The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/25332
Scene the O-Town Vol. 1, No. 20 www.otownscene.com 102 Chestnut St., P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820 (607) 432-1000, ext. 255, editor@otownscene.com Managing Editor Cassandra Miller The Daily Star Associate Managing Editor Adrienne Wise Publisher Armand Nardi Editor of The Daily Star Sam Pollak Contributors William Baskin, Kyle Beckley, Sam Benedict, Mark Boshnack, Billy Brennan, Ned Brower, Simona David, Terry Ludwig, Jim Koury, Genevieve Pedulla, Emily Popek, Sam Spokony and Danielle Tonner. Circulation Director Fred Schmidt Advertising For info: 432-1000, ext. 222 The O-Town Scene is published Thursdays by The Daily Star Inc. Free copies are distributed throughout Oneonta, as well as parts of Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie counties. Member of The Associated Press and CNHI News Service Editor’s Note Like to write about music? E-mail Cassandra at editor@otownscene.com Some people don’t like crowds. I love them. It means something is happening. I get a social high from being in a venue that’s pulsing with people, chatter and energy. Add beards, music and comedy, and you’ve got a good time on the scale of the second annual Beardoff. Hundreds turned out for the facial hair contest/fund- raiser at the Autumn Cafe on Friday, documented in the center spread of this issue. The event raised $1,115 for the Polar Bear Jump, which is Saturday at Goodyear Lake. Next week we’ll have a photo essay on that event. This week’s Casual Chit Chat interviewee, Hartwick College philosophy professor Jeremy Wisnewski, won the Most Original category and 2 O-Town Scene Feb. 17, 2011 second place in the Other category at the Beardoff with his three-pronged “spider” goatee. He’s a cool dude. When I was in college, I was intimidated by my professors. They didn’t have first names — they were all “Professor.” I remember seeing one of them — The Professor Kleiner, art guru extraordinaire — eating a sandwich at my college’s pub once. It was like spotting a celebrity. I’ve lived in Oneonta for two years, and most of my friends are professors at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick, and I would never call them “Doc- tor” or “Professor.” It blows my mind that they do professor- like things like grading papers and writing books. Since I’ve been a real per- son, aka a non-student, I’ve learned that professors are people, too — people like J-Wis, who compete in beard contests and play in bands. I went to a huge university, where professors would tell us, “Don’t be offended if I don’t remember your name; there are too many of you.” Oneonta is fortunate to have two schools with professors who are approachable, in- volved in the community and know their students’ names. I’d like to go back to Boston and buy Fred Kleiner a beer for making me love ancient Roman art. I know he wouldn’t remember me, but I’d like to bridge that gap, something that I hope interviews with professors accomplish in the Scene. _ Cassandra Miller