By Andrea Johnson Over the remnants of brunch on a recent Sunday afternoon, a quartet – percussionist Dan Reifsteck, saxophonist Joe Connor, guitarist Ilan Blanck and pianist Matt Blair – brainstormed name ideas. “Madera,” Blair volunteered. “No,” Connor replied. “I like ‘Noise Is,” Reifsteck said. “It’s too rhetorical,” Blanck said. “Do we not like ‘Middle…
LSO continues search for new conductor
By Andrea Johnson In the face of changing tastes and declining ticket sales, professional orchestras have had to adapt or fold. Chicago’s Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra announced just this week that the 2014-15 season would be their last. Closer to home, the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra will also close after this season, more than a…
It’s a real scream: The case for a dinner party club on campus
By Andrea Johnson Rings gong; sips brandy; clears throat. I may be alone here—I often am—but when I picture grown-up Andrea, she’s hosting a dinner party. I see it so clearly. There is a group of vibrantly, glamorously dressed men and women. They have an air of mystery about them, which is accentuated by Gothic…
Hazen, service dog in training, ready to graduate
By Andrea Johnson Cameron Murdock leans against the wall in Greenfire’s living room. Hazen, who has until now been snuffing along the bottom of the couch for remnants of dinner, becomes alert. With a sense of purpose that is impressive for one so young, he makes a beeline for Murdock, jumps up on his hind…
Click-bait narratives and a mid-life crisis
By Andrea Johnson The New York Times recently released a list of their 15 most popular articles of 2014. Of the 15, there are three that cause my inner hopeful idealist to weep and my inner cynic to laugh. Two are obituaries — Philip Seymour Hoffman’s and Robin Williams’ at numbers four and nine, respectively. The third is a…
“Sprinterall”: Re-imagining the Lawrence calendar
By Andrea Johnson On Wednesday, Oct. 22, there was morning frost on the ground. As my favorite TV show puts it: Winter is coming. And by winter, I mean bitching about the weather. I don’t mean to imply that your Tweeted and Facebook-ed horror at the frost was ill-founded—although the frost did melt before 10…
Pleasure yourself: Read a book
By Andrea Johnson I’ve stopped pleasuring myself in public. It shocks too many people. “What are you doing?” they ask, eyes wide. “How can you—how do you possibly have the time to read…for pleasure?” The short answer is this: I make the time, just like I make time to eat and sleep. I’m not exaggerating…
‘Slongboarding’ between classes presents unnecessary risks
By Andrea Johnson I was walking with a friend to Main Hall last year about this time. It was beautiful outside. We talked about taking advantage of what would probably be the next last few days of Fall Term. We were passing Memorial, Hall basking in the red-orange glow of fall, when a skateboarder careened…
A eulogy for The New York Times
By Andrea Johnson Eight connies sit on the basement couches waiting for rehearsal to start. They lean in, huddle close and are unusually quiet but for one who reads, “26 across, ‘Genie’s response,’ nine letters.” The group cranes to look. One person suggests, “Your wish is my command.” Another quickly replies, “Too long.” A pregnant…
Senior Polly Dalton elected as district alderperson
“Voting for yourself is pretty crazy, a little surreal,” said senior Polly Dalton on her recent election as District 8 alderman for the city government. “When I went to vote, the election official said ‘I saw your name on the ballot!’” Dalton was elected as an alderman April 1st, having already served a month on…
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