Book Club Kick Off

The OSU Urban Arts Space hosted its first book club meeting yesterday. At the meeting, members spoke about books they've read, suggested books for future reads, and decided on the selection process.

Each month I will submit to the club a genre to explore. Members are invited to submit book title suggestions that fit the genre selected. I will post the deadline for book title suggestions on the blog. After I receive title nominations, I will create a survey for members to vote for the books they want to read next. Voting will be conducted online so everyone will have an opportunity to participate. A link to the survey will be posted on the blog and contain summaries of the books selected.

September's genre is autobiographical/memoir. Suggestions can be books about fictional or real persons. Nominations are due by 5pm, Friday August 28th. Please vote over the weekend, voting ends Tuesday, September 1st at 5pm. Our first book title will be announced on Wednesday September 2nd via email and here on the blog.

To give members more time to submit suggestions for book titles, I will also start taking title suggestions for October. The genre we will be exploring in October will be Graphic Novel. The deadline for title suggestions will be September 23rd. Voting for these suggested book selection will be from September 24th-September 30th. The selection will be announced at the September 30th meeting and on the blog.

Have questions about the book club or want to learn more? Please, email me at uas@osu.edu for more information.

Thanks, and keep visiting for more updates.

--Nicole Eggert
Operations Student Assistant

Image: Nicole reading.

Labor Day fun facts:

The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary.

According to the US Department of Labor, Labor Day is "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country".

Labor Day is related to May Day, which occurs on May 1st and is a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by unions and socialist groups.


149.1 million: Number of people age 16 or older in the nation's labor force.

40,600,000: Number of hits for a Google search of 'Labor Day'.
31,600,000: Number of hits for a Google search of 'Labor Day Sale'.

The Space will be closed on September 5th in honor of Labor Day!

Image: Photograph of 1942 Labor Day Parade float in Detroit taken by Arthur S. Siegel, courtsey of Michigan in Pictures.

Stephanie
Social Media Student Assistant

Jazz Quartet

Cayce Felber, Bradley Mellen, Ryan Jewell, and Evan Oberla perform on April 30, 2009. Enjoy.

-Eva Ball

A How-To for Finding UAS

This entry is partly in honor of my dear mother, who, when I told her I would be writing for the blog at the OSU Urban Arts Space, she squabbled, “Why don’t you write about how to find the place??” Turns out other staffers’ mothers have made similar squabbles about the road access around the Lazarus building being a little funky, and that its been causing some confusion when they try and find us. I have to admit, as per usual, my mother is right. We’ve got construction all over the place, and its pretty daunting to have to drive around here. Even being tucked cozily away from High Street makes us less visible from the main thoroughfare. This blog is distinctly dedicated to helping you, dear readers (and all of our mothers) master the art of finding the Space.

From High Street, just keep on the lookout for the beautiful red banners on the Town Street-side of the Lazarus building that say “OSU Urban Arts Space”. Standing underneath them, you can peek into the Space through the huge, street-level glass windows and even see some of the current, colorful exhibition. Just down the slope you will reach the building’s galleria opening; you can't miss it. Just inside on the right is the Space! Easy.

Be sure to look at the series of plaques that run all the way down Town Street, either on your way in or out. They tell you all about the history of the wonderful Lazarus building, which is not only very interesting, but very central to the history of downtown Columbus, and to its flourishing future, too.

-Leigh Lotocki, student intern at the OSU Urban Arts Space

The school supply sections are back up in stores. Friends from semester schools disappear one by one. Back to school is in the air.


I personally enjoy the back to school feeling. Buying new Lisa Frank folders and Crayola crayon 12 packs is something I still seem to enjoy. And of course I look forward to seeing friends who were away for the summer... the hassle of moving back to school not so much. But September in Columbus is always a good time. Summer weather is coming to an end, but it is still nice enough out to throw a frisbee or read out on the Oval. Football season is starting up again and you can see signs of Buckeye fans getting excited all over again. Those of use who are returning school watch freshman students and their parents take in the energy of Ohio State for the first time (and laugh as students struggle to separate from their parents in order to make awkward small talk with their new room mate). Enjoy the last days of summer, school is fast approaching!

Stephanie
Social Media Student Assistant

For those of you who are interested, here is the link to my blog for Germany, since that is where I begin my back to school adventures!

Book worms wanted!

When our deputy director of the Space Kelly asked the student assistants to come up with a program, I knew exactly what I wanted to do--start a book club.

The book club will be meeting once a month on Wednesdays over the lunch hour. Our first meeting is on August 26th at 1:30pm where we'll be selecting our first read.

My suggestion: Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. Dandelion Wine is unlike other Bradbury books, straying from his science fiction genre. The semi-autobiographical novel takes place in the summer of 1928 in the small town of Green Town, Illinois. For a description of the book visit Amazon where you can also go green by downloading the Kindle version for $1.99 or the audio book for $6.80.

Please, feel free to post your suggestions, books you've read recently, favorite books, least favorite books here.

Hope to see you there.

Nicole Eggert
Operations Student Assistant

MetaBlog!!!

::how many times does the word BLOG appear below?::

So I started a BLOG today. Inspired by writing in this BLOG and Molly who works here and has a BLOG and by my trip to Germany so I can BLOG all of my misadventures! And also all of you out there who have BLOGs! I used to have a Xanga, if any of you remember those...note quite a BLOG but they were good for quiz taking, kind of like Facebook, only less streamlined. No one is following my BLOG yet, but it is still less than 24 hours old so that's ok. And for all of you out there who are looking for BLOGgers to follow your BLOG, become a follower of our BLOG so we can build our BLOG community!


::answer:: 11 :: best number ever ::

:: by stephanie :: student assistant ::

Things We Like: Dirty Frank's

If you like dining out every once in a while, and feel like you’ve had just about everything any Columbus restaurant has to offer, think again! Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace is a new hot dog joint right here in Downtown Columbus, and it is taking the OSU Urban Arts Space staff by storm. Not only is every menu item under $5, but they have a ton of delicious and creative hot dog toppings and combos like cream cheese, green olives, tzatziki, or even spicy mango chutney. If you listen closely, you may even hear various odd condiments being muttered on the lips of the staff. We think it’s a great idea, and a perfect place to spend a late night (open ‘till 2:30am!). If you’re in the area before the wee hours, be sure to swing by and check out the current exhibition, which is still going on here at the OSU Urban Arts Space.

-Leigh Lotocki, student intern at the OSU Urban Arts Space

Envelope performs "Good Good Lord"

Hometown mc, Envelope performs "Good Good Lord" at his CD release party last year.
He is signed to Weightless Recordings and will be speaking at this weekend's CBUS Sound Symposium at the OSU Urban Arts Space.

Also, don't miss his performance at Summerfest, Saturday, August 22nd, 2009.

-Eva Ball, Communications Coordinator, at the OSU Urban Arts Space.

Sketch By Numbers Adds Up to Fun!

Improv theater is always fun to watch, but the fast paced Sketch by Numbers group that performed here at the Space took it to a new level. The group had more energy than they knew what do with and kept the crowd laughing from sketch 12 to 5! That's right, they went completely out of order, performing the sketches at the will of audience member who first shouted the next number!




What was more, after each sketch a word was taken from the audience to be used in the Sketch by Numbers mad lib at the end! To top it all off, the group danced their pants off in a five minute dance montage! I could not help but notice that not only were all of the songs used about dancing, but they used David Bowie's "Magic Dance", an amazing number from the movie "Labyrinth". If you have not seen it, watch it! And if you have not seen Sketch by Numbers, I highly recommend it!


Stephanie Owens
Student Media Assistant
OSU Urban Arts Space


Images: Sketch by Numbers comedy group at the OSU Urban Arts Space.