Mount Hood

A Tale of Two Taco Tuesdays

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

On Jan. 5, three friends and I set out to review the choices of the local Taco Tuesday specials offered in town. Starting at 5 p.m. every week, both the Main Street Pub & Eatery and Rookies Sports Tap offer Tuesday specials.

Rookies sits on the east side of Pacific Highway. This location makes it just ever so slightly inconvenient, as it’s a bit too far to walk on a cold winter night from campus. The Pub’s location on Main St. is closer to many of the apartments around the university, mine included, which may explain why it usually gets more student customers than Rookies.

Rookies offers a bright atmosphere, a nice selection of beers on tap, and a foosball table. Despite this, everyone in my group agreed we didn’t like the environment, but we also admitted that it was the bar’s theme and décor that left us unenthused.

For $0.50 you can get a hard shell taco with generous portions of meat, cheese, lettuce. For $0.50 more, you can get a soft tortilla in place of the shell. The only meat available was beef, though the waitress informed us that next week there will be chicken.

Feeling adventurous? Order the $1.50 double decker for a soft shell taco glued to a hard shell by means of liquid nacho cheese. The taco sauce is spicy and flavorful, unlike the Pub’s ‘hot’ sauce.

The drink specials include $3.00 regular and strawberry margaritas and $2.00 domestic pints. Two friends ordered tasty, sweet strawberry margaritas, while myself and another friend got pints. Corona and other Mexican beers were not available, something that left my cheap beer-loving friend and I in a funk.

Having been to Taco Tuesday many times at the Pub, we could all say that the tacos at Rookies were tastier and more generously filled with delicious taco ingredients.

The Pub, like on most nights, was buzzing with conversation from fellow students. The dim lights create a kind of sanctuary for intimate discussion, something Rookies doesn’t necessarily provide.

The Pub offers $0.50 tacos with soft shells only, but their meat selection is much more varied. They offer shredded pork and chicken, and ground beef.

All the tacos come with sour cream, beans, lettuce and cheese. For the vegetarians out there, be aware: the Pub offers vegetarian beans, something Rookies does not.

The drink specials are a deal with $3.00 margaritas (fruit juice is an extra $0.50), $1.95 Corona Extras, and $4.00 long islands. We all agreed the drinks at the Pub were far stronger, so perhaps a better deal if you’re in need of a stiff drink.

In the end, our experience seemed unanimous: go to Rookies for tastier food, then head to the Pub for drinks and conversation.

A Time for Change

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

A new year, a new start. This attitude inspires people to create lists of resolutions, both realistic and farfetched, that they hope to accomplish within the next year.

While good-intentioned, sometimes some goals don’t get checked off of that list. The common example of this is the hoard of people who flock to the gym after Jan. 1, and the few that remain as the year progresses.

That being said, there are those that fulfill their resolutions and probably have a happier year because of it.

What about the resolutions made by WOU students? What are they, and will students be successful in accomplishing them?

Jocelyn Chavez, junior anthropology major, said she wants to “work on [her] mental health and keep a planner so [she] can go to sleep on time.” She later mentioned that she wanted to find more hobbies and go on a trip to New York later in the year.

After a period of silence during which Chavez looked at her phone, she also stated she wants to “go on one Tinder date! Just one though.”

Going to the gym is another goal set by New Year’s resolutioners. Justin Oehler, a senior education major, said, “My resolution is to work out more. Super cliché, I know.”

“I am also trying to eat healthier, I am taking a health class this term and it helped reinforce that I need to get into better shape,” Oehler continued.

Mariah Williams, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, said that she wants to get “super healthy and in shape, and to learn how to be happy being single.” She also wants to be able to let go of anger from the past and find inner peace.

Will they be successful? Only time will tell! Keep an eye out for next week’s issue, where we’ll revisit our three intrepid New Year’s resolutioners and see how they’re faring.

Inspiring Musings through Movement

By: Joleen Braasch 
Staff Writer

As part of the Smith Fine Arts Series, BodyVox, the dance company known for its creativity, physicality, beauty, and wit, will be performing “Reverie” in Rice Auditorium on Jan. 8, 2015.

Founded in 1997 and currently in its 17th season, BodyVox is a Portland-based dance company led by Emmy Award-winning choreographers Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland.

“Reverie,” a show that premiered in 2001 and was developed surrounding and influenced by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, has been performed throughout the U.S. and internationally in Germany, Mexico, and Japan.

The name of the show connotes being swept up and carried away, allowing viewers to become lost in the show and in the thoughts that the show inspires.

Hampton states that beauty is the central theme in the show, “art must prevail, humanity must prevail, culture, knowledge, and freedom of expression, indeed beauty must prevail.”

The complex tone of the show is aided by the use of colorful and creative costumes set against a darkly-lit stage. This creates a mood that is both serious and somber, while still being lively and eye-catching.

Dancers in this show utilize both quick and slow movements, and work together in many upside-down twirling positions and occasional wire-flying. These difficult moves and acrobatics reveal the troupe’s well-developed skills involving cooperation, strength, and technique.

The movements not only evoke laughter from the audience, shown in exaggerated gestures implying sexual innuendos and crazed minds, but also play on serious tones using ghostly movements and heavy, somber music.

Franziska Grevesmühl-v. Marcard, a managing director of the Norddeutsche Konzertdirektion dance company in Germany, says that “Reverie” “makes the audience feel they are part of another world: Full of dreams, colors and music. This is not only a performance— it is an instruction to be happier.”

Featuring more than 200 original dances, the company has also developed nine award-winning films, 30 original shows, and three operas.

The Oregonian called BodyVox Portland’s “most popular and internationally renowned dance troupe.”

BodyVox’s mesmerizing and inspiring performance will be held at Rice Auditorium on Jan. 8, at 7:30pm.

‘Story Time’ Shares Beauty with Students

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Need something colorful to lighten up these gray, Oregon days?

“Story Time: Contemporary Urban Narratives” is a stunning new art exhibit that opened in Campbell Hall on Jan. 6. It features work done by Len Davis and Roll Hardy, artists from Los Angeles and Portland, respectively.

While the two artists have somewhat dissimilar styles and techniques, the art they produce is eye-catching and plays with contrasts and emotion.

This juxtaposition of disparate emotions and color is prevalent in these two artists’ work and lends an air of complexity and increases interest. Alicia Neal, a fifth year senior and art major, said, “If you keep looking, you keep finding stuff.”

One of the most intriguing pieces was a large oil painting titled “Mirage” by Roll Hardy. While it was set next to two of his other, equally large, pieces, it stood out due its beautifully serene scene.

“Mirage” pictures young people in an indoor swimming pool, the oil paint adding to the effect of water glistening on their skin. “It looks really liquid and its very lively without being overworked,” observed Elaina Glassock, a junior art major.

While the painting utilizes neutral colors for the scene, brighter colors seem to spill out of the painting, with water breaking the banks of the pool and explosions of green foliage burgeoning forth from the cement.

Another piece by Len Davis titled “The Biggest Surprise of a Man’s Life” juxtaposes the rigid figure of a man who appears to be falling head first through the frame, with the somber face of an older man.

There is a terrific outpour of emotion through Davis’ depiction of his subject’s facial expressions, which range from sheer joy to utter sadness.

Ashley Davis, a visitor to campus, said that Davis “captures individual’s moments, struggles, and experiences.”

This art exhibit will be open from Jan. 6 to Feb. 5. If you’re already looking for a respite from schoolwork, check out Davis’ and Hardy’s art as it will simultaneously soothe and excite your mind and eye.

Light it up

1967_SequoiaTree1-TBT

By: Joleen Braasch 
Freelancer

On Friday Dec. 4, 2015, the giant Sequoia located on the lawn in front of Campbell hall will be strung with shining lights for the 48th time. It will once again be the center of WOU’s holiday spirit.

The Sequoiadendron giganteum, planted back when the college was still known as the Oregon State Normal School, was a given as a gift to Western by the senior class of 1887.

Nicole Larsen, a senior anthropology major, views the winter holidays as a special time for the WOU community.

“The holidays are a time where I realize how intertwined Western is with the city of Monmouth, and it’s another thing that makes attending college here so special,” said Larsen.

Marta Herring, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, loves that the giant sequoia plays such a central role in the holiday festivities at WOU.

“The tree itself is a historic part of the WOU and Monmouth story and it’s nice to acknowledge that it still plays a role on campus to this day,” Herring said.

The tradition of lighting the famous Western Sequoia began in 1967.

Dormitory students and a few other individuals raised the money needed to buy lights that would cover the giant tree, and the Monmouth Fire Department was responsible for putting up the first strands of lights that would become a tradition.

Currently, the campus Physical Plant has the honor of decorating the tree, and an essay winner from local elementary schools gets to flip the switch and light up the campus.

This is Herring’s favorite part of the festivities, and she believes that “it’s important to emphasize that writing and education is important, and to give the kid a chance to participate in their community in an exciting way.”

Savannah Hively, a sophomore majoring in exercise science, comes for the emotion. “[I love] the holiday magic that occurs when all the children’s faces light up as they light the tree,” said Hively.

Larsen said “[I] love the festivities and food! It’s a chance to connect with people from all over campus and also alumni and members of the community.”

The holiday parade begins at 6 p.m., and indoor activities will follow in the Werner University Center, beginning at 7 p.m.

The indoor activities include a tree decorating contest, cookie bake-off, arts and crafts, pictures with Santa, school choral performances, and a “Toys for Tots” donation site.

Looking for even more fun? Stop by Gentle House between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. for the Holiday Open House.

Singers and choir sing way into hearts

By: Rachael Jackson 
Staff Writer

Gospel and choral music were taken to new heights on Monday Nov. 30, 2015, with rousing renditions of choral classics sung by the Western Oregon chamber singers and concert choir.

The chamber singers took the stage first. They performed three modern compositions of familiar ecclesiastical pieces. While songs remained in their original Latin, their arrangement breathed fresh life into the classic tradition of chamber music.

The chamber’s first piece, “Ave Maria,” which features text that has been used in choral music for over a thousand years, was revamped in 2015 by composer Daniel Elder.

Another piece written in 2015, “Salzburg Missa Brevis,” was directed by Choral and Instrumental Conducting graduate student Miriam Means.

To finish out the set, the chamber choir sang arguably the most modern of their pieces.

It was a fun incarnation of the “Benedictio” prayer. Faster than the other songs, it also displayed a series of terse and jaunty notes.

After a short intermission, the concert choir took the stage with their conductor, professor Zsofia Csikos-Tardy. They performed four songs that followed the tradition of gospel music, full of enthusiasm and praise.

Csikos-Tardy explained that this choir formed at the beginning of the term on rocky footing; since it is a non-audition choir, all members were accepted, meaning they had varied degrees of musical knowledge.

Half the members did not know how to read music, and the lack of deep bass voices made it difficult to find music to perform that would fit the choir’s makeup.

“At the beginning it was a fear in me that we would not be ready,” Csikos-Tardy said. Finally a couple men joined with the bass voices they needed, and they all learned the music faster than she anticipated.

“But,” Csikos-Tardy said, “They were ready in the last three weeks so I just had to take care of the band.”

However, Csikos-Tardy’s fears were put to bed when the group received applause and appreciation from the gathered students, who had the opportunity to be exposed to possibly new and beautiful forms of choral and gospel music.

Electro swingin’

By: Joleen S Braasch 
Freelancer

Ever heard of electro swing? If you haven’t, then look no further than Western’s own campus to explore this exciting, multi-era musical genre.

Western Hemisphere Voices, a campus-based student vocal group featuring 11 vocalists, a rhythm section, and horns, put on a show in the electro swing style, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2015.

Terra Schwartzwalt, a conductor at WOU for fall term, describes electro swing as a new age genre, “capturing the traditions of jazz from the past and fusing it with pop and electronic music in the modern day.”

The concert arrangements were inspired by the band Caravan Palace, a Paris-based group influenced by Herbie Hancock and Daft Punk.

“Basically their music is sort of a collision of Gyspy Jazz and electronic dance music,” said Schwartzwalt, who arranged most of the music for the show.

The group performed three of Caravan Palace’s songs: “Je’Mamuse,” “Pirates,” and “Dramaphone.”

Some of the other selections included selections from other electro swing groups and renditions of well-known pops songs, such as “Burn” by Ellie Goulding and “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran.

As a showcase for these student musicians, almost every member of the group performed a solo during the night, and students Brandon Franko and Kathryn Powers even arranged the Ed Sheeran piece.

The band was also made up of students, and some of the members even switched from playing various instruments to singing.

Haley Lancourt, a junior exercise science major, thought the concert was a “phenomenal idea.”

She had heard a couple of electro swing styles songs, but she had never thought to make a concert out of it.

Eli Schenk, a senior music major and member of Western Hemisphere Orchestra, 15 Miles West, and the Western Hemisphere Big Band, enjoys the musical diversity that the music program has to offer.

Shenk said, “Last year, I did everything from New Orleans Jazz, to Radiohead, to like everything […] It’s wonderful how diverse the contemporary programs are.” Now he can add electro swing to that list.

Humans of Western

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Corinne Garrett, Sophomore, Undecided

“I went on this ten week bike trip across the United State this summer. It started in Pacific City, Oregon […] and we biked to Yorktown, Virginia […] It was awesome, we met so many great people, and I actually fell in love with my boyfriend on that trip.”

“We met so many great people, they welcomed us into their homes, let us stay with them if they saw us. We never knew where we were going to stay, or what we were going to do when we got into a town […] I just felt so, like, loved and taken care of. We never had to worry about anything.”

Pacific Northwest poet visits campus

PoetColor

By: Rachael Jackson 
Staff Writer

Christopher DeWeese, Assistant Professor of Poetry at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, visited campus Thursday, Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in Hamersly Library 107.

He read genre-bending poetry sure to evoke curiosity from those that attended.

DeWeese originally hails from Port Townsend, Washington, but he has spent the better part of this last decade teaching and working on his poetry all over the country.

Professor of Literature and Writing Dr. Henry Hughes said in an email to students that DeWeese is, “Influenced by Russian literature and space travel, and he reads like a meteor shower.”

His poetry is reminiscent of Transcendentalism, a mid-19th century American movement which focused on the interconnectivity of nature and man, with a modern twist that delves into the realm of science fiction.

DeWeese’s poem “The Happy Cloud” with accompanying author’s reading can be found on publisher Jubliat’s website.

Reading DeWeese’s poetry and hearing it are two wholly different experiences, through which different meanings can be gathered.

At first, “The Happy Cloud” may seem like a poem about the separate state of humans and nature, portraying humankind as being in constant battle against Mother Nature.

Hearing him read it also evokes dark worries of humanity’s place in the world, and, on a smaller scale, the individual’s personal struggles and worldview.

DeWeese’s writing shows the ability of poetry to cross genres just as prose often does. Even for seasoned poetry lovers, this poetry promises something unexpected and modern.

His poetry fulfills a niche that many may be interested in exploring.

Faculty Workshop Given by ODS

By: Emily Pate 
Staff Writer

Malissa Larson, Director of the Office of Disability Services (ODS) here at Western gave a presentation to Western faculty on working with students who have disabilities, Friday Nov. 13, 2015.

Though geared towards faculty and staff, much of what Larson said is also important for students to keep in mind.

“All the students we’re working with are qualified to be here,” Larson said. To her, this was the most important thing for faculty to remember.

The ODS’s website defines a disability as “an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. Examples of major life activities include walking, listening, reading, and learning.”

There are approximately 400 Western students currently registered with the ODS.

For both students and faculty, using the correct terminology is critical. The same with any identity, the individual should guide us in what language to use in relation to them.

The correct term to use, Larson said, is individuals with disabilities. Larson explained that other, more widely used terms, such as handicapped or disabled, have a long negative stigma attached to them, and do not acknowledge the person, only the disability.

“As with any underrepresented group, the language changes over time,” Larson said. It is the responsibility of each person to educate themselves on the current, appropriate language.

“It is important for students to know that the majority [of individuals with a disability] have an invisible disability,” Larson said. “So their friend, their classmate, their roommate may have a disability.”

“There isn’t a major, minor, or graduate program that we aren’t involved in. There’s no program that doesn’t include an individual with a disability,” she continued.
She advised faculty to “work with every individual as if they’ve got something going on.”

As for the presentation, Larson stressed how gaining knowledge about underrepresented groups can benefit Western as a whole.

“I would love it if more and more faculty were trained,” Larson said. “We want our campus to be inclusive and welcoming. And awesome.”

“In a place of higher learning, I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to learn about what other people are experiencing,” she said.

About responsibility, Larson also stated, “When there’s two people involved, they’re equally responsible for communication.”

One of the ways students can offer aid is to be note takers. “We’re always looking for note takers,” Larson said. “I encourage students to always come in and apply.” Students can apply at the Office of Disability Services at APSC 405.

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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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