Caught in the vortex of taking lives measured and intentional all lives do matter  tragically different degrees of compassion conflicting values fueled by decades of in-bred misunderstanding hunted and hunters on all sides clouding abilities to discern the complexities of being targeted humanity erodes as fault is laid  battling instances of coming together ambushed from hidden places of darkness face to face confrontation from places of darkness murder knows no rationale  comes in unexpected disguises  coordinated by warped targeted deadly intentions families caught in the dynamics of lost existence  forever changed answers eluding the questions grief spreading  seeping in cascading blots that don’t stop won’t stop anger becomes the purposeful unifier love and compassion the barriers is this Cus...

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Band, Syracuse Jazz Fest, Onondaga Community College Campus, July 3, 2016   Often you hear the term “living legend.” I suspect that designation is reserved for those individuals who have built a stellar body of accomplishments that defy our ability to comprehend how any one person can reach that plateau of excellence. And all too often, that descriptive designation emanates from a small group of believers and then over time, that thinking and adoration grows to become regional, national, and eventually global. Trombone Shorty (google image) A musician and artist known as “Trombone Shorty” is a living legend in New Orleans, Louisiana known for his mastery of the trombone, trumpet, lyrics and old school dance moves. I saw him and Orleans Avenue, his back-up band, at the JazzFest held in Syracuse, NY this past Sunday where he closed out the two day music festival. As an early fan, on Sunday night, I marveled at his evo...

Blasphemous, unimaginable, heresy…using a baseball term especially during the USA’s Fourth of July holiday weekend, which is a time for cook-outs, beaches, fireworks, baseball, music fests, and family visits. But we have good reason to “borrow” a baseball term especially when The PiTCH is its own entity in the Finger Lakes region of central New York State. The PiTCH , in its 5th season, is the brainchild of The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival based in Auburn, NY. This stripped down, limited run theatrical experience gives “writers and composers an opportunity to let their ideas take root and grow…..the creative team behind a new musical will “pitch” their new show….” to an audience. Joshua Katzker, PiTCH coordinator shares what an audience will see: Joshua Katzker, PiTCH coordinator You are going to see the writers themselves presenting a condensed version of their new musical. Staging, costuming, props, and sets will be minimal. The idea is for you to ...

While Greek muralist,   Ino elects to exist in anonymity, his work permeates Grecian landscapes with his interpretations of classic Greek images. His creative work is recognized worldwide even as he hides his identity. His work is recognizable with his simple signature, “Ino” with the “o” darkened the way some contemporary election ballots are now completed in order to be counted.  Man With No Name - INO Visual Artist - Video https://youtu.be/1icXsF2t9Rs aaduna elects not to hide its contributors in veils of anonymity. It is important for us to extol the work and personality of contributors…to bring to our readership the creative work and the person behind it in order to enhance the contributor’s path to reaching even larger audiences. Ino works “large” with grand fantastic murals that engulf buildings. aaduna works small with words and images that intrigue with a vibrant force to shape and influence the reader’s sense of her/himself in a moment…in a day…in a...

whatever jolts your day into reality, kick starts your brain to make sense of your Saturday night behavior, sparks your thoughts as to how you want to spend the day…the day before you re- enter your world of work come tomorrow.  Tim Snyder (photo provided) Tim Snyder has the ability to get juices revved up and flowing every which way through his writing. His gritty, unwavering telling of stories reveals the rawness of human emotions and the conflicts that people routinely got through taking others along with them for tumultuous life journeys. So, grab that libation; sit back, and read an excerpt from his story “Johnny and Mini” currently featured in aaduna’s spring 2016 anniversary issue , and then “read the complete story and his bio in that issue. And by the way, “Johnny and Mini” is an excerpt from Tim’s debut novel, Berserker.  J ohnny and Mini had been together for nearly seven months now. At 35 years old, Johnny’s dating history before Mini w...

Interestingly, over time, we have seen the intricacies and subtleties of dance movement transition to sport activities like football, boxing, other athletic endeavors, and the ever changing world of weight loss regimens. While we may not admit it, most of us have “danced in the rain;” purposely stomped in rain puddles, and even twirled around a wet and slick lamp post mimicking what we witnessed in a movie. We have marveled at the grace and expression conveyed by dancers in public performance and wished we were able to move like that. And yet, have you ever wondered what happens when a dancer takes the dynamics of her performance craft to another creative art? What is achieved when a nationally well-respected dancer and instructor produces a body of poetry. Well, the result is what aaduna wants to share with you. And, Phylise Smith (Photo Provided) her name is Phylise Smith. Here is an excerpt from her poem, “Halloween:” Halloween night, in ...

Many of us approach Mondays in one of two ways.  We take a laid back approach so we can recover from a hectic weekend.  We move around our tasks a bit slower because our minds are still recalling the adventures of the weekend.  And then they are other folk who take a manic stance on Monday and try to put “all the ducks in a row” with a listed, written plan so we can check off completed tasks as soon as possible because those responsibilities are plaguing and causing turmoil in our minds. Unfortunately, this particular Monday, many of us will reflect on the “terror and hate” that took over a nightclub in Orlando, Florida this past weekend.  And it is safe to say that Americans and the majority of the global community embrace the families and friends who lost loved ones, and remain committed to finding strategies to prevent another such horrific attack from occurring in this country or any other place in the world.   We shall always remember “Pu...