Nelson Brown, Barber profile

         Nelson Brown is a man of his principles and morals, no more and no less. The local barber at Diversity Cuts, previously located in OSU's Memorial Union, has since moved to 11th and Van Buren Ave.
          Nelson has been cutting, trimming, and styling hair in Corvallis for 10 years now, but his experience in this field dates much longer than that, and it really does show through his quality.
          Back in the day barber shops used to be a place of safety and freedom, but like most things in this world, these shops have been industrialized to perform haircuts faster. You used to be able to shoot the breeze with your barber and neither them nor you would ever have to worry about what was discussed, no matter how controversial or sensitive the topic. Now your lucky if can get the person cutting your hair to say anymore than "So what do you want?" Nelson distances himself from that notion and he'll be the first one to tell you that.
          When you first walk in your senses are almost overwhelmed. Immediately, what you might mistake to be a white wolf trots right to you with a friendly greeting. If you somehow manage to walk out of the shop without any of your hair on you this dog will be sure to fix that with some of its own. If this amiable canine isn't enough to make you feel comfortable then the music is sure to. Nelson's own personal music library consists of anything ranging from Led Zepplin, 2Pac, to some good ol' fashion James Brown, whatever you want hes got it, and that's just his music.
          Nelson's upbringing was far from easy, raised in a foster home with several brothers and sisters, Brown learned quickly that race was nothing but a color. "I grew up with just about every skin color under the sun, my father taught me to respect everyone and everything unless they gave you a reason otherwise and I still hold that true to this day." Brown went on to say,"With so many different types of races under that roof we all learned how to cut each others hair, that's why I can cut anything that walks through that door."
          A regular customer, Jeff Russell, had nothing but praise to give to the talented barber and his establishment.
          "A barber shop should be a place where you can shoot the s*** with your friends, barber, and other customers. [You can] talk about your old lady and the problems she's giving you or how the governments screwing us over. Doesn't matter everyone has something to contribute."

          Many were disappointed to see Nelson relocate from his campus shop but many felt that his location was inhibiting him from doing what he wanted to do in his shop. Matt King was one such individual.
          "Some people just can't handle the rawness of a classic barber shop. People swear and might say some things that you don't agree with, but that's what it's all about!"
          If you haven't had the chance to stop by this classic barber shop, anyone of Diversity Cuts' customers will encourage you to stop by for a chat and one of the cleanest cuts in town.

At a Glance
Nelson Brown, Barber, Diversity Cuts
Diversity Cuts' Facebook page
Located at 11th and Van Buren Ave Corvallis, OR 97330, across from the Rice 'n' Spice market
Call in to make an appointment to avoid the wait at (541) 908-3272
Price is $15-$20 or go in on Tuesdays for a discount at $10, with tip of course

Story #3: The Changing Nature of Life

          Change is an inevitability. From the moment we are born, we are thrown into a world that is constantly changing around us. Every creature, by nature, will oppose change because it goes against their daily routine. Many people struggle to adapt to change, not Jane Barton.

          Last Tuesday night The LaSells Stewart Center at OSU hosted Dr. Jane Barton, MTS, MASM. She is an enthusiastic writer, speaker, listener, and founder of Cardinal, LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to educating people in the hardships of comforting the old, ill, and disabled.

          Barton opened with a simple question for the crowd, "Do you welcome change?" The murmuring crowd was silenced and few nodded their heads. It's amazing how such a simple word is capable of causing such a noticeably discomforting reaction.

          With little response from the now tentative audience, Barton said simply, "In order to achieve continuity, we must be willing to change." The manner in which Barton said this was so matter-of-fact, she made it sound as if it were obvious, very convincing. According to Barton there are four types of change, cognitive, physical, relationship, and spiritual. Each of these changes we experience is just a transition. "The best part about transitions is that they provide opportunities to discover yourself...to integrate change into our lives," said Barton.

          Everyone, young and old, worries about what tomorrow has to offer. Our world seems to revolve around this one concept, adapt to survive, for "change is the norm." Barton understands the changing nature of life as well as how to handle it. Now at age 55, she has seen both of her parents taken by cancer and knows the journey of care-giving.

          Perhaps the most challenging period in time for Barton was the "year of the hard hat,"when she had to deal with a divorce while moving out and caring for her father who had also had a stroke. The most difficult part for her though, was the fact that she hadn't yet gotten over the death of her mother years earlier. The only thing that helped Barton through that year was "the little voice of hope, of a divine." We all find hope in different places but that doesn't change the fact of life, it is the first thing given to us and the last thing taken away.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Barton...
Phone: 865-688-0661
Email: jbarton0829@yahoo.com
For more information visit her website.
http://www.drjanebarton.com/

Simply Edna

Edna Buchanan has lived a life most reports could only hope to replicate at some degree. She faced hardships of having only one parent, being poor, and being a woman. The determination this woman has is unheard of, at least for me it is. To overcome such adversity on a daily basis must have taken its toll on Edna, but never does it ever seem like she lets it bother her. If there was anything I've learned from Edna thus far it would be to persist no matter the cost and to take advantage of what makes you different from the rest. I'm a mild mannered person and I find myself generally going along with the consensus in most situations. Not because I'm afraid of having my thoughts such down or anything like that but simply because it just seems easier to me that way and time isn't wasted. Edna never takes no for an answer, and when it does happen to be the answer, she continues to press until that no turns into a yes. Many people would see being a woman in Edna's position at the time to be very disadvantageous, but she made it work into her favor by taking advantage of men's politeness and lack of detail. For me, my disadvantage seems to be the fact that I stand out like a sour thumb. A tall black guy doesn't just exactly "blend" into the environment. What I have found I can do is part crowds like Moses and water. Not only does this allow me to get to the ideal location, but I can also see things from a much higher view. This was I can show and tell a story to someone in a completely different way than others might be able to. It's been incredibly entertaining reading about Edna's many different stories and I can't wait to read more about them.

Inspirations Dances into Spring

          There's only one reason why you shouldn't have been outside enjoying the beautiful weather this past weekend, and that is so you could see the beauty that was happening inside the Russell Tripp Performance Center.
          Last Friday night and Saturday afternoon LBCC held it's Spring Dance Concert "Inspirations," showcased by students and faculty along with guest performances by East Dream Chinese Dance Group and Downtown Dance. The concert was organized by LB's very own Kathrine Sanders, who is also the artistic director and founder of Downtown Dance.
          "The spring performance is traditionally called 'Inspirations' to represent the inspiration students, faculty, and audience members find through the many dances," according to Sanders. She also stated that, "This year felt like the most successful," due to the many returning student performers.
          The opening night saw the entire Performance Center nearly at maximum capacity but you would've thought it was full the way the audience responded to the the energy of the dancers.
          Student and performer, Summer Veit, had nothing but praise for the audience, fellow performers, and organization of the concert as a whole. "Compared to other recitals I have done, this one was the most organized and professionally put together. There were many different acts that showcased people's abilities and it makes me proud to be a part of them."
          The emotion of each dance was captured perfectly thanks to the technical staff of the concert, who were in charge of music, lighting, and on stage assistance.
          Diversity was the clear theme of the concert with a large array of performances ranging from hip-hop, jazz, and traditional Chinese dance.
          The East Dream Chinese Dance Group performed for its second consecutive appearance at LBCC and was definitely one of the standout acts. Sanders stated that "Special guests are rotated every couple of years to promote diversity through dance."
          One of the great aspects of the concert was "giving the new and experienced[dancers] an opportunity to show what they are all about," said Sanders.
           LBCC is lucky to house such great talent and professionalism and if you didn't have the opportunity to see the performances there is a display at the entrance of the Performance Center and you won't want to miss next year's concert either!

Inspirations dance rehearsal

Yaling Fan flashes a beautiful smile during a short solo with the East Dream Chinese Dance Group
at the Inspirations dance performance.

The Zang Zu Folk Dance is fluently performed shortly after a short intermission
for a first look at the EDC Dance Group.

Artistic Director, Katherine Sanders, gives her feedback on the first round of dress rehearsal
 just a night before the first performance.

Tyga Gets Corvallis Roaring

You wouldn't have the slightest idea it was a Monday night with the incredible turnout and energy at the Benton County Fair Grounds earlier this week.
Hip hop sensation, Tyga, made an unscheduled stop in Oregon in several locations for his Careless World Tour, named after his second studio album. There was a crowd of roughly 1,300 individuals all gathered inside the fairgrounds to see one of hip hop's hottest artists along with his crew consisting of Honey Cocaine, and Lil Twist.
Tickets sold fast! Almost as fast the performance seemed to have gone by said concert attendee Josh Knoll.
"Everyone was having a great time and you never wanted it to end, but it did. Way quicker than expected," Knoll said.
Tyga played many of his hit singles such as Rack City, Make it Nasty,and The Motto.
Brennan White was lucky enough to meet the performer in person after the concert had ended, and he had nothing but good things to say about the rapper.
"He really was a great guy. I always expected rappers like him to be stuck up or self absorbed but he was really chill,"White said. "[He was] a lot shorter than I was expecting but he even made some jokes about his height."
For those that had a busy Tuesday morning and were unable to attend the concert can visit Oncloudn9ne's Facebook page to view pictures of the event or you can visit Ticketmaster to view other locations he will be performing at.
If the concert caught you by complete surprise, you might want to visit Tyga's official website to learn a bit about what this young rapper is about.

At a glance
Future performances by Tyga
April 18th, Beaumont Club, Kansas City, Montana at 8pm
April 27th, WVU Coliseum, Morgan Town, West Virginia at 7:30pm
April 29th, University at Buffalo - Alumni Arena, Buffalo, New York at 6:30pm

First Photojournalism Photos(Medium, Overall, Close-up)

Tiffany Harris pictured holding her prize after winning the raffle.



The Frisbee-golf club practicing throwing techniques.




A newt captured in the Fishery and Wildlife club.