Out in the cold - The Gustavian Weekly

Gustavus Men’s Hockey eyes
return trip to Nationals
Page 15
Out in the cold
First-Term Seminar creates homelessness awareness through demonstration on campus
F
Jake Seamans
Editor-in-Chief
or three nights every year, a
group of first-year students
spend three days and nights
homeless. The students are part
of Associate Professor of Political
Science Richard Leitch’s FirstTerm Seminar (FTS) on homelessness.
The students spend the three
days living as if they were homeless. The students sleep outside in
cardboard boxes or on the floor
in Christ Chapel. During the
day, the students sit outside the
Market Place waiting for other
students to give them food, as
they are not allowed to buy the
food themselves.
“We go to the [Market Place]
around meal times, and we’re
not allowed to go in the [Market
Place] and ask for food, so we just
have to sit outside and wait for
people to bring us food,” Firstyear Jessica Flannery said.
Many of the participants say
the toughest part of the Sleep Out
is sleeping.
Sarah Cartwright
Students in the Homelessness in America FTS class spend three days living homeless in cardboard boxes and in Christ
Chapel.
“[Sleeping outside] has been
really difficult,” First-year Allyson Voss said. “I expected it
to be kind of like camping …
but the first night I slept about
two-and-half hours. I didn’t fall
asleep until four o’clock in the
morning.”
Though many of the students
try to sleep outside, the cold
drives them inside.
“The first night I tried to sleep
outside, until my box collapsed
on me. Then I got really cold, so
I came inside [Christ Chapel],”
Flannery said.
However, sleeping in Christ
Chapel can present its own challenges.
“Even in [Christ Chapel], it’s
tough to get a good night’s sleep,
[with sleeping] on the floor and
all the distractions,” First-year
Amber Barry said.
Students say that they also gain
an understanding of how difficult
it can be to be homeless. “You’re
just exhausted. You go to class
and you can’t concentrate very
well,“ Flannery said. “You have
no motivation to do anything.
When you don’t have to go to
class, you just want to sit there
and do nothing because you are
so exhausted.”
However, the students admit
that they have only a taste of
what the nation’s homeless go
through every year.
“It’s been a lot harder than you
would think, and we’ve only had
a glimpse of it. We know when
it’s over; if you’re really homeless, you don’t know,” First-year
Kari Peirson said.
The students are participating in the National Hunger and
Homelessness Awareness Week,
which is always the week before
Thanksgiving. The Sleep-Out
is the signature event of the
week, and it is meant to educate
students on what it means to be
homeless.
Continued on page 2
An expression of culture and diversity
Andy Setterholm
News Editor
F
riday, Nov. 20 the International Cultures Club (ICC)
will host its largest annual event,
the International Festival. The
event will take place in Alumni
Hall from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Student groups, as well as members of the faculty, will exhibit
informative cultural displays and
take part in music and dance performances, followed by a fashion
show. Some groups will also
be offering food samples from
their respective cultures. All of
the activities will be focused on
presenting the unique aspects of
international cultures and giving
students a chance to experience
them.
The event will begin with
students touring the cultural
displays and food samples for the
first hour. The scheduled displays
will include France, Korea, Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Malawi, Singapore, China, Vietnam, Tibet, Guatemala, Russia,
Germany, Japan, Sri Lanka and
Sweden. Those scheduled to
provide food samples are Japan,
China, Vietnam and Tibet.
The second hour of the event
will be dedicated to music and
dance performances. These will
include a Korean hip-hop set
performed by the Asian Cultures
Club and two performances by
Gustavus professors. Professor
of French and Latin American,
Latino and Caribbean Studies
Paschal Kyoore and Professor
of French Laurent Dechery will
both perform French songs. The
conclusion of the event will be the
fashion show, beginning near 8:00
p.m. This will feature participants
from various groups showing
traditional or modern garments
of their culture.
This event is sponsored by the
ICC, which is made up of both
international and American students. The participants of the International Festival will similarly
be made up of international and
American students.
Continued on page 3
Students from the 2008 International Festival pose for a group picture wearing their cultures’ traditional clothes.
Submitted
Page 2
Campus Safety Report
news
The Gustavian Weekly
Interpretive Center adds solar panels
Monday, Nov. 9
Campus Safety responded to a Medical Assist at the
Anderson Theatre.
Tuesday, Nov. 10
A small amount of marijuana was found in the Campus
Center building.
Someone reported an incident of having gasoline siphoned from the gas tank of their vehicle while they
were visiting campus on Sunday, Nov. 8.
Thursday, Nov. 12
A set of College-owned keys were reported missing.
A Gustavus student reported a derogatory statement
written on their room door on the dry-erase board.
A bike was reported missing from outside Uhler Hall.
Friday, Nov.13
A bike was reported missing from the Rundstrom Hall
bike rack.
Saturday, Nov. 14
A Gustavus student was charged by Campus Safety
for Liquor Violation/Of Age just outside of the Student
Union.
A student reported that his bag was stolen from the visiting locker room in Lund Center.
Tip of the Week:
Over the past several weeks, the campus has seen an increase in reported missing bicycles. Bicycles were either
not locked or locked with cable locks. To decrease your
chance of being a victim, Campus Safety recommends
the following:
• Purchase a Bicycle U-Lock, not a cable style lock
(available in the Book Mark).
• Make sure your bicycle is locked at all times.
• Register your bicycle with Campus Safety. Registration is quick and free.
• Take with you any easily removable accessories and
components such as pumps, lights, seat bags, quickrelease seat and seat post, etc.
• If your bicycle is stolen, report it immediately to
Campus Safety at extension 8809.
Alex Messenger
New solar panels were installed at the Interpretive Center in the Arboretum. Two panels are already installed, and there
are plans to add two more. The panels will provide heat to the Interpretive Center in the coming cold months. There will
also be research conducted comparing the two types of panels used.
“Sleep Out” from page 1
“The people who are doing
it are certainly learning a lot,”
Leitch said. “The whole point of
it is to educate people about why
homelessness exists.”
This is the ninth year that
Leitch has taught the FTS on
homelessness and the twelfth
year he has participated in the
Sleep Out.
“Gustavus had a Sleep Out
tradition before I got here,”
Leitch said. “There was a student
group [that] decided they were
going to do a real ‘Sleep Out’
in recognition of Hunger and
Homelessness Week [in 1998],
and I participated in that. The
Chapel was closed at midnight,
like it usually is, and from midnight until six in the morning, we
were all under lights in front of
that locked chapel. For me, that
was really powerful.”
After that experience, Leitch
was inspired to create an FTS
class on homelessness. He made
the Sleep Out part of that class.
The students who participated
in the Sleep Out learned a lot
from the experience.
“I think [the Sleep Out] is so
critical to the class,” Flannery
said. “You can talk about what
you think could change things
or what you could do to change
these people’s lives, but … it
makes you see things from a different light.”
According to the National
Coalition for the Homeless, between 1.6 million and 3.5 million
people experience homelessness in a year. On a given night,
about 38 percent of the homeless
are children. Due to the recent
foreclosure crisis, homelessness
has been on the rise across the
country.
The twelfth annual Hunger
and Homelessness Week is sponsored by Actions Supporting
All People (ASAP). ASAP also
hosted a Hunger Banquet on
Thursday, and the Gustavus
chapter of Amnesty International
is holding a food drive. Donations may be left in marked boxes
outside the Market Place and the
Community Service Center.
Correction:
In last week’s article “Board of Trustees considers
student and faculty seats” we listed Alisa Rosenthal’s
title as Professor of Political Science. Her correct title
is Associate Professor of Political Science. The Weekly
apologizes for this error.
Work or volunteer over your holiday
break at a Winter Camp with people
with special needs as a camp counselor
or healthcare staff.
Training, room & board provided.
Apply at www.friendshipventures.org
or call 1-800-450-8376 for more info.
news
St. Peter holds celebration for reopening of 169
Editor |
Andy Setterholm
Andy Setterholm
News Editor
T
he long awaited reopening of
Highway 169 was celebrated
this past Saturday, Nov. 14 by the
City of St. Peter, local residents
and businesses that have been
affected by the construction. The
project, which began July 9, 2009
and detoured traffic off Minnesota Avenue from Highway
22 through Jefferson Street, was
officially reopened last Tuesday,
Nov. 17. The project was funded
by $16 million of federal stimulus
money and focused on increasing
safety for pedestrians and drivers.
The main difference people
will notice after the construction
is the new median, which will be
landscaped with trees and grass
in some parts and with raised
planters in other areas. The median will allow fewer left turns
for northbound vehicles, but
this will be the only significant
difference in traffic. Pedestrian
“bump-out” crosswalks at intersections between Walnut Street
and Broadway Avenue will help
walkers cross the highway more
easily to access businesses on the
other side of the highway.
The project also included the replacement of sewage pipes, water
mains and utility lines.
“It was very important that we
were able to replace the utilities,”
Community Development Director Russ Wille said. Some of the
Highway 169 was opened Monday, Nov. 16 after a five month, $16 million construction project.
utility lines under the road were
40 to 45 years old, and in recent
winters ruptured pipes required
replacement. The construction
replaced the sanitary sewer and
created a new storm sewer. The
sidewalks along the highway
were also replaced, along with
refurbished historical lighting
and other amenities.
One major impact of the five
month construction was the effect the road closing had on local
businesses.
“It has been a long summer.
A lot of businesses have been
threatened,” Wille said. Many local businesses were forced to cut
hours and even staff members,
but none were forced to close
permanently. In response to the
strain, the City of St. Peter is offering a Construction Mitigation
Micro Loan Program that will
loan $3,000 or $6,000 at zero percent interest to local businesses.
The Discover 169 Festival was
attended by many St. Peter com-
Sarah Cartwright
munity members, glad that the
main route through town would
again be opened and that detoured traffic through the city
would be eased.
Local businesses are also
breathing a sigh of relief. “It
seems like it has been forever,”
Wille said.
For more information on the
project, check out the Minnesota
Department of Transportation
website at www.dot.state.mn.us/
d7/projects/169stpeter/
Page 3
“ICC” from page 1
The students will either representing their own culture or
a culture they have experienced
through study abroad or otherwise. This is the biggest event
the ICC sponsors each academic
year; previous years have seen
attendance in the 400-500 range,
including students, faculty and
community members. International student clubs from Minnesota State University-Mankato
and other universities in the
metro area are also invited. “This
is probably one of the most
popular events on campus,” ICC
Co-President and Senior Political
Science Major Joel Herrick said.
“People who have attended the
[International Festival] enjoyed
it for various reasons,” International Student Services Director
Jeff Anderson said. The ICC’s
goal for the event is to promote
international awareness and appreciation of cultures. “[The] International Festival is a chance do
this in a fun way,” Anderson said.
“The event is primarily educational, but in the sense that it’s all
these amazing cultures, it’s a lot
of fun. The performances are not
something you’ll see somewhere
else on campus,” Herrick said.
Page 4
news
Commission Gustavus 150 releases recommendations
The Gustavian Weekly
Gustavus’ framework for the next 10 years delivered to
Student Senate co-presidents, campus
C
Phoebe Breed
Staff Writer
ommission Gustavus 150
may seem overwhelming to
some at first. After all it is made
up of 385 recommendations put
together by students, alumni,
faculty, staff, members of the
Board of Trustees and friends of
the college that are categorized in
several ways regarding the future
of our school.
However, it can be understood
simply as “the next phase of creating framework for the College by
determining the direction we will
move in over the next ten years,”
Barb Larson Taylor, the assistant
to the president for special projects and the executive director of
Commission Gustavus 150, said.
“Commission Gustavus 150 is
the process which was adopted
by the Board through which the
College has identified and prioritized initiatives to undertake,”
Chair of the Board of Trustees Jim
Gale ‘83 said.
Commission Gustavus 150
was suggested to the Board last
year by President Jack Ohle as
a method of strategic planning
for Gustavus. Strategic planning
means that the goal of Commission Gustavus 150 is to figure
out how we want to improve our
school and what that requires
financially.
The process began when Gale,
along with Ohle, invited Warren
Beck to chair the task force chairs.
From there, eight task forces made
up of various members of the
Gustavus community, ranging
from students to ELCA bishops,
began to outline the paths which
they believed Gustavus should
move down in order to increase
the school’s prestige and provide
more meaningful opportunities to
its students.
Last spring, all students, alumni, staff and faculty were invited
to review and prioritize the 439
recommendations that the eight
task forces put forward through
an online survey. Those students
who completed the survey may
recall that it was quite lengthy,
“[But] the input from the survey
in the spring of last year was not
taken lightly. The board carefully
reviewed the students’ suggestions during our retreat, and used
that input to place the recommendations into three tiers regarding
the length of time each recommendation should be fulfilled in,”
Gale said.
At the retreat that the members
of the Board of Trustees took this
past summer, similar recommendations were combined, and the
resulting 385 recommendations
were placed in three tiers. Tier
one consists of the recommendations that should be initiated immediately and show substantial
progress in the next three years.
Tier two should show substantial
progress in the next six years, and
tier three should show progress
within ten years.
In addition to the placement
of the recommendations into the
three tiers, the recommendations
were also placed into seven categories: Cultural Perspectives,
Lifelong Engagement, Partnerships and Collaborations, Personal Growth and Development,
Quality-Enhancing and Innovative Initiatives, Spiritual Growth
and Development and Tangible
Resources.
Tangible Resources can be
considered the most important
category because it focuses on
coming up with the money for
Gustavus to implement the recommendations of the other six
categories.
“Commission Gustavus 150 is
a tool to help us move forward in
planning, but also a tool to raise
resources for that plan. Many of
the people involved in the process
of Commission Gustavus 150
took the approach of how the
interests of the College can align
with interests of investors. By
making sure that the direction we
want to move in is a direction that
friends of the College will financially support, we are setting the
College up for continued success
in the future,” Gale said.
However, many students may
be discouraged by the length of
time it is proposed that many
of these recommendations will
take before there is visible progress made in them. Commission
Gustavus 150 is still an important
process for those students.
“As a Gustavus student that
may graduate before these opportunities are created, it still is an
important process to you. In the
work force, your degree is only as
good as the college is viewed by
the public at that point in time,
so it is in your best interest to
support these new programs and
developments, because they’ll
pay off for you fiscally in the long
run,” Larson Taylor said. Also,
Larson Taylor emphasized the
importance of Commission Gustavus 150 initiative in providing
more opportunities for alumni to
participate actively in the Gustavus community.
What is the direction that our
community intends to move in?
The box to the right highlights
some examples of recommendations from each of the seven
categories and how they relate to
Gustavus students and staff.
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A few of the recommendations:
Quality-Enhancing and Innovative
Initiatives
• Improve the current First Term Seminar Program
structure
• Increase sophomore student advising and
support
• Ensure that community engagement is
distinguished at Gustavus
Partnerships and Collaborations
• Increase parent relations through programming
• Improve current partnerships of the College,
including providing the Community Service
Center with adequate resources for expansion
Cultural Perspectives
• Globalize the curriculum
• Provide students with more cultural opportunities
• Increase recruitment and retention of international students
• Support diversity
Personal Growth and Development
• Enhance advising and mentoring for our students
• Provide further employee training and enrichment
• Make health, wellness and fitness opportunities
integrated throughout campus and the community
• Commit our campus community to civil discourse
Spiritual Growth and Development
• Promote interreligious programming, experiences and conversations.
• Reestablish 10:00-10:20 a.m. as a personal or
communal time
Lifelong Engagement
• Increase alumni involvement
• Make Gustavus a place of resources not just for
current students, but alumni as well
Tangible Resources
• Renovate or remodel many buildings
• Build a new academic building
• Increase the salaries and benefits of faculty and
staff
• Increase the Gustavus endowment to be roughly
equivalent to those of schools similar to Gustavus
variety
Editor | Jenny Behan
Gustie of the Week:
Page 5
Anna Eames: Making a splash in the
athletic world
Alex Messenger
First-year swimmer Anna Eames has had the experience of a lifetime. Competing in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, Anna earned a gold medal in the 100 m butterfly and a bronze medal in the 100 m
freestyle.
Alex Messenger
Alex Messenger
Alex Messenger
In addition to competing in Bejing, Anna also is avidly
involved on the swim team at Gustavus.
Anna earned herself a spot on the 2010 National Team and
will compete in the World Championships.
Friends of Anna admire her hard work and the immense
contribution she gives to the Gustavus swim team.
F
Katie Volney
Staff Writer
or most college athletes,
competing in a prestigious
international competition
is merely a dream. Winning is an
even bigger challenge. For Firstyear Anna Eames, this dream has
become a reality.
Anna began her swimming career at the age of five and initially
picked the sport to copy her older
brother. Although she tried out
several other sports during her
childhood, Anna discovered that
her true passion was swimming.
In September of 2008, Anna
competed in the Paralympic
Games in Beijing, China. She
swam the 100 meter butterfly,
the 200 meter individual medley
and the 50, 100 and 400 meter
freestyle. Not only did Anna
compete in the 2008 games, but
she also won a gold medal in the
butterfly and a bronze medal in
the 100 freestyle.
“I had done really well at World
Championships in 2006, so I put
a lot of pressure on myself to perform well and to finally win after
all my hard work was so amazing
and relieving,” Anna said.
As for her future plans with
the Paralympics, Anna has a
place on the 2010 National Team.
Competition for the World Cham-
pionships will take place in San
Antonio, TX in March. The next
meet would take place in August
in Holland. Anna says that she
is excited to compete with her
team again.
“The other paralympians are
such inspirational people. With
everything that they have gone
through, it is amazing what they
have been able to accomplish,”
Anna said.
Although she is extremely busy
with her athletic competitions
outside of school, Anna enjoys
competing with the swim team
here at Gustavus, as well. “The
swim team here is amazing. We
work really hard and have tons
of fun, and I really feel like we
are a team. It doesn’t matter what
speed you are; everyone is part of
the team as much as anyone else,”
Anna said.
She said that she enjoys the
personal atmosphere on the Gustavus team, especially the cheers.
One of her favorite parts of being
on this team is that she loves to
train with her teammates, something that does not really happen
in the paralympic world.
There is no doubt that Anna’s
success both on the paralympic
team and with the Gusties will
only build in the coming years,
as a result of her positive attitude
and athletic dedication.
“She is always working hard
and never gives up. She contributes at the meets and is always
cheering for her teammates,”
First-year Shannon Tschida said.
“The Gustavus Swimming
and Diving Team has gained a
fabulous swimmer, teammate and
friend this year with Anna Eames,
and I am so excited to spend the
rest of my swimming career at
Gustavus swimming with her,”
Sophomore Melissa Aune said.
Be sure to watch for our fellow
Gustie, Anna Eames, in both national and international athletic
news throughout the upcoming
year, as it will be an exciting one
for her.
Page 6
T
variety
Gustavus dance concert showcases student work
The Gustavian Weekly
Katie Kaderlik
Staff Writer
he culmination of dance, choreography, design, lighting
and sound will all come together
this weekend as the Department
of Theatre and Dance presents the
Choreographer’s Gallery: New
Horizons. The dance concert will
be held Nov. 19, 20 and 21 at 8:00
p.m. and Nov. 22 at 2:00 p.m. in
the Anderson Theatre.
This concert highlights the
work of 11 student choreographers and is directed by Melissa Rolnick, a visiting assistant
professor of theatre and dance.
Tickets are available and are free
for Gustavus students and staff;
otherwise they are $7 for adults
and $5 for students and senior
citizens.
The dance concert received
much support from Terena
Wilkins, an adjunct instructor of
theatre and dance, who helped
with lighting and sound along
with Junior Sociology & Anthropology Major Kelly Franzen. Andrea Gross, an Adjunct Instructor
of Theatre and Dance, helped
with costume design along with
Junior Theatre Major Robert
Croghan.
“In early September, the lighting designers and the costume
designers had a conversation
with each choreographer. We
all sat down and talked through
what the choreographer’s vision
is and tried to come up with some
basic designs so we could pull
together some research ideas for
the choreographer,” Croghan
said. The results of the designers’
and choreographers’ efforts will
be seen in their performances this
weekend.
Marissa Augustin and Katelyn
Pederson have choreographed
their piece together, and it is an
energetic and animated modern
dance titled “Explosions in a
Sphere.”
“The piece was initially in-
spired by the music of Ratatat
and dance as a form of expression.
Dance doesn’t always have to be
about difficult choreography or
mastery of technique. Anybody
can dance. Get out there, have fun
and just dance,” Augustin said.
The costumes for the show were
designed by Croghan. “Since this
Dance Gallery is set in the fall, we
are not able to build and construct
any of the costumes. Since the
Costume Shop has had more to
do this fall, and also because the
Dance Gallery is made up of all
student-choreographed pieces,
it just wasn’t in our plan to build
any pieces from scratch. Instead,
Andrea Gross and I have done
some pulling from our own costume storage and altering them.
We have purchased some items
from the Internet if they were
not too expensive, and we have
also done some shopping in the
surrounding area and cities and
I mostly hit up thrift stores,”
Crohgan said.
Croghan described his costume
design for Augustin and Pedersen
as superhero meets videogamer.
“This show has been our first
opportunity to choreograph for
a main stage production. It has
been a great learning experience.
Because neither of us are dance
majors, only dance minors, we
are not required to take costume
and lighting design classes. This
show gave us the chance to work
with a production team, including
costume and lighting designers,
which further complemented our
experience,” Augustin said.
Jordan Klitzke and Nina Serratore co-choreographed the
piece titled “Amalgamation” and
received assistance from Rolnick.
“Nina and I have very different
dance backgrounds, body types
and techniques. We thought it
would be interesting to combine
our styles and create a piece about
a relationship that was very honest and didn’t fall into feeling too
over-dramatic or full of angst,”
Submitted
The Department of Theatre and Dance is presenting the Choreographer’s Gallery: New Horizons from Nov. 19 through Nov.
22. This show will showcase student choreographed dances, each of which correspond to a specific theme within the show.
Klitzke said.
The costume designed by
Croghan and lighting designed
by Franzen for this piece helps
to show the idea of conflicting
dance styles, focusing on what
happens when they come in contact with each other. The costumes
were made to show the dancers’
individual beauty. Contrasting
colors of the costumes show the
conflict between the dancers.
Serratore also choreographed
her own piece titled “Colored
Impressions.”
“I was inspired by color displayed in nature and the dramatic
color spread that you see when
you walk through the woods. I
started asking myself how I feel
when I see bright colors versus
dramatic cool colors. I then wondered what it would be like to create dance based on painting and if
you could create both movement
and art simultaneously to bring
both forms to life,” Serratore said.
Haley Carpent er choreo graphed the piece “Here for
Now,” which was inspired by her
sister and her four best friends
from home. Rolnick has been
encouraging Carpenter to explore
her abilities more and to push
herself as a choreographer.
“I’ve been working with costume designer Andrea Gross to
create the costumes. They consist
of different two-piece outfits including boho shirts, longer shirt/
dresses and leggings that are all
shades of blue. I’ve also been
working with lighting designer
Terena Wilkens in which we have
chosen blues, ambers and a leaf
pattern overlay to light the stage,”
Carpenter said.
“Break Free” is a piece choreographed by Sarah Jabar. “I wanted
to provide a quirky perspective
of our culture and how we tend
to work extremely hard toward
some ideal we think we’re supposed to reach, when simply enjoying life and finding the things
we love to do and are good at, will
bring joy to ourselves and those
around us,” Jabar said.
The costumes for this piece play
off of the 1950s housewife look
and is enhanced by the lighting
techniques which gives the piece
a wacky feel.
“These Walls: Who we are and
who we may yet choose to be” is
choreographed by Andrea Nelson. Her piece was inspired from
her experience abroad in Northern Ireland and tried to show the
struggle of identity the youth had
when they left their community.
“I really tried to craft a piece
who would illustrate their struggles in trying to fit into an identity,
while also trying to assert themselves as individuals and human
beings in the world. My intention
is to open the minds of audience
members to their unique story,”
Nelson said.
There are many talented choreographers, dancers and designers
that have dedicated their time to
creating this dance concert. There
are many other dance pieces that
have not been described, and to
learn about the work all of the
choreographers, dancers and designers have put in to the show,
there is only one way to find out:
sit back, relax and enjoy the dance
concert.
God’s Words for a Life of Virtue, Love,
Grace and Joy.
Patience my young friend, patience.
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to
you; he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!”
Isaiah 30:18
Hold dear in your heart the teachings of the Bible. For
scripture of yesterday is today in thought, word and deed.
It is not generational, but everlasting.
Friend in Christ, Tommerdahl@aol.com
Editor | Jenny Behan
L
Lindsay Lelivelt
Features Editor
et’s light this candle,” Director,
Producer, Actor, Screenwriter
Jason Reitman said while starting
his interview with a spark.
San Fransicso, Rome, London,
Orlando, Boston, Berlin, Chicago,
New York and Minneapolis are
variety
The Reitman for the job
just some of the stops during the
promotional tour of his newest
film Up in the Air.
“I know nothing of what it’s
like to travel. I really cherish my
time in the air,” Reitman said
jokingly. The fast-paced life of a
Hollywood director can be seen as
a parallel to the life of Ryan Bingham, a character in Up in the Air.
Bingham, played by George
Clooney, is a smooth talking,
globetrotting ladies man.“I’m
drawn to writing smooth, suave
characters because I’m not that
guy. Writing a character like that
gives me [a way] to say the right
things all the time,” Reitman said.
While he may not admit to being
a smooth talking ladies man, he’s
Submitted
Director, Producer, Actor and Screenwriter Jason Reitman has had many big screen successes such as Thank You for
Smoking. Recently, he is promoting his new film Up in the Air which stars George Clooney.
been able to evoke them both in
Up in the Air and Aaron Echardt’s
character Nick Naylor in Thank
You For Smoking.
Reitman adapted both Up in
the Air and Thank You for Smoking
from books for the silver screen.
In doing so, he worked closely
with the writers of the novels.
“I reach out to the authors immediately. I share my drafts and
scripts with them,” Reitman said.
He emphasized the importance of
knowing that there is “a difference between book and movie”
and how important it is that the
original author stay involved in
the screenwriting process.
Not only does he work closely
with authors, but actors as well.
“I work best with people I like. …
I often write parts for people. It’s
easier to write once I’ve identified the people I’m writing for,”
Reitman said. He wrote eight
parts in Up in the Air specifically
for the actors who played them.
Jason Bateman and J.K. Simmons
have both been in more than one
of Reitman’s films.
Reitman has had impressive
success with critics, which is
not always the case. “I think it’s
because I’m so talented. Talented
Page 7
and have good looks. But really,
some stories work and others
don’t. There’s no magic to it. Not
everybody is going to like every
film. Nobody’s perfect. I’m just
closer to perfect than most,” Reitman said.
He’s well known for movies with exquisite opening sequences—the animation in Juno,
the aerial shots of the U.S. in Up
in the Air, the cigarettes in Thank
You for Smoking. “I’ve always liked
[opening titles]. They offer a nice
separation from movie trailers
and the outside world. They set
the tone for the film,” Reitman
said.
Not only does he use exceptional opening sequences, he
chooses unique films and projects
on which to work. “I want my
movies to entertain people. Move
people. I want them to serve as
a mirror [and show that] life is
infinitely complicated,” Reitman
said.
With his unique outlook on
films and knack for working on
the right project at the right time,
Reitman doesn’t look like he’s
going anywhere anytime soon.
Wolfmother brings world peace
W
Matt Beachey
Copy Editor
hen Led Zeppelin debuted
in 1969 with their venerable
Led Zeppelin I, they were accused
of unabashedly stealing music
from the likes of Willie Dixon and
Howlin’ Wolf. Essentially, they
were a British rock band plagiarizing the music of poor American
blues musicians and in doing so
became international superstars.
So when Wolfmother released
its eponymous debut in 2006 to
pandemic approbation, the remaining members Led Zeppelin
must have chortled silently to
themselves in self-deprecating
nostalgia. Could there be a more
bald-faced rip-off of Led Zeppelin? (If you need convincing
of this, listen to “Dazed and
Confused” and then virtually any
Wolfmother song). Not only were
these three Australian rockers
following their favorite band’s
footsteps musically; they likewise
pillaged and plundered and then
simply played it louder than their
predecessors.
Led Zeppelin eventually abandoned the straight-up American
blues in favor of sonic experimentation and a variety of worldmusic influences. Wolfmother, on
the other hand, has remained true
to 1970s hard-rock pigeonhole.
Granted, the band only released
its second album, Cosmic Egg, a
few weeks ago. So don’t call it a
one trick pony just yet: The way
things are going right now, it appears that the band’s influence
pool is growing to include other
‘70s hard-rock bands, like maybe
a little Black Sabbath here and
there and possibly some later
Zeppelin.
So Wolfmother isn’t that original. Does this mean it don’t know
how to righteously rock the State
Theater packed with rabid fans
pawing the stage and front-man
Andrew Stockdale’s curly mane?
Did drunken metal-heads and
14-year-old boys alike tell Wolfmother to try something new
for a change? Nay! The power
of their derivative rock was just
simply too colossal to allow
anyone to remain in its seats, let
alone to question the authenticity
of the epic foursome that ripped
Hennepin Avenue a new one on
Saturday night.
Since its debut album, Wolfmother’s only remaining original member is Stockdale. The
original bass player and drummer
apparently had “irreconcilable
differences” with Stockdale, and
after watching Saturday’s performance, this isn’t inconceivable.
The moment Wolfmother stepped
on stage, Stockdale’s flamboyant
theatrics completely stole the
show from the rest of his newly
formed foursome. While Ian
Peres, Aidan Nemeth and Dave
Atkins did a phenomenal job
behind bass/keyboards, rhythm
guitar and drums, respectively,
they were simply dwarfed by
Stockdale’s ego and crowd-pleasing abilities. The man spent a
good fourth of the concert either
phallically grappling his guitar
at the edge of the stage, off the
stage entirely or being worshiped
by the most enthralled groupies
since Led Zeppelin.
In the interest of beating the
Led Zeppelin comparisons to
death, I must mention that Wolfmother lacks the virtuosity of
the aforementioned band. The
members of Zeppelin were four of
the most talented and influential
performers ever to make music.
Wolfmother’s Stockdale, on the
other hand, is a smidgen more
technically talented than your
average bedroom guitar-devotee.
Submitted
Wolfmother took the stage last Saturday at the State Theatre for an explosive performance filled with flamboyant theatrics
and incredible energy.
But what he lacks in aptitude, he
makes up in backbone. He writes
potent rock music that cannot be
listened to while standing still.
His guitar-tone, the most forward-thinking aspect of the band,
rivals Jack White. And his stage
presence, decadent and imitative
as it is, channels Robert Plant and
Jimmy Page simultaneously in a
way his musicianship cannot.
When Stockdale wasn’t debauching young female audiencemembers, he was stealing the
stage moves of everyone from
Jimmy Page to Angus Young to
Kurt Cobain, et al. At one point he
threw his guitar on the stage and
literally began humping it. As far
as I know, this one was original.
Such histrionics mostly happened
during extended breakdowns in
the middle of songs while the
rest of the band waited steadfast
at their posts for the obligatory
climax when all those pent-up
hormones broke the floodgates
and drenched the audience in
Stockdale’s monumental vision:
a world where busty, topless
women ride white unicorns from
Mordor to Rohan and tidal waves
crest over jagged peaks adorned
with Stockdale and company,
while teeming millions gather to
scream their lungs out with fists
in the air.
A bit indulgent? Extravagant,
maybe? Entirely so. But wasn’t
that the original purpose of
rock music? Americans had had
enough with Frank Sinatra gently crooning at the volume of a
drinking fountain. Things had to
change radically. Like Stravinsky
and his riot-inspiring Rite of Spring
before them, rock musicians of the
sixties shook the world of music
in a way that just can’t really happen anymore. When paradigm
shifts of music happen every few
years the way they do now, music
just simply isn’t as era-defining
as, oh, the Beatles. And when
the world of hard-rock music
today is dominated by such acts
as Nickleback, Papa Roach and
Hinder, Wolfmother is a welcome
retrospective cleanse.
So yes, Wolfmother is definitely
a throwback band. But when they
opened their set with the chestthumping, psychedelic-tinged
“Dimension” on Saturday, I was
the closest I will ever be to standing in front of a certain foursome
from England that changed rock
music forever. And for that, I give
Wolfmother three out of three
crowns.
features
Page 8
Editor | Lindsay Lelivelt
Page 9
The Gustavian Weekly
Party like it’s 1999
R
Lindsay Lelivelt
Features Editor
emember when? Way back then? Back in the ‘90s?
Grade school. Trading class pictures, Jello pudding
packs and morning recess. Nap time. Good God,
bring back nap time. We used to be young and wild and
free, and now we’ve got jobs and debts and awkward
social situations.
But let’s forget all that and for a brief amount of time,
think back to what we used to (and admit it, still do) love.
Take music for example. There’s no denying that the
1990s had its own unique style of sound. The Backstreet
Boys, The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, 98º, *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Nirvana—so much to love.
“[The] first CD I bought was Spice Girls, ‘cause I loved
the song “Wannabe” but bought the wrong CD, which
didn’t even have that song on it,” Junior Biology Major
Dan Shimek said. “I thought Sugar Ray and Blessed Union
of Souls were edgy and alternative.”
Of course, we can’t forget about Hanson. “My sister
and I literally wallpapered our rooms with pictures of
Hanson from BOP magazine. Middle of Nowhere was my
first compact disk purchase. Zachary Walker Hanson is
forever and always my favorite; I have a thing for drummers, and the way he looked at me at their last show—I
regret not posting the missed connection on Craigslist,”
Senior History Major Natalie Baker said.
Boy bands weren’t the only thing that the ‘90s brought
to the world of music. “Music was defined by the Now
That’s What I Call Music! CDs (Now, Now 2 and Now
3),” Junior Psychology Major Josh Plattner said. Since its
original debut in 1998, there have been 32 more editions
of Now That’s What I Call Music! made. Who knew?
TV shows have really changed since we were in the
single digits. “I was all about T.G.I.F. At the start of the
weekend, ABC was where it was at for my siblings and me.
Some of our favorites were Boy Meets World, Hangin’ With
Mr. Cooper and Family Matters. But, primarily, I was raised
on Full House,” Junior English Major Sibley Mattson said.
Full House was at the top of many students’ lists. “[I
watched] Full House because great things come in pairs.
I always knew the difference between Mary-Kate and
Ashley. Because Mary-Kate is a babe and a dream friend
of mine,” Baker said.
Of course, ABC didn’t have the monopoly on great TV
back then. Let’s not forget about Nickelodean. Are You
Afraid of the Dark?, Pete and Pete, The Secret World of Alex
Mack, All That (so much vital information for your everyday life)—all staples in our afterschool agenda.
“I watched alot of Clarissa Explains It All because I
wanted to be Clarissa. Our house had only one floor, but
I wanted to have a ladder at my window just like she did.
Her neighbor Sam always climbed up and hung out with
her in her room—which now that I think about it is totally
creepy.” Senior Classics Major Emma Ellingson said.
Music and TV in the ‘90s were great. But what really
mattered were the toys. Polly Pockets, Hot Wheels, Yo-yos
and Pound Puppies were all the rage.
“I was obsessed with Skip-it and I had a Ribbon Dancer,
both of which broke due to overuse,” Plattner said.
Among the variouscards and trading games, Pokémon
cards took over the U.S. in 1998.
“I participated in Pogs but hated playing for keeps
cause I didn’t want to lose my cool Pogs. I did the Pokémon card thing, spent way too much money on that,”
Shimek said.
Electronic toys were also all the rage. Game boys and
Tamagochis were as natural on the playground as a soccer ball.
“I loved Giga Pets, I just couldn’t have enough of them
clipped to my belt loop,” Mattson said.
“We had an original Nintendo on which my brother
and I played Mario for hours,”Ellingson said.
Of course, back then imaginations were still a big part
of playtime. “[My brother] and I played Power Rangers
together or pretended we were dinosaurs from The Land
Before Time. The original, never the sequel. He was Spike
and I was always Sarah, which is fitting because he never
talked and I bossed him around,” Ellingson said.
Fashion in the ‘90s was almost as bad as the ‘80s. But
that’s what made it so great. Hyper color t-shirts, neon
track jackets, the lingering stirrup pant trend. And who
could forget the NFL starter jacket trend?
“I know I enjoyed a good Jelly Shoe now and then. I
also had a short stretch in which I think I wore stirrup
pants. Every day,” Mattson said.
“Clueless was the epitome of nineties fashion. All outfits
had to match perfectly. You weren’t allowed to mix prints.
The best place to shop for this was Limited Too. Tommy
Hilfiger and Calvin Klein were extremely popular. When
it came to wearing name brand their stuff was the way to
go,” Ellingson. said. ”I wore huge hair bows. Huge neon
colored t-shirts. I wore leggings all the time—the kind with
the stirrups so they wouldn’t ride up—with socks that had
ruffles or beading on the edges. I’d pull the socks up over
my ankles, to cover up the stirrups and to show off the
decorative details. I wore plain white Keds.”
The ‘90s are long gone, leaving us with some great
memories and a whole lot of stuff to sell on ebay when
we’re older.
All photos from Creative Commons
Clockwise from top
Left: The Backstreet Boys
perform on stage in their
prime, and we wanted
it that way. The Spice
Girls take the stage and
strut their stuff all in
the name of short skirts,
platform shoes and girl
power. Hanson croon to
a crowd of adoring fans,
(and we know what they’re
thinking,Taylor—you can
Mmmbop me anytime).
Pokemon cards took America by storm in the 1990s
with characters on the
cards like Mew, Alakazam,
Steelix and Jumpluff—not
to be confused with the
ever elusive holographic
Charizard. Hot Wheels
were a staple in any kids
toy chest. Michael Jordan,
need we say more (other
than the fact that he was
one of the most talked
about athletes of his time
and has a killer brand of
shoes)? In the ‘90s, Seinfeld made this restaurant
in New York the hippest
place to go and talk about
nothing. Barney loves you,
he loves me, we’re all best
friends as friends should
be.
commentary
Editor | Steve Palmer
Examining life
Taking a break
Alex Legeros
Staff Columnist
E
ver thought about how you
take a break? How to maximize the relaxation and pleasure
of having some time off? Or maybe just think that with all your free
time, you could be more productive (well, someone around here
must have a little extra time on
their hands)?
If you’re like me, you don’t
have a lot of free time, no thanks
to websites like Facebook that
take just a minute to check, but
collectively in a day saps away a
lot of time. When I have free time,
I usually fill it with whatever is
at hand: computer games, video
games, answering e-mails, reading the paper—the things I would
otherwise do if I had enough time
in the day.
Does this method sound familiar to you? If it doesn’t, you either
have no free time and have better
things to do in a day than read the
back page editorials in a small college paper, or perhaps you have
too much free time and don’t need
to worry about how you spend it.
Of all of you still with me, I
think we’re missing the point
when it comes to relaxing in
our free time. We do the things
we would otherwise do in the
day, and even if we decide we’re
just going to put our feet up,
those other things keep bouncing
around in our heads just enough
to distract us from what we’re
actively trying to avoid.
Playing video games or using
the internet really isn’t a break:
we are still balancing outcomes,
calculating risks, composing and
executing; these are tasks that
require our attention and mental
processing. If we’re really trying
to take a break, we sure aren’t
doing a good job of it.
Imagine if there were some
switch in the back of your head
you could just flip and fall
asleep—wouldn’t we all love
that? OK, so if it were a switch,
other people could turn it on and
off, and even if all we had to do
was “think” it, I can still imagine
times when we’d accidentally
turn it on (imagine if you were
acting on stage and your character took a nap in the script…
or maybe you are getting a little
tired in class and thinking about
how nice it would feel to close
your eyes just for a minute), but
in this ideal world, we could also
get over these shortcomings.
You could say to yourself, “Take
a 15-minute nap,” and it would
happen!
Oh, if only our brains were
more like a machine and less like
cluster of almost-random firings
of electricity. But alas, we hold no
such control. We must be wired to
worry, to be constantly perceiving
Page 10
and analyzing data, as if some
remnant of our animalistic past
that was meant to keep us alive
now keeps us from avoiding it.
Don’t construe that as saying
we cannot or should not take
breaks or relax; think of how
horrible a life that would be! But
maybe we could take a cue from
our bodies and try to relax more
effectively.
If we must do something (although I’ll be at the head of the
line when the auto-nap machine
comes out) we might as well do
things of any consequence.
Continued on page 12
Chase N. through Creative Commons
LAN parties can hardly be considered lesiure. They are intense combinations of mass death, Mountain Dew and B.O.
A different approach
Change is like a naked ape
for all I know. But I am so thrownoff by your naked monkey-ness
that I can’t even think about
where you’re leading me!
It seems like now is a time of
ever-occurring change. New technologies, new points of view, new
politics, new conflicts. These are
all begging for us to change our
outlook or change our lifestyle.
Society is required to adapt to
these new changes at every cor-
ner, but I feel adapting doesn’t
mean completely changing who
you are.
Yet if we take this view we get
ourselves on a slippery slope:
How much change is too much
change?
Susan Kranz
Staff Columnist
A
fter slightly threatening
encouragements at the top
of my web browser, I finally
switched over my Yahoo page
from the older version to the new
format. The sad part is I’m pretty
sure they made this replacement
sometime last spring. But the time
had come where I would be forced
to automatically convert to New
Yahoo.
I literally waited as long as I
could. And it’s not like I didn’t like
the new version: I had followed
the “Check It Out!” arrow on my
screen months before. I could still
find my e-mails, celebrity gossip
and online crossword puzzles, but
I just didn’t want to change.
Ah, Change. You naked monkey of a distraction. You enter my
life, slap me in the face with your
ape hand and beg me to follow
you. It could be to a saucy jungle
oasis with pool boys in loincloths
brokinhrt2 through Creative Commons
Don’t be distracted by the gorillas of change in your midst. Listen calmly to what they have to say, and make sure it’s
right for you.
I am enthusiastically supportive
of the eco-friendly lifestyle, and I
know my limits as to how far I will
go to foster that ideal without losing my self-identity. I am willing
to change in this sense.
But for small things, like the
Yahoo page, or even the new
Gustavus webpage, I find myself
unsettled. The increasing postage
and the new electronic checkout at
my hometown library make me
feel the same way. Why is it that
I can change for some things and
some I can’t?
I don’t think it is a matter of
the size of the change. Yes, having to swipe my card to check
out a library book is a lot less
intimidating than having to completely change my ideas about
eco-friendly transportation, but
they are both parts of who I am
and how I function in this world.
Perhaps it is a matter of willingness to change and acknowledging the real-life benefits of
changing.
I never like being slapped in
the face, never mind by a naked
monkey, and so when that slap
occurs and I am not ready for it,
I get flustered. “Oh my gosh, a
monkey just hit me.” So even if
there is some benefit to the monkey, say, to lead me to the pool
boys, I am still thrown off by the
mere existence of the monkey! I
have to ask the monkey, “Why?”
before I can follow him.
Continued on page 12
commentary
Page 11
The Gustavian Weekly
Shine on
A tale of musical obsession
Paul Huff
Staff Columnist
I
remember vividly the day I became addicted to music. I was
on the cusp of adolescence and
fed up with the gag-inducing pop
songs that perpetually played on
Radio Disney. I figured the time
had come for me to grow up and
experience the strange and expansive world known as rock music.
With an FM station guide in
hand, I scoured the airwaves
searching for a rock station that
could introduce me to this brave
new musical landscape. After
having my eardrums liquefied
by a few hard rock channels, I
settled upon a station featuring
“classic rock”—a label I didn’t
understand until my dad started
singing along to the radio. The
songs ranged from mellow to upbeat, serious to tongue-in-cheek.
But then I heard the song that
forever changed my music-listening life. It began with an energetic
synthesizer humming a hypnotic
pattern, followed by three repeating power chords. Soon,
a cacophony of drums joined
in, along with the domineering
voice of the lead singer. During
a melodic interlude, the vocalist
shouted about living in a “teenage
wasteland.” The song closed out
with interplay between a folksy
violin solo and the continued
pulsing of the synthesizer. By this
point, my mind was completely
and utterly blown. There was so
much subtlety and complexity
in the music, yet the emotions it
evoked were so simple. Several
months passed before I learned
the song’s actual name was “Baba
O’Riley” by The Who (conveniently, the song is also the theme
of CSI: New York).
After hearing such a heavenly
tune, my obsession began to find
even greater music. The familiar
choruses and chord progressions
didn’t appeal to me in the same
way they had before. I needed a
kind of music that was dynamic
and alive.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long
for me to stumble on Pink Floyd’s
Dark Side of the Moon. This 45-minute long album contains psychedelic guitar solos, existential lyrics and a plethora of sound effects,
from quiet thumping heartbeats
to loud chiming of grandfather
clocks.
Wikimedia through Creative Commons
Roger Waters of Pink Floyd devoted his life to music, and look where it got him: millions of dollars and legions of fans
worldwide.
Continued on page 12
Senior moments
Studying abroad: realigning worldviews.
Amber Hanson
Staff Columnist
A
s college students, we only
have four years to make the
most out of our being a twentysomething-year-old with no real
responsibility to name, and nothing to tie us down. Although I can
think of plenty of times that this
excuse has come in really handy
in an attempt to explain some of
my actions, there is a single event
in my college career that takes the
cake on this.
For four months last spring,
I lived and studied in Florence,
Italy. According to the Gustavus
website, on average, 400 Gusties
study abroad every year. A question I have to ask the underclassmen is, why not you?
Before I decided to embark on
what would end up being the
greatest experience of my life thus
far, I had never pictured myself as
the type of girl to just take off and
live in a foreign country for an
entire semester. Not only could I
not financially picture it being feasible; I had never left the country,
had only flown twice, had never
really lived on my own before and
had failed at my attempts to learn
another language.
Thankfully, I had numerous
positive people surrounding me
who encouraged me to at least
look into the possibility and really pushed me out of my comfort
zone. Before I knew it, I found
myself standing in line in the airport with two overly full suitcases
and a passport in my hand.
Miriam Beard once said,
“Travel is more than the seeing of
sights; it is a change that goes on,
deep and permanent, in the ideas
of living.” This quote has proven
to be more relevant in my life than
I ever thought possible. Traveling
really does change a person, especially when you allow yourself to
be fully engulfed in a culture: the
way you look at life in general,
the small details you recognize
in mundane activities and the
personal characteristics you are
able to see in yourself.
By being able to throw yourself out of your comfort zone,
away from the protected bubble
at Gustavus, you are able to find
out more about yourself than you
ever thought possible. I was able
to find a sense of independence I
had not fully recognized, to get
lost in a foreign city and just be
lost, to learn a foreign language,
go grocery shopping (for food
labeled in a different language!)
and to learn to appreciate just
walking through an entirely different culture. The memories I
was fortunate enough to create
during my time in Italy will last
a lifetime. I still have to remind
myself that although I am now
sitting in the library in St. Peter, I
was actually sipping wine outside
the Duomo just a few months ago.
When asked to give advice
to underclassmen, the first and
most important thing I can think
of is to at least look into studying
abroad. You never know what
you are capable of until you push
yourself outside of your comfort
zone and really let yourself face
the unknown.
When are we really going to
have the opportunity to travel the
world again with no responsibility holding us back? So, what is
holding you back from growing
outside of the Gustavus bubble
and expanding your horizons into
a global perspective?
Steve Palmer
Studying abroad and being immersed in another culture can change your entire
perspective. In many ways there is no other way to achieve this kind of learning.
Editor | Steve Palmer
commentary
““Ape” from page 11
If I don’t feel the slap was
justified, I have a hard time following. When I had to switch to
Yahoo, I questioned what was
wrong with the older version. I
wasn’t hurting anyone by using
it; the new version isn’t any more
spectacular. But the slap of not
buying anything in plastic bottles
is justified to me, as difficult as it
is to handle, because I know that
my purchasing of plastic bottles
is in some way damaging the
greater existence of myself. I am
willing to change and follow the
monkey because I know that it is
a meaningful change.
I guess what I am trying to say
is that change is like a naked monkey: you can’t get too distracted
by it, but you can’t forget about
it completely. My proposal for us
Gusties is to not be too quick to
attack the naked ape and at the
“Music” from page 11
Although many rock purists
consider this album to be the
greatest of all time, to me it represents an era long past when hippies would philosophize while
consuming lots of hallucinogens.
My quest for musical perfection
has since led me into the realm
of the 21st. I’ve dabbled in various genres from alt-rock to hip
hop to avant-garde, listening to
artists ranging from Switchfoot
to T-Pain to Sigur Rós. Every
now and then, I come across an
album that’s captivating from
“Break” from page 10
Things that will make us feel
better after doing them. Although
I may take momentary satisfaction from wiping out the Nazis
once again in a video game, I can’t
say I look back on that time as
productive or well-used. Instead,
it feels like a momentary lull in
the flurry of activity of my day,
as if I’m just keeping my brain
going while I wait for the next
thing to arrive.
As many of you can guess, I try
to do things I “should” do, like
Wikimedia through Creative Commons
Gorillas are peaceful, gentle giants who subsist mainly on thistles and fruit.
same time to not be too quick
to follow him. Change is good
when we can see the greater effect on ourselves and our world,
but sometimes this isn’t always
visible.
beginning to end. Currently, I’m
addicted to Viva la Vida or Death
and All His Friends by Coldplay.
The record opens with the peppy
instrumental “Life in Technicolor” and continues to ebb and
flow between somber reflections
and triumphant anthems. What
makes this album significant is
that each song takes on a life of its
own, allowing Viva la Vida to transcend the boundaries of genre.
It’s a refreshing change from the
majority of modern bands who
confine themselves by performing
only one kind of song.
As an addict of music, I’ve witnessed both the transformation
of the contemporary music scene
as well as my personal evolution
along with it. There are certain
albums and songs that remind
me of specific points in my life,
such as moments of carefree elation in addition to the periods of
emotional angst. In a way, music
has become the narrative with
which I’ve tried to define myself.
After years of searching for a kind
of ideal music, I realize now that
I’ll probably never encounter
that “perfect” song, but I think
the pursuit of it is much more
important.
wash dishes, clean my room or
write when free time arises. My
roommates will be the first to tell
you than this is often not the case
for me personally, but I try. And
when I actually do it, I feel good.
Am I more relaxed after doing it?
Actually, yes. Those three or four
odd tasks that are left on the back
burner are always the ones that
feel great to remove, and if you
think about it, not only are they
some of the most satisfying things
to cross off the list, but they’re also
the easiest!
So until something comes along
where I can shut off my brain for
a power nap, I don’t see many alternatives. Should we mull about
during our free time, trying to
avoid what we would otherwise
be doing, or should we actually
get something easy done, letting
us focus on the bigger issues
when we have to? On the flip side,
if there’s nothing on that to-do
list, there’s also nothing to do, and
we all know how liberating those
few moments in life are when
we don’t have to keep (at least a
mental) to-do list at all. It is a nice
goal to have in mind when we’re
relaxing, anyway.
Page 12
Letter to the Editor
I would like to thank the students of Gustavus for sponsoring
the gubernatorial forum on Nov.
9. There have been a number of
events across the state, and your
forum drew the most and diverse
number of candidates.
The turnout at the forum was
very impressive and it was encouraging to see that so many college students and local residents
are interested in the gubernatorial
race and learning more about the
candidates.
Minnesota is at a crossroad
because the state is facing very
serious financial challenges. The
next governor will determine if
Minnesota regains its status as
the Star of the North, or if we
continue to lose our competitive
edge. I got into this race because
the state needs a problem solver.
As a carpenter, I’ve spent my life
tackling problems and resolv-
ing them. If a carpenter doesn’t
solve problems, buildings don’t
get built.
There are no simple solutions
to the state’s financial problems.
The state’s budget deficit is a
symptom of a larger problem—
our economy is underperforming.
The 2010 election needs to be
about creating jobs and getting
the economy performing again.
I have the experience and determination necessary to get the
job done.
I encourage you to continue to
research the candidates and their
positions. You can learn more
about me on my Facebook page
or at www.bakk2010.com.
Sincerely,
Sen. Tom Bakk
Candidate, DFL endorsement
for governor
Wikimedia through Creative Commons
Chris Martin also has millions of fans, by devoting his life to ... something. Possibly music.
Eye on Gustavus
What’s up and what’s down this week at Gustavus. (and
what’s ish-don’t-think-so).
Homeless Sleepers
Did a great job facing people with
issues they don’t normally see on
campus. Also the barrel fire is a
distinctive seasonal odor.
Intense Politeness
When you’re leaving a dorm and
in the process open a door for
people entering, you don’t deserve a “thank you.” You didn’t
do anything.
St. Gustof
St. Olaf website looks exactly like
our “new” website.
Wikimedia through Creative Commons
Relaxing in hammocks is a great way to relax and just do nothing. Wish we had hammorcks on campus.
calendar
The Gustavian Weekly
* The Calendar Page is considered editorial. The opinions
expressed herein are not the opinions of the gustavian
weekly, and are not meant to incite violence or to get
anyone locked up on charges of terrorism. Nor has it ever
been anywhere near the Republican National Convention.
Stop asking questions!
Friday, Nov. 13
10:00 a.m.
Christ Chapel
Next time you’re in the chapel, go to the left. Behind
the raised dais, there will be a vacuum looking device
Read its name. You’re welcome.
November Fireside Chat: Wind Update
Bjorling Recital Hall
“Well … we couldn’t get the fire started, so the
wind is fine, I guess.”
Weekend Movie - Taking Woodstock
7:00 & 10:00 p.m.
The Late Night Snack Sales would make a killing
here.
LineUs Improv Comedy Performance
7:30 p.m.
Courtyard Cafe
Yeah, they’re good I guess, but sometimes I get the
feeling they’re just making it up as they go along.
The Gustavus Philharmonic Orchestra
Bjorling Recital Hall
7:30 p.m.
Sure, when they’re in their tuxes and black dresses
they seem all business, but you should hear their
rendition of “Stairway to Heaven”
Late Night Snack Sales
10:00 p.m.
Residence Halls
You may want to hold off on eating for a while that
night, as LineUs will have split your sides.
Saturday, Nov. 14
1:30 p.m.
So manly that three letters couldn’t contain it.
Russian Dive Night
7:30 p.m.
In Soviet Russia speakers listen to you! ... because
they have KGB bugs in them.
Weekend Movie - Taking Woodstock
Wallenberg Auditorium
7:00 & 10:00 p.m.
Its not that you take Woodstock, it’s what you
take at Woodstock … according to New York State
Troopers anyway.
Sunday, Nov. 15
11:30 a.m.
Melva Lind Interpretive Center
Wallenberg Auditorium
David Mann, Student Saxophone and
Composition Recital
The Dive
Daily Chapel
Page 13
Christ Chapel
Holy Communion
10:30 a.m.
No one seems to remember the passage right after
Jesus tells the disciples to eat his body and drink his
blood. “And yea, did the disciples shuffle their feet
awkwardly and look quickly round the room, hoping
this was one of those metaphors that he liked to use,
whilst Judas did cough into his napkin, avoiding eye
contact.”
Catholic Mass with Footnotes
11:30 a.m.
Linner Lounge
For those of you who feel normal Catholic mass just
isn’t long enough.
The Gustavus Percussion Ensemble
Bjorling Recital Hall
1:30 p.m.
I’m sure they’ll do a bang-up job.
“I Heart the Arts” Gala and Silent Auction
The Dive
2:00 p.m.
Money talks and a picture says a thousand words,
so good luck with that whole “silent” part.
A Woodwind Chamber Concert
Bjorling Recital Hall
A Royal Affair
Minneapolis Convention Center
There hasn’t been a romance like this since
Catherine the Great took up horseback riding … or
the other way around if you like.
3:30 p.m.
Of course, how much you want woodwind music
depends on what kind of chamber you’re in. Music
chamber? Yes. Bed chamber? No. Torture Chamber?
Depends.
Alumni Hall
Sacred Space
Daily Chapel
Christ Chapel
10:00 a.m.
On Sunday we had foot notes, so today Chaplain
Brian will be reading from the Cliffnotes. “God
created the world. Big mess. Started over. Still a mess.
Had His son to fix it.”
Fellowship of Christian Athletes Huddle
Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Linner Lounge
If both teams pray that God will help them before a
game, do they cancel each other out?
Sports Ethics Seminar
Heritage Room
7:30 p.m.
Apparently the FCA will be in the hot seat for using
a P.E.D. (Performance Enhancing Deity).
Tuesday, Nov. 17
Daily Chapel
Christ Chapel
10:00 a.m.
Also, the stairs that lead up to the choir balcony in
the chapel: look at the outside of them and read where
the steel part is made. And again, you’re welcome.
Study Abroad Fair
Heritage Room
4:00 p.m.
Or you could just get a library card; children’s
television leads me to believe it’s the same thing.
Heterodoxy Release Party
Courtyard Cafe
7:00 p.m.
It’s a magazine all about women ... No, not that
kind. You disgust me.
Wednesday, Nov. 18
Daily Chapel
Christ Chapel
10:00 a.m.
Society would be doing a lot better if Moses had
bothered to bring down the 57 tablets with all the
footnotes on them.
CAB Coffeehouse Concert: Amanda
Duncan
7:00 p.m.
Courtyard Cafe
If the stage smells funny, don’t blame LineUs. They
sweat a lot. After all comedy is serious business.
Smitten Kitten Presentation
8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. The Dive
They’ve got a pretty sweet labyrinth there … which
sort of contradicts that whole “straight path is the
path to spiritual satisfaction” thing.
I ... I want to make a joke but ... it’s a sex shop ... I
... my God, it’s like seeing your favorite celebrity and
being too awestruck to say anything!
Monday, Nov. 16
Thursday, Nov. 19
Inequality Bake Sale
Silent Protest and Speakout
Outside the Dinning Room
10:00 a.m. Everywhere
For every dollar a man pays, a woman only pays
seventy-five cents.
Well, once again I don’t know what to say. But this
time I guess that’s helping.
Study Abroad 101
The sh
ady ch
ara
is alw
ays wo cter
rki
on new
ways t ng
sneaky o be
.
All Day
Linner Lounge
12:30 p.m.
101? I guess Gustavus has finally recognized the
importance of binary as a foreign language. Now I
can justify all the time I spend on World of Warcraft
as “cultural education.”
Swedish House
Fika
Sit around and discuse fikal matters.
9:00 p.m.
Page 14
STANDINGS
MEN’S HOCKEY
SCHOOL
MIAC PTS
REC
BETHEL
ST. THOMAS
GUSTAVUS
CONCORDIA
ST. MARY’S
ST. OLAF
AUGSBURG
HAMLINE
ST. JOHN’S
2-0
1-0-1
1-0-1
1-1
1-1
0-1-1
0-1-1
0-0
0-2
2-4
3-1-2
3-2-1
1-5
1-5
3-2-1
2-3-1
2-1-1
2-3-1
4
8
7
2
2
7
5
5
5
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
SCHOOL
MIAC
ST. KATE’S
HAMLINE
ST. OLAF
CONCORDIA
ST. THOMAS
ST. BEN’S
ST. MARY’S
GUSTAVUS
BETHEL
AUGSBURG
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
PTS
REC
4
4
4
6
3
2
2
1
0
0
2-0
2-1
2-1
3-2
1-2-1
1-2
1-3
0-1-1
0-3
0-4
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SCHOOL
MIAC
CARLETON
CONCORDIA
MACALESTER
ST. MARY’S
ST. OLAF
HAMLINE
AUGSBURG
BETHEL
GUSTAVUS
ST. THOMAS
ST. JOHN’S
RECORD
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
1-1
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-1
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SCHOOL
MIAC
RECORD
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-1
HAMLINE
ST. BEN’S
ST. THOMAS
AUGSBURG
BETHEL
CARLETON
CONCORDIA
GUSTAVUS
MACALESTER
ST. KATE’S
ST. OLAF
ST. MARY’S
RESULTS
11/17
Women’s Hockey
@ UW-Superior
L 2-3
11/14
Men’s Hockey
vs. St. Olaf
W 5-4
Men’s Swimming/Diving
vs. St. Olaf
L 141-157
Women’s Swimming/Diving
vs. St. Olaf
W 181.5-118.5
Football
@ Concordia W 20-19
Men’s Cross Country
@ NCAA Central Regionals
16th of 25
Women’s Cross Country
@ NCAA Central Regionals
9th of 26
11/13
Men’s Hockey
@ St. Olaf
Women’s Hockey
@ St. Olaf T 3-3 (OT)
T 3-3 (OT)
sports
Gustavus Men’s
Basketball driving full
speed into new season
The Gustavian Weekly
Gustie Men optimistic about the prospects of the 2009-10 season as they return three starters from last season’s
team and will rely on contributions from
first-year players
Raissa Carpenter
Staff Writer
T
he Men’s Basketball team has
an exciting season ahead of
it with the graduation of just a
few seniors and the addition of
a few first-year players to add
to the strength of the team. In a
preseason coaches’ poll, Gustavus
was ranked fourth in the MIAC,
just below Carleton.
Last season the Gusties finished
13-14 overall and were in sixth
place in the MIAC standings with
a conference record of 11-9. They
fell in the semifinal round of the
MIAC Post-Season Tournament
to St. Thomas. “St. Thomas is going to be very strong again this
year and will be the favorite and
our biggest threat,” Senior wing
Jessie Van Sickle said.
The Gusties are set to start off
their official season on Nov. 24 at
Buena Vista University. “We have
struggled in the past with our first
game. It is our focus to make sure
that is fixed,” Junior guard Dan
Schmidtknecht said.
Conference play for the Gusties
will not begin until Dec. 2, 2009,
when the Gusties face Carleton.
The beginning of the season
should prove quite the challenge,
as the Gusties face some of their
toughest opponents at the beginning.
In an exhibition game earlier
this month against Southwest
Minnesota State, the Gustie men
lost 66-84 but had a much stronger first half with the score 32-32
at halftime. Despite the loss,
Van Sickle and Senior post Sam
Paulson each had strong games
and led the team in scoring. “We
improved a lot from the Wartburg
scrimmage to the SMSU game,
which was very good to see. It
shows that our hard work in practice has paid off,” Van Sickle said.
Van Sickle was named to the
All-Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference squad last
season, while Paulson and Senior
post Ryan McPartland received
honorable mentions. The return
of these strong players will help
to establish a strong base for the
Gusties to work from this season.
“Fans should expect to have a fun
team to watch that plays as hard
as it can every night out. We will
try to get up and down the floor
and frustrate our opponents on
defense,” Van Sickle said.
Last season, Van Sickle averaged 10.4 points per game and
led the league in three-point
percentage, with 48.6 percent.
McPartland and Paulson also
each averaged over ten points
per game.
Indeed, the Gusties hope to
rally around last season’s success
and to build off of their returning
squad. “Our team’s goal is to win
a National Championship. Setting
a goal any lower than that for this
group of guys would be ineffective,” Schmidtknecht said.
Sports Information
Senior Jesse Van Sickle puts up a layup in a game against Winona St. last year.
Next Game:
Buena Vista
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 24
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Storm Lake, IA
Sports Information
Senior Mychal Crowder takes the ball strong to the hoop against Winona St.
sports
Editor | Seth Wisner
Page 15
Skating with purpose
SPORTS
SCHEDULE
Julie Hammond
Staff Writer
Friday, Nov. 20
A
fter placing second in the
National Tournament last
year, the Gustavus Men’s Hockey
team is back for more this season.
So far, the Gusties have started off
their season 3-2-1, defeating St.
Olaf last Saturday 5-4.
Junior forward Brad Wieck
feels the team has been doing
well so far. “The season is still
early, but so far we have the same
attitude as last year. We just need
to find our groove and be more
consistent game to game,” Wieck
said.
However, Senior forward Rory
Dynan felt differently. “Right now
we would like to be 4-0, but that
didn’t happen. We need to be
more consistent in practice and
translate that over to our games,”
Dynan said.
Despite a slow start the guys
feel the St. Olaf game was a success. Junior defenseman Mitch
Carlson was especially excited
about playing St. Olaf. “Playing
against St. Olaf is always fun,
especially when we’re at home
because there is a bit of a rivalry
there, and both teams are obviously huge contenders for the
MIAC title. We also love playing
in our home arena. For us it is
all about the atmosphere, and
our home crowd knows how to
deliver,” Carlson said.
Senior Captain Cody Mosbeck
was also excited about playing
St. Olaf at home. “We’ve lost to
them in the past and learned
from our mistakes. This year our
upperclassmen bring experience,
and our new players are bringing
in talent,” Mosbeck said.
This weekend the Gusties play
Bethel at home on Friday, Nov. 20
at 7:05 p.m. at the Don Roberts Ice
Arena. Bethel is currently ranked
No. 1 in the MIAC.
Senior forward Patrick Dynan is particularly excited for
the games against Bethel this
weekend. “Aside from the fact
Women’s Hockey
@ Bethel
7:00 p.m.
Men’s Hockey
vs. Bethel
7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 21
Sports Information
Senior David Martinson celebrates one of his four goals in the Gusties victory over St. Olaf at home on Saturday, Nov. 14.
that there is pride on the line this
weekend, we want the points
and two wins under our belts.
It’s all about who wants it more,”
Dynan said.
Carlson added to the anticipation for the games this weekend.
“Whenever we play Bethel, it
is always a close game, and for
some reason we’re always able to
feed off of their ridiculous fans,”
Carlson said.
Aside from the excitement this
weekend and last weekend, not
much has changed for the Gusties
from last year. “[We have the]
same format [and] same attitude.
We have higher expectations for
everyone, but we’re still taking
the season one game at a time,”
Wieck said.
Carlson added to Wieck’s
thoughts about the season.
“Coach hasn’t changed much
from last year; all he wants is for
us to work hard, have fun and
play the game,” Carlson said.
After finishing second in the nation last year, the Gusties haven’t
done much to change their goals
for this year. “Our first goal is to
win our Conference and go from
there. Ultimately we want to get
back to the National Tournament,
but to do that we have to be consistent throughout our games,”
Rory Dynan said.
Mosbeck added to Dynan’s
goals for the season. “We’re taking this season one game at a time.
We want to win the MIAC and go
from there. If we were going to
set a team goal for ourselves right
now it would be peaking at the
right time during the season and
playing consistently game in and
game out. If we can accomplish
those things, we’ll be unstop-
pable,” Mosbeck said.
The Gusties have not had too
many obstacles thrown their
way, aside from a few injuries
and new players adjusting to the
team. Rory Dynan felt the team
is lucky not to have experienced
any sort of challenges so early in
the season, but the players need to
work on fixing mental mistakes.
“In the past when we’ve lost, it
has mainly been because of penalties and mental mistakes. We need
to fix those early on this year and
not have any break downs in the
middle of the season,” Dynan
said.
Patrick Dynan felt the team
has adjusted well so far. “It is
still really early in the season,
but the new players have been
adjusting well and pretty soon
our football players will be back
on the ice with us, which will be
a good adjustment for everyone.
That way no one settles down,
and everyone is always on their
toes,” Dynan said.
This year’s team is unique in
that they have a good chemistry
among the players both on and off
the ice, making a close-knit team
all around. Wieck felt the team
has definitely improved from
last year. “We’re a more skilled
team this year. This is a team that
will give their best every game,”
Wieck said.
Next Game:
Bethel
Date: Friday, Nov. 20
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Location: Don Roberts Ice
Rink
Sports Information
Junior Josh Swartout makes one of his 15 saves against St. Olaf. Swartout picked up his third win in the nets with a 5-4 win.
M. Swimming
vs. St. John’s/Luther
1:00 p.m.
Women’s Swimming
vs. St. Ben’s/Luther
1:00 p.m.
Women’s Hockey
vs. Bethel
2:00 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
@ Augustana (SD)
3:00 p.m.
Men’s Hockey
@ Bethel
7:05 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 23
Women’s Basketball
vs. Wartburg
7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24
Men’s Basketball
@ Buena Vista
8:00 p.m.
JOTTINGS
-The Gustavus Women’s
Rugby team advanced to the
Division II 16-team National
Tournament on Sunday, Nov.
15 after a 41-5 victory over Ball
St. University at the Midwest
Regional Final Four in Iowa
Falls, IA. Gustavus lost its first
game on Saturday, Nov. 16 to
Winona State University but
advanced as the third team out
of the Midwest Regional. The
National Tournament will take
place on April 16-18, 2010,
and Gustavus will play the
second seeded team out of the
Northeast Regional in the first
round. With two victories in
the National Tournament, the
Gustie Women ruggers would
advance to the Division II
Final Four in California.
-The Gustavus Football team
concluded its 2009 season
with an unbelievable 20-19
victory over Concordia. The
Gusties escaped with the
victory thanks to a Greg Lane
86-yard kickoff return for a
touchdown with :39 seconds
left to play to tie the score. The
extra point broke the tie and
gave the Gusties the victory.
The Football team finished the
season at 4-6 overall and 3-5 in
the MIAC.
Gustie Women ready for tip-off
A
Lauren Bennett
Staff Writer
change in the season
means the return of Gustavus Women’s Basketball.
Their last season ended abruptly in the quarterfinals of the
MIAC Championship to Bethel.
The women ended their season
with a record of 16-10. In their
final game against the Bethel Royals, both teams battled closely for
a victory until the Royals began to
outscore the Gusties in the final
four minutes of play.
“Overall, last season was a
success. However, it just wasn’t
good enough to please us. “We
made it into the playoffs but lost
a heartbreaker in the first round
and our season ended too soon
We knew we could have gone
so much further than we did; it
just didn’t work out that way,”
Senior Captain Amber Steffenhagen said.
The women took the ending of
the 2008-2009 season as a challenge. They did not focus on the
past but looked forward to the
future and have been working
tirelessly to gain an edge right out
of the gate this year.
“We have a tremendous core
returning from last year. Each of
us brings something unique and
special to this team. Our goals,
as always, are set high,” Senior
Captain Bri Radtke said.
Practicing and playing with
aggression for the last month,
the Gustie women are ready to
compete. They begin the next
season with three non-Conference
games against Augustana. Two
days later they play Wartburg and
then UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 30.
Because Augustana is a Division
II team, it will be a challenge for
the Gusties, but they are more
than capable.
Not only do the women have
high hopes, they have high goals
and feel that they will definitely
achieve them. “This desire to go
further is what is motivating us
this season. Having four senior
captains allows us to have a lot
of experience and leadership,” Senior Captain Katie Layman said,
“which is extremely important
in helping a team meet its full
potential.” Their full potential
means making it further than they
did last year.
“We want a banner. Our number one goal for the season is to
hang a banner. We know that we
are more than capable of achieving that goal. The talent, the
chemistry and the potential is all
there. There’s no question about
that. Now we just have to put everything together, and we’ll have
the successful season we know we
can have,” Steffenhagen said. The coveted banner the women
speak of is one with “Champions”
written on it. This goal gives the
Sports Information
Senior Captain and post Katie Layman battles for position at a home game last year at Gus Young Court. Layman started every game for the Gustie women last year.
Sports Information
Sports Information
Senior guard Bri Radtke discusses strategy with Head Coach Mickey Haller.
Senior forward Julia Schultz looks to pass the ball at a home game last season.
women even more determination,
since they were so close last season.
They have put in a tremendous
amount of work already this season, and all team members know
it will pay off.
“We have been preparing since
we got on campus with preseason
lifting, conditioning and pick-up
will go far.”
As far as this season’s opponents are concerned, the Gusties
are ready to take them on. “There
is no doubt we have the talent
and depth,” Radtke said. “We just
need to stay focused and remember to have fun.”
games, and now is our time to
see it all pays off,” Layman said.
“The first few games will allow
everyone’s nerves to settle down
and learn their roles on the team.
They will also help us learn that
players’ roles will change from
game to game and that as long as
we play as one, every game, we
Next Game:
Augustana (SD)
Date: Monday, Nov. 23
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Gus Young
Court