Journalist. Blogger. Author.

By:  Kathleen Neafsey

When walking past a nearby shop, my daughter saw a cute pair of sandals in the window.  They were really just a pair of flip flops with a bow and a gem on them.  It’s been in the back of my mind to try and make a similar pair, and as luck would have it, JC Penney had their flip flops for $1 a pair!  I bought a few colors, then headed over to Michael’s to see what ribbon they had to offer.  Lo and behold, Michael’s had some of their ribbon on sale for $1 also!  I chose a few rolls to coordinate with the sandals I’d bought, found some gems for decoration, and away we go!!

Supplies needed:

*Flip flops
*Ribbon – the cheetah print one shown here is 3/8” wide, and the black and white flower print is 7/8” wide
*Gems, flowers, or other embellishments
*Glue gun

Easy-peasy directions:

1.  Cut ribbon to approximately 36 inches in length.  Depending on the width of the ribbon, this may be enough to cover one or both straps.
2.  Place a small drop of glue on the outside of one strap.  Press the end of the ribbon to the glue and let it set.

3.  Wrap ribbon around that side of the strap, placing a dot of glue every inch or so till you get to the top. Start at the bottom and work your way towards the top/center of the sandal.

4.  When you’ve reached the top, place a small drop of glue on the underside of the strap, and press the ribbon in place.  Cut the ribbon, and continue the same process on the other strap.
5.  For the center bow, cut two pieces of ribbon, about four inches long, and fold each in half to form a loop. Cross one on top of the other, and either glue or sew to hold them together.
6.  Glue the gem into the center of the loops you’ve sewn together; then glue the loops in the center of the straps.

Voila!  There you have it, unique summer sandals in under 30 minutes, and for less than $5!  These would also be fun to make for a bridal party to use when they’re dancing the night away at your reception.  Instead of using ribbon, why not glue on a few small flowers to match the color of the bridesmaid’s dresses? Or how about putting them in a goody bag at a child’s birthday party?  There’s lots of fun ways to change this up, so have a blast!!

Fabri-Kate is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Tuesday. It is written by the crafty Kathleen Neafsey, who wields a mean pair of scissors (and glue gun). Follow her on Twitter @dbmomkat and look for a brand new craft next time

By Catherine Moran

So, I’m a bit late on breaking this news, but good news is never late, right? Late last month, Mayor Bloomberg announced that New York City’s recycling program would be accepting rigid plastics, i.e. takeout containers and yogurt containers, which had previously not been included in the program.

This is the win for those of us who recycle, and either a) save up our rigid plastics (commonly #5s) to bring on the subway to Whole Foods or b) save up to take home to Massachusetts where they can be recycled (I’m not the only one who does this…am I?)

NYC will save about $600,000, so it’s a win for the piggy bank, as well.

Although the policies are already in place, the new rules won’t be enforced until July, when we’ve all had a chance to try our hand at including rigid plastics in our recycling bins. Change can be hard, and memories can be faulty, but we’ll get there.

I’m uproariously excited about this step forward (I did in fact cheer when I first heard the news). I am taking heart from this move, and hope that it inspires other areas that do not do so currently to begin accepting rigid plastics. If New York City can do it, you can do it, too!

Hopefully, the next initiative will be to get NYC residents composting (could be, according to the article linked to above). Summer is coming, and, with it, the stench of rotting garbage that can confront city residents at any moment. I know that my trash has stopped smelling almost entirely since I began composting, and I need to take it out less, saving trash bags. But more on composting to come!

For now, three cheers for recycling rigid plastics! If you want to learn more, you can check out NYC Recycles’ web page, or keep up to date with new efforts on their Facebook page.

A final note: I thought I might keep a log of the Plastic Bag in the Tree Outside My Window each time I post. It’s still hanging on there (pun intended).

Adventures in Greening is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Monday at noon. It is written by the very eco-conscious Catherine Moran. Follow Catherine on Twitter @folowbredcrumbs, or check out her excellent book blog.

By Kate E. Stephenson

This week, on behalf of the entire Kate-Book.com team, I hope all the mothers out there had a very special Mother’s Day! I may be a day late, but in saying thank you, you can never be a dollar short. So I want to say thank you to moms everywhere for bringing us into and introducing us to the world. Moms come in different ways, some by birth, others by circumstance, and others simply by love. To all those moms who work miracles everyday, we salute you!

Now, here’s a little trivia about Mother’s Day. Did you know:

• Mother’s Day is an international holiday celebrated by over 55 countries around the world (although the official date differs from country to country).
• In the US, Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother. Jarvis then campaigned to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized national holiday in the United States.
• On May 8, 1914, Mother’s Day was adopted into law by Congress. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother’s Day.
• Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday in May as designated by the congressional adoption and presidential proclamation.
• The spelling Mother’s Day is purposeful. Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases “Mother’s Day” in 1912. She specifically noted that “Mother’s” should “be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers of the world.”
• By 1920, the modern originator, Anna Jarvis, was already jaded by the commercialism attached to Mother’s Day. Within 6 years the day of honor had turned from a Hallmark moment into Hallmark opportunism. Jarvis filed a lawsuit in an effort to stop the over-commercialisation of Mother’s Day. She lost her fight.

I admit that I was definitely in the card store at the last minute trying to find a sincere tear-jerker for each of my special moms. But I hope that as all of us make our purchases we preserve the spirit of this honorable holiday. At the end of the day, none of us would be here without our mothers. And while life isn’t easy, it is an adventure. I’m grateful for my mommy who made it possible and the mamas who continue to make it an interesting ride for me everyday.

I wish you much maternal love and affection in your life today and every day!

Trivia runs on Kate-book.com every Monday at 10:30am. It is written by the insanely knowledgeable Kate E. Stephenson. Read much more about Kate here, and click here to follow her on Twitter.

By:  Kathleen Neafsey

Technically, it’s May 7th, but this great chili recipe shouldn’t be limited to just one day a year!  I did make it for Cinco de Mayo so that should count for something, right? This is another one of those recipes that was passed along to me, and little by little became my own.  At times I’ve doubled the ingredients, and made it for a crowd.  I can’t tell you how many compliments I’ve received, it’s always a hit!  My favorite part of this recipe is that there’s only one pot to wash!

Here’s what you’ll need:

One pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (1.25 ounce) packet chili seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 (15 ounce) can diced potatoes
1 (15.5 ounce) can each small red beans and small white beans
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa or picante

1.  In a large pot, add meat and onions.  Cook on low-medium heat until meat is browned and onion is tender. Remove from heat and, using a colander, drain any fat.
2.  Return the meat and onion mixture to the pot, and sprinkle in the chili seasoning packet.  Stir it around to get everything coated, then add the cup of water and the can of diced tomatoes.
3.  Using the same colander that you used to drain the fat from the meat, open up those cans of potatoes and beans, dump them in, and give them a good rinse.

Next, add the potatoes and beans to the pot.  Stir them all around, then add the salsa or picante.

4.  Mix well, and turn the heat to low and let cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with chips or over rice – top with cheddar and/or sour cream – enjoy!!

There you have it!  Easy to make. and easy clean up too!

Kathleen’s Kitchen is a column running on Kate-book.com once a month. It is written by the amazing Kathleen Neafsey, who loves trying new recipes. Follow her on Twitter @dbmomkat. And make sure to look out for her amazingly fun column, Fabri-Kate.

By Kathleen S. Kirk

Every so often, some people find themselves in a situation that makes them wonder how on earth they got there. It’s like falling through a trapdoor and you look up to leave the way you came, but the door snaps shut and you can only go forward with a sore rear and terror-born heart palpitations.

I found myself in one of these situations not too long ago, when I decided that I was going to start a web digest. It wouldn’t be just any web digest, but rather a web digest devoted to being a female nerd. And now, two months later and 20+ staff members later, we have Feminerdity.com and I have a new job as editor-in-chief.

Sometimes I look around at the giant whiteboards full of things to do and upcoming content, the overflowing inbox, and pages and pages of both physical and virtual notes and I wonder how I got here. I wonder how on earth I thought I was capable and competent enough to run such a web digest.

And then I move my cat off my keyboard, fire off a bunch of emails, and remind myself that, so far, the force is with me and everything will be okay.

The job does have some perks. The staff is amazing and really fun to work with. The content mostly has me in my element. My dreams have gotten more interesting, as I have panic attacks in my sleep about the site going down or missing an important appointment.

And, once in awhile, I get to function as press at various events and conventions, including the Atlanta Comic Convention, held two weeks ago in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Atlanta Comic Convention is a small, independent con focused almost exclusively on comic books. It’s held four times a year in a very lovely convention center. When I was there, they had a small ballroom dedicated to comic dealers, their boxes spread out across a sea of tables. Outside, the hallway was full of tables hosting artists and dealers. This is what is commonly known as the “artists’ alley.”

For so many people crowded into that space, it was very surprising to find the atmosphere was rather relaxed, yet invigorating, instead of rushed, irritable, or anything like that.

The level of respect for the merchandise was also very unexpected. Hundreds of people were rifling through boxes of comics, with some just flat-out buying the whole box. They were very quick in their search, but they all seemed careful to keep the comics in good condition, even if they themselves weren’t buying them.

I stumbled headlong into this scene with no real idea of how cons worked, yet I had a keen interest in potentially becoming interested in reading comics. (Yes, you read that right.) I also needed to get my feet wet so I didn’t show up as press for the major con season looking completely bewildered.

In the end, I returned with the first installment of Young Avengers, which feels more like a chapbook to me. I spent far too much time in literary publishing.

But I’ve always had a weird appreciation for the smell of books, of their bindings, glue, and paper, and, while this comic book lacks a proper binding or any glue, it smells phenomenal. I’ve read it twice and, while it feels way too short and I don’t feel as into it as I would like, I must say I am intrigued and am looking for more installments.

I returned from the con with enough raw footage to clog up a good internet connection in sheer data alone, back to the mountainous to-do lists, whiteboard lists, and deadlines.

But I brought back with me a new appreciation for a different facet of my job, a new reason to love it, and a great anticipation for the upcoming con season.

Oh, and before I forget… May the 4^th be with you!

By Kate E. Stephenson

Sorry, Bookclubbers. This one’s posting a little late today. But I promise it’s worth the wait.

In this first week of May 2013, I hereby call to order the 19th meeting of Kate’s Book Club. Every week, we shall be reading a tome either (a) penned by an author named Kate or (b) that includes a character named Kate. If you missed our last meeting, feel free to get caught up.

This week we review Kate Douglas’ latest book Dark Wolf.

Released yesterday, April 30^th, Dark Wolf is the first installment in Douglas’ new series Spirit Wild. And oh, boy! Is it a great introduction! I am a huge fan of paranormal romance, and Kate Douglas takes it to an entirely new level of scrumptiousness. So to give you a bit of background:

Sebastian Xenakis is still coming into his power as a wizard. He can shapeshift by magical means and runs as a wolf using the power he draws from the elements. But young women are dying—raped by a human and then slaughtered by a wolf. Suspicion falls on the shapeshifting Chanku, but Sebastian wonders if he might somehow be guilty of the crimes. Then he meets Lily Cheval, the uncrowned princess of the powerful Chanku, and realizes he will do whatever it takes to clear his name and win her love. But evil walks where Sebastian goes, and there are mysteries neither Lily nor her father, the powerful wizard Anton Cheval can unravel. Is Sebastian the perfect mate for Lily, or is he instead, one she should fear?

Ok, so I stole that straight off the back of the book, but it sets the tone beautifully. There is something incredibly sexy about a tall, dark and handsome wizard with crazy teal eyes who can shapeshift into the dark predatory wolf—and Douglas knows it. I felt personally manipulated while reading this story, as if Ms. Douglas had a direct window into the secret recesses of my mind. And that is her talent. Kate is able to create a fiery landscape of fantasy, while engaging our most common fears and concerns. There is an eclecticism to  Kate’s writing that creates a kaleidoscope of characters, emotional textures, and rich conflict that leaves you eager and anxious for the next installment.

Before I finished the last page, I was ready for the first page of the next book. I want to know more about Lily Cheval, her father Anton and her mother Keisha. I want to know who Sebastian really is and who he’s meant to become. I want to run with the Chanku pack and discover more of their rich history and how they came to be among us mere humans.

There are so many elements that make this a good read. The love story. The battle—both internal and external—between good and evil. The bonds, that either support or restrain us. And of course—the steamy scenes that are so expertly seductive. But there is also a great deal more if you look below the top layers. There is a concern about hatred and prejudice, a cautioning about the corruption of power, and a commentary about the universal struggle to claim identity in a chaotic and unpredictable world.

There are a few moments that I think were shortcutted, some background left out, and some scenes rushed through. But at 352 pages, I can understand the moments in which I could feel the editor’s pen. Conversely, the scenes of intimacy at times felt forced (but Douglas is known for her racy writing). Also the cover absolutely drives me crazy—did the artist not know the protagonist’s eyes are blue! A minor thing, but a lost opportunity to make that cover pop even more. Take these piddling cons and chalk them up to more reason to read this book, because you are the only critic that matters. Judge for yourself.

Here’s an excerpt from Dark Wolf, Chapter 1:

Crickets chirped. An owl hooted. A dusting of starlight shimmered faintly against granite peaks, but here at the forest’s edge, all was dark. Shivering slightly in the cool night air, Sebastian Xenakis stood beneath the gnarled oak, just one more shadow among many. With great humility and as much confidence as he could muster while standing naked in the darkness, he raised his arms, drew on the magic coursing through his veins, and once more called on the spirit within the tree, one he affectionately thought of as the lady, humbly asking for her strength.

Nothing.

“Damn it all.” He exhaled, accepting the rush of air for what it was—a huge blast of frustration at the serendipitous nature of his magic. He stared at the massive tree towering overhead and methodically emptied his mind of all thoughts, all distractions. He put aside anger and frustration, fears and hopes, leaving room for nothing but here and now. Focusing everything within, he opened his heart to possibilities, and waited.

A few long, frustrating minutes later, he felt her warmth envelop him. An unexpected frisson raced across his bare shoulders, along his arms. It caressed his naked buttocks and swirled over his belly, lifting the dark line of body hair that trailed from navel to groin. Then it slithered along his thighs, circled his calves and tickled across his bare feet. His cock, flush with hot blood, swelled high and hard against his belly, giving homage to the gift of power.

Then, sliding away as soft as a whisper, the intimate sense of touch, of sentient communion, bled off into the damp loam and returned to its source through thickly tangled roots. Sebastian sighed, a shuddering acceptance of sensual pleasure, the gift of contact with such a powerful force.

The lady of the oak.

His erection remained, strong evidence of her touch, the visceral connection he’d made with a spirit ancient beyond recorded memory. His body thrummed with her life force, with her power, until Sebastian felt each and every one of her thick and twisted branches spreading far and wide, until he bowed beneath the age and innate wisdom of the ancient tree. This mother oak must have stood here, a silent sentinel of the forest since long before the dawn of modern history. A few heavy branches had fallen over time, but he knew her roots were strong, her branches healthy. As if challenging time itself, the graceful beauty and symmetry of the tree remained.

He remembered the first time he saw the oak, recalled the sense of life, the sure knowledge of the tree’s spiritual power. It was on that day he’d learned his father wielded the kind of power Sebastian had quickly grown to crave.

Standing just beyond the reach of the great branches, unsure of his relationship with a man he barely knew, Sebastian had watched Aldo Xenakis call lightning out of a clear, star-filled sky—call it and control it with the deft hands of a master.

He’d been seduced so easily, so quickly by that flashy show of fire and magic. Of power. Immeasurable power. So thoroughly seduced he knew he might never break free of its siren call.

Might never break free of the man he’d consciously sought, despite his mother’s warning. Now it was much too late. His die had been cast, commitments made, and he was almost glad his mother was dead.

Glad she couldn’t see what he’d become.

Sebastian quickly shoved thoughts of his moral weakness, his failures—and his father—aside. There was no need to mar the beauty of this night. He took a deep breath and then, almost as an afterthought, cleared his mind of all obstructions and drew more power to him. Pulled it from the earth, from the sky, from the water of a nearby stream, from the mountain itself. The fire must come from within, but he called on that as well and felt the power build.

Then he buffered the swirling energy with the strength of the oak until it was entirely under his control. Until he was the one holding the power.

Unlike his father, unwilling to display or even acknowledge such arrogance, Sebastian turned and bowed his head toward the oak, giving the tree’s spirit his grateful thanks for her help. Then, spreading his fingers wide, he consciously breathed deeply and opened himself to the energy flowing into him from all directions. A brilliant glow surrounded him, but it wasn’t lightning that lit the dark night.

It was power. Raw power he’d pulled from the earth, from the air and water. From the spirit in the tree, and the fire burning in his soul.

Within seconds, the light blinked out. Gone as if it had never existed at all.

As was the man. In his place, a wolf darker than night raised its head and sniffed the air. Then it turned away and raced into the forest.

Ok, Book Clubbers, until next time…

Kate’s Book Club is a column on Kate-book.com featuring interviews with authors named Kate, as well as reviews of books starring Kate characters. It runs on Kate-book.com every other Wednesday at 10:30am, and is written by the self-admitted bibliophile Kate E. Stephenson, who you should follow on Twitter here. Oh, and write to Kate to suggest authors and books we should read for future columns.

By Catherine Moran

Last year (holy moly!) I wrote about my issues with plastic bags.  Since then, I have had the less-than-distinct pleasure of getting to know a plastic bag. It lives in the tree outside my window. This is my letter to The Bag.

Dear Bag,

We’ve gone through a lot together these past few months. When you appeared in the fall, I didn’t think you’d stay long. But as the temperature has changed, as has the tree you are mooching off of, I can tell you’re in this for the long haul.

You were the only thing I saw on the naked tree outside my window. I’m sure the tree appreciated your company. In some ways, I did, too: on those dark winter mornings, you were the only moving object in the wee hours near dawn. No cars, people, or animals disturbed the silence, but you kept on your undulating wave; a sweet acknowledgement from your perch for those who glanced your way.

You have been a reminder to me, every day, of how little humans can care for our home. As day after day went by, you remained, unchanged as a statue. Sometimes, I imagine I can hear your crinkling when the breeze is soft.

We know one another now, you and I. But, you know as well as I do: it’s time for you to move on. It’s time for you to share the lesson your very presence implies with someone else, someone who still uses plastic bags.  Our tree is in bloom––look at all its tiny leaves! Your presence has become a suffocating one, detracting from the beauty that nature is trying to unfold.

Perhaps you will find others like you, in some faraway land of plastic bags.

You have lingered far too long.

Adieu, Bag. Adieu.

Adventures in Greening is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Monday at noon. It is written by the very eco-conscious Catherine Moran. Follow Catherine on Twitter @folowbredcrumbs, or check out her excellent book blog.

By Kate E. Stephenson

If you’re like me this Monday morning—searching for strength and motivation to get this week started—then today’s Trivia may be just what you need.

Today, April 29, is the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena. As stated by AmericanCatholic.org, “The value [St. Catherine of Siena] makes central in her short life and which sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to Christ.”

Kate-Book.com does not advocate any one religion, deity or creed. Yet St. Catherine’s steadfastness may offer all of us, regardless of dogma or doctrine, a ray of hope and sunshine. This morning after waking up with a headache, finding out one of my projects was delayed, and being brushed off by a client, I realized my morning was not a great start to the week. Then at the moment I enjoyed the entire hot contents of my coffee mug spilling all over me and my desk, I realized something else—I have no control over this day. The question is what to do now? Sopping wet, sticky, and watching the dark liquid glide over papers, keyboard, shoes—everything!—I started to cry and crawl back into bed.

Instead what came out of my mouth was a very long bellyroll of a laugh. Then I decided to get on with my unpredictable day. Now I offer you this information about St. Catherine to help you get your day started on a better foot too!

More about St. Catherine from AmericanCatholic.org:

She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up as an intelligent, cheerful and intensely religious person. Catherine disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being overly encouraged to improve her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for prayer and meditation.

She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next three years in seclusion, prayer and austerity. Gradually a group of followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more and more note of public affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the Dominican General Chapter of 1374.

Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope

In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her “children” and was canonized in 1461.

Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.

Read more:

[Wikipedia]

[New Advent]

More Kate Saints:

[Saint Kateri]

[Kate: Blessed and Holy Name]

 Trivia runs on Kate-book.com every Monday at 10:30am. It is written by the insanely knowledgeable Kate E. Stephenson. Read much more about Kate here, and click here to follow her on Twitter.

By:  Kathleen Neafsey

Oh baby!  Do you know a new mom or mom-to-be who likes colors?  Plain, boring white just won’t cut it?  Well I do, and I’ve been trying to think of what I can make for her to brighten up the nursery.  Since I have yet to master the fine art of sewing, but I can wield a pretty mean glue gun, the search was on!  Here it is:  a one-of-a-kind wipes box.

I know that mom-to-be, Francesca, is a lover of animal prints so that’s what inspired my initial trek to the fabric store.  I did discover, however, that unless you’re looking for heavy fleece of slippery rayon, animal prints are hard to find.  There were no soft cottons or flannel for baby’s room.  I did find this cute giraffe print, and a lovely,soft green to go with the room.  I haven’t given up my search just yet, the baby isn’t due until July so I still have some time!!

Here’s what you’ll need to cover a few boxes:

1/4 yard of material
glue gun and glue sticks
fabric glue stick
baby wipes box

Step One:
Lay the material, pattern side down, on a flat surface. Place the wipes box on the material, and draw the material up on the sides to see how much you’ll need and mark where to cut.  Allow an extra inch on all sides.

Step Two:
Remove the box from the material and cut it where you’ve marked it off.

Step Three:
This is where the fabric glue stick comes in.  Again, to avoid any sewing, I folded each of the sides down about 1/2  to 1 inch and glued it to itself to make clean edges.

Step Four:
Place the box back in the center of the material (still pattern side down).  Make a thin line of glue along the edge of the box and glue the material in place.  I started with front and back and then folded the sides in as if I were wrapping a package, and glued.  I then cut out a small piece of material and glued it to the pop-up dispenser on top of the box.

There you have it; it’s really that simple!  The great thing is that the boxes are refillable.  Whip up a couple of these, get some refills, and you have an instant shower gift!  I’ll keep you posted on my search for more animal prints – wish me luck!!

Fabri-Kate is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Tuesday. It is written by the crafty Kathleen Neafsey, who wields a mean pair of scissors (and glue gun). Follow her on Twitter @dbmomkat and look for a brand new craft next time

By Kate E. Stephenson

In honor of The Great Kate, the residents of Katherine Hepburn’s native town and state have opened a cultural arts center in her name. In 2009 the Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, affectionately known as The Kate, opened its doors to welcome eclectic performing artists and discerning culture aficionados of all ages. The website is brimming with information about the new center, events, artists and links to all things Kate.

About the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center

The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is a non-profit performing arts organization located in an historic theatre/town hall on Main Street in Old Saybrook. Originally opened in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Center has been renovated with public funds from the Town of Old Saybrook and donations raised by the Trustees of the Center. It includes a 250-seat theatre and a small museum honoring Katharine Hepburn, Old Saybrook’s most celebrated resident. As befits an organization born of such a public/private partnership, programming is eclectic, offering something for all ages and income levels on the Connecticut shore and in the lower river valley.

In his welcome letter to the public, Executive Director, Chuck Still says:

The Center is unique, in my experience, as it was born not of a singular artistic vision or a single philanthropist’s largesse, but instead of an entire town’s desire to reclaim some of their history and pay tribute to its most celebrated resident. Sure, there are lots of famous home museums that do this, but the Center is not some homage to the past. It is instead a living, breathing organism, touching lives, educating, entertaining and enlightening people all along Connecticut’s shore and up and down the river valley.

Or at least, we hope it will be all these things. As a young organization, we have yet to prove ourselves and really take this place in people’s lives. We are new born, fledgling, no longer a dream, but not yet a reality either.

Chuck goes on to say that the inaugural season is to be dedicated to the generous benefactors of the center whose hard work, commitment, and funding is the lifeblood of the center. Then comments:

And we must also, of course, dedicate this season to our namesake, the ever-luminous Katharine Hepburn. If we can catch just a sliver of her spirit, find just a bit of her fire, the Center will glow unrivalled along the shore. Her life flared so bright and glowed so long that it sets a strong standard, a high threshold, to which to aspire, but it is our name and thus our standard. We can not aspire to less.

The Center offers throwback classic movie cinema featuring Kate Hepburn, live and simulcast musical performances ranging from folk to opera, live and simulcast theater introducing new plays and playwrights, and programs for children. Ticket prices are extremely reasonable ranging from $8 for movies to $65 for live performances, with an average of $25 for most performances.  And, it seems that theatergoers are enjoying the new offerings and the arts space. TripAdviser reflects a 4.5 star rating, along with reviews that tout the excellence of the Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center experience. The venue seems to be succeeding in living in the spirit of its namesake.

The Kate wears the name well.

Like The Kate on Facebook!

Follow The Kate on Twitter!

Check out The Kate performances on YouTube!

Trivia runs on Kate-book.com every Monday at 10:30am. It is written by the insanely knowledgable Kate E. Stephenson. Read much more about Kate here, and click here to follow her on Twitter.

Think cheerleading is just pom-poms, “gimme an ‘R’,” and pleated skirts? Not so much. This book is an exhilarating trip through the rough-and-tumble world of competitive college cheerleading. Because college cheerleaders are extreme athletes who fly thirty feet in the air, build pyramids in which a single slip can send ten people crashing to the ground, and compete in National Championships that are won by hundredths of a point. CHEER! is a year-long odyssey into their universe, following three squads from tryouts to Nationals.

CHEER! has been called “the Friday Night Lights of a new generation.” Read much more about the book here.

“A fist-pumping, Astroturf-banging tribute to the women and men who make up the in-world of competitive college cheerleading. It had me rooting from the edge of my seat for the final countdown of Nationals.”
—NY Post

“An engaging, voyeuristic narrative that suggests college cheerleaders are as close to real-life superheroes as exist.”
—Dallas Morning News

“Torgovnick has done an excellent job of reporting, bringing the reader into this world most of us would never see.”
—USA Today

“Fans of Bring It On will find much to cheer about in Kate Torgovnick’s meticulously reported account of the often-mocked but fascinating world of cheerleading.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“This book manages to be that unique hybrid of narrative non-fiction that reads like fiction. The characters and story lines are so engaging that we give you this warning: It will be your next page turner.”
—Daily Cents

Read much more about CHEER! here.

Most people simply aren’t aware of the fact that cheerleaders were originally men. Cheerleading goes back to the very first college football game, between Princeton and Rutgers. Princeton students started chanting, “Rah rah rah! Tiger tiger tiger! Sis sis sis! Boom boom boom! Ahhhhh!” It became a tradition, and soon the school appointed “yell leaders” who sat in the audience and lead said chants. The idea spread across the country, and in 1898 a University of Minnesota yell leader ran in front of the crowd to lead his chants. Cheerleading was born.

For the next 40 years, male cheerleaders (usually elected by their student body) stood faithfully on the sidelines. It wasn’t until the World War II era, when women started filling the male void in factories and colleges, that female cheerleaders became the norm.

Then in the 1950s came Lawrence Herkimer, the great grandfather of modern cheerleading. Not only did he found the first national organization for cheerleaders—he is also the mastermind behind the pleated skirt, pom-poms, and spirit stick. Wearing Herkie’s uniform, through the 50s, 60s, and 70s, cheerleaders became an American icon.

In the early 1980s, the first cheerleading competition was held at Sea World, with teams from all over the country traveling to compete. It was an instant success. At the same time, high school and college gymnastics programs were under fire due to questionable coaching and high insurance costs. Many homeless gymnasts started finding their way into cheerleading, upping the gymnastic elements.

Ever since that point, a new type of cheerleader has been emerging—the competitive cheerleader. Modern cheerleading is almost an extreme sport, along the lines of skateboarding or surfing. Today, cheerleaders build human pyramids where a single slip can send 12 people crashing to the mat. They perform partner stunts where women do Cirque du Soleil caliber acrobatics while balancing in the few square inches of their partner’s palm. They do basket tosses where a group throws a “flyer” 25 feet in the air. They say the adrenaline rush of performing these risky moves is what they love. And they keep on going even if they have a broken finger or a fractured rib.

In other words, cheerleaders are probably not who you think.

Read much more about CHEER! here.

A friend sent me this slideshow of famous folks who were once cheerleaders. There were a few on here I had no idea about. But since they also missed a few good ones, here is a comprehensive list of former cheerleaders who now run (or at least entertain) the world.

The Presidents: George W. Bush (Andover, Yale), George Bush Sr. (Yale), Ronald Reagan (Eureka College), Dwight Eisenhower (West Point), Franklin D. Roosevelt (Harvard)

The Celebs You Could Have Guessed: Katie Couric (University of Virginia), Madonna (University of Michigan), Paula Abdul (Los Angeles Lakers), Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Calista Flockhart, Ann Margret, Jamie Lee Curtis, Halle Berry (Bedford High), Sandra Bullock (Washington Lee High), Mandy Moore, Cameron Diaz (Long Beach Polytechnic), Meryl Streep (Bernard High), Natalie Maines, Alicia Silverstone, Sally Field, Reba McEntire, Kelly Ripa

The Ones Who’ll Surprise You: Samuel L. Jackson (Morehouse College), Ruth Bader Ginsberg (James Madison High), Michael Douglas, Gloria Steinem, Steve Martin, Aaron Spelling (Southern Methodist University)

Read much more about CHEER! here.

Happy first day of the NCAA, everyone! My bracket is filled out and ready to go. Anyone want to start a pool? Don’t worry. I’ll lose. I always do, because I go for wishful thinking rather than pragmatism in choosing my winners. In other words, I’ve picked the same team to win every year since I was a little kid.

But let’s shift focus a little—this is a blog about cheerleading after all. Several years ago, in the week before the NCAA tournament, a Southern Illinois cheerleader named Kristi Yamaoka fell off the top of a human pyramid. The basketball game was put on hold for several minutes while medics ran to the court floor, wrapped her in a full-body brace, and lifted her onto a stretcher. As they wheeled her off the court floor, the band began to play the school’s fight song. Kristi’s arm shot up, her fingers wiggling—she performed her school’s fight song while being rolled toward an ambulance. This image was replayed on the nightly news for weeks and it got many people thinking, “Is cheerleading dangerous?”

The answer is complicated—risk is absolutely a part of competitive cheerleading, and many top cheerleaders say the adrenaline rush is part of why they love the sport. But at the same time, I think there’s a definite gender bias going on in the reporting of cheerleading injuries.

First, I’ll give you the stats you hear most often. Every year, about 25,000 cheerleaders will end up in the emergency room for everything from hyperextended joints to serious head and neck injuries. And over the past 23 years, of the 104 female athletes catastrophically injured in a high school or college sport, more than half were cheerleaders.

These numbers are shocking, but they’re also misleading. First of all, there are more than 4 million cheerleaders out there—which means that 6 of every thousand cheerleaders will be injured in any given year. In football, that number is 42 out of a thousand. And for that second figure, we are talking about a 58 women catastrophically injured in cheerleading over a 23-year period. Terrible, yes, but hardly scandalous number.

In the past few years, stories have run in many major newspapers and magazines and on various news programs dubbing cheerleading a dangerous sport. But it’s only a fraction as dangerous as football, and hockey for that matter. While I think it’s important to talk about injuries in cheerleading—this is what leads to better coach training and safety standards—I can’t help but feel like there’s a touch of, “We need to save our women folk,” in the coverage.

What do you guys think?

Read much more about CHEER! here.

Wendy Brown, a 33-year-old woman in Green Bay, Wisconsin, used her 15-year-old daughter’s ID to enroll in high school. Now why, oh why, would any adult want to go back to to high school? Because Wendy desperately wanted to be a cheerleader.

Before school started, Wendy tried out for the squad, bought her uniform (with a check that bounced, naturally), attended multiple cheerleading practices, and attended a pool party at the coach’s house. However, during the first week of school, she only went to class for a single day, leading school officials to investigate her more closely. They soon discovered that Brown’s daughter actually lived in Nevada with her grandmother, her legal guardian, and was happily attending high school there.

Brown has been charged with felony identity theft and could face up to six years in prison. Not to mention that she didn’t even get to go to Homecoming.

Now, this story brings up a few questions. First, how did no one notice that a 30-something was in their midst? “In school you see a lot of children who look older and dress older,” said the school’s spokesperson. “At what point do you say, ‘You’re lying.’”

And second, why did this woman so want to be a cheerleader that she’d break the law to do it? In her statement to the police, Brown said that she cooked up this scheme because she had, “no childhood and was trying to regain a part of her life she missed.” To me, this is a prime example of cheerleaders’ symbolic power. They are deeply entrenched in our high school mythology as the ones at the top of the social pyramid. They have those elusive qualities that seems like the key to happiness when we’re teenagers—beauty and popularity. In short, their lives seem easy, enviable, perfect.

Wendy didn’t want to be a straight-A student. She didn’t want to be class president. She wasn’t even after a diploma. She wanted to wield the pom-poms and pleated skirt.

Interesting, no?

Read much more about CHEER! here.

When I first had the idea to follow three college cheerleading squads for a year and write a book about it, I bought into that stereotype that most male cheerleaders would be gay. I was absolutely wrong. While doing my research, I was stunned to find out that male cheerleaders were actually the opposite of what I was picturing in my head. Below, who guy cheerleaders really are:

1. They’re jocks. Most guy cheerleaders started out as football, baseball, or basketball players. Some of them had an injury that took them out of their original sport—others didn’t get college sports scholarship they were looking for and decided to change focus. There’s one guy in my book who played both football and rugby before becoming a cheerleader. “Cheer is by far the hardest sport I have ever been a part of,” he said.

2. They almost all give the same three-word explanation of how they got into cheerleading: “For a girl.” This is where Fired Up gets it right. Most guys don’t think, “I should be a cheerleader” on their own. Sometimes a girlfriend, a female friend, or a sister suggests it. Other times, a guy will be working out in the weight room at his college, and a random female cheerleader will come up to him and suggest he come to a practice. Almost all of the guys say it only took one practice to get hooked. Why? Because in basketball, it’s hard to come up with, say, a new dunk. But cheerleading is constantly evolving—and there’s tons of room to innovate and try new moves.

3. It quickly stops being about the women. Cheerleading is one of the only sports where men and women compete on the same team. And though they may start out with the idea of their team being a dating service, the guys quickly find that they develop big brother/little sister type relationships with the women on their team. Though on any given squad, there may be one or two couples, for the most part, dating and hooking up with teammates is discouraged. Cheerleaders on other squads, though—they are fair game.

4. They’re strong. Very strong. I watched one guy cheerleader tear a phone book in half, and another lift the tail end of his car.

5. They’re in it for the long haul. In sports like basketball and football that are governed by the NCAA, you’re only eligible to play for four years. But cheerleading isn’t technically a sport—and it isn’t under the NCAA’s umbrella. So it’s very common to meet guy cheerleaders who are cheering for their 5th, 6th, even 7th year in college. One guy in my book is even cheering for his 8th year in college.

6. They feel body pressure, too. The aesthetic in coed cheerleading is to have teensy girls and ginormous guys—the size differential makes it easier to perform acrobatic stunts. But for guy cheerleaders, this means that there’s a ton of pressure to be even bigger and stronger. As one guy explained to me, it’s considered embarrassing for a guy cheerleader to be under 200 pounds. Most eat a ton and work out to put on weight. But steroid use is also surprisingly common in the cheerleading world.

Read much more about CHEER! here.

You knew that, eventually, I was going to write about this infamous YouTube video. By now, you’ve probably heard the story. Several years back, eight Florida high-schoolers—several of them members of their schools’ cheerleading squad—lured a friend (also a cheerleader) over to a house and then proceeded to pummel her for half an hour. The friends were evidently pissed about comments the girl had made on her MySpace page, and orchestrated this beat-down to be filmed and posted on YouTube.

Do I think the making of this video had anything to do with the fact that some people involved were cheerleaders? Not at all. But I do think the fact that they were cheerleaders ensured that the story would blow up. Here are a few sample headlines:

Cheerleader, Others Beat Up Teen Girl, Tape the Crime

Cheerleaders Pummel Girl for 30 Minutes in ‘Animalistic’ Ambush

Cheerleader beaten on YouTube Opens Up About the Ordeal

Notice the first word in each of these?

Not only did this incident spawn six clips that made it into YouTube’s most-viewed hall of fame (before the videos were taken down, of course). But since then, Fox News, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, the Today Show, the New York Times, etc, etc, etc have all covered the story.

This reminds of a couple of other incidents that got massive coverage in the past few years. Remember those two Carolina Panthers cheerleaders who got in a bar bathroom brawl after they got caught by fellow patrons making out in a stall? Yeah, that one got a lot of coverage, too. And who could forget the Fab Five, a group of cheerleaders who were terrorizing their Texas High School? They were a water-cooler topic for weeks.

Why are we all so taken with stories about cheerleaders gone wrong? Here’s my short answer: Cheerleaders are one of those high school archetypes that, like the jock or the geek, we for some reason relate to even decades after high school. In this taxonomy, cheerleaders stand for popularity, beauty, untouchability, even perfection. And, man, is it fun to see the mighty fall. America loves stories about good girls (or girls who are supposed to be good, anyway) gone wild. It’s all about corrupting the uncorruptable.

I could go on for hours, but I’m interested to hear what you think. I will leave you with this closing note, though. There’s one line that seems to be in every story I read about the YouTube beat-up video. While being arrested, one of the attackers evidently said, “Does this mean I’m going to miss cheerleading practice tomorrow?”

Read much more about CHEER! here.

Even though I’ve been to Nationals several years running, I’m still blown away by the meticulous attention to detail female cheerleaders put into their hair and makeup.

The average female cheerleader spends 2-3 hours perfecting these things, which is a lot considering that the judges mark scores from more than 100 feet away. Teams tend to have a specific look—on some teams, all the women will have curls, others will all do low ponytails, and I even saw one team here last year who had matching cornrows.

For SFA, the women do enormous curls—they individually hairspray each strand of hair before wrapping it around the barrel of a curling iron. For makeup, the look is sparkly eyes, usually combining 2-3 shades of technicolor glitter. They also go for intense blush and bright lipstick. It’s almost like Kabuki masks—every feature is exaggerated to the highest degree.

Sometimes I’m bothered by how much appearance counts in cheerleading. I remember at tryouts at the University of Memphis, I was shocked that when I analyzed the scoresheet, “look” was the single item that earned squad hopefuls the most points. “I’d rather look at someone who’s cute and boring at a game,” their spirit director explained. At Nationals, the “overall impression” category lets judges score teams partially on appearance alone. Teams also receive scores for facial expressions—hence the winks and head bobs you’ll notice if you watch a competition. Overall, cheerleading is a sport where normal I’m-not-pretty-enough-feelings are put in a pressure cooker. (And don’t even get me started on cheerleading and body image—I’m saving that for another post.) At this point, cheerleading has evolved into something close to an extreme sport and it takes a high degree of athletic skill. So I can’t help but think that cheerleading would benefit tremendously from letting go of this focus on beauty.
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But on the other hand, I appreciate the honesty of it. I remember reading a study in a psychology class where college students (male and female) were asked to grade their peers. They subconsciously gave much higher grades to women who fit the traditionally-attractive mold. And I can think of so many fields—flight attendants, newscasters, even women’s magazine editors—where beautiful women seem to go far, yet it’s assumed that appearance isn’t a factor at all. At least in cheerleading it’s right there on the scoresheet. Everyone knows the playing field, right?

What do you guys out there in blog-land think?

Read much more about CHEER! here.

Without further ado, here they are:

The Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks are the best of the best, the Yale of college cheerleading. Located in Nacogdoches, Texas, SFA attracts the top college cheerleaders from across the country. Their tumbling is phenomenal, their basket tosses are textbook, and their pyramids are the biggest and most complicated out there. The Lumberjacks have eight national titles under their belt—in fact, they’ve won the past four years running. CHEER! chronicles their quest for their fifth National Championship in a row.

The University of Memphis All-Girl Tigers are a new team—created just four years ago, they brought home the National Championship trophy their first time appearing at UCA Nationals. They have since established themselves as one of the best All-Girl teams in the country. They are one of the teams nudging the bar for All-Girl cheerleading higher and higher. Still, some of the Memphis women feel like the forgotten step-children to the school’s Coed team. CHEER! chronicles the team’s quest for another trophy—and respect.

The Southern University Jaguars are like both teams in Bring It On rolled into one. A historically black college squad, they are known equally for their great stunting and their hip-shaking choreography. The Jaguars have never won a National Championship, but in 2002 they came within two-tenths of a point of being the first black squad to win at NCA Nationals. Sadly, the team has not been able to travel back to Nationals since. CHEER! follows the team as they struggle to get back to NCA Nationals.

Read much more about CHEER! here.