Pinewood Journalism Club’s Pineword 2021-2022 Fall Issue
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Pinewood Journalism Club’s Pineword 2021-2022 Fall Issue Team Alexandra Diamantopoulou Nicholas Karamichalis Josephine De Cataldo Kalypso Isaidou Phaedra Voulgari Pavlos Paraschoudis And Dr Zoi Tsiviltidou
Contents Editor’s note Articles A recipe we tried at home A poem we wrote for you An ngo we support & follow A museum we heard about A school of life video we liked A TEDx/TED-Ed video we watched An astronomy fun fact A Peanuts comic revamped
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Dear readers,
Welcome to another digital Fall edition of Pineword! It is my pleasure to rejoin the team and start a new cycle of writing and sharing our thoughts with you. Our afterschool club has proved to be a unique class and a special period in my teaching. Last year, we thrived, making it through 2 lockdowns and producing 3 digital issues. We made a commitment and we bonded. We choose what we want to write about and I find solace in this freedom. Writing is never an exertion of effort if you are speaking from the heart. The topics we touch upon and the opinions we contribute come from our hearts. Nonetheless, we do our research, we cite our sources and we debate as much as possible. But wearing the ‘journalist’s hat’ does not mean that we do not write freely. Instead of forcing ourselves to write, we simply ride on the waves of our thoughts and feelings after we have conducted research online on our chosen topic. Then, the magic happens. We let these thoughts formulate in simple words and these feelings flow out without resistance one word at a time. Let me be frank: sometimes we scribble gibberish; we do laugh loudly with our verb or adjective choices; and we do stare at the blank Google document without realising how fast the time is passing. But still we somehow give shape to our thoughts. So, here is a tip: for free writing to work its magic, you need to give yourself ample time to pen down your thoughts continuously without interruption. Use the medium which you are most comfortable with, be it a laptop, a pen and a notepad, some loose sheets of paper or even a stack of napkins. Then, just start writing about what you have learned after doing your research and do not stop at any point to read or edit your first attempt in drafting, as your flow of thoughts will be interrupted and your inner critic will begin to take over.
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When you have finished writing, you can choose to edit what you have written and continue from there; extract the important insights that have emerged and use them to deal with whatever is bothering you; or shred it away guilt-free. It served its purpose. Your first draft is done. This is one (out of the many) way(s) to find one’s voice through reporting and discussing perspectives on issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.
References (12/11/21) https://media.istockphoto.com/vectors/continuous-line-drawing-of-hands-typing-on-la ptop-computer-vector-id942134284?k=20&m=942134284&s=612x612&w=0&h=ou9ch97I8HKg-eYpw2yRnhZE_0eDZQlHw7FiEyZiXk= We thank you for your time in advance and for your incessant enthusiasm and support in sustaining the Journalism Club.
We wish you happy readings of Pineword’s Fall edition of 2021-22!
by The Editor Dr Zoi Tsiviltidou Grade 4 Teacher
READ MORE about our JOURNALISM CLUB here!
14th km Thessalonikis - N. Moudanion, P.O. Box 60606, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece +30 2310 301221 info@pinewood.gr
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TOP 6 BOOKS IN 2021 Dive into reading, will you?
by Kalypso Isaidou Zoning in on the age of Netflix has become doubtlessly the easiest, most relaxing pastime in the past few years. Whereas, reading books has become one of the most neglected; it can be time consuming, tiring and -well- boring. And whilst areas are opening up and we are no longer confined inside, reading should still be re-evaluated. The idea of books can seem immense and dull; however just as your favourite series, there are so many books that will suit your interests. Reading is not only eye opening and imaginative, but when you find the right book, it is interesting too. So, as 2021 is nearing to an end, I’ve decided to reflect on some of the books that have truly stood out to me. At the beginning of the year I set a goal to read 40 books, having passed that number through the many lockdowns we’ve had, I really think that reading has made me see things differently. Therefore, in an effort to perhaps give you a recommendation or reason to read again, I have put together some of my favourite books I’ve doven into this year. Kindred by Octavia Butler It is one of the best books I have ever encountered, made up of both history and science fiction. Dana, a writer, starts to time travel back to the 1800s unintentionally and unwillingly, being dragged into her own ancestry, into a slave plantation in Maryland. Her time travels are spontaneous and whilst they may only last a few minutes or hours in her world, she is trapped in the 1800s for months at a time. Rufus, the son of the plantation owner, is almost killed, and she is saving his life every time something or someone threatens it, and growing a connection with him along the way. As a young, black woman she is disrespected to the most uncomfortable points and has to serve as slave in order to survive the times before going back to her own life. Soon however, her husband is transported with her and as they spend time dealing with the radical opinions of the 1800s Dana time travels back, leaving Kevin alone, for years. And so her mission is not only to change Rufus’ perceptions on race before he takes the reign of the plantation but to also gain back her normal life. This books serves as a meaningful rendition of a strong, modern woman who has to face experiences of slavery, bringing both the past and present perspectives and merging them into one.
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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Perhaps one of the most popularized books of the year, it follows the re-imagined, poetic story of Achilles and his lover, Patroclus. Beginning with Patroclus’ being expelled from his father’s kingdom, he finds a new place when Achilles’ father takes him into his care. Soon, Patroclus and Achilles become inseparable, connected through a powerful, innocent affection for each other. The boys are then taken to the centaur, Chiron, where they are taught to fight until the outbreak of the Trojan War begins and Achilles is taken by the Greek army to fight as he was considered the ‘best of the Greeks’. Fearing the destined outcome of the war, Patroclus follows and so the book describes the lyrical account of their care. The book is heart-tearing and somber, but the beautiful journey it takes you on is one that everyone should read. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman This is a hilarious and intriguing book about a group of residents of a retirement house who gather each week to dig into old unsolved crimes. The group consists of Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim, whose different personalities are all charmingly witty, and yet still all fall under the same challenges of old age. As the story continues the group are met with a case a little too close to home when a local man, Tony Curran is discovered dead after the group recently saw him arguing with someone else. The death upscales into a case, and as they work alongside with the local police they soon find a new devotion; solving this case. Met with the many ordinary and not so ordinary challenges, the book takes us through the case in Richard Osman’s witty and very British humour. Circe by Madeline Miller Another mythological retelling by Madeline Miller, this is an incredible page-turner, taking a rather hidden story and evaluating the often ignored gender inequities within mythology. Circe, the daughter of Helios, is stranded on an island by Zeus after extorting her ‘witchery’ on others. As strangers fall to her island and Circe meets a number of daunting difficulties, she soon finds a way to cope with the harm she faces, using both her skills and determined, strong will to find a way to not only survive, but embrace the island as her home. When Odysseus wound up on her island she falls in love with him and after his return home ends up raising Telegonus, their son, on her own. Paranoid by the goddess Athena’s intentions for Telegonus she learns to keep him at her side until finally she ends up in one final adventure. The book, although a wonderful ode to Greek mythology, is amongst other things a messenger of feminism, power and has really changed the face of mythology.
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Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier One of the most popular gothic novels, it follows the story of a young lady’s companion as she leaves her job and falls in love with Maxim de Winter, the wealthy and alluring owner of Manderley house. She marries him within a moment and becomes Mrs. de Winter of Manderley, becoming the lady of the house, a new and challenging role she must fill. Upon coming to Manderley, Mrs. de Winter is overshadowed and overlooked, finding out about Rebecca, Maxim’s first wife, a woman who was powerful and manipulative, and so loved by everyone. The story follows the months after Mrs. de Winter’s marriage where she struggles to keep up her role as she is constantly opposed by the spirit of Rebecca that still lies throughout the house. Mrs. de Winter is trapped in a conflict between the supernatural and the secrets within her own marriage, trying to figure it all out whilst in a constant state of distress and neurosis. The book is a classic, elegant ghost story and a thrilling mystery to read. Loxandra by Maria Iordanidou This is an originally Greek book based around the former Constantinople during the 19th century, following the life of a witty, ferocious woman by the name of Loxandra and how her story develops as she grows. Intertwined with Loxandra’s mouth-watering cooking and passionate character, we see her reactions through raising her children, through weddings, through goodbyes and through the daily encounters she faces. The book is hearty and detailed, pouring every part of Loxandra’s spirit and independent fanatics to show her true Greekness; she is loud, neurotic, but undeniably down to earth. Overall, this book is very hearty and vividly depicts the cultures in Constantinople at the time, really reflecting not only a funny character but the hardships that strong women endure.
References (05/11/2021) https://brief bookreviews.blog/2017/04/03/38-kindred-by-octavia-e-butler/ http://www.polarimagazine.com/bookreviews/song-achilles-madeline-miller/ https://deniseharveypublisher.gr/books/loxandra https://www.public.gr/product/circe/prod9900201pp/?source=recommendations_next_ editions_1 https://www.bookdepository.com/Rebecca-Daphne-Du-Maurier/9780349006574 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46000520-the-thursday-murder-club
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SOCIAL NORMS OF THE PRESENT DAY What is more essential: to be liked or to be respected?
by Alexandra Diamantopoulou In our daily lives, social interactions and relationships give us the personal advantage of being liked or respected during and after the bonding. Nonetheless, it appears that being respected is a higher-valued ideal in our everyday culture, even in cases when people may not place much emphasis on acquiring it. “I don't like you.” Isn't it heartbreaking to hear that? Who would choose to be disliked rather than liked? Being liked implies that you are accepted; whereas being accepted indicates that you fit it. But doesn’t it seem reasonable that when you feel like you belong somewhere, it’s easier to accept not being liked? In reality, longing for acceptance is a lot like falling down a bottomless well. Instead of being liked, some people choose to have an incisive sense of self-esteem that gives others enough room to accept respectful feelings. And that's a very different kind of acceptance than being liked. Respect, aside from being extremely vital in our everyday lives, is the cornerstone upon which western society is formed. We are gradually taught to appreciate someone based on their talents, traits or accomplishments. Yet, whenever we think of respect, we consider it a human necessity in order to have proper consideration for someone’s feelings, beliefs, or rights. When teenagers try to develop their own "signature style," that is, to be confident in knowing themselves and standing up for what they believe in, they often adopt populist views and behaviors. They strive to be as popular as possible, which always has a great impact and is usually interpreted as belonging to the most popular group. In this case, being liked can become the be-all and end-all social norm.
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The need to be liked is not unique to teens; it is a desire that lasts into adulthood. Much of our daily lives are shared online for a vast number of "friends" to see, demonstrating how real life and the ethereal virtual presence have become entwined. But, what do the likes on Instagram and Facebook even mean? In a realistic narrative, likes on social media are a form of communication that allows us to signal our acknowledgement and approval with a single click, without having to type anything, but researchers agree that online interaction on social media platforms is often based on users' attempts to build an idealized image or face of themselves. Feeling ignored by your friends can affect your self-confidence, but it seems that in today's world the extent of influences on our self-esteem is a dynamic online-based process that is directly related to "likes". Still, being liked can get you followers and even recognition, but being respected offers a much stronger social affirmation. Being respected by those we regard to be important in our lives teaches us how to be kind and respectful to one another. When we feel respected, we learn to treat each other with kindness and appreciation. In every interaction, greeting, smiling and wishing one well is the minimum. Consider this: Does anyone really ask you if you feel respected? Respecting someone means accepting him as he is, even if he does not agree with your opinion or if he differs from you. Respect is a feeling that comes from a person's qualities and behaviors, and it is a mixture of appreciation and admiration that motivates you to return it back, which builds feelings of trust and well-being in any type of relationship. Esteem is a step up from respect and involves feelings for the person being respected. Both come naturally to some people, but that does not mean it's easy. Respect takes time to be processed. People may be generally popular but they may lack the assertiveness necessary to lead and influence others. Think about what Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe paintings mean. Warhol's depiction of Monroe in his famous diptych is a statement of the saintly nature of celebrity attributed to her by fans, but does it also mean that she was liked or respected? Even for someone who constantly wonders if they are liked and questions their every move, being respected is a much bigger issue than a self-promoting ad; it is the daily affirmation that you matter to the people around you and it leaves you with a warm feeling inside. If you ask me what contributes to a better life and what is more valuable, I do not think that that can be determined by everyone because life is not about comparing yourself to others. Frankly, I find that in today's culture, accepting diversity and acknowledging "other ways of being" can make it acceptable and appropriate for someone to prefer to be liked or respected as a matter of perspective and values. At the end of the day, it's your decision. So what's more important: to be liked or to be respected? References (Accessed on 22/10/21) https://www.amazon.in/OcherArt-Warhol-Marilyn-Monroe-Canvas/dp/B00X1BTCNQ https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/all-about-respect https://www.ronkelawal.com/2019/08/liked-or-respected.html https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/love-digitally/201603/do-you-crave-facebo ok-likes
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THE AUTHENTICITY AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF MUSIC What makes a song really unique?
by Nick Karamichalis
The production of music today is easier than ever before. The availability of thousands of assets to practically everyone using the internet has made music production a much more accessible and viable career path. With the advancement of technology, audio quality is reaching levels where, with enough dedication, even an amateur musician can create a song that sounds just as clear and crisp as a professional recording. The internet has also allowed for the creation process of music to be sped up, through premade instrumentals, progressions, or drum beats, along with quick communication allowing for long-distance collaboration on projects. But, is all of this necessarily good? There is a certain disconnection that can be generated between an artist and their work when using premade assets in songs instead of creating music entirely by oneself, or within a team. Although it is undeniably more time consuming, making your own foundation for a song, such as a bassline, chord progression, or even a simple drumline is a large part of building an identity for the song. By making the song on their own, or within a band, the artists’ emotions are transferred into it, differentiating it from other music, and giving the song the potential to be much more impactful due to its unique qualities.
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This aforementioned ease in music production, essentially the automation of large portions of musical projects, makes lots of modern music sound very similar, to such an extent that some artists cannot be separated from one another. Thus, despite the fact that there have been so many advancements in sound production, the quality of music has - in some cases - diminished, rather than enhanced. Of course, this is not true for everything made today. As previously mentioned, getting a clear sound is something that is much easier to achieve, on account of the increased availability of higher quality recording equipment, meaning that audio quality is generally much more refined. The increased availability of music production tools has encouraged more people to pursue music, generating a greater volume of music, and also widening the variety of sounds created. Whether developments in the field of music have been beneficial is up to debate. From a technical standpoint, they clearly have. However, some of the recently introduced conveniences being at the disposal of everyone also means that lots of popular music and musicians have lost the ability to differentiate themselves from others in the industry.
References (Accessed on 12/11/21) https://s3.amazonaws.com/theghostproduction/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/0619550 4/promoting-as-music-producer.jpg
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CAN AN ARTWORK BECOME REALITY? How business profits from inspiration
by Phaedra Voulgari Five years ago, the Art Institute of Chicago had the brilliant idea of making one of its exhibition’s artworks reality by recreating Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Bedroom” into a real, Airbnb apartment located in River North. Vincent Van Gogh is arguably one of the most famous artists in the history of art. His art style, called impressionism, caused a great revolution in the art of the time by creating art that sparked feelings and emotions. In the past, art was dictated by and made for the higher classes. It focused on portraits and religious images, beautifying reality. Impressionists turned their focus to depicting everyday life, with unrealistic colours and what seemed as insignificant subjects, painting as fast as they could before the scenery changed and the emotions they wanted to depict were lost. Vincent Van Gogh was born in 1853 in the Netherlands. Despite being one of the most famous artists today, he had many different careers before becoming an artist at the age of 27. He travelled to the UK and France, teaching himself art and improving his painting skills. He met many new artists, who became his friends, and was greatly inspired by impressionism. Unfortunately, around the time he moved to southern France, he faced challenges concerning his mental health. After the very well known incident of cutting off his own ear, he was admitted into a psychiatric hospital. For the rest of his life he suffered from depression and died at the age of 37, after, as evidence suggests, shooting himself. In contrast to his unfortunate life, most of his artworks are full of colour and joyful emotions, especially the artworks produced during his time in Arles.
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In his artwork “The Bedroom”, Van Gogh depicts his room in the Yellow House, the place he stayed at in Arles. This room and house were very important to him since he wanted to make them into an art studio where like-minded artists could go and create. He was very pleased with how “The Bedroom'' turned out and the painting comforted him after his illness. For the painting, the room was actually set up by Vincent himself and is made up of two chairs, a bedside table, paintings and hangers, and of course a bed. Just like all his art, the room is very colourful, made up of rough, short brushstrokes, with a slight disproportionality. The recreation seems almost identical, using a room in a real apartment, with real furniture, but still managing to keep the key features of Van Gogh’s style and look like a 2D painting. As expected, the Airbnb was a great success. In fact, the apartment was already fully booked for the first month after only a few hours! It seems that everyone enjoyed the idea of living in a painting of one of the most famous artists. And to be honest, so would I. Art is a gift, and since its viewers live in the real world, this combination of art and reality was the perfect idea for all us art lovers.
References (Accessed on 22/11/21) https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-art-institute-van-gogh-airbnb-0211-biz-20 160210-story.html https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/feb/10/van-gogh-your-airbnb-host-art-instit ute-of-chicago https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/van-gogh-bedroom-airbnb-feat/index.html https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0047v1962
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TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION & YOUTH Is it rocket science to have the perfect team?
by Pavlos Paraschoudis
Have you ever thought about what makes the perfect team? Have you ever considered the amount of work required to build a community and have a group of people interacting and delivering quality work like a well-oiled machine? Well, community-building experts and growth-mindset leaders have dedicated time, effort and money on coming up with valuable advice, guidance and recommendations on how to strengthen social relationships in the workplace. This appears to be an urgent need nowadays, particularly when it comes to the prevalence of technology and isolation of the workforce. More and more employed people work remotely or in privately customised areas and interaction is less and less face to face. In the pandemic context, this reality has been heightened and working solo has gained momentum more than ever before. Thus, it seems that effective group work is not so easy to achieve. In fact, teamwork can be futsarting. I believe every single one of us has been part of a team where things just didn't work out smoothly and effortlessly.
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However, the teams that somehow manage to make things happen -on time and on budgetare quite phenomenal at what they are trying to achieve. It could be argued that having the perfect team can actually be “rocket science” -which is a phrase commonly used to describe something complex-. What better example to give than the ASAT team at Aristotle University here in Thessaloniki. ASAT -which stands for Aristotle Space & Aeronautics Team- is the first Aerospace team at the university which solely consists of university students. The team was established in 2015 by 12 ambitious engineering students. Nowadays, there are more than 60 students who make up the team. The initial goal for ASAT was to design and construct a vehicle to represent the team at the Air Cargo Challenge in 2017. The team’s most recent achievement was their participation at the EuRoC -European Rocketry Challenge- which is the first university rocket launch competition in Europe. If we consider teamwork “rocket science”, the ASAT team must be the team that knows best about teamwork. The question still remains: Is teamwork as complicated as we all think it is? Depending on the context, sometimes it is, sometimes it is not. But as long as there is teamwork, the team can even build rockets if they put their minds into it.
References (Accessed on 02/12/21) https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/collaboration_1559 142346-900x589.jpg
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RECIPE
S’mores Pie
Ingredients ●
120g melted butter
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½ cup sugar
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500g crushed biscuits (e.g. graham crackers)
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360g milk chocolate
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1 large bag of marshmallows
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Pie tin
Preparation 1.
Mix crushed biscuits in a bowl with sugar.
2.
After mixing, add the melted butter, and mix again until the mixture begins to stick together (wet sand consistency).
3.
Put the mixture into the pie tin, and make sure it is packed firmly against the base and sides, so that it is compact, and will not fall apart.
4.
After ensuring the crust is firmly packed into the pie tin, bake it in an oven for 15 minutes, at 175° C.
5.
Once the crust has been baked, remove it from the oven, and add the milk chocolate, and then marshmallows.
6.
Put the pie back into the oven and bake for another 5-15 minutes, until the marshmallows are cooked, and have begun melting.
7.
Remove the pie from the tin and serve.
Prep time: 15-20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Serves: 6-8 people
by Nick Karamichalis
https://mycupcakeaddictionblog.com/2017/ 03/13/smores-chocolate-marshmallow-pie/ https://bakingamoment.com/wp-content/upl oads/2018/06/IMG_8375-best-smores-pie-r ecipe-square.jpg
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A POEM WE WROTE FOR YOU
Be Be gentle to the world today. Be the waters on top of a lake. Be a child's laughter. Or the new grown leaves on an old tree. Be like the clouds that help hold up the sky. Be the lyrics on a karaoke stage and the mountains on a starry night. Be a rope on a beach day and cotton candy on a playground. Be a bicycle on the dirt ground. But most importantly, be the reason you smile. Be gentle to the world today. Simply, be more today, then you were yesterday.
by Josephine De Cataldo
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AN NGO WE SUPPORT AND FOLLOW
https://www.fashionrevolution.org/
by Kalypso Isaidou
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A MUSEUM WE HEARD ABOUT
https://museumofillusions.gr/thessaloniki/
by Kalypso Isaidou
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A SCHOOL OF LIFE VIDEO WE LIKED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G63yt0bJmZs&list=PLwxNMb28Xmpcp7jXVszdNr uKUtHZ2zuZb&index=8
by Kalypso Isaidou
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A TEDX/TED-ED VIDEO WE WATCHED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NE_OoO-N54
by Alexandra Diamantopoulou
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AN ASTRONOMY FUN FACT
There are about 3 trillion trees on planet Earth and around 400 billion stars, approximately, in the Milky Way galaxy. https://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/blueshift/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/eso0932a.jpg
by The Editor
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A PEANUTS COMIC REVAMPED
https://www.reddit.com/r/peanuts/comments/ciukb7/todays_peanuts_comic_sund ay_july_28_2019/
by Kalypso Isaidou
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Thank you!
Pinewood Journalism Club’s Pineword 2021-2022 Fall Issue