3rd Annual Lavish Lounge Showcase 2018

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Dallas salon, Lavish Lounge will host their 3rd Annual Showcase Decemeber 2nd Sunday evening 5pm-10pm. Photo Credit: Lavish Lounge Cutz & Stylz.

Looking for a diversion only a couple of hours away this weekend?

“It’s not a competition, but a display of talent. We have various makeup-artists, barbers, stylists, and fashion people. As entrepreneurs, these people making a living using their gift in their field. Displaying their talents in front of audience and their peers takes courage and boldness”, said Entrepreneur and Guest Host, Eric Lockhart.

Dallas fashion industry professionals will showcase their creativity when Lavish Lounge Cutz & Stylz hosts their 3rd Annual Showcase December 2nd Sunday evening, 5-10 p.m. at The Highland Dallas Hotel 5300 East Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75206.

A list of Lavish Lounge Showcase 2018 participants. Photo Credit: Lavish Lounge Cutz & Stylz.

Attendees will see creative, unique, yet stylish pieces among showcasing participants. “It will include conventional makeup, body makeup, various haircuts/beards, various hair styles and fashion from boutiques to actual designers”, said Lockhart.

Before being selected for the showcase, participants must follow proper standards and procedures. “They have to own their own brand and display qualities in their work product & service”, said Lockhart.

The stylish salon set a professional theme for fashion industry business — “Excellence”. Attendees will also support regional business vendors, including hair, real estate, clothes, and makeup.

Frederick Johnson aka Sipp the Surgeon will be honored within the 3rd Annual Lavish Lounge Showcase event December 2nd. Photo Credit:@sippthesurgeon

The third year showcase will also honor fashion industry guests Bridgett LaDawn, Sipp The Surgeon, Meke Stephens, and Princess The CEO. “These individuals have exhibited excellence and longevity in these fields with influence, giving back and power”, said Lockhart.

All proceeds will go towards the non-profit organization, IMAGINE WELL, Inc. “We are the founders of IMAGINE WELL, a non-profit organization that works with kids and the adult entrepreneurial industry”, said Lockhart.

With great expectations, Lockhart looks forward to the high-end, energetic showcase. “A unified, high energy show with great host, comedian, food, networking, vendors, great time”, said Lockhart.

PrincesstheCEO will be honored within the 3rd Annual Lavish Lounge Showcase December 2nd. Photo Credit: PrincesstheCeo.

A wide range of individuals are welcome. “Dress to impress. Attendance of 500-600 people to come out with energy and enjoy a great show”, said Lockhart.

Make-up artists, stylists, models, hair stylists, barbers, or fashion industry professionals are welcomed from all areas including Texarkana.

Tickets can be purchased via Evenbrite.

For upcoming events or bookings visit Lavish Lounge.

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Email: Lavishlounge5@att.net 

School Tennis Team Soars

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Things are looking up for the Texas A&M Men’s Tennis Team, led by head coach Jim Turley. For the first time, in the team’s third season, they have a winning record, 7-4 . Of fourteen players on the A&M Texarkana team, ten are from Texas. Coach Turley has done a good job of recruiting locally. The A&M Texarkana Tennis Team is an NAIA athletic program and competes in the Red River Athletic Conference.

Matt Teeters, used by permission.

After practicing four days a week, morning workouts, and traveling on the weekends, the members of the tennis team have to find a way to balance tennis and school.
“You just have to find a way to make time, put in work at practice, and then go hit the books” says Matt Teeters, a junior on the team. The tennis team spends around 20 hours a week between practice, workouts, and traveling. With a spring and fall season, tennis is a year-round sport that can become quite time consuming. Being part of a college tennis team requires a lot of dedication.

The A&M Texarkana Tennis team members get along with one another very well. They are a close-knit group of not just teammates, but also friends off the court. The whole team is supportive of one another and motivate and cheer each other on well during matches.

“I definitely think winning this season made the biggest difference within the team this year. Winning changes it and, and makes it so much more fun” Teeters said. There is a different feel to the A&M Texarkana Men’s Tennis Team this year, and it is all due to the success on the court.

While the Tennis team here at A&M Texarkana had a couple of rough seasons to start, they are now starting to show a promising future. With the whole team returning next year, along with new recruits, A&M Texarkana is excited for what the future holds for the Eagle’s Tennis Team.

Need Help With Your Resume?

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The Career Development office here on campus is truly an exciting educational office that educates and teaches students how to get a job. Not only after graduating from college, but through your whole work career. Career Development also teaches students how to conduct themselves around potential employers, professional development, and how to find jobs. So there are many benefits when getting help with your resume on campus. It is accessible to all students and the staff are always here for you. So are there any tips when it comes to creating your resume? Here’s what I found. “One size does not fit all,” Tina Boitnott, Director of Career Development said. “What I mean is that one resume is not good for every job you apply to. Every resume needs to be fine-tuned and tweaked so that it shows relevance to the job that you are applying for, and that’s the one thing that’s sometimes difficult to think about is I need to tweak this resume each and every time.” Similarly, when it comes to students who have little to no work experience there’s a way to work things into your resume. “You have skills that you gained co-curricular, or volunteer out in your community so there are skills set that you’re learning,” Boitnott said. “Maybe you have a leadership role in a fraternity or sorority or student organization, those are good skills that transfer into the workplace. So we just look at what you have done maybe volunteering and not actual pay work.”

In addition to this, anytime a student can show that they’re not only going to school but also work and are active on campus are things employers look at. “They want to be sure that you are well rounded and not just a 4.0 academia and that you’re an excellent student,” Boitnott said. “That’s definitely positive but they also want to know maybe you don’t have much of a GPA but that you are very involved.” Equally important is that a student should at least keep their GPA at a 3.0 since although some of the industries that you go into aren’t going to put as much weight on your GPA , it’s a nice average to have.

Finally, The Career Development are able to help students a lot when it comes to the various workshops offered here on campus. “We will have opportunities where we will invite employers to come in and network with you to teach you how to talk to and approach them, and then when we have the career fairs you’re ready,” Boitnott said. “We’re gonna have a career closet that’ll teach you how to put together a professional interview wardrobe so that when you go to that interview you’re dressed in a way companies and businesses would expect you.” The Career Development staff also goes into classrooms to work with students more one on one to try to create awareness on campus of who they are, and they’re truly remarkable staff. “The Career Development Office at A&M-Texarkana staff wants you to be successful, and the staff wants to help you be successful,” Tina Boitnott said. “We’re not scary, and we’re not intimidating and you don’t know what you don’t know. So why not come in a safe place, learn and get educated on how to do this in a place where people care about you.”

Wanna Study Abroad? Here Are Some Things You Need To Know.

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Jennifer Felps, Director of International Studies. Photo by Cambresha Knight.

Do you want to travel to other countries, try new foods, and embrace the culture you are living in? Get ready for A&M-Texarkana offers a lifetime opportunity. Our university offers a variety of short term and long term for students looking to study abroad. For short-term programs, these components range from one week to three weeks however, for the long-term program, A&M partners with some study-abroad providers, such as (CIEE), who offer programs where A&M students can enroll as a full-time student and take classes abroad for a full semester. If there is an internship option in the student degree plan, the university will allow the student to pursue an internship study abroad. Within the study abroad preparation, the university will ensure that the internship options prepared is directly related to the student’s career field. For example, a Mass Communication student may be engaged in local news stations, local radio stations, or some type of company marketing. History student may work in an art gallery or as a tourist guide in a museum. “It is very important for our students here at A&M-Texarkana to be ready for the global society that they are going to enter, and we offer such opportunities here on campus,” says Jennifer Felps Director of International Studies. Ms. Felps also went on to say that “We have international faculty, international students, we celebrate international education week but for a student to actually receive academic credit and go abroad and experience that culture it can open their world.”

So what are the requirements to meet before studying abroad? What should a student do if they are interested in the campus study abroad program? “The program has to count towards a student’s degree plan and the student must have at least a 2.5 GPA,” Jennifer Felps said. Ms Felps continued by saying that “If a student is interested in going abroad, they should stop by the International Studies office. We can begin the process discussing what their major is, what their favorite location might be for them to study abroad, and then how we can find a program that would fit into their degree plan.”

International students from the Education University of Hong Kong. Photo by Jennifer Felps.

Felps also had a fun experience meeting international students from Hong Kong two summers ago at A&M-Texarkana. “We had a group of doctoral and master students come from the Education University of Hong Kong to A&M-Texarkana,” Felps smiled showing the photo that was taken that day. “This is a picture of our Hong Kong students at State Line. We did a cultural excursion with the students and also held an education workshop that was put on by our educational faculty here at A&M-Texarkana. All of these students were pursuing masters and doctorates in education and so they were able to come to A&M-Texarkana for a short-term program straight from Hong Kong. They visited UT Tyler and then our university to learn more about the educational aspect that we pursue here at A&M-Texarkana.”

So take a little courage, prepare yourself and go out there. “If you are fearsome or worried, come talk to me. I’ll put your mind at ease about things but just understand that you do not need to be scared to experience a new culture, the best way to break the walls around you is to be confident in the life you are trying to pursue” as Felps would say. Thank you for reading. Stay safe and have fun.

Another Stab: Are Slasher Films Back In Vogue?

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Image Courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood

With David Gordon Green’s Halloween setting box-office records, is it possible that we might see a resurgence of the slasher genre?

Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

This year saw the release of the film (confusingly) titled Halloween. Written as a direct follow-up to the John Carpenter classic, the film followed an elderly Laurie Strode, once again played by Jaimie Lee Curtis, as she encounters Michael Myers once again after 40 years. While a bit jarring in its tonal shifts, the film, for the most part, was well-received by fans and critics, leading to the thought: will history repeat itself, generating more entries in the genre?

Back in 1978, Halloween revolutionized the slasher genre in horror. While certainly not the first slasher film, with some citing Black Christmas or even Psycho as the first, the film did popularize the idea of masked psychopaths attacking and killing young folk one by one. With a measly budget of approximately $300,000, Halloween easily made back twenty times what was given to the creators, and thus started a trend of creators using what little they had to create horror films of their own in a similar style. From smaller fares such as Prom Night, The Burning, and My Bloody Valentine, to the famous Friday the 13th, this gave birth to what many believe to be the “Golden Age of Slasher Films,” going from 1978 to 1985, much to the dismay of film critics.

Image Courtesy of Miramax Studios

However, the genre’s popularity would eventually die down near the end of the decade. With the next two decades, there was a dip back into the spotlight with the likes of Wes Craven’s Scream, a step back down with the onslaught of critically panned remakes put out by Platinum Dunes that kept many franchises on the back-burner for years. While you had the occasional cult classic, such as Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon or Adam Green’s Hatchet trilogy, there hasn’t been stable momentum for the genre since the 90’s.

Then there came the past couple of years…

Image courtesy of Universal Studios

Slasher films have been steadily reemerging from their hiatus. With films such as Hush, Tragedy Girls, and even the return of Chucky from the Child’s Play series, filmmakers have shown that slasher films not only still have a place in the public mind, but could also be positively received by critics and fans. The only perceivable reason that they haven’t broken the floodgates is due to their relative obscurity.

The closest to overcoming this was 2017’s Happy Death Day, receiving fairly positive reviews and admirable box-office numbers. This could very well change with Halloween (2018), as it did currently sits at having a $250 million box-office against a $15 million budget. Not only that, but there have been recent announcements of Friday the 13th coming back in the next few years, spearheaded by Lebron James’ production company, Springhill Entertainment, as well as hushed whispers of Robert England returning to the role of Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street series after donning the glove and sweater in the show The Goldbergs.

With slasher franchises attracting renewed interest, this could be the start of a new era for slashers. It could just be a lot of talk between actors and studios that goes nowhere as before with such projects, but if these endeavors are successful, then there could be hope for the genre regaining a bit of the spotlight it once had.

Are You TRIO Ready?

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Hello A&M students! I would like to inform you all of TRIO upcoming applications for next semester. TRIO is a grant program, that has been in place for four years, which helps students with academic and financial interests and is on their five-year grant cycle program. TRIO also organizes a variety of workshops for its members in a variety of ways, such as financial literacy, stress management, testing anxiety, workshops over transferring to graduate school, study abroad and many more. TRIO also offers services and benefits to low-income students, first-generation students, and students with documented disabilities. There are also academic coaching, online tutoring for TRIO members, a computer lab with free printing, and helpful staff. As you can see there are many benefits when it comes to being apart of TRIO, such as professional development and scholarship opportunities. “I would like students to know that TRIO works and we have lots of opportunities and services for our students to be successful in their academic career” says Brittany Barnett.

There will also be a lot of exciting things in TRIO next semester. In February, TRIO will be inviting a renowned guest to speak at the Literacy Workshop. Her name is Ja’Net Adams. “She’s going to bring a lot of good information about financial literacy, and how she overcame hers in a short amount of time that she accrued in college,” Barnett said. “We hope to have her book that she has available and to have everyone meet her. All of our TRIO participants are invited to come, see and hear this wonderful lady that is going to help everyone overcome financial barriers.” Ja’Net Adams also owns a company called Debt Sucks University. Click here to check it out.

Do not forget everyone. Please mark your calendar for the next semester. It will be here before you know! “I’ve been here since May 16th of 2016. It’s been a really good experience,” Dustin Nix said. “Please come see us anytime, even if you’re not a TRIO student, we’re here to help.”

Photo taken by Cambresha Knight.

A Home of Hope, A Family of Faith

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Around this time of year, we begin to hear stories about good deeds and rising community support. It’s something about the holidays that strengthens our awareness of those in need and increases our rate of spontaneous help. But your local community hosts organizations that provide these actions year around. One is Watersprings Ranch.

Compliments of the Watersprings Ranch Twitter Page

Watersprings Ranch was founded in 1989 on family property purchased by David and Carla Whatley. They purchased the property for their growing family, but felt a desire to help heal abandoned, neglected and abused children through the word of God. They bring children together. They define their goals as an attempt to promote support and love among one another, not only from those around them, but by God.

Watersprings ranch is a non-profit organization in Texarkana, Arkansas that helps children in need. They operate as a Christian-based residential group home and extend their hands to children of all backgrounds. Their largest legacy resides in building safe, educational, and happy homes for children who have not had that experience.

Watersprings Ranch provides extracurricular activities, education, therapy services, and special needs services for all children who need them in the program. They aspire to give these kids a normal childhood. More than anything, the kids need to be kids, and that’s the  Watersprings Ranch philosophy. Their message to the kids is that they can accomplish anything through God.

They are privately funded, using donations from those in the community to build a foundation for these kids. They accept donations of any amount, and they are always looking for responsible Christian couples who can minister to the children, and provide a secure home as house ministers.

To show your support for Watersprings Ranch and those living there, please visit their website. They have a donation page by which you can help them improve the lives of those there, or you can give them a call today to learn more about what you can do to make a difference in your community. You can also follow them on their social media pages to see what they’re up to and to keep in touch. Any little bit helps, and these children are counting on people like you to show them that they are all wonderful, special people who deserves all of the love in the world.

Make a Favorite Christmas Memory

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In the midst of holiday season and chilly weather, moms and dads are preparing to bring their families to Main Street Texarkana for the 34th Annual Christmas Parade. Main Street Texarkana will be hosting the parade Sunday, December 2, 2018 in downtown Texarkana, free of charge to all.

Picture courtesy of Main Street Media

The parade is known for crossing two states while being led by live camels.

The complete parade route is still being approved, but parking will not be allowed on Broad street.

Picture courtesy of Main Street Media

The theme of this year’s parade will reflect “My Favorite Christmas Memory”.
Main Street Texarkana will be filled with lots of entertainment for the night, featuring local businesses, schools, churches, and non-profits. With a host of floats, Christmas lights, trees, antique vehicles, music, and dancers.

Picture Courtesy of Main Street Media

In tradition of the annual Christmas parade, St. Nick “Santa Claus”  will be the last float of the parade.

Due to safety hazards, no candy will be thrown  out during the parade, but there will be lots of love and cheers to receive.  

Voting is also now open for this years Christmas Window Contest. 

The winner of the contest will be announced prior to the start of the parade.

For more information on the Christmas Parade or to vote, please click here.

Lightly Fried Green Tomatoes

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The attention to film detail is ever-expanding, and the emphasis on societal traumas touched upon in film is larger now than it has ever been, particularly in terms of race and gender studies. Many films over the last few centuries host a variety of equivocal themes and questionable content, and even alarming, by today’s standards. To address such a field of study, Texas A&M University – Texarkana’s Dr. Drew Morton, alongside Rachel Stonecipher and Dr. Jaime Cantrell, hosted a screening of Jon Avnet’s Fried Green Tomatoes (1991).

As it turns out, this film adaptation deviates far from its original, textual source. According to Dr. Cantrell, the lesbian relationship between Idgie and Ruth and the depth of the African-American characters drive the plot of the book. The film mostly utilizes the murder case. This analysis reveals the tendency of Hollywood to create false scenarios and make adaptations that appeal to its audiences mindset, rather than explicitly reveal contexts. For example, as both Rachel Stonecipher and Dr. Cantrell discussed, the film uses nuances, such as the kitchen food fight between Idgie and Ruth, to suggest a lesbian relationship. The book makes known that the girls have romantic feelings toward one another.

This restraint can also be seen in relation to the African-American characters of the film. The book creates more depth and pulls from historical occurrences to create a more realistic scenario for the people of Whistlestop. The film deems the characters as simple people devoted entirely to helping their white counterparts. Big George being whipped by Georgian KKK members and, instead of crying for his own life, insisting that Idgie return indoors for her protection shows this. In this way, the film creators have managed to create a perfect fantasy land for viewers. There is no tension between African-American and Caucasian people.

Photo by Allison Hall

In the same regard, the lesbian relationship between Ruth and Idgie is also accepted in the text. However, the film adopts a certain amount of ambiguity that allows the viewer to decide whether this relationship actually exists. If the viewer decides that Ruth and Idgie are just good friends, then there is nothing controversial present and the story becomes a less dense, more feel-good scenario.

The film is a great example of Hollywood symbolism and strategic ambiguity that offers different contexts to a variety of audiences. A viewer today might read the scenarios differently than someone watching it in 1991, just as a twenty-year old will see something different from what a fifty-year old might. In the end, the lecture was an attempt to strike up a conversation about these types of Hollywood effects and to provide a specific situation in which this happens.

For more information, contact Dr. Drew Morton at dmorton@tamut.edu, Dr. Jamie Cantrell at jcantrell@tamut.edu, or Rachel Stonecipher at rstonecipher@tamut.edu.  

Batted Eyelashes in Dallas

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iLash Magic held their eyelash workshop November 17th 8:00-1:00pm. Photo Credit: iLashMagic

Eyelash specialist and iLashMagic owner, Tiffany Brown (no relation to this writer) held an eyelash workshop Saturday morning, November 17th in Dallas, Texas. Attendees of all levels  learned lashing techniques 8:00am-1:00pm.

“The workshop event is a lash extensions certification workshop. I included a kit, manual, certificate of completion, and a mannequin to practice with”, said Brown.

For the past two years, she has specialized in eyelashes and have taught more than one course in Dallas, Texas. “This is not my first lash workshop. I’ve been lashing for almost two years. Proudly can say I walked away from corporate 9 months ago”, said Brown.

With a leap of faith and great ambition, the iLashMagic owner created her own brand within the fast-growing makeup trending business. “I came up with the workshop because, as the lash industry is growing there is a need for lash extension education”, said Brown.

The eyelash course included proper eyelash applications, a little history behind lashes, and business techniques. “The students learned the introduction to the history of lashes, how to apply and remove lashes as well as proper sanitation, and marketing”, said Brown.

iLashMagic graphic art. Photo Credit: iLashMagic.

Makeup experiences were not required, however certain requirements were met before registry. “They must be 18-years of age and did not have to be experienced or have a certificate to attend the class. The class was for education purposes only”, said Brown.

For the next upcoming eyelash course or bookings visit, www.ilashmagic.net or call 214-702-8377. You can also follow iLash social media below:

iLash Magic Facebook

iLash Magic Instagram

Email: tiffany@ilashmagic.net