The Bridge: GEER Up (21/22) by ESS Publications

GEER Up! 2021-2022

FEBRUARY 2022 Vice President of Communications

Director of Publications

Junior Editors

Cover Design

Breanne Bacani

Mariko Gardiner Balreet Grewal Manav Joshi Charles Klak Phoenix Martinez

Contributors

Safiya Ahmad Joel Kayanja

All materials appearing in The Bridge bear copyright to their creator(s) under the Engineering Students’ Society (ESS) and may not be used without written consent.

ESS Senior Executives Engineering Art Show Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS)

Website

essualberta.ca

Contact

esscomm@ualberta.ca

Instagram

@essualberta

Facebook

Engineering Students’ Society of the University of Alberta

JOIN UR TEAM! EXPRESSION DESIGN ART LEGACY COMMUNITY

email essint@ualberta.ca

Photo: Delaney MacIntosh

DEAR READER, To me, February is the best month of the year. Despite the bitter weather and the not so amazing road conditions, February is a month full of love and hope. Of course we have Valentine’s Day which is a day which encompasses love. We have Groundhog day, where groundhogs provide hope for a short winter. The Superbowl in February brings an excuse for friends to come together and enjoy a night of sports. However, if you look closer you will see that Lunar New Year, National Random Acts of Kindness day, and Black History Month, are held in February. Lunar New Year brings hope for a prosperous year and brings family together with its rich traditions and delicious food. Random Acts of Kindness day is a day mostly celebrated in elementary school, leading children to become compassionate adults. Black History Month, a month which should be remembered every month, provides resources to learn, to help others grow, to celebrate the beauty of culture. We hope that this edition of the Bridge feels like February - hopeful, educational, and happy. Best, Breanne Bacani Vice President of Communications

CONTENTS 6 Required Reading

ESS Sr. Executive Elections Engineering Art Show

16 Culture & Community Lunar New Year Black History Month Pride Week 2022 Saint Patrick’s Day Olympic Highlights

33 Just For Fun

Sea-riously Good Ocean Beats Electives 101 The Queen in Her Tower - Part II Bre’s Book Nook wikiWhat?!

44 Activites

Word Puzzles March Horoscopes

E S S

2 0 2 2

S E N I O R

E X E C U T I V E

E L E C T I O N

The possibilities are endless The Senior Executive Election features the election of the President and team of Vice Presidents for the Engineering Students’ Society of the University of Alberta. This page provides information about how to get involved, the election timeline, and election rules.

available positions President

Vice President of External Relations

Vice President of Academics and Services

Vice President of Finance

Vice President of Communications

Vice President of Internal Affairs

Vice President of Community

Vice President of Social Events

https://www.essualberta.ca/srexec-elections 6

Senior Executive Election 2022

&when's

E L E C T I O N T I M E L I N E

Nomination package due

5pm

Feb 25

Campaign begins

9am Mar 1

how's Election forum

6pm Mar 7

Elections: 9am Mar 9

to Endorsements required

Candidate meeting

7pm

Feb 25

Campaign Spending Submission Deadline

12am Mar 10

5pm

Mar 10

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

president What was your favourite part of the election process? Definitely the end of voting. It's a huge relief when you get to the end of a campaign, knowing you put in the work and did your best, and all that's left to do is wait. Of course it's nice when you win, but even if you don't it's a really rewarding process, and there are always more opportunities to get involved.

What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections? Be open to change and new ideas! One of the best things about a campaign is the ability to reach out and meet people in the engineering community. It's a really great opportunity to hear from fellow students what they want to see out of the ESS, and develop your platform around that!

T I P S

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position? As President, I am responsible for overseeing the ESS as a whole. This includes working with the VPs to organize services and events, managing relations with other organizations like the Students' Union, and working with the Faculty to address student issues and concerns. I am also responsible for the ESS's advocacy work, which includes advocacy on tuition, academics, and more. The President is also responsible for providing general strategic direction for the ESS, and represents the ESS externally. Most of my experience before the ESS was in smaller organizations, where VPs and the President were responsible for large chunks of the day-to-day running of the organization. What surprised me about the ESS, and in particular as President. was just how great of a team we have. With over 100 committed volunteers, I am able to step back from the dayto-day operations and events, and focus my time on broader structural initiatives and external relations.

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections? I wish I knew that creating eye-catching graphics is harder than it looks. Visuals and concise information are a great foundation for a campaign, but they can be a lot of work. Make sure to work on your social media posts and posters ahead of time so that you're not overwhelmed during the campaign!

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

T I P S

vps of academics and services

What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections?

What was your favourite part of the election process? The election forum! I loved interacting with students and listening to their comments/concerns.

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections? It is going to be a lot of work initially but the experience is going to be so rewarding in the end.

In your platform, focus on points you are extremely passionate about. Instead of proving to others why you should be elected, build your platform on what change you want to see and go from there. It makes brainstorming for your campaign a whole lot easier!

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position? The Co-VP Academics & Services position has two main responsibilities which is putting on academic related events and academic advocacy. The thing that surprised me the most is the amount of meetings per week.

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

T I P S

vp of communications

What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections?

What was your favourite part of the election process? I wasn't an outgoing person so the actual process of campaigning was very daunting. Despite that, my favourite part was running our socials, getting photos taken, and creating our graphics for Instagram (it's no question why I went for VP Comms)

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections? Last minute running for the election (as in the night the nomination form closed) is a bad idea. Take time to plan out your campaign and your platform and be realistic with the goals you set for yourself. If I could go back in time and tell past me one thing, it would be that the ESS will bless you with the best people you have ever met and better your confidence and people skills tenfold. 10

Don't overthink your platform - let your personality shine and enjoy the ride! Also...do some research on each of the positions before you decide which one to run for! If you're shy or quiet (like I was), fake it until you. make it! After faking it for a long time, you'll start believing yourself.

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position? Advertisements, more advertisements, making sure that photographers are at every event, more advertisements, graphic design. However, the BEST part and the most surprising part for me was the CREATIVITY! Your team will be full of such creative individuals - take advantage of this and learn from your volunteers. My branding team has taught me so much about creating graphics, my photographers reignited my love for photography, my website team showed me how to build a website and so much more.

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

T I P S

vp of external What was your favourite part of the election process?

What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections? Be yourself! Showcase your passions and what

Getting the results is definitely super

inspired you to run.

exciting and nerve-wracking.

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections?

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position?

External deals a lot with connecting the UofA Campaigning to strangers can be scary. Keep your chin up no matter what and continue to push your message forward.

ESS to opportunities beyond our local community, from seeking out industry companies for career fair to working with leaders at other schools in developing competitions.

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

T I P S

vp of finance

What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections?

What was your favourite part of the election process? The forum. As a fan of debate and public speaking it was a really fun element of the campaign.

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections? I was pretty nervous going into the process, but I wish I knew how much fun the whole thing would be. It was a great opportunity to connect with other students, and gain a better perspective on what exactly I cared about as a student with respect to the ESS.

Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to talk to people you don't know. Many of these races come down to less than 100 votes, and with the past few years being primarily online the importance of even a bit of name recognition can be huge. It can be scary to approach people, or speak in front of classes, but if can get a bit into it the whole thing can be pretty fun. You will have a better chance for any position if people know who you are, and making an effort to connect with other students in any sort of capacity is a good way to do that.

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position? VP Finance oversees spending and corporate recordkeeping for the society, coordinates the creation and approval of an operating budget, manages general and event-specific insurance, and oversees the ESS's student funding initiatives.

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

T I P S

vps of internal What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections? What was your favourite part of the election process? The election forum! - That's where you can meet everyone who's running and convince undecided voters to vote for you!

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections? It can be a lot of fun! You don't have to get too stressed doing it and enjoy this process as well. Even if you don't win, that's ok! There's much more areas to get involved!

Be creative! Really explore what you want to do if you get elected and how you want to make it happen! Just because somethings been done one way in the past doesn't mean it always has to be done that way. Also, don’t be shy!

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position? VP Internal deals with the fun parts of the ESS! From recruitment, to merchandise, to the GEER store, it allows for a lot of creative freedom on what you want to do!

C A M P A I G N I N G

From current executives

T I P S

vps of student life

What is one piece of advice you would give to students who are campaigning for the ESS Elections?

What was your favourite part of the election process?

Stay positive! It can be hard being in a head to head competition, but you will make it out in no time, and if its not the outcome you expected you can always try again!

Meeting all of the candidates and learning about them! I also loved seeing everyone's ideas for the future of Engineering.

Meet with the current executives in the position you are interested in, make sure this is something you are willing to commit to. It's the same as a part-time job, can you make time for one in your schedule?

Meeting so many new, passionate, driven people

Be gentle on yourself, and remember to practice patience. Campaigning can be a very stressful time - it's important to focus on what really matters. Spread the word about how passionate you are for student government!

What is something you wish you knew before running for the elections? You will meet so many life-long friends, all you have to do is take that leap of confidence! Take your campaign pictures early!

What does your position entail? Was there anything that surprised you about your position?

I was surprised about how much I would learn from a management point of view. Most of my job was looking over small groups and helping with anything they needed, while troubleshooting the things that were above their heads. I learned a lot about compassionate leadership, and giving people the space they need to grow.

The student life portfolio is a lot of planning and people coordinating! Be ready to be answering all kind questions around the clock. Its a rewarding portfolio, but unfortunately it can also be draining so its important to recognize your burn out signs and take a break.

2022

Year of the Tiger Lunar new year is celebrated among East and Southeast Asian cultures such as Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities. As the New Year is determined by the lunar calendar, the year typically begins with the first new moon that occurs near the end of January and spans for 15 days or until the full moon arives

China: Spring Festival Korea: Seollal Vietnam: Tết

One of the 12 zodiac animals such as, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig is chosen to represent the year. In addition to the chosen animal, the five elements (earth, water, fire, wood and metal) are also mapped onto the lunar calendar. This year is the year of the water tiger. 16

The Zodiac Animals The water tiger, which appears every 60 years, is action oriented and represents strength, bravery and the clearing of evil.

F eb r u a r y a n d F o r e v er :

Celebrating Black History today and every day. The 2022 theme for Black History Month strives to focus on recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada - today, everyday and forever.

202 2

Edu ca t i on a l Res o ur c es Explore the links to learn more

Mary Ann Shadd Cary Documenting of Abolitionist Activities

Black History Month in Canada

Anti-Slavery Movement in Canada Library and Archives Canada

Canada's Digital Collections Black History Portal Canadian Encyclopedia

BC's Black Pioneers Digital Museum

Underground Railroad One Minute Movies

Pi o n eer in g B l ack Wo me n in STE M During their time in UC Berkeley, her professor told her that she was only admitted because admission standards had to be followed. Some of the male students in her degree refused to work with her on team projects. Donna Auguste excelled and earned a dual electrical engineering and computer science degree.

Donna Auguste

Donna Auguste went on to be the first black woman to earn a master's degree from CarnegieMellon, and has a Ph.D. in Technology, Media, and Society at the ATLAS Institute of the University of Colorado Boulder In the early 1980's she became the lead software engineering at Apple, with 4 patents on her work developing the Newton personal digital assistant (PDA) - crucial technology to the making of Apple’s iPhone and iPad! Donna Auguste founded Freshwater Software Inc. that assists companies in monitoring their digital presence. The company became a multi-million dollar company that was sold for $147 million in 2003. Then went on to founding Leave a Little Room Foundation that provides housing, vaccination, and electricity to lower-income communities across the globe. 20

Pi o n eer in g B l ack Wo me n in STE M Joining AT&T in 1982, Marian R. Croak advocated for making the transition from wired phone

Marian R. Croak

technology to internet protocol. In 2004, she left AT&T and went on to become the Vice President of Engineering at Google, where she led Google's service expansion into emerging markets. Her work included the management of the team which developed initial communications technology for Project Loon, which uses balloons to extend coverage. To this day, she holds more than 200 patents, one of them being the textto-donate technology that is used to help communities recover from natural disasters. This technology revolutionized how people can donate money to organizations. Along with her 200 patents, she was inducted into the Women in Technology’s International’s Hall of Fame and in 2021 it was announced that she would be one of the first of two Black women to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. 21

Pi o n eer in g B l ack Wo me n in STE M Shirley Ann Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in Physics and went on to earn a Ph.D. in

Shirley Ann Jackson

Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics from MIT. She is now the current President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. She was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate at MIT and became the first Black female president of a top-ranking university. Jackson became responsible for groundbreaking innovations such as, callwaiting stems and caller ID that were the foundation of technologies such as portable fax, touch-tone telephone, and fiber optic cable. Because of her influence, she has received 53 honorary doctorate degrees, the National Medal of Science in 2015 by President Obama, and was recognized as one of the 50 Most Important Women in Science by Discover Magazine. 22

Pi o n eer in g B l ack Wo me n in STE M Yvonne Clark was the first female member of the Mechanical

Yvonne Clark

Engineering Department at Tennessee State University, chairing the department for a total of 16 years from 1965-1970 and 1977-1988. Yvonne's accomplishments do not stop there. She became the first woman to earn a master’s degree in Engineering Management at Vanderbilt University, earn a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Howard University, and serve as a faculty member in the College of Engineering and Technology at Tennessee State University. Yvonne went on to recieve the following awards: Adult Black Archivers Award, Women of Technology Award for Educational Leadership, Delta Sigma Theta Educator of the Year, President's Distinguished University Award, and Distinguished Service Award. 23

10 Song s C r ea te d by B la ck A rt i s ts These artists have

made sure that their musical legacy lasts forever.

Plastic - Moses Sumney Losing You - Solange Prom - SZA Gaslight - WILLOW Let Me In - H.E.R. Wondergirl - Moliy FRANKIE MUNIZi - BLACKSTARKIDS Summertime In Paris - Jaden Crumble - Kevin Abstract Marigold - Jelani Aryeh 4 Leaf Clover - Ravyn Lenae

C o nt e m p o r a r y St o r ie s Wr i t t en b y B la ck Emerse yourself in the world of A u tho r s contemporary fiction! "The Vanishing Half" Brit Bennett Inseparable twin sisters choose to live in two completely different worlds - one black and one white.

"Black Cake" Charmaine Wilkerson Estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother's death and her hidden past.

A story about a forbidden union between two enslaved young men and a betrayal that threatens their existence.

"The Prophets" Robert Jones, Jr. "Such a Fun Age" Kiley Reid A story about race and privilege, set around a young black baby sitter and her well-intentioned employer. 25

Pride Week registration is NOW OPEN Registration closes on March 7th at 11:59 PM MDT Join the iSMSS for 7 days full of education, physical activity, creative endeavours and games nights

Pride Week is a collective celebration of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and communities at the University of Alberta. The planning and implementation of Pride Week is a collaborative effort by students, staff, faculty members, groups, units, organizations, and individuals across U of A campuses.

Learn More: Instagram: @ismss_ualberta Twitter: @iSMSS_Ualberta Facebook: @iSMSS Website: uab.ca/pride

7 Days of

Events!

Feb-Mar 2022

THE BRIDGE

Charles Klak

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY A Beginner's Guide Saint Patrick's Day began as a feast to celebrate Christianity coming to Ireland. Since then, it has become a holiday that people of all races and religions can celebrate as a chance to eat, dance, and enjoy time with friends and loved ones. The following guide has some starter tips on how to enjoy your recreation time on March 17th.

ST PATRICK RIDDING IRELAND OF SNAKES (Disclaimer, there were never snakes in Ireland)

DRESS CODE St Patrick's day celebrations are much better while: Wearing green, Decorating yourself with shamrock clovers, or Donning proper Irish attire

FEASTING You can't party on an empty stomach, make sure to fill up with some traditional Irish foods: Soda bread, Beef stew, Shepard's pie, or Any meal that has plenty of meat and potatoes

DRINK Alcohol is not necessary for this holiday, but you can choose to celebrate with some St Patrick's Spirits. Any Irish whisky, beer, or cider is up to this task. A classic mix for this purpose is coffee spiked with Bailey's and whisky. Remember to drink responsibly. Looking for a non-alcoholic option? The traditional choice would be a McDonalds Shamrock Shake

ENJOY YOURSELF Make sure to fit some song and dance into your schedule; Celtic rock is perfect for this. Finally, keep in mind that you can celebrate however you desire. The important part is to unwind, and appreciate some time with good company.

Olympic Highlights With the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics, here are some of the best moments. The Canadian Women's Hockey Team beat the US team 3 to 2, to bring home the gold!

US snowboarding legend, Shaun White said farewell after competing at his fifth Winter Olympics

Haiti and Saudi Arabia made their first Winter Olympics Debut

Germany makes a podium sweep for the two-man bobseld competition.

Final Results:

Italian skater, Arianna Fontana, becomes the most decorated Olympian in short track history.

Erin Jackson became the first B black women to win gold in speed skating.

Canadian snowboarders Max Parrot and Mark McMorris take gold and bronze in snowboarding slopstyle.

Sea-riously Good Ocean Beats Pacific - Electric Mantis Eyes Blue Like The Atlantic (feat. Subvrbs)Sista Prod Ocean Eyes —Billie Eilish Riptide —Vance Joy Water — X Ambassadors Ocean — Mike Perry ft. Shy Martin Wellerman (Sea Shanty) — Nathan Evans Cake by the Ocean —DNCE Octopus’s Garden - The Beatles 33

ELECTIV

HADV

HIST 115 A classic elective w ith Lech Lebiedowski. He’s a legend. An engaging lectur er that will make you exci ted about class even if you co uldn't care less about hist ory and technology (which is so cool!).

As som anything fascinating super int interested history, d culture - th electi

SOC

225 This c r imi sure to fu nology cour lf se is drea ill your ms inve c h i l of b stig eing dhood ator an .B lear n ab ut mos beh tly, out av soci iour an crimin you al al p roce d discu s sses e that s the this lead . to

LING

A fun elect interested Ling 101 intr like phonol semant similarities acros

VES 101

VC 206/209

meone who th inks g design-relate d is g, these cours es look triguing. If yo u’re in communica tion, design, and vis ual hese might be the ives for you!

G 101

tive for anyone , d in languages ts roduces concep d logy, syntax, an tics, showing es s and differenc ss languages.

Honourable mentions:

LABMP 590 This course is titled 'Technology and the Future of Medicine'. I mean, c’mon, doesn't that intrigue you a little. Although this class isn't on the list of permitted electives, it might be worth an ask! This projectbased course discusses the effects of tech on medicine (ranging from biotech to AI), the applications of medicine in the future, and the technological singularity.

NS 115 A newer addition to the faculty, this course discusses the 'intricate connections between science and technology fields, broader dynamics of colonialism, and increasing demands for Indigenous governance of science and technology'. This course is definitely in my shopping cart!

The Queen in Her Tower Part II Mariko Gardiner “The girl woke up to gentle waves. She opened her eyes and found herself on a rocky beach, lying on the cold ground. As she got up and shook the salt water off, she spotted a lone hut in the distance and starts walking towards it. What should she do now? She tried not to think about it, but she had nothing, no idea of whence she came or where to go, so she went forward, one foot than the other. “ It took longer than expected, over an hour, but she made it. There was no doorbell, so she knocked on the door. Nothing happened for several long seconds, and she was turning to leave when the door opened, first just a crack then all the way. In the door frame stood an old man, half her height and obviously an elf. The corners of his eyes crinkled into a worried smile as he let her in. ‘Come in, come in!’ he practically dragged her inside. ‘You must be so cold! Would you like some tea? I’ll put some on. Sit by the fire. Blankets? Would you like some crackers? I’m Eli, by the way.’ Before she was fully aware of it, he sat her by the fire with blankets heaped on top and a warm meal, complete with hot tea. She hadn’t felt cold before, but as she sat there with him she started to feel it’s absence, and it felt nice. “’So what are you doing so far north?’ the old elf starts asking questions again. ‘Did you get lost?’ She nods, not knowing what else to say, she doesn’t have answers. ‘Did you run from the war?’ she nods again, and it seems to be the right thing to do. ‘Oh, you poor thing. You must be so scared, running away all alone. I won’t ask about your past; I know remembering can be painful. What’s your name?’ She looks at him blankly and he takes it as fear. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone there’s a human here. If you don’t want to tell me, I understand, but I have to call you something. Can I give you a name?’ The girl nods again, confused. Why shouldn’t she be here? ‘How about Sasha? It was my granddaughters name.’ The girl nods again. Sasha. It doesn’t quite fit, but beggars can’t be choosers. “’Is she here?’ she asks, ‘Your granddaughter, I mean.’ She hadn’t seen anyone else, but she hadn’t really looked. “’No.’ the old man’s voice broke, and tears appeared around his eyes. ‘No, she was drafted into the war and never came back. Missing, presumed dead, or so they tell me.’ “’I’m sorry.’ She says it because she feels she has to, not because she cares. She looks around the small room, the only one in the hut it seems. There is a small cot, several chests, stores of food, and, most notably, a large bookcase with only one book on it, a large volume bound in brown leather. ‘Where are we?’ She asked. “’We,’ he gets up and puts his arms out dramatically, ‘are in Icevale, home of the Hall of Memories.’ Seeing the questions in her eyes he continued on, ‘The Hall of Memories is where all the memories collected by magic are stored. All the greatest magicians have there memories

stored there when they die, making it the largest repository of knowledge known to anyone. It’s a great honour living so close.’ “’Have you ever been there?’ she asks, very interested in the prospect. “’No,’ he laughs a little, ‘No one is allowed in without permission from the king. Anyway, it’s getting late. You should go to sleep and in the morning, we can try to figure out what to do next. You can sleep on the cot; I have business to attend to in town anyway.’ After making sure she is comfortable he leaves. The girl is tempted to follow his advice, she’s tired enough, but her mind is far too awake. He said all memories are stored in the Hall, maybe hers are too. If only she could find a way in. “She goes over to the single book on the bookshelf and takes it down. The letters are harsh and angular, but she can read them somehow. It’s titled ‘Forbidden Magic’. She reads through it and finds little of interest, spells to reanimate the dead, how to speak to frogs, causing rain, et cetera. As she was starting to wonder why any of these would be forbidden she comes to a spell for turning the user invisible. That might be useful. She keeps reading: Add garlic and chives to the potion. Then add the still beating heart of an elf. Oh, that’s why its forbidden. “The spell is simple up until that part, so she prepares everything except the last step. She finds all the components around the hut and is finishing chopping chives when she hears voices approaching. “’You say there’s a human in here?’ It’s a deep, growling voice. There’s no window, but she’s sure it means danger. “’Yes, she washed up on shore a few hours ago. She’s sleeping now. I can go bring her out.’ This time it’s the old man speaking. “’No need.’ The other voice is talking now, ‘I’ll go myself; you wait here.’ Eli sputters some protests but get shut up quickly. ‘Don’t worry,’ the ominous voice says, ‘I’ll kill her quickly.’ “The voices stop and footsteps approach the door. The girl positions the blankets on the bed, so it looks occupied, and hides on the opposite side of the hut. The door opens and a grimfaced young man walks in wearing full plate mail. He goes over to the cot and pulls out a longsword, swinging it down into the bed. Without the resistance of human flesh, it sinks deep into the wood, and while he struggles to pull it out the girl crosses the room and pushes her paring knife through his neck. All his armour does nothing as the small blade finds severs his vocal cords, eventually finding the artery, and she removes it from his chest as he starts to bleed out, working quickly. It’s of the utmost importance to have the heart removed before he dies, although he will of course be dead after. She manages to do it not only quickly but quietly and adds the last ingredient to the potion before the old man outside knows anything is amiss. “She placed the heart into the potion and, in a puff of smoke, disappeared. Everything she was wearing, including the knife still in her hand, was invisible too. It was a bit disorientating, not being able to see her nose or anything else. She went outside and saw Eli sitting on the ground, waiting patiently for her execution. He looked up as the door opened, and started to stand, but before he could the girl struck him with her knife, slicing across his neck. As she walked away, Eli screaming in the background, the cold seeped back in. She smiled to herself, she supposed she had missed it. “She walked quickly and found a town before long. From there, she could see a long, black vault in the distance. The Hall of Memories. She made her way there quickly and without difficulty, still invisible. As she approached see saw two guards by the only door. She scooped up a handful of snow and threw it with all her strength towards them. She missed, but the

snowball hit the building next to them, and one came over to investigate. As he searched for the thrower, she snuck towards the other guard and quietly killed him. She slipped through the door unnoticed, breaking the lock easily. “The inside of the vault was nothing like the outside. Memories floated like spectres through the silver light with no clear source. Like jellyfish in the deep ocean. As she walked, she felt weightless, as though she was floating, and she felt magic stronger than any she’d ever known before. One of the spectres came to her as though on a wire, as she reached out to touch it she realized it was hers. As her fingers brushed against its ethereal form, she suddenly remembered everything. Her past, her family, her friends, and her terrible hatred. As alarms sounded all around her, she touched another memory, this one of an ancient magician, an adept of elemental magic, able to control the air to such a degree that he could fly. As the single door was slammed open by guards, she moved the air around her, bringing the floating jellyfish closer. As troops armed in glistening armor charged, she touched them all, one by one. And as the soldiers surrounded her, she waved a hand at them, and they all turned to dust at her feet. The dust was blown away in unnatural winds, and screams that were never heard by her found themselves in the dreams of all the others as dawn broke over a scene of silver and black, the Hall of Memories shattering without any memories left to hold.” Deirdre looked at Jorge in awe. She had been listening with rapt attention since they had started walking that morning. “That sounds beautiful.” She whispered softly. Jorge looked at her. “It might have been,” he responded, “But it was terrible, too terrible to express.” Deirdre nodded thoughtfully, then thought for a moment. “I have a question,” she said. “Is this a true story?” “Yes.” “But magic and elves aren’t real.” “Aren’t they?” Jorge smiled at her, and Deirdre looked at him, realization dawning. “You’re an elf!” Jorge nodded and shushed her, but she continued unrelenting. “You’re a real elf. But you must be thousands of years old. Wow.” She paused for a moment before asking, “Can you do magic?” “I can do a little,” Jorge responded, “But not much. And I can’t now, or I’ll get in trouble.” “Can I do magic?” Deirdre asked hopefully, but Jorge shook his head firmly. “I have one more question,” Deirdre said. “What’s the war, and what’s wrong with being human?” “That’s two questions,” Jorge responded, “But there’s one answer. Humans and elves were at war. For centuries before then, humans had lived without magic, and as such were often under the protection of those that could use magic, of which elves were the most prevalent. However, when humans learned to do magic, they decided that they should be in charge and elves should be demoted to servants and slaves. They went to war for this, although it was very one sided, with the elves slaughtering the human armies. Eventually humans were banned from the elven kingdom, and any that entered were to be killed on sight. That was the world that our heroine grew up in, and unfortunately, she took it badly when she remembered. “I could not tell you everything she did after that night, there is simply to much and all of it terrible, but I will tell you of one thing. “After destroying Icevale, the girl traveled south along the coast, leaving a path of destruction and destroyed towns in her wake. At one such town, with a population of almost 100,000, she found an elf that she wanted to particularly destroy. She set the town centre on fire

and watched as everyone ran until she caught sight of her quarry. Having found him, she grabbed him and held him by her, forcing him to watch as the town centre burned down, as the flames spread to the nearby building, spreading until there were none left standing. The people tried to put out the flames, but the flames were magical and could not be stopped with water. After all the buildings were destroyed, she erected a wall around the people, dark stone jutting out of the ground pushing them in. above them all, she trapped the man in a glass box to watch. Then she let loose wolves on them, then lions and tigers, each killing as many as they could before eventually being overcome by people. Eventually, there were only the people the man personally knew left. She joined the man in the box, and they watched the townsfolk below. “For a few days the girl and the man sat in the box watching. The girl provided food and water and all the comfort the man needed but forced him to watch everyone he knew suffer. At first everything was fine, then they got thirsty. After a few died of thirst, the girl made it rain and they drank. Then they got hungry. A few died of hunger and the man begged her to give them food, but she refused, instead giving him bread and wine, everything he begged her to give them. For a while he refused to eat or drink, but he gave in quickly, and she laughed when he did. And she laughed when anyone died, and she’d ask him their name only to laugh at him some more. As the weeks passed, the living below resorted to cannibalism, and she laughed as the man screamed in horror. And when there was only one person left, the man’s friend no less, she brought him back down and gave the man a small paring knife. She told the man to kill his friend, to save him the suffering. She told the man it would be easier that way and said it so kindly that he believed her and killed his friend. Then she laughed at him some more and killed him and left. “That’s the trail she left as she made her way to the capital city. When she reached the city, she razed it. She destroyed the walls and left the army scattered. She went to the highest tower in the castle, where the king lived, and killed him in his sleep before tossing him out a window, all without ever touching him. After the king died, she declared herself Queen. “There was a great coronation for her, during which all the elven lords and ladies had to bow while human troops marched in. She had a crown made for her, a solid band of gold. But once she was queen, she no longer had purpose. She didn’t know how to rule. So that same day, she made a single declaration, ‘No Magic,’ and after saying so she left, back to the tower in the middle of the sea where she awoke memoryless all that time ago. Since then, no one has done magic, and if they have, they died soon after.” “Is she still there?” Deirdre asked. “I hope so,” Jorge responded. “I really hope so, because if she ever leaves it will be to kill me.” “Why would she kill you?” “Because I’m the last elf left.” Deirdre and Jorge continue on in silence for the rest of the day. Far away, in a tower in the sea, the queen watches them.

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BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD TOSHIKAZU KAWAGUCHI

BREANNE'S JANUARY READ

THOUGHTS & OPINIONS WARNING: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS

LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE COFFEE SHOP IN A TOKOYO ALEY WAY OFFERS THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL BACK IN TIME. THIS BOOK IS SEPARATED INTO 4 STORIES WITH 4 DIFFERENT CHARACTERS WHO HOPE THE LEGEND IS TRUE. HOWEVER, THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME COULD NEVER BE THAT SIMPLE - THEY MUST RETURN BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD.

CONTENT WARNING: Alzheimer's disease, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death, Pregnancy, Terminal illness

"Before the Coffee Gets Cold" is a Japanese play which became a novel. In 2017 this novel was translated into english and I have never been more grateful for a sequence of events in my life. This story follows three different characters hoping to travel back in time - a woman who had wished she told her partner to stay in Japan with her, a wife who hopes to read a letter her husband wrote to her before he fell ill to Alzheimers, and a bar owner hoping to get to her sister one more time. There is something so captivating about these characters, and their reasonings for wanting to travel back in time. The last story in this book was absolutely heartbreaking. A soon to be mother who knows that only her baby will be able to survive the birth, travels to the future. The way all of the characters made the mother and daughter's interaction happen in the future was absolutely beautiful. If you ever get the chance to read this story, please do.

HOW TO START A BOOK CLUB 1. Choose a book of the Month 2. Read! 3. Talk about your thoughts and opinion of the book and deep dive on all the details! 4. Choose a new book every month. 5. Repeat!

YOUR NEXT READ THE DINNER HERMAN KOCH CONTENT WARNING: HOMOMISIA, MISOGYNY, MENTAL ILLNESS, MURDER, VIOLENCE, DRUG USE, DEATH

AROUND THE TABLE IN A FORMAL RESTAURANT SAT TWO COUPLES WITH A SECRET AND A DECISION TO MAKE. THEIR FOUR COURSE DINNER BEGINS WITH LIGHT CHATTER, A PINKY FINGER THAT GETS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO THE FOOD, AND POLITE CATCH UP . HOWEVER BOTH COUPLES KNOW THAT TERRIBLE THINGS NEED TO BE SAID INVOLVING THEIR CHILDREN. EACH COUPLE SHOW HOW FAR THEY ARE PREPARED TO GO TO PROTECT THEIR LOVED ONES AS THEY BEGIN HAVING DESSERT. 41

wikiWhat?!

A look into the weird articles of wikiHow

Are you an extrovert trying to become an introvert? wikiHow has you covered. With a few easy steps, you can learn to spend time alone, go out alone, and thrive as a loner.

Did you accidentally throw Mr. Whiskers favourite mouse plush in the trash thinking it was a moldy potato, and now Mr.Whiskers refuses to give you attention? Don't worry, the experts at wikiHow know how to ensure that you gain Mr.Whiskers trust again.

Are your "Yo' Mama" jokes no longer making the impact they used to? Well, wikiHow can teach you how to become a better insulter (spoiler: you should practice insults when alone).

Pi, 3.14159, a never ending number. You most likely learned how to calculate Pi by looking at a unit circle. However, did you know that Pi is actually more accurately measured by throwing hot dogs? wikiHow knew, and now you can too!

How does one describe how mint smells like mint? We may have no clue but apparently wikiHow does.

Word Games Wordle has taken the internet by storm since it’s introduction in October 2021. In the popular game, players guess a five-letter word in six tries. After each try, each letter is marked as either correct (green), incorrect (grey), or correct but in the wrong spot (yellow). A new wordle puzzle comes out everyday, making it fun to compete with friends or post about without giving any spoilers. On January 31, Wordle was bought by the New York times, which has since made a few minor changes, such as removing inappropriate words and moving the game to the NYT website. As the New York Times continues to make minor changes to the game, it is unsure how much players will be affected. If something does happen, here are some fun alternative word games:

Word Search As the name suggests, search for the listed words in the grid of letters. Words can be forwards, backwards, sideways, and diagonal. a a z x d n h e v q n q e r e n i f v s d s h d

s v a e s t r t v a g t d w d t a n s g s e r w

b l b g b h u o w n a x i i l v c s e t o r j c s k i i y a t t l y e u t e f s d i k t n y q a s g n s k c t g e r e n j g r d g a m u i n i m bridge engineering finance president university

g e e y g j d m g f r h c g q p w t j h b n p p

u r p o v l s h m s d y y e i u w j y r d e a i

v w j k a f o i d z m r w z z u d d e d w l e d s m e e a m a c f e b s d s q h t p y u v u a t h j d n b r i e i i a t n c n c r t s j a a x n t u f r e a t k u e x e h r x e s e b w m s h v p u z z t i n e s g y f d w g y n f a l e a x u communications executive internal puzzle winter

e q u j j p r e s i d e n t t u j d t l a s c w

v u m m f j n b x f s s h y h p j u u a r k n w j w g d s n g e i s l r i e e e c e d t n i i i s o g w n n v s e e k y g d t h i e t h n o z z community external magazine social wordle

g r f d k m y g o b k e a f y b r b s n h d y l

s v k r y k a h r n m x e r j t a g b p r a u e

q u u o b i d y g r i t d b a r w q f w c s r a

w d n e s c o q v w j e m r f f c s f h r e n s r i v a h y u e f e r n g b y r d t s b i e t n q i u p y m d a m r f o a f c g e v d a d e d v elections february panic student words

z j r v s a v t f d m a g a z i n e e h n d n w

x g e f j x s j g i v l b f u w d o a a a s t o

Crossword Puzzle Fill in the rows and columns according to the clues. Across clues correspond to rows while down clues correspond to columns. 1

20 24

Across: 1. one binary digit 4. done before 7. more than one serum 11. fuss 12. owns 13. purposes 14. physical geography

17. mix of water and ice 18. __ and behold! 19. old you 20. brother’s daughter 22. gendered right at birth 23. female subject 26. study quickly 27. Computer spec.

28. gives in 30. lubricate again 32. region 33. got darker 34. Ernie’s friend 35. semiaquatic mammals Down: 1. used to hold stuff 2. Caesar beware

3. something used 4. natural science 5. bacon 6. eastern time 7. Japanese sport 8. student government 9. again 10. what tests do 15. ball of fire 16. on periodic table 19. gives 21. diamond size 22. one who yells out news 23. old injury 24. rabbit 25. at any time 29. consume 31. not many 33. Infinitive marker

Word Steps Find the word corresponding to each clue. Every row has the same letters as the row above it plus one extra, although letters can be rearranged freely.

1. Anger 2. A commonly eaten grain 3. Of a town, spreads news 4. Has more than others 5. A bird, for example

Anagrams Try to unscramble each group of letters into a word. After unscrambling the letters, unscramble the circled letters to find the solution to the clue. celircteal

__ __ __ __ __ ⃝ __ __ __ __

viicl

__ __ ⃝ __ __

ruletmepo

__ __ __ __ __ __ ⃝ __ __

moidibalec

⃝ __ __ __ ⃝ __ __ __ __ __

hianlmccea

__ __ __ __ ⃝ __ __ __ __ __

scspiyh

__ __ __ ⃝ __ __ __

Clue: Natures Engineers __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Word Bridge The goal is to get from the first word to the last word by putting a word in each row which only differs from the rows above and below by one letter each.

Horoscope for The Month of March The Bridge

Charles Klak

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Pursue your curiosity and turn a blind eye to any consequences. You will be rewarded

Fools may ask you to loosen up a bit, but remember: you know your way is best.

You will want to back out of a promise, but keeping your word is weakness anyways.

Watch your back.

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

You will have an opportunity to take the spotlight. Bask in it.

Feel like tearing up a project and starting from scratch? Trust your instincts.

A Taurus you know will seem tightstrung. Offer to take them to some relaxing activities.

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

Take a hike.

Give up on what bores you, and chase temptation. When was patience ever rewarded anyways?

♈

♌ ♐

♉

♍ ♑

♊

♎

AQUARIUS

♒

A figure in black will arrive when all hope seems lost, take their help.

♋

♏

Youcan canwin winsome some You affectionby byplaying playing affection the mysterious the mysterious bad person boy/girl.

PISCES

♓

Isn't that Aries you know just the coolest?