Saturday at the Concert Hall

I don't normally hang around school at 8:00pm on a Saturday night. In fact, i try and avoid campus at all costs. But there i was, Saturday at DePaul's Concert Hall to listen to the DePaul Symphony Orchestra. After i settled into my seat and the music began, i decided that it wasn't as bad as i thought.

With Cliff Colnot conducting, the orchestra delivered a very pleasant Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major KV 297b by the infamous Mozart. They then followed up with Romeo and Juliet Suite by Sergei Prokofiev. The concert ran straight through without an intermission and for a Saturday night, the turnout was rather good. The Concert Hall was filled up more than half capacity and the crowed was pleased with the performance, enthusiastically applauding after the performances.

"Gaza Under Siege"

A diverse crowed of people gathered in room 120B of the DePaul University's Student Center on the night of January 29, 2009. These people, consisting mainly of young students, had come together to learn about and discuss the current situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip. The gathering, organized by The Cultural Center Students for Justice in Palestine and Society for International Affairs, featured lectures by Ahmed Rehab, The Executive Director of the Chicago Office on the Council of American-Islamic Relations, and Lynn Pollack, a Chicago based activist and an advocate of Jewish Voice for Peace. The lectures were followed by a free dinner and a round table dicussion between people at the event.

The event had a very friendly atmosphere. With the room divided into round tables, it had a very informal feeling, encouraging dicussion and communication between the participants.

Interview with a Student Fashionista

I asked Stacie Wolf, a fashionable sophomore at DePaul, some questions about her style:

Who or what influences your style?

Stacie: I'm an art major, so I am particular on unique avante garde textures and structure. I love clinched waists. I love the late 40s look, I love New York; I love street fashion. I love ethereal and slightly sexy/romantic touches. 

Where are your favorite places to shop?

Stacie: SHOPBOP[.com], vintage stores, and Neiman’s, and H&M is awesome for well-priced, very trendy, quality pieces.

Has your style changed since coming to college/DePaul/Chicago?

Stacie: Yes, college and the city have influenced how I dress, not DePaul though. I was cut off from my parents for spending money on clothes, so I am now very much interested in investing into practical nice items rather then impulsive silly things. My roommates and friends also made an impact.

Random: I forgot to find a camera equipment check out buddy in class yesterday. Anyone still need a partner?

Gaza Under Fire

(http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/world/BO99147/)

On January 27^th, at 7 p.m. at the student center in DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus there is an event open to the public entitled “Gaza under fire, addressing the humanitarian crisis.” The event will co-sponsored by The Cultural Center Students for Justice in Palestine and the Society for International Affairs. This event was organized in order to first help raise awareness on the recent fighting between Gaza and Israel and secondly to open up discussion among students on this topic. My of the recent and upcoming events are focused on humanitarian causes and it is refreshing to see students not only getting a good education but participating in causes focused on helping better the world.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story behind the Gaza and Israel conflict I will bring you up to speed. Israel has carried out a series of ground attacks upon Gaza and recently a bombing involving phosphorous gas. Israeli forces attribute their actions to the years of Hamas rocket fire. These acts have meet heavy opposition from world leaders and humanitarian groups like those at DePaul.

The Journey to your 1st Tattoo

My friend, and senior at DePaul, who chose to remain anonymous, sits at his apartment anxiously thinking about going through with getting his first tattoo. He has contemplated getting this tattoo for a few months now, has thought about all the pros and cons and now all it will take is the bravery of actually going through with it.

After finally working up the courage to leave and start on our quest to get his first tattoo, we ride the redline El towards Howard. We then got off at the Belmont stop, which is known to be a trendy area where one might find their local tattoo/piercing parlor.

After getting off at the Belmont stop we head down the street to the local tattoo and piercing parlor called The Chicago Tattooing & Body Piercing Co. This is a very professional and clean location that is well known around Chicago for tattoo and piercing needs. This is the picture of the shop and what I thought would be our final destination, but my friend’s nerves kicked in and this is all we saw of the tattoo parlor.

This picture is our view from the El platform as we wait for the El on the return home from a failed attempt at the first tattoo. The thoughts of what his parents will think and feel about his new tattoo overpowered the his urge to get himself permanently inked.

After an hour-long fiasco, we finally return home, with nothing to show for our excursion. Although, the trip was made worth the while when we came across Pita Pit, which gave us the opportunity to make up for the wasted El ride and failed tattooing attempt with a delicious pita. For now, the tattoo will have to wait for another time when he feels it is right.

Game Show Night @ DePaul

Calling all 90’s pop culture experts! You missed out on a great chance to win cash prizes and a trip down memory lane last night.

DAB hosted its quarterly Game Show Night in the Student Center MPR room…aka Student Center 120. The name of the game was “Do you remember being a 5th grader?” and contestants had the opportunity to win up to $100!!! Even more incredible was that audience members had the chance to win money as well even if they were not chosen as contestants or to be on the panel of “5th graders.”

Here’s how the game was played…It followed the same rules as the FOX show “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” but there were a few extra rules and twists. Contestants were chosen by asking them to do bizarre tasks ranging from who could find five rings to put on every finger to a “rock paper scissors” showdown. Once the contestant was chosen they had a few cheats available to help them out on tough questions. Like the TV show, contestants had the option of peeking at the answers chosen by the entire 5th grader panel or they could cheat of one of the 5th graders. Unlike the TV show, contestants had the opportunity to use a “Note from Mom,” which excuses them from one wrong answer.

To get the audience involved, cash prizes were offered to them as well. For every contestant that answered a question wrong, an audience member was allowed to steal the question and win $5. Questions focused on 90’s pop culture but ranged all over the board. There were questions ranged all over from Nickelodeon Cartoons, Sitcom shows, Sports, Space, Music Artists, and even NASCAR Racing to name a few.

It really was a fun night! I had the opportunity to talk to a few students before the show started and two of them ended up on the show! One was on the panel and the other was the first contestant of the night. Check it out under “Inside Game Show Night @ DePaul.”

Unfortunately DAB has no more Game Show Nights this quarter. But get ready for next week when DAB will host a bunch of other fun events! Monday, there will be a double feature in the MPR room. They are showing “Dark Night” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” And for those of you, who are in the Loop on Tuesday, stop by the cafeteria for a Lunch Break with “The Office.” These events are a lot of fun and a great way to take a break from school and maybe even life in general. The events are also free which is always a plus for broke college students! Hopefully I’ll see you at a few of them next week!

Inside Game Show Night @ DePaul

Freshmen Nick Hawley (left), Emily King (center), and Nick Pinto (right) were some of the many students who showed up in the Student Center last night hoping to be contestants on the show. None of them knew what they were in for but they were very excited about the possibility of winning $100.

Nick Hawley made it onto the panel of “5th graders” selected from the audience to help contestants when they needed it. The rest of the panel included audience members (from left to right) Charles, Travis, Nick, and Caitlyn. All of them received $10 for being on the panel at the end of the show.

Nick Pinto made it as the first contestant of the night. As shown here, he made it all the way up to the $50 question! Unfortunately, Pinto had run out of cheats and had to choose whether to take the $40 he had earned or risk answering the next question. If he answered wrong he would only go home with $20. Tough decision!

Nick (shown with friend Emily King) decided to take the $40 and call it a night. To be fair the MC showed the next question to see if Pinto knew the answer. As it turned out, Pinto did not know the answer and made the right call stopping when he did. As you can see, he is very happy with his prize.

Lucky contestant #4, Will (shown above with MC, Gus), was the big winner of the night. He made it all the way up to the $85 question by wisely using his cheats. As shown here, he has to decide between taking the $65 he has already won or risk it all to answer the $85 question. While he only needed to answer 2 more questions to get the $100 prize, Will decided to take the $65. Like Nick Pinto, he ended up not knowing the answer to the next question.

Making Pictures

Did you ever hear that most foreign languages refer to the act of photography as making, rather than taking pictures? Inspired by the recent boom of online photography, I have discovered a MINOR in Photography offered by the DePaul Art & Design Department. Visual literacy is a job qualification for almost any professional field. Personally, it can enrich your appetite for art, inspire visits to galleries and museums during travel, and enable you to document your own life en vogue.

This program description explains the requirements for the minor. Check with Campus Connect to plan a Spring Quarter snap and click kick-off!

MINOR IN PHOTOGRAPHY

A Photography minor allows students to choose from their own selection of media arts courses. The minor in Photography is a concentrated program of study that lets the student design her/his approach to the photographic arts. It takes the processes of optical and mechanical reproduction as its starting points and emphasizes the role(s) of photography historically through culture. A total of six courses are required:

THIS COURSE:

ART 105: 2-D Foundations

ONE OF THESE TWO:

ART 200: Art and Artist in Contemporary Culture

ART 238: 19th Century European Art History

FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING PHOTO CLASSES

ART 224: Beginning Digital Photography

ART 225: Beginning Photography

ART 323: Intermediate Photography

ART 325: Advanced Photography

ART 327: Documentary Photography

ART 329: Digital Photography

ART 332: Special Topics in Photographic Practice (may be repeated as topic changes)

ART 376: History of Photography

________________________________

Say cheese!

DePaul Student Philanthropy Committee is so exciting!

If you're lucky, you've probably seen this poster hanging up all over DePaul's campus. I like it so much that I actually took a snapshot of it on my camera phone and sent it to my old roommate, Maja--she just so happens to be the incredibly enthusiastic model on the poster (although I took this picture from the DePaul Student Philanthropy Committee's Facebook page).

So what is the Philanthropy Committee all about, anyway? Well, no one really knows for sure quite yet because they're still in the works of planning Philanthropy Week 2009, to be held May 18 through the 21st. Anyone interested in volunteer experience in the fields of marketing, public relations, and non-profit work should probably consider hopping on board to help plan the 4-day celebration of giving back. You can download the application here and then e-mail it to Rabya Malik at rmalik2@depaul.edu.

Besides, the more people who join the committee, the less harassed my friend Maja will feel by the constant barrage of camera phone poster snap shots she receives from EVERYBODY who knows her--it will all seem a little more worth it.

From Here to There...

The following post is the story of my commute to class, and takes place on Tuesday, January 27th. Cue Annoying 24 music....
9:50 A.M.

Home is where the heart is, but also where this story begins. In Waukegan, IL, roughly 45 miles from the Chicago Loop, my voyage to class starts. I’m off to the Metra Train station hoping to catch the 10:10 A.M. Train.

11:26 A.M.

I arrive at Ogilvie Transportation Center on West Madison Street. I have lots of competition for the escalators since the train was full. I decide to snap a shot of the giant digital schedule on the wall.

11:27 A.M.

Over the River (The Chicago River) and through the Woods (These Extremely Large Buildings) to DePaul I go. I now must walk east towards an El Station. Lucky for me snowflakes have started to line the walkways.

11:38 A.M

After missing the train by seconds, I find myself standing alone on the platform at the Washington /Wells El station. The only company I can find are the Pigeons huddling under the heat lamps for warmth.

11:56 A.M.

After more than 2 hours of transit, I finally arrive at the DePaul Center on Jackson Street. Since I have class at 1:30 P.M., I have plenty of time to relax now. I can have some coffee, scan some e-mail, finish some homework, and most importantly plan my return trip. At 3:00 P.M., when class ends, my commuting adventure will start back up, as it is my only class on Tuesdays.

Sale!!

Although it seems crazy to shop in (economic) times like these, and for winter clothes (when winter is half over) nonetheless, I assure you, it is not. All the stores have great deals right now, and if you're looking for a great place to shop, here's a quick guide:

Art Effect, on West Armitage Avenue, a store usually on the pricier end, is advertising a 70-percent-off sale. 

Mint Julep, at 1013 Armitage Ave., consistently stocks their store with half designer pieces and half bargain clothing. The deal there: 50 percent off any already-marked-down items. 

Department stores! John Delacruz, the visual merchandiser at H&M Clothing Store on Michigan Avenue, had this frugal tip: "Go to any department store, like Barneys. They have to get rid of all their winter stuff, so their sales are huge." Another idea: go to a department store and try things on for size. Then go home, and type the item into EBay--most likely, it will have exactly what you are looking for. 

H&M: Buy one/ get one FREE on winter coats. (This is only for a limited time but they continue a similar deal for longer.)

 

Forever 21, now with a second location on Michigan Avenue; always cheap. 

(Look for an extended version of this article, and more tips, in the DePaulia next week!) 

DePaul Women Win Another Squeaker

The DePaul women's basketball team closed out another close victory on Tuesday night topping St. John's 59-58. The Blue Demons had just earned their way into the nation's top 25 when they beat Rutgers on Saturday (ranked 21st at the time) by a narrow two point margin. DePaul now ranks 25th in the nation and has a chance to add a couple of conference wins in their next two games againts Georgetown and West Virginia. Both teams are below DePaul in the Big East standings and they are both home games. The Blue Demons will have a chance to really prove themselves when they face Notre Dame (currently ranked 13th) on February 8. After that, DePaul only has three more home games this season, none of which are ranked opponents, but it is an excellent chance to see these women before they hit the Big East tournament. The women Blue Demons are clearly the more competitive of the two DePaul basketball teams and the fact that they play right on the Lincoln Park campus are two great reasons to come out and cheer this team on.

Late Twentieth Century Studies

Nikko Papaioanou, sophomore, 20, welcomes attendants to the DePaul Activity Board's Game Show Night, "Do You Remember 5th Grade?" in the DePaul Student Center at 7:00pm, January 27, 2009. Doorman duties were a nice practice session for Nikko, a marketing major who has declared a minor in management. Nikko offered some nice swag from the DAB, including logo-stamped breath mints, magnet schedules, and sachets of hot chocolate. Oh, yes, and a chance of free money awaited behind those doors...



Host Gus Davis confirms that Ruben Studdard won the second season of American Idol after the first competitor turned to his expert panel of 5th Grade Graduates. These masters of late '90's through 2002 pop culture key terms were brought in to color in a number of memory holes: JOE Camel, Nickelodeon's DOUG, and NORBERT, the hatched Dragon from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The rounds-for-cash play of "Do You Remember 5th Grade" pays up to a maximum of $100 for successive correct answers, but our contestants walked away at a $65 bank. "That's two cases!" friends yelled.

When 20-year-old Anib stepped up to win big money, he probably hoped for financial questions, or maybe something about real estate, his minor. (Didn't Cribs come out then?) Anib was less fluent in the language of the '90's when he stared blankly in total loss. The question, "What males- only drug was approved by the FDA on March 27, 1998?" makes one wonder what kind of news was distributed to fifth graders in 1998. Host Davis hinted, "think about this long and hard. I'm sure something will pop up." Thanks to generous extra game lives, like "note from mom" Anib was able to play for at least a month's allowance.


One of the few rule-abiding spectators was Kellen Krause. A junior scenic design student from the School of Theater, Kellen attended in an official capacity: Student Coordinator, of which DePaul Activity Board comprises seven.
There are more than 200 group members to keep the events busy throughout any quarter, with 30 programs planned for student coordinators to select 15 of- in order to maintain their position supporting the three member executive board. Kellen does all this, and roots on his fellow Blue Demons in their quest for fun and free funds. The model "active" student on campus, Kellen has a minor for now, one for later, and one he left behind. His job as web designer for the University Ministry might have been an easy match, since Kellen minors in Catholic Studies and knows his superiors. He began the path to a marketing minor, but changed directions into art and design. Realizing he wants to build something beautiful, Kellen says, "I love medieval art. I think it's fascinating." Kellen plans to become an architect through graduate study. He'll at least know how to juggle.

48 DePaul students attended the event. Eager to participate, they were given a chance to earn five dollars for correctly answering questions about which Mexican beer was the top imported brew in the late '90s, what year Microsoft released Windows 98 Second Edition, and what beauty pageant queen was found dead in the basement of her parents home. When these DePaul students showcased their competitiveness, each made sure to stress the importance of all they study. Even if its just what Nickelodeon show postponed their 5th Grade homework in 1998.

Another Loss for the Blue Demons

The Blue Demons had a chance to get their first Big East win and end their six game losing streak against Marquette this past Saturday, they accomplished neither. DePaul lost their seventh straight game losing at Marquette 79-70, Dar Tucker lead the Blue Demons with 18 points. DePaul jumped out to an early five point lead, but when Marquette took the lead with just under 17 minutes to play in the first half, they never looked back. They had a 14 point lead at half time and lead by double digits most of the second half. DePaul will most likely continue to struggle in the Big East, which is one of the top conferences in the country. For all of you hardcore basketball fans who just want to see a great team, I suggest making your way to Allstate arena this Wednesday to watch DePaul take on Connecticut Huskies, who are currently ranked number 2 in the nation. This would be an incredible upset if DePaul could find a way to steal this game from one of the best teams in college basketball. Who knows, maybe this could be the highlight of a disappointing season for the Blue Demon players, and the fans as well, who should definitely storm the court if DePaul comes out on top.

GET READY FOR HOMECOMING!

DAB hosted a big even tonight in the Student Center to announce the theme and location for Homecoming this year. The homecoming chair, Caitlin Menconi (pictured), has been planning this event since September. It's tradition for the theme and the location to be kept a secret until a month before. This year was no exception. Music was played to hype up the crowd and refreshments were offered to lure students into the festivities. Talking with Menconi, she smiled when asked if she could give any details about the event before the announcement. She told me I could wait like everyone else and she was good at keeping secrets.

So what is the theme and location this year? The theme is “All aboard the Demon Express,” and the location will be at Chicago Union Station. The best part is that tickets will only be $15 a person and free transportation will be provided to and from Union Station. So mark those calendars for February 28 and start planning what you will wear!

Personally, I am very excited about the event. I have been to the homecoming in the previous years and can say that DAB knows how to put on a wonderful evening for students. No word on when tickets will actually go on sale but you'll be able to purchase them on both campuses when they become available. I'll continue to bring you more information on when tickets go on sale, where to buy your tickets, and what you can expect. I definitely plan to "get on board" and hopefully you will too! Click on the link to see pictures and get more information on this year's location.
http://www.chicagounionstation.com/photo_gallery.html

Tuesday Night at the DePaul University Faculty Chamber Music Concert

Abby Cox, a junior at DePaul University in Chicago, Ill. hands out programs at the entrance to DePaul’s Concert Hall Tuesday, January 27, 2009. The concert was put on by the music school and performed by the Faculty Chamber Orchestra, with special guest Walter Schwede. The concert, which was free and open to the public, drew a diverse crowd of students, families, and music lovers.

Stephen Balderston (left) and Walter Schwede (right) exchange a laugh on January 27, 2009 before beginning the concert with Trio No. 1 Op. 71 by Franz Danzi. Balderston plays the cello and Schwede plays the violin. The trio delivered the cheerful piece with perfection. Balderston teaches cello and is the strings coordinator at DePaul.


Mary Stopler, on stage at DePaul's Concert Hall on January 27, 2009, accompanies a trio on the flute. Stopler, who teaches flute at the DePaul Music School is familiar with DePaul's concert stage, having taught there since 1986. Stopler was flawless in her execution when performing Trio No. 1 Op. 71 by Franz Danzi.


Waiting for his cue. In the second performance of the night on January 27, 2009 at DePaul University's Concert Hall. Walter Schwede, the special guest of the night, added color to the performance of Antonin Dvořák's Trio in E Minor Op. 90, when he plucked his violin strings to give the piece its intended folk-sounding feel.



Getting her head into it. Aglika Angelova (left) accompanies Stephen Balderston (right) at DePaul's Concert Hall on January 27, 2009. The trio performed Antonin Dvořák's Trio in E Minor Op. 90. Both musicians delivered moving performances on stage, showing emotion yet playing with focus.

Vincent and Louise House: A photo essay of service and simple living

The Vincent and Louise House, located on the corner of Belden and Kenmore, opens its doors to the DePaul community for dinner four nights a week. The V&L House is an intentional community of ten students. "We basically commit ourselves to a life of service" based off the examples set by St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise De Marillac, said R.J. Toledo, a senior majoring in theology and Catholic studies with a double minor in psychology and peace studies. "We're a house of hospitality. We're here to serve the DePaul community."

Every Sunday through Wednesday night, two V&L House residents buy groceries and prepare a meal for an average of 20 guests. In line with their dedication to simple living, the cooks budget themselves to $15 a meal. "We have to think in bulk and we have to think cheap," said Nicole Jones, a senior journalism student. To prepare these meals, the V&L House residents rely on Aldi's, Stanley's, "miracles and creativity," she said. On Tuesday night, Jan. 27, Jones and Toledo prepared delicious green bell peppers stuffed with brown rice, sauteed veggies, and spaghetti sauce.

At the dinners, DePaul students mingle with V&L House residents. According to junior Alex Spore, people hear about the dinners mainly through University Ministry and word of mouth. Conversation is lighthearted and friendly, revolving mostly around sharing stories and discussing classes. Although the building can only house ten residents, a few regular visitors become close friends and earn the nickname of "adopted" V&L House mates.


The Vincent and Louise House residents dedicate themselves to a life of community service. In addition to the community dinners they host at the house, each member must volunteer at least two hours at the DePaul parish soup kitchen. Beyond that, V&L House residents also volunteer in neighborhoods outside of the DePaul community, working at everything from after school programs to ESL teaching and gathering write off foods from Whole Foods to donate to soup kitchens.


Jones and Toledo worked together to clean the dishes after everyone finished eating dinner. According to Toledo, the V&L House provides residents with the environment they need in order to perform community service, live simply, educate others and act on behalf of the social issues that they feel most passionate about, and grow in their faith and spirituality. Thus, they embody the example set by St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise De Marillac in their every day life.

Inside Radio DePaul

Radio DePaul's studio is located in the basement of Lincoln Park campus's University Hall. The station offers tours upon request to the General Manager. Feel free to make an appointment and check it out for yourself. 
The station's newsroom (separate from the music studio) offers listeners with insightful conversation and topical news reporting. 
In the on-air music studio, the sign above the soundboard entitled "Things to Say," provides DJs with multiple choices they can use to say Radio DePaul on air: "Radio DePaul," "WRDP Chicago," or "A World-Wide Demon-heard at Radio.DePaul.edu." 
Listeners are able to tune-in to Radio DePaul through a live stream on Apple's iTunes or from their website (radio.depaul.edu). In addition, DJs are able to receive requests during a live broadcast though AIM instant messages. 
The "on-air" studio is equipped with sufficient technology to allow students to play their music during a live stream. Music can either be borrowed from the station's database or brought in by the DJ. 

Student Leadership Institute Workshop

On January 27, 2009 at 6-8 p.m. in DePaul’s Lincoln Park student center room 314B, the Student Leadership Institute (SLI) hosted an interactive workshop entitled, “Strategic Planning and Personal Goal Setting.” The guest speaker was Sandesh Bilgi, who is a former Assistant Director in Student Affairs at DePaul University. Bilgi has worked with professional athletes and companies to help with teambuilding and motivation.

The workshop was similar to the last SLI event that I covered. The audience was composed of DePaul Students looking for useful information. The students are also looking to complete two hours of a workshop, after a certain amount of workshop hours have been completed these students can obtain their leadership certificate which looks great on job and internship applications. Bilgi used a slideshow to supplement his workshop. Bilgi had students focus on setting realistic goals that can be reached and also talked about procrastinating which was a popular topic among students.

The SLI are hosting there next interactive workshop entitled, “Global perspectives on Leadership” on Wednesday, February 4th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Loop Campus’s DePaul Center room 11013.

DIY Weekend

If you haven't noticed by now, there are always shows or performances going on from DePaul students who also do music on the side. Well, this weekend is no different. Get out your planners, people.

Who: Nick Kloth (with Daemon Familiar and Moses Gun)
What: Solo performance
Where: Phyllis's Musical Inn (1800 W. Division)
When: January 31, 8pm
Why: Well, ordinarily, Nick is a part of the band Kiernan's Fault but this weekend he will be performing a special solo show.

Not convinced? I mean, we both know you have nothing else to do this weekend...but just in case you need a little bit of a push, check out Nick's music at his band's myspace.

DIY Tour

I don't know about you, but for me, there is nothing better than seeing one of my favorite bands live; it can be an experience unlike any other. However, something a lot of people don't know is just exactly what it takes for independent bands to book tours. As I learned from talking to Zach Weinberg, a Sophomore at DePaul and member of the band Cloud Mouth, its not an easy task.

When you look at the big bands out there today in the mainstream (go ahead...pick anyone) it seems like they are always playing shows, making money and having fun. And for the most part, they are. But these big bands have managers and PR companies to book their tours, alert their fans and just plain do everything. When you're in an unsigned, DIY band, however, the process is very tedious and time consuming but according to Weinberg, "So worth while."

Ok- so you get that it's hard to do...so how do they do it?

A lot of independent bands go through a DIY network that Weinberg describes kind of like "the underground railroad for independent bands." This network is filled with independent bands who are willing to welcome bands to play their houses, apartments, basements or small venues based on principle.

What principle, you ask? Well, most bands in the DIY scene have a similar moral and ethical stance that music is a positive thing for everyone. They want to allow bands to get their music out there and in return swap shows so they can do the same. Finding these people can be hard, but now with the internet so redily availible, things have become much easier than back in the day where zines (independently run magazines or literature) were the only way to find other people with the same ideals and hopefully an empty basement.

Trust me though, bands who run in this circle are not making much money, if any at all.

"Playing in houses and basements you have to rely on the kids to make donations and by merch but the problem is that you are playing to kids who, by their very nature, don't have a lot of money to spend," Weinberg said.

Making fifty to one hundred dollars a night is call for a celebration and is very uncommon. The aim of bands who book tours DIY is really just to make it to the next city, hopefully get something to eat and a place to sleep. It may seem rough, but Weinberg says that there is nothing better than getting in a van with five or six of his best friends, traveling the country and meeting some of the coolest people.

It's all about the connections.

Work-Life Balance for a DePaul Alumnus: A Photo Essay

As college students, we will all be new to the world of full-time careers in a few short months or years. If you're going to lead a happy life, you're going to have to play with the balance between work and life. I found someone who has learned from experience the misery that an overly demanding job can induce: my older sister, a DePaul alumnus.



Meet Becky McConnell, 25, is the marketing department’s Local Events Coordinator for the family-owned grocery chain Meijer. After eight stressful years of 50-70 hour workweeks with her previous employer, she was anxious to make the switch to Meijer last February. She’s found that the environment and lifestyle at their St. Charles regional office is much more in tune with her work-life balance priorities. Her workweeks are closer to 40 hours now, not including the events she works.



“The perks that come with the job, like all the events I get to attend and the people I get to meet, make all the planning worth it,” she said. She also attributes her happiness at work to her flexible relationship with her boss, Regional Marketing Director Rita Spaccapaniccia. Here, Becky works a wine signing in one of Meijer’s stores with Rita and Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull.



Becky lives in suburban Lake in the Hills and works in St. Charles. This means spending about ten extra hours a week in the car commuting to and from work. “Compared to the 30 or so hours I spent in the car at my last job, it seems like a cake walk,” she says. What else helps her pass the time in traffic without developing road rage? She loves listening to music and talk shows on XM radio and her iPod.



Even though her job keeps her very busy during the week (and even some weekends), Becky emphasizes the importance that friends and family have in her life. “I’ve lost a lot of loved ones, so I think the relationships that I have now are even more precious,” she said. Here, she treads through snow with her mother at St. Adalbert’s cemetery in suburban Niles to visit her grandmother’s grave – she would have been 90 on Sunday.



Becky enjoys a bowl full of mushroom ravioli for dinner at Leona’s in the Old Irving neighborhood on Sunday evening. She loves having weekends off to wind down and rejuvenate for the next week of work. Her advice for students getting ready to head into the working world: “Sometimes you have to feel through a couple jobs before you find a good fit.”