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Arts & Life Columns

Trend Report: Outerwear

Kate Jansen
Columnist 

With recent temperatures dropping well below 40 degrees, I think it’s appropriate to dedicate this article to outerwear essentials. Here is a list of autumn accessories that will protect you from the cold.

1. The scarf. My favorite fall necessity is the scarf. Not only does it add a professional, collegiate flare to your sweater-and-jeans ensemble, but it shields you from those unreasonably cold morning breezes. What I love about this season’s trend is that scarves come in a variety of patterns, textures and sizes. Save shorter scarves for more formal occasions (like dinner dates and concerts) and longer scarves for daily accessories. In my opinion, infinity scarves are probably the most conventional, mostly because you don’t have to deal with figuring out the best way to tie it. Where does one come across scarves in the shopping world? Piperlime.com has a fantastic selection of inexpensive scarves and wraps, as does Madewell and Nasty Gal.

2. The jacket. If you are confused by which jacket you should be modeling by late October, have no fear! Popular coat designs this season are among blazers, double-breasted pea coats and parkas (conveniently listed in order from early fall to near-winter attire). Throw on a blazer on sunny days when the temperature doesn’t drop below 60 degrees. Paired with a light knit t-shirt, skinny jeans and ballet flats, blazers can complete a chic ensemble. Current chilly temperatures prove that it’s time to break out wool pea coats. This season’s selection comes in a variety of bright colors and patterns; I recently acquired an olive green tweed pea coat over fall break. Pea coats also pair beautifully with dark wash jeans and riding boots. Finally, when we are nearing the winter months (i.e. Thanksgiving break), make sure to invest in a parka. Coming from the East Coast, I am very familiar with this classic winter jacket (it has saved me countless times from death-by-shivering). The North Face and Patagonia offer a wide selection of parkas, as do online retailers like Piperlime and Zappos.

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News

Barbara Smith advocates racial justice

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor

Barbara Smith, author and activist, spoke to University students and staff, as well as residents of Lewisburg, Wednesday night. The talk took place in the LC Forum, and is considered the annual Black Experience Lecture.

Smith was the first woman of color to be appointed to the Modern Language Association’s Commission on the Status of Women in the Profession in 1974.

Smith continues to be very active in areas concerning violence prevention, promotion of educational experiences, and the betterment of youth.

Her talk, “Black Feminist Activism: My Next Chapter,” described her history of, and dedication to, pushing for racial, social, and economic justice. She also spoke of her experiences as an elected official of a mostly African American area in Albany.

This event was sponsored by the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Gender, and co-sponsored by the Griot Institute for Africana Studies, the Women’s and Gender Studies program, the Women’s Resource Center, and the Office of LGBT Awareness.

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Arts & Life Campus Events Review

Uptown to be new Fall craze

Anna Jones
Writer

Throughout September, Uptown, the University’s on-campus nightclub, has hosted many different events, such as a poetry slam, a dueling pianos performance, Sunday Night Football games, a club night, Trivia Night and more.

The year started off strong on Sept. 7 when Uptown partnered with WVBU to showcase student musicians and groups. This received much support from the student body.

“[Uptown] would like to have more students performing … in the future,” Uptown Manager Steph Wyld ’14 said.

Next, on Sept. 14, the Stadler Center for Poetry hosted their Poetry Slam at Uptown.  More than 100 people attended, including students from Susquehanna University who were also able to participate.

“This is one of our favorite events because it exposes students’ creative side and is really entertaining to attend,” Wyld said.

She reminds everyone to look forward to the second Poetry Slam of the semester on Nov. 2, as well.

Over Family Weekend, the Midwest Dueling Pianos made an appearance at Uptown. They played everything from Billy Joel to Bruno Mars, and even took requests from the audience. 

“Groups of students and families came out to see this entertainment … and we would like to make this an annual event,” Wyld said.

Club Night, on Sept. 28, was a dance party co-sponsored by the Latino Dance Corner, and more than 100 people showed up. The dance group led a workshop on Latin dance technique and DJ Ian Hackett ’15 kept the crowd dancing all night. Emilie Ratajczak ’15, Assistant Manager of Uptown said free soft drinks and snacks were served to the guests. Ratajczak also said that people actually had to be asked to leave at closing time because the event was so popular. The party was a huge success, with most people rating the event as a four or five on a five-point scale on the event evaluation.

Finally, NFL Sundays, happening all throughout the season, continue to be a big hit as always. Students watch the games on a large projection screen while enjoying the comfort of Uptown’s multitude of couches and free snacks. Another perk of watching the games at Uptown is the season long raffle of official merchandise. Fans can enter their name every quarter and winners will be picked at the Super Bowl Party in February.

“I love Uptown because it’s a great way to meet all sorts of new, interesting people in a very fun atmosphere,” Ratajczak said. “There will be plenty more dance parties in the future [along with] trivia, karaoke and pub nights.”

The first Pub Night for 21+ will be held on the Oct. 19, followed by Bison Haus on the 20. During Homecoming weekend, Vertical Horizon will be performing a free concert at Uptown.

“[The club] is really trying to bring back live bands … and [we] hope this will be a great success,” Wyld said.

Lastly, a jazz café is an event to look forward to in November.

Be sure to like the Facebook page (“Uptown Nightclub at Bucknell”), and to stop by the club sometime soon to enjoy it for yourself.

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Arts & Life Columns Humor Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces: Poor Planning?

Ben Rees
Columnist 

I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason, but I do wholeheartedly believe in a good plan. I respect well-thought-out endeavors, and I truly relish when someone throws a bit of humor into the mix. This sounds vague, but in every good plan, there should be something funny. For example, on a main drag right by my house, there are three businesses built from right to left as follows: St. [insert saint name here]’s Animal Hospital, Burger King and a discount fur mart. Let that sink in. Sick/dying animals, sub-par meat and a discount fur mart. Whoever in the city offices let that combo happen deserves a bottle of wine and a chocolate cigar. There is no way that this ordering is an accident, and I can prove that my strange town is not the only place where hilarious establishments remain incognito.

Look around campus. There are plenty of areas that are too strange to be accidents. Take a gander at President Bravman’s home. It is a beautiful piece of property that is exceedingly well maintained, but when I look at it, I seem to remember the importance of the phrase “location, location, locomotion.” The train that runs right behind it goes no faster than three miles per hour, which is clearly justification for its aggressive horn sounding.

We all know that the statue in front of Vedder looks like a penis. Everyone sees it, and everyone should be over it; however, someone needs to explain to me why administration put this phallic structure in front of a dorm. Living in Smith as a sophomore, all I heard most nights were entire halls walking back from registers at 10:30 p.m., giggling about the huge rock member in front of their building. If I haven’t yet proven to you that upperclassmen are far more capable of being mature around something like a large, onyx penis, then you must be hardheaded.

The Christy Mathewson gates are hugely sentimental, and they clearly have a place in the history of this campus. That being said, what are they keeping out? Isn’t the purpose of gates, to close something off? This is the first set I have seen that isn’t even connected to a wall. I know that it means a lot to walk through the gates, but isn’t that phenomenon somewhat stifled by my ability to simply stroll around them?

Somebody please explain the abdominal alcove in the gym to me. I’m not much of a frequent exerciser, but on the rare occasions I drag myself to the Krebs Family Fitness Center, I have trouble comprehending the area dedicated to bettering my core. They gave us the Harry Potter cupboard under the stairs and a foul set of gym mats for an exercise that everybody wants to do before they saunter home in their sweaty Greek crewneck t-shirts.

Before my position as a columnist is revoked, I just want to reiterate my message: look around for once. If, while walking outside, you take the time to objectively gaze at things, you will undoubtedly notice happenings and structures that were once foreign to you.  There are some really funny things going on in the world and trust me, a huge stone phallus and some disjointed gates are hardly the cream of the crop.

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Arts & Life Books Review

“The Casual Vacancy” falls short of Rowling’s Harry Potter series

Carolyn Williams
Writer

For millions of fans who have been waiting five years for the next novel from J. K. Rowling, author of the beloved Harry Potter series, her first work for adults, “The Casual Vacancy,” will be a bit of a disappointment.

In a drastic departure from the world of magical face-offs between good and evil we’ve come to expect from her, Rowling has chosen to write about a conventional, albeit imagined, British suburb called Pagford. In this seemingly idyllic vestige of simpler times, generations of families live within walking distance and everyone knows everyone else’s business. So, naturally, the small town is thrown into a tizzy at the unexpected death of Barry Fairbrother, and the subsequent empty spot on the Parish Council this death occasions; the formal term for such an opening is the titular casual vacancy.

But surprise, surprise, Pagford isn’t quite as nice as its shiny veneer would suggest. Due to an extremely unpopular land sale in the 50s, its borders include an addiction clinic and a subdivision of government housing called the Fields, which the painfully polite Pagfordians simply want nothing to do with. Chairman of the Parish Council, Howard Mollison, (an obnoxiously pompous figure, complete with simpering wife/lackey), sees his opportunity to finally do away with those pesky blue collar families, now that his greatest political opponent, Fairbrother, is out of the picture. A general struggle between many supporting characters ensues for the open council seat, and we are introduced to about 15 separate but interlocking characters who partake in the drama, ranging from the spunky but crass Krystal, a teenage resident of the Fields, to Samantha Mollison, the chairman’s sarcastic, bored daughter-in-law, to Gavin Hughes, whose unbearable timidity has him vacillating for most of the novel between an unhappy relationship with his social worker girlfriend, and an unrequited crush on his recently deceased best friend’s widow.

One of the biggest problems with “The Casual Vacancy” is Rowling’s obvious desire to distance herself from her past writings. Pagford is rife with drug addicts, adulterers, angsty teenagers and general unrest, to a degree that’s just unrealistic. Parts of this suburban setting and fairly mundane plot line are reminiscent of Tom Perrotta (“Little Children”), America’s suburban writer-du-jour. But, honestly, Perrotta does this setting much better; he makes suburban malaise and domestic disputes believable. Sure, the all-too-perfect façade of suburbia hides lots of secrets, but this is extreme. Every house on the block is not concealing stolen computers or bags of heroin. Pagford is a weird cross between “Weeds” and Wisteria Lane, a kind of Bermuda Triangle for paranoia and creepy secrets.

At least we can imagine the coronary Aunt Petunia would be sure to have if surrounded by so much juicy gossip. Between the stifling storyline and plodding pace, it would be a relief to see the loathsome Dursleys again–at least we know they’re good for a laugh. All in all, though, it’s admirable to see Rowling writing again after setting such an impossibly high standard with the success of Harry Potter, we also know quite well how very capable her imagination is, and “The Casual Vacancy” definitely falls far short of the mark.

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Arts & Life Featured

Live from Lewisburg: Q&A with Kenan Thompson

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor

Arts & Life Editor Christina Oddo ’14 sat down and talked with Kenan Thompson after his stand-up performance, part of the 2012 Center Stage event, which took place on Sept. 29 on Sojka Lawn.

What is one of your funniest memories from when you were on “Kenan and Kel?”

“There are a lot. I remember one time me and Kel went to the mall just to see if anyone would recognize us. And we like stood in the middle of the mall for like an hour … nobody ever did [recognize us] … that was one of the dumbest things ever to try and test how famous we were. That’s what you do when you’re young.”

What is the best part about being on SNL?

“SNL is a special place. The main thing … is the alumni. It’s like going to college. I never graduated from college. I went for a couple of years and things didn’t go according to plan, so I ended up leaving. But being attached to all of those names … where we walk into our offices there is the wall where there’s a head shot of each cast member from the beginning. To walk through their history every day is unbelievable.

On the other side, being an actor, you don’t have to worry about your next season necessarily … it doesn’t happen [on SNL]. The main thing that I love the most are the people I work with. My cast mates are some of the greatest people I’ve met. We all have a very similar understanding of what we’re doing. We spend a lot of time together so we are very close. [They are] people I’ve known for 10 years now.”

Who is your role model?

“A lot of people. Really, really smart people intrigue me. It’s hard to pick one role model. When I was a kid I would be like ‘Bill Cosby!’ But I’m grown up now and I’ve read about art and literature, and I’ve been a few places. I look up to Obama, he’s the first black president … that’s huge, whether or not you agree with the issues at hand. As far as role models, my mom is one. I look up to my wife all the time, my family, the people who know me for being myself, instead of being who I am on TV. It’s kind of different; I’m a little laid back. I look to these people the most for honest reactions.”

What is your favorite part of your job?

“I’ve been myself. For 20 years, pretty much; it will be 20 years next year. A lot of the roles I’ve played have been in the vein of comedy so it’s been easy for me to just be me. What’s funny to me, even though it’s a different version of myself–like I am a little quieter I guess–I still get to be my sense of humor. That’s been my main blessing.”

What did you enjoy most about performing on campus?

“I loved it. I’ve never done an outdoor show before. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. You could hear me. People were active; they were participating. The drive down was unbelievable. Fall foliage is just starting to come out. A lot of cops–I didn’t like that–but we made it. It just seemed like a magical night.”

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Katie Mancino
Columnist

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

38 calories, 1g fat, 6 carbs, 1g protein

This is undoubtedly the best mini-muffin recipe yet and, possibly my favorite recipe ever! They are extremely delicious, packed with chocolate chips and the whole-wheat flour makes them extra hearty. Try making a double batch (or mix and match different mini muffin flavors available on my page piecesinprogress.tumblr.com/minimuffin) and freezing them four or five at a time in Ziploc bags for perfect on-the-go snack packs. These would also make fantastic regular sized muffins; you would need around three to four mini muffins worth of batter for each regular sized one.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Land O’ Lakes Light Butter
  • 1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend
  • 1/4 cup Silk Light soymilk
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips


Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C).
  2. Cream together butter and Truvia until it makes a thick paste.
  3. Add soymilk, egg white and vanilla and mix well.
  4. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients.
  5. Spray mini-muffin tin with nonstick spray. Scoop one heaping tablespoon of batter into each cup so that you make 22 mini muffins (I find it helps to divide the batter into sections first).
  6. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden and enjoy!

Makes 22 mini muffins

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Arts & Life Columns Sleeping Around

Sleeping Around: What it means to be sexy

Dixie Rose
Columnist

Being sexy is something that plagues most college girls (and even some boys). We all want to have the sex appeal of Marilyn with the class of Jackie O. It’s the whole “freak in the sheets, but a lady in the streets” dilemma. But what exactly does it mean to be sexy? And how the hell can we get there?

Some people naturally exude sex appeal. They are the ones that make someone’s head snap as they walk into a room. Those are the Marilyns of our generation, and today, being sexy isn’t as taboo as it was in the 1950s and 1960s, so girls really strut their stuff and let it all hang out. 

I am not a sexy person. Cute, maybe. But sexy? Woof. Absolutely not. My friends (a.k.a. Rocky Blue) have taken it upon themselves to teach me how to be sexy. Their advice is to walk and shake my hips (which is a lot of multitasking), and to work toward a “smize” that would make Tyra Banks proud. This advice usually leads to me prancing around like an idiot, trying too hard and over thinking, leaving me with more of a lack of sexiness than I starte. Watching me do a strip tease would be about as hot as watching Zach Galifianakis and Michael Cera star in “Magic Mike.”  

I think being sexy is about being comfortable. It’s about knowing who you are and knowing your body, and then being able to manipulate both personality and body, basically confidence. People always tell me that being sexy is about being confident. I personally find it to be incredibly sexy when someone has the confidence to approach me and tell me exactly what he or she wants from me. So why shouldn’t I do the same?

Confidence is something that both Jackie O and Marilyn possessed. Both of these amazing women had a true sense of self, a definite presence. People noticed them when they walked into a room. They had a certain naturalness about them and never looked like they were trying too hard. They were just themselves and it showed, especially in the way people responded to them.

Everyone always asks, who would you rather be, Jackie or Marilyn? I think it is possible to be both. Marilyn was overtly sexy, while Jackie O was subtly sexy. Both women were confident, and that confidence helped them to showcase their own natural sex appeal. Maybe I’ll never be a Marilyn, but there could be some hope for me falling into the Jackie category. There is something to be said for focusing on being confident instead of the superficial features that make someone attractive. After all, isn’t it what’s on the inside that counts?

Sex appeal is a secondary benefit of confidence, not something that should be independently striven for. Be yourself and be confident, and people will respond.

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Arts & Life Columns

Trend Report: Lots of leather

Kate Jansen
Writer

Now that it is officially fall, I thought it would be appropriate to focus on seasonal shoes this week, mainly because flip flops and Jack Rogers just won’t cut it when the leaves start to fall and the ground starts to freeze.

I would classify this season’s shoes as the following: boots, loafers and lots of leather. Riding boots are back this fall and are definitely a wardrobe necessity. I have a pair of Pour La Victoire boots that I got on sale last season that go incredibly well with skinny jeans and leggings.

Western-style boots are also widely popular this season. Although Frye boots seem to be the cowgirl’s shoe of choice on campus, other designers have produced similar styles. Sam Edelman and Dolce Vita, for example, have recently come out with some adorable Western-inspired booties. Ankle boots surprisingly come in a wide variety of styles: buckled, zippered, studded and my personal favorite, laced. Clark, Rebecca Minkoff and Lucky Brand ankle boots are heeled and laced in the front. I love these shoes, mostly because they add a certain unique flair to an otherwise average outfit.

Loafers are also great wardrobe accessories for this season. While Sperry Top-Siders are obviously a staple in nearly everyone’s closet here, loafers from Nine West are classy and chic (Nine West Panto flats come in a many colors and animal prints). Gap also has a line of patterned, solid canvas and calf hair loafers that are decently priced.

Finally, to stray slightly from the leather theme, rubber rain boots have been widely promoted through major department stores. Hunter boots, of course, are essential for rainy days on campus. It seems as though top designers like Burberry and Kate Spade have added a chic quality to the typical Wellie. This fall, rain boots are adorned with leather trimming and quilted toes. Personally, I think I’ll stick with my muddy black Hunters.

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Arts & Life Campus Events

PHILADANCO performs a diverse selection of pieces, putting a twist on modern dance

Molly Ford
Writer

The Weis Center for the Performing Arts hosted the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) on Sept. 28. The audience also had the opportunity to attend a pre-performance talk with company founder Joan Myers Brown. Brown has experienced many accomplishments in the international dance world. Her experience with racial prejudice inspired Brown to train young black dancers and provide them with opportunities to perform. PHILADANCO is founded on the basis of integration and equal opportunity not only in modern dance, but ballet as well. Brown’s simple goal turned into an exceptionally successful international dance company.

Audience members were impressed with the company’s performance. Kelly Knox, associate professor of dance, articulated why she loved the performance, hightlighting the group’s diverse repertory.

“With all of the different choreography they were performing, the dancers had to be well versed in ballet with clean lines, pirouettes and leg extensions,” Knox said. “They also had to understand Horton and African techniques while being able to incorporate an integrated, full body experience of modern [and] a hip hop piece to top it all off.”

“The dancers showed immense strength while also showing incredible beauty,” Kelsey Fletcher ’14 said.

For Fletcher, the highlight of PHILADANCO’s performance was the piece performed atop a table. She was impressed with how effortlessly the dancers jumped and danced on a tall table.

Knox also commented not only on “the exceptional ability of the dancers,” but also on the “range of pieces, and elegant and vibrant design elements.”

“The audience didn’t just see technique; we saw human beings oozing with vitality and creating universes with their bodies,” Knox said.