This post is all about this week’s best fashion finds under $50. Bonus; this past friday was black friday and today is cyber monday which means there are tons of discounts for online shopping. I personally avoided all the pandaemonium surrounding black friday shopping because you can get equally great deals online without all the stress.
I love this sweater. It has a pop of color at the sleeves and neck, but it’s not too loud or obnoxious. At $44 this is a perfectly affordable sweater. Also, the website that sells this sweater offers free shipping worldwide.
Minnetonka Cally Slipper $34 ae.com
My room mate has these moccasins and they are like putting your feet into warm, soft bundles of fabulousness. They are extremely affordable and you can buy them online. American Eagle offers free shipping online for all orders $50 or over.
The past couple of summers I have had the pleasure of working for one of the most talented women I know, Amber Woolworth. She is wonderfully talented and very passionate about what she does. Amber has helped me develop my sense and knowledge of the fashion industry while maintaining my interest in it.
Amber Woolworth graduated with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. She has worked solely in the fashion industry since she graduated college in 2005. Amber started off in sales for a contemporary showroom representing small independent designers. Over the years she has worked her way up to becoming a sales manager of growing contemporary brands. She has traveled across the country as well as Paris to participate in trade shows. Amber loves the ever-changing world of fashion and looks forward to the future of her career.
Sophia: What were your first experiences in fashion?
Amber: My first experience was interning for the italian design house Ermenegildo Zegna my freshman year of college.
S: How would you describe your personal style?
A: I do not like anything too constricting. I love flowy dresses that are romantic. I mix a lot of vintage with my basics. I especially love layering and adding texture. I live for lace.
S: What is one fashion trend that you love and why?
A: Ballet flats. I dress for comfort after having my baby 6 months ago.
S: What is one fashion trend you dislike and why?
A: Trousers. I think a woman should dress like a lady and pants are too masculine for my taste.
S: What is your favorite season to dress for?
A: Spring. I love pairing a floral printed silk dress with a chunky cotton sweater or a cropped denim jacket.
S: What is one item of clothing you’ve had the longest?
A: My red leather Chloe ballet flats. They are 10 years old and I think I’ve resoled them three times.
S: Name one of your favorite places to shop for clothes. Why do you like them?
A: Ebay. You can get the best deals!
S: Where do you get most of your style inspiration from?
A: The 1970’s. It was the best era for style inspiration.
S: Does fashion allow people to express their individuality or does it force people to conform?
A: I believe it allows you to express your own individuality.
S: What are some things every woman should have in her closet?
A: A classic navy blazer, a broken in denim jacket, cotton sweaters, black leggings, floral dresses both short and long, lace skirt, vwhite victorian dresses, gladiator sandals ballet flats, suede knee boots and a silk scarf.
As most of you know, here at Dickinson College I am a member of the Red Devil football team. Dickinson College athletics are Division 3, which differs quite drastically from Division 1 athletics in the Big Ten Conference. Today I sit down with one of my teammates Anthony Survilla, a rising senior tight end, to discuss some of these differences and give you an idea of what Division 3 football is like.
Anthony Survilla #43
Jack: So let’s start from the beginning, when do you typically report to football camp to begin the season, and how is that different than Division 1 programs?
Anthony: We typically report to camp around the middle of August. This year we happened to report on August 15th, with our first official practice starting on the 16th. As for Division 1 programs, most teams report about two weeks earlier, at the end of July or beginning of August.
Jack: What is your daily schedule like during camp?
Anthony: We’ll wake up around 6:30 am, then report to the Kline Center pool for our morning swim. It’s not really a swim though, more like a morning run in the pool. From there we go to the cafeteria for breakfast. Then at about 8:30 AM we have meetings with our individual position coaches to install plays or watch film from the day before. At around 9:30 AM we take the field for practice which usually lasts about two hours. After practice we’ll eat lunch at the caf, then we have about 2 hours of free time. Around 3:00 PM we either have a walk-through or our second practice of the day. If we have a walk-through, it’s typically followed by a light lift to maintain strength. Then we have dinner, followed by team meetings that typically run until 9:00 PM. After our meetings we are done for the day, typically going to bed around 10:00 PM.
Jack: Do you think it’s much different for a D1 program?
Anthony: I don’t think it would differ much because if you look at our daily schedule, we don’t have much down time at all. Maybe only two hours a day. So I don’t think that D1 programs would be able to fit anything more into a day during their camp.
Jack: Now getting into the regular season, what would you say is the biggest difference between a typical day for a D3 player versus a D1 player?
Anthony: I would imagine the biggest difference between the two players would be the amount of time they spend on academics versus the amount of time they spend on football. For me I spend about 3-4 hours on football, including practice, film sessions, and meetings. Then the rest of my day is focused on academics, whether it’s going to class, doing homework, or studying. As for a D1 football player, I’m not exactly sure how much of their day is spent focusing on football but I would guess it’s anywhere from 6-8 hours, with the rest of their day spent on academics.
Jack: So are you suggesting that these D1 players have an easer academic course load than D3 players?
Anthony: Not necessarily. I know there are D1 football programs at top academic schools like Northwestern and Stanford where the players take tough academic courses at a prestigious university. I’m sure they too spend a great amount of their day focusing on academics as well as football. But I do know that many D1 programs aid their athletes with tutors to help them with their academics. Unfortunately, some programs are taking advantage of these tutors and having them do the work for the athlete instead of assisting or guiding the athlete in completing the assignments. Although this isn’t as common in football, it is prevalent with college basketball, specifically the University of North Carolina scandal.
Jack: Well, I don’t want to keep you much longer, but as you know this blog is focused on Big Ten football, so I have to ask you, what’s your favorite Big Ten team?
Anthony: Penn State. Since I can remember watching college football with my dad as a young kid, I have always been a Penn State fan. Raised in northeastern Pennsylvania, I really didn’t have any other option. Witnessing a whiteout game at Beaver Stadium is an unreal experience. 108,000 fans dressed in nothing but white going wild the entire game, it’s an atmosphere unlike any other.
Jack: Alright Anthony, I appreciate you taking the time to sit down with me and answer a few questions.
Anthony: It’s been a pleasure.
There are some big differences between Division 1 and Division 3 football, like size and athleticism. There are even slight differences between our daily schedules. But at the end of the day, we are both student-athletes who are focused on continuing our education while playing the game we love.
(I added the video below just to show you a little bit of Anthony’s ability on the field, turn down your volume though because it pretty loud. Anthony’s hit is the first clip.)
So, last week a friend talked me into volunteering for a Spanish medical professional’s class to help Spanish speakers in-need get medical assistance. I felt really confident, after all, I spoke English and Spanish fluently, and I had studied translation for four years. It wouldn’t be difficult, would it? We went to a hospital in Harrisburg and helped patients communicate with doctors who only spoke English. However, it was not the same than translating, where you had a deadline with unlimited access to resources, and time to look for terms. In this situation, you had to respond accurately in a limited time span. It was at this point, where I wondered about the difference between being a translator and being this intermediary. In the event there were no intermediaries in this conversation what would happen? Would patients or doctors be able to communicate effectively? What is the importance of this person? What are the specific qualifications a person like this should have?
These intermediaries between the communication processes are called interpreters. I decided to further investigate this topic, and I interviewed an English<> Spanish interpreter who also works as a translator, Silvia Barbuzza de Calderaro. Silvia is also a teacher of English as a second language, and she holds an MA in Educational Technology and ELT.
Agostina: Silvia, how long ago did you become an interpreter?
Silvia: I started interpreting 22 years ago.
Agostina: Did you always want to become an interpreter?
Silvia: Not really. I started liking interpreting when I met the teacher who later on became my mentor in the profession, Prof. Néstor Chiapetta, an experienced interpreter who trained me for many years. Sharing the booth with him, I began to enjoy and love the job. Of course, I´m talking about simultaneous interpretation, which is my passion.
Agostina: What is the difference between an interpreter and a translator?
Silvia: Broadly speaking, an interpreter works with spoken language translating orally, while a translator works with either spoken or written text transferring it from one language to another in writing.
Silvia Barbuzza, and on her right Mendoza’s Minister of Culture, the famous dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Mendoza’s Minister of Tourism. Mendoza, Argentina, August 2014.
Agostina: What skills does an interpreter need to have?
Silvia: Interpreting is fundamentally the art of paraphrasing—the interpreter listens to a speaker in one language, grasps the content of what is being said, and then paraphrases his or her understanding of the meaning using the tools of the target language. An interpreter also needs mastery of the subject matter being relayed. Interpreters have to possess the following skills: Intimate familiarity with both cultures, extensive vocabulary in both languages, an ability to express thoughts clearly, accurately and concisely in both languages, excellent note-taking techniques for consecutive interpreting, and a quick mind and composure for simultaneous interpretation.
Agostina: What are the different modes of interpretation?
Silvia: Broadly speaking, there are two types of interpreting: simultaneous and consecutive. In simultaneous Interpreting, the interpreter sits in a booth wearing a pair of headphones and speaks into a microphone. During consecutive Interpreting the speaker stops every 1–5 minutes (usually at the end of every “paragraph” or complete thought), and the interpreter then steps in to render what was said into the target language.
Agostina: What are the things you love the most about your profession?
Silvia: It´s difficult to put into words the excitement of this profession and the feeling of fulfillment one obtains from the job well done. I love the adrenalin and alertness required to perform well and the satisfaction when things go as expected and I leave the booth feeling I completed the job successfully. I enjoy being able to communicate the intended message and helping people connect and understand each other. That´s extremely rewarding!
Silvia Barbuzza and, on her left, her work partner Nestor Chiapetta in the booth interpreting in the Annual Meeting of the Great Wine Capitals, Mendoza, Argentina, November 2014.
Agostina: Do you know if the interpreting profession has any credentials in Argentina?
Silvia: Yes. There are different private and state educational institutions in Argentina which offer interpreting training at tertiary and university level.
Agostina: What’s atypical day at work like?
Silvia:Tipically, a simultaneous interpreting day for me starts at 6 a.m. to get ready to be at the site of the event by 7:30, half an hour before the conference starts. Once at the booth, my partner and I test that everything is working fine and settle down. We prepare our laptops, note pads, glossaries, powerpoint presentations, and finally make sure there is water and glasses available. If possible, we also contact the speakers to introduce ourselves before the conference starts. On a regular work day at interpreting, I spend about eight hours in the booth with a few breaks, but it´s an exhausting job. However, I enjoy it deeply.
Silvia Barbuzza and, on her left, her work partner Cintia Pergolis in the booth interpreting in the 8th International Conference of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery”, Mendoza, May 2014.
After this interview with the expert, I had clearer ideas: interpreters are not the same than translators, since they require different skills. Interpreters must have a strong command of the language and culture, and they must respond almost instantly, while translators have a great command of the both languages. I kept on reading articles online, and I found out that there are other types of interpretation. (Click to view).
I still wasn’t sure about what was like to be an interpreter, and so, I kept on looking, and I encountered a great video that describes the dream job of most interpreters: a life of an interpreter in the UN.
Once I volunteered as an interpreter in a basic medical situation, interviewed the experienced interpreter, read about the interpreter’s profession, and watched videos of interpreters’ work, I could grasp what really meant to be an interpreter. What do you think? After reading this blog post, can you tell the difference between a translator and an interpreter?
I write a lot about story structure in filmmaking on my blog because that is where my expertise lie. I wanted to get a better understanding of filmmaking and simple techniques for beginner, so I interviewed Brenda Landis who works for the Media Center at Dickinson College. She works everyday with aspiring filmmakers and she was the perfect person to talk to. She was full of insight and tips not just on film techniques but how to approach and think about film projects. The interview went long. It’s about 20 minutes. I decided to just cut out sections of audio that I found the most perceptive so you can get advice without having to listen to the whole 20 minutes. Everything is still in the original order. I also will post the whole interview at the bottom of the post so that if you are interested.
Q: I was wondering if you could just tell us a little bit about yourself sort of what your background and what experience you have with filmmaking?
Q: Do you find certain techniques or certain skills are applicable towards the variety of films that people you often see people make? Do you have a ten commandments for making a film?
Q: You touched upon common mistakes that people made with bad time management and bad audio, are there any other mistakes that you see students making frequently?
Q:When it comes to filmmaking in the more traditional sense, where do you see people making the most mistakes?
Q: Are there any techniques either lighting or camera shots that would be good for new filmmaker to start with to the build a repertoire before they move on to something bigger?
Q: You talked about sound earlier. Are there simple things people can do to improve their sound quality?
Q: How important do you think editing is in the film making process?
Q: You touched on common editing mistakes, but I was wondering if you have any more that you have solutions for?
Q: My blog is about analyzing films to get better at understanding filmmaking. How important do you think that is?
If your interested, here is the full interview. I highly suggest that you check it out.
It’s time for a perspective change. So far, these posts have focused solely on the experience of an American anglophile, and have included reflections of an American’s time in England. Today, I decided to mix it up. I interviewed a charming Brit named Matt, who had the opportunity to travel in America this summer. Matt is a second year economics student at the University of East Anglia. Here is what he had to say about his time in America, as well as his thoughts on the differences between British and American cultures:
Matt during his visit to New York City
So Matt, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Um, I’m the stereotypical Brit. I enjoy tea, fish and chips…and rain. I’m just joking about the rain; as a Brit you just get used to it.
Were you able to escape the rain in America?
Not the entire time. When I visited Baltimore we [my family and I] were going to go to an Orioles game, but it sadly got rained off.
Was this your first time in America?
No, I visited once before when I was like eight. I went to Florida, but I don’t remember much of it.
When did you visit, and how long did you stay for?
I visited in August, and I stayed for two weeks.
Where were some of the places you visited? And, what were some of the things you did while you were in America?
Well, on the first day, we landed at Newark Airport, picked up our car, and headed down to Edison, New Jersey, where we stayed the night. The next day, we drove to Baltimore, where we met my sister who was out there [in America] for the summer. We stayed there for two days, and then headed down to Washington D.C., where we saw a lot of the monuments, and went to the National Archives.
The National Mall in Washington DC.
The following day, we visited Arlington National Cemetery, which was really cool. Then, we headed to Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, where we stayed in a log cabin for several days. During our time in Pennsylvania, we went to Hershey Park, and we went to a local arts festival. I nearly tried a deep-fried Oreo there [at the arts festival], but I resisted temptation.
For my last four days in America, I headed to New Jersey to visit my girlfriend. We spent time exploring the local area, as well as heading into New York City.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Wow, you visited a lot of places! What were your favorite places that you visited, or things that you did?
I enjoyed visiting the Arlington National Cemetery. That was really moving, especially the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I thought it was very cool how an armed guard is always patrolling it.
In terms of things that were just outright fun, Hershey Park was a great time. Visiting New York City and New Jersey with my girlfriend was also definitely a highlight.
Did you notice any differences between New York City and London?
Oh yeah, definitely, especially in terms of layout. New York City is so much neater in its layout. As a guy with minor OCD, having things in blocks, as opposed to random streets all over the place, made me so happy.
The Giants v. Jets game in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Did you pick up on any major cultural differences during your visit?
Just the general American shock at me being British was amazing. It felt like five million [American] people said to me, “Oh my god, you’re from England?!”
The portion sizes were mad. Like, they were absolutely massive. It was so hard to get through a full meal!
And then the atmosphere at sports games was also pretty mad. I went to a Giants versus Jets game in New Jersey with my girlfriend, and we met my family there. Generally at British sports games, the crowds are rowdy, but they were nothing in comparison to how loud and competitive the teams got in America!
How would you define “being British?” What are some of the major qualities associated with Britishness?
Tea. Actually, tea done the right way: tea bag, then water, then milk, and it’s optional to remove the tea bag before you add the milk.
The weather as a conversational topic, specifically the rain. Like, there is an acceptability of discussing British weather with complete strangers.
Stupidly polite people. For example, queue jumping is a very rude thing to do. But, it is far ruder to call someone out on queue-jumping, than to actually queue jump. That’s just a fact.
Tea is definitely the most important thing though.
Tea: a defining characteristic of Britishness.
Did you miss anything about England while you were in America?
Yeah, I missed how much easier it is to travel in England. Like, there’s just a lot less driving involved, so it’s a lot easier to get places.
Do you miss anything from America now that you’re back home?
THE FOOD. The pizza there is SO much better than here. And, of course, my girlfriend.
Matt’s favorite: American pizza.
Are you planning on visiting the US again anytime soon?
Yes, I’m actually looking to go back to New Jersey and New York for Christmas this year.
Update:
Matt is no longer planning on visiting the United States for the holidays. He does not know when he will return to America.
Meghan Abercrombie is a senior Studio Art Major at Dickinson College. She was nice enough to sit down with me Sunday, November 23rd, 2014 to discuss a variety of arts-related topics, everything from her artistic inspirations to the studio art major at Dickinson.
Meghan standing by some of her artwork at the studio art senior show entiled “More or Less” at the Goodyear Gallery.
James: What is your artistic background? When did you start making art?
Meghan: I started when I was eight. Well, I’ve been doing art since I could write and draw, but I started taking private lessons when I was eight years old at a studio near my house. I took them all through high school and I also took art classes in high school. I took AP studio art which was not a very good experience, but it was fine nonetheless. I’ve been doing it for a long time. Especially the private studio lessons were really helpful. My teacher is now a really close friend. She is always interested in what I want to do, where I’m taking it. So it’s always really nice to go back to her studio and see what’s going on.
James: What are your favorite artistic mediums? Is there something you gravitate towards? Why?
Meghan: I like to say that I am open to all media, but I do gravitate towards charcoal and sculpture, particularly clay. I really like working with my hands. If you are painting you are going through another instrument with a paintbrush. With charcoal I use my hands to manipulate the drawing. I can really get into the drawing without something else being in between me and the actual paper. Sculpture is the same way. I can use my hands to mold it, not a paintbrush or any other thing, and clay is really easily malleable.
James: Did you start out with any particular medium and switch, or have you always been interested in charcoal and sculpture?
Meghan: The way I was taught, in private lessons, was that we have a progression. So you first start out with pencil and then you go into charcoal and then colored pencil. You go pastels and then acrylic and then oil is the last thing. It is probably the most difficult medium you could get into. So I didn’t really focus on one media ever. This is probably the first time I have decided on one media I want to stick with. Consciously, anyway. I’ve never had many artworks that are in just one type of media. I know I do like sculpture a lot more, but I never really had a 2D media until this semester. It was like: “Oh, charcoal! This is awesome.”
James: Could you talk a little bit about how your artistic process works? Do you do research building up to a project? Do you just find inspiration and go?
Meghan: Well, this semester is the first semester that I have really thought about doing art as an artist because I have never really been on that track. I have always really liked doing art, but it has never been a focused passion. Especially since I am looking to go into a field, like art conservation, where art is not the only thing you need to know. You need to know chemistry and all sorts of different sciences, art history, and archeology. So it’s never really been my focus. I’ve always really liked doing chemistry or something like that. Both of my parents are scientists, so it’s kind of what I grew up with, art and science together. So my process is just starting to develop. It’s what we have been focusing on this semester. The first semester of our seminar is all about getting you started on a path of how you work, what media you want to work on, what you are interested in. So, I can’t say I have a set process. This semester, I was really lost in the beginning because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My professor just suggested sketching things that I like. I drew a common thread between all of those sketches and found out that I really like architecture inside buildings and space and light. So I guess that kind of research in a sense. We read books in our seminar, so we have done a lot of reading on art education and how art is taught, how an artist thinks about art, what art is, and how you should look at it.
Dickinson’s 2014 Senior Studio Art Majors at “More or Less”
Which is also helpful. I have gotten a lot of information and good ideas from those books and also artists who come in and critique my work. Like Sylvia Smith [check out her video at the bottom of the page]. So that is the research I’ve done. I have never really got in the swing of researching specific artists. I’ve never really had one inspiration. I guess my process was kind of an accident because I started out with just, I don’t know if you remember “The Stairs,” but that was the first big drawing that I did. I know I did like drawing large because I did do a mural for my aunt last summer on her dining room wall. So, I’m used to getting up and down a ladder. “The Stairs” was just a live study and then it kind of became itself, something different, more than just stairs. I guess that’s my process. It’s kind of like tweaking things along the way. I mean I still am a little hesitant because I am still getting the feel for what I want to do, but just being able to go in and change something that doesn’t work makes it look a little bit better.
James: Where do you work? Is there some sort of space that you have found helpful in the creative process?
Meghan: We all have studios, all of the seminar students, so I do most of my work there because I can’t really drag a large paper around and my room would be covered in charcoal.
James: You get individual studios?
Meghan: Yeah. Well, I mean, I have a studio made. So I get this big space. It is me and Molly Thorn. So, Molly is there and I have the other half. It was kind of weird at first, just going there and having that space, because normally I would just go into my room and draw. But because it was a much more involved process. You are required to be there twenty hours outside of class.
James: That’s a lot.
Meghan: I ended up making it a second home. Now that’s a place where I am like, okay I need to do this. It is more of a creative space now than it used to be. Now I don’t really go anywhere else to do my art.
James: But you used to before you had a studio?
Meghan: Yeah. Sophomore year I had a drawing class. Pretty much, you would pretty much go around campus and draw something that was within the parameters of the assignment. I am really attracted to windows. Looking back on it now, sitting in the library by the tables upstairs, and looking out through the windows.
James: What art/artists inspires you?
Meghan: I’m not super educated on the art world. It’s just not ever been emphasized for me when I was growing up. But there are a couple of local artists. I worked at one of my local museums [Brandywine River Museum of Art] and they focused on Brandywine [PA] artists. The museum is for the whole Wyeth family, so I have seen a lot of their work.
Meghan: Yeah. Andrew Wyeth. N.C. Wyeth. N.C. Wyeth’s grandson, Jamie, who is still alive. I think Jamie is probably my favorite because he is getting into more contemporary stuff. He is still very realistic, like in Andrew’s work, but it is not as particular and dreary. Just their technique and how they are able to depict scenes like that is just really incredible to me. There is actually a show at the National Gallery right now. It is all studies of Andrew Wyeth’s windows and stuff like that. Apparently it is related to what I am doing now, which is kind of funny because I wasn’t really even thinking about it. Maybe subconsciously it have been coming through. So mainly them. I guess my favorite movement is probably like Dadaism and post-WWII
James: Do visiting artists or people giving lectures related to art inspire you too?
Meghan: Yeah. They are also very helpful because it is another view on your work that is not professors that know what you have been doing, your ideas because you have been talking to them all semester. A lot of the visiting artists are either related somehow to Dickinson or they are alum. Sylvia Smith was actually very helpful. She was the one that told me about the Andrew Wyeth show. She actually suggested a book that I just bought yesterday that I’m going to read. I think their criticism on my work is really helpful because it is an outside view. Also, Amy Boone-McCreesh came two weeks ago. She was actually really helpful because I am trying to expand my idea now and she was like, “Oh you should cut out the window panes and put stuff behind it.” So, they give you a lot of good ideas that are worth to think about. They really help me break down that wall of not knowing what to do next.
James: Do you have any particular favorite pieces that you have done?
Meghan: I am really bad at liking my artwork. I’m not someone that would ever be satisfied with it being done. People normally have to tell me, “You shouldn’t work on it anymore. Stop. Move on.” I am one of those people that is really meticulous. If I see something that is wrong, I am like, “Oh, I need to correct it.” That’s probably why I will never get a tattoo, at least anywhere I can see it. Although, I think the ones I put in the show are mostly completely finished. I couldn’t say one or the other is definitely my favorite. They are kind of different concepts. I am a little bit more partial to the big window.
James: I like that one a lot. What do you think about the studio art major at Dickinson?
Meghan: I didn’t have an idea of being a studio art major because I had been concentrating on my self-developed major for so long that I kind of got caught off guard. So, I wasn’t particularly happy with it at first, but now that I am in the groove of it and have accepted that this is going to help me, being an artist, with my career. I really like how personal it is. Each professor wants me to do well and has no ill feelings. They always have helpful criticism. Sometimes if something isn’t good, they will tell you that it’s not good. Honesty is really helpful. The only thing I am really sad about is that the art department doesn’t have any graphic design. They have photo shop class, but they don’t really have any graphic design, any computer-based art classes. Not too much of it at all, which could be really helpful. Graphic design is a huge part of art and it is really helpful to know that. You would ultimately use InDesign, Photoshop, and all of those other programs if they made it more accessible to everyone. I think that could really improve the art department. The wall in my studio is kind of crumbling too, but other than that…I mean only the computer graphic design stuff is the only thing I regret not being able to do.
James: Do you think that will happen in the near future? Do you think they are going to move in that direction?
Meghan: Professors know that is lacking. Dickinson is not an art school. It is not a complete art program because it is not an art school. I know Sylvia was talking about how before [the Biblio—in the Waidner-Spar library] there used to be a tiny building and that was the art department. It was a tiny little house and it had everything in it and the drawing studio was so small. So, she came in and was like, “This space is awesome. You have so much room. You have your own studios.” But being someone that is pretty much living there for half of my academic career, there is a lot of stuff that could be improved, a lot more tools and materials that could be provided to the students. I pretty much have to buy everything that I want to use. There are very few things that are just given. I feel like that is unfair because if you are a business major or art history major, you don’t have to go and buy things for yourself all the time. Art supplies are very expensive.
“We do not sell product; we sell books and ideas and entertainment and fun.”
The bell above the door chimes invitingly as I enter Whistlestop Bookshop and hear the soft swells of classical music playing on the radio. The store has a homey, eclectic vibe that is an English major’s dream; it’s the sort of place you could spend days browsing in before settling down in a corner with a hot cup of tea. I am greeted by shelves upon shelves of books, a green-eyed cat sidling past me, and the friendly face of Jeff Wood.
Jeff is the owner of the independent bookstore Whistlestop Bookshop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A Carlisle native and professed book-lover, from a young age Jeff seemed destined to open up his own bookshop. Amid taking business calls and ringing out customers, Jeff was kind enough to talk to me about small-town life and the humanness of bookselling.
What made you want to open up an independent bookstore in Carlisle, PA?
History and experience. I came here when I was twelve, went through the school system, graduated from Dickinson, and for two years while I was at Dickinson, I managed an independent bookstore in the mall that used to exist where Wal-Mart is now. Since I had always been deeply affected by books, it seemed natural to open a store right after I graduated from Dickinson.
What did you major in in College?
American studies. It was the way my brain was wired before I ever knew about it, so it was a happy meeting of predisposition and a major. It has definitely helped me in my career.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Any retail is a combination of crisis management and strategic planning, but a bookstore has the element of fun to it for me. We do everything from take-in orders, process orders billed orders and then when the shipments arrive from previous orders we process them, set up displays, arrange for advertising, do web maintenance and Facebook maintenance.
The primary thing above all this and around all this is interacting with customers, whether in person or on the phone. That’s a really short summary of a typical day.
If you could describe Carlisle, in one word, what would it be?
One word? [Pauses.] [Laughs.] I can think of a lot of words that it wouldn’t quite fit. Let’s say “historic”—but that’s in favor of saying things like, “For a town of its history, it is diverse. For a town of its history, it is interesting and engaging to live in.”
I won’t condemn it by calling it “charming,” but it’s something close to that. It’s always interesting. There’s always something to learn and ask questions about.
How do you view your relationship to Dickinson College and the larger Carlisle community?
My relationship with the college has always been very good since I’ve opened. I liked Dickinson most for its faculty and for its resources, and since the students change every semester and every year, they’re always interesting. Dickinson has changed a lot in the time since I’ve graduated to this year. And it’s changed for the better.
The relationship with the Carlisle community is very good. I’m active on a lot of nonprofit boards. I’m deeply rooted in the community.
What’s the hardest part about being an independent bookstore owner in 2014, especially in light of competition from major booksellers such as Amazon and the birth of the eBook?
What’s most challenging is the nature of the industry and its pace of change. And it’s not just online selling; the selling aspect of books has actually been somewhat stable after the 1990s, which was a wild rollercoaster.
The publishing aspect of books is in more turmoil than the selling of books right now. And I’m concerned that a lot of the great things that I’d like to put in the hands of my customers may or may not be available in the ways they want them. This was not a question a hundred years ago, fifty years ago, twenty years ago… It is now a question as to whether I can get something from a publisher for a customer. There are big factors at work beyond just a simple transaction.
What makes Whistlestop special?
“We’re small, we’re interesting in a quirky sort of way.”
Three things.
Ambiance–we’re small, we’re interesting in a quirky sort of way.
Selection–everything is very carefully vetted and hand-selected because of space and my attitude and what I perceive to be my customers’ wants.
And then service—we actually pay attention to the human beings who are our customers. We do not sell product; we sell books and ideas and entertainment and fun.
What has been the most surprising thing about the bookshop business?
The fact that anybody can walk through this door at any time and you have to be ready to respond to what they think they want, what they know they want, and what they don’t know they want.
Were there any people or pieces of advice that were instrumental in helping you get where you are today?
I’ve been selling used books since I was twelve, so mostly it’s been customers who have been most instrumental in the way I sell books. By sharing what’s important about a book—whether it moves them, whether they’re out for facts, whether they considered a meaningful gift to a grandchild—I learn from that and stock accordingly.
Do you have any memories of specific customers that have stayed with you?
One of the most discreet places in the world is a bookstore and a bar, so we don’t tell stories about our customers, but we do live vicariously through our customers sometimes. We ship books around the world, we deliver books to nursing homes, we have seen pregnant women come in, we’ve seen the child, we’ve seen the child grow up and go to law school and get married. There’s one specific person I can think of whose whole life arc I’ve seen so far.
What’s the one book you think everyone should have a copy of in his or her personal library?
This sounds kind of cranky and unhelpful, but I don’t believe in that, because I believe as every human being is different, so the perfect book for them would be different. There will be some overlap, but I’m not prescriptive. I’d rather get to know the person better. We have a way of just finding out about people—which is one of the great things about retail—and then we try to select something or recommend something that they would like.
Now if you asked me what I think is one of the most moving and important books I’ve read in the last thirty years of doing this, that would be Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean, which sounds like a tough testosterone-laden Western book, but it’s actually a very complex love story, history, adventure-story.
It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I’ve ever encountered. Since I’ve encountered so much, saying that really means something. It’s something that still has the ability to blow me away, so I would often recommend that book to all sorts of different people from different backgrounds. But there is no one perfect book for everybody.
I have to ask…What’s the story behind the cat?
Mulan hung around the back of my property in 2011. She was a stray cat, and after having shopped around she began to move closer and closer to the property and finally walked in the back door on a summer’s day and said, “Okay, this is the one I’ve chosen. I’m staying.” So she’s been here since 2011, and she lives here all the time. As with any cat, it’s her store now.
Here at the Brok’n Kitch’n we are always looking for new ways to reach out to our readers. In this post I interviewed a person who has much experience with living and cooking for themselves. This was my older sister Paige. She … Continue reading →
Mulan hung around the back of my property in 2011. She was a stray cat, and after having shopped around she began to move closer and closer to the property and finally walked in the back door on a summer’s day and said, “Okay, this is the one I’ve chosen. I’m staying.” So she’s been here since 2011, and she lives here all the time. As with any cat, it’s her store now.
