauty Lost

by Not Signed In | Philosophy

By Jonathan Stein, MA, RDT, CTP,
Contributing Editor, Collapsing into Consciousness

INTRODUCTION

This essay is intended to be but a nudge in the direction of greater awareness, and not an in-depth exposition of the challenges that we face as a species. The crux of this short writing will, hopefully, direct my readers toward an awareness of one potential aspect of the solution to personal and global transformation. This facet pertains to gratitude and awareness of beauty.

Carnival!

by Pam Lierle | Entertainment

Carnival! is coming to town! For four nights only, April 3-6, audiences will thrill to the dazzle and daring of B. F. Schlegel’s Grand Imperial Cirque de Paris at The Grammar School in Putney.

An amusing love story, set in a traveling circus, Carnival! brings us the popular theme song “Love Makes the World Go ‘Round,” and the whimsical, eccentric characters of Lili, an optimistic orphan; Marco, the magnificent magician; his partner the incomparable Rosalie; Paul Berthalet, a lonely, bitter puppeteer; and B.F. Schlegel, the demanding owner and ringmaster of “The Grand Imperial Cirque De Paris.”

BCTV Channel 8 & 10 Schedules – Week of 3/25/13

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Ch 8 Schedule for the week of 3/25/13

                          Monday March 25

12:30 am        From the BCTV Archive: Vermont Times with Luis Tijerina: feat. 3-Way Street

1:30 am          For the Animals: The Bottle Bill

2:00 am          FSTV Overnight

4:00 am          State House Coverage: Pre-Kindergarten Education Bill Pt 2

6:30 am          VT Home Energy Challenge: 2/13/13

Vacanza in Italia Film Festival

by Brooks Memorial Library | Entertainment

Escape to Italy this week with the Vacanza in Italia Film Festival. Last film in the series! Wednesday March 27, 2013 6:30 PM until 9:00 PM.

What causes people to travel to Italy? Is it the food, the pace of life, the sun? Or is it the civilizing influence of all of this. Do they always find what they think they should?

Please join fellow cinephiles at Brooks Memorial Library for a series of films that will make you want to “vacanza in Italia.”

Jane Austen Book Club: The Endurance of Jane Austen

by Brooks Memorial Library | Books

Thursday, April 4 , 1:30 PM
Thursday, April 25, 1:30 PM  
Books are available at the Main Circulation desk.

The reading/discussion series Jane Austen Endures will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice and explore Austen’s publishing staying power. 

The two-book series sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council will also examine Austen’s universal appeal, her talent for capturing the time she lived in, and her comic, satiric tone, among other aspects of her writing.

At the Library: One-on-One Computer Coaching

by Brooks Memorial Library | Education

One-on-One Computer Coaching with Justin 
Tuesdays,6-8 PM 
Wednesdays,2 to 4 PM 
Saturdays, 12 to 2 PM 

Individualized Instruction Based on Your Needs 

Through the auspices of e-Vermont and a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation, Brooks Memorial Library is able to offer one-on-one computer coaching with a skilled student intern from Community College of Vermont.

Lanced – A Poem

by SK-B | Arts

Lanced

They let everyone out of the mental hospitals
because of budget cuts.
And they all became healers.

Today I asked a question, simple, not incisive,
Yet it pierced your psychic boil.
Toxic puss burst forth.

Weekend Concert: the Pretenders at Enmore Theater in Sydney, Australia, 2010

by paulgardner | Music

Last week’s band, the Buzzcocks barely made it out of the Punk explosion alive.

This week’s band got a late start (1979, when the punk movement was turning into the more polished New Wave), but hit the ground running with a smash single (Brass in Pocket) and hugely successful eponymous first album.

That album was produced by Chris Thomas and Bill Price who gave the Sex Pistol’s one studio effort its great sound and the duo gives the Pretenders a wonderful aggressive vibe here too.

Vandals, History, and Old Newspapers Death and Poetry

by Rolf | History

Recently I was walking down the sidewalk along South Main Street, and as I passed the cemetery, I noticed that a gravestone had toppled over. I presume that it did not topple on its own, but rather was toppled by vandals. Somethow this made me want to read the stone.

It recorded the death of of two boys, both wth the last name of Steers. They both died on July 18, 1884, and the stone said they shared one common grave.

After a Satori

by spinoza | Education

A kick to the eye. The sudden illumination, awakening. Then what? We’re faced with a choice- act boldly, or obsequiously fall in line.

It’s often said, we are social creatures. But what does that mean? Our genome evolved over millions of years (over a hundred thousand for our exact species). We were formed and given form through hunter/gather/foraging methods. Small bands of people acting cooperatively, non-hierarchal power structures, harmonious interaction with the land and its lifeforms.

Then, yesterday, or a few thousand years ago, through agriculture and pastoral living- we became sedentary, fenced in by boundaries and ideologies, controlled. Our population mushroomed, territories were annexed. Horsemen were elevated to warriors, shamans and chiefs told us what was what, the conquering hero was set loose upon the world. While the amount of labor- and dull labor at that- increased exponentially.

Songwriter’s Roundtable w/ Lisa McCormick & John Sheldon, March 29

by Ruthie | Music

The Arts Block in downtown Greenfield, MA, announces a new musical series, the “Songwriter’s Roundtable.” 

The first show in the series takes place on Friday, March 29, at 8pm, and features guest stars Lisa McCormick and John Sheldon. 

The music will be presented in a “song circle” format where the artists trade songs during the sets. There will also be time for questions and open discussions about the songs and the process of songwriting and performing. 

NEYT Jazzes up its Spring Fundraising

by Not Signed In | Arts

Friday April 19th, at 6:00pm New England Youth Theatre will be rolling out the red carpet for a special gala fundraising event!

Join us for delicious French cuisine from local chefs, an assortment of fine wine, and live music performed by Deniz Cordell at 6pm.

Then enjoy a NEYT senior company performance of Scapin, written by France’s king of comedy – Moliere. NEYT uses the rave review off-Broadway adaptation created by America’s most famous clowns, Bill Irwin and Mark O’Donnell, who starred in the original Broadway production. It is literally laugh-a-second mayhem!

Book Series: Two Hundred Years of Pride and Prejudice: A Look at Jane Austen’s Endurance

by Brooks Memorial Library | Books

Two Hundred Years of Pride and Prejudice: A Look at Jane Austen’s Endurance: A Two Book Reading Series

The reading/discussion series: Jane Austen Endures will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice and explore Austen’s publishing staying power. The two-book series sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council will also examine Austen’s universal appeal, her talent for capturing the time she lived in, and her comic, satiric tone, among other aspects of her writing.

Thursday April 4, 2013 1:30 PM until 3:00 PM
Richard Wizansky will lead a discussion on April 4, 2013, beginning at 1:30 PM in the Library’s meeting room on Pride and Prejudice.

Escape the Snow: Film Festival: Travel to Vacanza in Italia

by Brooks Memorial Library | Entertainment

Vacanza in Italia Film Festival: Contact Library for this week’s film title, Wednesday March 20, 20136:30 PM until 9:00 PM

What causes people to travel to Italy? Is it the food, the pace of life, the sun? Or is it the civilizing influence of all of this. Do they always find what they think they should?

Please join fellow cinephiles at Brooks Memorial Library for a series of films that will make you want to “vacanza in Italia.”

The Lonely Heartstring Band at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23

by Not Signed In | Music

Twilight Music presents The Lonely Heartstring Band, a dynamic new quintet of Berklee College of Music students who share a love of bluegrass and acoustic music, as well as the music of the Beatles, at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 pm.

George Clements, Matt Witler, Gabe Hirshfeld and Louis Fram play traditional and original songs as well as the songs of the Beatles, which they play as close to the original arrangements as possible, while adding their own influences. They create a new and unique sound using the standard bluegrass lineup of instruments – guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and acoustic bass.

Pedagogy of the Poor Book Tour- Weather Update

by ESchwartz | Books

The Pedagogy of the Poor Book Tour event in Dummerston has been cancelled due to the weather.

The event at the First Baptist Church from 12:30-2:30 is still happening.

At this event Pedagogy of the Poor co-authors Willie Baptist and Jan Rehmann will discuss their book which highlights stories of poor people organizing alongside one another, building leadership, and raising consciousness through political education. 

Windham Orchestra: Pathways to Imagination & Performance

by Not Signed In | Music

On Sunday, March 24 at 3 pm, the Windham Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Keelan, continues its commitment to offering extraordinary opportunities for young artists and music lovers with “Pathways to Imagination & Performance” at the Latchis Theater in Brattleboro, VT.

Anchoring Sunday’s performance is Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1945 Symphony No. 9. Although originally intended to be a celebration of the Russian victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

From masterwork to the local works of our community’s young composers, the Windham Orchestra performs a medley of original compositions by elementary and middle school students. This unique opportunity creates a pathway for bringing the artistry and imagination of young composers into reality.

Thoughts on the Women’s Film Festival

by barry | Arts

Thoughts on the Women’s Film Festival:

The differences are starkly noticeable, in both breadth and depth. Instead of a long span of many days’ worth of films in multiple venues along Main Street, there are two weekends in only one location. Instead of each film being shown twice so the viewing public can get multiple opportunities to see the favorites, each is shown once. Instead of the highest quality films for and about women, we get some good ones and some mediocre ones. Logistical glitches abound (like the single movie in one of the time-slots being only 30 minutes long).