Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Georgia Perimeter College Bio Piece: Michael Diebert


Michael Diebert Bio
812
5/1/12
Yoder

From Writer to Poet

Photograph by Benjamin Yoder
     No matter what lifestyle or career choice you make, writing comes into play in some aspect of it. This could be as simple as a text message, email, or tweet, to more in-depth pieces like reports and guidelines. But only a select number of people actually seem to fall in love with using and mastering words. Michael Diebert, Associate Professor of English at Georgia Perimeter College, is one of those people. Michael Diebert is a poet.

     Diebert had a couple of dreams growing up. First, in elementary school he wanted to be a weather man. Years later in early high school, he wanted to be a DJ. Despite these slight detours throughout his life, Diebert has always had a vague idea of what he wanted to do. "I always thought I was good at writing and I envisioned myself doing something with it." Occasionally, he would dip into the creative side as many do, but when he approached college he instead pursued journalism as his major. However, over time he found that journalism wasn't where his passion was. “I quickly saw myself becoming Geraldo Rivera. I didn't want to be one of those guys on TV shoving the microphone in people's faces. I really questioned how much I wanted to do that.” With journalism pushed aside, he instead opted for an English degree. He went on to earn his bachelor's in English at the University of Tennessee and his master's in English at the University of Alabama.

     Oddly enough, his pursuit of his master's in English didn't exactly trigger his creative writing juices. His writing in graduate school was essentially restricted to class assignments. Occasionally he would dip into creative writing, but it wouldn't be until he was hired for a teaching job in Hopkinsville Kentucky that he would redirect his writing lifestyle.

     In 1996, Diebert met a man name Brett Ralph, a fellow teacher at Hopkins Community College hired the same semester as himself. Diebert describes Ralph as a larger-than-life character as he was a former football player, had fronted rock bands in high school and was overall a “good vibes” kind of person. These aspects drew Diebert to him, but more importantly Ralph was a fellow poet. Diebert, wanting to re-kindle the act of writing poetry, looked towards Ralph's concepts and ideas. “He believed in hard work over inspiration; he gave me good advice for cutting the bullshit from my poems; he introduced me to complex, challenging poets such as Frank Stanford and Larry Levis. He expanded my horizons; he would deny it if I ever told him, but it's true.”

     In 1997, Diebert had his first poem published, titled “Empire State.” He described the feeling of getting his poem published simply as a feeling of “elation.” Diebert would leave Hopkins Community College in 1999, but didn't leave behind what he learned from Ralph. “He was, and still is, a big deal to me.”

     After a year and a half dance with technical writing after his position at Hopkins Community College, Diebert re-entered the teaching scene at Georgia Perimeter College where he remains today.  Outside of teaching classes, he is the poetry editor for the GPC affiliated Chattahoochee Review. He also still continues to write poetry. A fellow poet and friend, Rupert Fike met Diebert 10 years ago at a poetry workshop. “Diebert writes of his boyhood and family times, it seems like he had sort of a distant father but he shows a fondness for those times,” said Fike. “He also writes of his own professors and how he and others made fun of them, though he sees how he's now in a similar position.”

     Diebert affirms he is happy at his position at Georgia Perimeter College and the Chattahoochee Review, which are jobs that give him flexibility to continue working on poetry. As for what's in his future, currently he has a 60 page manuscript that he is shopping around to publishers. "I would love 100,000 copies of my first book to be sold. That's the perfect world, of course. A fantasy,” he jokes. However, actually getting his book published is a goal of his, as well as continuing to be active in the poetry community and being able to balance his teaching life with poetry for the years to come.

     Diebert doesn't write poetry specifically for money. If anything, he reassures that there is virtually no money in writing poetry. His continued pursuit of the medium proves that it is much more than that to him. “I've seen him hand write the same poem over and over again to get it just right,” accounted Gregg Murray, fellow teacher who met Diebert through work at the Chattahoochee Review. “He is clever, has a great ear for verse, and always surprises the reader in his poems.”


Web Source: Michael Diebert's LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-diebert/13/9a6/527)

Monday, April 30, 2012

Sparkles' Family Fun Center Travel Piece


Sparkles Roller Rink Travel
426
4/12/12
Yoder

Retro Gliding

     The entrance of Sparkles' Family Fun Center in Gwinnett County is like a giant colorful chamber that acts to disinfect your body of all modern day conformity before venturing into the rest of the building. As you approach the door, the wall slightly vibrates with a low rumble, as if it is struggling to hold a beast inside.

     Opening the door, blaring music rolls past your ears back into the chamber. Inside you can find a small arcade in the corner, a play place that towers near the entrance, and the main attraction, a large almost rectangular roller rink covering the majority of the floor space.

     “I used to go to roller rinks as a kid,” says Kari Austin, who is 31 and a mother of a 9-year-old boy. “It's an unique experience I remember fondly and want my child to have too.”
   
     That feeling of nostalgia seems to resonate through the whole place, as the location almost feels it is trapped in the 1970s. The rink itself is partly responsible for that, with walls covered in bright neon art, and two spinning disco balls that hang overhead on opposite ends of the rink. Underneath, colored lights dash across the floor while masses of skaters circle the rink to a wide array of tracks from both the 60s and 70s, as well as more modern releases. No matter what generation the music comes from, Sparkles Family Fun Center's Gwinnet general manager, Sharon Mauldin, assures that all tracks are clean, so the entire family can enjoy them.

     There is more to do than just skate though, a small arcade corner contains some classics, ranging from “Pac-Man” and “Galaga” to “San Francisco Rush 2049” and “House of the Dead.” The corner also has a pool table, as well as ticket games where players can win novelty prizes.  While obviously not for the adults of the family, the location has a play place which kids can crawl through. Even if you are a parent who just wants to relax while your child plays, the site has plenty of seating and free Wi-Fi.

     Visitors can rent skates on site for a few bucks, or they can bring their old favorite pair to use. However, skates or not, everyone has to pay admission fees.

     So if you are longing to drag out those old skates from the back of your closet or just want to introduce your child to the world of skating, you may want to check out Sparkles' Family Fun Center.





Calendar Info: http://www.sparklesgwinnett.com/calendar

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

DeKalb Community Service Board 'Walk of HEROes' Press Release


News/Press Releases

6th Annual Walk of HEROes Moves to Kirkwood Center
4/24/12
Contact: Michelle Potter
Email: mpotter@dekcsb.org
Phone: 404-508-7875
Authors:
Benjamin Yoder
Phebe Dowels
David Kim
_________________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release

     The sixth annual fund-raising Walk of HEROes 5k event, taking place on Sept. 22, will be moved to Kirkwood Center this year. The new location, which is about five miles southwest of the previous location in Decatur, is in a more residential district. The walk itself will take participants across to the other side of Decatur, near Richardson Health Center.

     Both kids and adults can join in the walk, with the normal walk starting at 9 a.m. and the Tot Trot for kids starting at 10 a.m.  Adult participants can register on site from 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. on the day of the event for $25, or they can register online at www.walkofheroes5k.com by Sept. 20 for only $20. The Tot Trot registration costs a flat fee of $7. Those who come to walk for the cause can get a T-shirt and can possibly win awards. The T-shirt is guaranteed for online registrants who apply by Sept. 7, while those who register after the deadline will receive them while supplies last.

     “It is a chance for people to get together and care about substance abuse and mental health in DeKalb County and do something good in the community,” said Michelle Potter DeKalb Community Service's Community Relations Manager. “People get out as teams whether it's a company, church group, or organization to do good in the community.”

     The Walk of HEROes, which began in 2007, is a 5k walk fundraiser for the non-profit Brighter Tomorrows Foundation who supports the organizers of the event, the DeKalb Community Service Board. The walk is the board's biggest fundraiser of the year, which will help fund mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities services for DeKalb county residents.

     “It is exciting to see 'our special population' walking (wheelchairs individually and or being pushed by family and friends), participating and interacting with the public,” commented Patty Clarke, a participant in the walk whose family is a member of the developmental disability program. “We look forward to this event every year.”

     For more information about Walk of HEROes, visit www.walkofheroes5k.com. You can also visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/walkofheroes5k.

-###-

The DeKalb Community Service Board (CSB) is a nonprofit public safety net provider of community-based behavioral healthcare, offering a full range of mental health services, substance abuse treatment and developmental disabilities programs.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Pepsi Next 20 Second Broadcast Piece

AUDIO: 

Pepsi Next
3/19/12
00:20
Yoder

     LOOKING TO CUT CALORIES WITHOUT HAVING TO FALL BACK ON DIET SODA?

PEPSICO INCORPORATED MAY HAVE A SOLUTION FOR YOU.

     ACCORDING TO THE A-J-C, THE SODA MANUFACTURER PLANS ON LAUNCHING A

MID-CALORIE SOFT DRINK CALLED PEPSI NEXT.

     THE NEW DRINK IS AIMED AT THOSE WHO WANT TO CUT BACK ON CALORIES

WITHOUT HAVING TO GIVE UP FLAVOR.

     PEPSI NEXT WILL BE ON STORE SHELVES NATIONALLY ON MARCH 26TH.

Pepsi Next 10 Second Broadcast Piece



AUDIO: 


PEPSI NEXT
00:10
3/22/12
Yoder

     THE A-J-C REPORTS THAT A MID-CALORIE SOFT DRINK BY PEPSICO

INCORPORATED TITLED “PEPSI NEXT” WILL BE ON STORE SHELVES STARTING MARCH

26TH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Georgia Perimeter College Japan Society Club Press Release







News/Press Releases
Japanese Society Club to Perform Sōran Bushi at Clarkston Campuses' International Festival
2/16/12
Contact: Tsion Wright
Email: wrightts@student.gpc.edu

Author: Benjamin Yoder
_________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

     Come and enjoy the Japanese yosakoi-style dance performance being presented by the Japan Society club during the International Festival at Georgia Perimeter College’s Clarkston Campus.

     Performing students will be dressed in kimonos, a type of traditional Japanese apparel, while performing a fishing inspired yosakoi dance titled Sōran Bushi. The dance involves motions resembling pulling and throwing ropes. “It's super fun. It's almost like hunting,” said Tsion Wright, the club's president, while describing the dance.

     The International Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the campus' student center on April 13.

     For more information on the Japan Society Club and the upcoming Sōran Bushi dance, contact Tsion Wright at wrightts@student.gpc.edu.


-###-
Georgia Perimeter College, the third largest institution of the University System of Georgia, serves approximately 27,000 students through four campuses and several sites in metro Atlanta. For additional information, visit www.gpc.edu.