The Soul Issue

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BUZZSAW SEARCH MY SOUL NOVEMBER 2011

Nature’s Spirit Connecting with the natural world

Steadfast Sexuality Exposing the ex-gay movement’s manipulations

E-Love for Everyone Online dating is the future of relationships

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BUZZSAW Buzzsaw presents...

EDITORS’ COMMENT

The body & SOUL Issue 0\ VRXO LV DEVWUDFW , GRQ·W NQRZ KRZ WR GHÀQH LW , GRQ·W know how it exists. I don’t know what it means. But in this abstraction, there are a number of truths that I have grown to understand. My soul cannot be changed. It can be brainwashed and it can be manipulated, but it cannot be eviscerated. (“Pray Away the Gay,” p. 8) My soul connects with other souls. It is a magnet, FRPPLWWHG WR ÀQGLQJ LWV VLQJXODU PDWFK (“Someone in the World Wide Web For Everyone,” p. 14)

Ministry of Cool Prose & Cons Sawdust Design Art Website Seesaw Marketing Production

My soul is not restricted by the labels of the body. Race and size and gender are not barriers to its movement. (“Seeing Past Gender,” p. 12) My soul can be channeled through my art. It can make music that communicates sadness, and passion, and anger. (“Rhythm & Soul,” p. 15) My soul must be sustained. It is fueled by hearty recipes that have been written with love and passion and unique cultural history. (“Dishing Out History,” p. 16) My soul does not need saving. It is inside of me. It is not dictated by a higher power. (“Buzzcuts: Soul of the Earth,” p. 4) My soul can experience thoughts and feelings that I cannot understand – concepts that I can only hope to grasp with my mind.

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

News & Views Upfront

My soul is hidden. It must be uncovered. It must be unlocked. It is always prepared to emerge, always ready to shine through the veil of the body.

Adviser Founders

Kacey Deamer Alyssa Figueroa Emily Miles Carly Sitzer David Lurvey Catherine Fisher Danielle West Daniel Sitts Anika Steppe David Lurvey Adam Polaski Andrew Rivard Francesca Toscano Zachary Anderson, Chelsea Hartman, Merdina Ljekperic, Gena Mangiratti Meagan Mcginnes, Partick Morey, Joey Naftol, Jenni Zellner Jeff Cohen Abby Bertumen Kelly Burdick Bryan Chambala Sam Costello Thom Denick Cole Louison James Sigman

Buzzsaw is published with support from Campus Progress / Center for American Progress (online at CampusProgress.org). Buzzsaw is also funded by the Ithaca College Student Government Association and the Park School of Communications. Our Press is our press. (Binghamton, NY) Buzzsaw uses student-generated art and photography and royalty-free images. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editorial staff or of Ithaca College. Feedback and contributions should be sent to buzzsawmag@gmail.com.

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Front cover by Daniel Sitts & Anika Steppe Table of Contents image by Daniel Sitts Center spread by Daniel Sitts & Anika Steppe Ministry of Cool divider by David Lurvey Prose & cons divider by Rachel Woolf Sawdust divider by Karlem Sivira

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WRITE US

WRITE US Our magazine exists to inspire thoughtful debate and open up the channels through which information is shared. Your comments and feedback are all a part of this process.

BUZZSAWMAG@GMAIL.COM

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Our magazine exists to inspire thoughtful debate and open up the channels through which information is shared. Your comments and feedback are all a part of this process. Reach the editors via email at:

BUZZSAWMAG@ GMAIL.COM

Upfront .........................................................4 Selected dis-education of the month.

Ministry.of.Cool ........................................13 Arts, entertainment and other things cooler than us.

Prose & Cons ............................................20 6KRUW ÀFWLRQ SHUVRQDO HVVD\ DQG RWKHU DVVRUWHG OLHV

Sawdust ......................................................24 Threatening the magazine’s credibility since 1856.

BUZZSAW

check out our daily content at:

WWW.BUZZSAWMAG.ORG

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For some the soul is light, beauty, music, creation, and for billions of people, the soul is religious. For millennia, religion has given many people a connection with the inner self and a place in the world. But the roots of spirituality do not only grow from theistic beliefs. Over a billion people in the world ascribe to secular representations instead, some even rejecting the idea of the soul entirely. As new branches grow every day, the roots explored here could never truly capture the world’s vast array of beliefs.

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

Designed by Erin Irby

buzzcuts

Soul of the Earth

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Shock to the Chakras

Reiki refreshes one student’s soul By Gena Mangiaratti

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Photo by Gena Mangiaratti

W Ă€UVW DOO , IHOW ZHUH KHU KDQGV on my head, a light but FRQĂ€UPHG WRXFK “You don’t have to receive this,â€? Reiki Master Teacher Michelle C. Berry, owner of Reiki Goddess in Ithaca, said to me moments before she touched me. She sensed that I was nervous. “No, I want to,â€? I said, determined to understand this healing practice in a way other than words.

like electricity and more like other times when I have for any reason felt a decrease in tension. The relaxation of my muscles was just more intense, DQG GHĂ€QLWHO\ VHHPHG WR KDYH EHHQ initiated by the treatment. Before Berry demonstrated on me, I had asked her if there are ways people can achieve effects similar to those of Reiki without actually receiving it. Berry named meditation as one method, as well as other practiced focusing exercises that allow for one WR EH VWLOO DQG KDYH WLPH WR VHOI UHĂ HFW without distractions. “We have so many other things happening when we say we are relaxing,â€? she said. For some people, the connection of the mind, body and spirit may even present a challenge. Berry said there is a hold in Reiki where she touches both the head and the heart of the client, and that sometimes people squirm in this position. She’ll ask them if they want her to stop. “They do not want to connect these two things,â€? she said. Berry said she never tries to sell Reiki to people, nor does she try to talk people out of how they feel. Similarly, when attuning people, she said she does not try to talk them out of their hectic lifestyles or make them think she herself has reached any sort of “nirvana.â€? She said the only thing she tries to convince people about Reiki and its calming effect is that they’re worthy of it. Though I am not attuned to Reiki, I do at times attempt to revisit the state I was in when I was receiving the energy, doing so more through my mind than physical posture. However one interprets the “energyâ€?, the holistic approach demonstrated for me how healing the body can mean something different from healing the ailment. ____________________________________ Gena Mangiaratti is a junior journalism major who will continue to experiment with alternative medicines. Email her at gmangia1@ithaca.edu.

Upfront

Reiki practitioners always obtain permission before channeling Reiki energy to someone. I felt open, if a bit anxious, to receiving whatever it was she would EH FKDQQHOLQJ LQWR PH %XW O\LQJ à DW on my back in this small, foreign room, I was mainly focusing on getting through my self-consciousness and adjusting to her touch. It wasn’t long before I felt a benign shock wave course through me. It seemed to have emanated from where her hands lay and shot down to my toes. At that moment, any skepticism I had about the treatment had begun to ease. Not so much because of this palpable jolt of energy that I had never felt before, but because after the wave coursed through me, I felt calmer. Each successive wave after that — they occurred maybe every few minutes during this brief session — similarly jolted me but similarly calmed me, making me more relaxed on the bed and open to receiving the treatment.

When I asked Berry about these ZDYHV VKH FRQĂ€UPHG WR PH \HV WKH\ are normal. Others have also reported feeling the energy in this way. Reiki is a type of energy healing based off of Eastern concepts of medical healing. Reiki Master Teacher Diane Hecht, owner of The Joy Within in Ithaca, said Reiki offers a treatment that is holistic, treating the whole body, as opposed to the more acute treatments associated with Western practices. The healing is based off the concept that the body is broken up into chakras. The Reiki practitioner channels the energy into the body from the universe and the body sends it to the chakras where it is needed. According to Usui Reiki practice, an individual can become capable of performing Reiki by being “attunedâ€? to the energy by a practitioner who, having completed the third level of attunement, is at the level of a Reiki Master Teacher. Depending on a practitioner’s attunement level, Reiki can be given to others at close range through touch or by hovering one’s hands over (Level 1), or from a distance (Level 2). At Level 1, Reiki can also be given to oneself. One of the most important concepts to understand about Reiki, Hecht explained, is that the practitioner only serves as a channel for the energy. “We are not making anything happen. We’re not doing anything,â€? Hecht said. “Each individual is their own healer.â€? A short time after I left Berry’s RIĂ€FH WKH VHQVDWLRQV , KDG IHOW IURP the treatment were becoming less and less unfamiliar. I thought I could feel the “energyâ€? concentrated behind my shoulders, where I had previously felt the most tension. Now it felt less

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Environmental Ecstasy Spiritual bliss resides between hearth and Earth By Meagan McGinnes

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igh grass and wild bushes, surround a small and peaceful pond. Elan Shapiro, Ithaca College Environmental Studies lecturer and resident of Ecovillage at Ithaca, casually strolls through the brush that reaches past his upper thigh. There is no path. He walks until he reaches a small clearing by the water. Shapiro peels off his shoes and socks and empties his pockets. Fully clothed, he enters the pond up to his

“A lot of spirituality is about attention. Just being attentive to what’s going on in the present and attentive to where you are and attentive to whom you are with. It is much easier to do that in a community that is devoted to living at harmony with the earth,� said Shapiro. By making the commitment to live at Ecovillage one is supporting the Earth, which is seen as a type of spirituality. This honors the

“We are nature. We get diluted into thinking we are something separate.�

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

- Elan Shapiro, Ithaca College Lecturer

chest, collecting lotus pods for home decorations. By submerging himself into the peaceful pond, Shapiro said he created a spiritual relationship with the nature around him. “Spirituality is reconnecting with the ways in which we are an integral part of the universe. And the most sane way to get connected to that is right where it is, right where we are,â€? said Shapiro. The 175-acre Ecovillage is made up of three cohousing neighborhoods, an organic vegetable IDUP DQ RUJDQLF EHUU\ IDUP RIĂ€FH spaces for personal business and rentals, a neighborhood root cellar, community gardens and varied natural areas. The village is designed to combat standard housing waste such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems that account for 40 to 60 percent of total energy use in the commercial sector. Ecovillage also embraces a sustainable community mindset. Village residents have the opportunity to share community dinners several times per week in the two Common Houses and volunteer about two to three hours per week on various work teams. There are community teams for cooking, dishes, outdoors, PDLQWHQDQFH Ă€QDQFH FRPPXQLW\ life and more.

individuals’ ‘connectedness’ or wholeness, according to Shapiro. They even have different festivals and parties for the entire community, the most recent being their annual apple pressing party. This is another act Shapiro considered to be spiritually connecting with nature. “You see through these seasonal celebrations we were talking about, you see through these cycles that

sustain you. Whether it’s the apples that you are making the apple cider from . . . or the blackberries that you are making the pies from that make summer so special. When you become part of that repetitive process in celebrating it as a community you come back to that part of you that for so many years was a tribal animal living on the earth,â€? said Shapiro. 7KHUH LV QR RIĂ€FLDO RUJDQL]HG UHOLJLRQ present in Ecovillage. Members of the village commonly participate in meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices. Any type of spirituality, whether involving the natural world or not, recognizes of something greater than oneself. There are no concrete SDUDPHWHUV WR GHĂ€QH VSLULWXDOLW\ Spirituality is different than organized religion in the sense that it is hyper personalized to the individual seeking this deeper connection. “Spiritualities tell us who we are in relationship to the world around us and the proper way of living within it and as a member of it,â€? said Nancy Menning, Ithaca College Philosophy and Religious Studies professor. Organized religions are often

Photo by Kacey Deamer

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effective way she was able to spiritually connect with nature. “Hopefully, the people on the retreat began to realize where their food comes from, how much work it takes to care for and harvest the food and how God intended for us to use the Earth for our purposes but to take care of it as well rather than not take advantage of it,” said Marinaro. The retreat leaders invited everyone WR WRXU WKH IDUP JURXQGV DQG ÀQG God within nature. The idea is that one will let go of the stress, prevalent in college students’ lives especially, and focus entirely on nature. Menning said we must recognize the seasons changing and the Earth turning. She suggests walking as a way to slow down from getting from one place to the next, hopefully allowing WLPH IRU UHÁHFWLRQ DQG DSSUHFLDWLRQ RI the natural world. “Religion offers hope somehow, not always naïvely. It offers hope out of real commitment and a willingness to believe that the universe is on our side in the long run,” said Menning. Whether it is done spiritually or through a more organized form of religion, meditation is vital to selfdiscovery, personal growth and inner peace. “By connecting with nature we can connect with God. By listening to nature and clearing your mind, it is easier to hear God and feel him in your heart,” said Marinaro. Shapiro also stresses the importance of meditation, even suggesting students take time to sit quietly in a beautiful place like the pond by the chapel to meditate and eat lunch. By slowing down, one can connect to the natural system and local food system, reclaiming his or her wholeness. “We are nature. We get diluted into thinking we are something separate,” said Shapiro. “So once we enter into the actual experience of nature, like immersing ourselves in a pond, it becomes a lot easier to feel connected to a larger purpose, a larger force, a larger energy. Something everyone craves at some level.” ____________________________________ Meagan McGinnes is a sophomore journalism major who lives with nature via the plastic plant in her dorm room. Email her at mmcginn1@ithaca.edu.

Ecovillages of the World

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Ecovillages exist in the world today Ecovillage at Ithaca is one of many ecovillages around the world focused on community and environmentallyconscious living. According to its website, the Global Ecovillage Network is an organization that “offers inspiring examples of how people and communities can live healthy, cooperative, genuinely happy and meaningful lifestyles — beacons of hope that help in transition to a more sustainable future on Earth.” GEN encourages sustainable settlements across the globe with website information sharing, networking forms and promotion of partner programs. GEN’s focus on community building through sustainable mindsets incorporates many humanistic values as well. These values include relating to others, respecting differences and providing meaning to work. Whether these values are considered “spiritual” is up to the individual. GEN members range from large networks like Sarvodaya, which includes 2,000 active sustainable villages in Sri Lanka, to smaller urban rejuvenation projects like Los Angeles Ecovillage. Other members include: the Federation of Damanhur in Italy; Nimbin in Australia; educational centers such as Findhorn in Scotland, Earthlands in Massachusetts and others. Ecovillage at Ithaca is a part of this network and its promotional video, “Back to Basics,” is highlighted on the GEN website. For more information visit: gen.ecovillage.org/

Upfront

rejected because people, Menning said, especially in today’s society, do not want to be constrained or guided by a tradition they feel is out of sync with their own sense of the world. Society stresses the importance of having a unique identity and this coincides with people wanting individuality within the spiritual world. “[People] who are religious, who go to church, what they are doing is to go there to connect with something larger than themselves and to reorient and structure their lives, the rest of the week, around that kind of focal experience.,” Menning said. “Somebody can go to nature religiously in that same mode. To go there with the intent of being transformed by it, to encounter something larger than them, that will then orient and structure the rest of their lives. Or you can go to nature with a chainsaw.” Ecovillage at Ithaca, and other ecovillages around the world have developed an alternative model for suburban living. Ecovillage provides a sustainable community lifestyle, focusing on minimizing ecological impacts — choosing to embrace nature rather than “go at it with a chainsaw.” “I don’t know if it is any more religious than some people who choose to live downtown because that manifests the type of way they see the world and what their ethical commitments are to it. That may also come out of spiritual groundings,” said Menning. Shapiro did acknowledge the cost of living in Ecovillage. The residents are busy people who still must play a part in the global economy, keeping up with the fast-paced world. This struggle seems even more prominent within college life. The Cornell University and Ithaca College Catholic Communities recently participated in a “Green Retreat” at a local organic dairy farm in Lansing, NY. The retreat’s goal is to create a balance among learning, service and LQGLYLGXDO UHÁHFWLRQ The farm’s owner, Andra Benson, taught the retreat participants about the milking process, even allowing the participants to feed the calves. They also helped to harvest vegetables for lunch and dinner. Cornell student and retreat participant Cindy Marinaro felt the individual meditation was the most

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Praying the Gay Away LGBT advocates combat the myths of the “ex-gay” movement By Jess Corbett

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BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

n June of this year, John Becker, an openly gay man, telephoned Bachmann and Associates, a &KULVWLDQ FRXQVHOLQJ ÀUP ORFDWHG in suburban Minneapolis co-owned by Michele and Marcus Bachmann. %HFNHU DWWHQGHG ÀYH VHVVLRQV ZLWK a therapist at the clinic to work on eradicating his homosexuality. “They told me they’d be happy to work with me on getting rid of my homosexuality and building up my attraction toward women,” Becker said. “[Some] man combed through P\ OLIH VWRU\ WR WU\ WR ÀQG DQ\WKLQJ possible that he could assign as something that caused me to have homosexual feelings and attractions.” Becker said, for example, the therapist wondered if seeing gay pornography or being self-conscious of his high speaking voice had caused Becker to become gay. Then, the session would end just how it began — with a prayer. Becker was not trying to change his sexuality. He was going undercover as the director of communications and development for Truth Wins Out. 7KLV QRQ SURÀW RUJDQL]DWLRQ·V SULPDU\ IRFXV LV WKH ÀJKW DJDLQVW DQWL /*%7 religious extremism, including the ÀJKW DJDLQVW WKH H[ JD\ P\WK 7KH H[ gay myth is the belief that reparative therapy can rid a person of their homosexual desires.

Image by Jess Hock

“The truth is that not one medical mental health organization believes that you can ‘pray away the gay,’” Becker said. The foundation of the ex-gay movement dates back to 1973, when the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed homosexuality from its list of recognized mental disorders. “[This] left conservative churches and conservative Christians with a dilemma because they saw that society was no longer ostracizing gay people,” Becker said. This led to the formation of ex-gay ministries, like Exodus International’s foundation in 1976. Exodus serves as an umbrella organization for the movement. Many, like Anthony VennBrown, consider Exodus’ formation the beginning of the ex-gay movement. Venn-Brown is a professional life coach, speaker and LGBT consultant in Australia. In 2004, he released his autobiography, A Life of Unlearning, which described his 22-year struggle with his sexuality. Afterward, VennBrown said he received a surplus of emails from readers, who divulged their personal struggles with sexuality. “They would pour their hearts out to me,” he said. From these emails, Freedom2b(e) was born. Venn-Brown co-founded this organization to provide a support network for people who have either attempted ex-gay therapy or are struggling with their sexual identities. Venn-Brown is able to use his own struggles to relate to the people he counsels. He was married to his ex-wife for 16 years, fathered two children and was a Pentecostal preacher. He put himself through therapy, intense prayer and even exorcism, but he was unable to change his sexuality. “What can happen in that

time is that people have a real sense of failure,” he said. Venn-Brown said the consequences of ex-gay practices are depression, anxiety and other self-destructive behaviors. “At the very worst, people kill themselves because they can’t change,” he said. Medical mental health professionals have openly acknowledged the inability to change sexual orientation and the risks that accompany such HIIRUWV $FFRUGLQJ WR DQ RIÀFLDO APA statement in 1998, “Therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient.” The APA has since stated that there is no conclusive evidence supporting the effectiveness of reparative therapy. Researchers have concluded that changing sexuality isn’t actually possible. Yet society continues to try to change such a fundamental part of themselves. Becker said even though “the majority of society understands [reparative therapy] is a fraudulent and dangerous treatment,” some people are still afraid of what they don’t understand. Venn-Brown has recently shifted his focus to a new project called Ambassadors and Bridge Builders International, which he hopes will help homosexual men handle heterosexual marriages and divorces with integrity and “deconstruct the ex-gay myth” through education, information and dialogue. His hopes are that with an increased societal understanding, the movement will fade. “The basis of my organization is that the enemy is not churches, individuals, political parties,” Venn-Brown said. “The enemy is ignorance.” ____________________________________ Jess Corbett is a freshman journalism major who will never try to change you. Email her at jcorbet2@ithaca.edu.

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Image by Catherine Fisher

The Magic of Somatics Holistic healing techniques for the body and soul By Kerry Tkacik

I

know how to just wake up and stretch out the cricks in backs. This natural adjustment is called self-pandiculation. That’s what you see cats and dogs doing when they stretch all the way out from their tails to the tips of their toes. Humans, on the other hand, have to be taught pandiculation. The somatic exercises help us do just that. Eshelman refers to these exercises as a crucial part of the daily routine. “It’s like brushing your teeth,â€? Eshelman said. “You should interact with your neuro-muscular system Ă€UVW WKLQJ LQ WKH PRUQLQJ Âľ During somatics classes, Eshelman constantly reminds his participants to pay attention to how they feel emotionally and physically. This way, the brain can be totally conscious of what the body is doing and learn what is right. Somatics teaches the neuromuscular responses in the body not to react to every tiny stressor quite so drastically in everyday life. Maybe when your happy dance comes to a screeching halt because of a lost assignment, you could bounce back a little quicker. Instead of your whole jive getting thrown for the rest of the day, you can just breathe. After having suffered from the devastating loss of a loved one, Jill Swenson found her physical state being affected by her emotional pain. “The grief was physically so debilitating. A body blow,â€? Swenson said. “It literally felt like someone had pulled the rug out from underneath me. I couldn’t stand up.â€? Swenson’s emotional instability affected her physical balance so severely that she fell and broke her wrist. “I wanted something natural that would address the emotional toll on my physical being,â€? Swenson said. Eshelman said the mental side of somatic exercise has a lot to do with awareness, but also emotional health. In order to be truly emotionally

stable, forgiveness must be achieved. For many, this requires digging up DQ\ OHIWRYHU FRQĂ LFWV DQG OHWWLQJ JR RI negative emotion. For Swenson, the results from somatic exercises happened quickly; she felt improvement that she had never accomplished with any other methods. “It led me to have greater integration between mind and body,â€? Swenson said. But this process of self-healing can even be applied to daily situations, especially in college. Somatics would help recenter the stressed university student who feels overwhelmed when the day has just begun. One of Eshelman’s ten-second techniques involves rating stress levels, putting palms together, deep breathing, and positive visuals. It’s all about keeping your cool, body and soul. “When you get rid of physical tension, it immediately makes you feel more peaceful,â€? McNair said. “When you are calm you can be purposeful, you can be aware, and you can be present. When you are worried about things, you don’t see, and you are ineffective.â€? So, next time that oh-my-God-it’sthe-end-of-the-world feeling rears its ugly head, stop. Slow down, breathe and try some self-regulation. It works, and it can’t hurt. _____________________________________ Kerry Tkacik is a junior journalism major who self-pandiculates every morning before class. Email her at ktkacik1@ithaca.edu.

Upfront

t’s that time of day when your alarm clock rattles and your bare feet UHOXFWDQWO\ KLW WKH FROG Ă RRU %XW maybe it’s not so bad. You cranked out that ten-page paper last night, with the aid of your Red Bull and a few snack breaks. You’re dressed nice for the Ă€UVW WLPH DOO ZHHN DQG UHDG\ WR VWDUW learning. Your favorite tunes come on your iPod as you hustle down to class, and you’re in such a good mood you start to dance a little. Then suddenly you get that feeling ––– the warning signal goes off in your head and you feel your stomach drop, “splat,â€? on the sidewalk. In the rush WR Ă€QLVK \RXU SDSHU \RX FRPSOHWHO\ forgot to do another assignment. The ensuing full panic mode is sparked by your neuromuscular responses. Before you know it, every muscle is tense and you may even be out of breath. %ODVWRII <RX DUH RIĂ€FLDOO\ RXW RI WRXFK with your body ––– totally consumed by your racing thoughts. “All our thoughts get translated into a neuromuscular response in an instant,â€? Eshelman said. Richard Eshelman is a somatic and massage therapist who uses Hanna somatic techniques to heal physical as well as emotional pain that has been manifested physically. Hanna Somatic Education is a re-education of the mind and body used to relieve muscular pain. Somatics is a process that involves a variety of movements that work to readjust the neuromuscular system and reconnect with the mind. “It’s about self-control and selfmaintenance,â€? Eshelman said. 2QH RI WKH PDMRU EHQHĂ€WV RI VRPDWLF exercises is the readjustment of the neuromuscular system to correct poor posture and the pains that come with it. Adrienne McNair, a regular visitor to Eshelman’s sessions, is seeing the EHQHĂ€WV RI VRPDWLF H[HUFLVHV “I am interested in living as healthily as I can for as long as I live,â€? McNair said. “I recognize that I am not going to be healthy if I do not have good posture.â€? We are the only animal that doesn’t

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Rocky Mountain Soul

A backpacker’s experience in Wyoming enhances connection with nature By Abby Sophir

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

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his summer I crossed a Rocky Mountain range in western Wyoming with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). I spent my days hiking, nights sleeping in a tent and weeks surviving without the comforts of civilization. Join me on my body-breaking, soul-searching adventure. Snap. Less than a week into our monthlong backpacking trip,and our tent pole has already snapped. Our makeshift pole is inadequate; the WHQW·V Q\ORQ ÁDSV and zippers hang just a few inches above my face, ÁXWWHULQJ ORXGO\ ZLWK each gust of wind. I lie awake most of the night. At the break of dawn, our watch alarms sound. We take turns holding up the broken tent pole while the other two tentmates stuff sleeping bags and put on warm layers. The crisp Wyoming morning air chills my bones. I start boiling water while my tent mates take down the tent. My numb ÀQJHUV VSLQ WKH OLJKWHU UHHO GR]HQV RI WLPHV EHIRUH , JHW D ÁDPH ,W·V a.m. and the mosquitoes are already swarming. A guy in the cooking group next to me burns them with his lighter; killing the bugs has become a mindless game. There’s no other escape.

with myself than ever before. I am able to acknowledge my discomfort, accept my vulnerability and move forward. I am neither invincible nor powerless but in touch with my soul. Our group consists of nine students and two instructors. The students range in age from 15 to 32. We come from Oakland, Reno, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, the Netherlands and places in between. We include high school students, high school drop-outs, college students, working men, experienced backpackers and ÀUVW WLPHUV $QG then there’s me. Journal Entry 7/29: We couldn’t be more different...

but are we really that different? Does our background, addictions, IDPLO\ OLIH DQG UDFH UHDOO\ GHÀQH XV" 2U DUH ZH GHÀQHG E\ WKH IDFW that we all desire to be loved, to have someone listen, to experience life — the good and the bad. $OO WRR RIWHQ ZH DUH GHÀQHG E\ exterior factors — the clothes we wear, neighborhood we come from, car we drive or degree we hold. We are categorized, labeled and divided. But when we take the time to understand the non-physical aspects of each others’ being — motivations, passions, IHDUV ³ ZH ÀQG WKDW RXU VRXOV DUH IDU more alike than different. Today has been one of the most challenging days of my life — mentally, emotionally and physically. We pack up our camp at a breathtaking frozen lake, split into two hiking groups and set off around 8 a.m., with about six miles off-trail to the next camp. My JURXS OHDYHV ÀUVW 7KH ÀUVW KDOI PLOH DFURVV D ERXOGHU ÀHOG JRHV E\ DW D VQDLO·V SDFH ³ stepping across and scooting over minivan-sized boulders and larger. We place our feet with great care, ready to

Journal Entry 7/22: Wilderness is to remind us that comfort isn’t guaranteed. In the midst of physical and emotional distress, I become more connected Photos by Abby Sophir

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hill. As evening quickly approaches, dinner and sleep occupy my mind. I curse that last hill.

illuminates so strongly it detracts from the shooting stars above us, acting as a night light that keeps me DZDNH 7KH IXOO PRRQ UHĂ HFWV RQ WKH lake we are camped at. We lie still in Journal Entry 8/03: our warm sleeping bags — the perfect I must learn to view the boulders, contrast to the cool evening air. As we ULYHUV VQRZ Ă€HOGV DQG PRXQWDLQV contemplate extraterrestrial life, it’s as vehicles rather than obstacles. obvious how small we are in the world. They are simply doing what they But in this moment, I am anything do best; we are the intruders. Be EXW LQVLJQLĂ€FDQW , DP D IULHQG D effortless, like nature. team member, an essential part of a community and an appendage of the 5LYHUV Ă RZ WUHHV JURZ WKH ZLQG earth. blows. Vitality is the essence of nature. We are taught that the natural world is home to the wild animals, the birds, Journal Entry 8/10: WKH Ă€VK DQG WKH WUHHV EXW ZKDW DERXW 2XW KHUH \RX Ă€QG RXW ZKR \RX us? Rhetoric has separated us from really are — what makes you nature, disconnected our souls from happy. Free from the presence of their long-lost home. computers, televisions, cars and cell phones you are just that: present. Life in the wilderness is simple Without distractions you are forced and repetitive. The regular schedule to acknowledge and address your consists of three tasks: Cook. Hike. needs and emotions. There is no Sleep. The daily mission is to make it running from them. to the next campsite. There’s nothing LQ VLJKW EXW WKH PRXQWDLQV WKH Ă RUD Life in the wilderness is for the soul. and the fauna, no sounds but the VWHDG\ Ă RZ RI ULYHUV WKH KLJK SLWFKHG _________________________________ chirps of pikas and the occasional Abby Sophir is a sophomore TV-R boom of a thunderstorm. I carry all of major who thinks you should give the my belongings in one bag — nothing woods a try. Email her at gsophir1@ VXSHUĂ XRXV , NQRZ ZKHUH DOO RI P\ ithaca.edu. possessions are at all times. Never before have I thought of the moon as “too bright,â€? but tonight it

Upfront

yell “BOULDER!â€? as soon as a loose rock begins to role down the steep slope. I maneuver my body in ways ,¡G QHYHU WKRXJKW SRVVLEOH WR Ă€QG WKH most sturdy crossing, holding on for dear life. The fearless guys in my hiking group, with legs several inches longer than mine, leave me trailing behind. With nobody in sight, the deep crevasses, which surely mean death if I were to fall, get to my head. My upper body hangs on to a rock that begins to fall and I let go abruptly. Fear overwhelms by body and I begin to tremble, tears welling in my eyes. I curse the rocks with each move I make to distract myself. $IWHU WKH ERXOGHU Ă€HOG LW GRHVQ¡W get much easier. We ascend a short EXW VWHHS SDVV ZLWKRXW GLIĂ€FXOW\ EXW VWUXJJOH WR Ă€QG D IHDVLEOH URXWH EDFN down. After many dead ends and tiring, uphill backpedaling, the mood is gloomy. Alec, our leader of the day, lacks his usual enthusiasm and we all quietly keep to ourselves. At the bottom of the ridge we approach a swift river with white water everywhere. There happens to be a rock crossing directly in front of us, but it requires a three foot leap in the middle. It is already midday and we are still several miles from our designated “Xâ€? — signifying camp — so the group collectively decides to go ahead and cross with minimal additional scouting. I stand on a rock in the middle with the rest of the group on the other side of the crossing. The likelihood of falling is low, but the consequence extremely high. I know I’m capable of the cross, even with a 50-pound pack, but my mind tells me differently at the sight and sound of the raging water. I’m angry at my instructor, the group and myself, but I curse the river. Two river crossings and several brisk miles later, the sun sets over the mountains to the West. Our waterlogged feet ache, food dwindles and we’re all exhausted. We have the option to stop for the day and make camp about a mile short of our “Xâ€? but we’ve made it this far and aren’t ones to give up, so we decide to make one last uphill push. We hike to the beat of our heaving breath — one foot after the other, slowly making our way to the top of the

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Seeing Past Gender

Pansexuality’s challenge to the traditional sexuality binary By Ken Roberston

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

LGBTQ in the News

*1,850,000

42,000

Gay

community often explain that they are attracted to souls, not to bodies. Pansexuality is often confused with bisexuality. However, while bisexuals DUH VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ VH[XDOO\ DWWUDFWHG WR both men and women, pansexuals are attracted to people without regard to their designation in the gender binary. Lis Maurer, director of Ithaca College’s Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services, said that many Americans are unwilling to acknowledge the existence of pansexuality. “This is a society that likes to see things in a dichotomous way,â€? Mauer VDLG ´,W¡V DQ DUWLĂ€FLDO FRQVWUXFW WKDW our society has imposed.â€? In order to completely understand pansexuality, sexual and gender orientations must be viewed as part of a spectrum –– from the perspective that individuals are attracted to men and women at varying levels. Individuals who self-identify as gay yet choose to date someone of the opposite gender are often labeled as “confused.â€? Likewise, many seemingly straight people who emotionally or sexually engage with the same sex are dismissed as “bi-curious.â€? Perhaps the most important characteristic about pansexuality is the rejection of dichotomy when choosing a partner. The soul is the most important factor in connecting two people, while the physical sex is much less considered. It is clear that the national understanding of pansexuality is still in its infancy. Chris Hennessy, a queer activist and student at Fordham University, has seen little discussion of pansexuality in New York City. In the last ten years, national media “It’s apparent coverage of the LGBT community has that media mirrored society’s conversation suroutlets and rounding sexual identities. many national gay rights 5,580 organizations 2,640 have failed 332 to address this issue,â€? Lesbian Transgender Pansexual Hennessy said.

Bisexual

*Number of references according to Google News search.

Image by Jess Hock

H

umans in the Western world think in binary terms with regard to gender and sexuality. You’re either a man or a woman. You’re either gay or straight. There is nothing in between, and exceptions to the rules are abnormal and unacceptable. This system has hidden the development of more complex sexualities, restricting them from penetrating cultural consciousness. While gayness has gone mainstream in the past 15 years, attaining some cultural acceptance and even some political recognition, other sects of the LGBT community have made less progress. Bisexuals, transgender people and other gender queer individuals are often overlooked, misunderstood or dismissed as “confusedâ€? or “in transition.â€? They are now searching for a way to be heard — a way for their identities to be validated. Pansexuality, an orientation that encompasses all genders and sexes, is one identity that is often distorted by public opinion. Pansexuals may be male, female, transgender, intersex or otherwise, and they may be attracted to males, females, transgender individuals, intersex people etc. They do not fall VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ ZLWKLQ WKH TXHHU VXE categories communicated within the “LGBTâ€? acronym. Pansexuality looks past the description of the physical body and focuses on the person within. Advocates of the pansexual

On a national level, Maurer noted a lack of acknowledgement of these issues. “I am not aware of any FRRUGLQDWHG QDWLRQDO XQLĂ€HG ZD\ LQ which the needs of the pansexual community are being met,â€? Maurer said. “It’s fear of breaking the binary. Fear and anxiety of the unknown.â€? At Ithaca College, students and faculty are beginning to develop a sustained dialogue in order to reach a greater understanding of pansexuality. Campus organizations such as Spectrum and Prism have included pansexuality in regular discussions in order to understand pansexuality and why it is often overlooked. In addition to these student-coordinated efforts, the Ithaca College Counseling and Psychological Services Center offers comprehensive support for students who are questioning their identity or just looking to discuss being “outâ€? on campus. Pansexuals and those who deviate from normative gender conventions continue to be largely misunderstood. For too many, the idea of overturning the gender and sexuality binary is too daunting. Student organizations and psychological services are integral in creating a greater national understanding of pansexuality and diminishing the social inequality that gender queer individuals face. Diane Ehrensaft, a psychologist in Oakland, Ca. who specializes in gender, said, “This generation is really challenging the gender norms we grew up with.â€? ____________________________________ .HQ 5REHUWVRQ LV D Ă€OP SKRWRJUDSK\ and visual arts major who always thinks in spectrums. Email him at kroberts5@ithaca.edu.

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Ministry of Cool

OOL. MINISTRYofCOOL. MIN-

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There’s Someone in the World Wide Web For Everyone 7TIGMEPM^IH HEXMRK WMXIW QEOI MX IEW] XS ½RH ]SYV WSYPQEXI SRPMRI By Rachel Maus

“

Image by Clara Goldman

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth. By you I was properly humbled.â€? Mr. Darcy sure knew how to woo Elizabeth Bennett. He was the stud who fell in love with the commoner, and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t like that? Considered one of the classic URPDQFH QRYHOV DQG ODWHU Ă€OPV Pride and Prejudice was a tale that, along with Gone With the Wind and Casablanca, began the domination of WKH ´FKLFN Ă LFN Âľ The stories are relatively standard: boy meets girl, boy and girl don’t like each other, boy and girl overcome obstacle, boy and girl fall in love, a new obstacle comes in the way, until LW¡V UHVROYHG ZLWK D Ă€QDO NLVV Unfortunately, I have not seen John Cusack outside my window with a radio, nor has Heath Ledger sang a rousing rendition of a Frankie Valli tune on the bleachers of my high school. So, what does this mean? &KLFN Ă LFNV GLVDSSRLQW XV +RZ GRHV one cope with his or her lack of a love life? The same way one copes with lack of a social life: the Internet. No, I’m not talking about Internet porn — although if that’s what you thought, I won’t judge. I’m talking about the ever-growing popularity of online dating. Whether you’re just testing the waters on Match.com, or looking for someone a little more tailored for your liking on ZombieHarmony, there seems to be a dating website for everyone. It’s been estimated that more than 120 million people worldwide are currently using some sort of online dating service. In this fast-paced, technology-driven world, has online dating become the

preferred

method of attracting a mate? Online dating expert, bestselling author of The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online and Ithaca College alumna Julie Spira explained one reason for its popularity is that it is more convenient. “It’s available 24 hours a day, and there’s critical mass — as more than 120 million people worldwide are ORJJLQJ RQ HYHU\ PRQWK WR Ă€QG ORYH online,â€? she said. “Those who tend to EH VK\ RIĂ LQH DUH Ă€QGLQJ ORYH RQOLQH Âľ Statistics can attest to the success of online dating. A study by Match. com revealed that 20 percent of people are in a relationship because of online dating. eHarmony claims they average 542 marriages every day. Now, people FDQ JR WR WKHLU FRPSXWHU DQG Ă€QG D ZHEVLWH PRUH FDWHUHG WR WKHLU VSHFLĂ€F interests such as ChristianMingle, CougarLife and even LoveBitten, for those who may be too into Twilight. $W Ă€UVW LW ZRXOG VHHP DV WKRXJK some of these sites take the concept of online dating and turn it into a bit of a mockery. The clichĂŠd desperation that online dating used to connote shines through with the emergence of these spin-off sites. Spira does not believe these to be a mockery, at all, and that many of these individuals have probably belonged to a larger site such as match.com. “Just like you won’t read one book on a subject, you’re more likely to join more than one online dating site,â€? Spira said. Julie Fishman, author of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags, warns that while it would be an advantage WR KDYH DQ HDV\ RXWOHW WR Ă€QG someone with similar interests, it could lead to an eventual disinterest. “You want someone who compliments you, not someone who’s the same as you,â€? she said. “The former ensures a balanced relationship and the latter leads to boredom.â€? So, what are the limits of online dating? Who should be allowed to participate on an online dating site? There are very few restrictions with these “niche sitesâ€? that have popped up. If

you’re a schizophrenic, you can go to No Longer Lonely. Have an STD? Head over to STD Friends and you’re positive WR Ă€QG D PDWFK %XW ZKDW LI \RX¡UH D young girl or boy who has just been looking for love in all the wrong places? 7KRXJK WKH QRWLRQ RI WHHQV Ă€QGLQJ D mate online is not one to be dismissed. While many experts will agree that it should be generally discouraged, it does happen. Molly* had a nearly two year relationship with a boy she met on the website MyYearbook. She admits that LW ZDV D ELW QHUYHZUDFNLQJ DW Ă€UVW EXW when she initially met him in person, she was well-prepared. “I went with a friend to meet him and his friend and planned out ways to escape if something went wrong,â€? she said. “We also brought knives in case they tried anything.â€? She laughed at this story in retrospect, at the time she assumed it would be better safe then sorry. Despite having a long-term relationship, she insisted she won’t do it again, because “when people are looking for something, it doesn’t [usually] work out.â€? With the growing popularity of online dating, it is not farfetched to believe that in the future, it will only see a growth, with exponentially more people joining online dating communities. Fishman attributed this to the declining economic state. “With the economy in the dumps and the unemployment level rising, people need someone to lean on more than ever right now,â€? she said. “Online dating is a relatively cheap way to meet people far beyond your normal social circle.â€? She added that now that the stigma of online dating being “a last resort for nerdsâ€? has been shaken, it will only increase from here. While this may be depressing for girls hoping to have the “time of their lifeâ€? and be swept away by a rebellious yet charming Patrick Swayze, for the rest of the world, true love is one click away. * Names have been changed. ___________________________________ Rachel Maus is a freshman cinema and photography major who is making her own Buzzsaw dating site, BuzzLuv. Email her at rmaus1@ithaca.edu.

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Rhythm & Soul

,S[ E RI[ GPEWW SJ WMRKIVW IQFSHMIW XLI SPH WTMVMX SJ WSYP QYWMG By Francesca Toscano

H

ow would you personify soul music? A few decades ago, the answer might have been an African American Motown artist with a full instrumental ensemble and jazzy background singers. Today, however, the response is completely different: British, female vocal powerhouses have risen to the forefront of modern soul music. 7KH Ă€UVW VWDUOHW WR LQLWLDWH WKH UHYLYDO of soul music was Joss Stone. In 2003, her freshman album The Soul Sessions went multi-platinum as Americans were drawn to the brassy tone of her voice, one that had been neglected in mainstream music since the vocal styling of Aretha Franklin or Smokey Robinson. As if a calculated response to the overwhelming success of Stone, Amy Winehouse’s 2006 album Back to Black ZRQ Ă€YH *UDPP\¡V W\LQJ WKH then-record for most awards won by a woman in a single night. Although Winehouse’s fame is rooted in soulful musical talent, she has become infamous in the United States for countless tabloid stories involving her substance abuse problems. Recently, her untimely death was popularized throughout various news outlets. Winehouse’s presence in American media, though often tragic, further created a thirst for these British soul imports on American soil. In 2008, Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy delivered her delightfully pop-infused soul album Rockferry. Possibly one of the most respected British soul artists today is Adele. She ZRQ WZR *UDPP\ DZDUGV IRU KHU

album 19, her 2011 album 21 has truly reached insurmountable success. Now more than ever, these talented British songstresses are becoming an integral part of American music. Pop recording artist Ali Brustofski NQRZV Ă€UVWKDQG KRZ WKH LQĂ XHQFH of these soul artists has changed the face of modern American music, as she herself has experimented with her soulful side. ´, ZRXOG GHĂ€QLWHO\ VD\ WKDW ,¡YH DGopted a more soulful tone in recent years,â€? Brustofski said. “But mostly because I’ve been experimenting with QHZ SDUWV RI P\ YRLFH *URZLQJ XS ,¡YH always loved the sounds of artists like Amy Winehouse, and by mimicking WKHLU VW\OHV DQG DGGLQJ P\ RZQ Ă DLU WR them, I’ve found my own voice.â€? According to Ithaca College graduate student Andrew Mattfeld, who is currently working towards a master’s degree in Voice Performance, having a soulful vocal tone can be achieved through a vocal exhibition of emotion and experiences. “Soul is something that is ingrained LQ DQ H[SUHVVLRQ LQĂ XHQFHG E\ WKHLU surroundings,â€? Mattfeld said. “I feel that it is an artists’ deeper connection and complete understanding of their music which makes a ‘soulful’ performance.â€? Additionally, there is an evident British presence in this soul rebirth. Mattfeld infers that these artists have taken it upon themselves to expand on an already beloved genre of music. “The differentiation between British and American soul is a development

of a musical genre that was already in place, with British artists willing to explore it, and who have the ability to communicate it to the masses. That is the reason for its widespread popularity,â€? he said. The question is, why now? Psychologist Matt Ridley explained that most trends, musical and otherwise, are revived with a fresh twist. “It is natural for past trends to resurface,â€? Ridley said. “It is human nature for artists, designers, or any form of opinion leader to return to these fads that have already garnered success DQG UHVSHFW ,I LW DLQ¡W EURNH GRQ¡W Ă€[ it! However, it is up to those individuals to create a modern twist, otherwise the trends will never last. These artists have done a great job of keeping an old musical genre exciting.â€? Soul music’s decline in popularity has occurred once before, and therefore one cannot help but wonder if these talented artists will have lasting power in the industry. Brustofski believes that this musical trend will transcend the test of time. “Soul singers have been around for decades, and there’s always going to be a market for them,â€? she said. “It seems that the ‘pop’ masses are identifying with these voices and messages now, especially in these tough economic times. I think that once these artists gain fan bases, they’ll be here to stay.â€? _____________________________________ Francesca Toscano is a sophomore IMC major who is not just another pretty face, not just anyone to hold. Email her at ftoscan1@ithaca.edu.

Four Modern Soul Songs You Should Listen To:

3.

“I Learned the Hard Way� — Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are the perfect example of artists maintaining classic soul roots while injecting modern adaptations to keep it fresh. By using traditional recording equipment and the Dap-King’s brassy instrumentals, their old-school methodology takes listeners back to yesteryear.

Warâ€? — Janelle Monae: Janelle Monae has burst onto the 4. “Shake it Outâ€? — Florence and the Machine: The “Shake it Out,â€? the 2. Cold ½VWX WMRKPI SJJ SJ XLI EPFYQ XEGOPIW E VIJVIWLMRKP] YTFIEX WSYP XYRI [MXL scene with her album, The ArchAndroid, and her single “Cold Warâ€? was performed at the 2011 Grammy Awards, which has allowed her soulful tone to reach international recognition. Staying true to her R&B and soul roots, Monae’s rich vocals undoubtedly bring the funk to modern pop music.

WXVMHI VIQMRMWGIRX SJ XLIMV ½VWX LMX ¹(SK (E]W EVI 3ZIV ² %PXLSYKL XLI band as a whole has an alternative-pop tone, the brassy vocals of lead singer Florence Welch are undeniably evocative of the soul era.

Ministry of Cool

1. “Take It Allâ€? — Adele: Possibly one of the most emotionally driven songs on her acclaimed album 21, “Take It Allâ€? is a beautiful proclamation of unrequited love within an inspirational and heart-wrenching melody. Adele’s entire sophomore album narrates the painful breakup with her ex, and XLMW WSRK I\IQTPM½IW LIV TEMR XLVSYKL VIPEXEFPI P]VMGW

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Dishing Out History

8LI LMWXSVMGEP ERH GYPXYVEP WMKRM½GERGI FILMRH WSYP JSSH By Elizabeth Stoltz

in America, enslaved Africans included new, local ingredients with traditional p r e p a r a t i o n techniques from their native countries. Out of necessity, new culinary traditions emerged. These dishes became associated with sharing a meal with family and friends after an long day. Like in Africa, these mealtimes were used to relive oral history, share stories and celebrate their roots. hen you hear the term After the Civil War, these foods took “soul food,â€? what images on unique identities that manifested come to mind? What themselves regionally. Ă DYRUV FDQ \RX WDVWH" :KDW VFHQWV Eric Acree, librarian at Cornell do you imagine swirling through the University’s Africana Center, explained kitchen? If you were to be presented that these culinary styles are largely a with a plate of “soul food,â€? what foods Southern tradition. would you expect to enjoy? “There’s food of the African American Today, it seems most people experience, but they are all so varied,â€? typically associate “soul foodâ€? with he said. a heaping plate of fried chicken and Louisiana was known for food ZDIĂ HV RU RNUD +RZHYHU WKHUH DUH ZLWK D )UHQFK Ă DLU 7KH 'HHS 6RXWK many complex historical factors that favored grits, country ham and crafted this image. As a result, the barbecues. Those on the coast, or the term “soul foodâ€? has pigeonholed “Low Country,â€? developed a love of the incredibly rich past of African ´VKULPS Ă€VK R\VWHUV DQG SOHQW\ RI American food culture. rice,â€? Finn said. A handful of dishes As Rachel Finn, director and have been associated with “soul food,â€? founder of Roots Cuisine, explained, but this generalization overlooks the the term “soul foodâ€? provides a very extensive varieties of African American narrow glimpse into African American foodways. culinary traditions and contributions. Unfortunately, it seems today that This socially constructed term can be “soul foodâ€? is associated with heavy, limiting when trying to understand deep fried or unhealthy ingredients. It’s African American culinary traditions important to reinforce that traditional and practices in a broader sense. African American foods were prepared Simply put, the term “soul foodâ€? from scratch and came straight from doesn’t do justice. That being said, the ground or farm. hopefully this story of “soul food,â€? Edna Lewis, author of the Gift of or more appropriately, the story of Southern Cooking UHĂ HFWHG RQ WKH traditional African American cooking, natural goodness of the ingredients is eye-opening. her family used. The journey begins in 14th century “We had thick soups of homegrown Africa. A typical African meal was dried beans with slices of pork and communal, often consisting of grains, hot, crusty breads,â€? she wrote. such as millet, rice, sorghum or “And for dessert there would be fonio, vegetables and small amounts bread puddings, deep-dish pies and RI FKLFNHQ Ă€VK RU RWKHU DQLPDO compotes of canned fruit.â€? protein. However, the slave trade Lewis also wrote that in the winter, interrupted this satisfying mealtime her family savored “canned vegetables tradition and uprooted millions. Once and fruits that had been prepared Author’s Note: When I initially sat down to write this article, I had a very strong image in my mind of what a plate of “soul foodâ€? would look like. Now, after learning more about this culinary tradition, one abundant in history, lifestyle and relationships, I gained a new appreciation for traditional African American foodways. My research challenged me to rethink this socially constructed term and encouraged me to delve deeper into the factors that led to my generalization of “soul food.â€?

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

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during those unbearable hot days of the past summer . . . there was sausage, liver pudding, spare ribs, wild game from the hunting parties, and wild watercress. No winter meal was complete without a fat, old Barred Rock hen saved for a cold day, stewed and served piping hot with dumplings made of a rich biscuit dough.� Finn explained the ingredients that were used depended on the season. “The elements of African American cooking that are considered unhealthy — the frying, the pork, the high salt content — were all necessary in the context of the lives of the enslaved,� she said. “Hard, backbreaking work in scorching hot sun and high humidity called for food packed with energy, which meant high caloric contents, carbohydrates.� The range of culinary techniques was as diverse and complex as the wide array of ingredients used. She added that this culinary style “comes from a tradition of people who lived off the land, raised, grew, gathered and processed their own food.� Just as the roots of traditional African American cooking are so much more than just the ingredients roasting on the stove top, your own experience of preparing these recipes will be more than what you dice on the cutting board. Page through cookbooks like Lewis’ The Taste of Country Cooking or Gift of Southern Cooking by Lewis and Scott Peacock and sample a few recipes to share. Fully savor your meal, made richer by the history. ____________________________________ Elizabeth Stoltz is a junior IMC major who hopes this article spiced up your life. Email her at estoltz1@ithaca.edu.

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Can You See Dead People?

8LI SRKSMRK HIFEXI FIX[IIR KLSWX LYRXIVW ERH WGMIRXMWXW By Kennis Ku

I

Image by Kennis Ku

t’s 2 a.m. and you are walking on a path with no lights or people, when suddenly, you hear a gentle FUDFNOLQJ VRXQG :KDW LV \RXU ÀUVW thought? Could it be a deer stepping on the grass? The wind? Or could it possibly be something as inexplicable as a spirit? If you think it could’ve been a spirit, you’re not alone; spiritual existence has grown to become much more widely accepted in the past several decades. According to research conducted by Pew Forum, 29 percent of Americans believe they have contacted with dead people or spirits. Chuck,* a student at Ithaca College, is one of them.

* Names have been changed. _____________________________________ Kennis Ku is a junior art and cinema & photography major who you can call if there’s something strange in your neighborhood. Email her at lku1@ithaca. edu.

Five Haunted Places in Upstate New York 1. Beardslee Castle (Little Falls) has been featured on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters as well as The History Channel’s Haunted Places, this replica Irish castle is supposedly home to the ghosts of Native Americans that died in an attempted siege on the castle’s munitions in the mid-1700s. Patrons have reported seeing strange lights (like a lantern) coming from the grounds, hearing voices, and an overall ominous presence. 2. Sampson Theatre (Penn Yan) is a non-TVS½X XLIEXVI [MXL E TEVERSVQEP presence. After an architect spotted an unexplainable, swirling mist on his pictures of the place, a second set of photos was taken and the ‘mist’ appeared again, leading some to believe there is supernatural reasoning behind the unexplainable silver wisps. 3. The Edge of Thyme (Candor) proves that no region is complete without a quaint, yet haunted, bed-and-breakfast. Both owners and guests have heard footsteps that continue through locked doors and seen projections of a woman in a rocking chair in one of the guestrooms. 4. Miles Wine Cellars (Himrod) is a house that was vacant for 50 years before current owner Doug Miles and his family bought it. The family reports hearing doors slam and seeing bubble-like orbs HEVX XLVSYKL XLI EMV %X XLI ½VWX XLI KLSWXW seemed territorial, but the Miles’ have adapted to their ghostly co-owners by creating a white wine label named ‘Ghost.’ 5. The Haunt (Ithaca) is not actually haunted, but go there sober and stay for more than an hour and chances are you’ll see something spine-chilling. Even if it’s just townies after dark.

-Catherine Fisher

Ministry of Cool

´, ZDV HLJKW \HDUV ROG RQ D Ă€HOG WULS [to Betsy Ross’ house],â€? he said. “It is a very old and small house. The class was standing at the room where the woman slept [on] a chair. I asked my mom why there was a woman crying on the chair. My mom told me there wasn’t.â€? He later found out multiple reports of other people seeing the woman in the house on the Internet. “I told [my mother] I thought it was a wax museum because there was also a man in uniform in the basement rolling bullets,â€? he added. It was later explained on an episode of Ghost Hunters that the man turned out to be the security guard who was shot there. Similar experiences with ghosts are frequent, especially around historical places. Benjamin Radford, deputy managing editor of Skeptical Inquirer, explained that the expectation for ghosts at

these well-known, “hauntedâ€? places has led to more people believing they have seen ghosts. “Most of the sites, including *HWW\VEXUJ RIIHU YDULRXV JKRVW WRXUV so the idea that ghosts may be lurking is not only well-known but actively SURPRWHG IRU SURĂ€W Âľ KH VDLG ´%HFDXVH ghosts often conform to people’s H[SHFWDWLRQV YLVLWRUV WR *HWW\VEXUJ are much more likely to report seeing a Civil War soldier than a ghost hunter in Alaska. A lot of it has to do with suggestion and expectations.â€? Bill Lenga, Ithaca College employee and experienced ghost hunter, said his most memorable experience was LQ *HWW\VEXUJ ´, FRXOG VPHOO FDPSĂ€UH GHDG people and gunpowder, and I could hear thousands of people screaming,â€? he said. “It was like they were re-enacting the war scene for me.â€? In addition to his experience, Lenga explained that his belief in ghosts is supported by not only experience but also science. “Energy cannot be destroyed, and ghosts are energy,â€? he said. “If you WU\ WR Ă€QG D ZLUH LQ WKH ZDOO WKURXJK using a math meter, it may only measure 1 to 2 milligauss of energy. But if you get up above 10 milligauss of energy, it’s not electrical.â€? This explanation was not convincing enough for Radford, who explained that this claim isn’t rooted in science. “Milligausses are very low levels of energy,â€? he said. “There is no evidence WKDW JKRVWV HPLW DEVRUE RU LQĂ XHQFH energy, so high-tech devices claiming to detect ghosts have no basis in science.â€? Although ghost hunters and scientists are playing a tug-of-war, it’s apparent that there is no way to determine which side is correct — until we, ourselves, are part of the afterlife.

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The Psych in Psychedelic

,S[ TW]GLIHIPMG HVYKW GER LIPT ]SY KIX MR XSYGL [MXL ]SYV WSYP By Dylan Clark

T

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

he Beatles were able to revolutionize music with the help of LSD, but what many don’t realize is that the drug also inspired one of today’s most powerful icons: Steve Jobs reported that dropping acid “was one of the two most important thingsâ€? he had done in his life. Had he never tripped, you might not have your iPhone today. Despite the bad rep they have, psychedelic drugs such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms not only have legitimate therapeutic uses, but they can also boost creativity and help create positive, long-lasting changes to your worldview. “I feel like it’s really misrepresented in the news,â€? Matt*, an Ithaca College student, said of his experience tripping. “We hear stories every day about some kid who jumped out of a window or off a building because he WKRXJKW KH FRXOG Ă \ %XW \RX QHYHU see a story like, ‘Kid takes acid, realizes the meaning of life, that he is one with the world, and rises to new per-

sonal heights.’� Unlike most illegal drugs, LSD and mushrooms are mostly risk-free. Beth Caldwell, assistant professor of psychology at Ithaca College, said that “LSD is the safest drug that exists on our planet. Psilocybin doesn’t have the same therapeutic window that LSD does, but they are remarkably safe drugs.� According to Caldwell, Ibogaine, an unpleasant psychedelic from Africa, “has been reported to be successful in some cases� at curing heroin addiction. Another substance, psilocybin, has been found to be able to eliminate fear of death in terminally ill patients. The only risk associated with tripping is the possibility of a bad trip. If you’re prone to depression or other mental disorders, a bad trip could be harmful, but if your psyche is healthy, Matt said, a bad trip can still be a positive experience in the long run. “Bad experiences can be good, too,� he said. “There can be a lot of personal revelation.� Many people think that all there is to a trip is seeing fantastic visuals, but people who take psychedelics solely to live in a Disney movie will be disappointed. “You look at it expecting it’s just that kind of intoxication, but it’s not,� Matt said. “My thought process is normally very clear, very heightened and very intense. I think it can be a little overwhelming, and I think that’s why a lot of people have bad experiences. They’re not really aware of how much thinking is going to happen.� Another IC student, Roy,* compared his acid trip to guitar

effects. “It kind of takes all of your senses and distorts them with different effects,â€? he said. “There’s a lot of modulation with it, like reverb, phaser, delay and chorus.â€? Tripping is typically not about the visual experience, but rather the profound ways in which it changes your thought processes. According to Matt, being on acid “is very heady, very introspective. It clears out all of the garbage in your head. It’s a lot easier to integrate everything you perceive into a complete picture.â€? Matt’s heightened cognition led to him making one of the biggest decisions of his life — his career path — while tripping. “I didn’t really have any idea what I ZDV GRLQJ LQ FROOHJH XQWLO P\ Ă€UVW DFLG WULS ODVW \HDU Âľ KH VDLG ´,W UHDOO\ Ă€QDOized my decision to teach, and it really dedicated me to the idea of graduate school. I really wasn’t sure if I was ready for the commitment, but I had this moment where I realized I have a true interest in something. Being aware of that, I decided I need to actually invest in it, pursue it, and try to exploit it, because I saw a lot of people around me just sort of having it and just putting it secondary.â€? Matt’s devotion to a long-term goal demonstrates the ability of these drugs to make you see the big picture. While it may not the most conventional or legal approach to making a decision, dropping a tab of acid may facilitate the soul-searching you need to make a decision that you can be happy with. Tripping can be described as a combination of a wildly changed thought processes and cool visual experiences, but ultimately, no explanation can truly capture the experience. Roy agreed: “You kind of have to do it to understand.â€? * Names have been changed _____________________________________ Dylan Clark is a sophomore writing and psychology major who likes to party down the rabbit hole. Email him at dclark3@ithaca.edu.

Image by Cecily Brown

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Where Soul Meets Body By Samantha Brucker

I

used to think that only “greatâ€? parties could inspire me to make art. But tonight it’s just a “goodâ€? party; tonight the rhythm just won’t intrude on my senses. The beats don’t make sense and the smell of cologne has been multiplied by two. My eyesight is blurred, but not in a good way. Faces are mixed and contorted. It was probably those rum and cokes I’ve been sippin’ on. But nothing will do it, nothing is shakin’ me from this funk that’s been inhibiting my style. My body isn’t reacting. My senses aren’t impressed. So I’ll call out for another drink and I’ll watch the others melt into the music, allowing only the skin of the others to relieve their numbness. You know I’m jealous of their freedom. Because right now that’s all they need. Because right now that’s the only thing that makes sense, vibrations through and through, breathing in nothing but the fog of the scene. I wish a revival of my senses would spark my dying battery. That’s all I ever used to need. There are too many beautiful people to ignore, too much skin to melt into. That’s all I could try to hold onto when that song came on, but even Trey Songz vibrations running through my body FRXOGQ¡W RXW GR WKH EXWWHUĂ LHV running through my soul. And all of this was running through my mind

ZKHQ , GHFLGHG WR Ă€QLVK WKDW WH[W WKDW , QHYHU VKRXOG KDYH Ă€QLVKHG LI , ZDQWed things to stay the same — a screen play of who cares less). With those plans I never should have made if I wanted to sustain an ideal of passionless sex, that should have been nothing but a brush off my shoulders. But somewhere between the backdrop of that electro-dance SDUW\ DQG WKH Ă DVKLQJ OLJKWV WKH VWDtus quo had changed. It wasn’t just about the cheap thrills. It never was. But I wish it had been. I wish you had never looked at me with those eyes, those glossy eyes. I wish you had never grabbed my neck. I wish you had never touched my body the way you did — you made me surrender instantly. , GLGQ¡W HYHQ SXW XS D Ă€JKW , OHW \RX take me there. I watched my walls crumble, I watched you rush in and course through my veins with every movement, and I watched you slowly remove every last piece of my clothing. You’d lift me up and set me down, scratchin’ me up like you knew I’d been wanting all along. And without hesitation I fell into it your body, and the scene wasn’t important. It wasn’t the sound of the bass that choreographed our rhythm, and it wasn’t the liquor I tasted or the cotton of your shirt that I felt or the waves in your curly, brown hair. It

was an exhaustive submission to spirit, senses and all coursing through. You didn’t need to ask questions, you didn’t need my direction, you already knew me better than I wanted. But there was nothing I could do about it. You had found my weakness before I knew where to hide the key. And every night that I walked through your door, I watched you watch me, and I knew we could never go back. Back to when I could casuDOO\ FRPH WKURXJK à LFN WKH OLJKWV DQG let the darkness blanket the reality of our connection. Because with the lights on I knew I wouldn’t make it long in this routine. You know this better than I do. You know there’s no way we can be friends. If only I could’ve just blindly kept touching your body. If only you hadn’t placed your hands exactly where I wanted, exactly how I wanted. If only we could go back to before. Before you unzipped my dress. Before you touched the small of my back. Before it was anything more than our bodies between the sheets. Before you made me question everything that I once proudly stood for. Before I was falling in love in like. So I’ll turn right around, forget the direction we were headed in and fall in love with the scene again, where only my senses will lead the way.

Ministry of Cool

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BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

ONS. PROSE&CONS. PROSE

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Connected

By Danny Gessner You choose to count every second between your last touch & the next one or else desire would overwhelm Still your body craves connection as the panacea can drug: ]SY HIWTIVEXIP] RIIH E ½\ -R½RMXI RIYVSRW GIPPW need that spark to ignite the synapse & create pleasure The pursuit will render your heartbeat into null & invalidate soul Passionate moment till decrescendo what’s left: desire to leach onto soul

Prose & Cons

Photo by David Lurvey

How does one substitute lust with a platonic embrace when silence is more like luv i’d rather read next to him without us speaking Then muddle words with luv When i look in his eyes i know that my body will not crave Because he loves beyond the bonds corporeal Our bodies stay apart but connected Mind & Heart

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The Deity of the Moon

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

by Garen Whitmore

Moira Berg breathed in. Half-asleep. The air was a thin waft of mustard. There was a memory there, cloyingly attached to the smell. She had been to the Welsh Fens to visit her greatgrandmother Loucks last summer. The entire family was there, waiting; a tiny ember of fear bobbing in their stomach Ă XLG *UHDW *UDQ ZDV VR ZHDN RI ODWH VR WLUHG 7KHLU EHOOLHV were full of bright, acrid tension, and sorrowfully empty of the foods that the old matriarch had traditionally prepared when family came on holiday. So many other rituals and practices had been absent in those two and a half weeks. 7KHUH ZHUH QR IDQWDVWLF VWRULHV IURP *UHDW *UDQ RI WKH ROG family’s clashing backgrounds: a Christian woman and a pagan man. She had been a Juliet, he a Romeo. There were no walks around the pond, set far back, prized deep in the woods. Moira and her siblings used to pretend that the only “safeâ€? place to be during tag was on the miniature island at the center of the pond. To be precise, you had to touch the stunted alder tree cluster that pierced the islet’s center. She tossed in EHG +HU Ă€DQFp Ben, stirred next to her, his dark hair falling so Photo by David Lurvey that it shrouded his eyes. She made sure not to wake him. All these memories were coming back to her because of that smell. She turned back, more awake. She checked her Blackberry for messages and noticed the date at the screen’s header. 3:17AM Wednesday, June 26 It was now 2010. The funeral was one year ago that very GD\ 'XULQJ WKH YLVLW *UHDW *UDQ KDG SDVVHG DZD\ MXVW as everyone had anticipated. That must be why she was having the delusions of smelling the English countryside WKDW *UHDW *UDQ DQG KHU HOGHUO\ SHHUV KDG VR DIIHFWLRQDWHO\ called “The Wash.â€? During this contemplation, Moira began to drift off to sleep again. The more she retreated from her semiwakened state, the farther her thoughts drifted from the melancholy memories of the funeral‌ First, Moira was an observer, as often occurs in dreams;

sweeping over the Wash and breathing in the smell of fresh English mustard plants. Presently, she fell into herself within the dream, and found she was looking out RYHU WKH )HQODQGV IURP RQH RI *UHDW *UDQ¡V OLWWOH KLOOWRS guest cottages. It was a clear, starry night; the sky was the purest navy she’d ever seen. It only grew lighter as it reached the dark lands’ horizon. The moon shone in the east, and lit the world in a ghastly beautiful contrast of sharp, pale white and oozing tar. Upon becoming more lucid, Moira realized that in the dream she was standing in an odd position looking out the window. She wondered how she had gotten there, but an irresistible inner force compelled her to ask no questions. She was on the ledge of the open window, barefoot. She had begun to raise her arms with an unknown purpose. There was something old lying dormant behind her sternum. Ancient, it was in control. She was not herself in this dream; she felt powerful despite her willowy frame. She drew herself into an out of body state and observed herself. Her normally dull, oceanic eyes blazed a blinding blue. Her shoulder -length chocolate brown hair rose and fell GHĂ€DQWO\ VORZO\ irregularly around her head. The golden chain around her QHFN Ă RDWHG VOLJKWO\ DZD\ IURP KHU FKHVW ORIWHG E\ WKH KHLUORRP &UXFLĂ€[ WKDW QRUPDOO\ KXQJ IURP LW 7KH V\PERO LWVHOI Ă XVKHG DQ XQQDWXUDO ZKLWH JROG 7KH ZKLWH QLJKW clothes she had on shone a brighter white in the moon and billowed slightly, though the wind was absent in this strange world. Back in her dream body, Moira shivered. Her task seemed to be a particularly destructive one. There was a growing power that began as the moonlight reached her eyes. It traveled down her spine, and little by little, raised KHU DUPV IURP VKRXOGHU VRFNHW WR Ă€QJHU WLSV The long-grass of the Fens trembled and the nearby mire rippled, the water undulating violently. When her arms were fully extended over the calm, soggy Wash, it erupted into a roaring sea of muddy water and sod. Whatever was she doing? The infant waves crashed indigo and thick brown, tossing mustard greens and peat about. Moira

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Photo from Lurvey Archive

Uriah Loucks. Each mouth was chanting in the same many-layered voice. Without giving her time to question it, the upsurge dissipated in a sparkle of a thousand faces. 0DQ\ RI WKRVH YLVDJHV EHORQJHG WR FKDUDFWHUV IURP *UHDW *UDQ¡V ROG WDOHV 7KH GDUN Ă€JXUH RQ WKH RWKHU KLOO KDG EHFRPH VWLOO VHUHQH He was surrounded by humanoid shadows. Supporting him. Protecting him and the land. He reached skyward and the world rumbled. With a great crack of lightning from the tip of the ZL]DUG¡V Ă€QJHU WKH ZKROH ZRUOG EHFDPH OLJKW 0RLUD IHOO blindly forward from the night sky into the reality of her tangled bedding, the air whooshed from her ribs like a EHOORZV %HQ VWRRG LQ WKH GRRUZD\ ZLWK KLV Ă€QJHU RQ WKH light-switch, hair mussed like a little boy at the breakfast table, clad only in his black boxer briefs. There was DQ DZIXO VWHQFK LQ WKH DLU DV 0RLUD %HUJ WRRN KHU Ă€UVW fully-conscious breath that very early morning. Her nose crinkled and her eyes cracked open, like walnuts.

Prose & Cons

didn’t want to be in this dream anymore; she didn’t want to be the cause of this destruction. But, the terror persisted. She could not push it or pull herself away. With her toe-tips brushing the windowsill, she was SUDFWLFDOO\ DĂ RDW DQG PDNLQJ UXLQ RI WKH EHDXWLIXO (QJOLVK PXVWDUG Ă€HOGV ZLWK WKH IRUFH RI KHU ZLOO She began to chant, “I am the Deity of the Moon-Lit Blue.â€? What did that mean? ´, KDYH QR ORYH WR JLYH VR LQ WKLV ODQG , Ă€QG VWUHQJWK to live.â€? This was not Moira speaking. Was she possessed? “I am the Deity of the Moon-Lit Blue.â€? 7KH YRLFH Ă€OOHG KHU PRXWK ZLWK D WKLFN EOLQGLQJ power that bloated her tongue. “I come in the hour of the Full Moon, and now leech life of the ancient Wash.â€? This place was her childhood. “Watch, as it swoons.â€? $QRWKHU Ă€JXUH DSSHDUHG RQ D KLOOWRS GLDJRQDO WR 0RLUD He began to sing a deep song. All that he called down to him was darkness. It was a powerful incantation, an invocation of aid. The night was called down, and VKDGRZ\ Ă€JXUHV ZLWKLQ LWV PLGVW ,Q WKH OLJKW RI WKH Moon he was a dreadful thing to see. His dark, shaggy hair blew violently, and his midnight cloak billowed behind him; its highlights lit only to the extent of a dull, deeply dark gray even in the Moon’s light. She felt a dusky, electric power surging from him that was profoundly musical. It was strangely calming. His song soothed her into pitch darkness, an opaque land of music that pulled her in like a magnet. She wondered what that meant. His aura was not malicious, but more like that of a savior. What did anything mean? Her head was throbbing. The only thing that she could understand anymore ZDV WKDW IRU VRPH UHDVRQ VKH ZDV Ă€JKWLQJ WR ULS DSDUW her great-grandmother’s marshland as thoroughly as she could, and the sorcerer on the other hill was trying to calm Moira, to calm the Moon, and to preserve the old land. Her chants held their ground with the power of a bright light, but his dark, smooth voice was melodious and overwhelming. Then Moira realized that this voice, her dream voice, was something she’d heard before. In another dream, or a long-lost memory‌ But, it was more WKDQ WKDW ,W ZDV WKH H[DFW YRLFH WKDW KHU *UHDW *UDQ KDG spoken in when she told stories. She uttered the same tones; sharp, yet sometimes soft and feather-light, other times ominous and powerful. A wave splashed up in front of Moira, shocking her, and LQ LWV PXOWL IDFHWHG UHĂ HFWLRQ ZDV VRPHWKLQJ HYHQ PRUH startling. All across the mirrored surface were the faces of women and a few men, all of whom resembled her in GLIIHUHQW ZD\V 2QH RI WKHP ZDV *UHDW *UDQ $QRWKHU ZDV her grandmother who had passed away before she knew her, and yet another was her infamous great-great-uncle,

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DUST. SAWDUST. SAWDUS

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

Cubicle Worker Swears He Was Important in a Past Life By Merdina Ljekperic

I

n the annex to the Editor-in-Chief’s mother’s home sit the headquarters of The Hermann Link, the weekly newspaper for Hermann, Missouri; the state’s capital of sausage production. ,Q WKHVH RIĂ€FHV OLHV 1RUP *OHQZDOG the greatest journalist that never was. “I’m a champion of the industry-A MRXUQDOLVW DW LWV Ă€QHVW IRUP Âł WKH IRXUWK HVWDWH WKH SHRSOH¡V SURWHFWRU Âľ VD\V *Oenwald. “Well, at least I was.â€? 1R RQH GDUHV JR ZLWKLQ IRXU IHHW RI *Oenwald’s cubicle as they know he’ll spin around in that leather chair he claims he got from his good friend, I.F. Stone, pull the notepad from his fedora, light

Image by Marc Phillips

his cigar, and go on and on about his journalistic prowess’s in his past life. “I’m playing it low key now for a reason. After a lifetime of reporting from crime sites, battle zones and natural disasters, I’m a tired man. There’s only so much time you can spend in the MXQJOHV RI Âś1DP IUDWHUQL]LQJ ZLWK WKH 9LHW &RQJ Âľ VD\V 1RUP FKRNLQJ RQ KLV cigar as he explains his former self. “I think I might have died right there in that jungle, or I might have been shot E\ UHEHOV LQ WKH 6XGDQ 1R ÂŤ QR , WKLQN , ZDV EORZQ WR ELWV LQ WKH *XOI :DU E\ D VXLFLGH ERPEHU <HDK \HDK WKDW¡V GHĂ€nitely it. My right arm just blew off. It’s always been a little sorer than the left.â€? *OHQZDOG¡V FRZRUNHUV KDYH reported that they are about ready to kill him so he can move onto his next life and out of theirs. “He got that chair at a garage sale! I know. I was there,â€? says copy editor Sam Williams. “It was my garage sale!â€? As if working for The Hermann Link wasn’t embarrassing enough for just about everyone involved, it gets even worse for whoever happens to get stuck on assignment with

*OHQZDOG “Different stories, same execution. 7KDW¡V P\ PRWWR Âľ VWDWHV *OHQZDOG According to him, it means he’s gone above and beyond to get his stories. Ask anyone else though and they’ll say he really goes above and beyond to make everyone around him cringe in shame. +HUPDQQ 1RUWK Y +HUPDQQ 6RXWK *LUOVÂ? KLJK VFKRRO VRIWEDOO SOD\RIIV Linda Ronson the camerawoman, also known as the art major broke enough to WDNH WKDW MRE VLJKV DV *OHQZDOG MXPSV into the nearest bush behind right Ă€HOG “He’s doing it again,â€? she says. “You should have seen him last week. He dug WKURXJK 6WDF\ *OHDVRQ¡V WUDVKFDQ WKH backup catcher. He found two old notebooks, a broken Tomagachi, some silly bands and he called it a conspiracy.¨ Editor-in-Chief Kurt Lawson had few FRPPHQWV ZKHQ DVNHG DERXW 1RUP ¨He’s just lucky that in this life he’s my wife’s nephew, and as long as he works here, I’ll keep getting laid. He’ll have a job for a long as I have a libido, which, if my past life as Casanova says anything, will be for a while.â€? ______________________________________ Merdina Ljekperic is a junior journalism and politics major who thinks we will all decompose into fertilizer. Email her at mljekpe1@ithaca.edu

Horoscopes:The Soulmate Edition Featured Match:

A golden pair that will be together as long as there is something to occupy.

-Horoscopes by Kitty To get your personal horoscope contact buzzsawmag@gmail.com, with the subject: attention Kitty

Sawdust

Aquarius and Pisces:

_

A good match, a Virgo will admire Scorpio’s ability to torrent any movie from the Internet within minutes, but this pair will make peers uncomfortable by sharing detailed information about their sex lives.

Gemini and Leo:

Though the Sagittarius may be hesi- After meeting at a Circle party, this WDQW WR VHWWOH GRZQ WKH\ ZLOO Ă€QG WKDW pair is known to be lively, playful, no one shares their love for ‘dressy and unbeatable at beer pong. casual’ occasions as much as the LiAries and Cancer: bra. Cancer’s natural devotion will cause this relationship to be an easy Taurus and Capricorn: Both power-hungry, this pair will be match, but if Aries insists on going a dynamic duo in and out of the work to the midnight premiere of Breaking place so long as both don’t apply for Dawn, trouble may brew. the Washington Post internship.

__

Scorpio and Virgo:

Sagittarius and Libra:

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Roommate Holds onto Sole-less Shoes for Sentimental Reasons

Y

esterday, Sophomore Jessica H* said she has no plan to throw out her shoes, despite their loss of functionality as footwear and utter lack of aesthetic value. The investigation into this matter began last week when her roommate, Eva Braun*, told a friend over lunch, ´, VZHDU WR *RG LI VKH GRHVQ¡W JHW ULG RI those [expletive] things one day she’ll FRPH KRPH DQG Ă€QG KHU VKRHV LQ ZRUVH shape than Steve Buscemi at the end of Fargo.â€? “Oh, I’m sure she was just joking,â€? said Jessica during an obvious attempt to choke back tears. “Sometimes she doesn’t get to make enough Coen brothers jokes and sort of lashes out. You know how those Park kids are.â€? The shoes were cradled in her lap and her hands defensively laid over them. “She just doesn’t know their full story.â€? According to Jessica, the shoes date back to “a tough timeâ€? in early 2008 where “[she] really just didn’t know who [she] was.â€? “Sometimes Jessica would complain for hours about how every time she wore a low cut blouse and short shorts she would get hit on,â€? a close high school friend of hers told Buzzsaw, “she would MXVW JHW VR FRQIXVHG DERXW KRZ WR Ă€[ the problem.â€? Jessica’s torment lasted for an eternity, “at least a monthâ€? agree several friends. “And then it just sort of happened that I said to her, ‘Why don’t

you try out these Converses I just bought?’ And the rest was history.â€? By now, the shoes are tattered with holes punched in their paperthin canvas. The body is lime green and covered in Sharpie scribbles that range from incoherent inside jokes to a vast array of emoticons. “This one says ‘Harriet you’re my bitch!!! <3,’â€? Jessica squealed while pointing to a black smudge on the right sneaker, “which is funny because my name isn’t Harriet and because she could have just drawn a heart instead of a less than three! You need to meet my old friends, they are so weird.â€? According to Eva, sometimes Jessica will stay up late squinting at the shoes and giggling. “She’ll be all like ‘Oh, you have to read this one. Chad wrote it when we were still going out before he was a jerk, but he was so funny. All it says is Peanut Butter! *HW LW" :HOO DFWXally you sort of need to know Chad to get that one.’â€? When Jessica is not cuddling with the sneakers, they reside on the top shelf of her desk on prominent display. “They really tie the room together,â€? she says in a serious voice before exploding LQWR D JLJJOH ´*HW LW" 6RPHWLPHV , VD\ ‘They really bring soul to the room, even though they don’t have soles!’ It cracks up my guests all the time.â€? “They laugh because it would be awkward if they didn’t,â€? Eva theorizes.

Photo by David Lurvey

By Patrick Morey

When asked what the shoes show about herself, Jessica launched into an analysis of herself so long that even a small fraction would be too lengthy to print here. Some observations she made included that she “is such a geek,â€? “likes to look good,â€? “sometimes likes to dress really comfy and not care what anyone else thinks,â€? and “has a unique sense of style.â€? Despite her hatred of the footwear, Eva is hopeful for the future. “I don’t see them being a problem much longer,â€? she says, looking downward and trying to hide her smile. “And by much longer I mean three weeks from now when Jessica is away on Thanksgiving break.â€? 1DPHV KDYH EHHQ FKDQJHG ______________________________________ Patrick Morey is freshman English major who thinks duct-tape would be DQ HDV\ Ă€[ (PDLO KLP DW SPRUH\ # ithaca.edu.

A Do-It Yourself Guide to Horcruxes

BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

By Mia O’Brien

C

alling all witches and wizards! Are you currently searching for immortality? Can’t seem WR Ă€QG WKDW SHVN\ 6RUFHUHU¡V 6WRQH" Sick and tired of viciously preying on unicorns and sucking their blood to VXUYLYH" :HOO QHYHU IHDU IULHQGV DW long last, there is hope for an afterOLIH DVLGH IURP WKH JUDYH Horcruxes! A Horcrux is a simple household item bewitched to include a sliver of your soul. Don’t worry, they’re kept cozy LQ ZDWHUSURRI LQĂ DPPDEOH HQYLronments. So long as your Horcrux is kept safe and sound, your search for LPPRUWDOLW\ LV XQQHFHVVDU\ Âł <28 won’t (or rather, can’t) die!

But why pay the big bucks at Borgin and Burkes or on the black magic market when you can simply make a Horcrux \RXUVHOI" )RU WKH Ă€UVW DQG 21/< WLPH ZH SUHVHQW WKLV H[FOXVLYH guide to creating your very own Horcruxes WKDW \RX ZRQ¡W Ă€QG DQ\ZKHUH else in print (you know ‘cause it’s dark magic and all). All you need is to follow these seven magical steps to ensure your immortality. After all, who ever said YOU can’t live forever?

STEP 2: Find a human being that you hate, your family hates, the world hates, or that just looks funny.

STEP 1: Find the most obscure artifact you own that still bears personal meaning.

STEP 4: Bring your handy-dandy “obscure artifact� with you, corner aforementioned human being, and murder them.

We suggest family heirlooms including rings, vases, and underpants.

Self-explanatory, but bear in mind that the individual in question won’t be around for much longer‌so choose wisely.

STEP 3: Drop subtle hints to the public of your planned attack.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, whatever Ă RDWV \RXU ERDW 7KH KXPDQ EHLQJ LQ TXHVtion needs to somehow be alerted of your intentions.

Be sure to wear some sort of “evil� costume

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Local Teen’s Soul In Mortal Peril After Dying Hair Red Family and friends are deeply concerned By Catherine Fisher

J

RI *LQJHUYLWLV “There’s just like nothing there, inside, conscience-wise I mean. I made fun of this girl’s love handles at lunch and didn’t feel at all after. Even after she heard and refused to eat for the rest of the day. It’s kind of cool actually.â€? Aside from verbally assaulting peers, Planter also reportedly spray painted all the faculty cars in the parking lot orange as well as stole all the colored pencils from the art room except Crayola Mac-and-cheese. (GXFDWRUV RI - 3ROODFN Ă€QG themselves tired of Planter’s teenage expressionism. Health Teacher Francine DeWitt said, “I’ve taught this kind before, we used to have an Irish Catholic family in the system. We can just hope that his roots grow back at a steady rate or he gets bullied in gym FODVV ZKLFKHYHU FRPHV Ă€UVW Âľ ´,¡YH VHHQ VWXGHQWV KXIĂ€QJ SDLQW and popping pills in the bathroom, but never have I seen this level of self-mutilation! I don’t know if I can properly handle the level of psychological and moral issues he must KDYH Âľ VDLG *XLGDQFH &RXQVHORU +LOary Polk when asked to have Planter put on suicide watch. 2Kool4Skool, the hip, emerging

(complete with a wand) during this step — it makes aforementioned human being even more vulnerable.

STEP 7: Laugh an evil laugh and tweet about your success!

Treat it like Microsoft Clip Art. Use your wand to guide your soul — which should appear shortly after the murder as an oozy, silver liquid.

To enhance the security of your Horcrux. We suggest booby-traps, secret passageways and sock drawers.

Sawdust

STEP 6: Hide the “obscure artifact� in a safe, secure haven that bears personal meaning.

WARNING: Side effects include headache, nausea, bad breath, and nose deformities. Keep Horcruxes clear of Fiendfyre, basilisk venom and other impenetrable magic sources. Ensure that no other living being is near as Horcrux is being formed. Medically recommended to not possess more than three Horcruxes at any given point in life. Horcruxes is a trademark of the “PotterEverAfter Corp.� Buzzsaw Magazine is not liable to disasters brought upon by this product. ________________________________________ Mia O’Brien is a freshman journalism major who is stuck on Step 2 ... any takers? Email her at mobrien5@ithaca.edu.

_

STEP 5: Allow a portion of your soul to seep freely out of your chest and drop it into the “obscure artifact� after the deed is done.

company that manufactures the dye, reported having a similar incident with their color, ‘Electric Orange’ years earlier. A representative stated, “Parents were having a meltdown, some even called in exorcisms to save their kid’s souls. I think Paramore was going on tour or something.â€? For now, Jake’s friends and family plan on holding a sĂŠance to redeem Jake’s contaminated spirit. His mother, Martha, was spotted bringing inspirational letters, a Bible, and a lock of his old hair. “From his seventh grade hair cut,â€? she sobbed out to the press, “hopefully it will remind him of the person he used to be.â€? Jake was last spotted walking around his home with an orange Sharpie, coloring over his hair in every family photo and cackling maniacally. “It’s like I’ve been this way forever.â€? ____________________________________ Catherine Fisher is a junior cinema & photography major who thinks red hair would properly showcase her poOLWLFDO YLHZV (PDLO KHU DW FĂ€VKHU # ithaca.edu

__

ake Planter (17) used to be your everyday trendy high school student. With a slight tan that hadn’t faded from summer and a zit that never seemed to fully disappear, he blended seamlessly with the other 1,400 individualists that made up J. Pollack High. That was until 6 p.m. Monday evening when Jake made a decision that would affect not just his OLIH EXW KLV DIWHUOLIH DV ZHOO KH G\HG his hair red. Planter, who felt his personality clashed with his generic black hair, picked up the ‘Rockin’ Red’ hair dye from Hot Topic earlier in the week in hopes that it would showcase his individuality. “When people see me, I want them to know I’m not your normal paint-stained, jean wearing kid. I’m a progressive thinker and what better way to express that than a bright red fo’hawk?â€? Planter explained. Due to his naturally dark hair color however, ‘Rockin’ Red’ faded into a ‘red-orange’ or rather ‘mostly orange’ shade and Planter has found himself standing apart in a different way. Suffering from a recent loss of morality DQG Ă€HUFH OR\DOW\ WR &DUURW 7RS WKH teenager has been showing symptons

Image by Georgie Morley

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BUZZSAW: The body & SOUL Issue

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__ _ Sawdust

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