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Don Jon | 6
World News Update Reporter Yashowanto Ghosh takes a global perspective on what's hot in news.
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Wednesday, October 2, 2013 Volume 33, Issue 3
Hear us roar. It sounds a lot like desperate sobbing.
AQ Pride
>>NEWS Clothesline Project | 2 Staff Writer Chuck Hyde takes a look at the popular event that aims to raise domestic violence awareness.
Into the Streets | 3 The Saint has everything you need to know about CAVA's volunteer program running all week.
>>CULTURE Prisoners | 5 Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Giluk reviews the dark thriller.
ArtPrize | 6 Staff Reporter Cait Hilton lets you know which exhibits to check out before the competition is up.
>>SPORTS Men's soccer
The Saints hold an impressive 9-1 record.
Kevin Mahar
Women's volleyball | 7
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Sports Editor Alyssa Frese interviews the cross country runner.
Aquinas Homecoming brings alumni and students together By Mayra Monroy Staff Writer Campus was buzzing with students and alumni alike during homecoming week September 23. Saints everywhere had a week filled with activities and things to do. Homecoming 2013 was a week packed with several activities brought to students by organizations such as the AQ Programming Board and Sports Management, among others. Homecoming was also a great time for Aquinas alumni to step onto campus again. To kick the week off, the faculty/ staff versus student softball game took place at Wilcox Park, put together by the AQ Wellness Initiative. Perfect weather was in favor of the faculty/ staff team, as they brought in a win against the student team. Another event that took place on Wednesday was the Holmdene Drive-In, Under The Tent showing of Monsters University brought to students by the AQ Programming Board. The Spirit Exchange, a AQPB program that allowed students to bring in their clothing from other universities and colleges to exchange for Aquinas gear, took place on Thursday. Spirit Exchange was also present at Open Mic Night, held at the moose, another AQPB event. Thursday was not only a day for Aquinas students, however, as it was also the night of the annual Aquinas College Awards Night Gala, a gathering of Aquinas alumni to honor those who would achieve and receive the prestigious award. The Fluorescent, another Aquinas College Programming Board event, was held in Regina Bowl on
Breaking ground AQ community gathers to watch the groundbreaking of Alksnis Sports and Recreation Center By Mayra Monroy Staff Writer Long awaited and highly anticipated, Aquinas' campus is finally getting the addition it has been waiting for. The Alksnis Sports and Recreation center groundbreaking ceremony took place on September 25 at 10:15 a.m. Students and faculty were encouraged to attend events in their Saint Squad t-shirts. Students, about 450 present, and faculty gathered around in anticipation of the official groundbreaking of the $6.5 million
donation of $1.5 million to get the project moving, and his contributions are noted with the naming of the facility. The Alksnis Sports and Recreation center will include a NCAA sized indoor track, practice facilities for many AQ sports teams. With a new facility, comes other construction. The addition to Sturrus comes with a new entrance for the Fulton lot, which will cause problems for students that park there. The new main entrance is expected to be started and completed in summer of 2014. Since parking is going to
<< "It's great to see that we are finally breaking ground" >> project, an Aquinas promise made by alumnus Greg Alksnis. The project, expected to be completed by 2014, was originally expected to begin in 2012, but there was a delay in funding. "It's great to see that we're finally going to break this ground. This day could not have been possible without the generous contribution of the donors," said Aquinas President Juan Oliveraz. Another key speaker at the ceremony was the main contributor to Phase II, Greg Alksnis, a 1971 Aquinas alumni. "Since [the completion of Sturrus Phase I], there has been many activity and energy to secure the funds for Phase II. I'm sure that every student here will use the facility," said Alksnis. Alksnis made a generous
become limited in Fulton lot due to construction, an expansion to Hruby Lot is in the works. "The expansion to Hruby Lot needs city approval," said Brian Matzke, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. "At this time, we're going to limit the parking in Mayfield Lot to 51 spots," said Matzke. Mayfield is expected to be vacated once construction begins on Alksnis. The addition to Hruby Lot will be finished alongside the Alksnis Sports and Recreation Center. The new additions in Hruby should be approved by the city by October 10. All construction is to be completed by the end of summer 2014.
Friday, located behind Regina Hall. Students convened for music and s'mores under lights and the night sky. The majority of the events of Aquinas Homecoming week took place on Saturday, September 28. Starting at 8 a.m., AQ Crushed It led students on a tour of Woodward Area houses, each a different stop featuring a variety of music, food and prizes. Simultaneously, AQ Run Thru, the Aquinas College community 5k, took off at 9 a.m. The race COURTESY ANDRIS VISOCKIS brought together students and the Representing AQ: The 2013 Aquinas Homecoming Court: (L to R) Johanna Dugan, Jared King, King community by the Jon Hornak, Queen Bailey Terebinski, Molly Pelak and Stephen Wright. Aquinas Sports Management Club. When noontime was given to the over 21 crowd. music, dancing, drinks and friends. hit, several more events started up. Booths set up all around Holmdene Halftime of the men's soccer R S O s , o r r e g i s t e r e d s t u d e n t provided food and snacks to the game saw the coronation of Aquinas o r g a n i z a t i o n s , s h o w c a s e d w h a t passing visitors, students and alumni C o l l e g e H o m e c o m i n g K i n g a n d their organization was all about at alike. Among students and staff Queen 2013, Jon Hornak and Bailey Cook Carriage House, with booths enjoy in g h omecomin g week end, Terebinski. Aquinas pride was shown set up representing aspects of their alumni brought friends and family in not only the student body, faculty club. This showcase was brought to to the games and carnival prizes and staff, but also in the community AQ students and alumni by Student that lined the path to the Academic and atmosphere. Senate and Campus Life. Building. Under the tent on Holmdene All afternoon into the evening Lawn, a sneak peek of the beer tent hours, the main tent stage provided
Positivity on the field
By Taylor Hodges The Saint Reporter
With the first conference win under the Aquinas women's soccer team's belt, there comes a bit of relief as well as the understanding that more work needs to be done to continue the streak. "Now that we have started conference play it's important to maintain mental toughness on and off the field," said junior midfielder Kelly Petzold. "When we played Indiana tech, we came out hard taking a 2-0 lead and our goal was to score the next goal, which we did." That goal proved to be crucial, as Indiana Tech would try and stage a comeback by scoring COURTESY ANDRIS VISCOKIS two consecutive goals. " We h a d g r e a t Winning the ball: Freshman forward Leeann Latsch wins the possession over an opponent. contributions from o ur fre shman class, physically prepared for the game game for the full 90 minutes." including goals from Cami Baker and where as on away games the long bus While a strong mentality is Khrystal Lewis," said junior forward rides wear you out. We play some good needed to make the rest of the season Jackie Gipe. "The team needs to teams this year where we will be able successful, the team is also focused continue focusing on playing as a team to show our strengths and improve on on having a positive atmosphere. and transitioning quickly between our weaknesses," said Petzold. "Positivity is something huge our team offense and defense; as long as we do One thing the team looks to needs to focus on," said Petzold. these things we'll have a successful improve on is the mental aspect of "Remember to be the best you season." the game. "We are a young team and can be and come out on the field with Part of having a successful season to have a focused mentality is very a positive attitude. When someone includes playing well on the home- crucial" said junior Maggie Keiffer. messes up, give constructive criticism." field, which the team has done and "We as a team need to focus on being The Saints will play Madonna in their hopes to continue to do. "This year the driving pace of the game and next game this Saturday at home. we have lots of home games, which controlling the game and playing our is great because we are mentally and
<< Speaking out THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
Aquinas: AQ honored with military award
Grand Rapids: ArtPrize entry vandalized over night
Michigan: 1,500 trees to be planted in Detroit by the holidays
National: Chicago college lifts ban on alcohol
For three years straight, Aquinas has been named on Victory Media's Military Friendly Schools list. The Media group acknowledges the top 20 universities and colleges in the United States that embrace military service members through education.
Artist JD Urban's piece entitled "united. states: an everyday people project" was vandalized last Friday night. Urban's piece was a documentary about controversial American topics. His booth was destroyed and some of his banners were stolen.
Greening of Detroit aims at planting 1,527 new trees in the city by Thanksgiving 2013 with the help of Quicken Loans. Every weekend until Thanksgiving will focus on a different neighborhood. The new trees aim at cleaner pollution and neighborhood stabilization.
Moody Bible Institution, an Evangelical college in Chicago, IL, recalled their ban on alcohol last week. Faculty, staff and students of the college are not allowed to smoke, have extramarital sex and until recently drink alcohol. The college labels a cultural shift for the change in policy.
Time to prioritize, America laura farrell |news editor I cannot clearly articulate how desperately I have wanted to write about the era of Miley Cyrus we have found ourselves in. I am bitterly disappointed in myself for even saying that, but I cannot bear to hear how she is crazy, how she has Disney channel star responsibility or how her fiance called off their engagement because of her hair cut. From the way I see it, the facts are plain and simple. Miley Cyrus is getting just about as much media attention as possible, and she is making buckets of money doing it. I am neither condoning nor criticizing her behavior, but I have to hand it to her. She is playing the game and she is winning. I will not deny that I have been wrapped up in the media antics the past few weeks. No matter what the reason, I struggled to peel myself away. It was not until the Navy Yard shootings in D.C. on September that I realized I need to divide my attention to the rest of the world. I could not really put my finger on it, but the coverage and attitude towards this mass shooting seemed to be clearly different than those of the near past. There was no constant coverage, I never saw live correspondence from the Navy Yard, and just as the coverage started, it seemed to fade away. I was, of course, shocked and saddened by the shooting. Without even really thinking about it, I was able to guess the timeline of the investigation. For the first day, at least the first few hours, there would no doubt be chaos and questions. Then we would hear about any new information about the shooter or shooters and any intentions they might have had. Throughout, we would hear the body count, the injured list, and eventually we would hear the names of the victims. No details about the situation shocked me. From the type and amount of weapons used, to the number of fatalities, to the lack of information on the shooter, none of it seemed unusual. As soon as I thought that to myself, I was nearly brought to tears. How on Earth has an event as horrific and tragic as this one become "usual?" Why should I be familiar with the aftermath of a mass shooting? From Sandy Hook to Aurora to Colorado and the hundreds of mass shootings in the United States that we don't hear about, these tragedies have become a part of life. As President Obama stated last week, "I fear there is a creeping resignation...that this is somehow the new normal. We can't accept this." We know the pattern, we know the routine; all the while we sit and ignore the root of the problem. Mental health. In my opinion, mental health has been one of American society downfalls from the beginning. Mental health issues are not labeled as a disability or sickness. Rather they get labeled as craziness or disturbed behavior. We do not see bipolar disease in the same way we see diabetes. To us, schizophrenia is wildly different than brain cancer. We are much more apt to bring a friend chicken soup if they have a cold, but what do we do if they are suffering from depression? Usually nothing. Mental disease is expected to suffer in silence, something it obviously cannot do. Unfortunately, when events like Sandy Hook or the Navy Yard shooting happen, they become synonymous with mental problems. It is estimated that one in four American adults suffer from a mental disorder. Two people out of the entire world took the VMA stage, grinding and twerking their way into headlines. We have to stop pretending to be concerned with mental health only when a national tragedy occurs. The fact is, mental illness causes tragedies that go unnoticed everyday. Say what you will about Miley, but the girl is talked about more often than people talk about things that actually affect us, like our own health perhaps? Let's get our priorities straight, America.
Clothesline Project brings awareness to domestic violence By Chuck Hyde Staff Writer Violence against women happens all over the world. Women the whole world over are harmed in too many ways and some even lose their lives at the hands of their abusers. The Clothesline Project is a movement that has steadily gained momentum since its start in 1990 in Cape Cod. It aims to spread awareness about this very abuse, allowing both victims and their advocates to be heard and inform everyone about the ever-present problem. The YWCA has worked with communities around the globe to spread the program. The event itself involves creating t-shirts that are color-coded according to the type of abuse that occurred and the fate of the victim. It ranges from child sexual abuse to political violence at the hands of extremist groups. Hundreds of people, men and women alike, create these shirts and wear them to support those that they know and ensure that such horrible acts will not be forgotten. "The event really is meant to raise awareness around the issue of violence," said the new Director of the Women's Studies Center Amy Dunham Strand. Students will be able to make their
Raising awareness: T-shirts of Clothesline Projects past line the basement of Wege. own t-shirts on October 2 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will also be a drop box for those who wish to submit them anonymously. All t-shirts will be hung on clothesline in the lower floor of Wege for display from October 7-11. Dunham Strand is optimistic about
student reception for the event. She thinks "it will be an opportunity for empowerment." As previously mentioned, Dunham Strand herself is new to her position. She has been at Aquinas for seven years as an adjunct faculty member in various
World news update
Student Senate looks to stop the smoke
Kenyan mall attack shocks the world By Yashowanto Ghosh The Saint Reporter
John Kerry and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and were
SYRIA – The five permanent members of the UN Security Council agreed on a resolution on Thursday, September 26, on the Syria crisis, breaking the stalemate where Russia and China had been blocking action against the civilwar-torn nation. The full 15 member Security Council is expected to vote on the resolution on Friday, September 27, and experts from t h e Organization for the Prohibition COURTESY DEPARTMENT OF STATE o f C h e m i c a l Foreign relations: Secretary of State John Kerry looks to meet W e a p o n s with high-level officials in Iran. are expected to begin inspecting sites in Syria on constructive. Crude oil prices fell. Tuesday, October 1. KENYA – Terrorists armed with guns attacked Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi on Saturday, September 21. They held hostages and killed over 60 civilians over three days in a showdown with the Kenyan military. The Somaliabased Islamist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it retaliation for Kenya's involvement in the Somalian civil war, and demanded that Kenya withdraw troops from Somalia. Kenyan and Somalian troops had pursued the group in southern Somalia during 2011 and 2012.
PAKISTAN – Taliban suicide bombers attacked All Saints Church in Peshawar on Sunday, September 22, killing more than 80 people in blasts that went off at the end of a service with 500 people in the pews. In a possibly unrelated incident in the same city, a bomb exploded on a bus carrying employees of Pakistan government on Friday, September 27, killing 13 people. As of this writing, no one has claimed responsibility for the second attack.
departments, teaching in the Inquiry and Expression, English, Humanities and Women's Studies departments. She has also been influential in the latter, designing a course for the minor entitled Women and Environment, centering on ecofeminism and the parallels between feminism and the environmental advocacy movement. She has long been interested in relationships between gender and other fields, academic and otherwise. On her interest in gender studies, Dunham Strand says that "it is a culmination of long-held interests of [hers]." Dunham Strand is very passionate about the cooperation and collaboration of different studies to pursue equality and understanding: "Women's Studies really highlights the usefulness of connection-making. It is about connecting all of these disciplines together." Dunham Strand herself enjoys spending time with her family and experiencing the natural world. She encourages people of any interest-area or gender to check it out Women's Studies. "It's not just for women. It's for everyone." The Women's Studies Center will be putting on many more events throughout the year, starting with the Clothesline Project and a presentation by Julie Winkler on October 7 at 7 p.m.
An eager Senate looks to make changes on campus this academic year By Abigale Racine The Saint Reporter Student Senate met for its annual assemblage Wednesday, September 25, with plenty on their agenda. First, the Senate inducted sophomore Alexis Hartman onto the team. Hartman comes with an impressive resume, having been involved in student council since middle school. "I love the connection you make with the faculty, the administration, as well as being able to bring the
in mind, and we think it is the best thing to do." The first step toward becoming tobacco-free will be established in the next academic year, reducing the number of on-campus smoking sections down to five locations. This week, President Olivarez will meet with the board of trustees to finalize the structure and evolve the project further, such as how campus security and those choosing to go off-campus to smoke will be affected. "We are trying to make this as painless as possible, which is why
<< "We are trying to make this as painless as possible, which is why we are doing a two-year phase-in">> rest of students into events," said Hartman. "We have the power and the ability to make an influence with the administration as well as fellow constituents." Student Senate continues to use its voice to make an impact on the Aquinas campus. Next on t h e c o m p a n y ' s a g e n d a wa s t h e campaign to make campus tobaccofree by 2015. "Becoming tobacco-free has b e e n i n m o t i o n f o r ye a r s , " s a i d President Juan Olivarez during the Wednesday meeting. "We are not telling people not to smoke; this is just a sign of the times and this is something that is happening all over the place. We have the best interests
GERMANY – Angela Merkel's party comfortably won her a third term as Chancellor, but failed to win IRAN – President Hassan Rouhani, absolute majority, and its coalition who succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad partner from the previous term, the Freie in August, began attempts at improving Demokratische Partei, got shut out of his country's relations with the rest the Bundestag. As of this writing, it is of the world, such as denouncing the unclear which parties will form the next holocaust and starting fresh talks about coalition government in Germany, and Iran's nuclear program. The first meeting the outcome is likely to influence not of high-level officials from Iran and the only German domestic policy, but also USA in 35 years took place on Thursday, the European Union, and German foreign September 26, between Secretary of State policy as well. News Editor Laura Farrell E-mail email@example.com Phone (616) 632-2975
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we are doing a two-year phase-in," said Olivarez. He encourages those with any concerns with the policy to write him a letter. With most of the school year ahead, Student Senate is looking to make some real changes on campus. Junior Academic Affairs Director of Senate Chuck Hyde certainly has high hopes for the Senate's agenda. "I feel as though we have a good Senate this year. Everyone is eager to help their fellow students and really make a difference here on campus. It should be a good year," said Hyde. The next Student Senate meeting will be hosted Wednesday, October 9, at 3:00 p.m. in Upper Wege, and all are welcome to attend.
Into the Streets CAVA sponsors week of
Mount Trashmore K House organizes a mountain's worth of sustainability education By Chuck Hyde Staff Writer The environment is a very important thing here at Aquinas. One of every tree native to Michigan can be found here, there are several LEED certified buildings and recycling and composting are very common. The campus is working towards being waste free by May of 2014, a goal that many students, staff and faculty are working very hard to achieve. In particular, the Living Learning Community on Sustainability at K House is working very closely with Jessica Eimer and the Center for Sustainability to make the goal a reality. Their first event, entitled Mount Trashmore, aims to enlighten the campus on the impact one person can make. The event focuses on showing students the errors that still persist even with all of the training and awareness found on campus. Trash will be collected and sorted from residence halls and houses, displaying what items were thrown that could have been composted,
coordinating the event. Monroy is passionate about making Aquinas waste as little as possible. The group got the idea from a similar project that was done by the Kendall College of Art and Design right here in Grand Rapids. Monroy says that "once [they] had a solid plan, [they] had to present it to President Olivarez and the Cabinet," after which they were able t o m o v e f o r wa r d and orchestrate everything. The group will have other sustainabilitythemed events throughout the semester, to be announced in the near future. For now, they hope to -Sophomore Mayra Monroy reach many people w i t h M o u n t T r a s h m o r e . " We 'r e such amounts. This will be done with the help very excited about it. We want to of volunteers wearing protective educate the student body about the clothing and signing pledges to importance of sustainable practices," promote the goals of the Zero Waste says Monroy. T h e e ve n t w i l l t a k e p l a c e o n initiative. Thursday October 3 from 11 a.m. to The pledges read: "I commit 5 p.m. at the Wege Plaza. myself to the task of sustainable
AQ community serving Grand Rapids
recycled, or otherwise reused through the various means available to Aquinas. All of the trash collected will then be piled onto Wege Plaza, creatinga very visible "mountain" of trash. The idea is that the mountain will be impossible to miss, showing the impact of our waste and what can be done differently to prevent have
<< "We're very excited about
it. We want to educate the student body about the importance of sustainable practices"
practices at Aquinas College and w i l l w o r k t o wa r d s a wa s t e f r e e campus by 2014." Sophomore Mayra Monroy is part of the sustainability house and one of the people in charge of
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Helping hands: Into the Streets takes AQ students and faculty to various Grand Rapids organzations. Kids Food Basket got a helping hand from Into the Streets in 2011. By Chuck Hyde Staff Writer Aquinas is located in the middle of several thriving neighborhoods: Eastown, East Grand Rapids and Fulton Heights, to name a few. They provide students here with a multitude of things to do, and are often taken for granted. Into the Streets Week attempts to fix that, letting Aquinas students go into the community and give back any way they can. Community Action Volunteers of Aquinas (CAVA) o r g a n i z e s t h e e ve n t , c o n t a c t i n g community businesses and charities to find out who needs help when. With seven different organizations on the list to be helped, the effort will be felt throughout the community. Sophomore Emily Elias is CAVA Coordinator this year. She has been working hard to organize all of the other service leaders at their separate s i t e s . " I t ' s a we e k o f v o l u n t e e r opportunities for the Aquinas community," said Elias. The seven organizations being aided are Hope Lodge, Michigan Blood, Steeple Town Ministries, Rays of Hope, Fulton Manor, Humane
Society and Access. Each site has a different type of task that needs to be done. For instance, Steeple Town Ministries requires tutors for their GED students and Fulton Manor requires chaperones to take residents to Meijer on shopping trips. There is something for everyone to help with their skill set. Junior Jake Harris is the service leader for the Rays of Hope location. Students will be aiding in the operations associated with their warehouse, enabling the organizations to continue in their assistance of the impoverished in Haiti. "Into the Streets Week is a great way for Aquinas students to learn more about the community they live and the service associations in the area," said Harris. This is the two-fold purpose of the week's events. It allows students to really learn about the community that Aquinas is a part of and help support great causes at the same time. Look for opportunities throughout the week of September 30.
ArtPrize drama
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Artist forced to take down addition to Calder sculpture By Laura Farrell News Editor Wi t h a n e ve n t t h e c a l i b e r o f ArtPrize, things are bound to go wrong. The artful idea for competition was created in 2009 by Rick Devos, who was bound to push the limits. With few rules and little censorship, ArtPrize has gained its fame on the revolutionary aim Devos took. Even on its website, ArtPrize describes itself as, "a radically open, independently organized
took to the Internet. D o d d e wa s q u i c k t o r e s p o n d and assured that none of the pieces connected to the original sculpture would harm it in any way. Dodde assured the public that his piece was not only worthy of ArtPrize, but Calder himself would have enjoyed it. "I think he would appreciate this. Its good naturedness (sic) in its beauty and simplicity would have resonated with him," Dodde reported to Mlive. Deputy City Attorney Elizabeth White contacted the Calder
<< Dodde assured the public that his piece was worthy of ArtPrize >> international art competition. It's unorthodox, highly disruptive, and undeniably intriguing to the art world and the public alike." This year, the controversy lies on a familiar Grand Rapids landmark, a piece entitled, "Fleurs et riviere." The piece, by David Dodde, has taken the well-known "La Grande Vitesse" sculpture created by Alexander Calder and added an assortment of white flowers. Calder's piece has undoubtedly become a red landmark for the city, holding its place since 1969. Immediately after Dodde put the 94 pieces of PVC foam flowers up, public opinion on the ArtPrize entry
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Foundation in consequence to the public uproar. The foundation's president Alexander S. C. Rower responded saying, "We had chosen to remain silent about this provincial happenstance, as the initiative is luckily temporary and reflects an utter lack of understanding and respect of Calder's genius." In the letter, Rower did refer to the entry as an "abomination," however. Dodde was forced to take the PVC down from the sculpture last week, about a week before the end of ArtPrize.
opinion >> FROM THE CROWD
The Hall of Fame Gala, for making parking a breeze; The Corner, for bringing the sweet taste of fall right to us; Jon Hornak and Bailey Terebinski, for being the coolest kids on campus; All the students studying abroad, for expanding their horizons; Sturrus Phase II, for making good on its promise; Halloween, for being the best holiday of them all; Drunk Uncle, for telling us what's up; The Detroit Tigers, for making October even better. HECKLES TO... People who can't appreciate a good block party; Fulton Lot, for making us feel like mice in an unsolvable maze; The crowds at ArtPrize, for taking over the city like a zombie plague; The House, for shutting down the government; People who don't answer emails in a timely fashion; Pumpkin spice haters--don't act like you don't wear yoga pants too; Downton Abbey, for not airing in the U.S.; People who talk during movies.
The stingy patriot and other citizens of earth By Nathan Gimby Staff Writer Why, when there are so many hungry, sick and suffering people in our own country, should we give aid and charity to those abroad? You've probably heard this question before, and perhaps you even see some logic in it. After all, as good, patriotic Americans, shouldn't we be more concerned with the well-being of our fellow citizens than people halfway around the world? Now I am all for helping those in need right here in the US and in our own communities, but my skepticism kicks into high gear whenever I hear someone suggest charity given to other countries should take the backseat to domestic charity. As I see it, there are a few big problems with this attitude. First, it asks the wrong questions. We should be asking why, in the richest country on earth, we have so much poverty in the first place and how can we provide aid, both foreign and domestic, that creates systematic change rather than simply band-aiding chronic problems?
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Are our efforts abroad raising people out of poverty or keeping them there by creating dependence? Second, and my main contention with this sentiment, is that it perpetuates an unhealthy us-versus-them mentality based on the increasingly arbitrary division of national borders. Humans have the same needs and should have the same worth wherever they happen to live. What makes an American citizen more deserving of my charity than a Haitian or Indonesian citizen? And while there's something to be said for fixing one's own problems before tackling someone else's, the nature of our global society demands that we look beyond our borders to solve most of those problems anyway. The requirement that we "fix" our country before sending help elsewhere is also doomed to be a slow, painful and perhaps impossible process because of gridlock in the government, between public and private interests, and in the opinions of the masses. Should we really wait for a solution to domestic poverty to rise out of this cacophony before we give charity to the destitute and
starving abroad? Finally, many of the resources, luxuries and basic amenities we use every day come from the other side of the planet. The t-shirt you are wearing right now was probably made in South America or Asia. Your phone and computer were more than likely assembled in China with components from Chile, Kazakhstan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And there's a pretty good chance the chocolate bar you just bought at the gas station was made with cocoa beans picked by African child slaves. We don't live in a closed system, everything is connected. And when we reap the benefits of the labor and resources from people all over the world, we are already living in a global community. So whether our charity is going to Detroit or Djibouti, Guatemala or Grand Rapids, it doesn't matter how many borders it crosses to get there, just that when it does, it changes someone's life for the better.
Everyone deserves freedom of speech By Abigale Racine The Saint Reporter Whatever your opinion on abortion may be, please allow me the chance to voice my opinion and hear me out. This is intended to be from a neutral standpoint, and it is more of a question of freedom of speech rather than an argument concerning abortion. On Tuesday, September 24, the Saints For Life club placed crosses on Holmdene lawn, next to the homecoming beer tent, with each cross representing 55,000,000 unborn children. There were also posters that read, "55 million since 1973: pray to end abortion." Around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, I was walking to class when I noticed that there were notecards placed next to the crosses, as well as two additional signs.
The signs read, "55 million women had to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives," and the typed note cards stated, "You are forgiven, you are loved. We pray you find peace." They also quoted a verse from the Bible. I cannot remember the exact quote verbatim, but the quote stressed the importance of forgiveness. These note cards, for the record, were not in any way offensive or, most importantly, not interfering with the Saints For Life club's display. However, on my way back from class, the signs encouraging praying for peace and forgiveness were gone, and the Saints For Life crosses and posters remained standing. Whoever decided to pluck the opposing side's signs out of the ground, shame on you. Whichever side of the fence you may be on, you
should be offended that someone felt entitled enough to tear down the other side's opinion just because it did not mirror their own. If one party is allowed to voice their opinion, another party should be granted the same courtesy and respect. Aquinas College's mission statement reads, "a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good." Isn't this the whole point of learning to expand your horizons? We can all agree that in order to learn something worthwhile and experience something meaningful, to strive toward the common good, you have to acknowledge views that may not necessarily agree with your own. A violation of freedom of speech should not sit well with anyone, because everyone's voice deserves to be heard.
The science of friendship
theSaint 2013-2014 E D I T O R I A L B O A R D
By Stephen Wright The Saint Reporter Making friends is an important part of life. This probably goes without saying. But I think that we often don't think all too hard about how different social contexts can shape our friendships. What's more, I think that we often fail to see how personal motivations shape and are shaped by these contexts. Specifically, I argue that the way in which we relate persons in college is, by and large (but not categorically) more conducive to friendship than our personal relations in the work world. I also argue that a liberal arts education is especially conducive to fostering friendships. We generally relate to people differently in college than we do in the work world, especially early on. When I first came to college I was not focused on making money. I drove away from my home on the other side of the state to have a new experience, grow in my person and learn a lot. As I grew older, money seemed to become more relevant to my life and it occupied more of my thoughts. I recognize that this might not be everyone's experience. At the same time I posit that, by and large, the first leg of college is often accom-
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panied by a deep receptivity to others. I also posit that this is often lost along the way. I think this has something to do with an increasing awareness of financial issues, such as one's level of student debt and hopes for employability. I won't say that this kills one's excitement entirely, but I think that the need to focus more on money distracts persons in the later stages of college from the receptivity to others that they may have had near the beginning. Part of the reason we relate to people differently in college than in the work world (again, generally) is because the shared values differ. Most of the time people who are majoring in the same academic discipline share an interest in it. The same goes for people who join the same clubs. And when these people relate to one another in class or in these clubs a shared goal is the value, study and appreciation of whatever the class or club is centered around. In the work world, the shared motivation is usually money. People do make friends with coworkers and find meaningful work, but I do not think I'm out of line in saying that the vast majority of workers would rather be engaged in other projects with other people without having to worry about making ends Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint
meet than doing the work they do. College, ideally, is a liminal space within which people are not related primarily around the profit motive. Liberal arts colleges are effective in establishing and maintaining this liminal space because they require students to become immersed in academic, creative, technical and professional areas that they otherwise would not. And most of the time students learn that they enjoy learning or practicing something that previously they had no idea they would. This expansion of interests allows students to become highly creative, helping them to find correlations between seemingly disparate data and concepts. They become more fully human and better suited for survival in the work world because of their creativity and empathy, made possible by the liminality of the college experience; a non-profit centered experience. To wrap it up, you should enjoy college. Try to meet people even though sometimes its hard. Meet them now, while you and others have the tendency to be more receptive to each other and things you all enjoy and value, even on the deepest levels.
culture Movies: Who's ready for Machete? Not sure about you, but Machete Kills seems like the year's most anticipated action-comedy. Machete (Danny Trejo) is back, and this time he's out for terrorist Luther Voz (Mel Gibson). From Sophia Vergara's boob guns to Lady GaGa masking herself as Cuba Gooding Jr., the film, slated for October 11, is sure to be a family favorite.
Television: It's meatball time!
Music: Catching Fire soundtrack lineup seems promising
Our favorite guidettes are back with the third season of Snooki & JWOWW. Fans of the Jersey Shore girls will certainly revel in the pair's partying ways but the two have matured since their meatball days when wedding plans and motherhood are on the brain. Check out the MTV season premiere on Tuesday, October 15.
This soundtrack has one of the most impressive artist lineups we've seen in a long time: from Sia and Lorde to Imagine Dragons and The Lumineers, it already sounds pretty amazing. Among others were Ellie Goulding and The Weeknd as well as Coldplay, whose single "Atlas" has already hit airwaves. The Catching Fire soundtrack drops November 22.
Were you just as shocked to hear about Zac Efron's secret rehab stint as we were? Thankfully, he's doing much better. Since breaking his silence, Efron has received a ton of support from family and friends. According to Us Weekly, Efron is now living completely sober.
Prisoners is a sober, chilling thriller
Seeing Orange paris close | culture editor What does a college student afflicted with senioritis do when he's stressed with having to read an entire book every week? Sit around, watch television and listen to music, that's what! I'm usually not one for spoiling things, particularly good food, but when it comes to Orange Is the New Black, I simply cannot help but gush and rant about Netflix's most talked about series. SPOILER ALERT: While the dynamic within the prison facility seems more or less farfetched, mainly in the way the inmates interact with the guards and each other, it is only partially responsible for the show's appeal. The other half of its charisma emanates from the characters themselves, who you'll instantly gravitate towards as there is a favorite inmate for just about everyone. For starters, there's Taystee, a woman who isn't afraid to fight you over a King Cone one day and recite Shakespeare fluently, the next. There's "Crazy Eyes," who's just as awkward as she is endearing. And there's Lorna and "Yoga" Jones, who are the show's most optimistic but deluded characters. And how could we ever forget "Pennsatucky," the senseless hillbillyChristian, who I found most entertaining. Even though he puts his fiancé's life in danger with his NPR expose, I cannot help but empathize for the adorable Larry. His maybe wife-to-be Piper, on the other hand, remains unbelievably annoying in every episode until the season reaches its finale, where she beats "Pennatucky" to a pulp. She cries all of the time, pointing the finger at someone else to blame for her unfortunate (albeit, deserving) circumstances. But when you think about it, she's always the common denominator in every bad situation: getting caught for trafficking drugs, starved for criticizing Red's food and consensually making out with Alex at the expense of her engagement (preexpose). To be frank, I could care less for Piper. The only time I found her role to be exciting at all was when "Pennatucky" cornered her out in the field. The moment Piper finally stands up for herself, it gave her character life, making her into an actual threat rather than a victim, which gets me all the more anxious to tune in next season. Speaking of getting anxious, I was happy to hear new music from some great artists this fall. Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake are all favorites of mine, but Drake's is the one I anticipated the most. When it comes to hip-hop music, nowadays, I usually turn the other way. In fact, I still do. Sure, the choruses are catchy to begin with, but once the beat simmers down you're left with lyrics that wouldn't even impress a preschooler. Other than Lupe Fiasco, there was not another lyricist whose music actually made an impact on my perception of life, until now. Even I could not resist the magnetic pull Drake's music had on the entire nation, so I had to tune in. His newest album, Nothing Was the Same, has got me sold. For a while, I'd been only an occasional fan of Drake's but this album is, by far, his highest feat. Even though everyone seemed to find themselves completely taken by "Hold On, We're Going Home," I cannot say it is the peak of the album. "From Time," featuring Californiabased singer Jhene Aiko, takes the cake with its undeniably soft-spoken ambiance that truthfully illustrates the rapper's confessional side far more than the former. "Too Much," a track accompanied by English electronicsinger Sampha whose vocals impressively echo that of Aiko, is incredibly charming and well-written also. Though the debate continues even to this day whether Drake is capable of balancing the singer/rapper personality, he does well harmonizing both in his latest record. The success of each track on the album is not necessarily a hit or miss, it cannot be rated by a coin toss. There will be tunes you vibe to and others that differ your desired sound but irrefutably give the listener what they have been waiting for.
By Stephanie Giluk Editor-in-Chief Grim, disturbing and stylish, Prisoners is a surprisingly smart and sinister take on the revenge thriller. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski, Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover, a devoted suburban father who also happens to be a prepared-for-the-worst survivalist. The film opens with Dover and his wife (Maria Bello) taking their two kids over to their neighbors' (Terrence Howard and Viola Davis) house for Thanksgiving dinner. The two families hang out, have fun and joke around for a while until everyone realizes the Dover's little girl, Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) has disappeared along with Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons), the other family's daughter. Keller's older son (Dylan Minnette) remembers the creepy RV the girls were playing on earlier in the day, and the search begins. Though no one finds the missing girls, the police corner the RV and its driver, who turns out to be an equally creepy, quiet young man named Alex Jones (Paul Dano) with the IQ of a 10-yearold. The police arrest him, but after an intense but fruitless interrogation and no evidence to show from the RV, they let him go. Prepared for everything but the overwhelmingly helpless position he's now been put in, Keller decides to follow his gut instincts. He knows something about Alex is off, so he follows him, kidnaps him, brings him to an abandoned apartment complex
Chilling: Jake Gyllenhaal broods as Detective Loki. and brutally tortures him. But Alex refuses to speak, and Keller knows that with every day that passes, his little girl is less likely to still be alive. What Keller is doing is horrifying and extreme in its vigilantism. What if Alex is innocent? But is Keller justified in his actions if he's right about Alex? What if this is the only way Keller can save his children? Prisoners doesn't give us any easy answers, maybe because there are none to be had. The film continues to navigate ominous and suspenseful twists, turns, and red her-
rings galore, exploring morality and justice and the ways both often fail us in times of need. Jackman is incredible as Keller, infusing every moment he's onscreen with anger and desperation so that it's impossible to forget he's doing what he thinks he has to do in order get his little girl back alive, even when he's beating Alex to a bloody pulp. Jackman pulls us in and takes us with him even when Keller is at his craziest. Everyone in the film pulls off a masterful performance. Jake Gyl-
lenhaal exudes danger and a kind of moody neuroticism as the detective in charge of the investigation, and Melissa Leo, as Alex's frumpy aunt, is unsettlingly compelling as the resident weirdo next door. Villeneuve pulls echoes from the countless vengeance thrillers that have come before Prisoners and uses or undermines them to his advantage, crafting a superb movie whose presence lingers long after the credits have rolled.
Haim's debut record is a smashing success By Carly Plank Staff Writer Since single-handedly reinvigorating indie pop with the release of the single "Forever" over a year ago, Haim has kept fans waiting. The band of sisters chose to release a long string of singles before announcing a debut album, which was due to drop September 30. From the first pulse to the final fade out, Days Are Gone is a tightly woven masterpiece that delivers on every promise and may even have the power to act as a unifying force within the tangled mess that is contemporary music. Two of the band's most popular singles, "Falling" and "Forever," are strong opening tracks. The gloriously lo-fi, vamping guitar leading into the final chorus in "Forever" ensures that the song will live on as an all time classic. The next track, "The Wire," begins with a simple guitar riff that lends the song a breezy, Southern California vibe anchored by tasteful synthesizer and Este Haim's signature bass line. The Haims trade off vocals during verses before coming together for golden three part harmonies on each chorus.
backbeat heavily influenced by electronic dance music. It's apparent that "Days Are Gone" serves as a jumping off point for the more sinister nature of the rest of the record. The daring "My Song 5" continues with EDM grooves, but "Go Slow" is the true masterwork of the album. Ethereal backing vocals and a hypnotic drum loop converge to create feelings of claustrophobia while an accusatory chorus chants, "You took away all my young life/ and I hate what I've become." Although all of the songs, and especially those on the second half of the album, rely heavily on technological enhancements, raw guitar solos and soulful vocals asCOURTESY KIM METSO sure listeners that human beings are Golden girls: Days Are Gone will envelop listeners in the cool embrace of indie rock. indeed the forces behind such lush electronics. In Israeli, "Haim" means "If I Could Change Your Mind" how much an individual may try to "alive," a perfect adjective to demasterfully utilizes tempo changes avoid them. scribe Days Are Gone. Many critics to amp up the impact of each subseThe title track, placed just past quent chorus. Danielle Haim's soul- midway through the album, stands have attempted to define Haim by ful vocals and staccato guitar bor- out for a couple reasons: it was co- comparing the group to a bizarre der on stream-of-consciousness and written by R&B extraordinaire Jes- conglomerate of bands that have preach from experience, admitting sie Ware and indie songwriter Kid passed their prime, including Fleet"Every time I think about it/ memo- Harpoon, and it's the only song that wood Mac, The Strokes and TLC. ries take me back to all the wildest does not feature Danielle Haim on But Haim, unafraid to dabble in the times." The song speaks to the in- lead vocals. Instead, Alana Haim immediacy of pop and undeterred tense pull of memories, no matter takes over, adding edgier vocals to a by experimentation, has demanded to be defined on its own terms.
Artist Spotlight: Sarah Jaffe
Rolling stone: The indie-folk rocker spills her soul out in every heartfelt melody. By Paris Close Culture Editor Artist: Sarah Jaffe Genre: Indie-Rock, Folk Current Album: The Body Wins Comparisons: Sia, Skylar Grey & A Fine Frenzy Popular Tracks: "Hooray for Love," "Summer Begs" & "Mannequin Woman"
Culture Editor Paris Close
When listening to the music of Sarah Jaffe (ja-fee), be sure to buckle your sentimental seatbelts and pour yourself a nice, steamy cup of herbal tea, because you're headed for Closure Town. With only her guitar and pick in hand, at first glance, Jaffe may not look like much, but she is far more skilled than the average coffee shop crooner. Although the indie-folkster is a native Texan, her sly serenades
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resonate with the occasional hipster or those simply pursuing a sound that isn't chafed with sappy lyrics and auto-tune. My first encounter with Jaffe's melodies came courtesy a Pandora station, "Clementine" being the first tune to command my eardrums. In the song, Jaffe sings about the uncertainty of both promise and patience, "50 states, 50 lines, 50 crying all the time's/ 50 boys, 50 lies, 50 I'm gonna change my mind's." While I have yet to come upon another artist whose sound resembles hers, the closest lyrical comparison would be that of Sia Furler or Skylar Grey, while slightly sharing Alison Sudol's (A Fine Frenzy) careful composure. Since gaining notice in Rolling Stone for her EP Even Born Again, the singer has released two full-length records: Suburban Nature (2010) and her most recent, The Body Wins (2012). As melodramatic as it may sound, the singer carries with her an arsenal of brokenhearted melodies and delivers them in such an explicit manner it would have Taylor Swift running to
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rewrite her own diary entries. "Fangs," a chilling tune taken from the singer's latest record, has one of my most favorite lines: "At the end of every kiss there's a war," Jaffe sings, speaking of a turbulent relationship. As if she had not already established and earned her respect with her lounge-friendly music alone, another way to vindicate yourself as a musician is to master the art of reinterpreting another artist's music. Jaffe has quite a few remarkable covers under her belt: from her outwardly vulnerable take on Robyn's "Hang with Me" to a smooth breakdown of Drake's "Shut It Down," which is just as uniquely crafted as one might imagine. Jaffe's music emits natural warmth, unpretentiously leading the listener to nirvana. If you ever find yourself in need of escaping to an island bathed in soft, white sand or a humble cottage looking out onto an endless prairie, simply plug in those ear buds and get lost within her music.
Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint
Don Jon is this year's sexiest comedy flick By Nathan Gimby Staff Writer Don Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's bold directorial debut, is like a romantic comedy starring the cast of Jersey Shore, featuring numerous awkward sex scenes and copious amounts of pornography. Oddly, that formula isn't nearly as horrible as it sounds. In fact, if you can get through the first 20 minutes of Jon's insufferably narcissistic "bro talk" and uncomfortably detailed and misogynistic complaints about his sex life, you'll find a truly unique movie experience with unexpected heart and clever social commentary. The film follows Jon "the Don" Martello Jr., a regular guy from New Jersey who likes to hang with his boys, go to church every Sunday and, most importantly, watch porn. Jon has no trouble getting with women, but he still prefers porn to actual sex. His distorted notions of love and sex leave him unfulfilled by anything else, even the woman he claims is "the most beautiful thing" he's ever seen. Scarlett Johansson never misses a beat as Jon's beautiful but controlling girlfriend, Barbara Sugarman. Like Jon, Barbara has her own unhealthy obsession in the form of Hol-
lywood romance flicks. Their first date features a hilariously cheesy mock film titled "Special Someone" starring Anne Hathaway and Channing Tatum which Jon watches in disgust, before unwittingly playing out the romance tropes he despises so much with Barbara. Gordon-Levitt deftly portrays the media-driven fantasies that drive the couple's mutual objectification of each other and smashes conventional Hollywood notions of love to bits. Don Jon also eschews typical comedy formulas in favor of witty, if somewhat heavy handed, juxtaposition and absurd character interactions. The sex and porn angle is rarely, if ever, played for laughs as one would expect from the average romantic comedy. Instead, Don Jon provides its humor in the form of Jon cursing in fits of over-the-top road rage all the way to church or arguing the benefits of TiVo with his foul-mouthed football-obsessed father (Tony Danza). Jon's interactions with his family and father in particular provide the bulk of the laugh-out-loud moments of the film, but also a dark reflection of Jon's future if he can't find something more fulfilling. The film is not without its flaws. Supporting characters lack mean-
Nickel and Dimed A production for penny-pinchers By Abigale Racine The Saint Reporter "Let's talk about sh--," spat Barbara (Rachel Yavart), the main character of the upcoming Aquinas College production Nickel and Dimed. She then ranted about the connection between rich peoples' excrements and working-class America. With a thought-provoking and hilarious script coupled with an extraordinary cast, Nickel and Dimed is an entertaining and intellectuallystimulating spectacle worth every penny. The play follows the misadventures of a journalist as she maneuvers herself into the world of the working class citizen, disguising herself in an array of undercover identities, including a housemaid, a waitress, a retail salesperson and a nursing home aid for a three month experiment. She quickly realizes the struggle of surviving paycheck-to-paycheck, recording her mishaps and misfortunes which she and her fellow coworkers endure. The play was inspired by the exposé Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, written by political activist Barbara Ehrenreich. Nickel and Dimed addresses a multitude of social issues that the working class individual faces each and every day. From medical expenses and unreliable housing to common issues like health and food concerns, the production is sure to
touch many of those who have experience similar troubles. At each of her jobs, Barbarahad to deal with both injustice and discrimination, and the actors in the Aquinas College production thought that aspect of Nickel and Dimed easy to relate to, all claiming to have worked less than satisfying, minimum wage jobs. "It applies to us because we are all college students, most [of us are] working crappy jobs," said senior Dala Carroll, who plays six different roles in Nickel and Dimed. All of those involved concur that the play is not a cry for help but it is an examination of a widespread and growing problem. "I think it's going to surprise a lot of people," said senior Rachel Yavart, who's the lead role in the production. "It's based on reality, not just a play for entertainment. It puts a face to those you see working in restaurants, all the janitors who clean our bathrooms and they work ten times harder than anyone I've ever met." Nickel and Dimed will run from Thursday, October 3, to Sunday, October 6, at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center. For even more information regarding ticket pricing, dates and upcoming productions, be sure to visit www.aquinas. edu/theatre.
ingful development, especially since so much of the film is Jon's narrat i o n . The pacing also t a k e s s o m e getting u s e d to and at first I was afraid this was going to be one of those movies that exist to put together an interX-rated: The risque film is smokin' hot in more ways than one. esting trailer but lack any real cohesion. this one with your parents. And while this is not necessarily a Early flaws in pacing aside, Don flaw, Don Jon is a film written to get Jon finds its rhythm and proves to its audience outside their comfort be a fantastically original take on rozone. Whatever you do, don't watch
mance in film and a promising start for Gordon-Levitt's directing career.
Drake shows us how it's done
fect in public eye, even though he feels he's far from it: "I still been plottin' on the low/ schemin' on the low/ the furthest thing from perfect like everyone I know." Boasting features from Jay-Z, Party Next Door, Majid Jordan and Jhene Aiko, Drake isn't shy about giving new artists a platform to showcase their talent. Most notably, the record's second single, "Hold On, We're Going Home," featuring OVO signed artist and Canadian resident Jordan, has done quite well on radio stations and has reached No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100. Singing intimate lyrics like, "I can't get over you, you left your mark on me/ I want your hot love and emotion endlessly," the single has become a worldwide hit. The tune seems to take the feel of an ode towards women he's been involved with, showing his everlasting wish to find someone he can invest in emotionally without the worry of his lifestyle turning them away. The best track is "Come Thru" which is featured on the deluxe edition. It's worth the extra money. COURTESY FLICKR The up-tempo yet reflective song Bittersweet: Drake's new album gets nostalgic and finds beauty behind heartbreak. showcases Drake's recurring difficulty facing the past. The rapper vents lyrics like, "We had the type By Taylor Hodges hit songs before—whether as a of nights where morning comes too The Saint Reporter featured artist or a self-release— soon and nothing was the same," you've never heard him like this. "I following up with, "You should call It's been a long time since we reached heights that Dwight How- into work if that ain't too much to last heard a full project from To- ard couldn't reach/ Prince Akeem, ask/ I could pour you up a drink and ronto rapper Drake, but his highly they throw flowers at my feet," raps we can burn something," finding anticipated third album, Nothing Drake on the opening track "Tus- himself yearning for love. Overall, the album gets a 4.5/5 Was The Same, officially dropped last can Leather." Immediately, Drake Tuesday, September 24. Despite be- brings his impressive energy and stars. The soothing melodies and lyrical content makes Drake's latest ing leaked, the album went straight lyricism to the record. On one of the album's best masterpiece completely impeccable. to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and sold more than 675,000 copies in its songs, "Furthest Thing," shows the rapper's introspective side as he first week. While I am sure many of you talks about living the lavish lifestyle have listened to one of Drake's of a celebrity and being seen as per-
ArtPrize 2013 offers just about everything By Cait Hilton Staff Writer The coolest thing about ArtPrize—the international art competition that's been taking over Grand Rapids every fall for the last five years—is that it brings us together as a community. We come together to talk about art at any given moment of the day: inside tiny coffee shops or large museums, to our friends and even to strangers. The entire experience is uniquely engaging and that is precisely its purpose. This year, in ArtPrize's fifth round, the competition is breaking a whole new set of boundaries and stirring up a lot of conversation. Outside the Devos Place, artist Patrick McKearnan has set two statues made of bronze and two others comprised of epoxy resin, wood and vinyl, depicting humans in the nude. Yes, the nude. And you better believe McKkeaman's piece turned heads and left many to question as to its taste. The collection of sculptures has been permitted to stay in its place—seeing as we glorify things like Greek sculpture already, consisting mostly of nude males. Then again, who are MARISSA KUNKEL / THE SAINT we to belittle McKearnan's contemSights to see: Nick Jakubiak's "Tired Pandas" is just one of the many entries causing a stir at ArtPrize 2013. porary spin on artwork? David Dodde, another participant, also submitted a rather con- world renowned sculpture by Alex- from all over the country, including onstrates a lack of appreciation for troversial piece, "Fleurs et Riviere," ander Calder, honored for the artistic that of the Calder Foundation, based the original artist, Calder, and that which contains flower magnets at- movement it accelerated in our city in in New York. After much debating, Dodde had no right using Calder's tached to the "La Grande Vitesse" (a '69 and now our city's symbol). This the ArtPrize entry was forced to be masterpiece to construct his own. installation evoked strong reactions taken down. Many argue it demWith over 1,500 entries and 169 Culture Editor Paris Close
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venues spread throughout Grand Rapids, ArtPrize has something for just about everyone to enjoy. "Gon KiRin 54232" by Ryan C. Doyle and Teddy Lo seemed to be a crowd pleaser this year—the rusty looking 3-D, 26 foot tall dragon set in The B.O.B.'s parking lot certainly amused me. . "LADYBOY" a photography collection created by Robert Coombs, located in the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts is another favorite of mine. The vibrant entry consisting of photographs of a make-up enhanced man in dramatic, scenic poses made many uncomfortable but without a doubt intrigued audiences. The conversation surrounding this piece is always interesting to hear. The $200,000 grand prize is a lot of money to hold onto, but will surely make that special contestant very happy. Make sure you visit the heart of the city and vote for your favorite pieces in time as the ArtPrize awards will happen on October 4. Although the event ends Sunday, October 6, there is still time to catch some of the artwork and events. So be sure to visit www.artprize.org for more information.
College Football: ND beats MSU but falls to Oklahoma
Aquinas Hockey: Ready for another successful season
Detroit Tigers: Future looks to be very bright
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have not been the machine they were last season. With a record of 3-2 this season, the Irish are playing hard to get their wins but are just coming up short. The Irish were victorious against Michigan State with a 17-13 win but came up short against Oklahoma losing 35-21.
The Aquinas men's hockey team played their first game on September 22 on the road against Notre Dame in South Bend. The Saints played a very hard game and ending up winning in overtime against the Irish, 4-3. The Saints will play their next game on Friday, October 4 against University of Detroit Mercy.
The Detroit Tigers have played one heck of a season. With a record of 93-69, the Tigers have been doing something right. Detroit will play in the first round of the playoffs against the Oakland Athletics. If the Tigers keep up their game, a World Series appearance may be likely for the second year in a row.
Men's soccer
>> Men's soccer
The Aquinas men's soccer team is on fire this season, with an impressive record of 9-1, the Saints have become more determined than ever to be victorious this season. The Saints play their next game at home on Saturday, October 12, against U-M Dearborn.
Staying in the game
Still putting up a fight
Eye on the prize: Sophomore Enrique Padilla keeps his head in the game during home field action this season. The Saints play next at Madonna on Friday, October 4. By Taylor Hodges The Saint Reporter The men's soccer team has had a season to remember and it has only just begun. Starting strong right off the bat and shutting out opponents at home helped this team go 8-0. Next on their list was crosstown rival Cornerstone. Despite losing 2-0, the team played every minute like it was their last and proved why they are one of the top teams in the nation. "Because all the players are on the same page we play better as a team" said Head Coach Joe Veal. "No one cares who gets the statistics or the credit individually. It's mainly about working hard every day and getting better every day as a team so we can accomplish team goals" Although the team has had a
great start, they're quite different from last year's team due to many players graduating and transferring. "Although players have transferred to schools elsewhere, the way our team came together this year has surprised everyone," said sophomore midfielder Rico Padilla. "Many thought we would have a poor season but our team has become an unselfish family who play for each other. It's a blast to play with these guys every day." That team chemistry is proving to work wonders and although the team is happy with their start, they aren't dwelling on their recent successes and are looking to carry that momentum into conference play which has recently started. "Conference games are more competitive, more physical, and more of a challenge, but we enjoy the challenge" said Veal. "We keep
saying what we've accomplished so far is nice but, we need to keep working hard and try to improve every day." If the team continues to work hard, they're going to find themselves in a great position to defend their conference title and make another run at nationals this year. "We are proud of our accomplishments so far but we are not pleased with anything," said Padilla. "We have much more to prove and a title to defend." Not only does the team want to defend their conference title, but also prove that they're no weaker even though some of last year's players have transferred. "This year we have players who want to be at Aquinas for academics and soccer," said Veal. The Saint play rival Davenport University on October 9.
Aquinas Cross Country Fighting for the finish line By Carly Plank Staff Writer Continuing an outstanding start to the season, the Aquinas men's and women's cross country teams finished first and third, respectively, at the National Catholic Schools Invitational hosted by Notre Dame on September 20. The men defeated runner up Loras College by 11 points. Junior Grant Gunneson crossed the line in second place in 25:40.5. Sophomore Jacob Towne also finished in the top five of the meet, coming in fifth place with a time of 26:08.3. Senior Brendan Molony was the third Saint to finish, coming in 12th place in 26:21.3. Although they finished as the meet champions, Towne expressed some shortcomings that need to be addressed before nationals. "We weren't able to pack it up as much as we would have liked, and we have to keep working on
closing the gap between our first and fifth runners. However, it's always nice to go to Notre Dame and pick up the win," said Towne, the men's WHAC runner of the week. "Our goal is to win nationals so this meet was a stepping stone towards that goal." Junior and women's WHAC runner of the week Rachael Steil lead the team for the second meet in a row, placing 11th in 18:52.8. Steil was followed by sophomore Emily Hazelbach, who finished 24th in 19:21.3, and junior Catie Rietsema, who notched a 30th place finish with a time of 19:25.0. Senior Kelsey Carpenter and freshman Kathy Middaugh finished in the fourth and fifth positions for the Saints, who earned an all time best team finish at the meet. Even this early in the season, Hazelbach senses a definite urgency in the way the team has been running. "New people are stepping outside of their comfort zones and taking risks to run faster, and it has Sports Editor Alyssa Frese
already shown with the meets at Calvin and at Notre Dame, and will continue to develop in the next few weeks when we run at Kansas and Lansing, and for the rest of the season," said Hazelbach. Head Coach Mike Wojciakowski agrees that the best is yet to come. "The women's team depth continues to impress me; I'm just really looking forward to when it clicks for everyone on the same day. Even though the men picked up the victory, I believe we can run a lot better," said Wojciakowski. "It's still only September, so we have time to work out the kinks and focus on the meets that really matter in November." The next meet on the schedule is the Lansing Community College Invitational on October 4, followed by a preview of the NAIA National Championship course in Lawrence, Kansas on October 11.
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Huddle close: The Saints come together during home game action this season to celebrate and get pumped after a point is given to the team. By Emily Sweet The Saint Reporter The Aquinas volleyball team hosted the Madonna Crusaders on Wednesday, September 25. As both teams were warming up, there was a noticeable difference between the two teams' attitudes. The visiting Crusaders let out battle cries while each one of them proceeded to crush the ball over the net. Meanwhile, our Aquinas Saints remained composed and silent but focused. Madonna was ranked number one in the conference with a record of 18-0, 2-0 in the conference for the season. Starters for the Saints were sophomore Anna Fencil, freshmen Brooke Wieland and Michaela Ryan and juniors Meghan Veldheer, MacKenzie Kolstad, Molly Maynard and Megan Toth. The matches started and Madonna quickly gained confidence, delivering three undiggable kills in a row, all by different players. The Saints took a deep breath and slowing began fighting back. Because the Crusaders' blocking line, much like their kills, was so aggressive, junior Meghan Toth began tipping the ball over the blocks instead of smack-
ing them into the overeager blockers. Aquinas gained momentum and clawed back into the match point by point. The first match went to Aquinas for a 25-23 point win. The next two matches were also unsurprisingly close. Although Veldheer and Ryan teamed up as a threatening blocking unit to the Crusaders' poisonous kills, they could not match the Crusaders. Both matches went to Madonna. During the last match, Aquinas knew they had one chance to end Madonna's perfect season. The determined Saints dug deep with multiple digs from junior Rachel Sprenger and showed passionate enthusiasm in their play. Unfortunately, the Saints' desperate want to win was not enough to outweigh the Crusaders' obvious talent and experience. The Crusaders ended the game by winning the fourth match also, leaving the Saints to a 1-3 deficit. With the amount of genuine heart and raw determination, the Saints have nothing to be ashamed of. The next home game is held on Wednesday, October 9, against Cornerstone.
College football By Joe Foldenauer The Saint Reporter After weeks of high scoring wins for Michigan State, the Spartans lost their first game of the season against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 17-13. Held a few weeks ago in South Bend, the game was a tough fight for the Spartans, who had four pass interference calls and multiple holding penalties. Even Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio admitted he had never seen so many defensive pass interferences called in one game. Dantonio hasn't won against Notre Dame since 2010 and the last time that happened, he suffered from a heart attack following the game. In order to have better season, he'll have to work on the Spartan's young QB Connor Cook and the improvement of MSU's defense. Players to be highlighted for the Fighting Irish would be Cam McDaniel, who rushed for 40 yards with one touchdown and Macgarrett Kings Jr., who had five receptions for 37 yards and one touchdown. Michigan State will try to improve their season against
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their first Big Ten rivals the Iowa Hawkeyes this Saturday at noon. Notre Dame this previous weekend suffered a sad loses against the Oklahoma Sooners 35-21. Tommy Rees had a rough game throwing nine for 24 attempts and three interceptions. The Irish were able to rush for 220 yards a season high, 148 yards contributed from George Atkinson III. This loss has knocked the Irish out of the top 25 and if they plan to have a winning season, not only will Tommy Rees have to improve his game, but the whole team will as well. Notre Dame will play against the 3-1 Arizona State Sun Devils this Saturday. U of M had a close call against the Connecticut Huskies, pulling off a close 24-21 victory a few weeks ago. If it wasn't for Desmound Morgan's interception, the Wolverines could have been 3-1 instead of 4-0, especially with four turnovers. Devin Gardner threw for 111 yards going 13 for 25. U of M will continue to fight to keep their perfect season this Saturday against Minnesota Gophers.
Aquinas Homecoming
Senior Kevin Mahar reflects on cross country career lationships with my professors which is something I wouldn't get the opportunity to do at a bigger school," said Mahar. Mahar is in his fifth year at Aquinas and has gotten very involved on campus. Along with cross country and track, Kevin has been pursuing a job as a campus safety officer since the winter of 2012. "I was just looking for a job at the time I was hired but I love working for them. I agree with what they do," said Mahar. Mahar is pursuing an Education Major with Social Studies and History as well as a Spanish minor. Mahar decided to pursue an Education degree COURTESY KEVIN MAHAR because of exPushing the limits: Senior Kevin Mahar pushed himself to finish at the 2012 NAIA Championship. Ma- periences with har will graduate in May with an Education Degree specializing in Social Studies, History and Spanish. his own teachers. "I wanted to have an impact on students' lives By Alyssa Frese he credits his high school experiences like my teachers did for me," said MaSports Editor for his success as a runner. "The guys har. After graduation, Mahar plans I ran with in high school taught me to Running is something that takes put my heart into things and to never to move out to Arizona or Southern a lot of dedication and practice. For give up," said Mahar. After having California. "My two sisters live in Arizona senior Kevin Mahar, all the hard work such a good experience with cross and they wish they knew Spanish that has gone into his running career country, Mahar decided to look into which is where my minor comes in has definitely paid off. running in college. handy. I love the heat and dry weathSince first becoming involved "I really enjoy running and it has with running in eighth grade, Kevin been a huge part of my life since I er and think that it would be really has come a long with his running started. I met with Coach Wood and great live out there," said Mahar. Though Mahar's running career career. "I joined cross country my was introduced to Coach Woj [Wojeighth grade year because my cousin ciakowski] and I really agreed with with is Aquinas is coming to an end in May, he is determined to finish his who also ran cross country told me he his philosophy," said Mahar. college career out on a strong note. would give me $5 if I finished a year After looking into running at "No varsity members graduated this and I ended up liking it a lot more Aquinas, Mahar decided to look into than I thought I would," said Mahar. other aspects of the campus to make past spring so I know we are going to Mahar comes from a family of run- sure it was the right fit for him. "I re- be great. I am happy with where we ners; his cousin, sister and uncle all ally liked the small atmosphere. Aqui- are right now but I am not satisfied because I know we have the potential were cross country runners. nas is a great campus. I like that I get to be the absolute best," said Mahar. Although there has been a lot of the opportunity to talk and build refamily influence on Mahar's career,
Detroit Tigers win the AL Central once again By Zoe Harmon The Saint Reporter The Detroit Tigers have won their third American League Central Championship in a row, and they are ready to take their momentum into the postseason. On September 25, the Tigers made history when Max Scherzer started an outstanding game, which led to a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Twins. With the win, the Tigers won the AL Central and Scherzer recorded his 21st win of the season. Austin Jackson scored the only run of the game when Torii Hunter knocked him in with a base hit. The real excitement came after the win, as the team poured onto the field together and received their matching championship shirts and hats. The
team shook hands then proceeded to the clubhouse to party. Once they came together, the organization celebrated with champagne, complete with goggles to protect their eyes from the exploding drinks. Manager Jim Leyland also joined the party, getting sprayed with champagne and showing off his dance moves. The Detroit Tigers organization has likely been successful due to their strength throughout the entire lineup. Since the All-Star break in July, Victor Martinez (V-Mart) has been on a hot streak. He started on Sept. 20 with a batting average above .300 for the first time all the season. Not only has V-Mart's success been vital, but the players at the bottom of the line-up, like Alex Avila, Omar Infante and Don Kelly, have also
been important in the team's wins. A strong lineup from top to bottom makes a six-run comeback, such as the one on Sept. 21, possible. Kelly scored the winning run in the 12th inning, off an infield single by Infante. It had been 66 years since a Tigers team had come back from a six-run deficit in the ninth. To end the regular season the Tigers will play in a three-game series against the Miami Marlins. Tiger's fans interested in watching the post-season can view the American League Division Series on TBS and the MLB Network starting October. 4. The World Series will follow, beginning on October 23 and will be broadcast on FOX. The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball powerhouse. It will be exciting to see how far their talent takes them in the 2013 post-season.
Head in the game: Senior Mark Evans guards his Central Michigan opponent closely at the men's lacrosse game this past Saturday at homecoming By Madeline Eagen The Saint Reporter The Saints had an eventful day of homecoming sporting events. The women's lacrosse team started the day off victorious with their win against Grand Valley. The Saints won 15-3 in their first game in the Fall Ball. "I am so proud of our team. We really came together and played like a team. I am very excited to see what this year has in store for us, even though we know it will take a lot of hard work," said senior Bailey Terebinski. The next team to bring another win for Aquinas was the women's soccer team. The girls beat Cleary 7-0. Freshman forward Leann Latsch led the Saints scoring two goals throughout the game. Junior Elizabeth Vaughan, freshman Cami Baker and sophomores Ali Mancini, Casey Westveer, and Sam Houchlei also scored one goal apiece for the Saints. The Saints brought their game with them and were relentless throughout the entirety of the game making it a successful homecoming victory. The men's soccer team also won on Saturday against Lawrence Tech with a score of 4-1. Scoring for the Saints were seniors Michael Gagnon, Mitch Torres and Jonathan Spencer as well as sophomore Peter Brandenburg, with one goal apiece. The Saints scored their first two goals within the first 20 minutes of game time. With the early
Detroit Lions start season strong By Joe Foldenauer The Saint Reporter The Lions are off to a winning start this season. Having only one loss in their schedule so far, the Lions are a team not to take lightly. A few weeks ago the Lions put down RG3 and the Redskins 27-20. This game marked the end of a 74 year loss against the Redskins on the road for the Lions.
Shop Goodwill for all of your Halloween must-haves this season! goodwillgr.org Sports Editor Alyssa Frese
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lead, they were able to stay ahead of the game and pull an impressive victory against the Blue Devils. The Aquinas women's volleyball team brought in another win for the Saints on Saturday. The beat Goshen with the scores of 25-20, 25-10 and 25-14. "Our team did really well with blocking during the games," said freshman Michaela Ryan. The Saints persevered and beat Goshen easily in three straight matches. "Our hitting was really good-we hit over 300," Dayle Wood, another freshman, added. "Playing a game on homecoming was a lot of fun. We really appreciated the crowd that was there to watch. We were thankful for the student section and all of the other sports team that came to cheer us on," said freshman Brooke Wieland. Unfortunately the men's lacrosse team did not bring home a victory. But they did have perseverance and showed school pride out on the field. The score in the match against Central Michigan was 13-11. "We have a lot of talent on the team but also a lot to work on," said junior Tim Hansen. "We work great as a team-that's one of our strong points. We just need to work on slowing down the game and making smart passes," Hansen added. This was the first game they played together as a team this fall. Their official season doesn't begin until the springtime.
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Matthew Stafford was able to throw for 385 yards with two touchdowns. Calvin Johnson had seven receptions, running for 115 yards and scoring one touchdown. Another highlighted player to mention would be Joique Bell. Bell, subbing for Reggie Bush due to a previous knee injury, was able to rush for a total of 63 yards, with 40 attempts and scored one touchdown. Injuries for the Lions from this game include DT Jason Jones, who ruptured his patella tendon. This will put him out for the rest of the year. Last Sunday, the Lions took on the 3-0 Chicago Bears and were victorious, winning 40-32. This game moved Detroit to the number one spot tied with Chicago for the NFC division. Stafford played a great game, throwing 242 yards, one touchdown and going 23 for 35 attempts. Johnson completed four receptions for 44 yards and one touchdown. Another highlighted player would go to Ndamukong Suh. After getting approved to play from his hurt knee Suh went on to get four tackles, and two sacks. One of the Sacks led to an impressive fumble recovery and touchdown by Nick Fairley. This was Fairley's first touchdown and one of the best plays of the game. Reggie Bush also had a great game with 18 carries, running for 139 yards and one touchdown. The Lions have proved they are a competitor this year and will face off against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday and try to keep their number one spot in the NFC.


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Tex-Mex Chicken Chili with LimeStore-bought rotisserie chicken shortcuts the cook time for this Tex-Mex chili, while white ale adds spice, body, and flavor.
Fast Chicken Chili with Butternut Squash
Rotisserie chicken helps make this hearty chili superspeedy without sacrificing rich, deep, and complex flavor.
White Chili with Avocado Cream
Try this recipe for a flavorful and satisfying white chicken chili.
White ChiliThis white chili recipe uses hot pepper sauce made from jalapeños; it's milder than the red hot pepper varieties. If you're cutting down on calories and fat, this chili is a great choice with only 198 calories and 4.1 grams of fat per serving.
Green Chili with ChickenThis cozy chili is made in a slow-cooker, so all you have to do is roast the tomatillos and add everything to the pot. If it's Halloween, top bowls of steaming chili with adorable tortilla ghosts.
Fast Chicken ChiliThis quickie chili comes together in a flash, making it ideal for busy weeknights. Green chiles, cumin, cilantro, and lime add a touch of Mexican flavor.
Chicken-and-Three-Bean Chili VerdeThis 5-star recipe is a great choice for families and tailgaters alike! Tomatillos are the secret ingredient here, infusing this chili with sweet flavor and giving it great texture.
Pumpkin Chili with ChickenServe this chili in October when pumpkin abounds. Loaded with chicken, two kinds of kidney beans, and spices, a bowl of this chili would be the perfect supper before trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
White Lightning Chicken ChiliWhite Lightning Chicken Chili gets its name because it only takes 30 minutes from start to finish to get this one-dish meal to the table. Serve it with cornbread.
Slow-Cooker White Chicken ChiliThrow this into the slow cooker in the morning before you head off to work, and dinner will be ready when you get home.
Smoky Chicken ChiliPick up smoked chicken from your favorite barbecue restaurant to make this dish, or use rotisserie chicken from your local supermarket.
(Low-Fat) Chicken ChiliUsing ground chicken instead of ground beef helps reduce the fat in this tasty chili. Top with reduced-fat cheese and serve with baked tortilla chips to keep the total calories in check.
Chicken Chili with PestoPerk up the flavor of your white chili with a dollop of pesto.
White Bean and Chicken ChiliCanned beans and a slow cooker make this mild-flavored chili an easy option for dinner.
Chicken and Roasted Poblano ChiliPoblano chile peppers, cilantro, avocado slices and fresh lime wedges give this chili its distinctive Southwestern flavor.
White Bean ChiliOffer a chili buffet the next you have folks over for dinner and serve a white chili alongside the more traditional beef chili. Let your guests select from a variety of toppings like shredded cheese, onions, crumbled tortilla chips, sour cream and cilantro.
Chicken Green Chili with White BeansRoasted Anaheim chile peppers give this chili its flavor, and a can of cannellini beans keeps the preparation easy.
Chicken Chili Recipes

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Saag, an ancient leafy green spinach dish, has been enjoyed in the Himalayas for over 5,000 years. Our traditional Lamb Saag is laboriously prepared by slow simmering our Chef-selected free roaming lamb with a blend of Indian spices, ginger and yogurt. A classic reflection of the Indian epicure and a timeless expression of taste. Served in a thick bed of highly nutritious, savory Saag.
INGREDIENTS: Spinach Sauce: Spinach, Water, Diced Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid, Calcium Chloride), Cream, Onions, Tomato Paste, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water), Ginger, Sea Salt, Spices, Paprika, Xanthan Gum, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Turmeric. Basmati Rice: Water, Basmati Rice, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Ginger, Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water). Lamb: Boneless Lamb, Nonfat Yogurt (Cultured Nonfat Milk, Pectin), Water, Rice Starch, Ginger, Sea Salt, Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water), Spices.


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A few weekends ago I had a super amazing time at the Florida Teacher Bloggers Meet Up! It was great to meet some of the teaching ladies that were previously just my instagram and blogging friends! It turns out that they are real life living breathing fabulous people! It was kind of like a giant blind date!
My day started off bright and early with a little drive from West Palm up to Orlando and get this- I was out of coffee! I couldn't wait to get to Blue Bird Bake Shop to try out their fair trade coffee! This shope was so cute! A great place to blog and have a yummy treat! Aren't those paintings adorable?
Honestly, if only experienced Blue Bird Bake Shop it was worth the drive. They were so generous and were one of our fabulous sponsors for the event. Jeff Lambert was super nice and told me a bit about the shop. They've been around for awhile but opened their shop in 2010. Look at this amazingness:
THE Salted Caramel Brownie that puts all other brownies to shameThey are famous for the delicious cupcakes but they have even more yumminess like the salted caramel brownie that made me forget every other brownie I've had in my life. This brownie is the brownie. If you live in Florida, please go there to get this brownie. For $2.95 it was HUGE and big enough to split (although I, um, may have devoured the whole thing myself). If you read my October Currently you know that I am focusing on salted caramel this fall in lieu of pumpkin (its important to be focused right?). Therefore, when I saw this brownie at the register it was like it came to me from the divine. And it tasted like that.
Anyhow, I got on the road brownie-filled and coffee filled with the delicious cupcakes in tow and couldn't wait to meet my teacher blogger friends.
The teacher-hosts of the event are pictured here
PICTURED Left to Right: Tammy from The Space Coast Teacher, Lisa from Learning is something to Treasure, myself, Melissa from More Time 2 Teach, Mary from A Classroom Full of Smiles and Amy from Learning Lessons with Mrs. Labrasciano.
I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with some fabulous people! It was so great to meet Meredith from Creativity to the Core and Elyse from A is for Apples. We all chatted about teaching, different grade levels, the LAFS (aka common core standards minus one). We talked about balancing writing and teaching and how we just can't get it all done! I felt relieved that I was not the only one that felt this way. It looks like teacher bloggers can do it all, but in fact they can't!
These mini cupcakes were amazing from Blue Bird Bake Shop. They were so moist and the icing. Oh my goodness. Pictured here are: strawberry, pumpkin and ch-chocolate. I tried them all and trust me, you need them in your life. They have a Cupcake Happy Hour on November 7 from 5-7 where all cupcakes are $2. Stay up to date with Blue Bird Bake Shop through their
Facebook: Blue Bird Bake Shop
Twitter: Blue Bird Bake Shop
Instagram: @bluebirdbakeshop
Here Melissa from More Time 2 Teach , Elyse from A is for Apples, Leigh from http://theappliciousteacher.blogspot.com/The Applicious Teacher and @SecondGradeParade are enjoying the yummy cupcakes!
This pretty bracelet is from PaperVirgo. Love this pretty color!
It was a fabulous day and can't wait to reunite with these girls again soon!
If you want to see more pics on instagram check out the hashtag: #floridateacherblogger2014 and #floridateacherbloggers
Happy Sunday!


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It's hard to tell in the before picture (it's the only one I have), but I have lots of mild to moderate rolling scars on my cheeks, an ice pick, and a box car scar, and some rough textured skin, plus large pores. I'd been contemplating laser's for a long time, then a saw a livingsocial deal for a local spa for $399 for a full face pixel perfect (aka Pixel Harmony) and I snagged the deal right up.
Some observations about me and my skin: I have thick skin (which made me a good laser candidate, FYI, most African American's have thick skin, but I'm of Eastern European descent.) I get cold sores on my lips every few months (this is VERY important to tell your laser technician/doctor, so they can give you an anti viral med, if not, you'll end up with bad cold sores all over your face, which result in MORE scars.) My skin is the type that burns easily. I was told by my dermatologist that I need an ablative laser for the rolling scars, he said a non-ablative laser wouldn't do much good for the rolling scars. The reason I got this done is that when I called the office before purchasing the coupon deal, I asked them if this was an ablative laser, they said yes. However, when I got to my appointment I found out it was just a non-ablative... But, I got it done anyways, and I'll post more as time goes on.
The appointment: My face was scrubbed clean, I was then given a numbing cream. After 30 minutes the numbing cream took effect. Technician asked me about my main concerns, I said rough skin, rolling scars, and freckles in corner of face. She said this laser won't get rid of the freckles, but the rough patches and the rolling scars were very fixable. She did what they call "stacking". With a fraxel they do "passes". So on the rolling scars she did 5-6 "stacks" and on the rest of my face she did 1-2 stacks. Stacks meaning how many times they press the laser button in the same spot. It didn't hurt too bad, maybe a 3 out of 10, and I could smell my skin burning despite the vacuum device being on. I was done in 15 minutes. She put an ointment on my face, and I was out the door. I bought a kit from one of the online sites, maybe skincarerx. The kit I bought was the SkinMedica post laser kit. The ointment is nice, it doesn't break me out like aquaphor does.
My face just looks and feels sunburned. I'm currently sleeping elevated on my recliner to prevent swelling, and I'm taking a benadryl twice a day to prevent any allergies (this was actually suggested by Dr.) I think it's going to heal fine because I took all the right precautions and did my research (thanks to the many helpful reviews on realself). I didn't use anything with acids or benzoyl peroxide in it for 2 weeks prior, I made sure to use sunscreen while going out. I didn't use any masks or scrubs, I didn't wear makeup. So time will tell whether or not this laser works on my rolling scars.
After aggressive laser, scars and large pores are absolutely no different 8 days later. Waste of my time and money. See photos.
It's hard to tell in the before picture...
It's hard to tell in the before picture (it's the only one I have), but I have lots of mild to moderate rolling scars on my cheeks, an ice pick, and a box car scar, and some rough textured skin, plus large pores. I'd been contemplating laser's for a long time, then a saw a livingsocial deal for a local spa for $399 for a full face pixel perfect (aka Pixel Harmony) and I snagged the deal right up.
Day 4 today, so far I'm peeling alot, my skin is...
Well, today is day 8, and the micro-swelling has...
Unfortunately, they didn't answer alot of my questions, and most importantly, they never asked me if I get cold sores. I learned about the cold sore information from a consult with a plastic surgeon about having my lips done, and I happened to mention a medical spa was lasering my face, so he gave me lots of helpful tips that the med spa never gave. I mentioned this to the med spa manager, the fact that I could've had a bad herpes outbreak on my face, and she made excuses why they didn't tell me. SHe said, "Well, we would have told you when you came for your appointment" I said, "But then it would have been too late, since I need to take the anti-viral medicine BEFORE the procedure." I asked her what their protocol was for anti-virals and lasers, she said take the medicine 2 weeks before laser. I had called prior to that to ask the other 2 laser techs, and they both gave different answers, one said 1 week before and 1 week after. THe other said just a week before and nothing after. Now my plastic surgeon, on the other hand, said when he does CO2 lasers he has his patients take just for 2 days before, day of, and 2 days after. I won't go back to the med spa for another laser treatment, but depending on my results from this, I might go and have a Dr do this procedure, not a tech with 9 months of esthetician schooling. I just found out in Illinois that anyone who is an esthetician (aka: 9 months of schooling) can perform non-ablative laser treatments. But only Doctors or Physican's Assistants can perform ablative laser treatments like fraxel repair or pixel co2.