About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2011)
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
