Mount Hood

Tips for first tattoos

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

According to quora.com, about 29 percent of Americans have at least one tattoo, though most don’t stop at just one. It’s becoming increasingly more common to see people with tattoos, especially on college campuses. Though the decision of whether or not to get inked is ultimately up to each individual, there are some things everyone should consider before making it final.

 

Pain levels — When considering a tattoo, the question that inevitably comes up is “will it hurt?” or, more accurately, “how much will it hurt?” Some go looking for specific answers to that question, understandably wanting to know exactly what to expect. However, the truth is that pain levels are slightly different for everyone, and there are many factors that affect how painful a tattoo will be. Sometimes, like in my case, this leads to lots of stress leading up to getting inked. There are, however, some factors that can give a general idea of of how uncomfortable a tattoo will be, such as placement and size of the tattoo.

Timing — Some first-timers don’t realize that timing is an important thing to consider when scheduling a tattoo. Tattoo care involves things like keeping the area dry, away from potential infections and out of direct sunlight. Therefore, getting a tattoo right before a vacation to somewhere warm and sunny might not be the best choice. Though exact conditions can’t always be predicted — I got my first tattoo in October and did not expect to have to shield it from the hot sun — having an idea will keep the tattoo on the track to healing.

Quality and price — Tattoos are one of the best examples of the phrase “you get what you pay for.” While some might find it tempting to have an unexperienced artist friend buy a kit off of eBay Inc. and have them do the tattoo, a safe and quality one is usually much more expensive. If a professional artist costs more, it’s usually because they are more experienced and are very skilled at their trade. Going to a professional usually means a percentage of the price has to be paid up front at the time of the appointment, and the rest is paid in cash afterwards. Also, it won’t save much money in the long run if it has to get covered up or removed, or becomes infected due to not being done properly and requires medical attention.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Guest poet Todd Davis gives a poetry reading at WOU

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Born to two farmers from Kentucky and Virginia, Todd Davis grew up working beside his father as his veterinarian assistant and bonding over poetry. Today, Davis lives in Tipton, Pennsylvania and teaches creative writing, American literature and environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He spends much of his time outside, in the field collecting data to fuel his poetry.

Davis has written six full-length poetry collections, the most recent of which is titled “Native Species.” Davis writes of the visceral, potent habits of nature and often utilizes memory to tell his stories.

Davis started writing poetry when he entered college. Since then, according to Davis’s website, todddavis.com, over 300 of his poems have been published in a variety of magazines, including American Poetry Review and Poetry Daily. On Feb 4, in Hamersly Library room 107, Davis gave a poetry reading that was open to the public.

“Death is something I’ve always written towards in my poems, trying to make peace with it,” said Davis as he prefaced a poem he read called “Homily.”

Half sermon, half poetry reading, Davis’s event was incredibly silent, reflecting how his words captured the attention of Hamersly 107, a room packed with onlookers. His poems drew inspiration from many different sources, such as John Coltrane, Judeo-Christian theology, James Wright and his own family and students.

In his poetry, Davis faces many questions, like “are humans an invasive species?”, “how will we give our bodies back to the Earth when we die?” and “is death really an end or a transformation?” But these complex ideas are translated through simple language, bringing an accessibility to Davis’s poetry that some other, more traditional poets may avoid.

Davis left the crowd with a poem that he recited as a blessing: “Being a man who has seen no angels, and who at times doubts what he’s been told in church, I’ll simply ask what the poet asked: that God would make this world as beautiful to you as it has been to me.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

2019 Oscar nominations and demographics

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

In 2016, outcry from celebrities and audiences alike started the twitter trend #OscarsSoWhite — a hashtag addressing the fact that all 20 actors nominated for lead and supporting roles for the year 2016 were white. There were also several movies featuring actors of color that were looked over for nominations, such as “Beasts of No Nation.” Suffice it to say, the Oscars don’t have the best track record for diverse nominations. But how diverse are this year’s nominees?

Although every nomination by the academy is seen as prestigious, the categories shown in this graphic are some of the most anticipated by audiences. These categories also provide the most visibility to those nominated, and are historically how diverseness of the awards are gauged.

[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”]
[fruitful_tab title=”Best Picture”]

“Black Panther,” Kevin Feige, Producers

“BlacKkKlansman,” Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Raymond Mansfield, Jordan Peele and Spike Lee, Producers

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” Graham King, Producer

“The Favourite,” Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday and Yorgos Lanthimos, Producers

“Green Book,” Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly and Nick Vallelonga, Producers

“Roma,” Gabriela Rodríguez and Alfonso Cuarón, Producers

“A Star is Born,” Bill Gerber, Bradley Cooper and Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers

“Vice,” Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers

[/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Actor in a Leading Role”]

Christian Bale, “Vice”

Bradley Cooper, “A Star Is Born”

Willem Dafoe, “At Eternity’s Gate”

Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book”

[/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Actor in a Supporting Role”]

Mahershala Ali, “Green Book”

Adam Driver, “BlacKkKlansman”

Sam Elliott, “A Star Is Born”

Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Sam Rockwell, “Vice”

[/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Actress in a Leading Role”]

Yalitza Aparicio, “Roma”

Glenn Close, “The Wife”

Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”

Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born”

Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

[/fruitful_tab] [fruitful_tab title=”Actress in a Supporting Role”]

Amy Adams, “Vice”

Marina De Tavira, “Roma”

Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk”

Emma Stone, “The Favourite”

Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite”

[/fruitful_tab] [fruitful_tab title=”Cinematography”]

“Cold War,” Łukasz Żal

“The Favourite,” Robbie Ryan

“Never Look Away,” Caleb Deschanel

“Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón

“A Star is Born,” Matthew Libatique

[/fruitful_tab] [fruitful_tab title=”Directing”]

“BlacKkKlansman,” Spike Lee

“Cold War,” Paweł Pawlikowski

“The Favourite,” Yorgos Lanthimos

“Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón

“Vice,” Adam McKay

[/fruitful_tab] [fruitful_tab title=”Writing (Original Screenplay)”]

“The Favourite,” Written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara

“First Reformed,” Written by Paul Schrader

“Green Book,” Written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly

“Roma,” Written by Alfonso Cuarón

“Vice,” Written by Adam McKay

[/fruitful_tab]
[/fruitful_tabs]

Contact the author at entertainmenteditor@wou.edu

Designed by Brittany Figueroa

Review: “Oculus”

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

“For all my sisters” reads the dedication of Sally Wen Mao’s newest collection of poetry, “Oculus.”

In this her second collection of poems, released Jan 15, Mao weaves a complex story of technology, patriarchy, racism and time. Each poem is well-researched — not a single poem stands alone, but fuses into the landscape and context of a much bigger picture. Whether it be how technology has grasped our lives or describing the history of racist Asian caricatures in American cinema, every poem is carefully penned and laced with morbid imagery.

A series of poems throughout the book follows the imaginary journeys of actress Anna May Wong, considered the first Chinese-American actress in the United States, through time. Given the power of a time machine, Wong migrates through time and the history of American cinema, witnessing the way the industry typecasts and violates Asian people through racism.

Wong sees how Chinese women’s bodies are objectified and rejected simultaneously. Different Asian cultures are often appropriated in American shows and movies, but, as Mao focuses on in her writing, many Asian characters are portrayed by white actors in yellowface. Over the course of her journey, actress Wong travels beyond her death, and through Mao’s wit and style, calls for a reclamation of her culture and narrative.

In a poem that gives her book its title, Mao described how a young woman in Shanghai posted her suicide to Instagram in 2014. In the last section, Mao wrote a second poem under the same title, cataloging her experience watching Solange perform at the Guggenheim museum, the most photographed place in the world. Mao intricately analyzes, in these and other poems, how technology has morphed into a third limb for many, turning society into a sort of cyborg which catalogs everything.

In her poem “After Nam June Paik,” Mao wrote: “On the LCD screen, I offer light but no breath/ I author breadth but no depth/“… the surveillance camera records our prettiest nightmares.”

Mao’s poetry is eerie, brutal, futuristic and stunning. Mao writes on topics many find difficult to discuss, but shifts focus on what could be and what is to come. This collection truly is unique.

Overall rating: I would strongly recommend this book.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of graywolfpress.org

Men’s Rugby tramples University of Oregon

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Clouds blocked out the sun and the winds picked up as the men of Western’s rugby team lined up. With the memory of losing to the Beavers on Jan 26. in mind, the Wolves were ready to take on the Ducks on Feb. 2. In their home debut of 2019, Western looked to not only redeem themselves, but to dominate.

The Ducks quickly jumped ahead of the Wolves. In the opening minutes of the match, University of Oregon scored a try and was unsuccessful on the conversion to bring the score to 5-0. But this was nothing to the Wolves. A tenacious Western defense made mincemeat of the Ducks offense, forcing chaos amongst the team.

Taking advantage of the frantic Oregon offense, Western pounded their way to back to back tries with a pair of successful conversions. These scores catapulted the Wolves to the lead and shifted any momentum Oregon had right over to Western. The quick scoring seemed to be a trend for the Wolves as the game started to become out of hand with breakaway after breakaway.

By midway through the first half, Western had developed a blitzkrieg-style attack on the Ducks. A powerful defense was complemented by lightning fast offense from the Monmouth team. By the time the horn for the half sounded, the Ducks hadn’t been able to come within 20 yards of a score.

The fireworks of the first half were quickly followed up in the second half as Western’s relentless assault on the Ducks forged on. With a fresh set of legs taking the field for the Wolves, Oregon looked visibly shaken. While the Ducks attempted to fight back, Western’s men never let Oregon back into the game.

In response to playing at home again, sophomore Drew Reyes commented that, “It feels great … we love playing on this field. We wanted to hold ourselves accountable to the mistakes we made at OSU. We wanted to fix the mistakes while having fun … I think we played well today, but there’s still a lot to work on.”

Western heads on the road to take on Pacific University on Feb. 9.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western’s newest club sport: Men’s Basketball

Mikaela Wong | Staff Writer

Students around the Health and Wellness Center may have grown accustomed to seemingly common pick-up basketball games involving a variety of students. This popularity has paved the way for a pool of potential candidates to start a new club sport — the Men’s Basketball club.

The Men’s Basketball club adds to the basketball opportunities for Western’s students offered by Campus Recreation. This club gives students the ability to play in competitive games with other schools in the region. By communicating with other school’s administrations, Western has been able to be a part of the creation of a new club league that includes schools such as the University of Oregon, Portland State University and University of Portland.

“The idea of this club actually started around three years ago when we initially joined the NIRSA tournament,” said Noah Jones, a senior business major and club founder, on when the club was created.  “We ended up doing really well consecutively (in the tournament) and that laid a foundation for the next couple years to start this club this last summer.”

The clubs season extends from February to the beginning of April. Every weekend, the team travels to various schools, playing multiple games a day. These games are a pathway leading to a playoff. The post season concludes with a single championship game, held at Western in early April.

Currently, the club is comprised of nine members. The majority of these members are seniors, just like the founder. But Jones has strived to ensure the longevity of the team.

“I’ve made sure to recruit some underclassman so that when (the seniors) leave, they will know where to take the program,” said Jones. “(I want them to) have all the contacts and tools to keep the league going and maybe even add more teams to it in the future.”

Jones hopes to have the team continue to stay around the school for years to come.

“Having multiple club teams at WOU would be great so that the culture could grow,” mentioned Jones. “I know it’s a bit of a stretch, but maybe eventually they could even hold games in the New PE Gym. Ideally, I would want enough students to participate in the club teams that we could hold our own tournaments at the school and make it an annual thing.”

The team practices every Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. in the Health and Wellness Center. Visit IMLeagues.com/wou to learn more about how to join.

 

Contact the author at mwong16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Men’s Basketball smashes Alaska Anchorage

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

After falling to the Seawolves in their previous meet up on Jan. 3, Western was suited up and ready to battle back on Feb. 2. Recently, Alaska Anchorage had been mentioned in an article in the GNAC news as a hot team late in the season due to their daunting play. While this may have been worrisome to some teams, the Wolves looked unphased.

The opening minutes of the game showed signs of what would look like an all out war on the court. As time ticked away on the clock, neither team could hold a manageable lead. The Wolves would quickly jump out ahead only to see their lead vanish and find themselves in the hole. But this back and forth didn’t last long.

By the midpoint of the opening half, the Wolves seemed to have finally established a solid lead to which they could expand on. The swish of the net began to echo on the Wolves’s side as they grew their lead two points at a time. By the buzzer, Western was ahead of the Seawolves by a firm seven points.

In their last match up, the Wolves looked outclassed by the Seawolves. But this time around, Western was ready for their revenge. Immediately into the second half the Wolves pushed their single point lead to double digits. While Alaska Anchorage fought back, their efforts proved futile. The Wolves kept adding to their lead, growing it to 20 points at times.

With only a handful of minutes left in their match, Western’s lead hovered steadily in the high teens. No matter what the Seawolves did, Western was there to not only match their push, but force their lead even higher. After dropping their first matchup 57-61, the Wolves finalized their revenge with a commanding 81-61 win.

Western remains at third place in the GNAC standings. The Wolves have only seven matches left in their season, two of which are against Western Washington and Northwest Nazarene, the top ranked opponents. Western takes the home court again Feb. 9 against Montana State Billings.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

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