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KRISTf N MORALES
NEWS FROM THE JUICE BOX SET GET YOUR ATH TOGETHER
There's no way to avoid it. Sooner or later,
it happens to everyone. No matter how you
spin it, the ages 10-15 come with a certain
amount of awkwardness, anxiety, hormones
and zits that can make you pretty miserable.
But the worst part? You're too old to always
hang out with mom and dad—and too young
to drive. Your social life revolves around
begging for a rides to places that seem a lot
cooler than your house.
I grew up in a small town, and it took me
years to realize that working at the mall was
quite possibly the coolest job ever. It's a con
stant struggle to be, say, 14, and want to do
something cool. You have little to no money,
limited transportation and probably a curfew.
And all of this got me thinking: What is
there for a middle-schooler to do in this town?
The basics, after an informal polling of 12- to
15-year-olds, seem to be the mall and the
discount movie theater by the mall (which
means, in the last 15 years or so, nobody has
come up with a new business catering to the
"no-money, no-car" crowd.) I used to lump
bowling into the category of "stuff you can
do before you can drive." But several hours of
bowling can get a bit pricey on a preteen bud
get, and all the newfangled laser light shows
on the weekends got me a bit nostalgic for the
good ol' days of straight-up bowling.
Ah, but wait. There is an alternative. A
place where you can hang out until midnight
on the weekends, be with your friends, listen
to good music and get away from your par
ents: kick it old-school at the roller rink.
I thought this bastion of middle school
entertainment had died along with the joy
stick, but it turns out Athens has not one but
two roller skating rinks, Athens Skate Inn and
Skate-A-Round USA, Who knew we were sur
rounded by so much middle-school fun?
You still have the brown skates with the
rubbery orange wheels. And the snack bar with
popcorn, candy and soda for about Si each.
And the deejay who takes requests. As the
disco ball spins, highlighting sweaty hand
holding and some occasional middle-school
drama, you realize the only thing that's really
changed is the music.
Drop by on a Friday or Saturday night,
and the parking lot will look empty—that's
deceiving. Inside, at least 150 or so preteens
and teens are jamming to the beat. Some are
regulars. Roneshia Youngblood, 12, a student
at Oconee County Middle School, told me
she'll be at Athens Skate Inn a few times a
week, requesting her favorite songs and meet
ing up with her friend, DeAmber Williams,
13, a student at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle
School. Neither remembers how old they were
when they learned to roller skate—although
DeAmber suspects her mom's friend taught her
when she was about 5.
Zoe Scott, 15, a student at Cedar Shoals
High School, says she prefers the roller rink to
the mall or the movies. And her parents trust
the owners of Athens Skate Inn, who opened
the place less than a year ago and involve lots
of family members in the business. The result
is an atmosphere where the kids are respected
but given a clear set of rules—and the kids
like that. Parents are welcome to hang out
and see what it's like, but I had multiple kids
tell me that their parents feel they are safe
and in a good, fun place.
Skate-A-Round USA located behind
Lowe's off Lexington Road, changed ownership
earlier this year. The rink is a vintage wood
floor (rumor has it that plans are in the works
for an upgrade) and there are lots of carpeted
spots around the rink for newbies. There is a
similar old-school vibe at Athens Skate Inn,
on Commerce Boulevard in Bogart, complete
with video games and the twirling disco ball.
But there's another thing you realize hasn't
changed much as you walk through the doors
of these roller rinks: The kids. Lots of people
moan about "these darn kids today" and how
things have changed, with their video games
and violence on TV. But hang out at a roller
rink for an hour or two, and you'll realize that
it's all pretty similar to your own junior high
school years. Heck, I got my first kiss at a
roller rink—an embarrassed peck on the cheek
by a little boy who lived on a dairy farm—and
walking into the roller rink, it's all still there.
Giggling 12-year-old girls skating with their
friends in large groups. Couples who have
been dating for several weeks, now confident
enough to go around the rink holding hands.
If you have a child entering this awkward
phase, offer to give them and their friends
a lift to the rink, then discreetly sit back
and watch. It's a great trip back in time and
a great way to feel good about the next
generation.
Kristen Morales
Join the Revolution: It's impossible to ignore
the movement behind Occupy Wall Street and
the demonstrations sprouting up in solidarity
in almost every major city across the nation.
Occupy Athens, which aims not only to show
support but actively educate Athenians on
economic injustice, holds a permit through
Jan. 1 and plans to demonstrate 24 hours a
day in the space around the UGA Arch for
as long as protests continue in NYC. Within
the span of less than a week, several worker
groups—including those focused on public
relations and community outreach, digital
media, research and education, legal and
financial issues, and facilities—were cre
ated to streamline volunteer efforts around
the clock. Additionally, local businesses have
begun demonstrating their camaraderie
through donations of food, money and mis
cellaneous items. Widespread
Panic even brought by a pasta
dish! General assemblies are
| open to the public and currently
being held every night of the
week at 8 p.m. at the UGA Arch,
I with marches from the Snow Tire
; parking lot on Hancock Avenue
to the meeting taking place 30
minutes beforehand. Meeting
notes are regularly posted on
; www.occupyathensga.org, which
also contains a message board
for facilitating discussion.
► Turn the Page: Athens' newest
! independent and locally owned
bookstore. Avid Bookshop,
has already opened its doors at
493 Prince Ave. next to Daily
Groceries Co-Op, but will have
two grand-opening parties to
officially welcome in the com
munity. The first, held on Friday,
Oct. 21 from 7-9 p.m., will fea
ture an inaugural performance
from the New Town Revue mixed
genre series, including a read
ing from poet Sabrina Orah
Mark and a performance by
Madeline. At 8 p.m., a per
manent art installation in the
children's section will be unveiled. Saturday's
celebration, held in the afternoon from 2-5
p.m., will focus on the littlest bookworms
and include story time readings at 2:15 and
3 p.m. as well as photo opportunities with
storybook characters. Avid Bookshop plans
on hosting book clubs, children's story times,
book signings and readings in the future. For
more information or to browse and purchase
books online, visit www.avidbookshop.com.
Enter If You Dare: A professional haunted
house. Fear Factory, is now temporarily occu
pying the otherwise vacant Athens Plumbing
and Well Supply building on Oconee Street,
parallel to the Farmers' Exchange Lofts down
town. Through animatronics, live actors, air
cannon, strobe lights and plenty of fake
blood, guests are challenged to make their
way through a gory butcher's shop, a spooky
nursery and a haunted mental hospital. Open
7 p.m. until late every Friday and Saturday
night through October, tickets can be pur
chased at the door for SI5. More information
can be found at www.fearfactoryathens.com.
Local Haunting Scene: The Athens-Clarke
Heritage Foundation is hosting the "Athens'
Haunted History Tour" Oct. 27 & 28 and 30
& 31 at 7 p.m. This two-hour tour of down
town and UGA's North Campus highlights
tales of mystery, murder, suicide, supersti
tion and other spooky legends such as the
story of expelled student Robert Toombs,
who haunts the Demosthenian Hall, and
Confederate soldier Major Charles Morris, who
refuses to move out of the Lustrat House.
Tickets are $15 for general admission ($12
for ACHF members) and can be purchased
by calling (706) 340-4357 or visiting www.
achfonline.org/heritage-walks. North Georgia
Tours (www.northgeorgiatours.net) is similarly
offering haunted walking tours of historic
Watkinsville every Friday and Saturday at 8
p.m., meeting in front of Eagle Tavern. Adult
tours are not recommended for children under
12 years old, but a kid-friendly version of the
tour is offered every Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets
are $12 for adults ($22 per couple) and $7 per
child, and can be reserved online or by calling
(706) 340-4357.
For Your Little Pumpkins: Opportunities for
parents to take their children to Halloween
festivities abound over the next two weeks.
The Varsity will host the third annual Car and
Bike Show & Children's Carnival, complete
with games, face-painting, candy "trunk or
treating" and costume contests from 5-8
p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22. Children of all ages
can also attend the fourth annual Haunted
House at the Oconee County Library on
Friday, Oct. 28, from 6-9 p.m., for an Alice
in Wonderland-themed program created and
run by teen volunteers. The ACC Library
will host "One Spooky Night," an evening
of crafts and trick-or-treating for non-food
prizes, from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 31. Check out
www.athensclarkecounty.com for details on
more Halloween activities at the Rocksprings
Community Center, East Athens Community
Center, Parkview Community Center, Lay Park
and Memorial Park.
Jessica Smith miscOflagpole com
Roneshia Youngblood and DeAmber Williams talk with their friend ialen Stroud on a recent Friday night at
Athens Skate Inn
Avid Bookshop celebrates its grand opening this weekend with two
days of special events.
OCTOBER 19, 2011 • FLAGPOLE.COM 9
