Sock the MonkeyVolume One Angela Hiss, Frey Lemonholm, Luke

McGowan-Arnold, Ethan Patterson, Jake

Rotta, and Tyler Szatek

I want you to want me--Rockford, Illinois

Contents

Poetry & Prose

Smoke Signals 6

Ghosts 6

Unearthing Derelicts 10

Wouldn't it Be Nice 12

Charles Street 16

Visual Art

Makenzi Conklin 8

Jake Rotta 4

Interviews

Angela Hiss 13

Pardon My Subconsciousness 24

Rockfordia

Silience Slams 18

The Norwegian 30

Bon Appetit

Forest City Foraging: Edible Nettles

DIY Vegan Acorn Pasta w/ Nettle Pesto

We Could Make This City Great If Only People Would Try--Jake Rotta, 17

The Rabbit Hole--Jake Rotta, 17

Smoke Signals

She smoked her cigarettes differently when she was sad

That’s how you could always tell

She wouldn’t puff the smoke out with one deep breath

She would merely open her mouth halfway

And sigh slowly allowing the smoke to trickle from her lips

It would crash into her eyes and make them water

Creating a transparent curtain before her face

That shielded her from the world

That was often too much for her to bare

--Madi Guzman, 18

Ghosts

She could narrowly remember a time she hated herself so much, but then, then

she could blame it on the demons in her head that caused her to do such awful

things. The vile smell of vomit and the shakiness of her entire body had a reason,

a valid reason. When you are being eaten alive by your own mind and desires it

is hardly your fault, or so everyone had told her.

They all said that she wasn’t to blame for the things she fell victim to for so many

years. That it was not her fault at all, no, she was just a victim of the society that

has trained us all to hate the way that we look and to force us to adapt to these

ideal images even though it is never feasible. She was told time and time again

that it wasn’t her. But her memory flashed back to all the times that she had

done damage to herself and she knew the truth, though she never spoke it; it was

her fault.

This time, this round of disgust, there were no excuses to be made for her, she

was entirely to blame. She made the decision to become a different person to be

a person that no one would recognize.

While she never told nor showed anybody, she still had the old her tucked into

the back of her closet. She lived in the shirts, sweaters and dresses she just didn’t

have the heart to get rid of. She didn’t mind living with a ghost much anyway.

--Madi Guzman, 18

@ Nicholas Conservatory--Makenzi Conklin

@ Nicholas Conservatory--Makenzi Conklin

Unearthing Derelicts

Derelicts is Emily Sipiora's first

novel. Sipiora is an Auburn High

School graduate and a freshman

at the University of Illinois at

Chicago. She completed the

composition during the foremost

portion of her senior year. As

Sipiora related in a previous

interview, she intended to

document the final chapter of her

youth and all the complexities

that come from hovering on the

brink of adulthood. Copies of

Derelicts can be bought at

Culture Shock. In the following

review, Luke Seamus McGowan-

Arnold studies the themes

reoccurring throughout the book.

Derelicts by Emily Sipiora is a

novel at odds at with itself. The

writing and themes of the text

reflect this. The prose constantly

chages perspectives and tylistic

elements to show new opinions

about Audrey. However, several

times in the book, she experiences

an epiphany about her. The prose in

these sections can be vastly different

stylistically than the other portions

The author with a copy of her book

to emphasize the epiphany. The first

section of the book presents an epiphany

about self criticism. Self hatred or

excessive self hatred causes self harm.

Audrey has the first epiphany after

going out with friends. She and her

friends go to a restaurant where Audrey

takes drugs. The drugs are a literary tool

to develop opinions Audrey has about

herself during that moment. Drugs are

something which alter brain chemistry

which happens to the thoughts of

Audrey at the moment. She thinks very

introspectively in this section. After

insulting one of her friends, Cara, she

makes an observation that she can make

people feel bad about insecurities

because she feels bad about her

insecurities. After she makes a mean

quip about one of her friends, she makes

an observation about herself and the

current waitress. The waitress is

impatient and is being rude to the

customers, this could be because

she is frustrated and tired but

Audrey makes the observation that

she is naturally rude, likening her

to how Audrey views her own

behavior. The waitress is used as a

foil for the behavior of Audrey.

Audrey unconsciously makes the

observation that her own self

destructive behavior is caused by

the self hatred. Evidence for this is

found directly in the lines where

she makes reference to her own

insecurities and then proceeds to

insult and hurt others. The text

draws an indirect but apparent

correlation between the two

actions. Audrey realizes it but she

cannot fully make the connection.

Another example of this is where

Audrey thinks mean things about her

friend Jo. She defines Jo as “...a liar; an

awful person in disguise.” This draws

direct similarities between what Audrey

thinks of herself and Jo. She thinks

about herself in this way as well, she

projects her own self critical views of

herself on others. She damages

relationships with others because of her

critical view of self.

The first section of the book ends with

someone telling Audrey something

about herself that she lacks the ability to

make clear to herself on her own.

Different from the first section analyzed,

the epiphany is put forth in the text after

another character makes the clear

statement. Audrey is angry and confused

about why she made everyone upset. She

makes the statement about all the love

she has to give. Jack tells Audrey about

herself at that moment and helps her

realize she is at odds with herself. He

makes the statement “You have so much

love to give because you can't love

yourself.” This is important for several

reasons. First of all, it draws parallels

with the previous style of the text, which

was primarily Audrey thinking about

herself. The argument here is that the

love cannot be shared until she has

some for herself. There is a new distinct

opinion about Audrey. Jack forms this

opinion. Even though the text shows

how Audrey hurts herself due to her self

hatred, she is not completely aware of

it. Jack serves the role of the informer.

The use of the perspective of Jack is to

develop more thoroughly the argument

about Audrey. Jack feels responsible in

a way for Audrey, he protects her from

herself. In chapter XVIII, the text says

“Jack took the responsibility of

herself....” This makes it clear that

Audrey is hurting herself through

various means whether it is the

destruction of relationships or

skipping of school, which is

highlighted later. Once again, it is very

important that Audrey does not make

this observation. This is an important

form choice. The character of Audrey

cannot make the observation about

self hatred leading to harm. However,

the text conveys this theme very

obviously.

Audrey is a protagonist who fights

against herself. She cannot make

conscious observations about her

behavior causing her to have the need

to be informed that self hatred causes

self harm.

--Luke Seamus McGowan Arnold, 17

Wouldn't It Be Nice

I love inhaling your mustard fog

as around the dawn arises,

and twirling your spaghetti curls

as our porous dew comprises.

--Tyler Earls, 22

herself....” This makes it clear that

Audrey is hurting herself through

various means whether it is the

destruction of relationships or

skipping of school, which is

highlighted later. Once again, it is very

important that Audrey does not make

this observation. This is an important

form choice. The character of Audrey

cannot make the observation about

self hatred leading to harm. However,

the text conveys this theme very

obviously.

Audrey is a protagonist who fights

against herself. She cannot make

conscious observations about her

behavior causing her to have the need

to be informed that self hatred causes

self harm.

--Luke Seamus McGowan Arnold, 17

On the Rockford Poetry Scene:

An Interview with Angela Hiss

Angela Hiss is a poet and the host of

the Rockford Certified Slam, the only

Poetry, Inc. approved function in

Rockford. It occurs on once a month

in the Nordlof Center at six pm.

Sock the Monkey: You studied

Computer Science at Notre Dame.

Had you discovered your love for

poetry prior to college?

Angela Hiss: Yes, I've written poetry

since I was a kid. I loved Shel

Silverstein, so a lot of my early poems

imitated his style. Conversely, I didn't

discover programming until high

school.

STM: I understand that you are

employed as a software engineer. This

field is historically dominated by

"Poetry can often feel like it takes place in some imaginary realm far away, but when you start a piece by saying 'This happened to me at Phoenix Traders', people can picture it."

masculinity, with 92% of software

engineers being men. How has this

influenced your sense of

womanhood?

AH: It really hasn't been as big a

deal as I expected. I get along fine

with men. My parents have always

supported my career, and I would

say the vast majority of men in

office settings treat women as

equals. Womanhood is what you

make

of it.

STM: What led you to Rockford?

AH: I grew up in the northwest

suburbs of Chicago, a couple hours

east of here. After college I took a job

in Fort Wayne, Indiana with a military

defense contractor called Raytheon,

but when the war started winding

down in 2012, I was one of many

workers laid off. I searched Monster

for a job that would take me back to

my home state, and a tiny company in

Rockford that made software for

community centers was what came up.

Rockford has really made me feel

welcome in the past three years.

STM: You mention places specific to

Rockford several times in your

writing, such as Phoenix Traders and

Culture Shock.

AH: Yes, it's a good way to personalize

a piece.

Poetry can often feel like it takes

place in some imaginary realm far

away, but when you start a piece by

saying "This happened to me at

Phoenix Traders", people can

picture it.

STM: You are extremely involved in

the Rockford poetry scene and even

run the Rockford Certified Slam at

the Nordlof Center. How does your

involvement impact your own

work?

AH: I took over running the slam

less than two months ago, so it still

feels weird hosting rather than

competing, but I've found several

open mics to fill the void. The scene

has been growing at a tremendous

rate lately, and it's been lovely to

watch so many new, talented poets

get together and find their voices. I've

been inspired to write a lot of new

pieces because of Conveyor's new

workshop series. I'm actually supposed

to write a poem for tomorrow about

clowns.

STM: Poetry is a very selective process.

One must consciously determine which

details to include and which to leave

out. What advice do you have for

writers struggling with this?

AH: I think it's important to add a few

concrete, "oddly specific" details to

your poem. Mentioning something like

a yellow smiley-face backpack, or the

2:20 train to Dubuque, can help your

listeners feel closer to the poetry.

Hiss performs a piece of her own poetry

Charles StreetIn this town we have roads that run parallel and straightLike Perryville and StateAnd we appreciate themBut there's one that's one of a kind, I findOne extremely rare thoroughfare that just blows my mindFrom the Heartland Church to the Mobil stationYou wiggle and waggle with no explanationCharles Street!You make me lose my wayTeleport through Newburg and come out near the highwayCharles Street,With your whorls and your gnarlsI would say more about you if more rhymed with CharlesYou've got a Family Video and a huge ShnucksYou keep changing names and you give zero fucksFrom old Center Terrace to Jefferson streetThe place where Kegel's and Culture Shock meetWhen I first moved to this city one fallI had to return a rented U-HaulBut I couldn't find the place -- it just wasn't fair --Because it was hiding. Three guesses where ...I thought, "What sort have place have I moved to today?And who is this Charles guy anyway?Are they trying to use up a surplus of signs?Do they just have a thing for diagonal lines?"But I came to accept this city's fun quirksIts roadblocks and stoplights, good drivers and jerksSo, boulevard of madness, this is thy ode.Forget the destination. It's all about the road.--Angela Hiss, 26

Silience Slams @ Emerson Haus

Shows are scheduled for the last weekend

of each month and feature a plethora of

local talent. The doors open at six pm and

open mic begins at seven. There is no

entrance fee, but donations are

encouraged. Photographs of the slams are

credited to Frey Lemonholm.

This past May, a collection of Rockford

locals gathered together for an open mic

session, organized by Auburn student Jess

Mubirigi. From its roots, Silience is

uncannily organic. Set in the historic

Emerson funeral home within the

Mendelssohn Center, the physical

Jess Mubirigi reflects before a show

"Wu Tang would hang out here"

--Ronnie Thompson, in regards to

Silience

surroundings are indicative of classical

Rockford architecture while introducing an

atmosphere often lacking in mainstream

Rockford events. The gathering space

immediately envelopes its visitors, thanks to

Jess's thoughtful touches like Christmas

lights and a small wool rug. Tea lights adorn

each table along with a sprig of dried

botanicals, and locally-made art covers the

walls.

Emerson House, which lies within the

premises of the Mendalssen Center, was

Dennis Littlejohn and Star Lasha, along with the rest of the audience

benevolently offered to Jess due to her

involvement in the Rockford Art Scene.

Jess related that one night she experienced

an epiphany perpetuating her to pursue

Silience's establishment. Since then, she

has devoted herself to the development of

Silience as a community.

Silience shows routinely feature physical

copies of locally made artwork, books, and

mixtapes. In August, Jess hosted a Silience

Flea Market which sold donated "90's

fashion, cultural clothing, designer brands,

and hip furniture." The October show will

be "dedicated to Rockford's HipHop

culture & family" with a rap battle hosted

by Silience's MC, Luke McGowan-Arnold.

There will also be a costume contest with

prizes for best solo costume, best

duo/group costume, and most creative

costume. In addition, Silience will debut

their T-shirt, featuring the iconic Silience

milk bottle designed by Cynthia Ho.

Silience evokes an atmosphere singular to its

premises. The general vibes emitted are

relaxed and inviting. Silience is perhaps the

most diverse array of performers of any

venue in the Rockford area. Artists are

representative of all stages of life as well as a

broad reach of social and economic class.

The degree of experience and dominance in

the art scene is essentially irrelevant to the

Silience audience. This overarching attitude

allows performers to deliver to truly raw and

uncensored work.

Luke McGowan-Arnold and Jess Mubirigi perform “Hit the Road, Jack” with Joel Cordonnier

Jay Wannevag

Nick Sharpe

Catherine Grace

Emily Sipiora

Matt Gorski

Skye Garcia

Pardon My Subconscious

Growing up in the Midwest urbania, it's every teenager's dream to form a band.

Pardon My Subconsciousness is the newest addition to the mix. Instead of

following the well trodden emo-punk mold, Pardon My Subconsciousness takes

an astonishingly innovative route. Their sound is pixelated and

unprecedented--almost cute, like something out of a Steven Universe episode.

Quite literally a garage band, drummer Ethan Patterson, guitarist Tyler Szatek,

and trumpet player Joe Barren established Pardon over the course of the

summer. Their first gig was at the "legendary" Jive Yer Ear fest in Davis Park on

that blisteringly hot Friday in August. They will also be playing at the debut of

the Temple on October 23rd.

I met with Patterson at Kate's Pie Shop, where he is employed. He's dimpled and

Guitarist Tyler Szatek

sandy haired, his personality perfectly encompassed by Pardon's sound. Tyler

cordially contributed his insight, but Joe Barren was unavailable.

Sock the Monkey: How does your work in a record store shape you as a

musician? How might a typical day on the job unfold for you?

Ethan Patterson: Usually when I'm at work, I'm the DJ and I pick out what

everyone in the shop listens to. I pick a lot of music from different genres and

styles, because I think that a broad perspective and wide variety of music can

influence any musician. Also, working at a record store has really made me want

to pursue music more seriously because of our clientèle. I get a lot of inspiration

from people I work with and regular customers in the shop.

STM: You recently returned from a trip to Ecuador. Did that have any impact on

you as an artist?

EP: Yeah, I went to Ecuador this summer. It was a really unique

experience for me and I think it influenced my world view and perception on life.

I don't know if it's really had any influence on me musically, yet, but it's

something that definitely affected me as a whole.

STM: Local businesses like Kate's are at the heart of the Rockford. How have

indie music venues like Kate’s Pie Shop and Record Store influenced the

Rockford community?

EP: I really feel like local venues offer a lot of opportunities to many musicians

just like myself. I remember a few years ago when I first going to shows in town

at places like RAD and ELB and idolizing the local acts on stage. I really looked

up to bands like DeadRon and Roanoke when first considering making my own

music. It's kinda weird to think that maybe my group's performance may have

that same effect on kids younger than us.

Tyler Szatek: They bring about insane music. They also help bring variety in the

Rockford music scene. Personally I would have never been a part of [Pardon] if

it wasn't for some of Rockford's local venues.

STM: How did the group name come about?

EP: Actually our group name has changed too many times to count. I got Cold

Shoulders from a friend of mine from work who said we could use it when I was

desperately thinking of a solid name. I can't take any credit for it.

TS: Interestingly enough or group name is sort of in the air as of now, but for the

show on October 23 at the temple, we are called Pardon My Subconscious.

STM: How and why did you start playing your chosen instrument?

EP: It sounds cheesy, but I come from a family of drummers. My dad and uncle

both play, and I've been playing since I was a little kid. I've only started taking it

seriously in the past few years though.

TS: I started playing guitar when I was really young because my father was

always playing. Growing up I didn't really take it seriously until recently when I

started to jam with Ethan and Joseph.

STM: The debate between playing solo or with a group persists. How did you

end up forming Pardon as opposed to performing solo?

EP: I've been good friends with both Joe and Tyler for a good period of time and

we all have passion for music so it just made sense for us to jam. After that, we

decided we clicked really well. And we've been playing together ever since. I'm

probably the least talented in the group so I don't really think I could

play solo anyway.

TS: Joe, Ethan and I were all a part of our high school's jazz band. I began to go

to shows with Ethan and soon we decide to bring Joe too. Anyways, in jazz band

we would always have 15-20 minute jam sessions after class. We sort of knew we

could all make music together, and that we were generally on the same page

musically. So, eventually after a long time of putting it off we began practicing

outside of school.

STM: One can’t help but notice that, unlike the standard alternative band,

Pardon lacks vocals. Was this a stroke of chance, or did you set out intending to

form an instrumental group?

EP: We've written some lyrics to a few songs of ours and we know how we would

like it to sound but all of us are actually terrible and singing and couldn't pull it

off so we've given up on it for now. Maybe in the future.

TS: None of us can sing and to us it is way more fun to portray emotion through

instruments rather than vocals. Joe says he can sing but he has never done it.

STM: Pardon My Subconsciousness is excessively refreshing in terms of all

realms of DIY music. If asked to confine Pardon to a genre, where would it

stand?

EP: Well. This is tough. I guess we can call it indie rock with strong vibes of jazz

fusion, punk, and math rock. It's a mish mash of a lot of things but we always

make it work.

TS: I have absolutely no clue! Our music genres as a whole change from song to

song almost. It's difficult to confine it, but if I had to I would say the genre would

be called "slushie math progressive core."

STM: What advice do you have for mutual Rockford area rookie bands?

EP: Put yourself out there and make yourself available. Be confident with what

you can do and make friends in the scene who can help you out and book shows.

TS: Practice makes perfect. Make music that makes you happy.

If you have resided in Rockford for a

while, there is little doubt that you are

familiar with the wholesome twang of

singer-songwriter Emily Hurd. A

country-soul artist with thirteen

albums, Hurd's musical work has been

featured on the television programs

NCIS, 90210, and The Good Wife. Her

latest endeavor, however, will satiate

the stomach in addition to the ear.

The Norwegian

Hurd brandishes a promotional pin

Hurd has devotedly set out to

renovate the building at 1402 North

Main Street into a restaurant and

music venue. Her aim is to pair her

musical aptitude with her passion for

cooking. The venue will continue to be

referred to by its previous name, the

Norwegian. As described by The

Rockford Register Star, the

Norwegian is a "hometown breakfast

pub that opens occasionally in the

evening for dinner and live music."

When Hurd purchased the building,

asbestos burdened the second floor,

making it impractical for commercial

use. Hurd turned tofund raising

website Kickstarter to bring her

project to life.

$101,065 was foraged due to the

overwhelming generosity of 887 of

Hurd's fans. Renovations include

removing the asbestos, upgrading the

flooring, installing air conditioning, and

leasing office space on the second floor.

In addition to utilizing Kickstarter,

Hurd advertised via local businesses

and media outlets. She ran a Brake for

Cake campaign during which she served

samples of her pending delicacies at

various establishments in exchange for

a promotion. For example, Emily and

husband Mark Christian constructed

three wooden Viking ships to be

displayed for advertising purposes at

the North End City Market. She allowed

sponsors and fans to keep tabs on the

campaign via her blog, posting

photographs of her concoctions such as

"carrot cake moon pies with vanilla

citrus filling, topped with white

chocolate and toasted organic

coconut."

When one follower good-naturedly

commented, "I will post a flyer or

sign on my front door for some of

those tasty treats," Hurd replied "If

you message me with your address,

I'll leave you a short stack of fliers

and two of these beauties!" Needless

to say, the Norwegian would not

have been feasible without the

steadfast enthusiasm expressed by

Hurd's fanbase.

The Norwegian recieves upgrades

DIY Vegan Acorn Pasta w/ Nettle Pesto

A woodsy yet elegant meal fit for an autumnal night. This is good excuse to obtain nettle, however you choose to go about it.

Nettle Pestotwo to three cups fresh nettles3 medium-sized garlic clovesquarter cup pine nutsquarter cup olive oillemon wedgeagavesalt & pepper

Boil fresh nettles in salt water, stirring intervally.

After about one to two minutes, extract the

cooked nettles from the boiling water and place

immediately into ice water. When the nettles are cooled off, strain the water from

them. Bundle the nettles into a tea towel and wring it get rid of as much moisture

as possible.

Finely chop the nettles and add them to your blender or food processes along

with the garlic and nuts. While pulsing, progressively add the olive oil, one

tablespoon at a time. Once the consistency is fine, add salt, ground pepper, a

dash of lemon juice, and agave. Then blend one more time to incorporate the

flavorings.

overwhelming generosity of 887 of

Hurd's fans. Renovations include

removing the asbestos, upgrading the

flooring, installing air conditioning, and

leasing office space on the second floor.

In addition to utilizing Kickstarter,

Hurd advertised via local businesses

and media outlets. She ran a Brake for

Cake campaign during which she served

samples of her pending delicacies at

various establishments in exchange for

a promotion. For example, Emily and

husband Mark Christian constructed

three wooden Viking ships to be

displayed for advertising purposes at

the North End City Market. She allowed

sponsors and fans to keep tabs on the

campaign via her blog, posting

photographs of her concoctions such as

"carrot cake moon pies with vanilla

Take great care when handling nettles

Acorn Pasta

eight ounces all purpose flourfour ounces semolina flourfour ounces acorn flourseven ounces vegan egg substituteone and a half teaspoons olive oila shake of salt

Mix both of the flours and the salt. Transfer the mixture onto a flat, sanitary

surface such a counter top and form a deep well within it. In a fresh bowl, beat

the egg substitute and olive oil then pour the mixture into the well in the center

of the dry ingredients. Mix the eggs into the flour until a dough is formed. Once

all of the flour is incorporated into the dough, knead the dough for approximately

five minutes. If the mixture is too wet, progressively add teaspoons of flour. Put

the finished dough up in plastic wrap, allowing it to chill for a minimum of an

hour.

Forming the dough into noodles with a pasta roller is convenient. However,

noodles can be made by hand as well. If you happen to have a pasta roller,

shape the chilled dough down to one mm and cut the noodles as you like. If you

don’t have a pasta roller, orecchiette is extremely easy to shape. Pinch a piece

of dough onto your thumb and press it down between your pointer and middle

fingers, forming a dome-like shape.

Boil the pasta for two to three minutes in salted water.

Sock the Monkey is a Rockford, Illinois based publication. It places emphasis on,

but is not limited to, artists from Rockford and the surrounding area. The goal of

this project is to elevate Rockford’s outlook regarding self and to bring light to

the accomplishments obtained by its citizens. All works are compiled and edited

by Esther Veitch. Cover art is accredited to Makenzi Conklin. October 2015.