Smile Politely is our way of filling a void. Champaign-Urbana has a rich history of creative media that diligently records the output of the community's most talented individuals, and in doing so, becomes a part of the creative process in and of itself. While some still exist in name, they no longer adequately engage our community. Champaign-Urbana needs media that wants to immerse itself in our local culture, not just settle for scratching the surface. This is the void that we see.
So, we created a home for wayward writers looking for a place to expound on what they see around them. Our home is nothing too sophisticated, but we have plenty of space to fill. Collectively, our writers will spotlight creative projects in town. We will discuss ways to improve your quality of life through opportunities and events in our cities. And we will expose the roadblocks thrown out to developing our community.
Smile Politely is run purely as a labor of love. We are not beholden to advertisers. We may work with them in the future, but it will never affect our content. That sort of independence is absent in other local publications and it shows in their coverage of Champaign-Urbana. We pride ourselves on maintaining our independence.
We want to talk about things we think are important. By we, we mean you. All of our writers have been engaged in this community for years. We are the people that organize rock shows. We are the independent artists that fill the galleries. We entertain you, inform you, excite and frustrate you. Chances are you know at least one member of our staff from their day (or night) jobs. Our writers provide a full disclosure of what they do, so you know where our allegiances lie.
Read what we think. If you happen to disagree, let us know. We will listen. And smile politely.
Justine Bursoni
Arts Editor / Photography Director
Justine Bursoni hails from Chicago. She tried as hard as possible to leave here, graduating after three years of Art History school. It was Custard Cup that forced her to stay. She now lives in downtown Champaign and works as a nanny and at the Orpheum Children's Science Museum.
Seth Fein
Sports / Business Manager
Seth Fein was born in Urbana and now lives in downtown Champaign. He owns and operates The Nicodemus Agency, is the founder and curator of Pygmalion Music Festival, and is an assistant talent buyer at The Canopy Club. He loves the Purdue Boilermakers and his fiancee's marinara sauce.
Mason Kessinger
Web Master
Mason has lived in the Champaign-Urbana area for roughly eight years. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois' Graphic Design program and co-owner/founder of Poccuo—a multi-disciplinary collaborative who works across interactive, print, and identity projects with a focus on cultural and non-commercial work. He has been called "half-designer, half-developer and half-geek".
Chris Maier
Editor-in-Chief
Christopher Maier, a Pennsylvania native, came to Champaign-Urbana five years ago to earn an MFA in creative writing—and he's still here. He's written and edited for magazines, newspapers, trade publications, university presses, literary journals, corporate clients, and family holiday newsletters. At the University of Illinois, he's taught creative writing and composition, and was a founder of the literary/arts magazine Ninth Letter. He appreciates corn fields, but also misses the mountains.
Lindsey Markel
Music / Culture Editor
Lindsey Markel moved to Champaign permanently after being seduced by the music and little lights of downtown. She is an actress at the Station Theatre and the author and publisher of Fickle Little Machine zine. She wants a puppy; please give her one.
Marissa Monson
News / Food & Drink Editor
Marissa Monson recently returned to Champaign-Urbana, where she earned a bachelor's of journalism from University of Illinois in 2004. She freelances fulltime and works parttime at Jane Addams Book Shop to support a serious book-buying habit. She loves hip-hop and soul music. The first album she owned was Janet Jackson's "Control." She never looked back.
Ryan Neaveill
Opinions Editor
Ryan Neaveill moved to Champaign in 1994. He received his bachelor's degree in music composition from Illinois Wesleyan University and is half-way through his Master of Arts in Music Ministry at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He has had dual careers serving as a church music director and working in the publishing industry in page layout, editing and proofreading. Ryan is a published and award-winning composer and writes a blog called A Liberal Christian in the Conservative Midwest.
Zack Adcock
Writer
Coming Soon
Andrew Ang
Writer
Andrew Ang is a freshman at the University of Illinois. He enjoys music, movies, literature, street food, travel, walking, choices and new, spontaneous, radical, experimental, forward-thinking, weird run-on sentences. He also enjoys listing things he likes, to substitute for his lack of credentials.
Mike Armintrout
Writer
Since 2001 Mike Armintrout has worked as the marketing manager and a talent buyer for Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment at the Canopy Club. He got married to his wife Heather in 2003 and bought a house in Urbana in 2005. Live music and spending time with friends and family are his passions.
Laura Bandy
Writer
Laura Bandy was born in Jacksonville, Ill., home of the Ferris wheel. After finishing her MFA on the University of Illinois campus in 2006, she stuck around for the shampoo-banana action. Likes: poetry, hot peppermint tea and dirty martinis – anything that ends with an "ee" sound, really.
Mike Coulter
Writer
Coming Soon
Caitlin Cremer
Writer
Coming Soon
David Cubberly
Photographer
David Cubberly has lived in Urbana off and on since 1998, pursing two degrees in music composition at the University of Illinois. Having happily finished school for good now, he is glad to call Champaign-Urbana home. David's passion for photography started nearly 10 years ago when he received a very old film camera from his dad. He has been using it ever since to capture the energy and beauty of live music on film. While not pursing this very serious hobby, he works in the audio department at Volition, Inc. and loves every minute of it.
Alisa DeMarco
Writer
Alisa DeMarco lives in Champaign with her husband Jeff and cat Wayne. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2001, Alisa spent several years cooking in Austin before returning home to Champaign-Urbana. She is the chef/owner of Big Spoon custom culinary services and is an assistant at Prairie Fruits Farm goat cheese farm in Urbana.
Rachael Dietkus
Writer
Rachael Dietkus, a Danville native, is back in her hometown after years away. She is an activist and musician and has written, recorded and toured with a variety of bands over the past fifteen years. Rachael received her BA in Sociology from the University of Illinois and is currently the director of a not-for-profit focusing on economic development and historic preservation.
Adam Fein
Writer
Adam Fein is an online programs director at the University of Illinois. He holds a BA in Speech Communication and a Masters in Human Resource Development and Learning Technologies. He has spent his entire life living in either Champaign, Urbana or Savoy. Currently residing on the quiet side in Urbana, his first loves are (the inclusive) Jesus, his wife and his son...closely followed by Slowdive, The Chicago Cubs, Old Style beer, and our very own Curtis Orchard.. He does not love bigotry, licorice, or vomiting.
Donnie Ferguson
Videographer
Coming Soon
Larry Gates
Writer
Larry Gates was the frontman for local band Lorenzo Goetz for nearly six years. Now he performs under the name Curb Service and released his first album under that moniker in October 2007. He discovered hip-hop in 1983, when he was 10 years old.
Joel Gillespie
Writer
Joel Gillespie grew up in Iowa, went to college in Indiana, and is in the process of moving to Illinois. He tries to hide his prejudice against states that don't begin with I, but, let's face it, he is naturally suspicious of their intentions. If you have trouble sleeping, give him a call and ask about soybean processing.
William Gillespie and C.D. Scoggins
Writer
William Gillespie and C.D. Scoggins live in Urbana and edit the rock scholarship website Rock Geek Chic.
Matt Harshbarger
Videographer
Coming Soon
Erin Hayes
Writer
Coming Soon
Doug Hoepker
Writer
A proven winner with ice water in his veins, Doug Hoepker writes with a reckless abandon that clearly shows off his killer instinct and nose for the ball. This is one consummate pro, a real throwback, who is finally getting his due as the best player you’ve never heard of.When not watching sports, editing sports non-fiction, or recycling sports clichés, Hoepker enjoys writing about music. He is a semi-retired rock and roll DJ (The Noiseboy) and a former music editor at The Octopus and CU Cityview.
Liz Jackson
Writer
Raised on the Oregon coast, Liz Jackson wandered all over the Americas, Europe, and North Africa before moving to Urbana. She is currently writing her dissertation on how Islam is represented by U.S. media and public schools and applying for tenure-track positions in educational policy and global studies. By writing for Smile Politely she can avoid this work while also rationalizing her fear of grocery shopping and food preparation. When not hovered over her Macbook you can find her running or at the Brass Rail.
Nathon Jones
Writer
Nate Jones is an actor/musician from Champaign, and he is a Cancer. When he is not rocking the funky vocals for the local band Brother Embassy, he can be seen acting in movies, theater, and music videos. In his free time, Nate Jones enjoys practicing kung-fu, watching Bruce Lee movies and kicking some noob tail on Halo 3. Nate Jones loves getting the (fake) dirt on some of Champaign-Urbana's biggest celebrities.
Brian Kagel
Writer
Born and raised in Bloomington, Ill., Brian has been coming to the Champaign-Urbana area for concerts since high school. He now lives in Champaign, goes to school at the University of Illinois where he studies English and Creative Writing. Brian works at the Spurlock Museum moving artifacts. He loves listening to music, going to shows, playing music, writing, reading, and arguing, so this blog was the perfect project for him.
Chuck Koplinski
Writer
Chuck Koplinski was born and raised in Kankakee before setting out for the windy city where he studied film at Columbia College and earned an education degree at University of Illinois-Chicago. Having moved to Champaign-Urbana 17 years ago, Koplinski has been spouting off about film in the area's various local independent newspapers for the last 12 years. Completely confused as to why Caddyshack and Fargo are held in high regard but confident that Judge Dredd and Big Trouble in Little China are films that time will reveal to be classics, he's forever in his father's debt for having introduced him to the cinema of the 1930s and '40s.
Rose Marshack
Writer
Rose Marshack moved to Champaign in 1983 and frequently vows never to leave. She graduated University of Illinois with some degrees in Computer Science and New Media, taking a break in between to spend a decade (or two) performing in the bands Poster Children and Salaryman. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Music and Arts Technology at Illinois State University. She also teaches tae kwon do at the Urbana Park District, and is currently obsessed with capoeira. Rose blogs at www.whyamistillawake.com.
Patrick McCarthy
Writer
Pat McCarthy is a sophomore advertising student at the University of Illinois who spends his spare time cultivating neuroses. He lives in Urbana but finds few reasons to leave his apartment. His overinflated sense of self-worth gives him the confidence to offend each and every person he meets. He is ultimately harmless though and can be easily vanquished by commenting on his giant nose.
Rob McColley
Writer
Rob McColley spent his formative years under an 8' 7" hoop on the playground of Leal School. He's an attorney, a musician, a bartender, a bike rider, a Discworld enthusiast, a whisky snob, a jogger, a hamster's parent and Heather's chef.
Logan Moore
Writer
Logan Moore has deep, tangled and inextricable roots in the Champaign-Urbana community. This music writing gig provides him an opportunity to procrastinate on his master’s degree in library and information science at the University of Illinois.
Edward Moses
Writer
Edward Moses, the "Nerd King" and a Chicago south side native, has been rocking stages with his infectious, verbose brand of hip-hop since the age of 14. Having found himself comfortably trapped in Champaign-Urbana for the past five years pursuing degrees, he's managed to increase his music and sneaker collection enough times to make moving back home an adventure each time. A subcultural mutt by nature, he finds himself crawling under the bright lights of Downtown Champaign and rocking shows. C-U Local Music Award Winner Agent Mos only resigns himself to schoolwork when he knows that he'll fall asleep face-first in the folds of the book.
Jamie Newell
Writer
Jamie Newell can be found most weekends working on her novel at Aroma Café when she's not taking photos or sitting in a movie theater. After earning her bachelor's degree in creative writing at Columbia College Chicago, she settled in Champaign and has called it home for three years. Jamie loves to road trip, is a huge horse racing fan, and considers John Steinbeck a god.
Jessica Paulsen
Writer
Coming Soon
Ralph Petrella
Writer
Ralph has received both his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education from the University of Illinois, spending the four years between each stay teaching middle school band and jazz in Carol Stream, IL. He has performed as the lead vocalist for 5 Penny Theatre (1998-2003) and Fires Over Phoenix (2004-2005) and founded High Anxiety Music in August of 2007. Having studied sound with Mark Rubel at Pogo Studios he also works as a freelance recording engineer. In spite of trying to avoid life in the real world, Ralph currently works as a substitute teacher in the C-U Public Schools.
Pat Schmitz
Photographer
Pat Schmitz was born and bred in Central Illinois. An avid cyclist, you may see Pat on the road commuting to work or riding a goofy bike, just give him room (chopper-tall bikes are prone to crashes). He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Plant Biology and foresees a newfound, healthy and rewarding relationship with Champaign-Urbana.
Dan Schreiber
Writer
Dan Schreiber arrived in C-U in 1990, allegedly only to stay until his wife finished graduate school. He is still here, quite willingly, and has worked at Spyglass and SourceGear (the latter as a partner). He has recently left the software industry to pursue freelance writing, sometimes as a Minor Mennonite. He worries that he is not making adequate progress in his attempts to convince people that war is bad and violence is wrong.
Adam Scott
Writer
Before Adam Scott came to the Champaign-Urbana area, he went to film school and worked on such memorable projects as Super Sucker, 13 Conversations About One Thing, and Strangers with Candy. He grew up in California and currently teaches English at Parkland College. He is working on a novel about the 1000th suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge.
Lena Singer
Writer
Lena Singer was raised on a farm in Central Illinois. She went to journalism school in Champaign, was an editor in Chicago for a couple years, then came back to Champaign for more school. Now she writes and edits here. She plays records once a week (at Mike 'n' Molly's) and hosts a trivia night once a month (also at Mike 'n' Molly's). She loves food, periodicals, pop music, and ABBA; separately or together, always with complete seriousness.
Carlye Wisel
Writer
Carlye Wisel is a University of Illinois student and the former music editor of Buzz Weekly who currently runs In The Aeroplane, Over UC, a local music blog. As a music snob who loves bluegrass-folk bands and anything edible, she'd refer to herself as a foodie if she didn't view the term as an adult, chic way of calling herself a chubster. Regardless, when she's not relentlessly making fun of people on her blog Awkward City, Population 1 or writing for a variety of publications, she's most likely reading fashion blogs or eating a wheel of brie by herself.
Paul Young
Writer
Paul Young is a townie who graduated from the University of Illinois twice: once with a bachelors in graphic design and then again with a masters in education. Paul has been a foodie all his life (even though he didn't know what a foodie was until recently). He has eaten his way through New York City (eight years) and Milwaukee (two years), but has finally settled down here in Champaign-Urbana (since 1994). When he's not eating, he is either doing graphic design or teaching at Parkland College in order to earn money to buy food. In a former life, Paul was the founder and publisher of The Octopus, a weekly newspaper where he wrote about food every now and then.
