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Archives for September 2010

Training Tuesday: Treadmill Running

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As the beautiful weather that has dominated our summer comes to end, many runners will be moving their workouts indoors to gyms and home gyms. This can be incredibly boring/daunting to some of us, but also an opportunity for some great treadmill workouts that allow you to monitor your pace with ease.

Before getting on the treadmill, make sure to adjust the incline of the machine to 1-3% grade. Doing this will account for the grip and flatness of the treadmill. Running outside will include natural hills, which treadmills don’t have. The treadmill also grips to your feet, so you don’t fall off, making it easier to run. Now for a few workouts that I love to do on the treadmill:

My personal favorite, but also very tough: Ladder Step-Down

First you need to figure out what your paces for a Marathon and 5k race are. Don’t worry if you haven’t run either, you can just either make something up based on your current running or use this —> calculator. Once you find out your total race times for each race, figure out the pace per mile for each (done by dividing the total distance by your time in minutes – 5k =3.1 miles, marathon= 26.2 miles) Next figure out a “recovery pace” time. You will use this speed in between each speed change. Pick a speed that is about 45 seconds or more slower than your marathon pace. Once you get these numbers you are ready to do this workout.

Start off by running for 7 minutes @ marathon pace

3:30 @  recovery pace (each recovery run will be half the previous speed run)

6 minutes @ a speed about 30 seconds per mile faster than the 7 minute run (ex: going from speed 10 to 9.5 on the treadmill)

3 minutes @ recovery pace

5 minutes @ 30 seconds per mile faster than the 6 minute run

2:30 @ recovery pace

4 minutes @ 30 seconds per mile faster than the 5 minute run

2 minutes @ recovery pace

3 minutes @ 30 seconds per mile faster than the 4 minute run

1:30 @ recovery pace

2 minutes @ 30 seconds per mile faster than the 3 minute run

1 minute @ recovery pace

1 minute @ 5k speed (this will be the fastest you have run so far)

0:30 @ recovery pace

This workout can be very tough and demanding, so don’t be afraid to back out if you can’t handle it at first. Another workout that can be easily done on the treadmill are hill repeats. Do 1 minute runs @ 4% incline, with 2 minute slow jogs in between. Build up to 10 repeats @ 6% incline.

RACES THIS WEEKEND

There are plenty of great races this weekend, including the Wright-Patterson Air Force Marathon on Saturday! Make sure to come out and support me and the thousands of others running! I will be running the half marathon, and will be detailing my race experience!

Here is a list of other events:

Saturday September 18th

Northridge 5K Road Race, Springfield, Ohio 9 AM.  Hosted by the Vineyard Church of Northridge  Information: 937-869-3714 Register Here

Distance 4 Dreams 5K, University of Dayton Register Here

Dash and Dine 5K, 5 PM, Riverscape, Dayton, Ohio. Taste of the Miami Valley with live music. Register Here

Mandy’s Sunshine 5K, Greenville, Ohio Register Here

Toronto – THE FILMS – Day #5 (+ An Old Friend)

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After getting some needed tickets early this morning, I met up for lunch with a friend – Bill Taylor.  We met in line for TALK TO HER at TIFF in 2002, and we’ve stayed in touch all these years. He’s a talented filmmaker, and we will screen one of his films – THE YOUNG PRIME MINISTER – at this year’s LGBT Film Fest (it plays with I KILLED MY MOTHER on opening night – Friday, Sept. 24).  Do you already have tickets?

In regards to screenings, I saw three films today.

First off was Susanne Bier’s IN A BETTER WORLD.  Bier is an incredible filmmaker.  The first film I saw by her was also at the 2002 festival – OPEN HEARTS.  She is also responsible for the original BROTHERS (the superior film on which the American remake was based).  IN A BETTER WORLD is quite wonderful.  The film goes back and forth from a refugee camp in Africa to a small town in Denmark…and follows two families along the way (one of the protagonists is a doctor who makes trips to aid with medicine at the camp).  There are lots of details to the plot, but the film is essentially an examination of ethics while pursuing justice.  The photography is lovely, and the performances are great.  Being that Sony Classics has picked it up, I imagine we will bring it to THE NEON.  (sorry…no subtitles on the trailer)

Next up was Julian Schnabel’s MIRAL – starring Freida Pinto (from SLUMDOG) and with smaller parts by Hiam Abbass (from LEMON TREE and THE VISITOR) and Vanessa Redgrave.  The film is the true story of an orphaned Palestinian girl growing up in the volatile Arab-Israeli War.  Though not his best work, the story is of epic scale and is a strong story.  With Schnabel as a Jew and the author of the book – Rual Jebreal (the main character of the story) – as a Palestinian, the creation of the film already nods toward peace.  The final credit states, “This film is dedicated to everyone, on both sides, who still believe peace is possible.”  This film will certainly spur discussion.

MIRAL was introduced by Schnabel, Pinto, Abbass, Jebreal and a couple other supporting actors.  Their Q&A after the film made the film have even more impact.

Lastly, I saw John Cameron Mitchell’s RABBIT HOLE – based on the Pultizer Prize-Winning play by David Lindsay-Abaire.  The film stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as parents who are grieving the loss of their 4-year old boy who was hit by a car.  The film opens 8 months after the accident, and though the film is full of sadness, it has very funny moments as well.  The film is honest and beautifully photographed.  I loved it!  As an added bonus, Mitchell, Kidman and Eckhart introduced the film (and many other cast & crew were in the audience).  This was the world premiere.

In addition to stars at their screenings, I also saw Dev Patel and Harvey Weinstein today.  (And I forgot to mention in an earlier post that Josh Brolin asked me for directions the other night.)

More highly anticipated films coming soon!

Thanks for reading.

Local Non Profit Seeking New Board Members

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Children with life-threatening disorders deserve wonderful chances such as a trip to Disney World, meeting a celebrity, or going on a shopping spree. A Special Wish Foundation is determined to make these dreams become a reality. With incredible support from local organizations and individuals, we have brought smiles to the faces of hundreds of children and their families.

A Special Wish Foundation has been granting wishes to local Dayton area children since 1983. Our goal is to provide unique, once in a lifetime opportunities for children diagnosed with life-threatening disorders. Our organization is wholly dedicated to granting such wishes. We operate on minimal expenses so that over 90 percent of contributions go toward granting wishes, not overhead costs.

A Special Wish Foundation is seeking out dedicated professionals within the community to serve as members of the Board of Directors.

Interested individuals will be required to participate in monthly meetings, assist in fundraising efforts, lend professional expertise, and serve as an ambassador to the Dayton Community.

Past and present Board of Directors have had the privilege to participate in granting over 1,400 wishes to local Dayton children birth through age 20.

You can make a difference in the life of a Wish Child. To inquire about the Board of Directors please email [email protected].

PARK(ing) Day 2010 – Dayton, Ohio

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This Friday September 17th, volunteers will be taking back the streets for the people – literally – when they transform various metered parking spaces in Downtown Dayton from spaces for cars into “park” spaces for people on what has become known worldwide as PARK(ing) Day!  This annual event started in 2005 in San Francisco when a downtown art & design studio called Rebar converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park.  Since then, PARK(ing) Day has turned into an annual open-source global event.  Dayton got into the action last year when Garden Station organized the city’s first “park” in front of C{Space on Jefferson Street.  This year there will be four spaces – City Hall (organized by City of Dayton staff), the main library (organized by Dayton Metro Library), Blind Bobs (organized by Garden Station) and in front of 120 N. St. Clair (organized by … wait for it…. DAYTONMOSTMETRO.COM).

The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to “call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!”


Boonshoft’s Pub Science Series Continues with the Science of Beer

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The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery continues their monthly Pub Science speaker series with a lecture on beer brewing by one of the area’s foremost authorities on the subject.

Mike Schwartz, owner of Belmont Party Supply and Brewtensils, will present “The Art and Science of Beer Brewing” on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m. at Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District.

Schwartz’s “world-recognized” beer store consistently ranks in the top 25 stores nationwide by respected craft beer websites ratebeer.com and beeradvocate.com.  He opened Brewtensils, an equipment and supply store for making beer, wine and cheese, in Oct. of this year and conducts various introductory classes aimed at the beginning home brewer.

“I’ll talk about yeast and how it affects your beer,” says Schwartz regarding Tuesday’s presentation.

The Pub Science series, which began in December, was created as a fun way for anyone to learn about science and technology in a relaxed, informal setting. Previous topics discussed were nanotechnology and forensic science.

Pub Science is held the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. There is no cover charge for the event however, donations are accepted.

For additional information, please call (937)275-7431 or check our event calendar!

Toronto – THE FILMS – Day #4 (+ poutine)

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So I’m definitely in Canada.  I had poutine for dinner.  If you don’t know what that is, click here.

Today’s films were just OK.  I saw three movies…though only 2 of them were part of TIFF.

First off, I saw Robert Redford’s film THE CONSPIRATOR – a story about Mary Surratt (the first woman to ever be executed in the USA – having been convicted for taking part in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln).  The story is intriguing…and its themes are still quite contemporary (government wanting people to remain scared…so as to be more obedient & the need to publicly prosecute someone in order to “restore” a sense of balance after tragedy).  Though well-done in many aspects, there seemed to be something missing.  Robin Wright gives a great performance, and I’ll watch James McAvoy in just about anything.  All said and done, I think this film will be liked…but it won’t be a huge hit.

Next, I strayed from the festival and went to an “Underground Cinema” screening of the new film from Christophe Honore – MAN AT BATH (director of LOVE SONG, MA MERE, & DAN PARIS). This film about two lovers who are splitting up – but can’t stop caring about one another – is sexually charged but strained due to a weak central performance.  The performance of Francois Sagat is so off that he misses at almost every step.  In addition, the chemistry between the two main characters is almost entirely absent.  That said, the film has its moments…and every moment with Chiara Mastroianni is wonderful. (Due to nudity and language, I won’t post the trailer here – you’ll have to look it up yourself on youtube – where you’ll have to subscribe in order to prove your age.)  I think the trailer, having only seen it after the feature, makes the film look much more interesting and less tedious.

Lastly, I saw the world premiere of OUR TIME WILL COME – directed by Romain Gavras (son of Costa-Gavras).  This was Romain’s first feature film – though he has directed some famous music videos.  The film is about a red-headed boy who feels alienated and shunned by society…and how he comes to feel (with the aid of a new friend played by Vincent Cassel) that redheads need to stick together in order to rise above the oppression.  This film about outcasts (or simply feeling like outcasts), is a bit absurdist.  Whereas there are some great moments with really fresh and fun performances, the ultimate feeling I got from the film was “Huh?”  Violence in the 3rd act was upsetting and I really didn’t get the point.  The person who introduced the film said, “This is one of the ‘what the f@#k films.'”  He went on to articulate that this type of film is rare and welcomed…and nothing like pretentious arthouse films.  I disagree.  I think a film like this is even more pretentious in its “F*#! You, I don’t care if you don’t get it,  I’m an arist” attitude.  (Added note: The photography is lovely.)

I’m excited about tomorrow. I’m scheduled to see the new films from John Cameron Mitchell, Julian Schnabel, and Susanne Bier.

Take care!

Toronto – THE FILMS – Day #3 (and THE STARS (galore))

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Today was minimal in regards to number of films screened…due to circumstances beyond my control.  But the 2 films I did screen were wonderful.  (I paid $15 for a cab to get me to a screening of 127 HOURS on time…only to find out that it had been pushed back – which conflicted with my next screening.)  Alas, I only saw two films and attended one hell of a party!

First off, I saw a film that Weinstein Co. has picked up – THE KING’S SPEECH – starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Cater.  The film is fantastic!  Based on a true story of the relationship between the stammering Duke of York and his speech therapist, the title refers not only to the speeches given by the Duke (& future King)…but also to the everyday speaking voice of the protagonist.  If we manage to get it at THE NEON, it will be a hit!  The audience was applauding during the film…and certainly after.  It’s truly wonderul – with award-worthy performances all around.  The film was directed by Tom Hooper (director of DAMNED UNITED).

Later in the day, I attended Mark Romanek’s NEVER LET ME GO – based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (Mark directed ONE HOUR PHOTO and numerous incredible music videos).  The film is a revisionist historical piece…but also science-fiction.  That said, the “science-fiction” element doesn’t contain monsters or aliens, but rather a different evolution of medicine.  The movie stars Carey Mulligan (AN EDUCATION), Andrew Garfield (IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASUS), and Keira Knightley (ATONEMENT), and it is beautifully done.  It’s a quiet film with a strong punch that is quite clearly about all of us (and with strong supporting actors, too).

Lastly, I just got home from a party sponsored by Fox Searchlight – a distributor who has been a great partner with THE NEON (responsible for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, SIDEWAYS, YOUNG @ HEART, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, ONCE, THE WRESTLER, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, and CRAZY HEART).  This was the star-sighting party of the year!!  Upon arrival, I grabbed a cocktail and struck up a conversation with Mark Olsen of the L.A. Times.  He’s a really nice guy, and we talked about the arthouse cinema and the decline of the young demographic.  I then chatted with Danny Boyle (director of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE).  I told him of my admiration for many of his films (especially MILLIONS – which he said “was a dry-run for SLUMDOG”…and of our gratitude for the success of SLUMDOG.  Once again, a nice guy.  I spoke briefly with  James Franco (we talked about MILK, HOWL, and his grandmother who lives in Shaker Heights), Marion Cotillard (she’s so sweet and down-to-earth), and I had numerous people compliment me on my jacket including Mark Romanek (it really is pretty wonderful…I’d been saving it for a special occasion).  Leonard Maltin was there, a radiant Hillary Swank was there.  An adorable Carey Mulligan was there.  I got a wink from Andrew Garfield.  The adorable Justin Long was there.  The list goes on and on.  In fact, I know there were several more stars who I recognized…but simply can’t name.  It was quite a night…and I love that my bar-tab essentially only amounted to my taxi ride back to the B&B.

Off to bed.  More soon!

Scan Your Way To Masquerage

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Dayton’s Party of Parties is just 5 weeks away -Masquerage, AIDS Resource Center Ohio’s (ARC Ohio) annual masked party for a cause fundraiser.  But for one lucky winner, visiting the sponsors of this year’s Masquerage will pay off in a big way- they can Scan Their Way to a $500 Red Ribbon Lounge Ticket package that includes VIP event tickets, an overnight package at the Dayton Marriott with breakfast on Sunday and  transportation to and from the event.

In a unique partnership with Dayton-based Comtactics, participants can use their smart phones to scan a QR code from a poster at each sponsor’s business and when they visit at least 10 sponsors, they will automatically be entered in a drawing to win the Red Ribbon Lounge ticket package.  Participants can download a free code reader for their smartphone on the ScanDayton.com site.  Participants can even enter the drawing by texting the word “SCANDAYTON” to 41411 and then follow the instructions.

Comtactics, LLC, a multiplatform communications company based at Dayton’s Tech Town, developed the “ScanVenger Hunt” idea as a creative way to introduce the technology to the Dayton-area.  They’ve successfully hosted ScanVenger hunts at The Greene and during Urban Nights. “This will be our first partnership with a nonprofit fundraiser and we’re excited about using 2d technology for this dynamic interactive contest, says Sean Fields, President and CEO of Comtactics.

Since Masquerage’s inception in 2002 , this party for a cause has raised more than $650,000 in unrestricted funds in support of HIV/AIDS case management, education, prevention, testing and advocacy; allowing attendees to have a unique and entertaining experience while supporting ARC Ohio and its mission of impacting those infected and affected with HIV/AIDS.  With offices in Dayton, Lima, Mansfield and Toledo, ARC Ohio is recognized as the leading provider of HIV/AIDS related programs within a 40 county region of Ohio. For more information about ARC Ohio, log onto www.arcohio.org or call (937) 461-2437.

To be entered in the drawing to win a $500 Red Ribbon Lounge Ticket package you’ll need to visit at least 10 of the sponsors- but since we like our friends at DaytonMostMetro.com you can scan the code pictured here and you’ll only need 9 more!

You can visit American Family Insurance, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Better Business Bureau, Coco’s Bistro, Digital Fringe, The Flower Shoppe, Lexus of Dayton, MacTown,  any of the Marion’s Piazza, Masque, Meadowlark Restaurant, Preen Apothecary, either of the Square One Salons and Urban HandMade.  Keep checking the Masquerage website for more additions!

Tickets for the Masquerage party can be reserved online at www.Masquerage.org or charged by phone by calling 461-2437 x 2029.  General Admission tickets include welcoming cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, and nonstop dancing and entertainment for $50, while entry to the Red Ribbon Lounge runs $150 per guest and includes heavenly delicacies created by The Meadowlark, valet parking courtesy of Lexus of Dayton, a swag bag full of sinful delights, and, for the first time ever, a complimentary array of lustful libations!

Dayton Music Fest 2010 Official Schedule Announced

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…although we’ve been exceptionally quiet around these parts, rest assured, we are still very much alive. This afternoon, the organizers of the Dayton Music Fest announced the official schedule for this year’s fest, to take place on Saturday, October 2. You’ll see some new names, some new clubs, but will certainly experience the best that the current Dayton crop has to offer. Take a look:

Blind Bob’s

12:30: The Story Changes
11:30: Kuan
10:30: Eat Sugar
9:30: Okay Lindon

Tumbleweed Connection

12: Human Reunion
11: Astro Fang
10: Jasper the Colossal
9: Yakuza Heart Attack

Oregon Express

12:30: Toads and Mice
11:30: Hospital Garden
10: 30: Nick Kizirnis Band
9:30: Sohio

Trolley Stop

12: The Turkish Delights
11: Good Sir Con Artist
10: Alone at 3 am
9: Bonneville

South Park Tavern

7 pm: Roley Yuma
6 pm: Sleep Fleet
5 pm: Luxury Pushers

Garden Station

3 pm: Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks
2 pm: Father’s Day
1 pm: Wake Up Mordecai

…if you are interested in becoming a volunteer for Dayton Music Fest 2010, please contact the staff at [email protected]…

Ronald McDonald House Radiothon

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Press Release

On September 23rd, 2010 from 6:00am to 7:00pm Mix 107.7 will hold the second Radiothon to benefit Dayton’s local Ronald McDonald House.  Throughout the 13 hour Radiothon, we will be broadcasting LIVE from McDonald’s on Dayton-Xenia Road in Beavercreek, and McDonald’s on Stroop Road in Kettering.  Not only will listeners be entertained by Mix 107.7 DJ’s Jeff Stevens, Kristi Leigh and Sean Vincent, but they will also get a chance to learn more about RMHC as we bring our mission to life on air!  This year we are asking the generous Miami Valley community to help us KNOCK OUT our goal of $30,000!

There are several ways you can help support the Radiothon and RMHC’s mission!  1) First and foremost, tune in to Mix 107.7 on September 23rd!  2) Encourage your company, department, school or club to collect spare change for donation RMHC.  Groups that collect over $250 will be mentioned live on-air! Thanks to the generous support of Wright-Patt Credit Union, donations can be counted for free at any WPCU location from Sept. 13th – Sept. 18th.             3) Listeners can also Pay-2-Play and dedicate songs throughout the day for a good cause (Available soon via http://rmhcdayton.org/donate.php).  4) Also, for the music fans out there, bid on the SummerFest guitar signed by Blondie AND Cheap Trick at http://www.mix1077.com/pages/Radiothon2010.html .

Thank you Mix 107.7 Radiothon partners and sponsors for helping to raise much-needed funds for families with hospitalized children; these include Miami Valley Hospital, ClearChannel, McDonald’s, Wright-Patt Credit Union, WDTN-2, McFall & Son Insurance Agency, Grange Insurance, and more.  If interested in sponsorship opportunities which include dedicated time-slots, please call Kevin Tibbs at 937.224.0047 ext: 40 or go to http://rmhcdayton.org/sponsorship.php.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Miami Valley Region, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization. Funds raised help cover the expenses associated with nights of stay for families with critically ill, or injured, hospitalized children.  Each chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities is autonomous, with its own Board of Trustees, responsible for the governance of the organization. Ronald McDonald House Charities is not owned by Dayton Children’s, or by McDonald’s, and is responsible for its own fundraising.

Toronto – THE FILMS (and Stars) – Day #2

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First off, I apologize.  I forgot the little cord that connects my camera to my computer…so I’m unable to upload photos at this time.  Keep reading, and I’ll tell you about the pics I snapped today.

It’s already late (after 1AM as I write this), so I’m going to try and keep today’s update short & sweet.

I saw 4 films today!

First off, I saw Darren Aronofsky’s BLACK SWAN – the psychological ballet thriller starring Natalie Portman.  The response to this film has been and will be mixed.  The movie is clearly made by a skilled director, but at times the high stakes, grand gestures, and over-the-top dialog cross over from melodrama into camp territory. Overall, I enjoyed the film…but it seemed more like a guilty pleasure than a film by a master filmmaker.

Next I saw Woody Allen’s latest – YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER.  Everyone’s life in this film is interrupted by their lover’s roving eye & libido.  That said, the film is actually charming – but won’t go down as one of Allen’s best films. (However, Gemma Jones is a real treat!)

Next up was a Swedish thriller – BAD FAITH (dir. Kristian Petri).  In it, a woman comes across a dying body on her way home from work – a victim of a homicide. The protagonist decides to solve the crime herself, but her sanity seems to be as much in danger as she is.  This quiet, slow film had many good qualities, but when lots of action came into the picture in the 3rd Act, I found myself less interested.

Lastly, I saw the first true highlight of the fest for me.  Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s BIUTIFUL  (Inarritu is known for 21 GRAMS, BABEL and AMORES PERROS.)  This film, starring Javier Bardem in an incredible performance, takes place in Barcelona – yet the story has such a global understanding.  Bardem is the central character, and early in the film he finds out that he has Cancer – yet he refuses to inform the people closest to him.  The story is complex and beautifully done – with great camera work and interesting sound design.  It’s a challenging film…but well-worth the 2.5 hours.  (The film is in three different languages – all with different-colored subtitles.  This allows the viewer to understand that not all characters are able to communicate with one another…a point that might escape some if only reading white, English subtitles.)

Here were 2 bonuses from today:  1)  2 seats down from me at the BAD FAITH screening was Atom Egoyan.  2) Alejandro and Javier were at the screening of BIUTIFUL…and they did a nice Q&A.  (I got pictures)

In addition, I witnessed Edward Norton being whisked into the back door of a theater…and Milla Jovovich (someone had to tell me who she was) giving fans a quick pose before ducking into the same venue.

So that’s that.  Full day tomorrow…complete with a big party.  More soon!  – Jonathan

The Litehouse Development solves a few of Dayton’s housing problems

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… but probably not what you think.

You know that the city of Dayton has a vacancy problem, and there has been a lot of discussion about what to do with vacant, abandoned properties. Tearing them down is one option of course, and probably the one that gets the most discussion, and there is a problem with tearing them down because then you have an empty space, and what do you do with that? I believe that the vacancy problem is two-fold. Not only does Dayton have too many homes, Dayton has too many of the wrong type of home.

Yes, Virginia, there really are people who want to live in Dayton Ohio. They want to experience all that Dayton has to offer- celebratory and inexpensive stuff to do, vibrant arts community, not-so-big city life. They want to be home owners, not renters, but they can’t find a house. Oh I know we have plenty of homes- too many homes in some neighborhoods. But for a certain type of buyer: young or creative or entertainment-seeking types who would be a perfect fit in the downtown area, Dayton doesn’t have what they are looking for because the housing stock that exists, is simply not a good fit for everyone. Downtown Dayton’s housing stock is plentiful, but it’s old, and the truth is that not everyone loves a historic home. Not everyone wants to live in or care for a historic home, and that’s okay, except, if you want a brick ranch, mid-century modern, vintage 20’s bungalow, or modern dwelling, then you have to live elsewhere. So the solution might be to mix things up a bit- not only tear down the unwanted housing stock, but build property that people want: Affordable, low maintenance, cool, hip, modern spaces that appeal to and attract a new breed of owners into the Dayton market.

I visited the Litehouse model home site last week during their Open House and was intrigued by what I saw. The exterior is modern and unlike anything else in the Dayton area. The interior is unusual as well, being a vertical stacked space that packs amenities onto a tiny physical footprint. This should appeal to a very specific buyer, but more than that, it’s going to add to the presence of residents in the direct downtown area, and that’s a cool thing, good for all the city residents.

The Litehouse townhomes focus on greener living, with local manufacturing, Leed standardization, Energy Star appliances to keep these homes as efficient as possible. This is going to be a growing trend and it’s nice to see a builder using proactive solutions for those buyers who are already looking in this direction. They are also looking to attract buyers who want an affordable home. This is going to be key for getting more buyers into Dayton: Affordable, modern, green properties that give buyers another downtown living option. The plan is to create a community of approximately 40 homes, and once a few more are occupied, you’ll see them attract more buyers- most people don’t want to be the first in a new development, although, you do get a nice view of Patterson Blvd right now.

These are sexy properties with a new attitude about how a home can function and what a home can be. Take a look at the couple to the right. Standing on the unfinished roof-top terrace of one of the Litehouse units, you can see the natural response to the possibilities this space might afford- the body language says it all. This is the type of housing that Dayton needs more of and it’s good for the entire Dayton area that we have the opportunity to watch this development add to our real estate options in Dayton Ohio.

So, how do you buy a new home? You can plunge ahead and contact the developer yourself if you’d like, or you can have a Realtor take you to a developer if you want a little extra guidance through the process. It’s similar to buying any home, except, as one developer told me, there is no other person’s dirt to wonder about.

The question is, can majestic historic beauties live in peace and camaraderie with ultra-modern clean cut lines? For all the talk about not wanting to live in little boxes that all look just the same, most people like a sense of continuity and similarity within their own neighborhood. With the Litehouse development, we can begin to integrate the new and old while we adjust to the future of Dayton real estate.

Photo credits: Teri Lussier

Media That Matters Short Film Festival

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DATV (with the support of Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management
OGDM Group) is presenting an excellent film fest called Media That Matters Short Film Festival – “a screening of twelve nationally award winning short films designed to motivate, move, inspire and inform you” on September 16th at 7:30pm at The Neon in Downtown Dayton.  Tickets are only $15, with proceeds going to help DATV continue their mission: to be a community forum that empowers all citizens to learn, create and express their ideas through electronic media. To accomplish its mission DATV provides the training equipment and facilities for local residents to make a difference in their communities by creating their very own noncommercial cable TV programs.  Get your tickets today!

Here is the film lineup (descriptions and images courtesy of MediaThatMattersFest.org):

DENIED

12:00 min
Documentary
Director: Julie Winokur
Producer: Julie Winokur

Winner of the Jury Award

"Denied"

More about Denied from filmmaker Julie Winokur

When I met Sheila Wessenberg, she was living the American nightmare.

She had a potentially fatal illness, but because she was uninsured her life seemed expendable.

She said to me, “There is no reason why anyone should be shoved into homelessness and helplessness just to live.” She was referring to the fact that she could only get publicly funded health care if she gave up her home and her car. In the meantime, her doctor had abandoned her and she had already gone seven months with no chemotherapy.

I was so horrified by the real-life cost of poor public policy that I became obsessed with all the ‘Sheilas’ whose lives were on the line. I realized Sheila could be any one of us—could even be me. I wanted to shout from the highest rafter that she was being dealt one of the greatest injustices I had witnessed in the 20 years I’d been a journalist.

We first published Shelia’s story in The New York Times Magazine. Readers were so shocked by her suffering that they donated over $50,000 in order to help the family stay afloat. Next, we published Sheila’s story in a book and exhibition called Denied, which was shared on Capitol Hill and toured to state capitols across the country.

But our work wasn’t done because U.S. health care policy hadn’t budged an inch. We decided we had to tell Sheila’s story in film so even more people could see the shocking truth. Considering the raging debate on health care reform in Washington now, inclusion in the Media That Matters Film Festival couldn’t be more relevant or more urgent.

I’M JUST ANNEKE

11:14 min
Documentary
Director: Jonathan Skurnik
Producer: Jonathan Skurnik

Winner of the Changemaker Award

"I’m Just Anneke"

More about I’m Just Anneke from filmmaker Jonathan Skurnik

I’m Just Anneke is the first film in a four-part series of short films called The Youth and Gender Media Project designed to educate school communities about transgender and gender nonconforming youth. The first two films in the series are finished and the second two are in production. The completed films are already being used in schools and conferences throughout the U.S. to train administrators, teachers and students about the importance of protecting all children from harassment due to gender identity and expression.

Transgender and gender fluid youth are the most courageous people I have ever met. Despite overwhelming pressure to conform to an oppressive gender binary paradigm, they refuse to do it in order to be true to themselves. I wanted to pay tribute to these courageous young people and to inspire all of us to reconsider our own decisions about gender identity and expression.

Anneke is going into eighth grade in the fall of 2010 and I plan to film her over the course of her first year in high school. This footage will become a feature length documentary about Anneke’s life as she starts to take testosterone and begins a slow and thoughtful transition to fully embody her own unique gender identity.

I AM SEAN BELL

10:36 min
Documentary
Director: Stacey Muhammad
Producer: Stacey Muhammad

Winner of the Speaking Out Award

"I Am Sean Bell"

More about I Am Sean Bell from filmmaker Stacey Muhammad

I’ve loved film for as long as I can remember. Initially, screenwriting was my interest; however, I wanted to see my ideas come to life beyond the writing. This led to a desire to acquire the skills needed to actually produce my own projects. So, I embarked upon the journey of studying and learning as much about the filmmaking process as I possibly could by attending film school, workshops, and anything else I could find.

First and foremost, I consider myself an activist, so I’m drawn to human issues and subjects that enlighten and uplift humanity while challenging us to examine our ideals and issues on this planet. I’ve always been drawn to documentary filmmaking, particularly as an activist. It’s a powerful way to communicate with an audience.

When I chose to do the Sean Bell film, I was extremely disturbed by the verdict and wanted to hear from the children, particularly young black boys, about their thoughts, fears and concerns regarding violence against black men. Most of the topics that interest me are those that give a voice to those often unheard populations of people, who indeed have stories to tell and victories to celebrate.

One thing that I’ve learned is that life is what it is—meaning, everything we do and experience is connected. Often, we try to compartmentalize our lives and deal with different aspects of our experience (be it our personal lives, our career, etc.). Filmmaking, for me, is a spiritual process and journey. I’ve been prepared through life experiences, for each and every topic I choose to explore.

So, my advice to any aspiring filmmaker would be to live your life with integrity, take care of yourself, learn as much about your craft as possible, commit to creating the life you desire and expect the universe to grant you everything you ask.

NO ONE BOTHERED

7:54 min
Documentary
Director: Josephine Boxwell
Producer: Laurie Nicholls

Winner of the Empowerment Award

"No One Bothered"

More about No One Bothered from filmmaker Josephine Boxwell

Claire, an ex-police officer, and her partner Darren take us on a journey through some of the places they have called home—a rubbish bin fort, a parkland, public toilets, to name a few.

The couple lives in Bournemouth, England. When they first arrived in the seaside town, they begged for money in order to buy food. Eventually they became registered Big Issue magazine vendors. The Big Issue Foundation is an initiative that gives homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to make a living by selling magazines to passersby. For Darren and Claire, selling The Big Issue is a step up from begging, but not a step away from the dangers and prejudices that come with being on the street.

This short intends to illustrate that none of us are impervious to misfortune or mistakes; all of us are only a few steps away from the street. No One Bothered reminds us that even in societies where social security exists, many are left behind.

SHADES OF THE BORDER

12:00 min
Documentary
Director: Patrick Smith
Producer: Patrick Smith

Winner of the Racial Dialogue Award

"Shades of the Border"

More about Shades of the Border from filmmaker Patrick Smith

The racial issues that exist on the island of Hispaniola can hardly be described as “black and white.” Perceptions of race among Haitians and Dominicans have been evolving (or devolving) over several centuries of political, military, and social unrest, and can’t be consolidated into a brief explanation or short documentary. Thus, as a filmmaker from the United States, the intention for the film was not to create all-encompassing viewpoints, both Haitian and Dominican.

The initial idea for the documentary came from the story of an Austin woman who was unable to adopt two abandoned, Dominican-born, black children because their skin color (and lack of documentation) prevented them from getting Dominican citizenship. After some research, it was clear that this wasn’t an isolated incident, but that millions had been denied citizenship (and thus certain human rights), based on how “Haitian” they appeared to be and not based on where they were born.

Faced with the economic burden of providing for an entire population of illegal Haitians crossing the Dominican border, compacted by an already poverty-stricken population of Dominicans, the Dominican Republic strains to find a solution that isn’t “color-based.” Sadly, the peripheral effects of this issue are much more severe, often leading to violence, destruction of homes, inaccessible education, abusive working conditions, and the list goes on.

Shades of the Border explores a commonly-held notion from the Dominican media that race does not lay a role in the conflict, contrasted with an almost completely-inverse working-class opinion that the shade of someone’s skin on the island of Hispaniola speaks volumes about the individual.

MY HOTNESS IS PASTED ON YEY!

5:37 min
Experimental, Puppetry
Director: Gus Andrews
Producer: Gus Andrews

Winner of the Fair Use Award

More about My Hotness is Pasted on Yey! from filmmaker Gus Andrews

The Media Show is a YouTube channel series staring puppets Weena and Erna, two high-school-aged sisters skipping school to spend time making their own videos in an abandoned storage closet in an advertising agency in New York City. The show’s model of media literacy aims to reconcile the exuberance of fan-created media with a critique of ad-driven corporate media.

In this episode of The Media Show, My Hotness is Pasted on Yey!, Weena and Erna happen across a terrible graphics job in Cosmopolitan, leading them to the website Photoshop Disasters, which gets them thinking about other photo manipulation throughout history. Stalin, Hitler, OJ Simpson, Beyoncé—who hasn’t been touched by photo alteration in some way? The girls explore art and propaganda and end up playing with Photoshop themselves, taking control and manipulating their own appearance.

By primarily distributing online, we aim to enter into a dialog about media where young producers, both casual and political, are already displaying and critiquing their work. We hoped this episode might be many things to many people. To viewers on YouTube, it has prompted dialog about whether media can simply be dismissed as “fake” and how photos are involved in the “pro-ana” (pro-anorexia) community online. To educators, we hope it offers Photoshop Disasters and ad agency websites as potential materials for media literacy lessons, while sparking some new ideas on how to approach the topic. We even hope that this might give ad agency creatives a moment to reflect on the impact of their work.

DAY JOB

6:36 min
Documentary
Director: Sara Hopman
Producer: Sara Hopman

Winner of the Economic Justice Award

"Day Job"

More about Day Job from filmmaker Sara Hopman

From the beginning, filmmaking and positive social change have always gone hand-in-hand for me. After working with non-profit organizations such as Environment California, the Human Rights Campaign, and CalPIRG, I was further inspired to use my strengths in filmmaking to help facilitate progress in our communities. In October of 2009, I had the opportunity to create a film that could make such an impact—Day Job.

We’ve all seen day laborers standing and waiting in public places, but most of us pass by without thinking twice. I wanted to discover the story behind these workers—who are they and what are their lives like? This is a current, pressing issue, commonly ignored by the media; this is a group of people with little to no voice in our society; this is happening right now, in my city, and many cities across the country.

During the making of my film, I found Faye, a temporary employer of laborers. She has an extraordinary perspective that I felt I had to share with the world. With the help of four translators, which included two crewmembers, I was able to record the images and voices of a shunned community, for all the world to see.

THE LAST TOWN

7:26 min
Documentary
Director: Yan Chun Su
Producer: Yan Chun Su

Winner of the Sustaining Traditions

The Last Town

More about The Last Town from filmmaker Yan Chun Su

In order to complete the Three Gorges Dam hydroelectric project in China, a total of sixteen historical towns, some with more than 2000 years of history had to be flooded. Kai Xian was the last of the 16 towns. Filmed in Kai Xian shortly before the final relocation, The Last Town is a portrait of the town and its residents as they ready (or not) themselves for the big move.

Facing widespread land disputes and unfair relocation assignment, many of the unprivileged residents had to deal with the hardship of not only leaving their homeland behind, but also how to make a decent living afterward. Dust-filled streets and crumbled houses provided the backdrop for stories of ordinary residents dealing with the uncertainty ahead.

I felt compelled to see what old Kai Xian looked like after I found out it was the last old town to be flooded for the Three Gorges Dam Project. What I saw was quite surreal. People burning door frames, window frames on the street, metal salvagers picking on piles of rubble, and the almost eerie contrast between ordinary, everyday activities and the fact that people there were going through a historical time—they were the witnesses and also part of a town’s more than one thousand years of history about to be flooded forever.

The residents still struggling to make the move discovered me very quickly on the street and I was able to record this small glimpse of their lives. It is hopeful that by having their voices recorded, their stories and situations could weigh in on future developments with such profound human impacts.

Old Kai Xian town was completely flooded in 2009.

Many people are struggling in the new city and corruption is still widespread. In order to rake in as much profit as possible, contractors appointed by local government constructed sub-standard housing and immigrants with little financial and political backing were more likely to be assigned to live in those buildings.

JUSTICE DENIED: VOICES FROM GUANTANAMO

9:30 min
Documentary
Director: Joel Engardio
Producer: Joel Engardio and Ateqah Khaki

Winner of the Global Justice

"Justice Denied: Voices from Guantánamo"

More about Justice Denied from filmmaker Joel Engardio

The American Civil Liberties Union wanted to use audio recordings to preserve the testimonials of five former Guantánamo detainees who had been held and released by the Bush administration without charge. I suggested that it would be more powerful to interview the men on video and produce a short film that wove their stories together into one narrative arch. This was a more accessible and compelling way to share the experiences with a wide audience.

Former Guantánamo detainees are usually painted as one-dimensional caricatures and we rarely get to know them as people. What were their lives like before Guantánamo? What are they doing now to start over? What are their hopes, dreams and fears? What kinds of personalities do they have? By using video and the art of story telling, I hope viewers might have more reason to care about the important issues that surround indefinite detention once they realize what they have in common with the subjects of the film as fellow human beings.

I used sparse narration and avoided talking head commentary by lawyers and advocates. I felt it would be more effective to simply let the men speak for themselves. The purpose of the video was to provide an emotional connection to the issues by focusing only on the personal stories of the men involved. A web link appears at the end of the film for inspired audiences who want to investigate and learn more about things like rule of law and how to stay both safe and free in a troubled world.

AQUAFINITO

8:18 min
Documentary
Director: Annalise Littman
Producer: Annalise Littman

Winner of the Youth Sustainability Award

"Aquafinito"

More about Aquafinito from filmmaker Annalise Littman

In high school, I was a member and co-president of WaterAid International, a club dedicated to educating people about the world water crisis and fundraising for water infrastructure projects in developing countries.

I attended a talk given by Deborah Lapidus of Corporate Accountability International (CAI) with my club and learned about the environmental and human rights problems associated with bottled water. I was in a teen film program at the Institute of Contemporary Art at the time. I was so blown away by Deborah’s talk that I decided to make a documentary about bottled water for my class project in the hopes that I could educate other people about what I had learned.

Deborah agreed to my filming her at a workshop she was giving, where I met Tina Clarke, Campaign Director for Massachusetts Clean Water Action. Tina agreed to be interviewed about corporation efforts to extract water for bottling purposes in Massachusetts.

I was invited by CAI to film a “Think Outside the Bottle” action at a Coke shareholders’ meeting in Wilmington, Delaware. I also interviewed someone from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, who spoke about the high quality of Massachusetts tap water.

My film addresses the prevalence of bottled water, reasons people buy it and the environmental and social costs associated with it. Many people told me that they plan to stop drinking bottled water after seeing the film. Other people have either continued to drink bottled water or only stopped temporarily.

UNINSURED IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA

5:17 min
Documentary
Director: Katie Falkenberg
Producer: Katie Falkenberg

Winner of the Human Rights Award

"Uninsured in the Mississippi Delta"

More about Uninsured in the Mississippi Delta from filmmaker Katie Falkenberg

At a time when the health care debate is at the forefront of the political agenda, Uninsured in the Mississippi Delta puts a human face on the struggles of the 46 million Americans surviving without health care.

The Mississippi Delta is one of the most impoverished and uninsured regions of the United States. The area also has soaring rates for diabetes, hypertension and stroke, and some of the highest mortality rates and lowest birth rates in the nation. The town of Greenville, Mississippi, in the heart of the Delta, has, on a per-capita basis, the highest number of uninsured households in the country. Contributing factors to this statistic include high unemployment rates, poverty,  business owners who cannot afford health insurance for their workers, and agricultural jobs that are often only seasonal. Those who have jobs that pay minimum wage cannot afford health insurance on their own.

Howard Moncrief and Edward Smith are among those living in the Delta struggling without health insurance. Both of these men, putting the needs of their children and families before their own, have gone without vital health care and medicines. They simply could not afford them.

Inspiration
I had been following the debate on the health care bill in Congress, and was moved by the stories I had heard from those who were struggling without insurance while working on a photo and video project about a Remote Area Medical (RAM) free health care clinic in Appalachia the year before. I knew that this year, with the health care issue being at the forefront of this administration’s agenda, I wanted to tell another story to put a human face with the statistics being talked about so frequently in the Capitol and on the news.

When I heard that 34% of the households in the impoverished Delta town of Greenville, Mississippi were living without health insurance, I knew that this was a story that needed to be told. As I began researching the story, I learned that the problem wasn’t just concentrated in Greenville; it extended throughout the entire Mississippi Delta region into the rural areas where poverty was rampant and there were few jobs.

Many of the folks who are patients at the two health care clinics I spent time in for this film—the Good Samaritan Health Clinic in Greenville, and the Tutwiler Clinic in Tutwiler—would go without the most basic and vital care if these clinics did not exist. This was a driving force behind my inspiration for this film: that, because of the cost of health care and insurance, people would have to go without the care they desperately need, were it not for these clinics.

Furthermore, it is not only the people in the Delta; it is the 46 million other Americans throughout the country.

LESSONS FROM A TAILOR

8:23 min
Documentary
Director: Galen Summer
Producer: Caitlin Dourmashkin

Winner of the Perspective Award

"Lessons from a Tailor"

More about Lessons from a Tailor from filmmaker Galen Summer

The inspiration for this film came directly from the man himself. When I first met Martin Greenfield at his factory, with the intention of interviewing him for a lifetime achievement award he was receiving for his efforts as an employer and business owner in Bushwick, Brooklyn, it became clear that there was more to his story than mere success in business.

Here was a man who had pulled himself up from tragedy and hardship, who had survived one of the most horrific events of the 20th century, the Nazi holocaust, and yet still possessed a lightness of spirit.

Here was a man who had mastered the art of the perfectly tailored, hand-made suit, and now that art was slowly being forgotten by the rest of the world.

Here was a man who at 80 years of age still seemed to be at the height of his powers, who possessed the confidence to dictate the style and fashions of the power elite, just as he had been doing for the past half a century.

It struck me as a unique opportunity to create a portrait of a person who had overcome great challenges in life, who had accumulated wisdom about clothes and about people, and who had become a humanitarian in the process.

…

To preview these movies, go to the Media That Matters YouTube channel.

Lifetime’s Remarkable Women Series honors Isus Founder

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To shine a spotlight on an extraordinary woman, and to inspire and empower
others to make a difference
in their communities and world

Here is the write up featured on Lifetime’s Remarkable Women:

Ann Higdon created Improved Solutions for Urban Systems (ISUS) in 1992 to develop approaches to keep high-school-age youth in school and to reclaim school dropouts. In Dayton, over 60 percent of the urban youth dropped out of high school, and according to an Annie E. Casey Foundation study, an additional 6 to 8 percent drop out in middle school and are, therefore, never counted as high school dropouts. The effects in the city were deteriorating neighborhoods and escalating crime. Montgomery County, where Dayton is the main city, used two-thirds of its budget for criminal justice and indigent-family-related expenditures. Author James Conant, in his book “Slums and Suburbs: A Commentary on Schools in Metropolitan Areas” called these kinds of issues “social dynamite.”

In the early nineties, Ann Higdon talked to anyone who would listen about what she believed could be done, but few people believed that these young people would respond to an idea that required more of them than anyone dared believe they could do before. Few believed that it was an appropriate use of funds to support an idea fostered by a person who had no nonprofit, teaching or housing-development experience. But, as Ann listened to the stories of the young people who left school without completing, their stories resonated. She had been a poor student, had a difficult childhood and was first homeless when she was four. She was afraid of being bullied and got in trouble for fighting back. Ann was able to make a better life for herself because one person had confidence in her, and with that encouragement, she began to work her family out of poverty.

In 1992 she borrowed $100,000 from National City Bank in Dayton to start the first ISUS organization, working with National City to replace food stamps with an electronic benefits system in Ohio. During the early years, Dayton Rotary, a nearby hospital and other benefactors also supported the project. In 1995 they received the first public money through a federal grant, and in 1999 Ohio passed enabling laws for charter schools. That year, ISUS created the first of three charter high schools for returning dropouts; until recently, Dayton had more students in charter schools per capita than any other city.

The ISUS organizations uniquely accomplish their mission by recruiting disengaged youth back into an educational experience that is competency-based and career-oriented, and that engages students as volunteers who practice their newly acquired skills in the context of community service.

Upon entry, ISUS youth are on average 17 years old and function in math and reading at the seventh grade level. Roughly 85 percent are low-income, seven in 10 are known to juvenile court and three in 10 are youth with learning disabilities, which is about twice the percentage in the system. At ISUS, students attend a longer day and year — totaling about 300 additional hours per year. Students alternate between academics, technical coursework and hands-on practice of skills. Technical instructors are hired from business and industry and assisted to obtain teaching certifications at Wright State University.

Since 2001, ISUS has graduated more than 700 returning dropouts with high school diplomas, industry credentials or some college coursework. Recently, ISUS was written into House Bill 562 as a Demonstration Project to collect data and inform the legislature on issues and accountability measures for dropout-recovery schools.

Other measures of success are the competencies students exhibit — for example, the redevelopment of the Fairgrounds neighborhood, where students gutted and rebuilt 12 homes and an eight-unit apartment building. The project was reported by the Dayton Daily News as “The Miracle on Frank Street.” Now there are homes built by developers, and bustling businesses. ISUS students are credited with sparking the resurgence of the neighborhood.

Ann Higdon personifies the entrepreneurial spirit by crafting the pursuits of her organizations to contribute impact and return on investment. She demonstrates commitment and takes risks in the pursuit of better solutions to social problems, and targets a population that researchers agree is the hardest to serve — youth offenders.

Ann and her organization, ISUS, are recipients of numerous honors, including the Purpose Prize, the Dayton Business Journal’s Regional Leadership Award, the Dayton Daily News’ Top Ten Women Award, the YMCA’s Woman of Influence Award, the HUD’s Secretary Award for Excellence, the Points of Light Award and the Dayton Business Journal’s Not for Profit Organization of the Year Award.

Smart Car Raffle Drawing to be held Mon, Sept 13th

On Monday, Sept 13th, ISUS will be hosting a VIP reception in Wright-Dunbar Historic District, where they will be giving tours of their Replica Homes Green Building Project.  As part of the festivities ISUS and the Dayton Rotary are hosting a Smart Car Raffle to raise money to continue to fund future building projects.  Rafle tickets run $100 and are available through Dayton Rotary members, or call the Rotary office to charge by phone at 228-3331.  Three winning tickets will be pulled with the 1st getting a handcrafted dragonfly bench, the 2nd will receive a $250 Home Depot gift card and the 3rd ticket pulled will win the brand new, fully loaded Smart Car!

Wine, Washes And Wet Noses

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Wine, Washes, & Wet Noses

Sunday, September 12, 2010

1:00-5:00 pm

A Taste of Wine

90 South Main Street

Miamisburg, OH 45342

Join us for our 2nd Annual wine-tasting and dog wash event! Enjoy a relaxing glass of wine while Square One Salon & Spa washes your dog. There will be a raffle with items such as a Square One Salon gift basket, an iPod Nano, and a Dog Lover’s gift basket. All proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. Visit www.humanesocietydayton.org for more information.

Queer As Funny

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Poppy Champlin Brings The Queer Queens Of Qomedy To Wiley’s

The Queer Queens Of Qomedy are Qumming! Not only is that poor grammar, but it sounds more than a bit dirty as well. Poppy Champlin, creator of the Queer Queens of Qomedy, has been a staple of the comedy scene, appearing on Comic’s Unleashed with Byron Allen, Rosie O’Donnell’s Stand-up Spotlight and has recently unveiled a new show on Showtime called Pride: The Gay and Lesbian Comedy Slam. Having spoken with Poppy several times over the years, one thing that she has stated over and over was that the show was not strictly geared towards the LGBT crowd as well as her love of Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub itself.

Appearing with Poppy this time around are comedians Dana Austin, who hails from Cleveland, and Shann Carr, who has published a hilarious book called, You’re Going To Be Gay! The Queer Queens will reign over Wiley’s on Thursday September 9th at 8:00 pm, Friday at 9:00 pm, Saturday at 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm and then on Sunday at 8:00 pm. Tickets range from $10 to $20, so either call (937) 224-JOKE (5653) for more information or to make reservations or go to Wiley’s website at www.wileyscomedyclub.com.

J.T.: Since the name of the tour is The Queer Queens of Qomedy, I’m going let you give me an overview of what people can expect.
Poppy: Well, this is something new that we’re doing in Dayton that we’ve never done before, which I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes. Usually we just do one night wherever we go. Like in Chicago, we did one night and we had a good show. Now, this will be different because we’ll be at Wiley’s from Thursday through Sunday. The two other comics that I’m bringing are really, really, really good and they’re really well known in the queer comedy world, so it’s giving people more of an opportunity to see them over a longer amount of time. These two comics…Shann Carr is a story teller comedian and weaves a story and then slams you with a great punchline. Dana Austin is a African American comic who tells it like it is, so pay attention. They’re more mainstream, so hopefully the people in the area that are used to great comedy, because I know Wiley’s gets great comics, they can also come and enjoy this without feeling like they’re going to be inundated with gay this and gay that. It’s really more great comedy than it is queer comedy…but, it is queer. We are all gay.

J.T.: You have made Wiley’s a regular stop on your yearly tours. What is it about the club that you like?
Poppy: I like Wileys because it is an old comedy club and there is plenty of comedy chi in the room and I am a part of the old guard of comics and belong in that room.

J.T.: Are you going to have to change up the act a little bit to accommodate playing at Wiley’s?
Poppy: Yeah, I’ll change it a little. I mean, I used to play there all the time. I used to do Wiley’s back in 92’-93’…and I think even 91’…and I used to have a blast!

J.T.: …and you will find that it hasn’t changed since then.
Poppy: (Laughs) Yeah, it was a blast and I always used to just have so much fun there. I remember that I was the one who had broken the record there for being the longest on stage. I mean, since then, it’s been broken many times, but I remember being up there for like two hours one time. You know, I was just sitting up there just drinking and buying people shots and they’re buying me shots and we were just having a good time. I just know that Wiley’s is a fun place and when people go there, they always have a good time. This time around, I would probably bring out more of my drinking material versus some feminist material or something like that, so, more towards blue collar material and whatever works in the area.
J.T.: Do you feel that your shows kind of bridge the gap between the LGBT communities and “mainstream” communities?
Poppy: They sure could bridge the gap if the straight community would be daring enough to check us out…

J.T.: Do you think that the Queer Queens of Qomedy Tour challenges people’s perceptions?
Poppy: Yes it is tough to get past the name sometimes and those that are scared by the name do not show up and those that are not scared by the name come out and don’t even consider the name for the next one or one like it.

J.T.: Do you have a large following of fans in the Dayton and Miami Valley area?
Poppy: This is the 3rd year so when the word goes out that we are coming the LGBT community rallies and puts it out on the net and since it is a relatively small community, so the peeps should come out to support and enjoy!