Zoe Strickland, Author at The Western Howl

Alexandra Martin | Entertainment Editor

There didn’t appear to be an ounce of tension in the room of Dallas’s Pressed Wine and Coffee Bar on Sept. 30. Maybe it was the soft, warm bread and hummus platters or maybe, just maybe, it was the libations of wine delivered by the staff in the hall that kept the crowd preoccupied while waiting for the night’s entertainment to begin.

Portland Story Theater paid a visit to Dallas for the third annual Dallas Storyteller Festival. The festival is a week-long event full of assorted stories for all ages, workshops and, my favorite, charming recollections of youth.

One such story, told by Beth Rogers entitled “Angels” was a tale recalling her childhood and the trials she experienced being legally blind and attending a public school. After many years, Rogers was fortunate enough to have a teacher who took her under their wing. Now, as an adult, she is able to give back to society as a teacher and provide the same guidance and understanding for her students.

Another narrative, titled “Irish,” dictated by Lynn Duddy, was a chronicle beginning with Saint Patrick and the uncertainty regarding whether or not he was indeed of Irish descent. Duddy delves into the history of Saint Patrick and his everlasting influence on Ireland, despite his genealogy. She effortlessly links times of old with modernity regaling the tale of her upbringing: being put up for adoption and growing up in an Irish family. This was a story of acceptance and belonging to a family or society, like Saint Patrick, despite where life may have started.

Portland Story Theater was founded by Lynn Duddy and Lawrence Howard to be a place where creative minds gather to share their true recollections of growth, opposition, acceptance and the encounters people have throughout a lifetime.

If you missed out on this opportunity, Portland Story Theater holds shows on the first Friday of every month at 3333 NE 15th Avenue in Portland.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

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Campus Dining debuts reusable containers

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

The Office of University Housing and Campus Dining is eager to unveil their latest approach toward campus sustainability: ReWOUsable food containers.

The cleverly named dishes will take the place of expensive single-use paper plates and bowls in Valsetz Dining Hall and the Summit. The food containers are available in both large and small sizes, and a double insulated reusable cup can transport hot or cold drinks. The three containers were given to students living on campus for free. Students will get a discount in all Campus Dining areas if they use these containers.

Single-use paper containers will still be an option around campus, but Campus Dining’s director, Albert Worotikan, encourages students to choose the “ReWOUsable” option.

Worotikan commented, “if I could encourage students to use reusable containers, we could stop purchasing this (single-use containers). All of this is going to go to the landfill and cost us money.”

Paper cups lined with resin, a plant-based chemical, are expensive. According to Worotikan, Campus Dining spends about 30 cents on each paper coffee cup and about the same for a large paper clamshell container. The hard plastic reusable containers cost about $2.75.

“I prefer to spend $2.75 and give that free to the students,” Worotikan remarked. “Save the planet and also save the budget.”

Western has spent close to $30,000 on this project. Worotikan commented, “We spend close to 60 grand a year on to-go containers. After a year, it’ll pay off. So, it’s a no brainer to me.”

“I’m excited about them, I always try to be conscious about how much paper and plastic I use, and this will make getting to-go food from Valsetz way more environmentally friendly,” said sophomore Ellen Moore. “And the saving money incentive is really awesome too. The money you save from using them will really add up the more you use them.”

Staff members and off campus students can purchase a ReWOUsable container at any campus dining location.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

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Ribich takes the lead

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

David Ribich has had a good year. So good, in fact, that he was promoted from his position as a tent assistant at Steens Mountain Running Camp.

“I would be allowed to be a tent assistant last year but the camp founder said ‘you are on the verge of a professional career. We’re going to pull you out of the tent, you’re now a tent coach,’” explained Ribich. “Now, I’m up at camp as an agent for the kids to talk to.”

The camp’s founder wasn’t exaggerating Ribich’s accolades. In the past year, the track and cross country star has been named the 2016-17 GNAC Male Athlete of the Year, won the 1500-meter title at the 2017 NCAA Division II Championships and travelled to Sacramento, California to compete in the U.S.A. Track and Field Outdoor National Championships.

The latter is an honor few collegiate athletes receive. Described by Ribich as “the Olympic trials in an off-year,” the experience was one to behold.

“I raced against pro and top division athletes,” said Ribich. “I beat a lot of professional athletes signed by companies with contracts. So, this last summer really opened the door for me next year as a professional athlete.”

Ribich went into the event as the 33rd man in the nation and ultimately placed ninth in the final. Solid stats for someone who started running for a no-frills team on a dirt track in Enterprise, Oregon.

“I didn’t come from the stellar program,” said Ribich. “I just had a good coach, a dedicated coach.”

His coach, Dan Moody, is still working after 42 years, and is currently in possession of the track star’s 1500-meter NCAA trophy — he put it on his mantle.

Ribich’s coach isn’t the only one from Enterprise rooting for him; Ribich gets letters and messages of support from citizens throughout the 2,000-person town. The letters are placed near his door in his room, serving as a constant reminder of both how he got to where he is, and what keeps him going.

“I came from such a small town that I constantly get messages and letters from people. I have them pinned up on my wall in my room right by my door, so everytime I open a door I look at a letter and read it, and that’s why I’m doing it … I’m doing this, and I’m doing it for them. Keeping me motivated is everyone counting on me back home that said ‘you’re going to be a professional athlete some day’ and putting that pressure on me, but it’s like a challenge to me. Having them support me still when I haven’t been home much is incredible.”

For Ribich, the decision to start running was made out of practicality. There were only two sports offered for men in Enterprise: football and cross country.

“I was just that super tiny skinny kid that had a big mouth,” he said. “(Cross country was) what I pretty much was only able to do and because, in cross country, it’s pretty much the only sport a 4-foot-10-inch freshman could beat a 6-foot, fully-matured man.”

Like every graduating senior on campus, Ribich’s future is on the horizon. With a major in communications and a minor in sports leadership and development, he’s paving the way for himself to continue on the path that he’s been running.

First up on his life plan: finishing out his athletic career, regardless of how long it may be. Then, the field is wide open.

“My major and minor are so broad that I know for a fact I want to be in the running community or running field,” said Ribich. “I just don’t know if it’s collegiate coaching, pro-coaching … I really enjoy public speaking. I’m actually writing a journal.”

The journal is a recent project of his — the first entry was written the night before the U.S.A. Track and Field prelims. Ribich is writing the currently untitled journal with the hope of using it in the future as a way of encouraging high school runners.

“I just want to focus on my athletic and running career and … try to travel to high schools, public speak and just say like, ‘guys, you can do whatever you set your mind to. I was an 86-pound freshman from a small school, I went to a division two school, and now — hopefully — I’m a professional athlete.’”

In the immediate future, he still has to finish out the school year. He’ll be running the Wes Cook Collegiate meet on Oct. 14, followed by the GNAC Championships on Oct. 21.

Regardless of the path that Ribich chooses, it’s bound to be great.

“You don’t do college athletics because your friends are doing it, you do it because it’s something you find fun and it’s your passion.”

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

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Eating gourmet from a mug

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Whether you’re an on-campus student with the desire to stay in dorm or an off-campus student on a time crunch, or you’re simply out of clean dishes, now’s your chance to practice creating these microwave masterpieces.

What’s better than a meal in a mug? It’s effortless to eat while binging Netflix in bed, or perfect if you’re on the go. Made with ingredients that are cheap and easy to keep in a mini-fridge, these recipes are foolproof for any student.

Simple Scramble

Crack 2 eggs into a mug. Add about 1 tablespoon of milk and stir. Microwave for 1 minute. Add any toppings you would like — cheese is a must — and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Inspired by a recipe found on spoonuniversity.com

Straightforward French Toast

Mix ¼ cup milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, cinnamon and 1 egg in a mug. Take 1 slice of bread, butter 1 side if possible and rip it into bite size pieces. Submerge this in the egg mix. Microwave for 2 minutes, pausing every 30 seconds. Allow to sit 1 minute before eating. Optional: add chocolate chips for a really sweet treat.

Inspired by a recipe found on prettyprudent.com

Manageable Mac n’ Cheese

Put ½ cup of macaroni noodles in a mug and pour in about 1 cup of water. Microwave for 8 minutes, checking every couple of minutes, until the noodles are soft. Add ½ cup of a cheese of your choice to the mug while there’s still a small amount of water. Heat for another minute, and stir until the cheese is melted.

Inspired by a recipe found on madebymonique.com

Cheap Chocolate Cake

Purchase 1 box of chocolate cake mix. Take out about 2 tablespoons and mix with 2 tablespoons of soda — cola or cream soda are recommended — and microwave for 60 to 90 seconds. Weird, I know, but I promise it works. Plus, you can save the rest of the cake mix for a future mug cake.

Inspired by a recipe found on spoonuniversity.com

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

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Catch and Release: Album Reviews

Discovering newly released music before the masses are aware of it used to be a pastime for some. Knowing all the lyrics, mastering the air guitar and making sure that everyone around knows who found it first were all very important parts of being the coolest. Here a few albums that have been released recently. They aren’t for everyone, but at least it’s something other than listening to the same songs you jammed out to in high school.

“Half Light” by Rostam, a former group member of Vampire Weekend, is an album that’s almost perfect for studying or sleeping. Having listened to Vampire Weekend in high school, I find that there are all the elements of Rostam’s previous group, but there’s a finesse to “Half Light” that sets it apart. Perhaps it was taking a page out of Bon Iver’s book for the cinematography of his music video or the minimalism that, ironically, makes you want to go buy the album. It’s his solo debut and, while it reflects his previous group, it is anything but typical.

Open Mike Eagle recently released “Brick Body Day Kids Still Dream.” After listening to the first few songs, I felt like I had listened to the same song on repeat. Each tone story made me feel the same feelings, see the same images. In an attempt to interpret this album, I noticed that it mainly focuses on the past, but also dreams of the future — an all too common theme. Some of the songs are so erratic that it actually made me physically frustrated. But maybe there is a level of musicality that I have yet to unearth in myself.

After listening to music for hours on end, trying to write this article, I stumbled across the album “I Tell a Fly” by Benjamin Clementine. Just as I was hoping and praying for something different, or an eye-opening album to listen to, I got this. Though it wasn’t exactly what I was searching for, it’s just fine. If you can imagine Death Grips and Timber Timbre having a little music-baby on a rebellious streak, it would be Benjamin Clementine. Similar to past albums, each song carries a similar weight with it and, after having seen Clementine on an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, I was more than a little disappointed. “I Tell a Fly” is jazzy, avant garde, electronic and modern. Frankly, it’s all over the place.

Finally, “Wonderful, Wonderful” by the one and only, The Killers. Perhaps my review of this album is a bit biased, being that I think The Killers are pretty amazing. Imbibing a bit and singing loudly and off-key to “Mr. Brightside” still sounds like a good time to me. This album — however high my hopes were — was not so much of a letdown, as it was a surprise. After disappearing off the scene, The Killers haven’t really lost their touch. “Wonderful, Wonderful” retains the same light and delicate instrumentals that were on previous albums, but with darker emotions. Sure, it is no “Hot Fuss,” but it’s better than a kick in the pants.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

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Transforming Western into a fall fashion show

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

As the temperature began dropping on campus, the fashion started heating up. Students made Western their runway as they began throwing on

their sweaters, lacing up their boots and donning themselves in the shades of autumn.

Fall fashion, commonly known as “sweater weather,” is, for many, a favorite aspect of the season. The wardrobe selections begin offering more options than the previous season’s would; building outfits that appear to be well put together is actually a lot simpler than it seems.

In order to assemble the perfect autumn ensemble, students have to know where to look when shopping for those first-rate fall statements. Oftentimes, the best deals can be found online. By looking at apps and websites selling secondhand attire, Poshmark and OfferUp to name a couple, cheap but quality clothing can be found that will add to any outfit.

The search can also continue at local boutiques, such as Gracy Lu’s on Monmouth St., or Fashion Sense on C St. For a more thrifty pursuit, students can head to Dallas to search for the ideal wardrobe by partaking in a bit of a treasure hunt at the Goodwill in town.

With a full wardrobe, it’s time to start putting together that fall statement. The easiest way to dress for autumn is with a few seasonal staples. Key items that are a must for anyone are: beanies, sweaters, scarves, boots and, of course, any other piece in the hues of fall — reds, oranges, and certain shades of yellow are a must.

With this short guide, and a full closet, all the necessary steps have been taken now to put together an ensemble that reflects the season. For those who choose to partake, don’t forget to dress in a way that matches your sense of style, as well.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

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How to prosper at your next interview

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Tuition, rent, utilities, groceries, internet — this just names a few of the necessary bills that many students pay consistently while trying to make being a student their priority. It’s no wonder that for some, getting a job is an unavoidable demand.

Being in a small town, it can be difficult to find work that will match all of your needs. However, it’s not impossible.

To get the opportunity to work, most times you’ll have to provide a resume, and often a cover letter, that can properly reflect who you are. When writing your resume, make sure that it is formatted in a way that will reduce the work for the person hiring you. Pick a font size that is easy to read and, likewise, pick a font that isn’t too decorative.

If you don’t have lengthy job experience, don’t let this deter you from providing a resume; name your accomplishments and volunteer experience, as well — but make sure what you mention will impress the right people. Whatever you emphasize should match the job you are applying for. Once everything is written out, try keeping it to one page.

Once you have the first draft of your resume written out, head to the Service Learning and Career Development office in the Werner University Center for further advice. There, they’ll provide help with editing, connect you to jobs, provide career advice and can even hold mock interviews. Allow them to look over your resume, and grab a handout that can point out every aspect that should be included. Make sure that your resume matches all the necessary requirements, and then include it while applying for jobs.

If all goes well, and the hiring managers are impressed with your application and/or resume, you may be called back for an interview. This is where you’ll make a real impression on the people you’ll potentially be working with; take advantage of it. Dress a step up from the job you are applying for. Always look put-together, wrinkle-free and bear a welcoming a smile that will make your interviewer feel comfortable, as well — remember, in many cases, they’re just as nervous as you are.

Basic tips for interviews include, “look them in the eye, and don’t deadfish them”, as noted by junior psychology major Kaylee DeBolt. Maintaining eye contact creates mutual respect, and a firm handshake is an impressive and necessary factor to most interviews.

Finding work, especially in a college town, is not always an easy task. Making use of the services at Western such as SLCD, can help ease that burden. Take advantage of it.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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True stories of ordinary people

Alexandra Martin | Entertainment Editor

Campus Dining debuts reusable containers

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Ribich takes the lead

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

Eating gourmet from a mug

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Catch and Release: Album Reviews

Transforming Western into a fall fashion show

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

How to prosper at your next interview

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

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