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Feature Editor: John Stephens
Media: Sylvia Shields Chad Brittian - NVS
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What is the difference between a Wedding

Officiant, a Minister, and a Justice of the Peace?

When you’re trying to plan a ideal because of the flexibility
wedding, you find the suddenly this approach affords. When
you have to be an expert on you use a non-denominational
everything! It’s confusing to try to wedding officiant, you aren’t
understand the difference between bound by the limits of any specific
different types of wedding officials, religious tradition or dogma.
but we are here to explain the Couples who have differing
difference. religious backgrounds also tend
A minister can officiate a wedding, to prefer a wedding officiant
but most ministers will be like this, because multi-religious
restricted in what they can or will ceremonies can be custom-made,
officiate, due to their religious honoring the religious tradition
affiliation with the church they and beliefs of both families. At I Tie
belong to. This is a great choice for the Knots, we have even written
individuals who already belong to ceremonies that include Catholic
a church that they regularly attend, liturgy and Hindu ceremonies
if they want a traditional church in Sanskrit! For couples that
ceremony. prefer a non-religious ceremony,
A justice of the peace is a special wedding officiants also afford this
type of court officer that can flexibility, without the shortness
perform civil marriages. These are and rigidness of the courthouse
a simple option for individuals ceremony. Most wedding
who want nothing more than a officiants, such as ourselves, also
marriage certificate, but they are offer quick elopement ceremonies,
limited in terms of schedule and which is a more flexible option
location, and are strictly no-frills as compared to the justice of the
marriage ceremonies. peace ceremonies. Officiants offer
Lastly, a wedding officiant is these quick ceremonies during
anyone who can legally officiate nights and weekend hours, where
a marriage ceremony. In wider a justice of the peace would often
use, a wedding officiant often have a narrow time availability.
refers specifically to a non- Overall, a minister, justice of the
denominational and sometimes peace, and a non-denominational
non-religious official who carries no wedding officiant are all perfectly
affiliation with a church. Couples capable of running your wedding
who don’t regularly attend a ceremony. If you want the ultimate
religious service or church often customization and flexibility in
find this sort of wedding officiant schedule and ceremony your best
bet is a non-affiliated wedding
officiant.

boiMAG

HEALTHY TRAVEL

Tips for a Safe Getaway

What do travelers think about when planning Your Survival Guide to Safe and Healthy Travel
travel to a foreign country? Do thoughts turn Every year more and more Americans are
to spectacular scenery, exotic foods, and the traveling internationally for vacation, business,
opportunity to experience another culture? and volunteerism, and to visit friends and
Are there worries about diseases, insects, and family. Whatever your reason for traveling,
water safety? Most of us consider both parts of the information on this page will help you to
the picture, excited about the good prospects be Proactive, Prepared, and Protected when
and nervous about the bad. We wonder how it comes to your health—and the health of
to get the most out of travel while guarding others—while you are traveling.
against any health hazards that might exist. BE PROACTIVE!
This guide is for those who want to enjoy the Take steps to anticipate any issues that could
opportunities of travel without spending time arise during your trip. The information below will
and energy dealing with problems that could help you plan for a safe and healthy trip.
be prevented. • Learn about your destination.
The threat of disease worldwide, although • See a doctor before you travel.
real, is often different from what many people • Think about your health status.
expect. Ebola virus disease, cholera, avian • Are you too sick to travel?
influenza, plague, and coronavirus may make
headlines, but they rarely affect travelers. (Recent illnesses, injuries, or surgeries)
Other outbreaks, like chikungunya or Zika • Do you have any special health needs?
virus infection, may impact travelers for short (Babies and small children, pregnant women,
periods of time in very specific places. This people with disabilities, people with weakened
doesn’t mean there is no cause for concern; immune systems)
take all reasonable precautions to reduce BE PREPARED!
the chances of becoming ill. However, the No one wants to think about getting sick or
problems that are most likely to affect travel hurt during a trip, but sometimes these things
plans are much more ordinary, ie: travelers’ happen. You may not be able to prevent every
diarrhea, jet lag, or an auto accident. illness or injury, but you can plan ahead to be
Travelers who follow preventive behaviors able to deal with them.
can avoid most travel-related health and • Pack smart.
safety problems. This guide provides reliable • Plan ahead for illnesses or injuries during
explanations and practical ideas about the best
ways to stay healthy while traveling abroad. your trip.
Some travelers may choose to follow all the • Know what to do if you become sick or
advice carefully, especially if they are traveling injured on your trip.
in a high-risk area or have existing health • Know and share important information
concerns. Others may evaluate the risks and about your trip.
decide to follow only some of the precautions BE PROTECTED!
mentioned, based on individual needs. It is important to practice healthy behaviors
Travelers spending time exclusively in during your trip and after you return home. This
developed countries, in resort areas section outlines how you can protect yourself
of developing countries, or within the and others from illness during your trip.
international hotel circuit will generally have a • Pay attention to your health during your trip.
much lower risk of illness. • Use sunscreen and insect repellent.
Adventure travelers and persons staying • Be careful about food and water.
abroad for extended periods of time, spending • Try not to take risks with your health & safety.
a good deal of time with local populations or • Wear protective gear when doing activities.
eating and sleeping in rural accommodations, • Respect your host country and its people by
are typically at higher risk. This is especially following local laws and customs.
true for persons traveling in developing • Pay attention to your health when you come
countries. home.

boiMAG

boiMAG



Affordable Winter Vacations

In The U.S.

After the holidays, airfares and hotel Santa Fe, New Mexico
prices start to drop dramatically,
especially since most of us have Santa Fe hosts a bustling artistic
used up our vacation days and aren’t community where tourists can come
planning on traveling too much. and absorb the local culture in over
We can’t think of a better cure for 250 art galleries ranging in style
the winter blues than jet setting off and subject from contemporary to
to a brand new location. If you’re traditional Native American art. In
looking to get away from the freezing fact, the city prides itself on being a
temperatures, there are a lot of places, go-to destination for people wanting
like California, New Mexico, Arizona to learn more about Native American
and Florida, that are waiting to give culture and history, with its many
you a nice, sunny respite from the events, museums and historical sites.
harsh, winter winds. It’s also an excellent place to relax
at a local spa. Average hotel cost
Check out these incredible is around $163, according to USA
destinations to plan out your next Today.
winter vacation.
Portland, Oregon
Sun Valley, Idaho
Foodies, coffee addicts and beer
According to Cheap Flights, round- snobs, look no further for your
trip flights from Los Angeles start at perfect vacation. Even in the
$183, or $277 from New York City area chilly Oregon weather, there’s still
airports. But besides the savings, it’s a plenty to do in Portland. Take a
skiers paradise. Since Sun Valley, if you brewery tour at one (or more) of
can’t tell by the name, has an average the city’s 70+ breweries, visit some
of 205 sunny days per year, skiers can local coffeehouses, pizzerias, and
hit the slopes nearly any given day of course, Voodoo Doughnuts.
without worry. Arguably the best donuts west of the
Mississippi (if not the world). Hotels
San Diego, California can cost as low as $65.

You’re probably thinking San Diego Washington, D.C.
is an expensive city, so why is it on Care to visit the Nation’s Capital
this list? That may be true, but usually when it’s a verifiable winter
pricey trips to San Diego happen in wonderland? We thought so.
the summer. But the winter is just as Although D.C. averages about
rewarding a time to go. The average 43 degrees in January, don’t let
temperature is 66 degrees in January, that deter you from feasting your
which may not scream “beach eyes on the Lincoln Memorial, the
weather,” but it does seem like great National World War II Memorial, the
weather for visiting the famous San Smithsonian, and dozens of other
Diego Zoo. And, the average hotel stay museums, galleries and historic
cost ranges anywhere between $50 sites that everyone simply must-see.
and $200, depending on how close Many of them are free! According to
you want to be to the city center. USA Today, the average hotel cost is
$115.
boiMAG 11

WAifnftoerrdVaabclaetiUo.Sn.s Sedona, Arizona

Orlando, Florida Don’t expect arid and hot Phoenix
weather when you’re in Sedona. This
What better way to spend the dark, gem of a desert getaway is especially
winter days than in the most magical magical in winter because the average
place on earth? The winter months, temperature is a crisp 57 degrees in
especially after the holidays, can be a January. This time of year is perfect for
little less packed at Walt Disney World people to visit the charming town, go
Resort in Florida, as well as Harry hiking among the Red Rocks or take a
Potter World at Universal Studios, so spa vacation. And, luckily for you, hotel
it’s an amazing time to pack up the stays range between $76 and $475.
family and go for a New Year’s Disney
trip. Plus, lots of airlines post cheaper New Orleans, Louisiana
airfares to Orlando in the winter, so you
might even be able to snag yourself a Jazz, beignets and booze are probably
last minute deal. Otherwise, according the biggest motivating factors for
to USA Today, the average hotel cost tourists coming to New Orleans, but
is $148 and the average flight cost is the city also has a rich history, unique
around $282. architecture, one-of-a-kind culture, and
Punta Gorda, Florida an average temperature of 63 degrees
South of Tampa is the gorgeous, in January. You can basically walk
historic Punta Gorda, with a beautiful all over the French Quarter without
downtown, fishermen’s village, breaking a sweat, not the easiest feat in
harborwalk in Charlotte Harbor, and an The Big Easy most of the year. Foodies,
average temperature of 74 degrees in art enthusiasts, music lovers, wannabe
January. It’s bliss for anyone looking to historians and people who just love a
get away from near-polar temperatures good party all have something to do
up north. Prices for a hotel stay can here, so it’s a good thing the average
range anywhere between $75 and hotel cost is around $130 and the
$250 per night, but you can also check average flight costs $288.
Airbnb for more deals.
Pahoa, Hawaii
Austin, Texas
Get everything you want in a Hawaiian
Food trucks and honky tonks meet vacation, without all the touristy stuff.
east coast hipster culture Texas’ coolest Located on the Big Island, you can get
city. Rainey Street, Red River and Sixth some quality time on Hawaii’s beautiful
Street are all popular places to go to beaches, enjoy romps through the
get some local entertainment, and not rainforest, or go snorkeling with tropical
to mention delicious local food like fish without having to compete with
tacos and authentic Texas queso. Plus, tons of other vacationers. Some places
you can find any music under the sun even have average prices as low as $79
within the city, from country to punk per night for a 3-star hotel.
rock. Hotels range between $50 to
$300 depending on where you are in Chicago, Illinois
the city.
12 boiMAG Beautiful hotels, an incredible art
museum, the aquarium, and of course, a
can’t-miss ice skating rink in Millennium
Park are all great reasons to visit
Chicago in the winter.



14 boiMAG

return to the everywhere

The Weinberg / Newton Gallery

The Weinberg/Newton Gallery heightened political tension, many
located at 688 N. Milwaukee, Americans have lost faith in the media
announced a series of public and question the role and impact
programming events taking place of journalism. They are increasingly
in alignment with Return to the turning to partisan sources of
Everywhere, an exhibition featuring information, yet free societies depend
work by Gwyneth Zeleny Anderson, on unbiased news and information
Jesse McLean, Sayward Schoonmaker, to monitor and question those in
Sonnenzimmer and Sadie Woods. power. In response, this event will
Free and open to the public, the consider how community-powered
exhibition will run from through April journalism can help us parse fact from
4. Programming events taking place fiction, and create authentic trust
at the gallery are also free and open to and understanding among different
the public. perspectives.
 
Presented in collaboration with WBEZ Vocalo: This Is What Chicago Sounds Like
Chicago, Chicago’s NPR news station, Friday, March 20, 4 – 7 pm 
Return to the Everywhere is the second Weinberg/Newton Gallery, 688 N. Milwaukee
exhibition in the gallery’s new location  
in River West. The exhibition considers Join Vocalo, WBEZ and Weinberg/Newton
various modalities of communication Gallery to celebrate the multifaceted culture
in an attempt to grasp the broader of Chicago’s music scene through a variety of
implications of our current “post-truth” media. Additional details to be announced at a
era. Works on view create space to later date.
consider the consequences of truth’s  
tenuity for interpersonal connection Coincidence Archive, with exhibiting artist
at large, and will spark discussion Gwyneth Zeleny Anderson
surrounding vital topics including fact Sunday, March 29, 2 – 4 pm
versus fiction, truth, transparency, Weinberg/Newton Gallery, 688 N. Milwaukee
objectivity, bias, and belief.
  Coincidence Archive is a public event intended
Truth, Knowledge, and the Power of to generate synchronicity. Visitors can listen
Storytelling presented by WBEZ and to live radio, past radio programs from the
Weinberg/Newton Gallery WBEZ Chicago archives, as well as audio works
Thursday, March 12, 6:30 – 8:15 pm, included in Return to the Everywhere while
doors open at 6 pm, Weinberg/Newton perusing the texts in the exhibition and various
Gallery, 688 N. Milwaukee publications from the exhibiting artists’ personal
  collections. They will then be invited to write
Join WBEZ’s arts and culture reporter down any words that they accidentally read and
Carrie Shepherd on March 12 for an hear simultaneously. By the end, a collaborative
interactive experience at Weinberg/ poem will be created that might provide some
Newton Gallery. Taking place strange and unexpected wisdom.
within the current exhibit, Return The Weinberg/Newton Gallery is a non-
to the Everywhere, it will feature commercial gallery with a mission to collaborate
self-reflective and participatory with nonprofit organizations and artists to
exercises by Imagination Theater educate and engage the public on social justice
and a conversation about truth and issues. Through artwork and programming, the
community-powered journalism  gallery provides a vital space for open discourse
In the age of fake news and on critical contemporary issues facing our
communities.

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CHAD BRITTIAN

Cover Story

LGBTQ Activist, Influencer, and CEO of Growing up in the LGBTQ community
NVS Design , a full-service advertising in his conservative state of Indiana
agency with branches in Beverly Hills, under Congressional representative
Indianapolis, and Chicago. (and now U.S. Vice President) Mike
NVS specializes in web and graphic Pence, Chad is comfortable discussing
design, digital marketing, traditional politics. As such, he can use his
advertising and business services. expertise to dive into the importance
Chad and his team have worked of diversity and inclusion in marketing
with an extensive client list that campaigns, such as commercials and
includes brands such as Adidas, Grey digital ads for Super Bowl, the Oscars,
Goose, Red Bull, Hugo Boss, Prada, and current political campaigns.
Mercedes Benz, Purdue University,
GMCLA, Maxim, Shots Box and more.  Now comes INDYpendent Circuit!
In addition, NVS (as in en·vi·ous) Design
runs the annual marketing campaigns For 20 years CircuitMOM Productions
for events including the Route 66 has been producing world class
Museum’s Great American Race experiential events designed for
(every June in CA); the International the LGBTQ Community not only
Wine Competition (May at  Purdue in Chicago, but nationwide. Led
University) and GMCLA’s Halloweenie by Matthew Harvat and Edwin
(every October in West Hollywood) Martinez, CircuitMOM Productions
and now added to the portfolio is has also designed empowering,
Circuit Mom: Indy (Coming March high-energy events for not for profit
in Indianapolis). Chad also serves as organizations, corporate clients,
a spokesperson for these events and festivals and the general public.
was selected to moderate the Breaking Their passion for music and unique
Barriers in Business Series: “LGBTQ+ in environments inspires them to create
the Workplace” presented by W Hotels exciting and theatrical productions
and is hoping to return for their PRIDE cast with impressive talent and
series this July 2020.  utilizing current technological trends.
NVS Design started in 2010 and CircuitMOM Productions continues to
has grown tremendously over the produce events with a commitment
last 10 years. They're a full-service to presenting fresh, safe, and quality
advertising, graphic design and web experience for attendees.
development agency with their INDYpendent Circuit was founded
headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. with a goal of bringing a much
They also have offices in Beverly Hills needed presence to the LGBTQ space
California and recently added a third in Indianapolis. For years the Circle
location in Chicago, Illinois.  NVS offers City has gone without a real place to
a wide range of services and products showcase what we have to offer as a
to their clients. Whether creating a community that is vibrant, beautiful,
fresh new logo, a beautifully designed united and strong. We aim to provide
website, or helping with a presence our guests with amazing DJs, talent
online, NVS Designs goal is to make and an atmosphere that is unlike no
their clients truly standout.  other.
Follow Chad @chadbrittian, 2nvs.com
and independentcircuit.com.

boiMAG 21