I did not know what to expect when I decided to go to New York on Saturday to check out Occupy Wall Street. In fact, I had only opted to go after seeing the now famous footage of police brutality, courtesy of inspector Anthony Bologna aka “Tony Baloney”(video). I had originally planned to go with a couple of friends, but that did not pan out. For a moment I was hesitant to go by myself because I rarely travel to New York City, let alone get involved in a protest in which people have been beaten, pepper sprayed, and arrested. But I decided to go anyway.

If you don’t hang out much with the punk crowd, going to some basement shows can feel like stumbling upon a long lost tribe. People in cut up jean shorts and sleeveless t-shirts gather to take part in holy rituals at houses like the Alamo as if they were hollowed temples. Every inch of the walls is covered in the sacred images of DIY band posters, makeshift artwork, and oversized reprints of Ziggy cartoons.

I spent the minutes leading up to my twenty first birthday having an existential crisis. I felt the world spiraling out of my hands in a way I have never felt before, as if I were slipping underwater and drowning. It wasn’t a crisis of getting older or facing adulthood. It was the crisis of having to ask permission, of being rejected, and of being shunned and forced to walk the streets for a stupid, banal reason.

Finding a basement show in New Brunswick takes some couth. It’s like the line in Swingers “You tell a chick you’ve been some place, it’s like bragging that you know how to find it.” The speakeasy romanticism of the whole local scene is its exclusivity, the delightful feeling you’re getting away with something the outside world wouldn’t understand.

A short story submission from Joy Stoffers. Enjoy!

Today Rutgers University president Richard McCormick announced that he had not been swayed by the popular movement which seized Old Queens, the main administration building at RU, Wednesday and Thursday.

JVP Co-founder and former editor-in-chief Alex Giannattasio might be studying law in DC, but his presence is always felt at the Johnsonville– whether it be in his comments, guidance, or ever-growing legacy as a contributor. And while this Q and A isn’t the same as having Alex around full time, it’ll have to hold you over for now.

Buzz Lightyear. Balloons. And babies. What do the three of these things have in common? They all start with the letter “B”. Also, they were all present with me in my doctor’s waiting room. It would be best if I explained.

As Managing Editor of the JVP, I’ve spent the past few months working closely with Editor-In-Chief Matia Guardabascio. I’ve been exposed to her sharp-wit, her strong analytic skills, and her love of literature and music. Business meetings, however, can only let one so far in to the life of another. A Q and A can provide even further access, as is the case with this interview, wherein myself and readers get to learn about Matia’s upbringing and stargazing, amongst other things. The best way to get to know someone, as Matia herself points out, remains to be through casual conversation and plain-old hanging out. But until you have the pleasure of chatting with Matia herself, this Q and A will have to hold you over.

Turning to a colleague, I asked, “What’s this ‘Doctober-fest’ that everyone’s been talking about?”

He smirked, taking note of my ignorance.

“What?” I inquired. Suddenly, I was interested. Before I only spoke in order to break the silence of workplace monotony. But now we had the beginnings of a conversation brewing. Cooking with fire, if you will.