Lake Larsen, Author at The Western Howl

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

According to a poll done by ComRes, the top three most common New Year’s resolutions are to “exercise more,” “lose weight” and “eat more healthily.” A common pattern can be found amongst these three that can lead one to make a simple assumption; the majority of those who set these goals are not happy with where their body or health currently is.

Choosing to make yourself healthier is an option that everyone has, and can take up at any time. Deciding to exercise and eat well can be incredibly beneficial to your health and well-being. However, it’s important that during the journey of reaching your resolution, you still choose to be body positive.

The meaning of this term can vary between person to person. While speaking with psychologytoday.com, Mallorie Dunn, founder of the body positive fashion line “SmartGlamour,” noted that to her, the phrase means “accepting the body you have as well as the changes in shape, size, and ability it may undergo due to nature, age, or your own personal choices throughout your lifetime.” She also adds that it’s “the understanding that your worth and what’s going on with you physically are two separate entities.”

While this definition of the phrase can read differently to everyone, the overall point is typically the same — every body is worthy of love and respect. During this time of year, where many people are trying to lose weight and alter their bodies, it can be difficult to remember this. If you are someone who is struggling with body image, there are a couple key things to keep in mind.

Body positivity is not always an easy thing to reach. It takes time, diligence and belief in yourself. It’s not something that everyone automatically has; it’s something that you must actively pursue. It’s your relentless attempt to have a positive body image.

You have to accept the fact that you can appreciate another type of body or appearance, and still love yours as well. Helping others be body positive can be incredibly important. But, still love every part of what makes you who you are, as well.

In the end, it’s okay to admire and accept your body for exactly what it is. It’s also okay to want to change your body — if your intention is for yourself and your own health, rather than the standards set by others. Do what makes you happy, wear what makes you happy and keep striving to have a positive outlook on yourself and the skin you’re in. Love yourself through every stage your body goes through.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

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Last year’s overlooked entertainment

Mitchell Martin | Freelancer

It’s 2018, and that means there are new movies, games, television shows and albums for us to bite into. And while I sit, awaiting the release of “Avengers: Infinity Wars,” Season 3 of “The Magicians” and for all of the Japanese RPG fans out there, “Dragon Quest XI,” I’m not ready to close to door on 2017 and you shouldn’t either.

Last year had some truly great films, but one film, released early on Jan. 23, did not get as much coverage as it should’ve. “Brigsby Bear,” directed by Dave McCary, follows a young man named James Pope, played by Kyle Mooney, a writer for the film, attempting to create the finale for his favorite TV show. The film has a sincere tone for such a dark premise — James was kidnapped at a young age and raised to believed the world is irradiated, his only connection to others being a TV show called Brigsby Bear, secretly made by his kidnappers. He is rescued and introduced to society but can’t seem to let go of the show. If you can get past the second-hand embarrassment you’ll find a truly charming experience. Mooney’s portrayal of James is particularly enjoyable as he nails the socially awkward boy who really just wants to live happily. All in all, give this movie a watch, it’s sure to warm your heart.

2017 also had a ton of good music, but I think the greatest musical crime committed was the lack of hype surrounding the album “Three Movements” from legendary video game composer Manami Matsumae. Matsumae has been in the video game industry for thirty years and is most famous for composing for the original “Megaman” soundtrack. As such, it’s no surprise that her debut album sounds like a classic NES title you never got to play.

The starting track “Choose your hero” is extremely catchy, emulating 8-bit era music perfectly. The songs act like levels in a video game, successfully using guitars and synthesizers to really invoke those memories of jumping from platform to platform and taking on the final boss. Two tracks, “Intermezzo, Part 1,” and “Intermezzo, Part 2,” stand out from the rest. They’re both completely composed using piano, and have a much softer tone which bring about a calmer feel than the other tracks on the album. Overall, Matsumae has a good shot as a solo composer, and I hope she continues to put out more of her own albums.
We had a lot of great big hits in gaming in 2017, one of which is “Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth” for the 3DS. The game is a hardcore old school dungeon crawler which sports map-making and as you venture up labyrinths of the giant tree Yggdrasil avoiding giant foes and slaying monsters. It has brilliant character creation, allowing you pick any hair and eye color you can imagine, 40 different voices, four races, ten classes, and ten portraits per class. The game lacks in story, but easily makes up for it in immersion by carefully playing small events around the map that help to build the world around you. Overall it’s a great addition to the series and a game that should be in any RPG fan’s library.

Contact the author at mmartin17@wou.edu

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Review: “The Financial Diet”

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

“The Financial Diet,” written by Chelsea Fagan and designed by Lauren Ver Hage, is a finance guide geared towards twenty-somethings that want to stay on top of their finances. The book, while both useful and interesting, missed the beat when it came to recognizing some of the inhibitors that millenials may face when trying to save money.

“The Financial Diet” is based off of the work done for the duo’s financial website. As an on-again, off-again follower of Fagan and Ver Hage’s work for the past few years, I picked up their book in hopes that it would offer new insights into the world of saving money.

The guide is easily palatable; it’s split into seven chapters, all of which focus on a different aspect of one’s finances. Each chapter is broken up by expert interviews and illustrated diagrams. My only qualm with this is the inclusion of a ‘food’ section.

The fourth chapter of the book focuses on money-saving in the kitchen. There is a bunch of great advice offered, but I think the chapter is lacking when it comes to advice on what to keep in your kitchen. There is a list of spices and oils that one should have on-hand, and then the chapter delves into recipes. I love a good recipe as much as the next person, but if I wanted recipes, I could look online or in a recipe-specific book. These pages could have been more useful if they instead included lists of multi-purpose food items you can buy or examples of cheaper food that packs a lot of nutrients.

The information offered in the rest of the book is useful. Fagan explains some of the lesser-known aspects of being a financially responsible adult; she discusses the importance of investing, home ownership and credit scores.

While all of this information is useful, I think the book would be more insightful if it went more in-depth about how to specifically set money aside for things like emergency funds and college loan payments. It’s easy to say that people should pair down their expenses in an effort to save money. However, there are some people in the target age range for this book, like college students, who may not be able to cut their spending that easily. A hefty portion of the advice offered in “The Financial Diet” is focused on those who are living above their means.

“The Financial Diet” is a good book for those looking for an aesthetically pleasing crash-course in financial responsibility. However, it shouldn’t be your only source of financial research.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

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New year, new music

Ashton Newton | Freelancer

2017 was a big year for music. Whether it was Taylor Swift reinventing her sound in “Reputation” or Kendrick Lamar dropping an instant classic with “DAMN.,” it’s hard to picture 2018 living up to one of the best years in the last decade for new music, but in fact, 2018 is looking to bring as much, or even more, great new music.

Right around the corner, Rhye is releasing a new album called “Blood” on Feb. 2. His first album is five years old this year, but he made a return in 2017 with a series of singles and lending vocals to Bonobo’s “Break Apart”.

The British indie group The Wombats are making a return with a new album releasing Feb. 9 titled “Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life.” They’ve already released two singles off of the album, “Lemon to a Knife Fight” and “Turn.”

At this point in the year, a lot of bands have only given conformation that they will release new music this year. Artists like The Arctic Monkeys, CHVRCHES, Childish Gambino, Frankie Cosmos, Drake and Father John Misty have all teased new music, so there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

One of the most exciting teased projects of 2018 is a collaborative album between Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Apart from a confirmation from Jay-Z himself, no additional information has come out about the collab.

Lady Gaga released a new single called “The Cure” and teased a 2018 album at last year’s Coachella. If the rest of the album matches the sound of “The Cure,” it looks like Lady Gaga is making a return to her earlier dance-pop sound.

At the end of 2017, Jack White released a pretty cacophonous single that turned out not to be a single at all. Instead, the release was simply bits and pieces taken from his upcoming 2018 album “Boarding House Reach.” It’s not a good sounding song, but it serves as an intriguing tease for what’s to come.

Some teases have gone more under the radar, like Death Cab for Cutie announcing their 2018 release in a tweet that simply says “LP9 // 2018” with no other information.

2018 is already shaping up to be one for the books. With what has already been announced, there’s plenty for fans of every genre to get excited about.

Contact the author at anewton15@wou.edu

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In defense of zoos

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Oftentimes, zoos and aquariums are perceived as businesses that capture and exploit animals for personal gain. But if you look closer into the actions taken by these institutions, you will find that zoos and aquariums can be extremely beneficial in their conservation efforts and public education, as well as providing excellent care to their animals.

First of all, it should be emphasized that not all zoos are created equal. Yes, there are zoos that have very little credibility and low standards of animal care. But these aren’t the zoos I’m focusing on right now. The institutions that I’m talking about are the 214 zoos and aquariums across the United States that have an accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This accreditation means that the institution provides top quality animal care, emphasizes education, and funds conservation and research efforts to benefit wild species.

When you walk into a zoo or aquarium, a large percentage of the animals you see can’t be released into the wild. Whether it be that they were born under human care, imprinted on humans, have injuries or don’t have the necessary survival skills to succeed in the wild, they are deemed by the federal government as non-releasable. They are animals that need a permanent place to call home. Many people think that the animals are ripped from the wild to be put into a cage, but the majority of the time, that isn’t the case.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums requires a high level of animal care for their accredited institutions. Every single detail including the quality of the water, the amount of shade available for the animals, and the physical groupings of the animals are monitored. Medical records for every single animal are maintained and they receive regular veterinary check-ups. In addition, animals are given daily mental stimulation in the form of enrichment. This can include direct training with a keeper, physical objects for the animal to interact with, or stimulating the other senses with music or essential oils. The behavior of the animals is monitored to ensure that they’re not stressed out, fatigued, or aggressive.

On a personal note, I worked at an AZA accredited institution, and the lengths staff would go to ensure the well-being of the animals was incredible. If a fish dropped out of a food bucket onto the floor, it was unusable because it could’ve accumulated bacteria. The social hierarchy of the animals was constantly being monitored and the grouping of the animals changed to reduce stress. Animals in the touch-tank are at a constant rotation to ensure that the experience isn’t what you see in “Finding Dory.” I’ve never seen so much work and passion be put into the well-being of an animal.

In addition, zoos and aquariums put money into helping wild species. According to the AZA website, $216 million is put into conservation projects every single year. There are currently 115 reintroduction programs, and more than 40 of these are for threatened or endangered species. Animals such as the Arabian Oryx, the California Condor, the Bellinger River Turtle, and the Amur Leopard were saved from extinction by zoos and aquariums.

And lastly, one of the most important things zoos and aquariums provide is education. Without education and awareness, the decline of animal species around the globe will continue. Even if you don’t watch a presentation or read the signage, meaningful connections you have with the animals and the zoo itself can transform into positive changes. It can encourage kids to have more empathy towards the animals and people around them. It can encourage adults to invest in that reusable water bottle that they haven’t purchased yet. An AZA study found that 54 percent of individuals surveyed commented on their increased awareness of the role that they play in conservation after visiting an AZA facility. Knowledge and awareness lead to positive change.

It’s unlikely that I’m going to change every opinion you have about zoos and aquariums in this article. But if you are concerned about animal welfare, there are a number of ways that you can help. Volunteer at Chintimini Wildlife Center, a wildlife rehabilitation facility just outside of Corvallis. Join the Green Team on campus and get involved in sustainable changes at Western. Buy a few reusable shopping bags instead of using plastic or paper ones. The same goes with reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and even metal straws. There are several ways that you can make a positive change in the environment if you are concerned about animal welfare.

Visit aza.org to learn more about the impact of zoos and aquariums.

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Review: “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

If you’re anything like me, ‘90s movies played a major role in your childhood entertainment. The 1995 classic “Jumanji” was no exception. Upon the announcement of a sequel, I’ll admit that I was a bit skeptical. But as long as you’re not looking for a thought-provoking work of art, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” is worth the watch.

The film follows four teenagers who who find themselves sucked into the game of Jumanji — but unlike the original board game, Jumanji now takes the form of a video game. Falling deep in a mysterious jungle, they must finish the game in order to leave. There’s just one difference – the four teens are in the form of their video game characters, portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black.

The humor and talent of the actors is really what makes this movie enjoyable. With Kevin Hart’s fiesty and loud personality and Jack Black’s portrayal of a snobby popular girl, you almost forget about the lack of intriguing dialogue and presence of cheesy one-liners.

The movie would definitely prove disappointing if you’re feeling nostalgic and longing for the world of Jumanji. Apart from one scene with the actual board game and the classic, suspenseful thumping, the sequel just doesn’t measure up to the original. “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” focused on comedy and the balance between appealing to adults and children alike. It lacked character development and was often cliché. But thankfully, the comedic genius of the actors overshadowed the lack of any real emotional connection with the characters.

If you’re looking to dive into the world of Jumanji, you’re better off with the 1995 original and the 1981 illustration book by Chris Van Allsburg. But I would suggest this movie to anyone looking for a fresh, amusing and humorous adventure.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Setting the new year up for success

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Setting goals is a vital component of developing as a person and becoming the version of yourself that would make you the most happy. With the start of the new year, many people will use the date as a beginning point to tackle whatever goal they’ve been thinking of trying to accomplish.

While New Year’s resolutions are a common way to start aiming for a specific target, they’re also a common way to shoot further than you had anticipated and leave yourself feeling disappointed that you weren’t able to achieve what you had planned. To prevent this from happening, you have to plan your resolution not just based on your dream outcome, but on realistic guidelines.

First of all, you have to know yourself. Knowing what you’re typically capable of doing, what your schedule usually looks like and what your tendencies are regarding goals will help you decide what is best for you. For example, in previous years I had always made it a goal to lose weight. In choosing that, I wasn’t taking into account the fact that I typically give up on those types of things often, and that because I didn’t have any type of plan for it, I would never achieve it. However, last year I made it my new resolution to go to the gym at least three times a week. It was far more attainable, less daunting and fit my tendencies and schedule well. In the end, I was going almost daily until the end of the school year.

Second, be realistic. If you’re choosing to do something that is nearly impossible, odds are you aren’t going to reach it and you will probably end up feeling discouraged. Picking goals that are possible will make it far less intimidating to tackle. This in no way means you should pick things that are easy; step out of your comfort zone and choose a resolution that will take some time, work and dedication. But that doesn’t mean you should have to work yourself too hard trying to get there.

Third, pick a resolution that can be measured in some way. One way to do this is to have a weekly log where you measure where you are at in regards to your goal. That way, you can see how much further you’ll need to go, and what steps you’ll need to take to get there.

Fourth, think about previous resolutions you had set. Have you achieved them? Do you notice any patterns in your old goals? Perhaps you’re picking things in a similar category a lot; the most common resolutions have to do with weight loss, health, and physical activity. For many, your best bet may be to think of a different aspect of your life you want to work on and focus on that. That way, you can take a break from something you know you’re struggling with and go after another part of your life that you feel can improve. You can always come back to your old goals later on.

The point of a New Year’s resolution is to use the end of the old year to reflect on who you are, and use the start of the new year to become a better you. Take advantage of this time to really think about where you want to see yourself by the end of 2018, and plan accordingly. But also, plan realistically. In no way does this mean you can’t shoot for a difficult goal. For some people, that works best. But, whatever you choose, make sure it’s something that will work for you.

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Embracing the skin you’re in

Last year’s overlooked entertainment

Review: “The Financial Diet”

New year, new music

In defense of zoos

Review: “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”

Setting the new year up for success

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