MJ Thriller Night for the Gathering Place

On Friday night I went to a Michael Jackson-themed dance party to benefit the Gathering Place in Athens.  It was a lot of fun and as great idea to raise money for their transportation fund. 

Here’s a video I did about the evening for The Post.

Winter at Ohio University

benches with snow, originally uploaded by sbhensley.

This is a pictures I took on my iPhone for my journalism class to post on Athensi.com. Winter at Ohio University can be brutal, but these pictures on my flickr account capture some of the cold silence in the area.

The Ohio University winter break woes

East Green empties out during winter break at Ohio University.

It’s hard to believe that Ohio University’s winter quarter classes will begin in only three weeks!  Where has this winter break gone?  Our massive winter break has its ups and downs and I know I will certainly miss it when I enter the “real world.”

The six-week winter break has long been a great opportunity for students to seek seasonal employment or internships…but not without a cost.  I have noticed that every year, as I move back home to Fort Thomas, Kentucky, I am faced with the challenging task of living with my parents.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but I am sure that many students can agree the transition from independence at school to the  six weeks of oppression and hand-holding from parents can be a difficult one.

Let me first explain– I get along very well with my parents.  We don’t really ever fight, I enjoy their company and they constantly make me laugh.  With that said, it is hard to go from doing everything on my own schedule at school to conforming to their plans and ideas they spring on me last minute. 

Staying out late and sleeping in until noon is not happening in the Hensley household.  Relaxation is replaced with chores and absolute freedom takes a back seat to my parents’ plans.  I hate to complain because winter break with my family has tons of upsides: home cooked meals, no rent or utilities and the constant love and affection from my parents.  It’s nice living with them and they like to take care of me…but I often feel like I am a high school version of myself.

This winter break I am living in Washington, D.C. doing an internship with Meet The Press and it is quite and untraditional choice for me.  Yes, I have freedom from the tyranny of my parents; however, I find myself missing the love, affection and, of course, the delicious meals they provide.  It’s especially difficult knowing this is my last winter break.  When I grow up, I can’t just get a six-week hiatus, move somewhere else, take a break and try something new. 

So as much as I complain about winter break sometimes, I know I am going to be severely missing it this time next  year.  What seems like a painful period of time away from my friends and the comfort of Ohio University is also a much appreciated opportunity to develop skills or make money… and, of course, bond with my parents.

GoodFella’s pizza is now delivering

GoodFella's pizza on Court Street is finally delivering!

One of Athens’ famous pizza joints is now delivering and I am pretty excited about it.

GoodFella’s pizza is a gem on Court Street known for tasty pizza you can buy by the slice. It’s a snack I too often indulge in because of its convenience and the fact that it is open until 3 a.m. So, now that it is delivering this may mean bad things for my waistline though.

According to an article from The Post, other pizza places in Athens do not seem phased by GoodFella’s new delivery option. The store has been open since 1996 and is now just starting to deliver.

I haven’t yet ordered from GoodFella’s but I imagine it is only a matter of time before I do. Athens’ little hole-in-the-wall pizza shop is about to expand to all of Athens.

Perks’ wrong-way tally

Perk’s, a coffee shop in Athens, has a unique feature that many other coffee shops don’t have: a wrong-way tally.  Perk’s employees and customers have been counting the number of cars that go the wrong way on Union Street for almost nine years, said general manager of Perk’s, Nathan Hayes.

And the tally for Fall Quarter is 46… and counting.  Watch the video to see more about this tradition in Athens.

The bricks of Athens

Everyone has managed to trip at least once on the brick of Athens… with injury aside, these bricks are a part of Athens that make it unique and beautiful.  This video of the week shows the good and the bad of the bricks.

Low voter turnout = don’t come crying to me

The results are in and the election is over, but did everyone’s voice get heard?

According to an article from The Post, 75 percent of residents stayed home and did not vote on election day.  Now this was a shock to some while others were less than surprised.  It is obvious that fewer people are going to show up for a non-presidential election… I know if may be hard to garner support for people to go out and vote for the city’s only race–a city council race–but this election also had some issues that many people are passionate about, including Issue 3.

Issue 3, which would bring casinos to four major Ohio cities, passed last night–and many people aren’t happy about it.  I got into a few political debates with my friends, as I often do, and they were against Issue 3.  They could rattle off all of their reasons for being against it and why they were stronly opposed but it came down to one question.

“Did you vote?,” I asked.

“Ummm, no,” they would said.

These people who didn’t want casinos in their hometowns and surrounding areas didn’t even make the effort to vote or to get an absentee ballot.  I know that it feels like it is hard to make a difference and that you are just one small voice.  But don’t let me hear your “small voice” complaining about the casinos popping up when you did nothing to prevent them…not even flex that civil responsibility we call voting.

Now, students may not be counted in the Athens County voter pool.  I am not saying that all students should go out and vote on the Athens issues if they don’t really live here.  But what I am saying is make your voice heard.  If you have an issue that you are passionate about, then get an absentee ballot and vote.  At least then, when you inevitably complain, you are justifiied in doing your part to prevent it.

OU Halloween 2009 Preparation

My first video of the week is about Ohio University’s famous Halloween party.  It captures the atmosphere of Halloween and what students are anticipating this year.

Come back next week for another topic all about Athens!

Want to see what Athens is really about?

I am going to be posting a video clip each week about a topic uniquely Athens.  These videos are going to be on small topics that show what life is really like here in Athens and some of the things that set this town and atmosphere apart from other places.

Enjoy and feel free to comment and offer additional ideas!

Ohio University’s Halloween through the ages

So, as I mentioned in a previous post, Ohio University Halloween is an ordeal that is fun but looses its luster with age.  To show off some of the OU experience, enjoy this slide show showing some pictures from the last three years I have been at OU’s Halloween block party.  What are some of your favorite costumes or Halloween experiences? Post in the comment section below.

What an original costume.

Another original group of costumes.

Halloween goers gather on the steps of the court house.

The more revealing, the happier the Halloween?

Treasure trolls– some students take a more creative approach and make their own costumes.

A few Halloween characters.

My junior year I was Hermione from Harry Potter and my boyfriend was Voldemort… scary, I know.

A domino is an easy do-it-yourself costume.

A mobster and a peacock! My roommates both made their own costumes.