Wii the people... Of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect body, Establish exercise, Insure tranquil weight loss, Provide for the common citizen, Promote general sports, party and fitness games, for ourselves and our players do ordain and establish this Wiistitution for the United States of America. nexus a magazine of culture sual C The Grady Arts i ui V Staffer Payton si festival featured n Fritch critiques an e a wide variety of 1 enjoyable meal at creative work by 3 4th and Swift, Grady students. Claire a restaurant that Buyens and Emily serves “southern Atkinson were there 6 comfort food” in the to take pictures. 3heart of Atlanta. io d u Table of A Contents The Hansons and The Veronicas rocked out at the Variety Playhouse 1on October 6 in Little Five and Emily Atkinson was there to take in the 0sights and sounds. re tu u o 15 In this issue, we C examine the Wii phenomena that has swept the nation. The Wii Spirit week at Grady has done what no other was one big fashion show. From tacky to video console has done 2 blast-from-the-past erie before. It has changed day, students were ag n the way people exercise, decked out from head e to toe. M provided an educational 6 experience for kids, rehabilitated the elderly and even revolutionized drinking games. Have you ever wondered what Cover art by Taylor Alford and Ann Haley some of your favorite 3male teachers would look like as women? Turn to page 36, if 6you dare! nexus Volume 5 Issue 2 Fall/Winter 2008 Selected Contributing re Writers/Artists Dean Jackson Standing a head above nearly every student at Grady, Dean really stands out in the crowd. He showed off his basketball skills and modeled for our front cover. [Cover model] Grace Brown Grace’s friends describe her as random, goofy and a great person to be around. She loves taking pictures in her free time From The Staff and has submitted one titled With one issue under our belt, Nexus is excited “Weeping Flowers.” [Photo pg. 8] to debut a new one. Malayla Fields In this issue, we explore the phenomenon Known for her trendy attire and keen that is the Wii. It has revolutionized the fashion sense, Malayla Fields tells her way our generation works out and looks at fellow Grady Knights about a new way entertainment. to shop on the internet. Despite the less than perfect pixel quality of the pictures, our photo section successfully [Couture pg. 29] displayed the talent of many Grady students Molly Daniel and teachers. We encourage everyone to submit Molly Daniel started her freshman year any interesting, unusual, crazy and downright off with a bang by submitting an article awesome pictures to [email protected] for about the Wii to Nexus. This girl knows use in upcoming issues. We plan to continue how to get ahead of the game! improving the section and need your help! [Feature pg. 25 ] Just to prove that we didn’t use enough Wii puns in the feature, we apologize that this letter Jake Simonds-Malamud Jake, a guitarist, blogger and is a Wii-bit short. We sincerely hope you enjoy graphic designer , reveals his this issue! musical expertise by reviewing Ben Folds’ latest album. [Audio pg. 11] Nexus: a magazine of culture Volume 5 Issue 2 Staff: Taylor Alford, Emily Atkinson, Claire Print Staff: Alvin Hambrick, Harlon based publication that relies on your Buyens, Erica Eaddy, Kebra Fray, Payton Heard, Michael Jackson, Adlai McClure, submissions for its content. Nexus Fritch, Ann Haley, Paula Harding, George Charlotte Napper, Benjamin Shaw accepts submissions for all of its Holmes, Erin Johnson, Genna Jones, Alex Advertising: Nexus is a non-profit sections and features. Submissions Kirkland, Tyler Lawrence, Luke Maschinot, organization that relies on advertising should be submitted to Mr. Winter in Brittany McKenzie, Tanzila Mowla, Jamie to generate revenue to cover printing the Southerner room, or to any Nexus Powell, Linden Taber, Takisha Walls, Gina and maintenance costs. Nexus is read staffer. They can also be e-mailed to White and Claire Wilson by approximately 2,000 people and is us at [email protected]. Managing Editor: Katie Hinshaw a great way to publicize your business. Nexus is a bimonthly publication of: Design Editor: Thuy Dinh If you would like to advertise with and/ Henry W. Grady High School Copy Editors: Seamus Mead and or distribute Nexus, please contact us 929 Charles Allen Drive NE Savanna Sweeney at [email protected]. Atlanta, GA 30309 Adviser: David Winter Submissions: Nexus is a submission- MIRROR SHADES by Gina White, junior We were all hanging out at the Inman Park Festival. It smelled like fun- nel cakes. I saw the girl checking herself out in Paula Harding’s shades. I got out my film, loaded it into my camera, adjusted the aperture and shot the picture. 4 5 6 7 WEEPING FLOWERS by Grace Brown, Senior I took a day trip to Oakland Cemetery so I could snap some pictures. The whole cemetery seemed very gray, but the colorful flowers caught my eye. I liked the contrast of the bright flowers with the monotone background. 8 9 visual One Fine Night On Sept. 18, Grady hosted its sec- ond annual arts festival in the court- yard. Performances included (but were not limited to) one-act plays from the Grady thespians, orchestra quartets, art demonstrations and Grady chorus performances. - Thuy Dinh Above: Kate Belgum examines works of art made by members of the Grady arts department; Top right : Josh Van Heidrich begins painting a space; Middle right : Orchestra quartet (Eva Dines, Isobel Robinson- Ortiz, Phoebe PHOTOS BY: Claire Buyens and Emily Atkinson 10 [NEXUS ] FALL /WINTER 2008 visual To the beat of your ownBelow: drum Musical director Sharon Camara Right: Joann Ruckman from Oakland, CA, is not only introduces the show. an excellent drummer but a wonderful dancer as well; Below: Both locals to Atlanta, Heidi Williams- Cooper and Ginger Jackson enjoy dancing for the African Performing Arts Association. Samato, a African dance and drum- ming performance was held at Grady High School Sept. 28. It was commemo- ration of “Liberte,” 50 years of Guinean independence. It was sponsored by the African Performing Arts Association, the Georgia Council for the Arts and Grady’s own Art Director John Brandhorst. -Erin Johnson Left: Led by drummer Fode Bangoura, the percussion ensemble performs a PHOTOS BY:Erin Johnson traditional African song. One Wicked Good Show Everyone knows the story, or has about how to be seen the movie, The Wizard of Oz, popular. Another one featuring the Wicked Witch of the of my favorite songs West, and Glinda, the good witch. The was “Defying Gravity”. musical Wicked is a different version Glinda and Elphaba of the classic that explains the wicked became friends witch of the West’s side of the story. when they were Wicked was not only the first accidentally paired musical I have seen, but also, the best as roommates, much acting and singing I have ever heard to Glinda’s dismay. Indina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth star as Elphaba and Glinda, singing the song, “Popular”. or seen. I constantly hear others rave The good thing about Photo courtesy of www.ajn.com about how fantastic this musical really is, but I never really this play is that it listened to them. When I got the chance to see it at the Fox on teaches us to accept everyone, no matter how different one Sunday Oct. 12, I finally understood what all the fuss was about. might be from another. The director. Michael Steinberg, did The play commenced with Glinda, the good witch, descending a great job casting the parts for Elphaba (Carmen Cusack) down to the stage in a “bubble,” and talking to her fellow and Glinda (Katie Rose Clarke), as well as the rest of the Ozians, who are all singing in joy because the Wicked Witch of cast. If I had the chance, I would see the musical again. the West is dead. But when Glinda is asked if she and the witch Throughout the play, you get to see who became the lion, used to be friends, it triggers a flashback of the days when the scarecrow, and the tin man, and why they were missing Glinda was friends with Elphaba, the wicked witch of the West. courage, a brain, and a heart. The play overall was marvelous. The musical is filled with wonderful songs. One of my It’s written so that anyone, even little kids, can understand it, favorite was “Popular”, the song sung by Glinda, to Elphaba and plays into the actual “The Wizard of Oz” plot really well. -Payton Fritch 11 visual Nick and Norah’s infinitely better than its peers Based on a novel of the same love begins when Norah tries to name by Rachel Cohen and David save face by asking Nick if he could Levithan, Nick and Norah’s Infinite be her boyfriend for five minutes Playlist is an unique adaptation of and plants a kiss on him. Nick and the classic plotline of two teens Norah’s Infinite Playlist stands out from from opposite ends of life falling other movies of its kind because it in love. Norah (Kat Dennings) combines the aspects of a familiar is the privileged daughter of a story with aspects of today’s culture: record industry mogul who longs late-night partying, the vibrant life for love in the big city, while of New York City, rock’n’roll and even Nick (Michael Cera) is a product homosexuality.