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A few tidbits from my cluttered desktop |
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Sunday, 17 February 2008 |
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Brian Hawkins It's hard to believe Valentine's Day has already come and gone and that we are almost three weeks through February 2008.
Time seems to be just flying at the speed of light right now. For the news staff and myself, this month is busier than usual as we write stories, take photographs and design the annual Progress edition that will hit your doorsteps on Feb. 29.
We're in crunch time as far as production goes, and if some of the stories I've read for the first couple of sections are any indication, this year's edition will be one of the most talked-about we've ever published.
The theme for this year's Progress edition is "Issues and Attitudes." I'll leave you to ponder that over the next couple of weeks.
As the days pass by with breakneck speed, my desk once again has accumulated vast amounts of notes, files and other various sundry items into often large piles at time. I try to keep the pile to a manageable size, but some days it looks like a filing cabinet just regurgitated its contents on to my desk.
At any rate, here are a few tidbits as I try to relegate some of my desktop's contents to "File 13":
• Count me among the many who was surprised by the reactions to the "flower fury" that has erupted at Mississippi State with the pulling of the daffodil bulbs from flower beds across campus.
The newspaper staff first heard rumblings about this controversy a couple of weeks ago, and obviously, by the time our story about it hit newsstands this past Tuesday, things had festered and spread.
Opinions around town and campus are running the gauntlet on this one, with I and my staff fielding multiple calls and e-mails from some who VERY upset about the "damage" being done to the campus landscape and intimate that there is something larger at work in the middle of all this.
Others are finding it difficult to believe that people are making an issue out of flowers being pulled when potential cuts to state higher education funding are being discussed in the state Legislature.
Of course, many of these calls and e-mails are anonymous. Claims being made raise will bear further examination, but it's obvious that those who are upset about the daffodil destruction have definitely got a bone to pick with President "Doc" Foglesong over this.
It should be interesting to see what develops next...
• I never cease to be amazed at some of the talent that exists in our community, and there are plenty of examples to be found at various events.
The Magnolia Independent Film Festival is showcasing the works of local filmmakers Kary Rogers and Stephen Lehman. I've known Kary for the better part of 10 years, and I can honestly say he's one of the most creative people I've ever met. I go to church with Lehman and his family, and have seen examples of his work firsthand. I wouldn't be surprised if we see this young man win an Oscar some day.
On a similar note, I had the privilege to sit in on auditions for the Starkville High School drama department's upcoming production of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" this past week.
Once again, I bore witness to the amazing talents of so many of the youth in our community. Many have natural acting talent, others displayed a wide array of musical talents.
One thing is clear, though, and that's how awesome that "South Pacific" will be when it's staged in April. SHS has some students who are fast emerging as veritable triple threats — singers, actors and dancers — who have the potential to make it big. So be sure to check out some future greatness in action in a few weeks.
• While I'm at it, I've got to make a plug for the Mississippi State Wind Ensemble's upcoming concert tour of Ireland and England and encourage those individuals, businesses or civic groups in our community who can do so to help financially sponsor some of the students in the group.
The Wind Ensemble is MSU's premier performing concert band, and has performed frequently as the keynote college ensemble for the Mississippi Bandmasters Association conference and been the band to give the premiere performances of many new works for wind band by some of America's top composers.
If possible, let's help show our friends in Ireland and England how incredibly gifted our MSU student musicians are.
Any business, civic group or individual interested in sponsoring MSU Wind Ensemble students for the United Kingdom concert tour can send contributions by mail to the MSU Bands, Box 6162, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or stop by the Band and Choral Rehearsal Hall on Hardy Road on the south end of the main campus.
For more information, contact any of the band staff as follows by telephone at 325-3713 or by e-mail: Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance (
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), Associate Director of Bands Clifton Taylor (
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) or Assistant Director of Bands Craig Aarhus (
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).
• Like many of you, I'm still reeling from the horror of Thursday's shooting rampage at Northern Illinois University that left six — including the gunman — dead.
I had hoped in the aftermath of last year's massacre at Virginia Tech that something so horrible wouldn't happen on another college campus in America.
It seems as some great violence is marking our halls of academia. We may never know why such horrific things happen. It just reinforces the fact that we have to be vigilant against it, all the while remaining mindful that it could happen here, however frightening that may be.
I pray it never does.
Brian Hawkins is editor and a columnist for the Starkville Daily News. The opinions expressed in this column are his and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Starkville Daily News or its staff.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 18 February 2008 )
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