It’s nearly time to take to the field Thanksgiving morning. Thirty years ago, driven by the excitement of the playoff-bound 1986 Cleveland Browns, my family decided to organize a football game the morning of Thanksgiving. Our inaugural game took place at Herbrich Elementary School on Smith Road. That game marked the beginning of a Thanksgiving Day tradition. Over the years, … [Read more...]
#CreativeSummit: the art and culture of placemaking (Artist-in-Residence Series)
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." – Albert Einstein (Physicist) This month SummitLive365.com, a service of ArtsNow, celebrated its first birthday. While the site boasts some impressive stats– over 600 active users, over 200 organization profiles, over 150 venue profiles (to name a few)– I’m more impressed with the … [Read more...]
Canning helps preserve surplus produce, feed people in ‘food deserts’ (Guest Blog)
Let's Grow Akron, Akron Summit Community Action host free canning classes -- So many of us have lost the ability to do so many things our grandparents could do. Many of us can’t make meals unless they come from a box. Many of us can’t drive a stick shift, or survive without the Internet, because we’re too busy or haven’t had the need to do such things. And then there’s Jan … [Read more...]
Lady in Red: Kewl Shop Bandage Dress Review (Dina’s Days, Guest Blog)
Editor's Note: Dina Younis is a local lifestyle blogger. You can follow her on Dina’s Days. Just in time for Valentine's Day, this little number from The Kewl Shop is ready for a night out. Actually, to be honest my V-Day plans involve an Indian buffet so a bodycon dress might not be the best option. Instead, I opted to wear this dress for jazz night. The Kewl Shop is an … [Read more...]
Let’s Grow Akron’s legacy has deep neighborhood roots (Guest Blog)
Part I of a series -- I bet you’ve seen them around town: signs next to empty lots containing well maintained gardens. The colorful “Let’s Grow Akron” signs exude happiness, putting to good use formally unused spaces, bringing together people in neighborhoods to grow their own food, providing education with a strong focus on preserving food and healthy food choices for … [Read more...]
How to find designer items at the thrift store (Dina’s Days, Guest Blog)
Editor's Note: Dina Younis is a local lifestyle blogger. You can follow her on Dina’s Days. There are six core reasons why I thrift and I cover these in great lengths in my Thrift Night Out classes and workshops, so I'm introducing a new short series on Dina's Days this year to share some insight as to why and when I started thrifting. Due to a severe lack of creative … [Read more...]
Michael McFarland: Building happiness in a destructive world (Review)
Northeast Ohio rocker releases 'We Are the Architects' Cleveland writer, rocker, biker and geek Michael McFarland is pouring his soul into a new EP titled, “We Are the Architects.” The cover displays a child using his structural imagination to build what he believes a skyscraper would look like. Those of us who are Northeast Ohio natives will recognize this building as … [Read more...]
The disappearing bee, flow hives and mites: a journey into the art of local beekeeping (Guest Blog)
Summit County Beekeepers Association will conduct its beginner course in January, February at the Summit County Fairgrounds -- Have you thought about becoming a beekeeper? It is a journey that I underwent about 10 years ago. At that time, most people thought you’d be crazy to want to keep bees, but for me it was an easy way to get into agriculture. Originally, I wanted to … [Read more...]
Vegan for the Holidays: A VeganGiving tradition (Working Class Vegan Man)
It was Jan. 11. My foot tapped nervously on the floor. My hands tightly clutched a Nerf, as if I was trying to strangle the foam football. “I can’t believe it,” my friend said. “The Browns in the Super Bowl!” I smiled a little, afraid to show too much joy in case the Gods of Superstition were watching. In 1987, my birthday landed on the AFC Championship game. On the … [Read more...]
Math, an artist’s perspective (Artist-in-Residence Series)
Life is a juggling act. And I constantly feel like I’m dropping a ball. Allow me a moment to illuminate my own brand of crazy. Whenever I hear somebody’s age, I immediately compare our lives. What have they accomplished? What have I accomplished? How old were they when they accomplished A, B & C? How old am I now? How far behind am I in accomplishing my life goals? How … [Read more...]
