Author: Angie Sykeny

Nathan Graziano talks about his latest project

Manchester author Nathan Graziano discusses his new collection of poetry, Born on Good Friday.

Tell us about Born on Good Friday.

I was actually born at exactly three o’clock on Good Friday in 1975, and in the Bible three o’clock was supposedly the time that Christ died. I was raised in a fairly strict Catholic household. My mother is a very devout Catholic. Because of that, I’ve always had a number of issues with guilt and anxiety and all those good things that come with being brought up a good Catholic boy. So part of the collection is actually dealing with a lot of the hang-ups that I experienced from growing up with Catholicism. Then it sort of moves into a second section which really deals with confronting guilt, confronting sin, and then the third part of it is my midlife crises, my whole dancing-in-the-dark moment. It really moves throughout my life. I don’t know if I should say it’s autobiographical, but it’s autobiographical.

This is the first book of poetry you’ve published in almost a decade. What made you return to it after such a long hiatus?

It’s been a long time coming for me. Earlier in my writing career, I published more poetry than I do now. … Poetry is a labor of love for me. I don’t just sit down and think, ‘I’m going to write some poetry.’ It’s one of those things that compels you, that calls you, when everything bottles up; it’s an emotional catharsis for me.

How did you capture some of these emotions and memories into the written verse?

These emotions, these memories, are indelible; they’ve been with me my entire life, so it really wasn’t all that difficult to recall those. For me, a poem hinges and moves on emotions. So even if it’s something that I experienced or felt when I was 14 years old, you still experience it, feel those same things as an adult; you just see it through a different lens.

While reflecting on your childhood through an adult lens, did you uncover any surprising revelations or insights?

That’s the real joy in writing; it always surprises you. Sometimes what’s there is every bit as shocking to you as it is to the reader.

How would you describe your poetry style?

My poetry is not … lyrical. It’s very much plain spoken. … I think poetry [has been taken] from layman readers and made into something so arcane and difficult to understand that most people start reading a poem and end up banging their head against the wall, like, ‘Why don’t you just say what you mean?!’ My aesthetic is the type of poem that you don’t need an advanced degree in literature to understand.

What would you like readers to take away from this collection of poetry?

I’m very well aware that poetry is a hard sell. You can’t write a poem or a book of poems thinking it’s going to make you famous. … But I’m really hoping that with the plain spoken approach and the humor, that maybe people who wouldn’t generally consider looking at a poetry book might take a swing at this one. … In my definition of it, a poem makes you feel something; it probes at a type of emotional truth that you can expand on however you like. … My goal with any book has always been to just make the reader feel a little less alone in the world … and to see themselves and their own experiences through what I’m writing. With this one, I hope they laugh. I do not take myself overly seriously. There’s a lot of humor in the book. Some of it is certainly on the darker side. Ultimately, I just want the reader to enjoy the experience of reading it, to make connections and to laugh.

New tech at Manchester Community College

Peter La Monica, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Computer Science at Manchester Community College, discussed some of the innovative new programs and courses being offered at the college, as well as the cutting-edge technology shaping the future of education.

Tell us about the new programs and courses being offered.

There are two new programs. One is the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Program. We’ve taken out some of the database stuff and focused more on artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language programming and computer vision. … We aim to help students make sense of vast amounts of data generated during cyber investigations and use artificial intelligence to analyze and interpret it effectively. … Students can also complete work and get certifications from Amazon Web Services. The other program is Computer Science and Extended Reality. This is an exciting new program where students can join virtual reality classrooms using VR headsets or flat screens. We’re teaching them about platforms to create virtual and augmented reality meetings, making interactions more immersive than traditional Zoom meetings.

What are some real-world applications or careers that students with these skills can pursue?

The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence program is mainly designed for programmers and focuses on using AI in various fields like advanced manufacturing, healthcare and the cyber world. … Many products and applications today use artificial intelligence, making programming skills highly valuable. … The Computer Science and Extended Reality program is geared towards students who want to work in an office or contract for an office to design meeting spaces or even create virtual avatars for websites. … It can be applied in onboarding, training, meetings and classes, to provide a more engaging and immersive experience.

How do you keep up with the rapid advancements in this field while developing the curriculum?

Staying up-to-date with technology is essential. We closely monitor new products and trends, especially in emerging technologies like 5G and virtual reality. We ensure our students have access to the latest technology, like 5G antennas and virtual reality headsets, to learn and explore these cutting-edge fields.

How have students responded to these new programs?

Students in the Extended Reality class loved it and said it was more engaging than anything they had ever done before. They had the option of coming to class [in person] or [attending via] the metaverse, and most of them did the metaverse. They think it’s great, because this is the type of world they live in now.

Did offering these programs require any additional resources or facilities?

For the Artificial Intelligence program, we had to enhance some computing platforms. However, we had planned ahead and managed most of it progressively. As for Extended Reality, we invested in virtual reality headsets and have been preparing for this program since 2017, waiting for the technology and infrastructure to catch up.

Why did the college decide to invest in these programs for students?

We believe in providing students with opportunities to create successful careers. Technology is the future … and extended reality and augmented reality are becoming a major transition in technology. Everything is going to start to go into this virtual world, in various industries. It’s not really in the mainstream yet, but we want our students to know about it and to start using it so that they can be at the forefront of these advancements. We want to equip them with cutting-edge skills and give them an edge in the job market.

Local author talks about big flavors in small spaces

Delve into the world of practical cooking with M. Allyson Szabo, New Hampshire author of Cook Small, Live Large!. Szabo talked about how she crafted unique recipes catered to those embracing van life and small living spaces, and how her cookbook offers a diverse range of ideas for cooking in limited kitchen setups. Visit mallysonszabo.com and find the book on Amazon.

What is the idea behind Cook Small, Live Large!, and who are these recipes for?

Cook Small, Live Large! is a compendium of recipes for one or two people. It was originally designed for people who are doing van life, living in their vans or tiny homes, traveling or living on land, that sort of thing. People who are doing van life run into problems that the rest of us don’t. They can be driving through what they call a “food desert,” where there aren’t any big box stores to buy things. So there are a lot of recipes in the book for people who are either new to cooking or stuck in a place like that for a few days, which show how to make relatively healthy food using canned goods from Dollar General and what you can get from the frozen food section at Aldi. … It also works well for people who are backpacking and doing small cooking. … I have a friend whose twins are going to college this year and are living in dorms with small kitchenettes. The recipes in the book are great for them since they’re made for small portions and don’t leave a lot of leftovers.

What inspired you to write this type of cookbook?

I have a friend, Justin Hughes, who is also known as Smokey Da Van, who started doing van life. I had never even heard of it. … He works remotely, and he was living in his van with his cat purposefully, not because they were homeless, but just because that’s what they decided they wanted to do. He’s had so many adventures, but he had no idea how to cook. So I started teaching him through email. After a couple of months, he said, ‘You need to make a book out of this.’

How did you develop these recipes?

I took recipes that I use on a regular basis or that I like, and I miniaturized them. … It was a learning curve for me since I’m used to cooking for a lot of people, so learning to cook small was a challenge at first. Miniaturizing a recipe is not as simple as dividing it into portions. You have to work with ratios and find the right balance for small portions. It involved some trial and error and making the recipes over and over to get it right. The initial learning curve was tough, but once I got there, it became easier.

What cooking utensils and equipment are needed for preparing these recipes?

I recommend a cooking surface like a butane stove, especially for van life, as butane can be used indoors with proper ventilation. There are also setups in vans that allow the use of a [slow cooker]. A Dutch oven is also recommended since it can be used on a camp stove or in a fire. Having a few essential pots and pans allows you to cook anything from the book.

Do you have a favorite recipe?

One of my favorites is the one-pot Thanksgiving dinner that I created for Justin. He was in Arizona, and it was Thanksgiving. I told him to preheat his big cast iron pot and put a turkey leg in one piece of tinfoil, pre-made stuffing in another, and some corn with a pat of butter in a third. We designed this one-pot Thanksgiving dinner that covered all the basics, made for one person, and it turned out beautifully. Working with tin foil is something that you can do a lot, and it makes cooking and cleaning easier in a small space, whether that’s a dorm or a tiny home or when you’re camping.

What do you want readers to take away from the recipes and ideas in Cook Small, Live Large!?

First and foremost, I want people to know that they can eat healthy while cooking small. You don’t have to buy large quantities of ingredients to eat healthily. I encourage people to utilize farmers markets and farm stalls for fresh and inexpensive food. The book is for anybody who wants to cook small, whether they’re doing van life, backpacking or just cooking for one or two people. It offers a variety of recipes and flavors to enjoy.

Concord-based doctor discusses her center’s focus

Dr. Cindi Croft is set to open New Dimensions Wellness Center in Concord in early August. She describes the center as emphasizing a comprehensive and transformative approach to wellness. See drcindicroft.com or find the center on Facebook.

What’s your background in and approach to health care?

I’m a family doc, and I went down the osteopathic route because I heard the word ‘structure’ as ‘function.’ At the time, even before my education, it just made intuitive sense to me that that’s how the body would work. … As I started school, I gravitated toward learning different modalities and obtaining different certificates outside of the standard medical curriculum. However, the school system doesn’t really train you to run a business, which held me back initially. In hindsight, I should have started my own practice earlier. … I worked in various hospital settings for a long time while practicing functional integrative medicine. Eventually, I decided to leave and start my own thing.

What motivated you to start your own practice and explore a wellness model?

To me, functional integrative medicine is comprehensive care, looking at each person’s unique biochemistry, diet and genetics. Different health traditions throughout history have their place in my view of medicine. I always felt like health care was becoming less patient-centered, and I struggled with that for many years. … When I started my own practice, I quickly realized two main groups of people sought my services. One group was comprised of individuals who were sick or not feeling well, but their lab work and doctors couldn’t find the cause. They were looking for someone with a different approach. The other group consisted of ultra-healthy athletes who wanted cutting-edge nutrition and injury prevention. Alongside them were families or adults who wanted to stay well and prevent future health issues. I noticed everyone who came to see me wanted a wellness model.

Tell us about your Wellness Center.

The vision for this space is to bring together like-minded professionals to support people seeking wellness. Currently, we have six providers joining the center. … Are you familiar with the DPC (Direct Primary Care) model? It’s an alternative way of delivering health care outside of the traditional system. Many doctors have become frustrated and left the hospital system to find a different approach. The DPC model is similar to a gym membership. You pay an upfront administrative fee and a monthly fee to have a private doctor who you can see whenever you need. The monthly fee varies based on age. … In my vision, the Wellness Center would offer a monthly flat rate, in addition to an administrative fee, and patients would have the autonomy to choose which provider they want to see. Unlike the DPC model, where you pay a fee to see your doctor whether you’re well or sick, my model would allow patients to decide if and when they want to see their doctor based on their individual wellness needs. … This approach avoids the issue of younger individuals feeling like they’re paying for a service they don’t fully utilize. … For example, if the monthly fee is $95, and a person joins the Wellness Center, they can choose to see any provider in the center depending on their needs at that time. If they need to see a primary care doctor, they can see them one month. If they have tightness and want to ensure alignment, they can choose to see the physical therapist another month. … The idea is to offer a range of services people can access as needed.

Will you be partnering with insurance companies?

Currently, insurance companies often don’t cover certain tests or alternative approaches like functional medicine. I want to demonstrate how this model can keep people healthier and reduce the need for costly interventions like surgeries. By forming a partnership with insurance companies, we can work toward a more cohesive health care system that includes wellness services.

How do you envision your wellness model expanding beyond your practice?

I envision it becoming a movement that helps people understand the importance of wellness and how it can positively impact their lives. By making wellness more affordable and accessible, we can address the increasing rates of obesity and chronic diseases in our country. … It’s about shifting the focus from sick care to true health and wellness.

NH Humanities picks a Big Read book

New Hampshire Humanities has been awarded a Big Read grant, joining 62 organizations nationwide. In collaboration with various partners, including local libraries and community organizations, NHH will engage readers all over the state in a shared reading experience of The Bear by New Hampshire author Andrew Krivak. Mary Nolin, the program manager, talked about Big Read and shared insights on the grant application, the book selection process and the diverse range of events and activities planned for the community.

What is the Big Read program, and how did New Hampshire get a grant for it?

The Big Read is a program initiated by the National Endowment for the Arts … to foster community engagement through literature. … I personally applied for and managed the grant on behalf of New Hampshire Humanities. Although the entire staff assisted me, I took the lead in writing the application, researching the book, coordinating with our partners and planning associated events.

What motivated New Hampshire Humanities and yourself to get involved in this program?

As the manager of literacy and literature-based initiatives at New Hampshire Humanities, I’ve seen the power literature has to bring people together. Regardless of their backgrounds or political beliefs, when people walk into a book session they all have something in common, which is that book. I love that literature can unite us in that way, especially in a time when we are often divided on many things, so that’s why I applied for the grant.

Tell us about the chosen book, The Bear.

The Bear is a story about the last two people on Earth, a father and a daughter. Though it takes place in the future, it takes us back to a simpler time when people were living in harmony with nature. The father teaches the daughter many things for survival and knowledge that she’s going to need for a future when she’s ultimately on her own. The book has powerful themes about what is the responsibility of older generations to pass on knowledge to younger generations.

Why was this book chosen?

The National Endowment for the Arts provides a list of 15 books that we can choose from. Starting in October of last year, I began narrowing down the options. I read several of the books, and I presented them to our staff and partners. It made the most sense to choose The Bear by Andrew Krivak. The author has a home in Jaffrey, so we were happy to be able to lift up a local New Hampshire author, and the [setting of the] story is based on the area near his home, which is in the shadow of Mount Monadnock. It felt like a book that resonated well with our state. Additionally, we are currently running an initiative called “Becoming New Hampshire,” which explores how stories from the past can help us navigate the present and future. The Bear, which looks at what our future could possibly look like, seemed like a natural fit.

What events and activities are planned for people to engage with the book?

We have partnered with 50 libraries across the state; it was important to us that people in every county have opportunities for participation. The libraries are really the backbone of the project. Each library will host a book discussion and at least one free community program. … New Hampshire Humanities provides copies of the book to these libraries and offers trained facilitators to lead the discussions. … The community events organized by the libraries are diverse, ranging from guided nature walks and photography classes to community painting and hands-on demonstrations with indigenous tools. … We’re kicking off with a public event on Sept. 6 at Great North Aleworks where two actors will perform a scene from the book, and the brewery will unveil its new imperial Black Bear stout. … New Hampshire Humanities is hosting two online lectures on the book’s themes. … We have a poet, Mitch Goldberg, discussing the connection between poets and the night sky in The Bear. We’re also hosting a free planetarium show at the Christa McAuliffe Discovery Center mimicking how the girl in the book experiences the night sky. … On Oct. 14, the author Andrew Krivak will have a public question-and-answer session in Concord.