Birmingham magazine interns are essential to the publication, and readers often see their work in print. But there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes, as Editorial Intern Abby Colella can attest. She’s been hard at work this semester on our annual Beautiful People issue, which will be published in June. This isn’t Abby’s first time working at Alabama Media Group, either; last summer, she interned with specialty publications in Huntsville. Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Editorial Intern Abby Colella” at bhammag.com.
AL.com’s Red Clay Readers, in partnership with the Alabama Center for Literary Arts, is a book club designed to take a fresh look at a southern classic with the help of our readers. Today, Birmingham magazine Managing Editor Carla Jean Whitley takes a look at Chapters 27 and 28 of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Click here to get 20 percent off your copy of the book at Books a Million.
Atticus Finch has lost his case. Tom Robinson has died.
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee’s masterpiece novel, is winding down. Several of the book’s central conflicts have resolved, but there are lessons yet to learn. Read more “Lessons yet to learn as Red Clay Readers near the end of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird” at al.com
We’ve all spotted them: the people who slip out of a worship service immediately after—or sometimes, even before—its conclusion. Preston Graham, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) in New Haven CT, approached some such folks to find out why. They didn’t feel like they belonged, he learned. In a church built around the Yale University community and led by a pastor with a degree from that institution, less educated and affluent residents didn’t think they fit in.
“That’s when we realized we were expecting people of all communities and cultures to become like us,” Graham says. “We decided we had to find another way.” Read more “Churches reaching a variety of communities for Christ” at pcamna.org.
Our interns are a crucial part of our team, and Alexis Nord has brought her enthusiasm to the sales team. Alexis is a Homewood resident and a sophomore at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She hails from Mobile, where her parents, three older siblings and two mini shih tzus reside. In addition to her studies and work at the magazine, Alexis is a tutor at Glen Iris Elementary School and a sales associate at Lotus Boutique. Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Sales Intern Alexis Nord” at bhammag.com.
One of my greatest joys as managing editor of Birmingham magazine is getting to work with young journalists. They’ve taught me so much about being a manager and a leader, and they always bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to our office.
This semester, Samford University senior Hayley McDonald has been a tremendous asset to our team. Hayley stays busy outside of work, too; she’s the editor-in-chief of Samford’s Exodus magazine and works part-time at Seibel’s in Homewood. With graduation on the horizon, we’re eager to see where she lands next. Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Editorial Intern Hayley McDonald” at bhammag.com.
If you’ve ever advertised with a publication in Birmingham, chances are you’ve worked with Birmingham magazine Senior Account Executive Garrick Stone. Garrick has worked in advertising and media for 20 years, and the last five have been with Birmingham magazine. (Lucky us!)
This University of Alabama at Birmingham alumnus lives in Vestavia Hills with his beautiful wife, twin daughters and a dog. After working hours, you’re likely to catch G, as we call him, on his bike. Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Senior Account Executive Garrick Stone” at bhammag.com.
In Vintage, author and secondhand store enthusiast Susan Gloss weaves together the lives of three very different women in a story filled with humor and heart.
Violet Turner, the 30-something proprietor of Hourglass Vintage, has a passion for making something out of the hand life has dealt. Growing up in small-town Wisconsin, she was always a bit offbeat but found safety in dating a popular boy. With dogged determination, Violet continued to live the life she thought she should live. But when she realized that she wanted more from life and that her husband was a good-for-nothing alcoholic, Violet took off for the state capital and a new life. Read more “Vintage: Boutique Bonds” at bookpage.com.
In the latest novel by accomplished author Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission, A Jury of Her Peers), which shares the title of its main character’s book, relationship challenges raise questions of how often we really know what’s best, whether living the life we’ve envisioned necessarily means we’re living it right, and how we overlook our instinctive responses to the people we meet. Read more “You Should Have Known: Take your own medicine” at bookpage.com.
Had she caught me in the act, my roommate would have wondered why the heck I was sitting on the kitchen floor, the contents of our pantry strewn about me as I bent over my laptop computer. I’m a bit obsessive and certainly a list maker, but cataloging every spice and vegetable in the house was taking my organizing tendencies to a new level.
But if she had asked what on earth I was thinking, I would have showed her recipecrafters.com. And then she would understand. Read more “Cook What You Buy: A new website helps users keep track of the food they have on hand” at bhammag.com.
For The Heavy Hearts, quite a lot. The Americana band contemplated a number of options before settling on a name that they hope represents their sound. They’ll reveal that to listeners on May 2 with the release of “Keep Your Light On,” their first full-length album. Read more “Shining Light on Heavy Hearts: These folks singers aim to use music to lift spirits” at bhammag.com.
Haley Isbell is no stranger to Birmingham. She and husband Bobby were born and raised here, and all of their immediate family call Birmingham home. “Both sides of the family get along super well so I’m crazy spoiled,” says Moody resident Haley, who is four-and-a-half months pregnant with the couple’s first child.
It’s no surprise, then, that in 2013 Haley jumped at the chance to work for Birmingham magazine. She’s transferred six years of experience in marketing to her work as a sales account executive. “I thought it would be an awesome way to stay connected to the community with a little bit more of a creative aspect involved,” the University of Alabama graduate explains. The magazine staff already knew her as mom to Raleigh, a Weimaraner who was a finalist in the 2013 Cutest Pets contest. Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Account Executive Haley Isbell” at bhammag.com.
Can you see the little white line? Barely? Maybe? Yeah, so you can see I was right not to worry.
I remember the scene like this:
My best friends Amy, Erin and I sat in Erin’s bedroom, lights out, black light on, black light posters glowing on the wall and Smashing Pumpkins’ “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” (ed.: thanks for the catch, Renita!) playing over the boom box. It was the middle of another bright, sunny afternoon in suburban Florida.
No, we weren’t doing anything illicit. In the years since, I’ve realized that this set up may sound as though we were up to something. We were merely 14, and therefore a bit odd.
Amy and Erin lounged on one side of the room as I perched on Erin’s dresser, my back to the window. I don’t think we were doing anything particular; we were high-school freshmen, and therefore our time together consisted of a lot of angst about nothing in particular, the occasional dance party (“Pump Up the Jam,” anyone?) and a lot of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s the same story teenagers have acted out throughout the generations.
But on that day, Erin took an ordinary afternoon in a different direction. She picked up a canister of deodorant, intending to startle me by throwing it at the wall beside me. Erin had a great arm.
And terrible aim.
The deodorant slammed into my chin, its wheel slicing through the skin and into the fat below. I covered it with my hand, hurt but mostly startled. When I moved my hand away, Erin saw blood and burst into tears.
Perhaps I should have gotten stitches, but Erin’s mom was a nurse and applied butterfly bandages as her daughter continued to weep. My dad later worried that I’d be so badly scarred that we should consider plastic surgery. I thought the incident was funny, and for years prized the “boo-boo bear” Erin brought me the next day, its chin also covered in a bandage.
The scar is almost untraceable; no one notices it unless I point it out, and they quickly forget it thereafter. But the story of how a stick of Secret Summer Breeze lacerated my chin lives on.
I’ve shared this story a few times over the years, often as a random, context-free fact that no one would guess about me. After a recent comment on my friend Rachel’s blog, I decided it was time to finally write it down. Erin wants you to know that she felt immense guilt. I want you to know that I, too, feel remorse–I didn’t fully appreciate that Smashing Pumpkins album till years later.
I’m in the process of becoming trained as a yoga teacher, and the nine-month-long training includes writing a number of papers. I’ll post them here because, well, that’s what I do.
The first two were observations on yamas and niyamas. This is my niyama paper, which I wrote earlier this month.
“Everything is OK.”
Earlier this week, my yoga teacher began class with that statement. It was especially powerful because I knew she had reasons to feel otherwise. But that was exactly her point during that day’s practice: Happiness is fleeting, and often based on our circumstances. Santosha, or contentment, comes from a deeper place.
Most of the time, I operate from that mindset. I can’t say everything in my life is perfect, but overall, life is pretty darn good. I’m alive and well, and I’m surrounded by people who love me and whom I love. The rest are just details.
But I’m also clinically depressed, which can make me lose perspective perhaps even more easily than the average person. A minor problem can quickly cloud my vision, leaving me thinking that life as I know it is over.
I’ve seen that frequently in the process of writing my first book. There have been many moments when I wonder why this terrible thing is happening to me. How did I get myself into this? Will life ever be the same again?
When I take a deep breath and reset my perspective, I remember that this is exactly what I’ve always hoped for. I’ve wanted to write a book (or several dozen!) since I was in elementary school. Now I have that opportunity, with assurance that it will be published.
Taking a moment to slow down and reflect on reality, rather than my perspective-distorting insecurities, can remind me that everything is, in fact, OK. The worst that can happen is unlikely to become reality, and the truth is that I lead a pretty nice life. Contentment isn’t based so much on the circumstances, but age and life experience have increased my understanding.
I’m in the process of becoming trained as a yoga teacher, and the nine-month-long training includes writing a number of papers. I’ll post them here because, well, that’s what I do.
The first two were observations on yamas and niyamas. This is my yama paper, which I wrote earlier this month.
Today’s to-do list may offer insight into my current relationship with boundaries. It starts by sitting down to write this paper, a task I’ve put off for several days because other projects took higher priority. Once my morning writing is complete, I’ll drive to WorkPlay for my weekly radio segment.
Then the work truly begins.
I know already I have a full day in the office, with two stories to complete, a number of others to edit and planning for the remainder of 2014. At some point, I’m hoping to sneak in an email to a key source for my book. Research on 40 years of music history has taken longer than I anticipated, so I’ve already received an extension for that project. Even so, I’m also holding myself to a 1,000-word-a-day writing goal. I’m saving all teaching-related duties for another day.
And I’ve still got social obligations, too; tonight is the Literacy Council’s Girlfriend Gala, one of my favorite benefits of the year.
It’s not that I’m any busier than anyone else; that seems to be the norm in our society. But I regularly add to those demands by piling on the projects. That’s especially true in my professional life. I often joke that one job isn’t enough.
However, the effects spill into every other area. Lately, I’ve struggled to wake up with my alarm—a battle I suspect has been made more difficult by staring at a screen for extra hours daily as I write a book. That’s made it difficult to find time to spend with my girl friends, and I often fall asleep while hanging out with my boyfriend.
These particular challenges exist for a season, and it’s one that will soon end. But my relationship to brahmacharya, or boundaries, will continue. I expect to see ebb and flow in how much I allow my calendar to rule my life, as I have in my years to date. But I hope to increase my margins, for my own sake and the sake of my relationships.
I’m not sure I could have previously pinpointed what that sounded like. But as Nickel Creek performed a variety of songs from their four main albums, I felt as though I was taking an audio tour of my past.
“The Lighthouse’s Tale” took me back to Saturday game nights during my senior year of college. We knew two albums were sure crowd pleasers: a mid-90s rock mix a friend made, and Nickel Creek’s self-titled album.
“This Side,” in hindsight, was the perfect song to carry me into that awkward year after college. The band released that album the month I would have started my senior year (had I not decided to finish early). Life felt foreign, indeed, on that side of graduation.
“When You Come Back Down” is one of several songs that remind me vividly of moving back to Alabama and finally chasing down my dream: a career in journalism. When I enrolled in grad school at Alabama, I wasn’t sure I would make it in this field. I had always been told I was a good writer, but I knew journalism was a competitive, intense industry. I realized how much I had to learn in my first semester, thanks to the Intro to Reporting class (a course I earned a B in, but now teach). I was terrified, but I was taking a chance I believed was worth taking.
It was hard to believe it would pay off during nights when I would lie awake, obsessing over how I could strengthen my resume and skill set in order to get a job. When I couldn’t quiet my mind, I’d return that self-titled album to my CD player. By track three, “Out of the Woods,” I would be breathing easier. By the song’s end, I would usually fall asleep.
My favorite band seemed to change with me, with instrumentals on each album exploring new territory (I love “Ode to a Butterfly,” but “Smoothie Song” and “Scotch and Chocolate” took my growing interest in instrumental music a step further). Every time “First and Last Waltz” begins, I remember again how it seamlessly transitions into “Helena,” showing how a voiceless piece of music can set the tone for what’s to come.
“Doubting Thomas,” and “Why Should the Fire Die?” as a whole, carried me further still. The album came out while I was working my first job. I knew journalism was the right fit–I loved it even more than I imagined I might–but I was also struggling with the adjustment that accompanies working full time and figuring out life on your own. The answers weren’t always easy, and the journey didn’t always look like what I expected.
“Reasons Why” has always encapsulated the struggle of those unmet expectations. There were nights, particularly in 2002, when I would play the song on repeat. It remains my official favorite song of all time.
When I first heard “Hayloft” on the band’s latest album, I was taken aback. It felt jarring in the context of both their previous work and “A Dotted Line.” But the song has grown on me, and seeing it performed tonight reminded me of how much Nickel Creek has matured in the 13 years I’ve loved their music. These songs and musicians have been the soundtrack to my growing up.
Nickel Creek, Alabama Theatre April 16, 2014
Destination / The Lighthouse’s Tale / Scotch and Chocolate / This Side / Rest of My Life / Out of the Woods / Ode to a Butterfly / When In Rome / 21st of May / Anthony / Smoothie Song / You Don’t Know What’s Going On / Reasons Why / Doubting Thomas / Elephant in the Corn / Somebody More Like You / Hayloft / The Fox
Encore: First and Last Waltz / Helena / Cuckoo’s Nest / Where Is Love Now
When in doubt, I turn to Nora Ephron for inspiration.
Tonight I spent three hours working on my book. Tomorrow I’ll grade this finish grading my students’ papers and begin the last month of the semester. Thursday evening I’ll attend a party to benefit one of my favorite nonprofits. This weekend I’ll spend 20-plus hours in yoga teacher training. And sometime, someday soon, I’ll rest.
I’m fortunate to be at a point in life when I get to delve into so many passions in so many different ways. I love teaching, writing, editing, volunteering and mentoring.
I also know this season won’t last forever. As it is, I try not to commit to anything unless I’m passionate about it. In the past, that’s meant saying no to some very good things in order to devote my attention to the issues that are most important to me. Now, that also requires me to consider everything on my plate and whether it’s an activity I should dedicate time to for a season or indefinitely.
As I age, I also regularly reflect on my goals and priorities. I have a number of professional aims, and they’ve been adjusted through the years as I cross them off the list. (Yes, I keep an actual list. I doubt you’re surprised.) But my greatest priority isn’t my work, satisfying and necessary (girl’s gotta eat!) as it is. It’s more important to me to love well and devote my attention to those who I hold closest.
Perfect balance is an illusion, but I’m striving to dedicate the best of me to those people. That’s why I often disconnect from social media on the weekends and confine my freelance work to the week nights when possible. It’s also why I am beginning to, again, examine my commitments and determine which I may need to step away from.
I’m especially aware of that search for equilibrium when deadlines draw closer and my calendar fills with writing projects. Even when I have to settle for a carefully scheduled brunch or a short phone call between appointments, I must regularly remind myself that it’s the people, not the activities, that matter most.
Before rejoining the Birmingham magazine staff in 2006 (she was our fall 2004 intern), Carla Jean spent two years working at newspapers in Central Alabama. This University of Alabama graduate also works as an adjunct instructor at both her alma mater and Samford University. Although she’s a Birmingham native, she spent 15 years in Florida and earned her bachelor’s degree at Florida State University. –-Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Managing Editor Carla Jean Whitley” at bhammag.com.
Today Birmingham magazine and the rest of the Alabama Media Group’s Birmingham hub moved into a new space in the Young & Vann building at 1731 First Ave. N.
Take a quick video tour of our new office, and read more in the stories linked below. –Read more “Take a Tour of the New Alabama Media Group Birmingham Hub” at bhammag.com.
The countdown is on: My manuscript is due to my editor three weeks from yesterday. (EDITOR’S NOTE: For those wondering, that deadline has changed. Lots of work still to do!)
Although it’s been 11 months since he verbally accepted my proposal and nearly nine months since I received the signed contract, these final days are proving the most intense part of the book-writing process. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised; writers, like people in a number of other fields, are renowned for their procrastination tactics. Just earlier today, a former newspaper columnist told me she enjoyed having written, past tense. –Read more “Keep Calm and Get Over Yourself” at postscriptblog.com.
David Magee may be new to Birmingham magazine, but he has a long career in both print and digital media—just look under “M” in your favorite bookstore. David spent a decade as an author, and he has also served as the managing editor of theInternational Business Times and assistant managing editor/digital of The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger. He is also Alabama Media Group’s statewide publications manager. –Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Editor David Magee” at bhammag.com.
Logan Dillard and Stephen Stinson knew they loved filmmaking. But it wasn’t until a school project that the pair realized their artistic passion could become their life’s work.
Dillard and Stinson became friends during their freshman year at Samford University, and though they shared a passion for the art, the duo had not worked together. That changed when Stinson enrolled in a music video class his senior year. Although Dillard wasn’t in the class, Stinson asked his friend to join him in identifying a Birmingham-based band for whom they could make a music video. –Read more “Telling Stories” at bhammag.com.
Attorney Melinda Sellers works with a number of beer manufacturers and distributors, but it used to be that the best way she could demonstrate her familiarity with the business was to tell them that her husband Michael is an owner of Good People Brewing Co. That changed in September, when Sellers became a Certified Cicerone. –Read more “Know Your Beer” at bhammag.com.
A shadow is darkness, but you can’t have it without light. It’s appropriate, then, that singer-songwriter Preston Lovinggood’s second solo album, “Shadow Songs,” opens with high-fidelity takes of five songs from his previous effort, “Sun Songs.”–Read more “Out of the Shadows” at bhammag.com.
I ordered my first Mac laptop this week. It took a lot of deliberation; I had held off for years because I suspect that once I go Mac, I won’t go back. But in the past year, I’ve completed more freelance projects than ever, and I expect it’ll be a boon in my full-time and side work to have access to the industry standard for writing and design.
Buying a Mac, as many of you know, is quite a commitment. They’re generally more expensive than PCs, so deciding to take the Apple plunge is a big deal. But then you’ve got to decide which model MacBook you want. The Air is light and sleek, but not quite as powerful as the Pro. The Pro is a beast with a fancy screen, but not quite as portable as the Air.
But these days, neither of the newest models come equipped with a CD drive!
And this is how I’ve come to learn that I’m a weirdo because I still use CDs. Don’t be mistaken, I’m also a big fan of the cloud; my Google Drive is perpetually teetering at 90 percent full, and I have to clean out my Dropbox frequently. I also backup files to a 1 Terabyte external hard drive. I’m drinking the Kool-Aid, in other words.
I also buy CDs. I receive them from record labels (still, although not as frequently as I once did), and I keep a bin of them in my bedroom closet. Although technology is generally pretty good to me (WordPress hasn’t failed me yet!), I’m not comfortable relying on it for my entire music collection.
So after much debate and a number of people telling me I should let go of the notion of a built-in CD drive, I made up my mind. The older MacBook Pro isn’t only cheaper, it’s also exactly the machine I want.
Because after all, I’ll need a way to load these guys onto my fancy digital devices.
My most recently acquired albums, including Nickel Creek’s “A Dotted Line” (getting the advance review download wasn’t enough! Gotta support one of my favorite bands), The Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers’ “Rare Bird Alert” (featuring the Dixie Chicks AND Paul McCartney!) and Ruben Studdard’s “Unconditional Love.”
I’m not being the best friend right now–and that’s hard for me. I love being able to swing by a friend’s house when she calls and says dinner’s on, or enjoy a mid-week girls’ night with another while her husband is out of town. But right now, I’ve got to hunker down and write.
My manuscript is due on April 7. It’s hard to believe! And there’s still plenty of work to do (isn’t how these things always go?). But I’m excited to be racing toward the finish. I’ve left the “I can’t do this!” phase, am growing increasingly comfortable in the “I can probably do this” phase, hope to soon move into “I can do this!” and can’t wait to get to “I’ve done it!”
In the meantime, I’m still allowing myself a few minutes here and there to write personal projects–including my semi-regular blog posts for Church Street Coffee and Books, where I’m documenting my journey as a first-time author.
The countdown is on: My manuscript is due to my editor three weeks from yesterday.
Although it’s been 11 months since he verbally accepted my proposal and nearly nine months since I received the signed contract, these final days are proving the most intense part of the book-writing process. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised; writers, like people in a number of other fields, are renowned for their procrastination tactics. Just earlier today, a former newspaper columnist told me she enjoyed having written, past tense.
Two years ago, Annie Damsky and I sat at a table in Magic Muffins talking about yoga. I was interviewing Annie about opening Birmingham’s only yoga studio to offer classes for the whole family, Villager Yoga. As we talked, I told her that I was trying to develop my own “yoga addiction.” I had been practicing on my own at home for about six weeks, and was beginning to regularly attend classes at The Yoga Circle.
One year ago, Melissa Scott and I were in Chattanooga for the weekend when she mentioned an interest in leading a teacher training. “I’ll be the first to sign up,” I said. I had already contemplated teacher training as a way to deepen my understanding, whether I were to eventually teach or not.
Tonight, teacher training begins.
I cannot adequately express how excited I am. As promised, I was (I think) the first student to register for training. Melissa has been an incredible teacher and friend for the past two years, and I am thrilled to learn from her and support her.
But perhaps more importantly, I’m excited to allow myself this experience. My to-do list is especially full right now, with a number of projects both at and outside of work. I feel as though I could work all weekend and not accomplish all I’d like. These are the moments when I especially need to slow down, take a deep breath and put the world back into perspective.
I’ll spend the rest of the weekend aiming to do just that, and will return to my mat for these intensive sessions eight more times between now and November. I can’t wait to see where this path leads.
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AL.com’s Red Clay Readers, in partnership with the Alabama Center for Literary Arts, is a book club designed to take a fresh look at a southern classic with the help of our readers. Today, Birmingham magazine Managing Editor Carla Jean Whitley takes a look at Chapters 27 and 28 of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Click here to get 20 percent off your copy of the book at Books a Million.
We’ve all spotted them: the people who slip out of a worship service immediately after—or sometimes, even before—its conclusion. Preston Graham, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) in New Haven CT, approached some such folks to find out why. They didn’t feel like they belonged, he learned. In a church built around the Yale University community and led by a pastor with a degree from that institution, less educated and affluent residents didn’t think they fit in.
In Vintage, author and secondhand store enthusiast Susan Gloss weaves together the lives of three very different women in a story filled with humor and heart.
In the latest novel by accomplished author Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission, A Jury of Her Peers), which shares the title of its main character’s book, relationship challenges raise questions of how often we really know what’s best, whether living the life we’ve envisioned necessarily means we’re living it right, and how we overlook our instinctive responses to the people we meet. Read more “You Should Have Known: Take your own medicine” at bookpage.com.
Had she caught me in the act, my roommate would have wondered why the heck I was sitting on the kitchen floor, the contents of our pantry strewn about me as I bent over my laptop computer. I’m a bit obsessive and certainly a list maker, but cataloging every spice and vegetable in the house was taking my organizing tendencies to a new level.
