Mount Hood

Cocktail Corner: Mikaela’s AMF Recipe

Mikaela Wong | Staff Writer

Have you ever wondered what actually goes into your favorite cocktail, or how it’s made? While it may seem like you’re watching a magic trick when the bartender prepares your drink right before your eyes — or maybe it just feels that way once you’re a couple cocktails in — most drinks are actually pretty straightforward and require minimal effort. This segment will uncover the secrets of classic cocktails, and as a bartender, I’ll let you know what’s actually in those popular drinks.

One of the most common cocktails ordered, especially by college students, is called an AMF. It stands for Adios, Motherf—–, and it is regarded as one of the strongest drinks one can order. Many people consider this to be a staple drink for 21st birthdays and it has even been deemed from some as a “rite of passage”. 

The AMF is served in a pint glass (16 ounces) full of ice and is made of four different types of liquor, blue curacao, sweet & sour and Sprite or 7UP. Not only is this drink strong in alcohol content, but it also mixes different types of liquor together, which is discouraged as a general drinking rule. The drink is then topped off with a maraschino cherry, a lemon wedge and an orange wedge. There are also different flavors of AMF’s so make sure to ask your bartender for a different flavor if you would like something else.

Please drink responsibly, and only drink if you are 21+.

 

AMF

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

3⁄4 ounce vodka

3⁄4 ounce gin

3⁄4 ounce light rum

3⁄4 ounce tequila

3⁄4 ounce Blue Curacao

2 ounces sweet & sour mix

1⁄2 ounce Sprite/7UP

1 lemon wedge

1 orange wedge

1 maraschino cherry

 

Contact the author at mwong16@wou.edu

Courtesy of Caity Healy (Videographer), Kyle Morden (Video editor), Paul F. Davis (Photo)

A brief review of Main Street’s new food truck additions

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Sometimes it seems like there’s a revolving door of food trucks on Main Street. Where the short-lived Bobablastic truck once stood now features two different vendors. The newcomers are different in their food origins and styles, but what they have in common is that they’re both there to serve lunch or dinner in pretty decent portions for around $10 each.

For starters, we now have the purple Oishi Hibachi vehicle. This truck features a variety of Japanese cuisine, such as a few Teriyaki plates, shrimp, and for the braver people, ghost pepper chicken. There are small sides available, but most of the plates come with fried rice and veggies along with a choice of meat and a few sauces.  

As a broke college student, I was hesitant to drop $10 on a lunch. However, a plate full of fresh food — I could hear it start to sizzle a few minutes after ordering, which I considered a good sign — seemed pretty fair for the price. I did think there could have been a little more chicken as the rice seemed to encompass most of the meal, but the food itself tasted fresh and was exactly what I was expecting for an order of teriyaki chicken.

Next to Oishi Hibachi is the red Lonney’s Lunch Wagon, which specializes in Hawaiian food. Like Oishi, the main dishes are chicken or pork served with rice, and a full serving is $9. The menu changes daily and is listed on a chalkboard on the front of the truck. Additionally, many of their items are often pictured on their Instagram account @lonneyslunchwagon. Aside from their main dishes, also have a few options for sides of fries — but these are no ordinary fries. Rather, there are options such as roasted pork fries and fries with their signature hurricane sauce.

After hearing it hyped up by the cashier, I decided to try their Hurricane Katsu, a Japanese style fried chicken, with the above mentioned hurricane sauce. I have to say I am still haven’t quite decided how I feel about it; it’s certainly flavorful and not at all what I expected. The fried chicken was good by itself, and the sweetness of the hurricane sauce was an interesting addition. I get the sense it’s the type of flavor that tends to be quite divisive; people will either love it or hate it, with very little in between.

Though the two new trucks on the block have their own unique features, either one would be a good option for those looking for comfort food such as chicken or pork cooked in familiar and traditional ways, as well as for those feeling a little more adventurous.

Oishi Express is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday through Thursday and Lonney’s is open 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (or until they sell out) Tuesday through Saturday.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Short workouts for tight schedules

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults get both aerobic and muscular exercise regularly — specifically around 150 minutes per week, if said exercise is moderate in intensity. The recommended time may be more or less depending on how vigorous the exercise is, and if the goal is just general health or increased fitness. Additionally, exercise is just as beneficial when spread throughout the week in shorter spurts, as long as it’s at least 10 minutes long.

Fortunately, this means even people with busy schedules can find at least some time to incorporate some kind of physical activity into their routines. Sometimes it can be discouraging to not have the time to do the kind of intense, long workouts some people do, or to be constantly exhausted and not necessarily having the energy to do so. Adding just a twenty or thirty minute workout, and not even one that is super intense, can have multiple health benefits including reduced stress. On top of that, some don’t even require leaving the house.

 

Bike ride or short run: For those whose schedules involve hours of sitting in class or staying inside at work, adding one of these aerobic workouts a few days a week can help create a change of scenery. Also, according to the CDC, this activity can be a more intense workout, for example running instead of walking, meaning it doesn’t necessarily have to be done everyday to reap the health benefits. Seventy five minutes of intensive workouts can be as beneficial as the 150 minutes of moderate exercise.

 

Weightlifting: The Health and Wellness Center has weightlifting equipment available, but for beginners or those who prefer home workouts, there’s also the option of buying weights from sporting stores to use for simple lifts such as bicep curls, that will also help for the muscle building aspect of exercise.

 

Yoga or pilates: One of the easiest workouts to do at home as it requires little to no equipment, yoga and pilates tends to focus on muscle strength and flexibility. Like aerobic exercises, however, the intensity varies, in this case depending on the poses.

 

Individualized at home workout routine: These are the kind that are fairly easy to find, or at least to find inspiration for. Searching for ‘workout routine’ on Pinterest alone has thousands of results. These usually focus on specific areas of interest to each individual person. For example, core workouts might include crunches or planks, leg workouts will have lunges, squats or wall sits, and arm and upper body workouts will have pushups or arm circles — all examples that don’t require spending money or time to take the trip to the gym and back.

 

For those that do prefer a gym, the Health and Wellness Center’s facilities are free to students. Hours can be found at wou.edu/campusrec.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

How to utilize time gaps in a class schedule

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

In a perfect world, our classes would always align with our preferred times and schedules. As many students know, however, schedules rarely end up as such. The “awkward class gap,” usually an hour or two, is a common experience in which there’s just enough time between classes for it to drag on, but for most, it’s just barely too short to dive into something more productive. There are options, though, that don’t require too much focus for those that aren’t sure how to use the in-betweens.

 

Read over notes: Sometimes full on studying doesn’t feel like an option during this time, especially for those that might study better at home and live off campus. Just taking a quick glance at notes, however, will help the information sink in, leaving less studying to do later.

 

Update your planner: The syllabus usually has a calendar, but it’s not uncommon for unforeseen circumstances to change the schedule up a bit. Things can change often in personal and professional lives as well, so taking a few extra minutes to make sure everything is still set straight can help with feeling more prepared.

 

Browse classes for next term: An option for pretty much everyone except seniors in their last term, making a rough drafts of schedules to come may not be very pressing at all times, but it may come in handy when the next registration date rolls around. Spring Term registration starts on Feb. 25.

 

Take a power nap: It’s not uncommon to hear at least one person say “I’m so tired” at least once a day, or hear stories of a term paper that took most of the night. Power naps may not be a solution, but they can certainly temper the problem. Many students live on or near campus, and even some that don’t are willing to crash for a few minutes in their car or reserve some time in the Rest and Relaxation room on in the Student Health and Counseling Center.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western’s production of “Speech and Debate” starts a discussion about the secret life of teens

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

“Speech and Debate” follows three teens attending North Salem High School grappling with a sex scandal that is on the verge of imploding.

Madeline Weinstein, a junior theater major, attended the production.

“The characters (Diwata, an over-the-top wannabe high school actress pregnant with an unwanted baby, Howie, an openly gay high school student who goes on chatrooms with other gay men in order to hook up, and Solomon, a headstrong closeted gay student who is a reporter for the school newspaper) find their way into each other’s lives through the Speech and Debate club,” said Weinstein. Solomon, Diwata and Howie are brought together when Solomon, a tenacious reporter for the school newspaper, starts an investigation into the school’s theater teacher, Mr. Healy.

After hearing of the mayor’s inappropriate sexual contact with young men, Solomon starts building an article on the subject, much to the anger and chagrin of the school administration. Howie gets involved when he lets slip that he may have evidence against Mr. Healy. Diwata is reluctant to join in on the investigation, although she also has evidence against the teacher, and only agrees when the boys agree to become a part of the school’s new speech and debate club.

The play then follows Diwata, Howie and Solomon’s attempts to get the club funded by the school board, a process in which they have to prepare a mock debate presentation.

“The three students invite a reporter for the Oregonian newspaper to write about their presentation for Speech and Debate, and instead of addressing the actual problems that the students wanted, the reporter instead degraded them and said that this is what high-schoolers do in order to separate themselves from adults, and plugged her own book as well,” explained Weinstein.

The three students are all stubborn and strong-willed, and they bump heads often. Throughout the play, it is revealed that each of the speech and debate members have secrets of their own — secrets that could alter their lives in monumental ways.

This production follows tough topics such as sexual assault, sexual orientation and the lack of comprehensive sex education available to teenagers. “Speech and Debate” analyzes the ways in which American society fails it’s young people, refusing to speak to them frankly about substantial topics that affect their lives. The play tackles the important questions: is Oregon, and other states viewed as “liberal,” as open-minded as many people would like to believe? And are adults really keeping kid’s best interests at heart?

Some moments were laughable, while other moments were gasp-worthy. Overall, the production captures the essence of what it’s like to be a teenager: grappling with identity, personality and how they fit into the world — the subject matter is dark, but hauntingly realistic. The characters were familiar, with personalities that audience members may remember from their time in high school.

“I wasn’t so sure of what to expect when I went to see the show, so I came into the black box with an open mind,” said Weinstein. The main message, in Weinstein’s opinion, was: “to not be afraid of speaking up and doing what’s right.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Scott Grim

Staff picks: Favorite romantic movies

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

“Call Me By Your Name” (2018)

Based on a book of the same name, “Call Me By Your Name” is a movie following a young man named Elio who falls in love with a graduate student named Oliver. Oliver is staying with Elio’s family in Northern Italy, studying ancient sculptures for the summer. This film was nominated for best picture in 2018, and for good reason. The cinematography is superb and many important topics are explored, such as Judaism and how LGBTQ love was seen as forbidden at the time. Timothée Chalamet (Elio) and Armie Hammer (Oliver) are at an acting skill level that is matched in few other films.

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

“My Bloody Valentine” (1981)

For those who know me, this choice comes at no surprise. I’ll take any opportunity I get to promote a classic horror film. Not a huge fan of romantic movies? This might just be your perfect Feb. 14 flick. It’s everything one could want in a cheesy 80s slasher — the holiday-hating deranged murderer wielding a pickaxe, who, in this case, has it out for anyone celebrating Valentine’s Day; the cliche one-liners, which in this movie come in the form of Valentine poems to warn of an imminent death; and the absolutely unnecessary amount of gore. What’s not to love?

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Kyle Morden | Digital Media Manager

“Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)

As a fellow Asian American, it is only befitting for me to recommend this movie. This film features an all-Asian cast, and it captures the true essence of what it is like to be a part of an Asian family — always having to live up to expectations. The story follows Rachel Chu as she meets her boyfriend’s crazy-rich family. Throughout the film, Rachel struggles to live up to the standards of her boyfriend’s mother. Although this movie might sound pretty dramatic, it’s a romantic comedy. You will be shedding tears of sadness and joy.

Contact the author at kmorden17@wou.edu

Rachel Hetzel | Designer

“The Princess Bride” (1987)

One of my all time favorite movies, “The Princess Bride,” is a witty fairy-tale adventure movie based on a novel by William Goldman. Buttercup is separated from her true love by Prince Humperdink, who plans to murder her and blame it on an opposing country to start a war. Her true love, Wesley, sets out to rescue her. Once reunited they must overcome the three dangers of the Fire Swamp: find the six fingered man, acquire a miracle and crash a wedding. This movie is inconceivably amazing, and I highly recommend it.

Contact the author at rhetzel18@wou.edu

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

“While You Were Sleeping” (1995)

If anybody is looking for a good old-fashioned romantic comedy that is not “The Notebook” or “When Harry Met Sally,” look no further than “While You Were Sleeping.” This hilarious and heartwarming story follows Lucy, a lonely ticket booth worker with no one in her life, as she finds a new family in the unlikeliest of ways. After saving a man’s life at her work, Lucy is mistakenly believed by his family to be the man’s fiancé. In the number of twists and turns that ensue, Lucy’s journey is one that will make you laugh, reminisce and admire the wonderful Sandra Bullock.

Contact the author at bthompson15@wou.edu

Ashlynn Norton | Photo Editor

“How to Be Single” (2016)

When it comes to Feb. 14, I’m the person who says “Happy birthday, Oregon” rather than “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m a romantic at heart, but I’m perpetually single so Valentine’s Day is not my fave. That’s why I recommend the rom-com “How to Be Single”. This movie is about four single women who are trying to go through life while being single. I love this film because it’s about finding yourself and how love looks differently for every person. You don’t have to be in relationship to be happy or feel love — just do what makes you happy.

Contact the author at anorton17@wou.edu

 

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Review: Netflix original “Velvet Buzzsaw” breathes life back into the slasher genre

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Are you ready to be thrown back in time, to the age of slasher flicks with their dramatic cinematography and sense of impending doom? “Velvet Buzzsaw,” released on Jan 31, does just that. Featuring the talents of Jake Gyllenhaal, Toni Collette and Rene Russo, “Velvet Buzzsaw” brings old-school horror to a modern setting — the world of elite art.

This film begins with the secretary for an artist manager, Josephina, finding a collection of mesmerizing paintings when her elderly upstairs neighbor, Vetril Dease, dies. After being revealed to her boss Rhodora, the paintings are sold and showed in galleries, and Vetril Dease becomes one of the most talked-about artists in the scene.

In the beginning, all the audience knows about Dease is that his final wish was for all of his art to be destroyed. As Dease’s background is slowly revealed, he posthumously begins to take his revenge. Every person who used Dease’s art for personal gain is killed in a new and gruesome way.

“Velvet Buzzsaw” takes a satirical look at the world of the rich art elitist and adds in elements of suspense and murder, creating a slasher flick that was as nostalgic as it was unique.

For a Netflix original, the CGI was impressive. The cinematography was great, with its combination of wide shots and close-ups, along with dramatic zooms.

The sterile image of art galleries and the homes of the ultra-rich stood in stark contrast with the darkness and dirtiness of Dease’s art. The art focused heavily on the eyes — all of the figures in his paintings had their eyes closed or blurred out, almost like they had been gouged. Images of fire and smoke throughout the film were also significant, seen through the destruction of Dease’s pieces by fire and the abundance of smoking amongst the characters.

The dramatic imagery, obsession with revenge and satire within “Velvet Buzzsaw” made the movie an instant winner in my opinion. It had all the right qualities to make it a classically cheesy slasher film without seeming like just another sub-par remake. Also, It didn’t hurt that Jake Gyllenhaal was in it.

Overall rating: I would recommend this film to horror fans and newbies alike.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Winter Intramural leaderboard

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Basketball
Co-Rec W-L
Backdoor buddies 4-0
big girls don’t Kawhi 3-1
Ball is Life 1-3
Wienie Hut Jr 0-4
Men’s Competitive W-L
Lake Show 2-0
Rimshots Only 2-1
DB’s are here 2-1
Show Your Worth 1-2
The Sailor Cats 1-2
off in the woods 0-2
Men’s Recreational W-L
Butterbuckets 3-0
Dino Nuggets 2-0
King’s in The North 2-0
11 HC’s 3-1
Bye Week 2-1
Los Treys Leches 1-2
Air Ballers 0-2
Confused Athletes 0-2
Backcourt Violators 0-2
Team Name 0-3
Women’s W-L
CA$H Money 3-0
SWISH 2-1
Hoop There It Is 1-2
LeBrontourage 0-3

[fruitful_sep]

Futsal
Men’s W-L
Los Busties 3-0
The Republic 2-1
The OGs 1-2
Burger King 0-3
Open W-L
Dunder Mifflin 3-0
Landage 3-0
Italy 2-1
Kekambas 1-1
Ball Kickers 1-2
Fury 3-0
Grace & The Funky Bunch 0-2
Team Name 0-1

 

 

Men’s Rugby takes a snow-covered victory over Pacific University

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

The Wolves couldn’t escape the impending blizzard as they headed to Pacific University for their next match. Ready to play in the frigid temperatures, Western stepped onto a snow covered field on Feb. 9. With a large number of first-year players making the start, the Monmouth men were apt to build off of their previous win over Oregon just a week before.

The advantage seemed to be with the home team early in the match as Pacific quickly drove down the field, scoring a pair of tries with successful conversions. Shaking off the snow, Western responded with a try and successful conversion of their own to bring the game back to just a single score deficit. Despite the Wolves’s ferocious defense, the Boxer’s found their way down the field to put up another score and tacked on the conversion.

At the half, Western was two scores behind with a score of 12-21. A cloud of frozen breath steamed out from the Wolves huddle as they discussed how to climb out of the hole that was dug in the first half.

With the opening of the second half, the Wolves looked up to the task. Western bashed their way down the field, fighting for every inch. The Wolves tenacity shrank the lead to only two points after scoring a try and conversion.

Pacific wasn’t ready to roll over yet. After Western had brought the game back to only a single possession, the Boxer’s forced their way back down the field. Just as in the first half, a pair of Pacific tries knocked the Wolves back into a deep hole. With the clock working against them, Western knew they needed to score, and quickly.

The crunching of snow and the grunts of Wolves could be heard as Western fought back down the field. The defense of Pacific showed cracks that the Wolves were able to slip through to score their first try of their comeback attempt. But after the missed conversion, the Wolves were still down 24-33.

Players from both teams kept an eye on the clock as Western again trucked their way down the field. The tired Boxer defense again let the Wolves slip through, scoring another try. With only minutes to go, Western had shrunk their deficit to only four points.

As the Boxers fought to hold off the Wolves, the time continued ticking away. But the Wolves kept their heads down and drove. Pitch after pitch, the Wolves continued to advance the ball until finally they were able to break through once again. The final try was scored and the successful conversion put the Wolves on top 36-33. The last seconds ticked off the clock and the miraculous comeback was final. The Wolves pulled off a snow-covered come from behind victory.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Andy Main

I <3 Female Orgasm comes to Western

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

After much anticipation and hard work from the numerous campus organizations who sponsored the event, renowned sex educators Lindsay Fram and Marshall Miller brought the program “I <3 Female Orgasm” to Western on Feb. 7. This event packed the Columbia Room in the Werner University Center, with a number of seats being added and still having several people standing in the back of the room.

“Presented over 500 times to over 100,000 people in 44 states, the female orgasm program has become one of the most popular college sex-education programs in the country,” said Abby’s House Peer Advocate and senior community health education major Keith Mathew while introducing the program.

From the get-go, Fram communicated that this event would cover things that were lighthearted, but also serious at times.

“This is a fun topic, but it’s not only a fun topic. There are a lot of really important health reasons that we all need access to good information about our bodies and our sexuality,” said Fram. “There’s this lie all around us that there’s just one way to be sexual. That all of our bodies work the exact same way — that we all want the exact same thing. Or even the lie that says that we’re all interested in being sexual. Because if we can reclaim our pleasure … that’s a huge act of resistance.”

In this way, the talk began by acknowledging the diversity of experience that would likely be in the room — both in terms of sexuality and gender identity.

“One of the questions that some people may have had even before they got here tonight is ‘how are they going to define female?’ And we define it super inclusively,” said Fram. “We’re going to talk about people who were assigned female at birth, people who identify as women — we know sometimes those categories overlap and sometimes they don’t.”

With this established, Fram and Miller set out to explain a variety of things about the female orgasm: the science behind it, the different strategies to achieve it and the myths that surround it.

One thing that the presenters said was valuable for people to note is that there is a physical difference that exists surrounding orgasms for males and females, which some women may not fully realize.

“On average, it takes someone with a vulva and clitoris about 20 minutes of direct stimulation in a way that feels good to them to reach an orgasm,” said Fram. Miller then contrasted this idea by saying that, “it takes a person with a penis two to five minutes.”

Taking this into consideration, Miller and Fram expressed that it is important that partners are willing to take the time to make sure that they are both being fulfilled when they are intimate.

“It’s really important to do the hard work and listen to what your partner is trying to say and to try and see things from their perspective. That can really give a huge boost to your sex life,” said Fram.

However, the pair also emphasized that this kind of experimentation with pleasure is also something that people can pursue on their own.

“If you have never had an orgasm before and you are interested in learning how, a lot of people say that masturbation is the fastest and easiest way to learn,” said Fram. “By the age of 15, only about half of people with vaginas have figured out how to have an orgasm, but a lot of people with penises have figured that out. So, it’s totally normal to be college-aged and still figuring out how to have an orgasm.”

The overarching message of this presentation was that there are many ways to experience pleasure, so people should not get too caught up in the rules and limitations that they have heard from society.

“We really hope that you’ll say goodbye to taboo and hello to more pleasure because, whether it is by yourself or with someone who you respect and respects you back, orgasms are awesome,” said Fram. “They reduce stress, they relieve headaches and menstrual cramps, they burn calories, they relieve junk food cravings and they are a great way to spend a Thursday night.”  

For anyone who is interested in learning more about the “I <3 Female Orgasm” program, they can find additional information at ilovefemaleorgasm.com.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Out and Proud educates students about STDs

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Out and Proud has been an event that has celebrated intersectional LGBTQ+ issues at Western since 2009. Ten years later, the MSU-sponsored event was able to have one of the founders of the original Out and Proud event, Joseluis “Louie” Antonio Arce, come and speak before a new generation of Western students.

“I created Out and Proud 10 years ago in 2009 when I joined MSU. I was a freshman, and I saw a bunch of things on campus — I saw MEChA, I saw MSU, I saw Triangle Alliance — and all of them were me,” said Arce. “These are all a part of who I am as a person, but there was nothing for gay people of color. So, I decided to work with my club … and I created Out and Proud. And I’m so glad that it’s (continued) for 10 years.”

Arce then shared that his journey has been one of a gay, Latino male who became HIV positive nearly 12 years ago and who is driven to use his platform to educate young people about safe sexual practices.

Starting off his story, Arce began by remembering a phone call he received on the day he was diagnosed.

“This day was different because I know it was my doctor’s office, and they had my results,” said Arce. “My honest-to-God first thought was, ‘I have it. I have AIDS, and I’m going to die.’”

After he was given the news, though, Arce shared how his perspective changed.

“All I could do to keep from losing it was laugh,” said Arce. “I felt alive. I had just received the worst news I had ever heard in my life, but for the first time I was living in the moment.”

Beyond that day, Arce shared that he invested time to learn things about HIV that he didn’t know before.

“I was learning so much. I always thought that AIDS was an actual virus, but … HIV is one thing, and AIDS is the status of your virus,” said Arce. With this in mind, he has worked to take care of himself and to keep his CD4 count low.

“I have been fighting to stay positive — both inside and out,” said Arce.

In light of this story, the organizers of Out and Proud also had representatives from Polk and Marion County Health and Human Services to talk with attendees about their sexual health.

“Because of Louie’s story, we just want you guys’s input about what we can do at the health department to promote testing and to make sure that you’re aware of STDs and HIV and what you guys can do for prevention,” said one of the health department representatives.

Overall, both Arce and the representatives wanted to make sure that students knew that there are resources available to them, including the Student Health and Counseling Center, online resources, Planned Parenthood and Marion and Polk County Health and Human Services.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western holds 63rd annual Family Weekend

Ashlynn Norton | Photo Editor

Families from various locations and walks of life came to Western’s campus from Feb. 8-10 to partake in the 63rd Annual Family Weekend put on by Student Engagement.

The weekend’s festivities started off with a dinner Friday night to welcome families. President Rex Fuller began the festivities with a welcome speech and then gave the floor over to the entertainment of the night: a murder mystery improv show. Guests were given name tags displaying the names of celebrities and interacted with the actors while they tried to find out who the murderer was. In the end, when all was said and done, only one table correctly guessed that it was Taylor Swift who was in fact the murderer.

Saturday was a chock-full of events for every age.

For those 21 and up, there was wine tasting out at Eola Hills Wine Cellars. Family Weekend guests were able to travel to the winery and not only taste wine, but also be educated about the different types that were available.

Back on campus, there was rock painting, a photo booth and a caricature artist in the Summit inside the Werner University Center. At the same time, over in the Health and Wellness Center, the 2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament was underway. There were educational seminars sprinkled throughout the day where families could learn about how to better communicate with their first-year student, get a crash course in how money works, or even how to journal.

The night ended with a doubleheader of men’s and women’s basketball games.

The weekend came to a close on Sunday when families gathered once more in the Pacific Room for brunch while winners of various activities were announced.

Trina Lowther from Forest Grove, Oregon, visiting her first-year daughter Abi Lowther, a psychology major, said her favorite thing about Family Weekend was, “that we got to spend so much time together, like as a family.”

Western will also be holding its first ever Siblings Weekend in May for siblings who are in grades 8-12. Registration for this event will open in March.

 

Contact the author at anorton17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western whoops Montana State Billings

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

After losing a close match to Concordia on Feb. 5, the Wolves were ready to rebound against Montana State Billings. With students and their families filling New P.E. on Feb. 9, the home-court advantage seemed to already take effect as the Wolves took the court. Western had already smashed Montana State Billings earlier in the season, so the odds of another big win looked good for the Wolves.

The Yellowjackets made a quick jump to the lead as Western was slow to start. After a pair of good three-pointers, Montana State Billings stood over the Wolves by four. This lead, however, seemed to only be a small hiccup for the Wolves as they quickly regained control of the game after having only played three minutes. From that point forward, it was Western’s time to shine.

As with many other Western matches, this game quickly devolved into a Wolves shooting gallery. Three’s were followed by layups, followed by jumpers. Basket after basket was scored with Montana State Billings unable to do anything to halt the power of the Wolves. By the midway point of the match, Western had a commanding 23 point lead.

The second half saw no change in pace for the Wolves as they continued to extend their lead. Point by point, Western pushed their control to a new high as the students and families looked on with excitement. Just over five minutes were on the clock and Western had pressed their lead to 30 points. By the final whistle Western has in front by 32.

With the scoreboard highlighting the 97-65 win, Western looked forward to their next match. The Wolves pack up and head on the road to take on Seattle Pacific in a Valentine’s Day match on Feb. 14.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

From the humor section: Booze and reviews of “They Came Together”

To get ourselves ready for the upcoming Feb. 14 holiday, three 21+ staff members decided to write our completely honest reviews of a romantic film that we had hardly heard of: “They Came Together” (2014). In order to make our reviews as honest as possible, we decided to do it while being not-so-sober.

These reviews were only edited for clarity and appropriateness, so get ready to enjoy our super-tipsy and very sincere thoughts.

Please remember to drink responsibly.

 

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

Okay so I just finished watching “They Came Together” and some thoughts! While I was watching the movie I decided to take some notes to make sure I could recollect my thoughts when all was done so, here are my thoughts on this film.

First of all, that movie was too self-aware for its own good. Like okay, I feel bad dissing on an Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd movie, but like, it felt like a rom-com version of “Scary Movie,” or like a worse version of “Wet Hot American Summer” (which, to be clear, I love that movie). I don’t even know how to explain what that means, but like you have to watch the movie to fully understand.

At one point, Judge Judy made a cameo? I was literally like “question mark”. And I can’t really remember everything but I do remember that Paul Rudd at one point said, “greEEN beans!” and I laughed so hard that I spit my drink out. So maybe this movie was actually funny to be honest but who knows. Oh also! John Stamos and Adam Scott made a cameo, and that was a good time. It was literally like a two second cameo, but I’ll never turn down a cameo from either of them.

This film was a whirlwind. For anyone that chooses to watch it, expect to laugh, expect to ask yourself, “excuse me, what?”, and expect there to be TWO Benjamin Franklin cameos. TWO. Sometimes you’ll be so confused by what’s going on you’ll literally feel like you’re in some kind of dream. Like what? I swear, I’m not sure if it’s the AMF/multiple Jell-O shots remembering for me but I swear that at one point it repeated the same thing like at least 10 times.

Overall, this was honestly a good choic3 to watch for a Valentine’s Day movie. It wasn’t like every other rom-com. Well, it was, but it was different. It was the same as all of those other movies in a sarcastic way. So, give it a watch. If you don’t like the movie at the very least you’ll get to see Paul Rudd.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

 

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Introducing: one of those satire movies to watch just to waste time tbh. Like watching an hour and a half of The Onion.

I guess there should be specifics: basically it’s a parody of every rom-com ever featuring Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd. That’s right, Leslie Knope and Bobby Newport from “Parks and Recreation.” Except imagine Leslie is more on Bobby Newport’s level.

Okay so a few minutes in and I’m thinking, “was this made in Monsanto cause it’s soooooo corny.” But it quickly becomes clear it’s meant to be satire, which is a good thing to realize because you WILL cringe at some point in this movie unless you’re one of those people that exclusively watches comedies that try too hard and have become immune to that kind of thing.  

It starts out with Rudd and Poehler dating different people — Rudd is dating Robin from “How I Met Your Mother” — actually no, Molly (Poehler) just broke up but basically same thing cause Rudd is ‘boutta break up too. You see where this is going right.

Basically just picture the most basic rom-com plot. They live in New York — surprise effing surprise — then date, then break up, then get back together in the most dramatic way imaginable. Sidenote: imaginable is hard to spell while drunk. But it’s like a really weird trip with an extra dash of that one satire comedy tool where they’re overly specific instead of talking like normal people (Ex: “If I were to be about to marry someone and then not want to marry them I’d go to the Brooklyn Promenade.”) Also, white supremacists appear and whatshisface played by Paul Rudd is the only one who seems to think that’s effed up.

My only takeaways: the one scene where the bartender just repeats the same line over and over and it’s literally the worst and just gave me violent flashbacks of the one kid in class who hadn’t bothered to come to a class ‘til like week three forcing us to listen while the professor had to repeat the same concept to them; the actually surprising plot twist feat. Judge Judy; and of course, “ALL HAIL JOEL.”

 

Contact the author at rmeyers17@wou.edu

 

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Okay so “what the f*** is up Kyle?” “They Came Together” is the blockbuster of this sentury. Communism, gay, and AMMMMYMYY POEHLER. Too bad there’s white supremacists.

There’s a black best friend too, which I think is a racist stereotype. Also white supremacists? There are some white supremacists in there. There’s also a man named Eggman and he cries.

This movie obviously glorifies capitalism. Yuck. Something goes zooooommmm and I only know that because of the very extensive and professional notes I took. It was like Amy Poehler and all her friends got together and downed a gallon NyQuil and set aside two hours and made a film.

White supremacists. 🙁

Men are dumb and they play football at one point. I mean, that’s all you need to know about this film.

The movie is really unrealistic because someone owns a candy store and no one is ever in it. How does she pay her bills? How does she support her son? Oh yeah, she has a son, but he’s never around and his dad is a felon. So, really, this movie glorifies an irresponsible parenting style. Wow.

Paul Rudd and his hamburgies. And his green beans. He truly is an American classic.

For a second i thought that it would turn gay when Amy’s character kisses her best friend. To my chagrin, it did not turn gay. In fact, in turned more straight. LET THEM BE GAY. GIVE ME A GAY AMY POEHLER.

Also the whole time you expect the “Parks and Recreation” theme to start playing. We all know that song is a banger.

In summary: white supremacists, Paul Rudd, eggs.

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Inside the Student Health and Counseling Center’s wellness coaching

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

In its ongoing quest to help students reach their maximum mental and physical health, the Student Health and Counseling Center has a recent addition to their services: wellness coaching. The purpose of wellness coaching is to help students make a plan for tackling their obstacles and working towards their goals.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow, a junior English major, who has already taken advantage of the program, spoke about her experience.

“I often feel frustrated with my lack of knowledge about different aspects of wellness and find myself wishing that I had some sort of guide. So you can imagine that this email felt like it came at exactly the right time,” Kiernan-Sherrow said, referring to the notice the SHCC sent to students about the program.

At first she thought the coaching would be more focused on physical fitness, but in fact the coaches focus on whatever aspect of the student’s life they want to work on most. The students are asked to fill out a survey that identifies their strengths, which the coaches then use to help them figure out how to work towards their goals.

“My wellness coach is named Pam, and she and I instantly connected,” Kiernan-Sherrow told me. “She made me feel comfortable and she was adept at identifying my strengths and how to apply them to my future goals. We decided to focus on building my confidence and to begin that we collaborated to think of short-term activities that would benefit my long-term goals.”

After hearing positive feedback from others, I decided to try some wellness coaching myself. I took the survey and then met with Craig Wimmer, the SHCC’s other wellness coach. Over the hour-long meeting, we discussed both my long-term and short-term goals, as well as what areas of my life I felt needed the most work or improvement. I was surprised to find that just voicing some things made me see my life a little bit clearer, and having to write out the steps I would take to make improvements made them seem much more attainable.

Kiernan-Sherrow described leaving at the end of the meeting feeling “extremely validated, valued and understood,” and I would say I felt the same way after my own meeting. I will likely return for a follow up, which many students do, to see how the wellness coaching affected my outlook and approach to life. Students interested in setting their own appointment for wellness coaching can do so through the patient portal, found at wou.edu/health.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

How to manage stress after midterms

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

After midterms, students are often in need of both physical and mental de-stressing. It’s a struggle that comes around every term, but luckily there are plenty of ways to help shake the post-testing stress.

One of the most accessible options is right here on Western’s campus. The Rest and Relaxation room, located in the Student Health and Counseling Center, is designed to help students manage their stress at any point in the term. The room can be reserved in half-hour time slots at wou.edu/health, making it easy to slip into busy schedules. The room features a massage chair — the main attraction — a full-spectrum therapy light, a meditation spot and a few technological items to help students monitor their stress levels.  

For the more introverted, or for the most exhausted, sometimes the best option is simply to follow “Parks and Recreation” character Tom Haverford’s advice: “treat yo’ self.”

This might not necessarily be in the sense of spending money on material things, but instead by staying in, putting on a favorite movie or show and eating a favorite snack.

For the more structure-oriented, it might help to do the opposite. Taking some time to get reorganized — updating a planner, getting back on a sleep schedule and planning some healthy meals — can help students feel more relaxed by being more prepared for the second half, and usually the most stressful part, of the term.

Sometimes, however, the best way to unwind from school is to ease mental usage and focus on the physical, either with workouts or distance from the source of stress. One of the upsides of Monmouth being a small town is that it’s surrounded by popular hiking spots. According to Harvard Health, studies support the idea that just being out in nature can relieve a certain amount of stress. On top of that, any type of exercise can help lift a person’s mood, even if it’s minimal.

In the end, everyone’s different and what works for some might not work for others. Learning which stress-relieving activity is the most effective through trial and error is, for many, an integral part of the college experience.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

A review of Chen’s Family Dish in Salem

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Among the many dining options in Salem, on 2138 Lancaster Dr NE #139 sits Chen’s Family Dish, a Chinese restaurant that now has multiple locations in Oregon. Some may have visited the Dallas location, but the Salem location is unique in that it also has a bar. Never having visited either, I decided to try out the new Lancaster location to get a feel for the restaurant.

Though the outside might be underwhelming, the interior feels much more like a refined restaurant. Because I went during lunch hours, it was fairly empty, which allowed me to fully take in the environment. The restaurant has a sophisticated ambiance, with soft lighting, understated decor and calming music playing in the background. The staff was also very friendly and helpful, informing us of the different menu and substitution options.

The menu features some Chinese classics such as sweet and sour chicken, egg flower soup and lo mein. I ordered the Mandarin chicken from the lunch menu, which turned out to be a great choice. Eight dollars got me a large portion of chicken, the soup of the day and a side of fried rice and crab puffs. I knew instantly I was going to need a to-go box, but I still finished most of the dish.

In my opinion, there was a perfect sauce-to-chicken ratio that made it very enjoyable. My friend who went with me was eager to try the egg flower soup, a favorite of hers, and it lived up to her expectations judging by the empty bowl at the end of our meal.

Chen’s family dish is an excellent addition to Salem’s restaurant options. I would highly recommend this restaurant for those looking to go out somewhere that feels somewhat classy but is still reasonably priced and has great food.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

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

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