The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/29255
Scene the O-Town Vol. 1, No. 28 www.otownscene.com 102 Chestnut St., P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820 (607) 432-1000, ext. 255, editor@otownscene.com EDITOR Cassandra Miller ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE DAILY STAR Adrienne Wise Publisher Armand Nardi Editor of The Daily Star Sam Pollak CONTRIBUTORS Kyle Beckley, Zach Bender, Mark Boshnack, Terry Ludwig, Jim Koury, Genevieve Pedulla, Michelle Pietrafitta, Emily Popek, Sam Spokony and Hope Von Stengel. Circulation Director Fred Schmidt Advertising Director Sean Lewis 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 There are not a lot of young professionals in the Oneonta area _ not too many 23- to 33-year-olds gainfully em- ployed. I turned 27 Tuesday, and I have this great job as the editor of the Scene, which fits me square in the middle of my definition of “young profes- sional.” I know my kind, and there are not many around these parts. Those who go to college in Oneonta tend to leave after they graduate, and those who grow up in the area tend to leave after they get their high school diplomas. However, for the lucky few _ I’m not joking _ being a young professional in Oneonta means having a wealth of opportuni- ties. If you have an idea for something and the motivation to do it, you most likely will be able to. 2 O-Town Scene April 14, 2011 I was offered the opportunity to design and conceptualize, and ultimately be the editor of, the Scene last summer after working for The Daily Star for a year. I understand that such an opportunity does not present itself to many 26-year-olds. But, most 26-year-olds don’t live in Oneonta. This year I met four fellow young professionals who had the opportunity to make their dream a reality. The founders of newly formed music production company LiveLIVE! Productions are three SUNY Oneonta grads and an Oneonta native. These guys like Oneonta. They all work at Oneonta’s Black Oak Tavern, and they all had the drive and talent to realize their mutual aspiration. They formed LiveLIVE! at the beginning of the year, and are weeks away from pulling off its first music and arts festival, which will feature both regular Oak performers and a few groups who haven’t performed in the area. I think they have been able to do this not only because they are talented and ambitious, but also because of where we are. I lived in New York City before Oneonta, trying to wend my way into the publishing world with no contacts, yet landing a part-time gig at DailyCandy.com. (I also taught English to international students to pay rent for my East Village shoebox.) I am sure I would not have the same opportunities there that I’ve had in Oneonta _ not in that sea of uber-talented, uber- ambitious, uber-qualified young professionals wanting to do the same thing as me. I’ve gotten to know more uber-talented, uber-interesting and uber-decent people living in Oneonta the last two years than I expect I would’ve trying to make a name for myself in Manhattan. Even though the area has a dating pool the size of a puddle, being a big fish in a small pond has its advan- tages. Cassandra Miller