Inside this issue Clark Frozen Life After Clark Crazy Wild Life Difference in the Details Hello My Name Is: Mike McKenna Questions in Red Square
Worcester
Summer in Worcester Armsby Abbey Project Playground ARTSWorcester Worcester’s Community Gardens How to Compost
Entertainment Janelle Monáe How to Blog Taylor Swift Keeping up with the Bar-ians Dubstep
Features Life in Israel and the Gaza Strip Advocacy Groups Informing Our Great Responsibility What it Means to Be a Clarkie You Know You’re a Clarkie When...
Style Halloween Makeup A Feathery Craze: Feather Extensions Style Snapshots Campus Ink Winter Boots Underwater What’s in Your Bag?
Mind & Body Relationship Advice Tasty Tea Time Treats Potluck Perfect Ten Ways to De-stress in Ten Minutes Unique Features
Stir It Up Día de Muertos How to be Your Own Editor Paintdotnet: The Basics Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive Art Postcards Drinking in a Winter Wonderland
Staff Editor in Chief Nina Eichner
Assistant Editor Anna Voremberg
Layout Editor
Nhung (Sue) Trương
Section Editors
Clark - Michelle Houle Worcester - Olivia Meny Entertainment - Dan Deutsch Features - Jean Jackson Stlye - Joan Chan Mind & Body - Julia Rubin Stir It Up - Shalyn Hopley
Layout
Holden Beale Caroline Kelly Shannon Magrane Kim Villamor
Copy Editing
Meridee Munford Rian Watt
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Contributors
Kyle Allen Holden Beale Nina Borland Samantha Caputo Alexis Carlson Joan Chan Jacky Cheng Dan Deutsch Solynka Dumas Vanessa Formato Jessa Green Shalyn Hopley Michelle Houle Jean Jackson Abby Johnson Hannah Althea Kay Kimiko Stephen King Megumi Koyama
Victoria Krinsky Jeff Lee Sara Lieto Hannah Martin Olivia Meny Anna Meserve Molly Mills Caitlin O’Brien Michelle Scott Jess Shepro Mike Smith Marian Stacey Andy Renard Miriam Ross Julia Rubin Olivia Vandergriek Mark Volain Anna Voremberg Anna Wang
Letter from the Editor Dear readers, I’m happy to get to present you with another great issue of STIR. I’m really proud of this Fall 2011 issue of STIR for many reasons. One reason is because of the incredible photo spreads and articles. The articles are interesting and on an array of topics, varying from what it means to be a clarkie to how to write a good blog post. There are some stunning photos, about winter, about water, about shoes, and about much more. I love getting to showcase what talented students go to Clark: the writers, the photographers and the students featured in the articles. Another reason I’m proud of STIR is because of what an incredible job everyone who is involved in making this magazine did on putting it together: the copy editors, the section editors and the absolutely amazing layout team, everyone has an important role to play in the process of getting this magazine to you. I feel so lucky that I get to oversee this process and work with all of these wonderful people. College is a busy time. Life is busy and overwhelming, and there are always a million things to do. I appreciate the time that every person involved in STIR takes out of their busy life to contribute to the making of this magazine and I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to flip through this magazine. I think you will be intrigued and engaged. Until next time, Nina Eichner Editor in Chief
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STIR Fall 2011
CLARK
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frozen
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Photography by Nina Borland
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Jeremy Shulkin Class of 2007, Bachelors in English (Spanish minor) Class of 2008, Masters in Teaching
after Clark Article & Photography by Mark Volain
Jeremy is currently the senior writer at Worcester’s Worcester Magazine. He did his MAT teaching sophomores at South High, and formerly taught reading and writing at Quinsigamond Community College. Additionally, Jeremy spent two summers teaching English and Writing to high school students at a summer camp at St. Andrews in Scotland, along with teaching journalism for the same organization in Cambridge, England this past summer. He lives in Worcester. Describe your current job. I’m the senior writer at Worcester Magazine, an alternative newsweekly with a readership of 80,000 people in Worcester County – at least that’s the number they tell me and our advertisers. As for what I do specifically, I’m in charge of writing or finding our paper’s news content and researching and writing many of our feature-length (between 2,000 and 3,400-word) stories. I also have a weekly political and news column that I’ve inherited from a long list of previous Worcester Magazine writers and I try to write something every day for our news blog. It’s a lot of talking on the phone, dealing with a lot of complaints and rejection, and a lot of pretending to be tougher and more of a know-it-
all than I really am. But a few days ago someone described a story I wrote as “like Hunter S. Thompson, but a little more sober.” It’s moments like that that make it all worthwhile. How did Clark prepare you for this job, specifically? I never took any journalism classes at Clark but I was an English major, so right away I had teachers that exposed me to a range of ideas and writing styles. I think they tried to show how powerful words and language can be, and even though it sounds so cliché they were right. I’m still surprised when people not only tell me they read a story of mine but then go on to discuss it for 20 minutes, or when people call me up to complain about how I phrased something. To me, it often seems like an argument over semantics, but that never sits well with readers because the way something reads in newsprint or on a website is very important. Clark also prepared me for word counts. When I go to work on a Friday and have to write a 3,000word final draft starting from a few pages of chicken-scratched notes, it’s not so daunting because I had to do it multiple times for Professor Elliott. What sparked your interest in the field? As an English major I always wanted to be a writer, but never really thought I’d actually do it, either because it’s constantly drilled into young writers’ heads that it’s such a hard world to break into
or make a living out of, or because I didn’t have much confidence that I had developed a style that wasn’t just poorly mimicking my own favorite authors. What I love about reporting, though, is the stories are already waiting to be told. I don’t have to worry about starting anything from a blank page because the plot. Characters and dialogue already exist. I have control over how to unravel it all for the reader and to make sure it’s fair and accurate, but I don’t have to worry about how some made-up person represents the death of the working class in 1890s Chicago while working in some kind of theme involving the color green, for example. Do you feel that Clark adequately prepared you for the working world? The first time it really hit me that I was out of school was when I woke up one day and realized that I didn’t have homework to do that day (I was also unemployed, so that contributed too). What Clark really imparted on me was a work ethic. In school I spent so many entire days – Saturdays included – in the library that when I had to work long hours or wade through pages of records for Worcester Magazine it seemed like a piece of cake. Do you miss Clark? Why or why not? I do miss being in school, and I think a number of my friends feel the same way. (Maybe it was just a Clark English major thing?) I felt like there was a sense of growth that I got from most of my classes, particularly my English and teaching courses, that’s hard to get from the working
world. I’ve been fortunate enough to find pieces of that teacher/ student dynamic with editors or other reporters who are generous with their advice and time, but it doesn’t compare to sitting in a classroom and focusing on one topic for an hour and change. (Those three-hour classes were always a little rough, though.) Where do you go from here? What’s next for you? I’m only starting my second year full-time at Worcester Magazine, so economy-willing I’ll be here for a few more years. Eventually I’d like to transition into more feature-length writing and less general reporting, and even try out crafting stories out of audio interviews. I do really miss teaching though, so if I were a gambling man I’d wager that ten years from now I’ll probably be back in a high school somewhere teaching English and doing some writing on the side. What was the best thing about Clark for you? I’m going to always brag about my English and teaching classes and professors. What I figured out pretty quickly at Clark was how lucky I was to have teachers who genuinely wanted to talk to you person-to-person and listen to your ideas, or who were invested in your academic growth. The fact that I called them by their first names or met some of them for drinks to go over my writing was something none of my friends at other colleges or universities could wrap their heads around. I still keep in touch with a number of those professors today. 11
Any words of advice for current students? I think most current Clark students have the school figured out by now, and they probably don’t need me to help them navigate through it. For anyone interested in writing though, the key thing is to take any freelancing opportunity whenever it arises, even if it pays nothing. Getting your work out there, no matter how rinky-dink the website or small-time the newspaper or magazine,matters more than grades or resumes. Start looking for outlets you enjoy and/or you could write for now, no matter what year you graduate.
Jacob Nathan Class of 2010, Bachelors in Communication and Culture & Music (Double major) Class of 2011, Masters in Professional Communications (MSPC) Jacob is currently a Production Manager at Providence’s AS220, a community art space. He also is the drummer for the original Wizardcore band, Harry and the Potters, along with fellow former Clarkie Joe DeGeorge. They toured crosscountry this summer. He lives in Providence. Describe your current job. I work as a Production Manager at AS220 in Providence, RI which is a non-profit community arts space in downtown Providence. The organization provides an un-juried 12
and uncensored forum for the arts. It is really a cool place with tons of strange and amazing things going on. Because anyone can perform or display I get to see a ton of things that I wouldn’t see elsewhere. Like a dude who looks like Marilyn Manson rapping about things you wouldn’t even find in the nastiest of Japanese Manga… and I don’t mean that it was a good experience. But it happened. Basically, I get paid to produce a ton of concerts and gallery openings. Sometimes I get drinks for free. This is all that one can ask for in life. How did Clark prepare you for this job, specifically? Well, I learned a ton about music and music technology when I was here. I also ran sound for events, booked concerts (including one of the bigger MEC ones), went to shows in Worcester, played in some touring bands, played in some crazy experimental performances through the Music department. Basically, I participated in an artistic community at the school and in the community. A job in the arts can be made more interesting with the theory and history that one learns in the classroom, but really when it comes down to it DOING and making things is what is the most important in terms of preparation for this sort of job. Shout out to Matt Malsky. Being involved is more fun than sitting around and whining about direction and getting high. So I tried not to do that. What sparked your interest in the field? I’ve been playing music and have been interested in subcultures,
counterculture, and popculture (well… I guess just culture-- how convenient Clark has a communications and “culture” program) for as long as I can remember. I have never really envisioned working in any other field. It would be cool to be in Bon Jovi, but if they were evil. Maybe evil isn’t the right word? Cool? No, I’ll get back to you on it. Do you feel that Clark adequately prepared you for the working world? Sure, learning how to think creatively is something aided in the classroom. But really, school just provides a forum where you can DO things that teach you skills. If I had just gotten a degree in my field and didn’t spend all the time engaging in the music community and learning new skills within the music world, I don’t think I would have gotten this job, or a similar one. What would I be doing then? I’d imagine that I’d probably go to the docks in South Boston and try and steal things out of the cans. Maybe I’ll find important cars or Panasonic HD cameras that I can than sell on ebay under a fake account. Or chemicals. People buy chemicals right? My point is it would be worse. Do you miss Clark? Why or why not? I really miss having a ton of friends, peers, people around all the time. The college social community isn’t quite replocable. Not to say that it sucks after school socially—just that it’s harder to say, “hmmm… it’s Friday night let’s go around the corner to a place where I’ll know 70% of the 150 people that are there. There will probably be
dancing. I like dancing. Let’s dance. Let’s play capture the flag.” I have yet to find capture the flag in the supposed “real world.” I also miss learning in a community of people, learning and researching on your own isn’t as exciting. You know all those times that you say, “this class fucking sucks I could read this on Wikipedia.” It turns out that the professor was probably way more interesting, you were just being boring and lazy. That being said, I feel much more engaged in the greater world since graduating. There is more of a sense of, “oh this is what it’s like to be on your own.” Even though I owe evil financial companies a small fortune and have entered a world of servitude to them. Where do you go from here? What’s next for you? I don’t know. Makin’ moves. Maybe I’ll start a donut shop and take down Dunkin’ Donuts, maybe I’ll start a band wrestling league that’s a cross between a battle of the bands, roller derby and the WWE, maybe I’ll play in a band and keep touring and never get to shower, maybe I’ll keep working where I am at. We shall see. These are all legitimate ideas. What was the best thing about Clark for you? Fun. Crazy fun in general. One time someone pooped in Freud’s book (It wasn’t me). Any words of advice for current students?
Take things seriously, but don’t take things seriously. Like as though school is a game. Along those lines I like this Bill Simmon’s quote “approach your classes the same way Shaq approached his NBA career. In other words, don’t kill yourself trying to become the best center of all time; just do enough to eventually get mentioned in the top 10, and enjoy every moment along the way. Shaq could have ended up with a 3.95 in the NBA; he settled for a 3.4. Ultimately, did it really matter? He won three four rings, made something like $300 million, clinched a spot on the “best 15 players ever” list, kicked ass for three straight postseasons and will be remembered by everybody who watched him.” Really though, what I remember the most about school is social things and the opportunity
for doing some pretty different and crazy things. Relish that community and stay loose. In the end your degree and any accolades that you get amount to a sentence on a resume—doing things, meeting and enjoying people, skills matter way more in the long run. This comes from the perspective of having worked TOO hard in my classes. Imagine you are rolling with a sick ass crew and you all want to do cool shit. Like Wu Tang Clan, they focused on their individual things, but are more important together. What am I talking about here? I have mentioned Wu Tang and Basketball so far… Spoken from someone one year out of school. Just have fun. Really have fun.
Crazy Squirrels Article & Photography by Jess Shepro
Eccentric squirrels are one aspect of Clark wildlife. On our very own campus, these rampant squirrels fight, sleep, climb, explore, and entertain Clark in the most unconventional ways. As a first-year, Clark’s squirrels can be quite alarming to the uninitiated. The photo shoot below depicts these squirrels in their natural habitat.
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Difference in the Details As the school year begins, the noticeable differences among cinderblock dorm rooms are few. Maybe the outlets are in different spots, or there are a couple of sporadic stains on every other wall. However, as the year progresses, myriads of differences quickly emerge as people make their rooms their own. Flags, posters, color themes or pictures of friends, our rooms begin to reflect our personalities. Article & Photography by Olivia Vandergriek
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O L L E H is... e
My nam
a n n e K c M ke
Mi
Article by Anna Meserve Photography by Caitlin O’Brien
As the head of Clark’s Student Leadership and Programming, Mike McKenna is the man to get to know. He is the brains behind all the events around campus. We see him everywhere. But the fact of the matter is, we don’t really know who he is (no, he’s not related to Dean Kevin McKenna). This time, we pay attention to the man behind the curtain, and introduce to you the Mike McKenna you are only acquainted with. When Mike started undergraduate school at Stonehill College, he had in mind that he would pursue the dream he’d had since childhood: to study Criminal Justice to become a state cop. But during his junior year the school’s Associate Director, whose position was much like Mike’s current job, asked if he’d be interested in this line of work. Yes, Mike was, but it wasn’t until three years of graduate school at Brandeis University, one year of graduate school at Dartmouth College, and a few more years of work later that he ended up at Clark University…and doing what he’s been doing for the past five years. 16
What is your favorite event to do? I have many different ones for many different reasons. Maybe Clark’s Got Talent and International Gala because they give a comprehensive view of different talents…it’s talented students doing what they’re great at.” You’re kind of like the superhero of events at Clark. If you could be any superhero, who would you be? Batman. Not the new Batman, the old one with Michael Keaton. Jack Nicholson (who plays the Joker) asks Batman, “Where do you get all those toys?” I’d like to have all those toys. And he has a cool car. So how do you balance your job with your life outside of SL&P? Lots of caffeine. There’s lots of flexibility based on what’s going on. It’s fun, and every day is different. I’m not always sitting around here (gestures to his office).
been working with you for the past three years now, and have some funny memories of you. What is one of your most embarrassing or funny moments at Clark? Probably Week One 2010. We had to move to the AC for the President’s Welcome because it was raining, but I got tied up and handed my iPod to Media Services and told them to play the jazz playlist. But I’d gotten a new computer and my safe and classy playlist became something that you would play at Euphoria. Later on, a student remarked that it was great that we’d played more current music at the event and I was like, what? It turns out the playlist started with jazz, then played stuff like LMFAO and Pitbull.
Caffeine? What’s your energy drink of choice? A large iced coffee with skim milk and sugar… sometimes three.
What makes you a Clarkie? I don’t like to do things the traditional way. I like variety. I like that the students think of new and exciting ways to do things, and there is a difference between each and every student. I care about people, which says a lot about our community. I’m also quirky.
What about music? What’s your favorite song or artist that keeps you going? I have my roots, the jam bands of the 90s like Phish or Moe. But I have a mix of everything like Jurassic 5, Atmosphere, Pitbull, Passion Pit… actually Pitbull is a guilty pleasure. I’ve
Any words of advice to your fellow Clarkies? I would say don’t be afraid to start over. Follow your passion but if you get tired, don’t be afraid to start over.
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Questions in Red Square Article by Mike Smith Photography by Caitlin O’Brien
In order to get a general sense of how our community perceives gender characteristics, I asked a random sample of men and woman of all ages two questions around campus: 1. What is one feminine characteristic of yourself? 2. What is one masculine characteristic of yourself? When Clarkies were asked to evaluate their characteristics of the opposite gender it was not uncommon for a woman to say their most masculine traits include confidence and strong willed actions while men tended to consider their feminine traits to be nurturing and sensitive qualities. When asked about a specific characteristic of their own gender most people tended to use a physical aspect instead of a non-physical characteristic. For example, woman would say their breasts or the way they dressed is the most feminine trait of themselves. Males expressed that their athletic ability or appearance is their most masculine characteristic. In collecting the information for this article I came across the occasional person who could not characterize their traits as either feminine or masculine. I found it the most alarming when a male refused to recognize any female characteristics. There were not any females who did not answer the questions. In an ideal world, perhaps the following would happen: We would all understand that our gender is, in fact a performance, one that we can pick and choose from every day. All we have to do is be conscious about it—to pick the parts of “masculine” and “feminine” that make the most sense to us. We don’t have to conform to society’s expectations—but if there is a comfort in our role as we see it, that is OK, too.
Recognize that masculine and feminine “traits” have nothing to do with skill sets. Guys can be extraordinary caregivers, just as females can be engineers.
Being open to the fact that embracing the qualities of the “opposite” sex can sometimes be helpful.
What both genders should aim for is a comfort level, proclaim the amazing complexities of us as humans, instead of slipping into rigid stereotypes just for the sake of thinking that is how one is “supposed” to perform. 18
WORCESTER
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Summer in Worcester At the end of every school year most Clarkies leave Worcester to go home, work, or travel. However, every year there are also students who opt to stay at Clark and live the Woo-Life. STIR interviewed several students about their experiences of internships, jobs, parties, and summertime in the Heart of Massachusetts. These are their stories… Article by Olivia Meny Photography by Caitlin O’Brien
Emma Bellel
Why were you in Worcester? I wanted to be in Worcester Shakespeare and I had an apartment so I was planning on staying during the summer anyway. I ended up not getting into Worcester Shakespeare but I worked at it making costumes and eventually I got a job at the Clark Thrift Store. Where did you stay? In my first apartment on Charlotte Street. How was it different than being at Clark during the year? I had never lived at Clark without being on the meal plan so I had to figure out my own groceries but it turned out to be really fun experimenting with cooking. Also, there was a lot smaller of a community of people obviously but everyone re20
lied on each other more so you made close friends really quickly. Everyone was pushing themselves to stay active so there were lots of group things like potlucks, BBQs, capture the flag on the Green. There was a sense that we owned the school. Did you discover Worcester? I got to understand Worcester better through Worcester Shakespeare. There were lots of people from other colleges which was nice because it’s hard to interact with them otherwise during the year. I discovered Green Hill Park, the place where Worcester Shakespeare took place. They have an outdoor stage which was really nice. It really made me want to reach out to other colleges during the year on a theater level. It made me realize there are a lot of people who are really passionate about theater in Worcester.
How was the party scene? For the first couple of weeks it was pretty crazy, it was like a Friday night every night. But after people settled into routines and jobs it calmed down. Later on you kind of had to make it happen for yourself. Towards the end of the summer it began to be the same group of people at every party, I wanted everyone else to come back. Would you stay in Worcester for another summer? I would—I’m debating that right now. I had a lot of fun but if I stayed next summer I would want to be acting in Worcester Shakespeare. If I don’t get in, I don’t know if I would stay. There are a lot more opportunities for theater if I went back home to NYC for the summer or went to Providence. But this summer did help me a lot to grow up. Would you live in Worcester after Clark? Yes. I would definitely have to get a car though; it seems like a necessity without Escort in the summer. Because there’s no Worcester theater scene I could be a part of establishing its presence which is exciting to me. Describe your summer in one word. Silly.
Where did you stay? In Blackstone Hall. How was it different than being at Clark during the year? There were a lot less students so it was much quieter on campus but I also had more free time to see people and meet people that I wouldn’t normally get to meet. Did you discover Worcester? Yes, I went to a lot of new restaurants and met people who go to Clark that I wouldn’t normally get to meet. Also the ratio of Clark students to Worcester people was a lot more equal so you saw a lot more Worcester people around and said hi. How was the party scene? It was really fun, there was almost always something going on. Whether it was just hanging out with a few people or the same amount as parties during the year. There was the same group of people you would hang out with every week because that was really the only option. But you got to know people really well which was good. Would you stay in Worcester for another summer? Absolutely.
Best thing about the summer: 4 AM confetti cake on the Green.
Would you live in Worcester after Clark? Depends on my job and what kind of living situation I could find. If I could find a nice apartment with low rent, I think it would help save money. The cost of living is pretty low in Worcester.
Worst thing about the summer: Staying till midnight to do sweaty actor’s laundry.
Describe your summer in one word: Laid-back.
Matt Manley
Best thing about the summer: I took a trip to Misquamicut which was great. Porchdrinking. Hanging out outside in the nice weather on the Green.
Why were you in Worcester? For the HERO program Human Environment Research Observatory which is an internship for undergrads to do research in geographic and environmental fields.
Worst thing about the summer: Having a 9-5 job, it was a pretty arduous workweek. Also being inside most of the time doing computer work. 21
Dan Deutsch Why were you in Worcester? To work for Clark Admissions. Where did you stay? I stayed in 17 Oberlin, the big brown house at the corner of Woodland and Oberlin. How was it different than being at Clark during the year? There were way less people of course, but it was really cool because someone made a summer in Worcester group on Facebook so I knew who was staying and I was pleasantly surprised that I knew so many people. It was nice not having to worry about class and going to trivia and having lots of days out on the Green. Did you discover Worcester? I went to more restaurants and went to Elm Park for the first time. I had more freedom to get out of Worcester, I went to Boston and Providence. How was the party scene? It was really frequent. It was the same group of people which was nice because I got to become closer to people I hadn’t talked to that much. Would you stay in Worcester for another summer? No only because I have to make more money and not spend money on rent even though Worcester rent is cheap. Would you live in Worcester after Clark? I’m not sure. Describe your summer in one word: Experiential. 22
Best thing about the summer: I started and finished LOST! Worst thing about the summer: Getting used to living in an apartment that was in really bad condition.
Armsby Abbey Article & Photography by Solynka Dumas I love Brunches. I consider them one of the most exciting moment of the weekend. The satisfaction of a a great meal after a rough night out is to me one of the most gratifying feeling. However, after trying most of Worcester’s diner scene, I was ready for something a bit different. This is how I came across the wonder that is Armsby Abbey. Some of you may know about Armsby Abbey’s night scene, its quality beers and delectable cocktails, but few know about its weekend brunch. I got there on a Saturday, it is not as lively as the busier Sunday, but the calm was greatly appreciated by my raging hangover. After being seated at one of the restaurant’s wooden table, I decided to open my appetite with a delicious freshly squeezed orange juice. The more adventurous of you might want to try one of their delicious breakfast cocktails like the Salty Dog (fresh grapefruit juice, with homemade grapefruit infused vodka) or the French Kiss (Elderflower liquor, gin, lime and prosecco). After spending an extensive time deciding what I would set my mind on (everything seemed so delicious!), I decided to go for the chicken hash with a side of corn bread. The four friends I brought for back up ordered, respectively, the fig mascarpone stuffed french toast, the breakfast plate (which included a selection of cheese, jam, peanut butter and two different types of bread), the veggie quiche and some good old granola. We also decided to share a bowl of the restaurant’s famous mac and cheese. The first thing to get to the table was the corn bread; it was covered in candied bacon, which nicely contrasted with the softness of the bread. After this great appetizer I was ready for my hash, and of course, ready to try all of my friends’ dishes. Everything was amazing but some things really stood out. The chicken from the hash was cooked to perfection, incredibly moist and tender. It was laying over a bed of pumpkin puree and sweet corn hash, all of this topped with a fried egg, A culinary wonder. The granola parfait was perfectly satisfying. The yougurt tasted like it came right out of the farm and the granola had the perfect amount of crunchiness. Finally, the mac and cheese definitely lived up to the hype. It definitely was the real deal. It was made with a blend of amazing cheeses and then topped with crunchy croutons. Possibly the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted. After such a quality meal, we were a little nervous about the tab. Such tasteful food, furthermore, organic and locally grown must have a price. Well, weren’t we pleasantly surprised when we realized that between the five of us, the addition summed up to only $20 each. This included food, three cocktails and freshly squeezed juices. Armsby Abbey is definitely a gem in Worcester and if you haven’t been yet, or if you still believe Worcester doesn’t have much to offer hurry and try this amazing place, you will not be disappointed. 23
PROJECT
The playground on the corner of Downing and Florence has been occupied by many types of people, ranging from giddy children running off the bus to work off some school-day steam, to drunken college students with the same enthusiasm as the kids running off the school bus. For the amount of times I’ve walked past it, maybe one out of the four swings have working seats, not including the infant swings. The seesaws are fairly resilient, made of trusty, reliable planks of wood. The slide is also fairly resilient, as it is a long smooth chunk of angled steel. However, don’t these kids deserve a little bit more than planks of wood and steel and one working swing?
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As an avid Parks and Recreation watcher, the inner Leslie Knope came out in me the day I moved next door to this pathetic little playground, wondering to myself, why hasn’t someone tried to clean this up? It would enhance my viewing pleasure as well as the children’s enjoyment. Project Playground is doing just that, making my viewing pleasure more enjoyable by enhancing and rebuilding the playground. Sure, they’re probably going to say it’s the community, but I know it’s for me. With an enthusiasm for play, seniors Ali Canino, Angelica Surra and Katy Clemson have taken on this effort to rebuild the playground.
playground They were inspired by the children who have an incredible gusto for morning play, despite the current crappy state of the playground. Working in a collaboration with Main South Community Development Corporation, or CDC for short, and Oak Hill CDC, the technical layout of the playground is still undergoing coding with the Promise Neighborhood project.
incorporate a tree house, a community garden and a green space, with flowers and benches and so on. Perhaps they will take my advice and incorporate a few hammock-style swings; however, maybe then I would spend too much time at the playground. Wanting this playground to be a symbol of the relationship with Main South, Canino is willing to “literally build the change” needed for this playground to work.
A student-run organization, they are recruiting the efforts of Physical Plant, UP and enthusiastic students who want to redesign a playground. As it is not Clark-affiliated, funding seems to be the number one problem. Looking to student organizations such as Student Council, on top of many potential bake sales, they hope to attain some sort of budget by November of 2011. So far, their dream goal would be to somehow
I’m in full support of Project Playground, both for the sake of my aesthetic view out my bedroom window and for the general morale of the Main South community. I am looking forward to some colors other than orange, and maybe some flowers and benches. It encourages community initiative, hard work and a love for childhood play. Article by Jean Jackson Photography by Caitlin O’Brien
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ARTSWorcester: The Woo’s Hidden Artist Advocate “I actually have to go to work in an hour” “Oh? Where do you work?” “ARTSWorcester” “What’s that?”
Article by Caitlin O’Brien Photography by Kimiko
This is a conversation I’ve had more than once since starting my internship at ARTSWorcester, “What’s that?” being the common question. I wish I could say that I’ve always known what ARTSWorcester was too, but once upon a time I was just as unaware as most of the people who ask. At this point you probably wondering what ARTSWorcester is. For those of you that don’t know, ARTSWorcester is Worcester’s very own memberbased art gallery and believe it or not, it is the only structured non-profit membership-based gallery in Central Massachusetts. ARTSWorcester is tucked away in the historical Aurora Building on the corner of Main Street and Chandler Street. It’s a bit hard to find, but definitely worth checking out. ARTSWorcester has been around for a while now, since 1979 to be exact. Since then, the private non-profit has been working to give artists a way to not only communicate with each other through events and workshops, but to connect with the community around them. Despite the fact that it is a Worcester based organization, artists from all over Massachusetts, and even throughout New England, are members. ARTSWorcester is run by a few key people behind the scenes. At the heart of the organization, are the executive director, program director, and several interns. The rest of the work is done by volunteers, a few hired specialists (the bookkeeper and installer), the visual arts committee, or the member artists themselves (which currently have a count of over 400!). With this manpower, the gallery hosts and displays over twenty exhibitions throughout the year ranging from hanging artwork in corporate buildings in downtown Worcester to their big blow-out show, the Biennial. To get a better perspective into what the organization does for the community of Worcester I spoke with Cindy Woehrle, the current program director of AW and an artist herself. When asked about it’s role in the community she spoke about the cultural side of Worcester, which often gets dismissed under the hard outer shell of its appearance. “ARTSWorcester has strong relationships with many of the other cultural institutions in Worcester, including Worcester Art Museum, The Historical Museum, The colleges, The Hanover, The Museum of Russian Icons, and more. In this sense we are well integrated with those who are involved with the culture of the city.” Often times ARTSWorcester works in collaboration with these institutions to find new ways to display art, help artists find work, and provide information about each other and the art that’s happening around Worcester. There is a strong support system for artists and art enthusiasts alike in this city; it just seems that sometimes, like ARTSWorcester, it’s hard to find. Cindy and I also discussed the importance of the members of ARTSWorcester and why its presence is so strong in the cultural community. Because it is a member-based organization, it is up to the artists to lead ARTSWorcester in the right direction. Depending on what is going on in the local scene, ARTSWorcester provides a space and a support system to get the word out. “ARTSWorcester is a reflection of the membership artists” says Woehrle, “we expand our programming based on what the members want to see done and the proposals that come in from our annual Gallery Call, which comes out every spring. Everything starts with one person and their ideas. ARTSWorcester is here to help facilitate those ideas and make them reality.” 26
I’ve really started to see what she means since working as a gallery intern there for the past five months. It’s exciting to see artists’ work come in and out of the gallery and see the type of artwork is being done right now. The pieces that we receive range from digital work to more traditional mediums such as painting and sculpture, to more alternative mediums such as encaustic. Being a member is very beneficial as an artist because of ARTSWorcester’s constant outreach to artists to get involved. Even just being on the mailing list gives you insight into the art events going on around Worcester. However, ARTSWorcester doesn’t just cater to established artists. The organization is just as involved in the colleges of the consortium, one of their largest events being the Annual College Show. This show allows students from all Worcester consortium schools to participate in an exhibition at the Aurora Gallery. As a participant, after filling out a bit of paperwork of course, AW provides a free membership to all participating artists. The show this year is undergoing some fundamental changes, says Woehrle, as ARTSWorcester looks to refresh some of its long running exhibitions. “We’ve added two new categories (New Media and Installation Art) and we’re inviting student committees to get involved with programming. As I said previously, ARTSWorcester is a reflection of our membership and we are excited to see not only what the students are doing in the classroom but also to see and hear their ideas about the new categories and about events that we can host for them”. Hopefully, by adding these new elements, ARTSWorcester can move towards being even more integrated in the college scene as well as maintaining it’s role as a support system for emerging and established artists. ARTSWorcester is a hidden gem in the heart of Main South. As of now it is undergoing a transition period between Executive Directors. Jan Seymore, ED for the past six years, just retired from ARSWorcester a month ago. Now, after a long process of thoughtful selection, the visual arts committee has chosen a new ED, Juliet Feibel, a PhD from Worcester. In light of this transition period, Woehrle is hoping to reach out to artists in different ways in an attempt to keep ARTSWorcester as fresh and as accessible as ever. She talks about some of her ideas, mentioning that she would like to “collaborate on more membership workshops and lectures, like the Nature Photography Night that took place at the end of October. Events like this will give artists a chance to meet other artists working in the same medium, or even allow artists of different mediums to learn something new about the work being discussed. It is the hope of the entire staff at ARTSWorcester that by refurbishing some of the ways in which they interact with the community and local artists that they can continue to grow. It is my hope that by writing this article, some more people will know about one of the amazing gems that reside in Worcester’s midsts. 27
The Dirt on Worcester’s Community Gardens Article by Michelle Scott Photography by Marian Stacey Although Worcester has traditionally served as motherland to many cold, hard objects of modernity, including inventions such as “the Pill” and the envelope-folding machine, we’ve also been cultivating something a little greener: produce! Ever since 1971, the Regional Environmental Council (or REC), a non-profit, grassroots, environmental justice organization, has been working within the Worcester community and collaborating with various constituencies to bring urban gardens to our urban jungle. So far, with forty one gardens, they are sticking to their mission statements: to help create programs that introduce neighbors to their like-minded neighbors, to address concerns with our climate, to prepare community leaders to tackle these issues, to fill our calendars with opportunities to participate and to serve as an advocate for the environment everywhere in Worcester. They’ve got high-apple-pie-in-the-sky hopes and they’re sticking to them. As their website proclaims, “Community gardens are for everyone. They are an important source of both learning and recreation.”
REC has three different programs running at the moment: the Food Justice Program, the Environmental Health and Justice Program and the Advocacy and Education Program. As part of their Food Justice program REC has been running UGROW (or Urban Garden Resources of Worcester) for thirteen years. The group has connected approximately 250 gardeners with gardens and the necessary resources to make things grow in them, including organic seeds and seedlings, compost, soil testing and an expertise that is hard to match. UGROW works with all sorts of people in all sorts of efforts, such as the School Garden Initiative, Senior Gardens Initiative and Arts @ the Gardens Initiative. Each of these enterprises engages a different facet of the community, leading the organization to work with children to incorporate the vegetable beds into their curriculum and general awareness, providing senior citizens easy accessibility through raised boxes and a platform for artistic expression.
REC has another subset of their Food Justice program called YouthGROW (or Youth Growing and Raising Organics in Worcester). Aside from snatching another opportunity to tout their acronym-making aptitude, this program is quite impressive in its own right. For eight weeks during the summer, 14-16 year olds are employed to work on two urban farms for three days a week. The programs are run in the Main South and Bell Hill neighborhoods, although Wednesdays find the group visiting another farm or youth program. Every decision is made through a process of consensus, with everyone getting a say.
With the extent of REC’s intentions and accomplishments, I am hardly scratching the surface. If you are still keen to know more about REC and their other programs, I suggest you pay close attention to the third installment of the Food Justice Program: the REC Farmer’s Market. Every Saturday, between the months of June and October, the Farmer’s Market is where you’ll find the freshest fares Worcester has to offer, from One Love Café, Best Jewelry, Artichoke Food Coop, Many Hands Organic Farm, YouthGROW Farm and many others. They have two locations, Great Brook Valley and Main South. And, because it would be weird if they didn’t have one, their website is recworcester.org.
How To Compost Article by Olivia Meny
Staying green can be hard in college, but an easy way to reduce our impact on the environment is composting. You can make an odorless reusable compost bin for your kitchen for less than $2.00. All you need is: SS An empty container with a resealable lid (a coffee can works great) SS A charcoal filter (you can get one from a local Pet Supplies Store) SS Glue (super glue or hot glue works best) SS Hammer SS Nail
Directions: 1. Use a hammer and nail to poke several holes in the lid of your container. 2. Glue the charcoal filter to the lid of the can. 3. Seal can and begin using. A few things to compost from around your dorm room: SS SS SS SS SS SS SS SS
Things not to compost: Any dairy products, meat products or fats, because these will spoil and attract flies
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Paper Cardboard Newspaper Tea grounds and bags Coffee grounds and filters Eggshells Fruits and vegetables Nut shells
entertainment
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Janelle Monรกe Photography by Anna Voremberg
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How To Blog
Article by Shalyn Hopley
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Think of a concept
Blogs can be about anything from your everyday life to a specific project; however, it is good to go in with a plan. What do you want to blog about? Is there a project you are working on or a goal you are working to achieve? You can write about it.
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Set some guidelines
Have some rules for your posts. Once you post something, it is out there on the Internet, which everyone can see. Although you can take it down, it still does not necessarily stop people from finding it. You will want to think about how personal you want to get. Blogs are not the right medium for airing out your dirty laundry or ranting about what your friend said to you in the cafeteria
FIND A PLATFORM You do not need to reinvent the wheel when creating a blog. There are lots of websites that have pre-designed formats for all your blogging needs. Try Blogger, WordPress, or Tumblr. They are all free and have a wide-variety of designs.
START BLOGGING
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Just start writing! Try keeping to a schedule, and stick with it. Most of all, have fun with it!
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Keeping Up with the Bar-ians (Pronounced bar-DASH-ians) Who exactly is this group, cleverly named The Clark Bars? SENIORS: Jean Dao, Alix Joslyn, Eiji Miura JUNIORS: Dan Deutsch, David Prentice, Ann Salerno (abroad Fall 2011), Tanya Savitt, Nika Sremac, Ariela Sturgis, Josh Trumm SOPHOMORES: Bryan Diehl, Matt Frey, Matt Grossman, Peter Herceg, Fin Miller FIRST-YEARS: David Bertoldi, Chi Le, Marina Khananayev, Emma O’Melia Before we find out more about these Bars, let’s learn a little more about their history!
room in the Kneller, and we sang for the Hillary Clinton rally in 2007! SM: Was there a most embarrassing moment? Probably when Caleb (‘10’) forgot the words to “Under the Sea” and just repeated the same line four times. And now for this year’s Bars! SM: How many CDs do you have? Are you recording right now? Article & Photography by Dan Deutsch
STIR Magazine: Who are you? Jaime Haber ’06, ’09 (MA) SM: When did it start? JH: Clark Bars was formed in 1989 by Taffy Lefkon (now Taffy Lefkon Breit). SM: What was your repertoire while you were a Bar? JH: Our repertoire included “Tribute” by Tenacious D, “The Freshman” by Verve Pipe, and “Annie Waits” by Ben Folds. SM: Did you perform for anyone famous? JH: We performed for Guster in the men’s locker
CB: We are currently selling four CD’s, including our newest one “May Contain Nuts” with hits like Mika’s high-noted “Grace Kelly”, Keane’s harmoniously complex “Somewhere Only We Know”, and Feist’s bubbly “1234”. We started recording for our next album at the end of last semester, so we can see a CD coming out in the next year or so. We wanted to name our last CD “Butterfinger Wannabes”, but there were copyright issues. SM: Anything new and exciting going on this year? CB: Well, we can’t tell you too much right now SM: When is your next gig? CB: We’re pretty much done for the semester, but look out for us on campus in the spring! 37
Dubstep Originating in England, Dubstep has become the latest craze for the East coast, and it has now arrived at Clark University. Although the mass population hasn’t quite caught on yet, Clark University has produced a loyal cult following including several DJ’s within this semester alone. Local nightlife destinations such as Club Universe, Spiritual Haze and Tammany Hall are now featuring weekly events dedicated strictly to Dubstep.
Euphoria - we’ve all heard of it and we all know what it is: the largest student-run event, second only to the International Gala on campus. But have you ever wondered what drives this event? Have you ever wondered what kind of music is being produced that draws a massive crowd year in and year out? Is it just dance, techno, house, trance, or is it something more? Within the roots of the electronic music that drive events like Euphoria is an underrated and underappreciated genre of music. Featuring electrifying drums that rock your body as overwhelming bass patterns wreak havoc against the floor, “Dubstep” promises patrons for one unforgettable experience.
In addition to local DJ’s “Bass Invaders”, Clark has also produced some new kids on the block going by the name of “B.D.M”. Within the group four members in particular, DJ E.Geist, DJ Wubson, DJ Stardriver, and DJ TucknRoll, have all established a status of fresh new styles with a serious case of the wubs. Participating in both “Banga Wednesdays at Club Universe” and “Electr*c Tuesdays at Tammany Hall” on a weekly basis, B.D.M continues to show a strong representation for the local fans at Clark and are constantly pushing the status quo one step at a time. So the next time you hear someone talking about a “Bass Cannon”, you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about. Article by Jeff Lee Photography by Anna Wang & Andy Renard
features
Life in Israel and the Gaza Strip Article by Vanessa Formato Photography by Miriam Ross
[Statements from interviewees are based upon personal experiences and opinions. They are not meant to represent the experiences or opinions of all Israelis or Palestinians.] onatan Melamed’s earliest memory takes place in his parents’ walk-in closet. He was only five on this day during the Gulf War when missiles were shot into Israel, and his family needed a place to hide; the closet would have to be their bomb shelter. They wore gas-masks for protection. Mahmoud Abdel Rahman recalls evenings spent sitting on his balcony watching “fireworks” go off in the streets below his home in the Gaza Strip. By age 14, he could identify the kind of bullet being shot by the size of the flash and the sound it made as it exploded from the barrel. We see the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in the press 40
on a near-daily basis. Grab your morning copy of the New York Times or open your web browser to BBC News, and you’re likely to see some report of the goings-on in Israel. However, as outsiders looking in, it is difficult to take it all in, to make sense of it. Do we really know what is happening in this small Middle Eastern country? “I will say that Israel is not what I would call a war-torn country,” says Melamed, a Clark senior studying International Development. According to the Cambridge Dictionaries online, the term “war-torn” refers to places that are “severely damaged by a long war, especially between different groups from the same country.” Melamed explains that Israel is not only highly-developed but “one of the most prosperous countries in the region,” and the conflict is largely localized in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which are not technically part of the same country as Israel, despite geographic location.
“While there are Palestinian-Arab citizens in Israel, in no way are they waging war against the Jewish citizens of Israel, or vice-versa,” says Melamed. Melamed hails from a small tourist town called Zichron Ya’akov, and he says it is important to remember that despite common misconceptions, much of the violence that occurs in Israel is limited to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Zichron Ya’akov does not share a border with either of these territories. Though bomb shelters are now required to be built with every home in Israel, his town has never experienced a direct attack. Where you live has a huge influence on how the conflict will affect you. “The main impact on daily life for everyone that is related to the Palestinian Conflict is suicide bombings,” says Melamed. In 1987 and again in 2000, there were intifadas—an Arabic term usually translated as “uprisings.” During these Palestinian uprisings, the public took to the streets with weapons in protest of Israeli control. Many succeeded in crossing established borders that
separate Palestinian territories and Israel to head into major cities. “There are two major ways [that suicide bombings occur],” says Melamed. “Either through explosives on their bodies on the street or [public places like] a public bus—or through detonating a bomb from a remote control type-of-thing. That happened in Tel-Aviv, in Jerusalem, in Haifa—in big cities, it happened.” Suicide bombings, by their nature, are contained incidents. They don’t generally have a large effect on those who aren’t in the vicinity of the incident. “It becomes part of daily life—an unfortunate part of daily life, but daily life,” Melamed says. “I dare not compare to 9/11, but when 9/11 happened, the entire United States stopped. Everyone from Florida to Maine stopped because of what happened in New York City. That’s because it was the first time ever anything of that sort ever happened, but in Israel it happens too frequently. Unless you’re immediately affected—unless it’s family, a friend, God forbid—on a day-to-day basis you’re not emotionally affected.”
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Since Abdel Rahman comes from the Gaza Strip, the Conflict has a more direct impact on his daily life—though he seems to agree with much of what Melamed is saying about the emotional implications. “Shooting is something normal,” Abdel Rahman, a junior Chemistry major, says, adding that he is, “sick of the situation.” There isn’t time to be afraid, but there is time to be tired of it all. He recalls many nights being woken up by explosions and gunfire, how his sisters would wake up and scream with fear, and he would want to yell back for quiet. It becomes frustrating to live in an environment like this where, “everyone [is] expecting death at any time” and 42
prayers have to be said—just in case. One of the biggest challenges Abdel Rahman has faced living on the Gaza Strip has been coping with border crossings. Not only are crossings tedious and potentially life-threatening, but the borders are closed by the Israeli government, meaning that free travel in and out of Gaza is impossible. For high school, he received a scholarship to study in Italy, so he needed to find a way out. Already a month late for school, he got ready to board one of the buses that would take people from Gaza to Egypt. He guesses that about 13 buses were 42
allowed through the border daily: his ticket was for bus 37, and he couldn’t wait anymore. “My brother came up with an idea,” Abdel Rahman says. “He said ‘jump on top’ and I was like ‘okay, fine.’ So I did. There were a lot of other guys up there, but before we were let through we were told we had to get in the bus or go back.” He says that only Israeli soldiers are allowed to walk on the ground at these checkpoints, so there had to be another solution. “We had to go in through the windows,” he says. Somehow he squeezed in. “It was like a tuna can. These buses are 50-capacity, and there were 200 people in there. It was 40 degrees (104 degrees Fahrenheit), too.” In 2007, while Skyping with family, he heard explosions and bullets. This was the night Hamas took control of Gaza, ousting Fatah officials. In the winter of 2008-2009, during the three-week-long Gaza War, Abdel Rahman’s family “all gathered in the most hidden room” for safety as the street erupted in violence once again. Sometimes they ran out of food and had to wait for breaks in the fighting to get supplies. It was a frightening time for Abdel Rahman: all he could do was watch helplessly from his dorm room halfway across the world. When the war ended, thousands of civilians were among the dead. Abdel Rahman still loves Gaza, and he plans to go back when he is finished with school. He hopes that Palestinian groups can put aside their differences and stop fighting each other. He would like to see negotiations for peace continue, but without so many “conditions,” which he feels are delaying a solution. And Melamed, too, wants peace. In his opinion, the West Bank should be given in full to the Palestinians, which could be a step toward quelling the violence in the region. Israel might not be a war-torn country, but there is little denying the effect that constant conflict has had on the people who live there.
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Advocacy Groups
carrying out Clark’s motto
STAND Rachel Gore & Jessie Risman
What are some challenges of being an advocacy group on campus? Everyone on campus is so busy and there are so many events that it can be hard to convince people to come to your event. We often face a similar challenge with raising compassion and active interest in the community for global causes. It is difficult for an individual to be passionate about all the causes of the world, or some or even any. This restriction challenges us to approach and present advocacy from creative modes, such as entertaining events (i.e. Sudan Secession Celebration), screenings, dinners and collaboration with other groups. What are some of the rewarding aspects of being in charge of a group like STAND? The primary reward is being a part of enacting positive social change, even on a small scale. In addition, it is highly rewarding to be able to connect not only to other activists at Clark, but also globally. Being a part of a community of global activists is highly encouraging in face of the challenges mentioned above. How do you get people motivated about the issues STAND tackles? We have found that documentary screenings are a great way to introduce the Clark community to issues they may not have heard much about before. We make sure to end every screening with specific action that can be taken, so that students can leave our events with a sense of empowerment. Also, drawing a connection between issues of far away places such as the DRC, and issues in our individual lives is paramount in moving individuals to action. How do the goals of STAND connect with your own personal career or life goals? It is easy to say that most people hope for their lives to have meaning and to be important: for some that is family or a high-responsibility job. For me, I find this sense of purpose in advocating for those that need solidarity and a voice.
ONE Campus Challenge Jessie Risman
What are some challenges of being an advocacy group on campus? One of the biggest challenges to being an advocacy group on campus is the simple fact that college students are busy. A lot of students don't want to take a few minutes out of their day to listen to short request to sign a petition or write a letter to their congressmen. They might need to study or work on a group project during the time we have a movie screening, coffeehouse, or some other event on campus. It is often really hard to get students to take time out of their day to participate in our advocacy work. How do you get people motivated about the issues ONE tackles? I think the best way to motivate college students about the issues ONE is trying tackle is to bring the issues closer to home. People in general, but especially college students whose entire worlds revolve around their small college campus, tend to see poverty and related issues as distant. They see it as affecting other people, people who don't live in the United States, people they have never met, etc. Bringing the issues closer to home allows people to better visualize these issues and the real effects they have in the lives of people everywhere. I think there are many ways to do that, but ONE has found two specific methods very effective: showing students how they can individually and collectively make a real difference, and helping students imagine themselves in the same situation. We ask students to imagine drinking dirty water every day, walking miles carrying heavy jerry cans to bring water back to your family, not being able to attend school because you caught malaria, etc. Once they see themselves in the same circumstances, the issues are no longer distant. They are real, could happen to anyone, and need advocacy and action to be solved and prevented. What is the hardest and best part of heading a group like ONE at Clark? The worst part of heading a group like ONE at Clark is that we are a very small group of students trying to do huge things on campus. The best part, however, is seeing Clark students come to our events and participate in our projects. It is great to see more and more people get involved and to witness more and more students caring about what is going on in the world and working to make a change. What are some of the rewarding aspects of being in charge of a group like ONE? There is nothing more rewarding then spending an immense amount of time planning and organizing an on campus event and then finally seeing students show up and participate. It takes a lot of effort from a huge amount of people to pull off something like a coffeehouse or concert, and once all the details finally fall into place, it is really great to see how many students show up and enjoy themselves. The best part is that you get to watch students have fun while making a difference in the world. You end up with petitions signed, letters written to congress, and students believing that they helped to make a change.
Invisible Children Jill Ceballos & Zoe Greenberg (Co-Presidents)
What are some of the challenges of being an advocacy group on campus? We have encountered many challenges advocating for an organization that needs funds. It is difficult to support Invisible Children because there are a lot of free events on campus so students are not eager to attend events that are used for fundraising. We also know that students don't have a lot of extra money to donate. Also, it is difficult to get students involved with a serious cause like Invisible Children, because while we like to host fun events, we don't want to lose the seriousness of the issue. When students see the Invisible Children films, they feel inspired to help, but as the weeks go on, it is hard to stay motivated and committed. The goals that we are working toward are very detached and distant from Clark's campus, so you don't see the results of your efforts as clearly as some other organizations. It is a challenge to get large attendance at our events and weekly meetings. What’s the most rewarding part of being involved with Invisible Children? It is rewarding to know that we are teaching students about such an important cause and that we are representing Invisible Children. Invisible Children is an incredibly inspiring youth movement and shows how young people can impact thousands of lives. The three founders of Invisible Children were our age when they started the organization, and since then have saved thousands of children and their families from the war and got President Obama to sign a bill initiating the Uganda Recovery Act. How do you create passion in other students about your issues? We try to get people motivated by screening Invisible Children's inspiring documentaries, and hosting the Roadie event every year. We always noticed a small increase in attendance after that event. We try to table for our events and advertise as much as possible in order to make people aware of our presence on campus, the events that we are holding, and the cause that we are supporting. We can move people easily, but we have a hard time keeping people motivated. Why did you first get involved with Invisible Children? The goals of Invisible Children are closely related to our personal goals. We would like to better the world in some way during our lives and Invisible Children is actively involved in bringing peace to an area that is in conflict and in improving the lives of people in need. More specifically we would like to end unnecessary deaths and suffering in the world and the conflict that Invisible Children is trying to mediate and resolve is a cause of many unnecessary deaths and much unnecessary suffering. What’s the best part of being involved with Invisible Children at Clark? The best part of heading a group like Invisible Children is knowing that we are a part of a larger movement that is really impacting people's lives.
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Informing Our Great Responsibility An intern’s take on the Informed Activism Summit
The Informed Activism: Armed Conflict, Scarce Resources, and Congo summit, which took place on the weekend of September 24th, 2011 brought more to mind for me than it might for others. I worked all through August and September on registration, non-governmental organizations recruitment, media interest, and on the basic logistics. It was quite a task. With over 40 Universities represented, 41 NGO’s, and many Clark students and faculty, I knew it was going to cause quite a stir. The Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies brought
together policy makers, activists, students and scholars for the first time. There was a range of individuals: U.S. State Department Representative to the Great Lakes Region, Adam Keith; ChouChou Namegabe, the International Knight Journalist Award Winner; Kambale Musavuli, a Congolese Activist; and more. Everyone was convening for the same purpose, or so we thought: to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to stop the mass rape of their female population, and to create informed consumers of the American people.
The debate during the second public panel was led by a young Congolese activist, an older Congolese activist, the executive director of an AmericanJewish non-profit, and the U.S. State Department Representative. The topic, naturally, fell to the role of the west, and the USA in particular, and their responsibilities to the DRC. This summit was spurred by the idea of “conflict-free” minerals, and the role that we as consumers have in funding mass violence. “Conflict-free” refers to the types of minerals that are mined in the DRC by militia groups. These groups take control of the mines and the lives of the people through mass violence and atrocities. These minerals, primarily Tin, Tantalum and Gold, make all of our electronics work and the market for them is extremely valuable. It became clear, despite these high stakes, that none of these individuals could reach a common understanding. Their differing methods and personal goals widened the already existing gap between them. It was striking to see, as an idealistic student, the great divides that lay before us.
Later in the day, I encountered the State Department Representative arguing with our keynote speaker in French. They seemed to be vehemently disagreeing. I walked by as quickly as possible, but this moment struck me. It was frustrating to see that after all the hard work I had put into the conference, those who agreed with each other affirmed their agreement, and those who disagreed split even further apart. Of course I recognize that the summit was dealing with issues of US foreign aid intervention, the role of the United Nations, our responsibility to protect, the psychological disassociations from other’s trauma, economic woes (on both ends) and more. These are complex issues that require time, compromises and more. What I cannot fathom, though, is that these educated and intelligent adults refuse to acknowledge that their refusal to fulfill their sometimes selfappointed duties results in more death in Congo. What I did find out, after the conference, was that these two later came to an understanding and so did many other activists. It was with hindsight that they were able to finally come to some consensus.
I walked away from the summit proud of the work I had put in, but I also wondered if the questions were too big for such a short weekend. Will these essential persons of the conversation ever convene again? The youth, the aging generations, the American activist and foreign governments, all have the same responsibility: to protect. I do believe that if we as students --- the future --- demand more of the adults who we call our leaders, we call our activists and we will one day call our past, more will be done. Just because an issue is complex does not mean it can fall to the wayside. In fact, it is our responsibility as the highly educated of our nation to invest our knowledge into these intricate situations. We can no longer disassociate ourselves: we must take responsibilities for our consumerism, our actions, and our future.
Article by Anna Voremberg Photography by Stephen King from Clark University 49
hat does it mean to be a Clarkie?
It’s a question I ask myself a lot. After three years of Clark, you’d think I’d have it down to a science. I could try to generalize. You’re probably a girl. Your wardrobe probably has too much plaid, too many cardigans and at least five pairs of boots. If you’re a guy, you probably have a group you “bro out” with, even if some or most of them are girls. You might work out, you might play a sport, you might do nothing physical, but either way, the ratio of girls to guys usually works in your favor. You might have experimented with your facial hair, probably because some girl suggested it, or you think it looks distinguished, or maybe you did it for Octobeard. Maybe you don’t identify as a gender, maybe you’re offended by my stereotypes of separating the sexes. In reality, a Clarkie isn’t “genderfied” and there are universal truths for all of us. You’re probably somewhat concerned about the environment and light social issues. You probably aren’t that religious, but, if you are, you’re Jewish. You might be a vegetarian, but you can’t resist a drunken chicken pizzarita. Glancing around the AC you know that you aren’t there to do work, you’re probably there to socialize and find your fellow classmates to complain with about the assignment due. The caf turns into a family table at a Saturday brunch, and you see everyone you saw last night. Maybe you’re trying to avoid an awkward hook-up or nursing your hang over with God’s gift to Clarkies: tater tots. You probably have really strong indefinable pride towards your first year dorm (Wright for life!). You probably feel very safe and comfy in the Clark bubble we exist in, and you might disagree with everything I just said. Clark isn’t a place you can define, it’s almost more like a feeling (more than a feeling). It’s like that fuzzy feeling you get from your favorite sweater on that first crisp day of fall, even if there are holes in it because you got it from Savers. It’s like getting an A on that paper you parked your butt on the fifth floor of the library for what felt like weeks. It’s like diving into the ocean when the 50
W temperature is perfect and your bathing suit stays on. There’s a satisfaction that comes with going to Clark, but not a smugness. Going to Clark has been nothing but an experience of indescribable interactions with people I’m never going to forget. There’s an indefinable quality about a Clarkie, kind of like the stuff marsh-mallows are made of.
What it means to be a Clarkie Being a Clarkie is like being in an exclusive awkward club where “everyone doesn’t fit in just as much as everyone else.” We don’t judge, we don’t categorize, we give you a chance, and often a second chance, because we get it. Clarkies get that sometimes life gets really weird, and you just need to express yourself by meowing like a cat or going on a hike alone.
Clark is a welcoming home of oddity; we embrace the awkward, we salute to the strange, and we encourage individuality. As a Clarkie, the coolest thing you can do is be yourself. So what does it mean to be a Clarkie? It means to experience life, express yourself and above all, disregard what others think, and be yourself.
Article by Jean Jackson 51
1. when weird sweater day is everyday. 2. when people assume you are liberal, smoke weed and don’t believe in god. 3. when you challenge convention. 4. when the green is a canvas for all clark expression of individuality. 5. when your professor leaves in the middle of class to go get a flu shot. 6. when you are in the library and you see someone switch the bins around so they are properly arranged under the “trash” and “recycling” signs. 7. when you’ve seen Freud dressed up in at least fifteen different costumes. 8. when you are weird because you AREN’T heavily involved in some kind of club, group, or organization that takes up half of your time outside of class. 9. when you walk through the green any given spring day and see people laying out in bathing suits in the 50 degree weather attempting to get some “color. 10. when you go to the AC in the hopes of getting work done, but after 4 hours of being there you realize you’ve only typed two sentences for your 10 page paper, but you’ve talked to five times that many people. 11. when you know not to use the doors on the right to the UC or AC because they don’t really open. 12. when the phrase “No, I can totally get work done in the AC,” sounds like a legit excuse two hours after you already got there. 13. when the police blotter ALWAYS ends with “...and one count of marijuana possession.” 14. when you realize there must be a hiding place in the library that you still haven’t found. 15. when you walk by smashed car windows all the time. 16.
when your car gets destroyed by potholes.
17. when you bring a blanket and spend the night in the library studying for finals. 18. when you start losing touch with friends who live on the other side of campus because the three 52
you know
you’re
blocks it would take to walk there “is so far away.” 19.
Zach Schnitzer.
20. when you see students juggling circus balls and riding unicycles. 21. when you think being called a hippie is a good thing. 22. when calling someone a republican is one of the worst insults you can lob at them. 23. when walking from Charlotte street to the library is too far. 24. when you get to class 5 minutes late, and the professor walks in with you. 25. when you try to avoid someone, and you end up seeing them everywhere you go. 26. when you avoid the 5th floor of the library, unless you really want to get work done, or to get yelled at for breathing too loudly. 27. when all the good parties get busted as you’re walking to them. 28.
when you get timely warnings...
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when a 4 becomes a 9.
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when you’ve been in the secret staircase.
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when everyone “is a mac.”
32. when you worry about encountering Woo-Rats on your way home. 33. when the person in front of you holds the door for you, even when you’re ten yards behind them.
Article by Abby Johnson Photography by Caitlin O’Brien
34. when you leave Clark and still try to flush the toilets up or down. 35. when you complain about having to walk 5 minutes to class. 36.
a clarkie when...
when you’ve put an X on the SexFest map.
37. when you’ve spent your 4 years procrastinating in the AC. 38. when you feel spree day should be a nationally proclaimed holiday. 39. when you have a really dorky conversation about activist issues and you love it. 53
40. when you notice people playing Quidditch in the Zen Garden. 41. when you accept someone’s uniqueness without question, and shrug it off by saying, “Oh Clark.” 42.
when you’re still walking to class in a blizzard.
43. when the internet gives out right as you’re about to sign up for classes. 44. when you can’t remember the last time a republican was invited on campus. 45. when you’ve waited 40 to 50 minutes for escort because it’s THAT cold out. 46. when you’ve sat through all nine hours of gala, and loved every minute of it. 47. when you can’t have a discussion about development without bringing up Asher’s modernity line and the smiley faces. Oh wait, that’s an International Development joke... Ok, you know you go to Clark when you hear people tell International Development jokes. 48. when the majority of your friends are psych majors. 49. when almost all of your friends have sexually explicit pictures with Sigmund Freud. 50. when Just Do It Day has no sexual innuendos at all. 51. when you’ve walked by snow banks taller than you… in March...and October. 52. when it is normal in any situation for there to be 10 girls and one guy. 53. when everyone doesn’t fit in just as much as everyone else. 54.
when two blocks away is two blocks too far.
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when you don’t have to go more than twenty
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yards to complete your walk of shame. 56. when people complain when they only have a two minute walk to class. 57. when you get emails from Mike McKenna laced with large, bold, red lettering talking about this week’s events, but you never ACTUALLY read them. 58. when you see someone doing laps on a unicycle around the green and think to yourself, “let’s party with THAT guy.” 59. when you can’t walk three blocks without smelling weed. 60. when, if you’re 21, most nights start at, end at, or include the Blarney. 61.
if you’ve partied at 64.
62. when you walk by Sanford to go to class and people are “smoking”. 63. when even though its 3am and everyone in the room is thoroughly intoxicated, there is still an in depth conversation going on about the effects of globalization on business. 64.
when you’ve partied with your RA.
65.
if you drink PBR and don’t hate it.
66. when you’ve smoked on top of the library, on the green, in the zen garden, in front of dana commons, with Freud…the list continues. 67. if you’ve drunkenly played on the playground on Downing Street. 68. when the recycling bins in the freshman dorms are filled with beer cans because everyone is more concerned about recycling than getting caught drinking. 69. when 1am on a weekend night means pizzarita time.
70. when you find out second semester sophomore year that Clark doesn’t have Fifth Year for psych.
type of speaker coming to Clark.
71. when you complain about walking more than 2 minutes to get anywhere.
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72. when you overhear two guys talking about the different types of werewolves...in a serious conversation. 73. when no matter how many times you have been in the library, it is always a challenge to find the correct exit. 74.
when you’ve seen Benny the Tailless Squirrel.
75. way.
when you hate like-a-little, but look at it any-
76. when you’ve bo-moed (black-out make-out) at Euphoria with someone. 77. when you know it’s a serious date because it’s on Shrewsbury Street. 78. when you’re still on some form of meal plan as a senior. 79. when you’re on a first name basis with Mr. Fantastic. 80.
when you’ve thrown up from China Lantern.
81. when you wake up early enough just to have your eggs handcooked at the caf. 82. when you’ve dropped $20 on a pizza at Flat’s because it’s just that good. 83. when Annie knows exactly what to get you as soon as you walk into her diner. 84. when you’ve gotten lost trying to get to Heath Services.
86. when you wear your LL Bean boots out to a party and you’re proud about it. if you have a feather in your hair.
88. when you see two drops of rain on the ground and break out the rain boots. 89. when you’ve had to chew the mailroom out more than once. 90.
if you’ve ever asked, “what’s the BP building?”
91.
if you’ve been on the roof of the Kneller.
92. if you’re too scared to walk up Woodland alone. 93. when the caf ends up being the “safe zone,” and going in there on a Saturday morning means staying until 2 or 3 pm without worrying about work…only to find the pressure rushing back as you walk out the double doors. 94. when you’ve learned the secret to getting the first piece of pizza. 95. if you’ve gotten caught or yelled at for trying to sneaking food from the caf. 96. when getting up 10 minutes before class is perfectly acceptable. 97. when you go to the Bistro on Saturday night to get a soda and run into every single drunk person on campus. 98. when you’ve been here for three years, and are just finding out that Clark has its own pool. 99. when you know intimate details about the sex lives of people you have never spoken to.
85. when you get about three events a day inviting you to an international dinner, a club meeting or some 55
sTyLE
Halloween Makeup Photography by Julia Rubin Art Direction by Joan Chan
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A Feathery Craze: Feather Extensions When a successful product goes into the beauty industry, many women (and some men) flock to stores to try to get their hands on the new (Is there a word missing here?). Feather extensions have been a popular craze recently. Why would putting feathers in your hair seem so appealing? These feathers come in all different colors and styles. They can be treated like your own natural hair: they can be curled, straightened, washed, combed, and styled. The feathers are attached onto your hair by a small bead which blends in with your hair and can last anywhere from 2-7 weeks. The process does not take very long and can be done in a salon by a hair stylist or in the comfort in your own home by yourself. The feathers can basically now be found anywhere from beauty salons, to online websites, even the Walgreens on Park Avenue. Dozens of Youtube gurus have made videos on how to put them in and even how to style them. Celebrities including KE$HA and Steven Tyler have all been seen sporting this look. The feathers can even be attached to pets. Our very own Clarkies have been seen adorning these feathers in their hair due to Feathered Friends, started by a few Clarkies. It seems almost every successful product and new craze has a downside. Getting feathers is a relatively affordable way of doing something with your hair without taking too much of a risk (like going blond if you have black hair). But recent controversies in how the feathers are obtained are making stylists think twice about featuring feathers extensions as part of one of their services. When there is a big demand, there needs to be a big supply.
The feathers used for feather extensions are generally rooster saddle feathers (meaning they come from their backsides). Some roosters are farmed just for their feathers -- once the feathers are obtained, the roosters are killed. These feathers were initially used for fishermen as lures. But now, since the consumer of the product is no longer fishermen but young, trendy women, the treatment of the roosters are getting worse. The saddle feathers initially selling for $50 a saddle are now selling for $500 a saddle. Recently on Ebay, I stumbled upon synthetic feather extensions selling for significantly less than the real feathers. There are also DYIs online for synthetic feathers. You can also recycle the feathers you already have by saving them after they have fallen out and have them reattached. Although there is controversy to the feathers, I feel that it is a trend that is here to stay. Feathers are here to stay along with leather jackets, leather boots, down jackets, snakeskin bags, and even your favorite lipsticks, chapsticks, and hair sprays. Does supporting these products really mean that you’re supporting animal cruelty? This article may be contradictory, but I present the facts for you to decide what to do. Article by Joan Chan Photography by Julia Rubin 61
“I read Elle magazine and Nylon; my style icons are Natalie Portman (she wears a ton of Zac Posen and I love his unique pieces) and old school Marilyn Monroe. For fall I’m looking forward to wearing jewel tones and chunky sweaters for the Worcester winter!” Margot Gorfinkle / New York, NY / Freshmen
“I honestly don’t read fashion magazines or have a style icon. I am so excited to be able to wear big sweaters and boots this fall!” Olivia Treuber / Portland, Oregon / Freshmen
style
snapshots
Michelle Aroko / Salem, MA / Junior “I’m excited to wear boots, heels, turbans, and furs. I read Elle and Cosmopolitan. I’m inspired by Angela Simmons and Alexander McQueen.” 62
Carolynn Connor / Rhode Island / Freshmen “I read Cosmo mostly. My style icon is Zooey Deschanel. My favorite thing to wear is ankle boots in fall!”
“Were both excited to wear boots, scarves, fur vests, hats, turbans, sweaters and oversized sweaters for the fall/ winter season. We are both inspired by Vogue, In Style, Elle, and Nylon. Our style icons are Rihanna, Beyonce, Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian.”
Alison Tran / Boston, MA / Senior (Left) Blair Clarke / New York, NY / 5th year (Right)
who is your style icon?
Article & Photography by Hannah Martin
Vanessa Carrasco / Bolivia / Freshmen “I don’t really read fashion magazines, but I do like Vogue. Rachel Bilson inspires me. I’m excited to be able to wear boots!”
America Young / New York, NY / Senior “I read Nylon, Vogue, and W. My style icons are definitely Kate Moss and Rachel Bilson. I’m excited to wear long skirts this fall!” 63
S U P ink M A C
Article & Photography by Chloe Nordlander & Michelle Latino
Andrea Siemaszko > Her senior year one of her friends committed suicide unexpectedly—he seemed happy. From this, she learned that people cannot be judged by their exterior and her appreciation of life grew. She realized the many beauties of life and made a pact with herself to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Her tattoo, “bella vida” translated from Italian means “beautiful life.”
Catherine Walker > She believes her totem animal is a Phoenix, and that through every hardship one can be reborn.
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Claire Tierney > Her tattoo translates to “strengthen the face of adversity,” which is something that she really lives by.
Dareé Colón > She had designed a meaningful tattoo that had a butterfly in it, but didn’t bring it with her when she went to get her tattoo so she picked this one out of a book. She plans to get the original tattoo later on.
Chloe Nordlander
> She spent two summers in Africa which inspired her tattoo “ubuntu” on her wrist. Ubuntu is an African philosophy of unity that she believes in and means a lot to her. Her dream catcher tattoo was inspired by the quote, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” (Eleanor Roosevelt). 65
winter boots
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Photography by Megumi Koyama
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underwater
underwater
photography by Kyle Allen & Hannah Althea Kay
underwater
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG ?
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Photography by Megumi Koyama
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WHAT’S IN
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YOUR BAG?
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WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG ?
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mind + body
RELATIONSHIP ADVICE from a guy who knows nothing about relationships Article & Photography by Jacky Cheng
a
s a single guy in college, my biggest worry usually centers on what show is coming up on the Food Network. But for my housemates and friends, love (and hook-ups) can sometimes be the trending topic of the day. Questions of “Does she?” and “Will he?” fly across the living room and, before you know it, an episode of Chopped has come and gone. Thus, in an attempt to answer some thoughts sur l’amour – and to stop interrupting my food-learning time – here are a few words on romance. And for my first piece of advice: You should probably do the opposite of anything I write here.
“Hey let’s hang out tonight!” does not work! Grabbing a girl’s waist to get her attention does not work! Showering her with rose petals when she comes out of a class does not work!
The classic question
I forgot my name, can I have yours?
Asking the girl out: this step, as with all first steps, is always the hardest one to take. For a few guys, it is because we are afraid of being rejected. But for many other men, the problems tend to stem from being too cocky. So let’s get this straight. Sending multiple texts of 80
Okay, maybe that last one might work… The key is being casual, but not too casual! Simply ask to get coffee sometime, or tell her about this restaurant (One Love would be a great place, by the way) you want to try out. Remember to smile! And stay calm…or at least look calm.
If you’re one of those guys that use pick-up lines on women, you are in luck. I’m here to tell you that it might just work. It’s all about how you approach this method. According to a source –
and therefore, I bear no responsibility for these statements –pick-up lines work only when you express it in the form of humor. For example, going up next to someone with the statement, “You’re so beautiful you made me forget my pick-up line!” might just bring out a small smile. However, if you’re dancing with a girl, do not whisper into her ear, “Are you going to kiss me tonight, or do I have to lie to my journal?” Dress to impress Want to look good for dinner and movies? Then lose the t-shirt and put on a casual or semi-formal dress shirt. Find one that is fitted, not too wide and not too long. (If the dress shirt is long, tuck it in as it’s meant to be!) Go for shirts that are not too colorful or over-patterned. After all, simplicity is best! For good dress shirts, I recommend suggest H&M or Ubiq (For best results, unbutton the top two buttons!).
On reaching around her I remember the first time I placed an arm around a girl. It was nerve-wrecking as hell! And from that experience, here is my checklist for that affectionate moment. • Is she your girlfriend, or someone you are close with? • Does she feel the same way about you? • Have you showered? Are you clothes clean? • Is she actually sitting next to you? Does the moment warrant placing your arm around her? If you’ve excitedly nodded to each of the points above, you may make the move. I guess. I mean, I’m not really sure. That first time was eight years ago! It’s all semantics, really Contrary to popular belief, sounding intelligent does not mean using big words! Most likely, your date would be bored to tears if you discuss Lambda calculus or econometrics (unless she is a mathematics fanatic). Instead, be articulate, honest, and open to different types of conversation.
How far can I go for a first date? For a first date, I would suggestion finding the nearest sit-down restaurant, preferably within a half- mile of your home. Jokes aside, I’m going to suppress my lax-bro persona and say that the first date should never be about if you can get in someone’s pants. At most, expect to walk her home and perhaps a simple kiss or smile. That is, unless you’re the next George Clooney. Then you probably wouldn’t be reading this right now. 81
Getting through the 6th date A few years ago, I spoke with a girl who had been dating my roommate for over five years. I asked her how she, being a teenage, could be in a relationship for so long when I can barely focus on a textbook for more than 10 minutes. “Well,” she responded with a loving smile, “he just always keeps me interested. Every day, I feel like we’re doing something new. I mean, to me, lasting relationships aren’t about feeling obligated to stay together. It’s about living in the moment and finding ways to make that moment last.” Well said, Vanessa. Well said. On rejecting someone Once upon a time, a beautiful girl from Belarus said
to me, “Jacky, I’ve been getting the impression that you think our friendship could become more than that…but the only way I can think of you is as a great Chinese friend.” Funny thing is I didn’t even ask her out! (Certainly debatable, but that’s a story for another time) Nonetheless, this is what I would call a textbook rejection. She was straightforward, to the point yet polite and respectful. And, yes, she really did label me as a great Chinese friend. I swallowed my embarrassment and told her I understood. Things eventually became less awkward and, today, I even call her my best Belarusian friend.
Is she the one? Do you really, really love cheesecake? Did she bake you cheesecake? If you’ve answered yes to both of these questions, then no, she is not the one. Certainly, true love is much more. It encompasses both the highs of the initial ‘honeymoon’ stage and the passion that guides us through the low points. It is about really knowing what’s on her mind, and wanting still to find out more. Sure, there can be times when tears come out, but the laughs shared will always shine brighter. After all, true love is much more. But cheesecake would be a good first step to it. 82 82
Tasty Tea Time Treats Article by Alexis Carlson
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease baking sheet with butter. Roll dough to 3/4 inch thickness. Use fluted 2 inch cutter to punch out scones. Beat egg yolk with remaining milk and brush on scones. Place on baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until risen and golden brown. Makes: 24 small, 16 medium, 10-12 large scones
Egg Salad Sandwich
Ingrediants: 2 small slices bread 1 hard-boiled egg 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise 1 teaspoon chopped green onion or chives ½ tsp salt and pepper Preparation: 1. Chop the hardboiled egg into small pieces. Add the mayonnaise salt, pepper, and chives or green onion. Mix well. 2. Spread mix onto sandwich and cut into two triangle shapes.
English Scones
Ingrediants: 3 cups self-rising flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 4 ounces (1 stick) of unsalted butter at cool room temperature) 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk 1 cup dried currants 1 egg yolk Preparation: 1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the sugar. Cut butter into bits and work it into the dry ingredients with fingertips or mixer. 2. Gradually add 1 cup milk and the currants, if using, and mix with a fork. Knead lightly by hand. Wrap dough in plastic. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
Makes: 1 sandwich Per serving: 227 calories, Protein 8g, Carbohydrates 28g, Fat 12g.
Cream Cheese and Cucumber Sandwich
Ingrediants: 2 small slices of bread 2 tbsp of cream cheese Âź cucumber sliced thinly
Preparation: 1. Spread the cream cheese over each slice of bread 2. Place slices of cucumber on each side and then press sandwich closed 3. Trim crusts off Makes: 1 sandwich Per serving: 98 calories, Protein 3g, Carbohydrates 15g, Fat 4g. 83
Pot-Luck Perfect
Article & Photography by Caitlin O’Brien
In case you haven’t noticed, Clark University students are pretty big on pot-lucks, especially those that live off-campus. Pot-lucks are a great idea when you want to get everyone together, despite busy schedules, in a casual and fun setting (perfect for the Clarkie that is so busy, they feel like they’ve been blowing everyone off unintentionally – you know what I’m talking about!). The only issue with having pot-lucks is the stress that comes with it. Maybe not for the host, but as a guest the dire question is: “What on earth can I make in the time that I have?” Well, having been to plenty of pot-lucks in the past few months, I’m here to tell you not to worry. I have included some fool-proof recipes, verified delicious by various pot-luck goers, that I’ve used in the past. Good luck and happy cooking!
Appetizer: Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries
Side Dish: Pesto and Green Bean Potato Salad
What You’ll Need: 2 lbs. sweet potatoes 3 teaspoons olive oil A pinch of salt and pepper 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
What You’ll Need: ¼ lb. red potatoes, quartered 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup water ¼ lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons pesto 1 ½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
How To Make It: Preheat oven to 470 F Peel sweet potatoes, and then slice them into thin wedges. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread potato wedges on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. After taking them out, toss again with cinnamon and enjoy!
How To Make It: In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook about 10 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain; cool. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook green beans for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Combine potatoes with green beans in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together pesto, oil, vinegar, and lemon pepper (you can even do this while the potatoes and green beans are cooking). Pour over potatoes and toss to coat them. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve!
Main Course: Stuffed Shells What You’ll Need: 1 (12 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells 2 eggs, beaten 1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese 1 lb. Shredded mozzarella cheese, divided in half 8 ounces grated parmesan cheese, divided in half 1 tablespoon dried parsley 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
How To Make It: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (to taste!). Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined. Stuff the cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together pasta sauce, mushrooms (if using), and leftover mozzarella and parmesan. Pour over stuffed shells. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set. Remove, cover, and put in oven to keep warm until serving.
Dessert: Black Bottomed Cupcakes What You’ll Need: For the Filling: 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 1/3 cup granulated (course white) sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 2 oz. bittersweet (60% cocoa or more) chocolate, chopped up or in chip form For the Cupcakes: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 5 tablespoons naturally unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s is what I usually use) 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make It: Filling: Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate (chips) pieces. Set aside. Cupcakes: Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Line muffin tin with muffin cups. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, brow sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Make a hole or well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. Don’t stir too long because you will over-mix the batter and end up with less-thantender cupcakes! Divide the batter among the muffin cups and spoon a few tablespoons of the filling into the center of each cupcake. Make sure to divide the filling evenly! Fill the cups almost completely. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown. Take out and let cool before serving.
Ten Ways to De-Stress in Ten Minutes Let’s face it; college students are busy. We have classes, homework, clubs, jobs, and social engagements. With so much on our plates, we can sometimes forget to set aside time to relax. While mental health days are preferred and often necessary, on days you can’t just lounge around in pajamas watching movies, here are some simple, quick ways to clear your head amidst the chaos of your day. Ten minutes between classes is all you need to ground yourself and turn your outlook from overwhelmed and overworked, to peaceful and productive. Remember: Everybody is different, so pick the destresser that works for you.
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Write. It might sound like the opposite of relaxing, but writing down what’s stressing you out can help you organize your thoughts, and even realize that your tasks are manageable.
3.
Dance. Solitary or with friends, all you need is a few minutes of Shakira-style hip wiggling and you’ll be feeling brand new. Make a playlist specifically for these occasions. You don’t need to be in the club to bust a move.
4. Plan. Planning a vacation or a party gives you something to look forward to and serves as motivation for carrying out your day!
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Breathe. Yes, it might sound simple, but we sometimes forget to do it. Setting aside just 10 minutes to breathe slowly and deeply can center your body and focus your mind.
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Sip. Whether it’s chamomile if you want to unwind at the end of a long day or green tea to rejuvenate yourself, drinking tea is a quick de-stresser.
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Nap. It might sound obvious but a 10 minute snooze is often the best way to rejuvenate yourself in the middle of a hectic day. Just avoid long naps (more than 30 minutes) and don’t do it in class!
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Clean. Clean? De-stressing? Though it may not be relaxing for everyone, sometimes organizing your room or washing the dishes can help to clear a cluttered mind as well.
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Chat. Call a friend and catch up. Gossip, giggle, and even complain about your life. That’s what friends are for, remember?
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Create. Draw, paint, photograph, sculpt. Using the artistic side of your brain will distract you from your daily routine and calm your nerves. (If you’re an art major, this one may not be your best bet.)
10. Read. Reading for pleasure is an instant escape, a vacation to a far-away world, where the drama that unfolds is not yours to manage. Take yourself on a literary getaway and you’ll be ready to handle your own reality when you return.
Happy de-stressing! Article & Photography by Julia Rubin 87
Features Article by Sara Lieto
eauty… it’s an attribute we all wish we had, but the word “beautiful” is saved for only the few Kim Kardashian and Blake Lively look-a-likes out there. Or is it? Most of us have the Mean Girls approach to looking in the mirror “My pores are huge. At least you can wear halters, I’ve got man shoulders.” We all find something “abnormal” with our bodies and decide to condemn it as our flaw.
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Yet these scars, skin tags, under-eye-bags, body parts with strewed proportions… they’re the things that make the students around Clark so beautiful. I’m sure you’ve noticed the birthmark on the person who sits in front of you in Bio is super sexy, or the girl down the hall who’s ears are a bit large is adorable. Keep your eyes open around campus because at Clark beauty is ubiquitous.
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STIR it up
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DĂa de Muertos
Photography by Victoria Krinsky
How to Be Your Own Editor
Dead words. Oh, how happy I am that I learnt about these little devils early on in my writing career. Ironically, it came around because of a writing class my mother signed me up for when I wasn’t more than 8 and — despite my general dislike of my teacher and the overall course – what I learned about dead words has stuck with me ever since. That’s more than 10 years! Dead words are words that are so overused that they have lost their ‘power’. As an editor, one of the first things I look to remove are dead words. Dead words are a writer’s quick fix, and an editor’s worst nightmare. Though not everyone is lucky enough to have a personal editor at their side, it is still possible to greatly increase the strength and overall effect of your work simply by removing the dead words. My personal (least) favourite dead words are: ‘but’, ‘like’, ‘lots’, ‘it’, ‘good’ and ‘very’. Despite there being many others, from my experience, these are the most over-used and bothersome of the dead words. What’s more, they are easily removed from your writing. Please, annihilate these dead words upon sight.
Article by Jessa Green BUT
previously mentioned sentence. The word ‘so’ isn’t as unacceptable as other dead words, but in the many instances I see it, I’ve come to think it might need to be banned from most literary pursuits. There are indeed some places it makes sense, and I wouldn’t dream of telling you to replace those. However, please read your piece aloud to check and see if they really flow or not. If not, consider replacing ‘so’ with ‘thus’, ‘accordingly’, or‘therefore’.
LIKE
Similar to ‘so’, ‘good’ has instances of being an okay word to use. However, as a descriptor it is a fairly large NO and will certainly receive a mark from that dreaded red pen. Instead of saying something was ‘good’, try ‘excellent’, ‘wonderful’, ‘entertaining’ or another describing word. While ‘good’ can be okay from time to time, it is a dead word for a reason.
The word ‘but’ can most often be replaced by ‘however’ or a host of other words. If you can ever remove the word from your writing, please do so. The word ‘but’ has become the bane of editors all over. For some reason, writers seem attached to the word. Why? I’ll never understand. ‘But’ is a terrible word with no real use or cadence, and unless you’re trying for cacophony there should be no reason to employ it.
Even the thought of the word ‘like’ makes me cringe. Perhaps it is the use of the word ‘like’ by today’s ‘valley-girls’. Or is it the over-use of it to compare similar things in weak literature? I may never know, but this is definitely high up on my ‘top ten dead words to murder’. Similar to ‘but’, ‘like’ is easily removed from pieces. Please, for the love of all that is good, replace ‘like’ with ‘such as’, ‘similar to’ or ‘similarly’.
LOTS
Are you really so tired that you could not think of any other way of saying ‘there were lots of fish in the lake’? Because even at 1.30 in the morning, I can think of many different ways of replacing the word ‘lots’ in that sentence. For instance, ‘many different’, ‘numerous’, ‘scores’ or ‘multitudes’ would certainly empower your sentence to fully take advantage of a readers’ senses. ‘There were so many fish in the lake!’ This gives me the same sense of dread as the 94
SO
GOOD
IT
I use this one a lot, as I am sure you do. ‘It’ is an escape clause, or something of the sort. As the writer, you might think that what you are referring to with ‘it’ is obvious. I can almost assure you, it is not. Unless you are very obviously talking about one person, place, or thing, using ‘it’ is a sure-fire way to confuse your reader. I suggest either re-describing what you are describing (in a recognisable manner) or continuing to use names. Ambiguous references are the most difficult to discern as a reader, and unless you’re trying to confuse your reader, the flow is more important.
KID
While this one doesn’t show up so much in short
stories, novels, and novellas, it shows up too often in essays so I thought I would mention it. It’s simple enough, replace ‘kid’ with ‘child’, ‘adolescent’, or other descriptors.
GREAT
No, great is not great. Great is so overused that even typing the word three times already has made me wince. Please, please, please, try not to use ‘great’. Instead, use ‘marvellous’ or ‘fantastic’. Those are wonderful (oh hey, another one!) alternatives.
NICE
Only use ‘nice’ if you really do mean that the next door neighbour was ‘nice enough to bring over a box of biscuits’ or ‘nice’ to your little sister. Nice is NOT an appropriate descriptor. Instead, employ ‘pleasant’, ‘charming’, ‘captivating’, ‘intriguing’, ‘kind’, ‘pleasurable’, ‘intelligent’… in other words, just use what you meant by ‘nice’ and move on.
VERY
Very is so overused that when I see too many instances of it in any given piece, I automatically assume it is written by an illiterate twelve year old. Not to be mean to illiterate twelve year olds, but sentences such as ‘The boy was very nice to her’ or, even worse yet, ‘the vampire was very, very intelligent because he did not drink very often’ are terribly juvenile. Despite these being simplistic sentences, in and of themselves, without the zealous use of the dead word ‘very’, they certainly wouldn’t make me want to grind my teeth in complete agony. Alternatively, attempt using ‘extremely’, ‘exceedingly’, ‘incredibly’, ‘intensely’, ‘truly’, ‘especially’, ‘shockingly’, or ‘immeasurably’ instead.
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se these suggestions well, as the use of dead words lowers the grade of your writing considerably. By simply going through your paper and removing dead words, it’s possible for your grade to improve significantly. Of course, editing is a tough business. Editing is an art of perfection. Perfection, though, is not always an option, and from time to time, you don’t want your writing to be perfect. The ability to not follow all the rules of rhetoric and structure is something that we, as writers, have the luxury of. You want your sentence to flow a certain way? Don’t put in that comma that should be there. However, editing is an important process that should always be followed – even if you think your work is exactly the way you want it. As a writer, I understand the difficulties of selfediting. You want to keep those rambling sentences because you wrote them the way you wanted to. You want to keep that strange structure. You want to just upload and get it over with.
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diting can be a time-consuming process. After all, perfection takes time! But this short bulleted list will help you edit your work and help it come closer to reaching that high shelf where perfection is perched. 1) Read your work aloud. This is the MOST important editing tip I could give you. I personally won’t even touch another writer’s work unless they have already read it aloud. Reading aloud will help you find inconsistencies, run-on sentences, repetition, and many more parts of rhetoric that we writers seem to have problems with. 2) Leave it for a day, and then return to it. Part of what makes editing your own work so difficult is that you’re connected to it. By leaving it for a day and then going back to it, you will have gained some distance from your writing and some of the more obvious errors should reveal themselves to you. 3) Pretend you’re editing someone else’s piece. This one might be more difficult, but something that helps me is convincing myself that I’m actually editing a fellow writer’s work and not my own. By doing this I am able to separate myself from my own personal love of my AMAZING run-on sentences and misuse of repetition. 4) Paraphrase. If you’re like me, when you read this you probably thought ‘but paraphrasing is for poetry and English class!’ but I’m here to tell you, it’s a great editing tool. If your work is short enough to paraphrase without much difficulty, take another piece of paper and re-write each sentence in a different way. This will help you discover the clarity of your phrasing, force you to look closer at your structure, and help you to discover any useless redundancies strewn throughout your piece. 5) Last but not least, annotate! Annotating is another skill most people will only use in their English courses when required to do so for school. As an English-nut, I’ve gotten into the habit of annotating almost everything! In the process, I discovered what a useful editing tool it can be. By annotating your own work you can find what elements of rhetoric you’ve utilized and whether they are affecting your piece they way you want them to. By reading it closely, you’re also much more likely to discover any blatant errors.
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Paintdotnet: The Basics
Article & Photography by Holden Beale
This is a short tutorial on how to use paintdotnet, a free and easy to use alternative to photoshop. If you’ve ever wanted to manipulate images, but have been intimidated by photoshop’s complex interface and hefty price tag, this brief guide is here to help you. In this guide, we’ll be learning how to use paintdotnet (or pdn as it is affectionately known) in a couple ways including cleaning up small facial blemishes, making a photo “artsy” quickly, and doing silly things with layers. We’ll start with the Madison Avenue treatment because it’s the simplest and most applicable. Basically, we’re going to zoom in close to various facial blemishes, and blur them so that they are less noticeable. Starting up pdn, you’ll see a blank palette with the tools on the left, and the color wheel and layer menu on the right. If you’re not sure what those are, that’s ok. To get started, you’ll need to open up a picture you want to edit; I’ll be using this photo I took of myself with my phone. After opening your photo of choice, take a look at the toolbar on the left. The two main tools we’ll be using are the Zoom tool, and Gaussian blur. Zoom is your best friend in any kind of detail work and can be accessed under view, but a simple “control +” is much more convenient. Gaussian Blur is what actually does the smoothing, and can be found under Effects=>Blur=> Gaussian Blur. Applying these tools correctly is fairly simple, but can be difficult to do correctly. 1) Zoom in to the offending patch of skin . 2) Select the area you want to smooth out with the circle or square select tool. 3) Blur until satisfaction. hen you zoom out again, the blur, W and the blemish, should be less obvious. Be careful not to overdo it though, or you’ll just end up censoring your face. But if you spend a little time, you’ll end up with something like this.
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Paintdotnet can also be used to spruce up a boring image. Again, you’ll have to start by opening up the image you want to doctor. I’ll be using the same picture of myself. For this edit we’ll be taking advantage of cropping and filters instead of the blur and zoom tools. The crop tool can help marginalize unnecessary details to make a stronger subject and can be found under Image. Filters can help soften a low quality image, and can be found under effects.* You can do a lot of things with these two tools, but here are the steps I took in this particular instance. 1) Apply the oil painting filter (Effects =>Artistic=>Oil painting) . 2) Apply the ink sketch filter (Effects=>Artistic=>Ink Sketch) . 3) Crop intelligently. Cropping is the hardest part, and can’t be easily taught. But after a few tries, you’ll get the hang of it. Here’s the picture I ended up with. Finally, pdn can be used to make very silly images like a chicken breathing fire, or a flying armchair. To do this, we’re essentially going to stack layers. Layers are basically a tool for non-destructive editing. Imagine if you had an old yearbook and you wanted to draw a goatee on your best friend without ruining the yearbook. One solution might be to draw a goatee on a piece of see-through plastic and lay it on top of his face instead. You could take the plastic off later, and your yearbook would be fine. The same concept applies to image layers; if you wanted to make a chicken breathing fire, you’d take a picture of a chicken, and add a new layer of a fire, so it looked like a chicken breathing fire. There are a lot of ways to do this, but here’s a simple one: 1) Open up your “background” image, I’ll be using the one of my face. 2) Pick the picture you want to layer on (layers=>import from file) . 3) The image will appear as a new layer, ready to be moved about and manipulated. So, there you have it, some basic concepts in pdn. It’s only a matter of time until you have skills worthy of the North Korean propaganda department. If you’re interested in some more advanced photo-editing, consider downloading and playing with GIMP. *pdn doesn’t actually say “filter” anywhere, but most of the manipulations under Effects can be considered filters, even the blur tool we just used. 97
Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive
Article & Photography by Michelle Houle
this past summer, I spent ten days in Washington D.C. at the 2011 Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive. The Intensive, which began in 2002, is led by Gary Garrison and Gregg Henry. Gary Garrison is the Executive Director of Creative Affairs of the Dramatist Guild of America and serves as the program director and head instructor for this playwriting workshop. Gregg Henry is the Artistic Director of the American College Theater Festival and organizes the theater educational programs at the Kennedy Center. During my stay, I participated in workshops and lectures with guest artists, dramaturges, and literary agents. Some of these playwrights included Marsha Norman, Paula Vogel, David Ives, and Kristoffer Diaz. These discussions centered on the craft of playwriting, impromptu writing exercises, and even the business side of the art. The first meeting with Gary Garrison set the tone for the rest of the Intensive. He said that there are multiple methods to write a play. The key is to figure out the most effective way to tell that particular story. Although our lives all contain material for plays, we must tell the story we need to write at this moment in our lives. Garrison broke down the basics and gave us beneficial playwriting tools. First, he reviewed dramatic structure. A playwright must have an understanding of Aristotelian structure before experimenting with different forms. He also told us that the secret to creating truthful characters is to combine assumptions with facts. Cathy Norgren, the Associate Director of the Playwriting Intensive, taught us about production design and how it relates to the overall vision of a play. Norgren’s central job as a costume designer is to use the main themes of the playwright’s work and translate these elements to the stage. To illustrate her role, Norgren showed sketches of design concepts from her past shows. I also had the opportunity to meet Kristoffer Diaz. His play, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, was a 2010 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He gave us advice on inspiration and writer’s block. Diaz said, “Everything you write should be as urgent as a suicide note.” This quote stressed that we need to write what is important to us. He also said that relationships are the central aspect of any story. All great plays revolve around the relationships of the characters. 98
During the week, I met with Amy Attaway, who is the Associate Director of the Actors Theater of Louisville. Over lunch, we discussed an early draft of one of my plays. She pointed out parts she found unclear and others she thought were strong. We discussed how the draft could be improved. I also had a chance to attend a lecture by David Ives. Through a lottery, I won an autographed copy of Ives’s play, The Liar. Also, I met Nathan Louis Jackson. He attended the Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive back in its early days. Since then, he graduated from Julliard, has had multiple plays produced, and written for a few television series. My favorite two guest artists were Marsha Norman and Paula Vogel. Marsha Norman is the author of Night Mother and co-head of the playwriting program at Julliard. She presented a lecture on dramatic structure using The Cat in the Hat. It was quite a sight to see Norman lead fifty playwrights in a dramatic reading of a children’s book while pointing out the structural elements and how they contribute to the main themes. Paula Vogel wrote How I Learned to Drive and is the chair of the playwriting department at Yale School of Drama. She gave us a writing exercise in which we had to compose short plays that would be impossible to stage. This exercise allowed us to open our minds. She explained the term plasticity of the page. This means that the structure of the piece should reflect the theme of the play. Besides meeting with famous playwrights, the Intensive also consisted of watching plays, discussions, and workshops outside of class. I had the chance to see Wicked at a theater in the Kennedy Center. As I was leaving my seat, an usher told me that Michelle Obama attended the same performance! In the morning before class, we ate breakfast at a café near our dorms. We talked about playwriting and art. At night, there were readings of our plays and we received feedback from the other attendees. I learned just as much from these informal gathering with my peers as I did from the lectures and classes. The most rewarding aspect of the Intensive was the final project. We were required to write a four page scene using the tools and knowledge acquired from the past ten days. The Intensive provided professional actors from Washington D.C. to read our work. Afterwards, we discussed the scenes and gave criticism. I enjoyed watching the scenes of my fellow playwrights. These playwrights will inspire my future work and I know I have their support for years to come.
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T Art Postcards courtesy of Stir Magazine Art by Miriam Ross
Art Postcards courtesy of Stir Magazine Art by Miriam Ross
Taylor Swift Article by Samantha Caputo
Y
ou know you are a Taylor Swift fan when you write 13 on your hand…
Her birthday is on the 13th and she was born on Friday the 13th, her first #1 song had a 13 second introduction, her first album went gold in 13 weeks, and she has 13 written on the door of her tour bus. 13 is her lucky number!
tests.” Taylor gives them advice in her music about how to hold onto her, “Just keep on keeping your eyes on me,” she sings in “Sparks Fly.” Yet, we all know he won’t last.
While Taylor Swift may find luck in the number 13, many people see this particular number as unlucky. Regardless, every number comes with a story behind it… So, what is Taylor’s story behind her music?
Compared to her 2008’s Fearless, which was roughly twice as good as her 2006 debut, Taylor’s 2010 Speak Now has shown real growth in maturity and success. Like most country singers, she reaches towards the “divorced mom” or broken hearted women market, slipping more grown-up details into her love stories. It’s tame by countryradio standards, but different to hear in the pop- radio stations with T-Sweezy singing, “there’s a drawer of my things at your place.”
You can find the answer to this question within her lyrics, Taylor’s music is based upon events in her own life, and, as is true for many others, teenage boys have a big influence. Her newest album Speak Now, has her usual type of lyrics. “You’re an expert at sorry/and keeping lines blurry/and never impressed/by me acing your
So, where does the bad luck side of this story come into play? Many argue her music getting a country award when it is played in the pop genre is not right, and they do not acknowledge her award as a positive achievement. Taylor Swift has raised many controversial points with her music between pop music and country music. You often hear people say that her music is
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too focused on boys and geared towards teenagers, even though she attempts to seek out the mature country singer act. “I hate country music, but I LOVE Taylor Swift” is another line often said by pop and hip hop music listeners, and die hard country music listeners are not fans of Swift.
Like every number and every story, there are two sides, positive and negative, true and false and they all have a bias. What a music critique says about Taylor is different from her number one fan or the mother of a young daughter listening to her music. Each perspective acknowledges different aspects of Taylor and ignores others but the public will never know Taylor Swift’s true story besides what she puts in her lyrics, writes on her blog or what the paparazzi decide to blow up on VH1. When artists like Taylor Swift come along, it is important to be optimistic and experience a new type of sound, whether you like it or not, you’ll never know until you try…
Drinking in a Winter Wonderland Article by Molly Mills As the weather gets colder, it is time to say goodbye to tropical drinks with umbrellas, and warm up with one of these cocktails. Whether you are bringing it in your Week One travel mug from party to party or snuggling in the common room watching movies, these drinks will keep you warm and happy.
Grown-Up Mint Hot Chocolate
Apple Pie Shot
Not like your grandma used to make you!
A little dessert shot to end the night.
Ingredients: 1 packet of hot chocolate 1-2 shots of peppermint schnapps (your preference) 6 oz. water or milk Vanilla flavored alcohol whipped cream Green sugar (optional)
Ingrediants 3/4 oz. vanilla vodka 3/4 oz. apple juice Dash of cinnamon sugar
Prepare hot chocolate according to package directions. Add the schnapps, top with whipped cream and sugar. Enjoy!
Spiced Cider
Thanksgiving gets a little more interesting! Ingredients: 2 shots spiced rum (i.e. Captain Morgan’s) 8 oz. apple cider (hot or cold) Cinnamon sugar (optional) Cinnamon sticks (optional) Put cinnamon sugar mixture on a small plate. Put a small amount of cider in a shallow bowl. Dip the rim of your glass in the cider, then dip it in the cinnamon sugar. In a mixer combine the cider and rum and shake well and pour into rimmed glass. Add cinnamon sticks for some added flavor.
Using a double shot glass, rim the edge with the cinnamon. Add the vodka and apple juice. After you take the shot lick the cinnamon sugar off the rim as a chaser!