Empire times 45 3 by FUSA Association

EMPIRE TIMES

No theme

AN EXCITING WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL WHERE WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE! CHECK OUT ALL THE FREE EVENTS ON FACEBOOK: @FUQSociety or search for Pride Fest! 2018

The Team EDITORS Ainsley Ewart, Oli Glenie, and Cameron Lowe SUB-EDITORS Georgina Banfield, Elise Christopher, Chelsea Griffith, Courtney Lawrence, Vanishka Sinh and Karen Smart COLUMNISTS Chelsea Griffith, Renee Kohler, Hamish Richardson, Karen Smart and Michelle Wakim ILLUSTRATIONS Emily Hallett @DisturbedButGorgeous (Front Cover), Sheydin Dew @sheydedart CONTRIBUTORS Keiron Andrews, Michael Carroll, Sheydin Dew, Ruby Easterbrook, Ainsley Ewart, Amber Foy, Chris Galimtakis, Alana Goldschmidt, Chelsea Griffith, Emily Hallett, Madeline Hand, Cathy Jones, Renee Kohler, Grace Liddell, Lisandra Linde, Cameron Lowe, Harvey Menadue, Alys Messenger, Peter Moreman, Ashley Sutherland, Michelle Wakim

ADVERTISING/MEDIA Steph Walker stephanie.walker@flinders.edu.au Enquiries Level 1, Student Hub, Flinders University (FUSA) 1 Registry Road Bedford Park, 5042. THANK YOUS A special thank you to our interviewees, Angus Stone and Nick O’Connor for taking the time out to answer our questions. An extra big thank you to Alie and Genna at Super Duper and to Shari at Secret Service for arranging the interviews and being so helpful! Thanks to Tasha (owner of Molly-Rose), Kevin (owner of Chocolate and Lucky), Richard (owner of Daisy), Pixie (owner of Raja) and Grace (owner of Winnie) for sending us your adorable photos!

Empire Times would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people who are the traditional custodians of the land Flinders University is situated on, and that this land was never ceded, but stolen. We would like to pay our respects to the elders of the Kaurna nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal peoples, past, present, and future. Empire Times is a publication of Flinders University Student Association (FUSA). Empire Times is printed by Newstyle Print. ‘The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, Flinders University, or Flinders University Student Association. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Empire Times articles and other information are up-to-date and as accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Empire Times Magazine for any errors or omissions contained herein.’

WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, ILLUSTRATORS & MAKERS OF PRETTY INTERESTING THINGS! Empire Times is a student publication that prints 8 times over the academic year. It is made by students, for students and provides a unique opportunity for students to be published, to talk about what's important to them and to be read by those in their community. Empire Times relies entirely on contributions from the readers to make up its content. Each selected piece goes through a collaborative editing process. We're very friendly, visit empiretimes.com.au/contribute to find out everything you need to know about being part of the team. 1

Editorial

I’ve had a particularly hectic month – I graduated from my Bachelor of Creative Arts during the break, along with my friends. Congratulations to everyone who graduated; you’ve worked hard and achieved an awesome thing. This issue of ET has no theme, which I always found more difficult to work with as a contributor – working without a clear topic in mind – but clearly not all our contributors struggle without themes because we’ve got some great articles and creative work this issue. The fun thing about having no theme is seeing the scope of submissions we get, with this issue featuring heaps of poetry, some fantastic articles and essays covering everything from mental health to Hong Kong, and as always, the best part of ET, Pets @ Flinders – there’s some adorable pups this time (as with every time, all pups are adorable and deserve love). Enjoy, Oli

You would think an issue of ‘No Theme’ would be easy right? Wrong! I struggle to find something to write about each time a ‘No Theme’ issue of Empire Times needs submissions. I guess it’s just the idea of it is extremely overwhelming due to all the different topics you can write for it. For this issue alone, I actually wrote many different articles before settling on two. One thing I wanted to really write about was my first experience with Chrono Trigger this year. I actually found the DS copy of it in Shin Tokyo while putting this issue together and have been really enjoying it. However, I already had something for Final Fantasy VI (Page 20) so I decided it would make a better article in the future. Although God only knows how many other people have written about Chrono Trigger already, it’d be hard to find something new to say about it. Before I go, I would like to thank all those who came to the Empire Times party on the 9th of May. You guys are awesome! I would also like to thank the others who have contributed to ET this year so far. You guys are awesome as well! Cam

This issue has been the hardest yet to produce, purely from a time contributed standpoint. My workload from classes has been immense and I’ve been sick for two weeks straight at the time of writing. In this issue, we have pieces about introversion in the arts (Chelsea Griffth. page 40) and ladies of pop culture (Renee Kohler, page 18). We’re publishing emails that we’ve received in response to FUSA’s consent campaign, and interviews with Angus Stone and Nick from Heaps Good Friends! To do the Angus Stone interview, I came into the office on a day off from uni, had to figure out which side of my desk had better reception, and borrow a phone from FUSA to record the call. I’d love to thank both Angus Stone and Nick O’Connor for being such great interviewees (and special thanks to Jess and Steph at FUSA for helping me shape my questions) and look forward to saying “Yeah, I interviewed them,” to strangers to impress them. (I know I look like I’ve just humbly accepted my Best Actress Oscar in this picture. That’s what I was going for.) Ainsley

VOL 45 NO.1

Key:

FUSA

Opinion

feature

column

creative

just for fun 3

Photography by Chris Galimitakis 4 Instagram: @c.galimitakis

c ol u mn/p r esidents statement

president’s statement The reality facing Australian universities right now is incredibly grim. The Liberals have removed $2.1 billion from higher education funding as of the last Federal Budget by cutting commonwealth-supported places and ensuring that education is not available to all. Across the country, we’re seeing the continued neo-liberalisation of universities. As I stood at Universities Australia’s Higher Education Conference in Canberra last month, no university official challenged Higher Education Minister, Senator Simon Birmingham’s outrageous justifications for the Government’s decision to devastate the quality of the sector in order to appeal to those unfairly persuaded by the insane notion that a federal budget should be run like a household one. I want to talk about free education, and fee-reversal. Student activists and left-wing political actors have long fought against education funding cuts and for free tuition. Funnily enough, in his own student politics days, Birmingham fought against the ‘Federal Government’s assault on students and education’ at the University of Adelaide. As many of you would know, Australia has a history of free higher education, and many of the parliamentarians who seek to cut funding to higher education and increase the HECS repayment threshold benefited from this structure. In 1944, the Common Reconstruction Training Scheme was introduced by the Labor Curtin-Chifley Government to encourage working class Australians to study to ensure that people had jobs in the post-war economy. Later on, this was expanded into the merit-based Commonwealth Scholarships scheme by the Liberal Menzies Government which, along with state-based teachers’ scholarships, ensured that an overwhelming majority of students did not pay fees for twenty or so years, until Gough Whitlam officially and successfully legislated for free education in 1973. Whilst many of us look back on the Whitlam-era of free higher education with admiration, it’s important to note that tuition-free places were capped and that this structure benefited, for the most part, middle-class white men. Still, the structure saw a marked increase in enrolments for mature-age women, which is, along with the very idea of free education, something to be congratulated. Introducing free higher education in Australia would involve an incredible upheaval of the system as we know it, including dismantling the immense structure and economy of HECS-HELP. Despite the complexity of the current situation, we students know that things cannot continue the way they are going without a significant cost. As the job market continues to change, and as automation of work looms, Australia needs highly skilled workers of all backgrounds. The current structure of university education in Australia is not well-integrated with the labour market’s needs, and we’ve seen this manifest in the lowering rate of graduate

employment across many universities, including Flinders. As university becomes less accessible, and as the sector continues to suffer through cuts to invaluable funding, the gap between graduates and the labour market’s needs continues to widen. A more equitable, and certainly free, education has been seen to have a positive impact on nations that choose to view welfare inequality as their responsibility to correct, and education as infrastructure rather than industry. In order to seriously look to returning to free higher education, as I believe Australia should, our Government and successive Governments need to seriously examine how inequality is manifested within the current system. Just as we are rightfully concerned about the inequality introduced by enormous university fees, we must also concern ourselves with the systems preceding that, being the private school sector or the costs of vocational training pursuits. I wholeheartedly believe that education should be made free and accessible to all. When HECS-HELP was introduced, it was touted as a way to combat inequality and ensure accessibility to education for Australians from all socio-economic backgrounds. Unfortunately, given the development of Australian society and an increased inequality gap as a result of decades of neoliberalism, the HECS-HELP system needs to be examined – particularly if, given last year’s MYEFO, places capping continues. The reality is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as students living with a disability, are underrepresented in university communities. If and when we achieve free education, we need a system that will truly advocate for accessible education for all, and we need this system to come with a thorough examination of Australian society and the economics that lead to welfare inequality.

Ashley Sutherland President, Flinders University Student Association student.president@flinders.edu.au

On Campus

A LISTING OF ON CAMPUS EVENTS

ANGUS & JULIA STONE THE PLAZA, 25 MAY

2018 Pride Fest

UNI PLAZA, 14 - 19 MAY Pride Fest is an exciting new festival running from the 14th-19th of May. The week features a broad array of events that are open to the public and people of all ages, genders and sexualities are welcome!

Brother/Sister duo Angus and Julia Stone will be coming to Flinders this May as part of their Snow album tour. Truly loved for their intoxicating melodies and gorgeous songcraft, it’s no surprise that their national run continues to build into one of the year’s most anticipated tours. For tickets go to: http://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/angus-juliastone/100284

Speakeasy Write-Ins FUSA CLUBROOM, 10 & 24 MAY Break’s over at it’s back to work at Flinders, but Speakeasy has you covered with a new event! We’re inviting you to a write-in to hang out, and write with, all your Speakeasy friends. Event Details can be found @speakeasy.creativereadings

F.U.F.C Toga Party THE TAV, MAY 19, 6:30PM Flinders University Football Club, in conjunction with Flinders Tavern, is holding a Toga Party! The event is open to all, so come down dressed in your best toga outfit and enjoy the night with your F.U.F.C. There will be competitions run throughout the night, including prizes for best dressed, as well as drink deals provided by Flinders Tavern.

FREE BRUNCH

ROAMING LOCATIONS NEXT EVENT, 14 & 30 MAY (STURT LIBRARY) FUSA gives out free breakfast all over campus so keep an eye on the location - it changes all the time. Head on over to the fusa. edu.au/events/ for all the deets. 6

J.C.C CULTURAL CLASS MULTIMEDIA LOUNGE

EVERY MONDAY, 3-4PM The Cultural Class is a discussion based class where we teach and discuss everything about Japanese culture! For example, Japanese mannerisms, school life, and lifestyle. ALL WELCOME~!

opi n i o n /f em i n i s m

geographies of oppression Why gender equality and feminist movements are still important today Madeline Hand I’m a strong believer in the importance of feminism and the necessity of gender equality, as anyone who knows me would know. This has been spurred by my passion for Geography and a topic I studied last year, Geographies of Oppression. Though the feminist movement has closed some gender gaps, much change still needs to occur. Gender inequality is maintained within multiple factions of society, including urban planning, politics, the media, education and basic human rights. This existing inequality not only limits the potential of women globally, but of men too. I’d like to share some gender based issues and why this not only involves men, but relies upon them to help create a more gender equal future. Urban planning is not only a high paying industry but also an important one. These planners decide how our environment is designed and thus, how it will be used by us. We need to make our neighbourhoods, cities and homes more accomodating by changing the view that women traditionally work in the home and men in cities. Traditional gender roles create and maintain this division of land which has a significant impact on our lives. Mothers and wives can become trapped in their homes if childcare services and schools are unaffordable or too far away. They can also become secluded and more dependent if there are no community centres or employment opportunities. This is all dependent on the provision of public transport. Buses are often the preferred method of transport so it is important that paths and bus stops are well lit at night and are safe for those more vulnerable. Attention should be given when designing urban areas to limit small corners and large bushes near paths and to create more open and well lit spaces to reduce both the fear of crime and crime rates. Providing these services and facilities will benefit all residents and encourage parents to share work and home responsibilities more equally.

Along with this, women are underrepresented in politics and in particular industries in the workforce. There are fewer women making our policies and in parliament, as demonstrated by America’s lack of a female president. It’s disheartening that America’s president who disregards equal human rights was voted in before a woman who is well educated in that field. America has had 45 presidents, none female and it’s about time that changed. Along with politics, many other industries don’t have equal gender representation. The issue with unequal gender representation is that women dominated careers, such as the childcare industry, are lower paying than those male dominated. I was shocked to learn that Iceland made equal pay legal for corporations with 25 employees or more only in 2017. And although this seems like a bare minimum, it doesn’t exist in any other countries. The Australian police force has implemented gender quotas to encourage equal participation of men and women. Though the job should go to the most qualified, I understand their aim and the importance of having more women in the police force. The media can perpetuate incorrect beliefs about ethnic groups and the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly enforcing unnecessary stereotypes. Similarly, they enforce gender roles and encourage the idea of masculinity and femininity. Black Panther and Wonder Woman break previous superhero film trends with oppressed groups being represented as leads in this genre. A few months ago, I rewatched the second Indiana Jones film and was appalled by the lead female character. There was no depth to her, with her character having no personality traits other than being weak and helpless. Compared to Indie and Short Round, she did nothing heroic and was only there as a love interest. This is why I believe Disney films are important with Disney princesses, considering their target audience.

opinion/ fem inism

Image from a New York political rally Their most recent films, Tangled, Moana, Frozen and Princess and the Frog have strong female protagonists, women who stand up and fight for themselves and what they believe in. So when I hear someone talking about how Disney needs more male protagonists, I can’t entirely agree. There are many films, particularly action, with male leads and few with female leads. Also, only about half of the films pass the Bechdel Test, in which two named female characters must have a conversation about anything except men. Hence, Moana cannot be undermined as one of the first Disney films featuring a Disney princess without a love interest. Important to this argument is the area of education. Education is not only a sustainable development goal, but a key factor in determining a country’s social values, economy, environment and politics. In many developing countries, young boys have greater attendance rates than girls in primary schools. When parents can’t afford to send all their children to school or need them to assist in household chores, it is more likely that the girl will have to sacrifice her education. This not only interrupts their schooling and prevents them from having equal education with their male peers, but repeats the cycle. A woman who does not attend secondary and tertiary schooling is more likely to marry younger and to have more children. Alternatively, a greater percentage of educated women will mean that they will raise their financial independence and social status and overall have greater representation in politics and policy decision making. Educating more women means a more productive economy and reduces pressure on families, the economy and the environment.

Gender inequality impacts both present and future generations as seen by China’s one child policy where girls were being aborted in favour of boys. I’d also like to bring to your attention, if you didn’t already know, that there is a robot in Saudi Arabia that has been given citizenship. There’s been some debate that the female-looking robot has more rights than women in that country. Currently, women in Saudi Arabia cannot travel, have a passport, get married, have a bank account, start a business or leave prison without a male companion’s consent. This robot has not been required to wear the Abaya or Hijab and does not have a male companion. There has been some improvements in this country by lifting the driving ban and allowing women to participate in National Days and to attend football stadiums. However, there is still much progress required as demonstrated by the Women’s Council, an organisation committed to protecting women’s rights (composed entirely of men by the way). Among all of the 17 Sustainability Development Goals, I believe gender equality should be the focus because closing the gender gap will improve many other goals such as health and education. With the aid of men and women, by changing our laws, traditions and values we can create a more equal future. Thus, gender equality is relevant and still an issue today and the fight is far from over.

ad vi ce/wr i t i n g

A Writer’s Guide to Getting Started iN Adelaide

Getting your work out into the big, wide world is daunting. The thought of people - people who aren’t your mum or your best mate - reading the words you have so lovingly committed to the page is terrifying. But if you want to be a writer you have to start somewhere. Adelaide might not seem like the best place to start out as a writer. Melbourne and Sydney seem to hold the monopoly on all things writing and publishing related. But here’s the thing Adelaide has a lot to offer for emerging writers. It might just be a little different, a little better hidden than what you find in the big cities, but it’s definitely here. Here is just a snapshot of some of the best Adelaide-based writer collectives and places you can send your work for publication (without feeling destined for rejection). 1. Speakeasy Flinders So it turns out you don’t have to look far to find other fresh-faced writers to mingle with. Meeting twice a semester, Speakeasy Flinders has aspiring Flinders writers stand up and share their words with an audience pumped full of free wine and cheese. Absolutely petrified of reading your work aloud? Never fear, you can always come along to their events and listen, then mingle and make some new friends. They also publish two hand-crafted zines every year. Never published a single thing in your life? Well, that’s no barrier here. Speakeasy take submissions from undergraduate writers of every experience level. To find out more about Speakeasy check them out on Facebook (@speakeasy.creativereadings) or send them an email (speakeasy. flinders@gmail.com).

Words by Lisandra Linde

2. Pure Slush All the cool, quirky places to publish are in Melbourne, right? Wrong. One of the flagship presses of the Bequem Publishing collective, Pure Slush is an Adelaide-based press that has been

A dv ice/ writing

publishing print anthologies since 2010. Nothing is too absurd for these folks. If you are not ready to bash out your first epic manuscript then these guys are for you. Flash fiction is their forte, and that means keeping it short and sweet (usually 1000 words max). You can keep up to date with their upcoming anthologies on their website (https://pureslush.com). 3. Tulpa Magazine Ever wondered where student editors (Empire Times editors to be exact) go when they leave university? Well, some of them go on to found their own publications in the wider world. Tulpa Magazine is one such publication. Currently online only, Tulpa is a safe-haven for emerging writers. A place to flex your creative wings and get editorial feedback and advice. One of the many things that separates Tulpa from other ‘literary’ or ‘arts’ magazines is that their focus is on providing hands-on help in editing pieces from new writers. In doing so, they blur the line between the role of editor and that of a mentor. Tulpa’s submissions are always open and they take anything from fiction and poetry to commentary and reviews. They accept work from writers of every experience level, and are particularly fond of work that challenges convention. They are also working towards a quarterly print edition - so keep an eye out! For more about Tulpa Magazine be sure to visit their website (https://tulpamagazine.com) or find them on Facebook (@ TulpaMag) and Twitter (@TulpaMagazine). 4. The Hearth Collective There are plenty of Flinders alumni and PhD candidates stirring up the arts scene in Adelaide and the ladies behind The Hearth Collective are doing just that. The Hearth Collective is a spoken word group that focus on the creative process as much as the written work itself. At each of their events you get to hear incredible stories from local writers and how their pieces came to be. You can brave the stage yourself, or you can sit back and listen.

You can learn a lot from the stories and writers at these events and if you hang around at the end you can ask questions and meet fellow writers. It is a great chance to learn and network, and we all know how important networking is for the 21st century writer. To learn more about The Hearth and their upcoming events check out their website (https://thehearthsite.wordpress.com) or find them on Facebook (@thehearthadelaide). 5. Quart Short: Literary Reading Nights Okay, so maybe you don’t want to brave the stage and stumble over your own words in front of an audience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t share your work with the public without printing it on the page. Meet Quart Short - your new favourite reading event. Okay, ‘reading event’ doesn’t exactly sound like a riveting night out but hear me out. Quart Short take your stories, poems and nonfiction and hand them to a group of talented local actors who bring your words to life for the public to enjoy. There’s something very special about sitting in a room packed with people and hearing your wordsyour characters, your narration- waft around the room. It is the next best thing to a film adaptation, right? You can find Quart Short on Facebook (@quartshort) and Instagram (quartshortreadings). If you are still unsure where to start or you want to learn about more opportunities for writers here in Adelaide, you should check out Writers SA and consider becoming a member (https:// writerssa.org.au). Writers SA run workshops, offer help and advice, and have a full list of places to submit your work (though a lot of them are interstate). These are just a few opportunities; a little taster of what Adelaide has on offer. Actually, they’re just some of my favourites. The ones that have been most welcoming and (just as importantly) most fun. Oh, and this article isn’t sponsored by anyone. Like, I get literally nothing out of this. But you might - and that’s what really matters, isn’t it? Editor’s Note: Lisandra Linde is an editor at Tulpa Magazine.

opinion/ writing

‘‘This is not a Creative Writing Class!’’ How Journalism Class Has Helped my Writing Career Words by Cameron Lowe “This is not a creative writing class.” Ice shoots through my veins when my journalism tutor finishes this sentence. No longer was I in the creative writing world; one built around fantasy and imagination with little fact. Instead, I am in a new writing world; journalism, where facts make stories. Since taking the journalism class here at Flinders last year, I have discovered journalism has actually benefited my writing career. One of journalism’s core fundamentals is tight writing. Tight writing means using as few words as possible, while having as much relevant information as possible. This form is especially vital in hard news articles that dominate a newspaper’s front page. While I may never be a hard news writer, I have started to incorporate tight writing into my “soft news” articles (e.g. Features) and short fiction. Our attention spans are growing shorter and tight writing helps keep a reader’s interest longer. Social skills are vital to succeed both inside and outside uni. I have a lot of social anxiety, both from my fiction writing background and having Asperger’s Syndrome. When I realised interviewing is critical in journalism, my heart started racing. I did not know how I was able to conduct such a task. My journalism tutor, however, gave us pointers on how to conduct interviews and explained their benefits. It is from these pointers and some practice that I have been able to begin conducting interviews. I found quickly how much interviewing helps, especially when I was collecting information for my articles on the Tav and Lexicon. Doing these interviews too allowed me to learn more skills in communicating

with people I do not know. I feel they will help me with improving my social skills so I can increase my chances outside uni. My journalism tutor often spoke about the issue of subjective news telling in today’s media. They taught us to remain as objective as possible, giving readers the facts rather than our own opinion. Even for opinion pieces we were frequently told to present facts to back up our claims. This information from this has helped me in assuming the editor’s role here at Empire Times. The skills taught allow me to figure out what is a suitable article for the magazine, both in print and online. What I have learnt too will allow me to know when it is right to insert my opinion into any non-fiction piece I write in future. I feel too that knowing this information can help benefit the students here who wish to become journalists. Journalism class has opened many new doors in my writing career. It has improved my fiction writing and has allowed me to start pursuing a secondary career in my other passion: pop culture. Journalism class has enabled me to enter the pop culture realm and bring people the news from it, be it global or local. I may not have been able to write past Empire Times articles like “The Future of Doctor Who” (issue 44.8), and “Fringe 2018: Doctor Trek in Space” if I had not done journalism. *Journalism (PROF2003) is a new topic at Flinders University. It is a compulsory topic for students in the Communication and Professional Writing degree. For anyone outside this degree who would like to take it, speak with your course co-ordinator. 13

co l u m n /s po r t

SUCH IS Sport WHAT FRESH HELL Words by Michelle Wakim At school, my friends and I had good hearts. We tried our very best, always getting 1’s for effort, and we were inclusive and friendly. However, we were also awkward children, who didn’t have great spatial awareness. This meant P.E. was quite an ordeal for us. From the beginning we were separated from the rest. In every literacy and numeracy class we were put in extension groups. We were proud young cherubs so in reception, when we were told we would again be separated in P.E., naturally, we were glowing with confidence. In actual fact, we were becoming members of the ‘Jellybean Club’ – a club for uncoordinated individuals. If you are picturing slightly chubby, or at the other end of the spectrum, scrawny children, trying but failing to run around a confined space, you would be correct. As the name suggests, we were rewarded with jellybeans (which didn’t help the chubbiness or coordination) whenever we did any physical activity competently. By physical activity I mean jumping into a hoop that was flat on the ground, stepping onto a bench, or rolling a ball. Little did we know these were the golden years. 14

“Completing your last 3km in Year 10 for many is a celebration. It means you have made it through the darkest hour.” After we served our time in the ‘Jellybean Club’ we were pushed from the nest, but instead of fly or fall, it was run or die. Most of us died our first death during Cross Country. This was a compulsory activity. It was like going to war. We would all carry our team pride, even the weakest of us. The worst part wasn’t the lead up, the start, or even the running. It was the finish. Because we were slower, we would come in last for our age groups. The final 200m would be lined with children faster, older and stronger than us. Everyone would be watching you, cheering and yelling your name. Sounds nice doesn’t it? But, oh, the horror. The cruel horror and embarrassment of it all is tattooed on my mind for eternity. The compulsory running didn’t stop there. In high school, we would be made to run 3km twice a term. We were timed and this would determine our grade. It wasn’t based on improvement. It

column/ sport was literarily: female, aged 13 coming in under 16 minutes would get an ‘A’. The slower the time, the lower the grade. Again, the last leg would be performed in front of your peers. Though, we are now in high school, so there is no more cheering - just silence as you cross that finish line. Everyone was aware of the embarrassment, so eye contact was avoided at all costs to save our dignities. Completing your last 3km in Year 10 for many is a celebration. It means you have made it through the darkest hour. I don’t know what genius thought forcing children to run was a good idea. It’s a very precarious age. I know people who have never run again. People who are not genetically blessed with talents in sport often fall into habits that enhance how unnatural they look when participating. I was a ‘panter’, someone who would huff and puff loudly as a coping mechanism. I am still a ‘panter’. No matter how fit I get, I will always breathe heavy. My best friend suffers from discolouration. The poor love turns a colour mixed between tomato red and beetroot purple. After some recovery time, she will turn as white as a cauliflower. Another friend of mine cared so little about sport he didn’t own a pair of sneakers. He would run the 3km in his school shoes.

“Dear readers, there is hope. You might be a late bloomer, such as myself, or simply find joy in getting those endorphins pumping without worrying about your skill level.” Every now and then, the sports department would try to widen their reach. They looked to aid coordination and communication in unique ways. They thought the answer was ‘Footsteps’. Delusional they were. They would hire a painfully enthusiastic instructor who would teach us how to partner dance. Goodness gracious me, this was horrific.

Take your minds back to between the ages of 10 and 15. Recall the awkwardness and how utterly petrifying the idea of physical contact with the opposite sex was. The girls had their growth spurt earlier, so they were taller than the boys. Your body was still trying to find its correct proportion so your feet were a little too big for your size. This was after the hormones and BO began, but before deodorant and anti-perspirant were appreciated. Such a dark window in the timeline of an adolescent. So what do they do? They make us pick partners. They make us hold hands and look into each other’s eyes – I still struggle with such intimacy. The whole year level would then assume the person you picked as your partner was the person you liked. This was the end of the world because being ‘coy’ about your crush was a bare necessity. Though, I was luckier than most. My Year 7 crush, let’s call him John, picked me even though he had a girlfriend – what a scandal. So we took each other’s hands and stepped in time for an hour and a half, and I was happier than a clam at high tide. Dear readers, there is hope. You might be a late bloomer, such as myself, or simply find joy in getting those endorphins pumping without worrying about your skill level. Or perhaps you never exercised again. But, I would like to leave you with this: in primary school, we would be gathered in the sports centre. Our good natured, flamboyant librarian would take centre stage alongside other groovy teachers and lead us in the Nutbush and the Macarena. I would look to these teachers in awe of their confidence. I would feel the good vibes wash over me as a youngin’ – goose bumps and all. Years later, if a good song comes on out in town, at parties, or even while shopping, I find myself having no shame in dancing and singing along. Perhaps the flame was sparked all those years ago in a primary school P.E. class.

Pictured: Michelle Wakim (3rd from left) with ‘Jellybean Club’, 2005

feat u r e/hea lth

OBesity: America’s Biggest Export The Global South’s New Problem Words by Michael Carroll

If one were to imagine the caricatures of the West, it wouldn’t take long to come up with the image of the golden arches or Colonel Sanders. You may even think of obesity and the looming health crisis. According to an article from BusinessInsider, visits to fast food restaurants are declining and that people are looking for healthier alternatives for food in the West, the number of these restaurants has exploded. Especially throughout Africa, Asia, and South America. In a bid to increase sales, companies such as McDonalds and KFC are relocating to lower socioeconomic countries to capitalise on poverty. Because the restaurants sell cheap food, many citizens of the Global South look towards fast food. This “Western diet” that they have turned to, is high in fat and carbohydrates and offers little nutritional value. Going from previous traditional diets of rice, legumes and beans to processed meat can only spell disaster for the health of these peoples.

“As heavy physical exercise was once part of daily work life, the need for exercise has been shifted to after work hours; a liability many do not bother to do.” Between 1993 and 2014, Mexico’s consumption of sugary drinks tripled, according to The Guardian. It is believed that between the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and investment from fast food retailers, trade has increased between Mexico and America. The combination of fast food

feature/ hea lth restaurants being built in urban centres and the rising urban population, has seen a demand for the Western diet increasing in Mexico. As demand increases, the average weight of the population does too. With urbanisation, comes decreased physical activity. Because fewer people have jobs that are physically demanding, they are not losing the weight that they gain from food. Now that more people are holding ‘office positions’, physical activity has gone down. As heavy physical exercise was once part of daily work life, the need for exercise has been shifted to after work hours; a liability many do not bother to do. Children across the world are bigger than their parents once were when they were the same age. Not only are they less active, but their diet of legumes, fruit, nutritious food has been replaced by carbohydrates and food high in calories. A similar picture is being painted in Africa. In the past 25 years, Egypt’s obesity levels have risen from 24% to 37%. In Ghana, it has risen from 8% to 22%. In Kenya, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Zambia, obesity rates have more than doubled. In Tanzania, they have tripled. Egypt’s first McDonald’s opened in 1994. Now, there are over 100 stores. While Western fast food chains are not very popular in Africa they can be found there. Africa does have their own fast food chain brands. For example, South Africa have their own chain of restaurants called Chicken Licken with 247 stores. In Nigeria, fast food drive-through restaurant Mr Bigg’s can be found in 170 locations. While it would be impossible to name every fast food restaurant in Africa, it is important to mention that there are many restaurants I have not mentioned. Subway, Nando’s, Burger King, KFC, pizza parlours etc. can all be found in Africa. With such cheap food and empty pockets, the nutrition of food does not concern them. First, they are hungry. Secondly, they have had little education about health in their education systems. These African chains are taking the concept of fast food from the West and selling it to the vulnerable. KFC and McDonald’s know that there is money to be made, and they claim that they are ending world hunger. Dionne Searcey and Matt Richtel for the New York Times have found that while KFC is only modestly popular in Ghana currently, its popularity is quickly rising and it may soon become the dominant restaurant. While they are feeding the poor for a low price, the side effects will be evident in the long-term, when the country suffers a health crisis. How will the country cope with the health crisis?

in return. If people were educated on the health impacts of obesity and other options available, fewer people would consume fast food. This has been the strategy in the West. If the governments are censoring the impacts of obesity, are they promoting it? Are they focused on the investments from McDonalds and KFC now, in spite of the upcoming health crisis bill later? Thankfully, some governments who are doing the right thing... The governments of Mexico and Chile implemented soft drink taxes and put labels on drinks to warn its citizens of dangers associated with consumption. While this has shown to be widely ineffective in Mexico, it is a step in the right direction. What fast food chains are doing now is no different than what tobacco companies were doing a decade ago. Another question that needs to be posed is who is responsible for teaching people in third world countries about the dangers of obesity? Are local governments, organisations, fast food chains, the World Health Organisation, schools, or health experts responsible? Just by looking at South America, governments have different ideas on how to address the problem, or even if they should address the problem. The best solution is to educate the public on the problems with obesity. Education must start early for it to be effective. Although education may be the best way to reduce obesity rates, it won’t solve the problem entirely. After all, health education in Australia is highly resourced, however, we have an obesity epidemic that is still expected to get worse. It is predicted that the children of today will live to be shorter than their parents. There is no easy solution to this problem, nor is there one that will completely solve the situation. With that being said, it is in the best interest of governments to try and fix this problem. They will be the ones paying for it. In other countries with a single payer system, it will be the obese person who will pay for it. The only positive that comes out of this is that it will reduce world hunger, but at what cost? We have seen the damage that fast food chains have done to the health of our society here in Australia. Now, we can only watch on at the damage they will do to other societies. We can hope that governments in the regions come up with a solution that will at least curb the problem. For America, the CDC estimates that obesity is costing the American healthcare system $200 billion a year. Now, imagine that cost for a developing nation.

“We have seen the damage that fast food chains have done to the health of our society here in Australia. Now, we can only watch on at the damage they will do to other societies.” There are organisations trying to curb the growth of obesity in the Global South. However, this can be a dangerous venture. Dr Esperanza Ceron in Ecuador, the Director of Educor Consumidores, has tried to raise awareness of the effects of obesity in Ecuador. In an interview with Al Jazeera, she stated that as a result, her advertisement was pulled off TV stations, she was hit with a $250,000 government fine, had her phones and computers tapped and has experienced being followed home by strangers. Evidently, fast food retailers are converging with governments. These retailers offer governments an economic boost, and the government censors information that may damage their business 17

col u m n /po p cu lt u r e

LADIES OF POP CULTURE FAME A list of just some of the Amazing Women in fiction. Words by Renee Kohler “I declare that everything you are saying is stupid.” April Ludgate

March 8th was International Women’s Day and I’m here to talk about some of my favourite women in fiction to celebrate (albeit a little late). Each one has captured my interest and exemplified what I as a writer hope to one day portray in my own work. The following list is, for the most part, spoiler free so don’t fear!

April Ludgate, Parks and Recreation My love for Parks and Recreation is eternal and Pawnee’s citizens will always hold a special place in my heart. Perhaps one of my favourite parts of Parks is the delightfully apathetic April Ludgate played by Aubrey Plaza. As with many of the characters listed, what drew me to them was their sense of humour. She’s wonderfully morbid and sarcastic, providing some of the best lines from the show’s run. Plaza’s deadpan delivery on some of the darkest lines is as equally terrifying as it is hilarious. She cares very little about most people, but her relationship with her friends and partner are delightful. Best April quote: “I declare that everything you are saying is stupid.”

Shuri, Black Panther

“I declare that everything you are saying is stupid.” April Ludgate

Black Panther, as mentioned in my introductory article, was one of my most anticipated releases of this year. Thankfully, it not only delivered but exceeded all my expectations. Aesthetically stunning with a strong narrative and interesting characters, it quickly became my favourite Marvel film to date. While I had multiple favourite characters leaving the theatre, Shuri was a standout. I tend to be drawn to characters with a sarcastic streak and Shuri was all that and so much more. A technological whiz and canonically the smartest Marvel Comic Universe (MCU) character thus far, at only sixteen! She is without a doubt going to be a highlight of the upcoming Avengers film, especially when she’ll meet up with Marvel’s most iconic characters – is a Shuri and Peter Parker team up on the cards? Best Shuri quote: “This corset is really uncomfortable, so can we all just wrap it up and go home?”

c olum n/ pop culture

Delilah Bard, Shades of Magic

Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I’ve previously spoken on my love of V.E. Schwab’s writing while talking about Vicious and Vengeful, but this time I’d like to turn my attention to the series that first drew me to Schwab’s writing initially. The Shades of Magic series is a trilogy set in a world consisting of four parallel London’s, each with varying degrees of magic. Delilah Bard, or Lila as she prefers to be known, is a pirate and thief hailing from Grey London which is the London closest to our own. She’s snarky, has a penchant for collecting knives and has some of the best action scenes that I have ever read in fiction. Her arc over the course of the three books is enthralling and I cannot wait for her to be in Schwab’s new series Threads of Power. If you love fantasy, action and tons of hilarious character interactions I recommend the Shades of Magic series.

Rosa Diaz played by the spectacular Stephanie Beatriz, represents something incredibly important to myself and many others in Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s audience. I would be remiss to omit her from a list that details my favourite women in media, as she is definitely at the top of characters who I adore. Rosa, for those of you who haven’t seen the show (please rectify that ASAP), is the very embodiment of cool. She’s a detective in Brooklyn’s 99th district, a motorbike rider and lover of leather jackets. She works hard, plays hard and above all else cares about her co-workers and friends. Also, in the most recent season Rosa came out as bisexual in an emotional two episodes. Not only is the support of her friends and boss so incredibly important, but the initial ignorance shown by her parents highlights a very persistent problem faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. Actress Stephanie Beatriz herself is bisexual and was very vocal about her wish to see it better represented on screen.

Best Delilah quote: “I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

Best Rosa quote: “That will never happen. In fact, you’ve just lost Rosa privileges. From now on, you can call me Diaz or Hey You.”

Evelyn Hugo, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

“That will never happen. In fact, you’ve just lost Rosa privileges. From now on, you can call me Diaz or Hey You.” Rosa Diaz Dolores Abernathy, Westworld Yes, I’ve already raved about Westworld once in the Empire Times, but I cannot talk about female characters without mentioning Dolores. Evan Rachel Wood’s portrayal is wonderfully multifaceted, with the classical, western, damsel in distress meeting her AI analysis mode. The former is shed quite significantly as she becomes more sentient and detracts from her narrative. In the upcoming season, Dolores looks to be embracing her gunslinger status well and truly, so anyone who’s done her wrong should look out. Dolores’ already fascinating characterisation is bolstered by stunning dialogue inspired by Shakespeare and Alice in Wonderland. With the second season confirmed to be premiering on April 22nd, I am eagerly awaiting Dolores’ return.

This was a recent read of mine and it has stuck with me for a multitude of reasons. Heavily inspired by the 1950’s Old Hollywood aesthetic and actresses like Elizabeth Taylor, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is an excellent examination of female empowerment, victimisation and objectification in the public eye. Evelyn is a biracial woman who reinvents herself to join the Hollywood elite. Her story, told by an older Evelyn, is heartbreaking but difficult to put down. The novel details the struggles Evelyn endured to maintain her career, often to the detriment of her own wellbeing and her relationships with others. While any major plot details would be spoilers, I can say that Evelyn will stick with me due to her depth, flawed nature and absolute certainty in her actions even if the consequences were dire. Best Evelyn quote: “Don’t ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box. Don’t do that.” Each of these characters exemplifies what pop culture does best, portraying differences in a way that educates, inspires and entertains. While many facets of the media have been criticised for their portrayals of women, rightly so in most cases, the times are changing. We see more women than ever writing or enacting stories that are representative of their own experiences, which leads to more realistic, diverse representations of women. For that I am incredibly grateful for the present and the future of women in pop culture.

Best Dolores quote: “Time undoes even the mightiest of creatures. Just look at what it’s done to you. One day you will perish. You will lie with the rest of your kind in the dirt. Your dreams forgotten, your horrors effaced.”

Opi n i o n /G a m i n g

An Early Masterpiece of Video Game Storytelling Words by Cameron Lowe I have played many video games with fantastic narratives over the years. However, one game which passed under my radar is Squaresoft’s (now part of Square Enix) 1994 Super Nintendo (SNES) title Final Fantasy VI. Produced by Hironobu Sakaguchi, this is the sixth entry in the long-running Final Fantasy series. It took until the release of the SNES Classic Mini in September 2017 to finally play this game. After playing it, I have come to one conclusion: this game is a masterpiece in early video game storytelling. Below are just some reasons why I think it is. Like other storytelling mediums such as books and film, video games should be active rather than passive. Especially in the SNES era, showing the narrative was extremely important due to technological limitations. Final Fantasy VI does this showing in such an effective, innovative way. This is done through the ways the character sprites react on screen, especially after a traumatic moment for them. From the slight wave of their hand to their faces dropping, they evoke emotions within the player, be it happy or sad, all without a single word appearing on screen. The showing of the narrative is also conveyed extremely well through the art styling. Despite many places in the game world looking the same due to the SNES’s limitations, each place is crafted uniquely with the art style, reflecting on how advanced it is compared to another place in the world. Continuing with the ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ aspect, a video game must also be able to evoke emotions through the use of music. Final Fantasy VI ticks this box too. The soundtrack is diverse and changes to reflect the narrative. Certain tracks, like ‘Terra’s

Theme’ evokes a sense of adventure and exploration, while ‘Aria Di Mezzo Carattere’ gives the feeling of being in an opera. Other tracks like ‘The Descive Battle’ bring despreateness to a situation while ‘Phantom Forest’ conveys the feeling of the dead are alive and walking again. Perhaps most fascinating of all is how this was all achieved with such limited technology. Like many retro video games, this soundtrack now evokes a sense of nostalgia within a player, bringing them back to a simpler time and of adventure. The final, perhaps most important, aspect of video game storytelling is having an engaging narrative. It’s here that Final Fantasy VI exceeds, even if its campaign exceeds fifty hours and has 14 playable characters. The game contains many plot twists which keeps their attention and engage more with their characters. It should also be mentioned that Kefka, the main antagonist, is one of the most evil game villains ever created. What he does halfway through the game’s narrative was innovative in the time and really hit home. His actions also showed no matter how strong a hero is, they can still fail. Although released nearly 25 years ago, Final Fantasy VI continues to be a masterpiece of video game storytelling. Its ways of showing its narrative through character actions, music, and art remain vital to the way stories are told in a video game. It’s an example of what can be achieved in a storytelling aspect with limited hardware. For anyone interested, Final Fantasy VI is available in its original form on the SNES Classic Mini (as its original western title: Final Fantasy III), and remastered on Steam, iOS, and Android. *Artwork by Yoshitaka Amano

just fo r f u n /vox p o p s

VOX POPS

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (ON CAMPUS)

Bedford Campus

CLAIRE

JASMINE

LUKA

PSYCH

SCIENCE

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Q1. The Magic Flute

Q1. Spirit

Q1. Toy Story

Q2. No

Q2. Nothing Specific

Q2. Laser Eye Surgery

Q3. Ed Sheeran

Q3. Never been to one

Q3. Alestorm

Q4. Art

Q4. Hula hooping

Q4. Destroying Trots

Q5. Afrikaans

Q5. Japanese

Q5. Spanish

Q6. Tom Clegget

Q6. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a favourite Tom

Q6. The cat from Tom and Jerry

j ust for fun/ vox pops

Q1. What was the movie you watched over and over as a kid? Q2. Are you saving up for anything right now? Q3. What was your first concert? Q4. Do you have any secret skills? Q5. If you could be fluent in any language, what would it be? Q6. Who’s your favourite Tom?

ALICE

ISAAC

STEVE

BACHELOR OF ARTS FOR HIGH ACHIEVERS

PHD IN PALEAONTOLOGY

MASTERS (HIGH SCHOOL TEACHING)

Q1. Walking with Dinosaurs

Q1. Emperor’s New Groove

Q1. Lion King

Q2. The rest of my life/enjoyment

Q2. Always saving for travel of skateboards...

Q2. Car Insurance

Q3. The Wiggles Q4. Black belt in kazoo Q5. German Q6. Tom Hanks

Q3. Anberlin at the Gov Q4. I can juggle anything Q5. Swahili

Q3. The Wiggles Q4. Awesome at giving directions Q5. Spanish Q6. I don’t know anyone called Tom

Q6. Tom Bombadil

just fo r f u n /pets @ fl i n d e r s

pets @ flinders molly-rose Name: Molly-Rose Owner: Tasha Age: 1 Breed: Pug Likes: Snorning, barking at bigger dogs then hiding when they come up, food, snorting, constant attention, being told sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good girl Dislike: not having food, being alone

chocola te

lucky

Names: Chocolate and Lucky Owner: Kevin Age: 3 and 5 Likes: Jumping, long walks, eating delicious food, fighting with each other Dislikes: Loud noises, giant things, fireworks

j ust for f u n/ pets @flinders

daisy Name: Daisy Doggins (Miss) Owner (Service Provider): Richard Age: 9 (but we don’t talk about that!) Breed: Pug (black and proud) Likes: Humans, food, feet, impersonating Yoda Dislikes: Other dogs (especially Crumpet), cats, sleeping alone, small meals

raja

Name: Raja Owner: Pixie Age: 7 Breed: Exotic shorthair Likes: Boxes, cuddles, licking plastic, being carried Dislikes: children, crowds, toasters, car trips

winnie Name: Winnifred (Winnie) Owner: Grace Age: 18 weeks (at the time of printing) Breed: Pugalier (Pug x Cavalier King Charles) Likes: Updating her Instagram (@adventuresofwinniethepugalier), biting toes, showers, harassing her cat brother and sister, evading justice Dislikes: Being calm, being alone, being hungry, bedtime

On this page, we feature some of the cutest friends of Flinders attendees. If you’d like your pet to feature in ET, submit your pets photograph and info to empire.times@flinders.edu.au and we’ll feature them in the next issue!

feat u r e/i n t er vi ew

Interview with angus stone Angus & Julia Stone will be playing here at the Flinders University Plaza in May as part of their 2018 tour. Ahead of their Australian Tour, one of our editors, Ainsley Ewart, was fortunate enough to catch up with Angus Stone and ask him a few questions. ET: Congratulations on Snow being your fourth top 5 album on the ARIA charts! Could you tell us what the album Snow means to you and how it ties in with your creative journey? Angus Stone: This record is quite unique in that, in the past, Julia and I have written separately and brought the songs to one another. I think, what makes it unique in this way is that we were in the studio together and we put our heads together and made something pretty special. You kind of feel in the music that it happened that way. ET: We’re so excited to have you performing at our Plaza in May. How are you preparing for the tour? AS: My preparation is just kicking back. The most important thing to me between tours is the time off. I’ve been digging around and making a motocross track on my property at the moment. I’ve gotta feel excited to get back on the road and back

on tour, so one of those things for me is to feel free and do what I do. The best rest is a change of work, for sure. ET: After Australia, your tour heads to Europe! Do you find your audiences and performances change based on geography? AS: Yeah, geography, weather, what you ate that day, it all adds up to how the show will go. Playing on tour, the audience has been so positive. The fact that we can travel around to these locations, around Australia and then internationally, Europe and America, it’s just been a really humbling experience and we’re really lucky to do what we love and share it with the world. ET: What’s the one thing on tour you can’t live without? AS: At the moment, it’s my Xbox… that I travel with. I enjoy just playing basketball, if there’s a basketball game and having beers. Playing with the band, it’s a fun way to unwind and just get a little bit of time. There’s lots of waiting around when you’re on the road, you’ve gotta find things to keep you occupied. ET: In the creation of Snow, did you find the melody of the songs came first or the lyrics? AS: It’s different. Sometimes it can be as simple as that, when

feature/ interv iew talking about whether the lyrics or the melody comes first. Sometimes it comes down to who’s in the room and what happens in the way that someone will start just tapping on the drums, this rhythm invokes, you can almost feel how the song’s gonna go straight away and you know it’s going to be special just from that one little beginning. I don’t know. Late nights sometimes are the best when you’re all weary and tired, and you just crash out and there’s that little eleventh hour moment where you try anything, and you just step into it and lots of magic happens. It’s a combination, every song is different that way. ET: You and Julia write such different songs; how do you compromise and work out the structure of your albums? AS: I think, when you’re in a relationship, figuring out when to be strong-headed about something you feel proud of. You feel like you really want to take the lead and then there’s those moments where you have to remember to step back, and you kind of take a walk and let the other person do their thing. With figuring that out, that was a big part of this record, it was a really important experience, the way we work together. ET: How do the two of you deal with sibling squabbles? AS: It’s pretty amazing, the fact that we’ve come this far, with working together for so long, you know, some families find it difficult just to spend Christmas together. Sometimes we step back, you just look at it and you’re like, it’s pretty cool we’ve made all these records and we’ve travelled for so long and we still haven’t killed each other yet! ET: You’ve been in the industry for over ten years now, what are your observations of the Australian music industry over the last ten years and how it has changed? AS: I’d say it’s become quite diverse in the way that, when, in the past, I’ve noticed that genres when they get popular, it comes in waves, and it’s really cool and everyone eats it up and then people eventually change and move on to something else. Now it feels like when these waves come through of popular genres, it comes in a lot of different styles and they’re all slightly stemming off each other. Some of them can be really different

and it’s not so linear. When you turn on the radio, and you listen to Triple J, the songs can come after each other and be vastly different in what they are, and I feel like radio has got a good grasp on how to sort of spread it out like that. It’s a really positive thing, the artists are trying on what they’re doing and getting out there. ET: You both play brass instruments and started out playing in a family band with your parents, how did that come to shape your sound? AS: Julia and I, when we were young, like when we were tiny, when we were kids, our dad was a wedding singer. He used to take us around to weddings and we’d fall asleep under the tables, listening to him. Music was sort of in our blood. I started writing when I was quite young, and going to open mic nights and stuff. Julia was doing the same. She went travelling and then, I guess, eventually sort of figured out that we both shared the same passion for what it all was. And how it’s changed? I don’t know. I guess it’s just over time things evolved ad you’re whole figuring out what you’re doing as a human being, and the conversations of that have changed as well and, I don’t know, we’re still really lucky to get do what what we love, and we’re still doing it, is really cool. ET: What sounds and artists interest you at the moment? AS: What am I listening to at the moment? Every time I do this, I’ve got to go into my playlist. At the moment there’s a girl called Jack River, she’s doing really well. She’s running her own festival and she’s writing these amazing songs that the feeling of them is huge. I heard one of them the other day and actually wanted to call her up and say congrats. Hearing those is really cool, and to see how she’s progressing. I turn the radio on and everyone that’s in a young Australian band is so cool, everyone’s got the best, there’s a lot of cool styles going around. It’s a good time to be alive, I think, in the Australian music industry and growing up with Australian music.

Angus & Julia Stone’s 2018 tour is in support of their 2017 album Snow, which peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart Angus & Julia Stone are playing the Flinders University Plaza on Friday the 25th of May. Tickets start at $74.90 for students and are available here: http://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/ angus-julia-stone/100284

op i n i o n /t ravel

My Time in Hong Kong My Thoughts and Experiences from My First Time Overseas Words by Peter Moreman I recently visited Hong Kong as part of the Asian Cinema topic (SCME2107). The topic took 17 people, including myself, to the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) from March 16th to April 1st and watch a minimum of 20 Asian films. I was very excited for this trip, but also nervous as it was the first time I had been overseas. Thankfully, my nerves didn’t get the best of me, because I absolutely loved Hong Kong and had a great experience there. The HKIFF started on March 19th, which left us three days to get acquainted with their Metro system. Our accommodation was at the iClub Hotel in Fortress Hill, a10 minute train ride from Central railway station. The hotel rooms were twin shared, had a small bathroom, closet, and a tiny fridge that didn’t work. We had a television that had one English channel that aired the first Captain America film a lot and a bunch of Eighties films.

“A small hint: try not to Jay-Walk in Hong Kong. This is not because of the police; it is plain dangerous.” The cinemas I went to for the Film Festival were: The Metroplex, The Sky, Festival Grand, The Grand Cinema, Agnès b. Cinema, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University Jockey Club Auditorium. Most cinemas were quite comfortable with relatively soft cushions and decent seating space. To my surprise, their emergency exits also led to bathrooms. Unfortunately, their cinemas were freezing and if you didn’t bring a jacket, you would soon regret it. Majority of the places around Hong Kong and Mainland China have their air-conditioners on a low temperature, including their trains. This was mainly due to the humidity being high. Most of the time I wore shorts and a t-shirt, as the temperature outside was around 21°C. It was funny seeing the locals wearing jackets and pants, whereas we were dressed like we were still in Australia. A small hint: try not to J-Walk in Hong Kong. This is not because

of the police; it is plain dangerous. One time I was walking down Electric Road at Fortress Hill and decided to Jay-Walk because there were no cars coming down the road. However, as soon as I started crossing I heard honking and saw a taxi speeding towards me. I found it weird how over there they are always using their horns for anything. I think that is what I heard most there and was glad to not hear when I got back to Adelaide. Everything in Hong Kong was fairly cheap. An average train ride, which is about four stops, cost me around 50c AUD. In the 16 days of being there, I recharged my Octopus card, a total of three times, costing a total of $600HKD or $100AUD; an Octopus Card is their equivalent of our MetroCard. Not all of my Octopus card credit was spent on the Metro though. You can use it in nearly any store. Usually at 7-Eleven, I would use it for snacks. I used it at The Peak too, as I found out you can skip the whole ticketing line with it. On average for a meal and a drink I would pay $10-20AUD

opinion/ trav el and it was quite filling. You normally got a large bowl of super tasty food, ramen or noodle dishes usually, that were presented attractively and to my surprise not many dishes were spicy. I think I needed more time there just to pillage different restaurants and eat exotic foods, I mostly played it safe.

from the Tung Chung Line for six stops and then changed to the Disneyland Resort Line from Sunny Bay for one stop; with a travel time of approximately one hour. The trains cost $10AUD in total and the tickets to get into Disneyland were a little over $100AUD or exactly $619HKD for an adult.

As far as sightseeing, I went to the Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui in my free time. It is there discovered a lot about Hong Kong history, along with the various traditions they still hold to this day in the main exhibition, The Hong Kong Story. For example, they had an exhibition focusing on village home life and marriage ceremonies. They also had many small viewing theatres that contained slideshows and commentary about the different exhibits. Entry to The Hong Kong Story was free. I also went to The Peak, which is a massive complex containing many shops and eateries. Built upon Victoria Peak, The Peak allows visitors to see the many sights of Hong Kong, from the ferry-filled Victoria Harbour to (depending on the day) the lush green mountains of the New Territories.

When you arrive, classic Disney movie songs are being played as well as Mickey Mouse greeting us from atop a large fountain. As we entered the park, we were greeted by a parade. Disney film songs were being played very loudly and there were many floats for Disney classics like The Lion King, Peter Pan and The Jungle Book. It was a lot of fun and a great first impression of the park. Rides were far and few between. I only went on four, but twice for nearly all of them. They were short rides consisting of sharp fast turns. My favourite ride was in the Toy Story area. You sat in the RC Buggy on a 180° track and it goes backwards and forwards in a fast motion, whilst momentarily stopping at the highest point. It was fairly basic, however it gave you a bit of a rush before dropping again. There were other rides, but there were clearly aimed at younger children.

“I absolutely loved my time in Hong Kong and would strongly consider going again in 2019.” On one of the last days some of us went to Disneyland. It was a bit of a trip to get there. From Central MTR, you took the train

I absolutely loved my time in Hong Kong and would strongly consider going again in 2019. It is fully paid for by The New Colombo Plan, an initiative started by the Australian government to have Australian university students study and experience a new culture in the Indo-Pacific region. If I went again I would definitely visit the 10,000 Buddhas and Ocean Park, their other major theme park. Images included by the author: Previous page (Bottom Right): Lanterns in Wan Chai Left: Float at Hong Kong Disneyland Below (Left): a view of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak on a smoggy day Below (Right): Statue of King George VI at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Central

cr eat ive/f i ct i o n

White Disease Inspired by Sylvia Plath’s Poem ‘Insomniac’ Words by Alana Goldschmidt

He is among them, a woven suit of a man crudely strung together by the dim grey threads of cheap, commercialistic labour. Like rows of subservient ants they march, their shiny black shoes artificially agleam with polish so as to distinguish each stooping figure from the ashen pavement below. ~ Amid his labyrinthine mind lies a wholly personal ant colony, little beings probing endless passages recovering unwelcome memories as if disturbing graves. His mind is incapable of occluding these merciless recollections, for he is crippled by the impenetrable darkness. Every ceaseless night he lies awake upon a pillow of black feathers with eyes that burn holes through the ceiling. His body resists the harlequin pills, which induce only short-lived sedation and a plague of meteoric thoughts. The night does him no good, and the day is worse. He cannot escape the deathly dreams, for even mindless work brings no reprieve. During his woeful attempts at slumber he is hypnotised like a mute automaton and haunted by echoes of childhood. His eyes, stiffened and unmoving, play host to this granular movie, replaying over and over his time spent next to the skeleton in the closet. Without needing to rise and lift his heavy, clumsy limbs, he floats high up to the planets and observes, like a wishful deity, a world once past. Parental faces on tall stalks, alternately stern and tearful, consume the desert space. He can see ephemeral spots – red, blue, and purple – flickering brilliantly, as if they are fireworks in sardonic disguise. His head is a field of shimmering grey mirrors as he sees his closeted self, younger and perched like a wren on a blanket of baby blue. What a courteous little observant he was! Smack – not even a sound! Bang – don’t flinch now! Crash – the blanket is ripped from him in a dramatic flourish! Memories jostle, fast, faster, fastest, until – the tedium returns.

The pills have done their feeble duty, as he wakes to their remnants lingering about like a thick fog. The druggy haze drifts out the window and into the night while he, searching for respiratory relief, trails meekly behind. Beyond the panes he can already feel daylight – his white disease – and he recoils at the stench of its emergent purity. ~ One-by-one the morning commuters start to leave, falling away from the path like ants recently administered synthetic toxin. He however, remains behind, continuing the march for the sake of monotony alone. The ghosts of last night’s pills whisper mockingly in his ear, yet even they cannot shake the deep numbness he feels. Slumber beckons like a persistent friend, but he can never fall asleep. He is condemned, he is damned. He is an insomniac.

quiet Poetry by Amber Foy

Quiet again.

And I’m 20 years old

What was that?

And I know that I’m fine

Who was that yelling?

But there’s voices through the wall

Mum again, or Dad?

And I go back in time

TV or laughter,

And I’m thirteen and crying

I’m never sure which,

With nowhere to go

Seven years in the guessing,

No one to talk to

And I’m still hit or miss.

Curled up on the floor

Heart hammer and race

And years fly by

Blood bubbles to the boil

And I’m screwed in the head

And I’ll be dragged in again

And it’s all my fault

With my tongue in a coil

And I’m better off dead

Not a word I can say

And no one understands

Or a means of escape

I “came from a good home”.

I can’t choose a side

I cried under that roof

I don’t know who I hate

Every night, on my own

Less in this moment

And the pattern continues

Me, her, or them

Is that a laugh or a fight?

I wasn’t even here

I’m not sure, so I’ll

But it’s my fault again

Tuck myself in again tonight

cr eat ive/po et r y

While I Wait Poetry by Grace Lidell Soap suds slide from the plate in my hand as I make it a place

of me plagued by doubt; a fear that while apart

on the sink. The one chore you knew I hated, so you always

you’ve discovered a regret you hold for letting me into

insisted it was yours, even though plunging your hands into

your life. I bought the washing powder you always

dirty water made your stomach turn. A sparrow sits alone

said you liked. The smell of you floats around me as I wait

on the back fence, watching two others on the grass pull apart

for my alarm to ring before rolling over to the cool place

a worm. Hoping the victor will share their prize, he waits.

in our bed, the unwrinkled side where normally a lone

One hundred and seventeen. I count the days while I wait

pillow marks your place like flowers on a grave. A lone

for you. It’s so strange to think that somehow this place

pillow, ‘because any more would be obnoxious.’ Apart

seems noisier. Knife through flesh is amplified as I cut apart

from that, you agreed to let me decorate this place

the lemons from the tree in our backyard. Silence is always

however I liked, and joked that no one would break into

louder without your presence to soften it. My steps alone

it because it was the ugliest house on the street. I wait

fall on creaking boards, echoing throughout the day and into

for you in our wonderfully ugly house. I always

the night. A pot boils on the stove. I stir chillies into

hoped you’d change your mind about enlisting. You always

it for the first time since you left, without having to wait

hated conflict. Instead of confrontation you’d ask to be alone.

for you to take a mild bowlful first. As I eat alone,

I hope you’re not alone. ‘You must be proud’ they say, while I wait

I decide I don’t really like chilli anymore. I set a place

upon my fence, assuring me you’re bringing home a part

for you beside me at the table, just in case. I always

of history. It’s too bad I don’t like the taste of worms. Into

do, just in case. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part

the soil I bury myself. If I stand in one place

long enough, love will always ground me to a part of history that a lone bullet cannot reach into. While I wait, I will cultivate this place.

creativ e/ poetry

Seasons Poetry by Grace Lidell

The day after Christmas a chatter-filled burger bar. A table for two in the corner cold beer with a lime wedge. I’ve never done this before her nervous laughter hung in the sticky air. Three cocktails a hug goodbye talk soon. Scorching days sweaty nights. A broken fan replaced for when she stayed a soft hum floating above bare bodies on twisted sheets at midday. No interest in swimming or the beach but we both agreed there was something about the ocean.

The leaves fell slower than usual. Time had shattered into tiny orange pieces that blanketed the ground and my mind. We let them pile up like the work we avoided while we watched the clouds drift by the skies turn grey. Resting my head on her chest I told her I loved her. She tensed beneath me. A cool breeze danced through the open window whispered softly into my ear I’ve never done this before. My gentle laughter muffled by a kiss.

Warmth slowly drained from the air life sucked below earth’s surface. Huddled together heat radiated between us. Her hand gripped firmly around mine we darted into an old book store only a moment before the swollen clouds ripped open releasing the icy torrent that washed away everything but those shelves and yellowed pages. A jangle as the door swung shut. Jazz crackled over pelted pavement. Between Ancient History and Science Fiction she found the words she’d been looking for.

Light dappled our faces damp pine needles muted our steps. I showed her the path amongst the trees that cleared my thoughts. The birds sang for her the song I taught them to let her know I’ve never done this before. A dewy morning a moving van. Our lives had grown too intertwined to separate. Fresh peonies atop the upturned box we ate from on the sunbathed patio. Our socks pegged neatly side by side circled our backyard endlessly.

Lightly tread on memories past Lest they remain forgot And let length of time brightly cast Joy where there was not. Nothing more desolate than the dark No comfort in the scattered stars Shine the light to hide the mark Of lonesome years that left their scars.

Poetry by Harvey Menadue

just fo r f u n /q u i z

Empire times quiz 1. Who am I? I am a writer born in 1926 and died in 2013. I wrote many screenplays for films and TV shows like House of Usher, Star Trek: The Original Series, and The Twilight Zone, but my most famous work is the 1954 novella I am Legend. 2. Which country are Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords originally from? 3. Who originally designed the Xenomorph in the 1979 film Alien? 4. Which of the following film characters has late British film actor Sir Christopher Lee played as? A) Count Dracula B) Scaramanga C) Lord Summerisle D) All of the Above 5. Which country has recently banned George Orwell’s Animal Farm? 6. Which classic Doctor Who serial did John Cleese make a guest appearance in? 7. Dr. Zachary Smith appeared as a character in which classic sci-fi show? A) Lost in Space B) The Outer Limits C) The Twilight Zone D) Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 8. Which Beatle isn’t wearing any shoes on the front cover of Abbey Road? 9. ‘Gutful’ is a song by which Adelaide indie band? 10. What make and model is the car from Stephen King’s novel Christine?

11. Who are the two playable characters in the original Resident Evil game? 12. How many Victorian based teams are there currently in the AFL? 13. What are bullet trains called in Japan? 14. Phobos and Deimos are the two moons to which planet? 15. What city and country was Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien born in?

37 QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Richard Matheson 2. New Zealand 3. H.R. Gigar 4. D) All of the Above 5. People’s Republic of China 6. City of Death (1979) 7. A) Lost in Space 8. Paul McCartney 9. Bad Dreems 10. 1958 Plymouth Fury 11. Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine 12. Ten Teams 13. Shinkansens 14. Mars 15. Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (now South Africa) 16. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 17. C) Belgium 18. Three (Rogue Squadron, Rouge Squadron 2: Rogue Leader, Rogue Squadron 3: Rebel Strike) 19. Sir John Hindmarsh 20. Adelaide University BONUS QUIZ: A-2, B-3, C-1

3) B) 2) 1) A)

Match the character to their Voice Actor!

BONUS QUIZ 20. On Dit is the student magazine of which South Australian university? 19. Who was the first Governor of the Colony of South Australia? 18. How many entries has there been in the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron video game series? D) Germany C) Belgium, B) Austria, A) France, 17. Which European country was TinTin creator Georges Remi (Hergé) born in? 16. In Back to the Future Part 3, what Jules Verne book does Doc Brown say to Clara makes him feel like a kid? just for fun/ quiz

opi n i o n

LetterS to the editor Some of the emails we received over the last three months.

An email received on Tuesday February 127

Dear Ainsley, Cam and Oli, Hello. My name is Keiron and I worked at the Students’ Association back before you were born, probably. I made my first visit to the campus today for about 15 years. Reeling from the culture shock of it all, I was thrilled to find that good old ET still exists. It’s a very attractive little publication, congratulations on your first edition. I was also thrilled to read about the “be a better human” campaign. I think that’s an exciting idea and wish you well. Good fortune to you all, K

An email received on Friday March 13 Dear Eds. Thanks for an enjoyable first 2018 issue. Cong ratulations. Thanks to Chelsea Griffiths for coining the word “shituation” which perfectly describes many of my own. Thanks Marina Deller- how courageous you are and how right at aiming for zero waste. Actually there is an opportunit y for entrepreneurs form FUSA to build an effec tive technological/robotic [plus human] recycling plant to replace China’s, and relieve OZ of the problem our currently accum ulating waste will become (i.e, until we and all our manufactures and vend ors adopt Marina’s ideas). Thanks Clare Perry for the beany meal - I add fenugreek seeds to these, to help digestion and tone down farty responses! Last, re the conve rsatio n about being a better human, let people know you like to see them about Uni-a smile and a hello may be welcomed by those far from home! Have a great year everyone. Cathy Jones

Opinion

In response to the call-out, received Tuesday March 13

Consent is an on-going agreement on whether or not what is happening is neato burrito. Consent is a state of being. Of comfortability. Of enjoyment. Consent is saying ‘yes’. Consent is feeling safe enough to say ‘no’ and/or ‘that hurts’ and/or ‘like this’. Consent is saying ‘yes’ to x and ‘no’ to y. Consent is asking for it. Consent is shuddering and moaning and writhing. Consent is asking your partner who is shuddering and moaning and writhing ‘are you okay?’. Consent is respect. Sex isn’t a human right. Consent is. — Alys Messenger

Every one of these responses singled out FUSA’s Be A Better Human campaign, a cause particularly close to our hearts here at ET. We are so glad to see the Flinders community embrace such a positive movement and be so open to creating discussion around the topic of consent. If you have anything you wish to say about the Be a Better Human campaign ,you can send it to us at empire.times@flinders.edu.au and we can publish your thoughts in the magazine. 39

co l u m n /o pi n i o n

letter to an extrovert: the battle between the arts and introversion Empire Times columnist Chelsea reveals her struggles with being an introverted artist, and how it came to her attention in the Fringe Artist Bar Words by Chelsea Griffith The Fringe is my favourite time of the year. It’s the one time I can put on a lanyard that says ‘artist’, put on my superiority complex and get discounted food, drinks and tickets. It feels like the one time in the year people think you as an artist are actually a cool person, rather than that family member everyone keeps telling to get a full-time teaching job. Excited for another month of strutting around in my lanyard like the dickhead I am, I rolled into the exclusive Artist Bar at the Fringe Club for the first time of the year. If you haven’t been into the Artist Bar before, imagine an outdoor space similar to the Garden/Gluttony/RCC filled with people wearing a combination of feathers, glitter, crochet, healing crystals and somehow looking like Paris Fashion Week. I know what you’re thinking, that sounds like the clientele of all the other Fringe spaces, anyway. But you see the key difference, is that people maybe like you, or people maybe like your friends or family who are very clearly NOT artsy and expressive, usually are not found in the Artist Bar. This means that the artsy and expressive people feel like their artsyness and expressiveness can run free, as they are not bound by feeling judged by the punters in Ralph Lauren shirts, camel coloured chinos and R.M. Williams who define ‘going to the Fringe’ as paying $80 to see an international comedian and buying a Pimms jug at the Royal Croquet Club. In the Artist Bar, you will find people jumping onstage naked, gender-neutral bathrooms, and what we millennials have come to name a ‘safe space’. This is fantastic. This is one of the reasons I love the Artist Bar. However, in this age of acceptance and equality, there are still groups of people that these safe spaces still don’t know how to handle. Although the Artist Bar is a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ and absolutely everything in between, and although the thought of someone feeling like they can’t be themselves at a bar with a naked, middle-aged female DJ and more men in heels than

women sounds preposterous, and maybe is preposterous, it’s real. There is a group in society that continues to be marginalised, who people still seem to have a problem with. And on that first night of the 2018 Fringe, as I found myself on the dancefloor surrounded by wonderfully open and accepting people trying to include me as they Just Dance(d) to Lady Gaga and told me ‘I LOVE your dress!’ or asked ‘what show are you in?’ or even randomly hugged me… I found myself feeling bad. Bad because these warm, open people were being so generous with themselves, and I had so little to give back. I’m an introvert. I have a deep interest in other people and I love being around people who I find interesting, or who I love (yes, these two can be mutually exclusive). However, I don’t always have the social energy to interact with people, despite wanting to be around them. Sometimes I just want to sit back and observe, or listen to others talk, or dance on a dancefloor without even interacting with anyone around me! And maybe that sounds bizarre to some extroverts, and the idea of ‘observing’ others makes me sound creepy, but that’s just me. You see, introverts are always thought to be weird if we act the way we want to in social situations. Which is why some of us don’t socialise, and some of us just get really good at pretending to be extroverts. Because, of course, there is no in between, because being extroverted is the only acceptable way of being. Some would say the behaviours I would ideally like to practice are antisocial, and they are correct. But I would say to them, that their extrovert behaviours are antisocial towards my own needs, when they are in a social situation with me. Our world operates for extroverts because extroverts dominate our world. Perhaps not in terms of population, but in terms of the loudness and frequency of their voices. Obviously.

colum n/ Opinion

I’m not saying everyone needs to start walking around parties like deaf mutes so introverts can feel better. That would not make me feel better. That would make me feel bored. Not to sound creepy again but then what would I observe? I like social interaction and I like extroverts acting like extroverts, I just don’t like the expectation that is placed on me to be an extrovert all the time as well. What I’m suggesting is a bit of introvert awareness. For the first two years I was at uni, I’m pretty sure everyone in my course thought I was rude and that I hated everyone. I can honestly tell you I was never rude to anyone (or at least, I was rarely rude, I mean I was in a drama class with a LOT of extremely extroverted extroverts straight out of high school, who seemingly saw the class as a competition to see whose voice was loudest. I’m only human.) but they perceived my rudeness because of my lack of what they might see as enthusiasm. I enjoyed the company of people in that course, I just didn’t have the energy or the desire to raise my voice higher than others’ to push my way into conversations. I have made lifelong friends from that course in the later years due to one-on-one/small group time with people, which is something I enjoy. But social interaction in a big group of people I barely know? You’d be more likely to get me to jump off a bridge or unfollow the Kardashians on Instagram, or something equally as ludicrous, than something as mentally exhausting as that, any day. What if extroverts recognised the difference between someone being an asshole and someone being an introvert? (Of course, assholeness and introversion can co-exist in a person and it sometimes does in me, or often does in me, if you talk to my boyfriend, but that’s not what we’re talking about). I’m suggesting extroverts spend some time observing others themselves (and no, you won’t look creepy. I don’t, do I? Maybe I do). Spend some time analysing the behavioural nuances of the quiet but smiley person on your tutorial table. The family member or close friend who is the centre-of-attention show-pony for an hour or two, then rapidly retreats back into themselves, leaves the room or goes home. The person you work with who

when spoken to, is sometimes perfectly friendly and enthused, but occasionally when you speak to them, looks like you’ve shaken them awake from a dream at 2am and blown a foghorn in their face, before replying with some autopilot ‘friendly’ but robotic reply. Lots of introverts know when to leave other introverts alone, and don’t take their standoffishness personally, because years of observation living inside our over-analytical minds that are constantly playing out imaginary, potential social interactions has made us pretty intuitive. If more extroverts could take the time to do the same, to acknowledge us in friendly ways but not feel rejected and stop acknowledging us once they feel we aren’t outgoing enough, maybe we could all feel a little more comfortable and included. I know you probably think we choose to exclude ourselves, and you might tell us to come to you when we’re ready. But the thing is, when introduced to a new group, we can often be quiet because we are sussing everyone out and working out which parts of our personality to show (personality mirroring isn’t always an ingenuine behaviour, sometimes we’re just selecting which genuine parts of ourselves to show). Sometimes a group will see this as standoffishness, and consciously or unconsciously exclude the introvert. Think of it like approaching a scared dog. You’ve got to be constantly friendly without giving up or backing away, but also without pushing it and becoming overbearing. And I know this seems like a lot of work. Why should you have to put thought into the way you interact with these precious little snowflakes? Why can’t they just suck it up and interact ‘normally’, you ask? Well, introverts have been working nonstop all their lives to please you, fit in with you, appease you. Be seen as ‘normal’, and outgoing enough. Doing what I’ve suggested wouldn’t even be meeting in the middle, I can assure you. Throw us a line here. These little exclusion battles are obviously nothing compared to that of other marginalised groups over history, but with all this time we spend trapped in our own heads it sure feels like it.

cr eat ive/per s o n a l es say

The Point: How I Stopped Myself from Overdosing Words by Amber Foy

Trigger Warning: substance abuse and suicide attempt A note from the author: This article is not intended to give anyone any “ideas”, but solely to share my story in order to help end the stigma associated with mental illness. I came from a good home. My parents loved and spoilt me as a child. I was never abused; I was involved in neither violence nor substance abuse. My mum, having come from a family with a history of mental illness and alcoholism, separated herself from it all. My dad had a pacifist for a father, and despite being a rambunctious teenager he came to overlook violence in adulthood.

That’s why I knew that when it came to suicide I’d have to rely on the more menial drugs to shut down all my organs.

In that moment, I tried to imagine myself dead. What would it feel like? Then I remembered I wouldn’t feel anything at all after the torture of systematic organ failure. It was a strange concept to grasp; to not feel anything. I had always felt every sensation so deeply; heartbreak ached so strongly and self-esteem was an unending battle. I would feel pain so deeply and yet that was part of the problem: It was all futile. I considered myself a Christian, but maybe there wasn’t a God.

Because what was the point in anything?

I was ambitious, but perhaps I’d never really get anywhere. I loved deeply, but would I ever find a soulmate?

In the months leading up to when I planned to end my life I began snaffling away the two common drugs you find in the family medicine cabinet: paracetamol and ibuprofen. I’d hide them in my room. My unsuspecting parents thought nothing of it because, due to headaches, period pains and such, we’d go through them often. There wasn’t a specific reason why I chose this method. I reasoned that it was simply the easiest.

In the months preceding, I had reached the conclusion that I was never going to be free of mental illnesses. I was never going to achieve what I wanted in life, and given all my attempted relationships that had failed, I assumed I was forever going to be alone. I had built within me resentment for the people around me who were not meeting my expectations of “caring” and “supportive” people. Ultimately, I decided that my friends and family would get over it because I couldn’t handle the agony of existence anymore. I’ve attached some photos of my journal (website: transcript in descriptions – hover bottom of pic to read, names blanked out for privacy) to show you snippets of my mindset at the time. When the day arrived I sat on my bathroom floor, looking at the concoction I intended to finish off with as much alcohol as I could consume. I felt within me a deep, burning rage at the world. I felt a constant, aching sadness weighing down my heart.

There was a long list of things I couldn’t guarantee:

Would I ever find a purpose to existence? Why did bullies treat me as they did? Why did conflict perpetually arise and others seem to not care about me? It wasn’t a case of who I was living for, or what I was living for, because ultimately, there might not be a point or reason or answer for any of it.

The lack of control over my own existence drove me insane.

The reality was that I was just living and existing. I was so unhappy with not having an answer to my life, or my suffering, or injustice or a reason for anything that my thoughts snowballed until I believed there was no reason to live.

Maybe there isn’t a reason to live. But we’re here, and that leads me to think that there is; even if that means we are just here to experience feelings then cease to experience them. It’s something. That might not be enough of a reason to live for

c r eat ive/ persona l essay some, but oddly, despite my agony, it was for me. There was a strange sense of accomplishment in having been able to experience the horror and bleeding ache of the mind and yet live to tell the tale and experience joy and a sense of uplift. There was something magic about talking to another person at one point and them going: “yeah, I’ve felt that too”. The intrinsic connection of human beings is something indescribable. We are a wonder in the way that in tragedy, in triumph and in joy we immediately hug, we want to be with one another and to tell one another what is going on.

We live, aching for deep connection and seeking each others’ approval. I’ve always been inquisitive. So as poetic (but cringe-worthy) as it sounds, to me the point of it all is that there isn’t one. It is the perplexity and uniqueness of that fact that causes me to stick around. I had thought, fuck it, I might as well just stay and experience some more. Who knows what I might come across while I’m here? Now when I’ve got a headache, I take my paracetamol in the kitchen.

If you are struggling with mental illness, contact: Lifeline: lifeline.org.au 13 11 14 Beyond Blue: beyondblue.org.au Headspace: headspace.org.au 43

revi ew/m us i c

heaps good friends Hug Me Ep review

Words by Chelsea Griffith I’ve never listened to Heaps Good Friends before. I would say this means my response to Hug Me is unaffected by idealising. I’ll also mention that this isn’t my usual jam. My personal taste in music is a combination of a) something with lyrics that articulate something really poignant/interesting or make me feel something, or b) absolute trash e.g. One Direction’s Up All Night. This EP fits into neither of those categories. The lyrics aren’t exactly prolific, and it’s not filled with one single trashy teeny bopper banger. Although it’s not my usual cup of tea, I really do appreciate it. My usual cup of tea is herbal tea, so let’s think of this as an English Breakfast, or a Darjeeling. It’s still a tea. I still like it, it just doesn’t tantalise my palate like a Harry Styles vocal on a song about the bittersweet fickleness of sixteen-year-old relationships. Hug Me has an upbeat, poppy, and almost 80s-esque sound. When I listen to it, I imagine a music video of psychedelic graphics as a backdrop to a band of people who look like they’d live in Byron Bay. Or, a band of people walking around very ordinary-looking parts of Adelaide. Think South Road, Tea Tree Plaza or Colonnades for example, but with a very Wes Anderson cinematographic style. That’s my overcomplicated attempt at capturing the general vibe of the EP. The more I listen to Hug Me the more I like it. The first time I listened to the whole thing, I thought it all sounded the same. But doesn’t any album by someone you’ve never listened to before, the first time you listen to it? That’s something my dad seems to say whenever I play any album ever. I thought the female singer Emma, has that voice that I’ve come to recognise as a quintessentially Australian, ‘Triple J’ voice. That’s not

necessarily a bad thing. I wondered if the lyrics were trying to be whimsical for the sake of being whimsical. They probably are to some extent, but the band articulates some wholesome moments with these original, whimsical lyrics. The lyrics sweetly evoke the familiarity of Australian student life – ‘please don’t leave my sock on the clothesline/I feel like all we have to offer you is off chocolate’. You get that feeling listening to these lyrics that you do scrolling through ShitAdelaide or watching Summer Heights High, the feeling of experiencing an unfiltered reflection of a part of your life. It’s something that doesn’t seem to happen as much in other countries, let alone as much outside of Adelaide, where people take themselves a little more seriously. It’s nice to listen to a song about ordinary moments. Hug Me is a nice, easy-listening kind of EP. It would complement a solo beach walk, those times where you’re sitting on a train looking out the window pretending you’re in an indie film, the background of a road trip while you’re playing car games, or at pre-drinks, before you get a bit more LIT and whip out the bangers. I think I’ll add a few of the songs to my latest Spotify playlist, and will definitely keep an eye out to suss what Heaps Good Friends get up to. I reckon they’re another EP/album away from an absolute banger that’ll climb right up the Hottest 100, and I look forward to hearing it (and telling people I’ve been here since Hug Me). Heaps Good Friends’ Hug Me EP is out now on iTunes, Spotify and in physical form from their online store.

rev iew/ m usic Photography by Chris Galimitakis Instagram: @c.galimitakis

feat u r e/i n t er vi ew

heaps good friends interview

Local band and O’Fiesta line-up favourites Heaps Good Friends have just released an EP Hug Me and have been touring the country through April. The group’s bassist, Nick O’Connor, caught up with ET editor Ainsley to discuss hugs, Adelaide and what flavour of ice cream he is.

ET: The Hug Me EP is out to the world and you’re going on tour! What excites you most about releasing new music and touring the country? Nick: Hugs! All of the hugging. Nothing connects people more than mutual discomfort and this is personified in a post show hug. When they’re happening you know something really special is going on with a forever someone special. Equally as important is immersing in Australia and how it’s going right now. It’s a living the dream situation chasing your music goals, but I’m looking forward to hearing stories from all the legends that make our Australian music scene happen, and then all the people from the cities we visit. Everyone has a story, it’s a massive honour to travel around and hear as many as I can. ET: Where were your favourite shows last time? N: Brisbane has a fun zone called The Triffid. They were the first shows of tour and that was deeply enjoyable fully realising how lucky we were to be touring with The Jungle G’s. Hard to not mention Enmore Theatre given it’s a heavy duty pillar of Australian Music History and had a mad boog behind the 46

curtain they were playing infront of. Gotta throw some shouts to local clan at The Gov who took having a great time all the way. Mate, lots of fav moments. ET: You recently played O’Fiesta here at Flinders and your performance was electric! What did you think of the gig? N: Shut the front door! That amphitheatre space is a Feng Shui dream come true! The positive vibes are all caught swirling and amplifying all over creating maximum ecstasy. Line up was classy, everyone was ready for a bloody good time and my word was it. Yes it was. It was a very good time. I actually live just around the corner and while I was driving home I was imagining a world where everything is that great all the time.

feature/ interv iew ET: What can audiences expect from the Hug Me EP Tour? N: We’ve been feverishly packing love into every bar of each song, so when each section comes everyone’s just gonna feel more and more positive until the venue’s awash with thoughtful compliments and generous gestures filling up affirmation cups washing angst and anxiety back to the valleys of the dum dum where they came from. ET: How do you guys prepare for a gig? Are there any preshow rituals? N: Emma’s got a pretty great vocal warm up going on. That’s a staple. Bit of a jig doesn’t go astray, get the blood flowing, stretch them legs a little. Give them a chance before its more adrenaline than logic guiding them…amazing how many lunges you can do whilst playing a song when it’s a fun song and errybody in the place is boppin’. Simply astonishing. Maybe that’s a thing…a gym where the foyers full of adrenaline triggers. Like Tigers out of cages, and a snake pit under a dodgy glass floor…..yeah? Nah? ET: You shot the video for “I Could Eat a Full Packet of Yo Yo’s” at the Capri Theatre. How else does the local flavour of SA inspire you? N: I think nationally people think Adelaideans have a weird sense of creativity, or some sort of identifiable originality. It’s interesting because I don’t think we really recognise that, or are overtly proud of it. We know we have great artists and are proud of them…but don’t seem to see the quirky thing everyone else does. When I hear people refer to us as different or quirky I always get massively inspired and am stoked our isolation from the eastern cities manifests in such a beautiful thing. Everyone’s been super supportive in terms of getting around us since we’ve been out and about. It’s super nice to write a song and have people say that they actually like it, or their mum likes it or something. ET: My favourite lyric is “If you don’t bulk-bill me I’ll cry”. Can you tell us the story behind this incredibly relatable lyric? N: How did you hear that? That song hasn’t been released, and has been played live once. Literally once. Oh no, twice. Ahhh wait a minute. You were at the O’Fiesta show! I had to ask Emma given she rolled in with those words. So here she is: E: “I make minimum wage and bills are hard when you’re hurting. Hurting as in…need the doctor. The blessing is in the bulk bill! Just having a bit of fun with it!” N: Thanks Em. ET: What do you think makes a “Heaps Good Friend”? N: Defs someone who makes it though a huge change with you. It’s facts: people come and go and that’s cool. But there’s some special people I continue to need and want to be needed by and the beauty of that continuing through difficult times is Heaps Good as. I’ve got some deep core homies in my top 5 and the Heaps Goodness of our love seems to only get better and better as the years go by. ET: If you were an ice-cream, what flavour would you be? N: Maybe a salty caramel. I’m really going in to this one and I reckon it’s a salty caramel vibe.

revi ew/m us i c

Album review: bloody lovely by dz deathrays

DZ Deathrays are bursting back onto the scene with their latest release Bloody Lovely, a combination of new and old sounds that are, quite literally, bloody lovely. Words by Ruby Easterbrook making it to #67 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 despite only being released in August. Other singles released in anticipation for the album include ‘Bad Influence’, ‘Total Meltdown’, and ‘Like People’. Bloody Lovely in a nutshell is the combination of Shane’s deathly screams, irresistible breakdowns, and hard-core guitar riffs with Simon’s constant pounding of the drums. This album is powerful, hypnotic, and heavy; it conveys feelings of heartbreak and despair as well as pure fun and excitement. It’s the beautiful mixture of these aspects that create a classic DZ Deathrays sound.

After a four year wait, two-piece Brisbane-based band DZ Deathrays have finally released a follow up album to Black Rat, suitably named Bloody Lovely. Incorporating that familiar DZ sound along with strong developments both lyrically and instrumentally, it’s an album well-worth the wait. Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley, the singer/guitarist and drummer from the band in question, have undergone a transformation within their song writing. They’ve mastered the art of storytelling, especially in songs like ‘Total Meltdown’, which describes what it’s like to feel depressed and have “nothing going on in [your] head”. Instrumentally, everything is more complex; the breakdowns are mesmerising, the drumming captivates the listener, and every element combines logically to create crisp and clean tracks. Songs like ‘Feeling Good, Feeling Great’ show great intricacies in their instrumental abilities; the guitar riffs are forever changing but the consistent drumming brings it all together perfectly. Bloody Lovely debuted at #4 on the ARIA Charts, similar to the success of their previous ARIA award winning release Bloodstreams (2012). The first singles to be released from Bloody Lovely were also a hit, with ‘Shred For Summer’ even

Some of the best songs on the album, in my opinion, are ‘Like People’, ‘High’, and ‘Afterglow’. ‘Like People’ is one of my favourites not only because it contains Murray from The Wiggles in the video clip doing some pretty weird shit, but also because it’s so raw and vulnerable. Shane describes his disdain for people who are boring, rude, and/or fake throughout each verse and, contrastingly, throughout the chorus professes his love for people who are kind and supportive towards him and his music. “After this, I feel I like you more,” he sings, acknowledging that while there are haters out there, he channels that hate into liking the good people more. ‘High’ contains beautiful, psychedelic pop-style backing guitar and shredding with a heavier guitar riffing over the top. It’s one of their catchiest tunes, describing what seems to be a night out “not getting sober”. ‘Afterglow’ reminds me the most of old DZ Deathrays’ lyrics, especially the song ‘Gebbie Street’ from Bloodstreams. As much of a love song as it gets for this band, ‘Afterglow’ is about what can only be described as an unrequited love filled with miscommunication and manipulation. To summarise, if you love DZ Deathrays even slightly as much as I do, then you’ll definitely enjoy this album. If you’ve never heard DZ Deathrays’ music before but thoroughly enjoy hard rock, then you’ll enjoy this album. If you love connecting to quality lyric writing, then you’ll enjoy this album. If you breathe oxygen then you’ll probably enjoy this album - just saying. DZ Deathrays will be stopping by The Gov on their upcoming tour in May to put on one hell of a show. Joining them are emerging artists Clowns, These New South Wales, and Boat Show. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on tickets before they sold out, I’ll see you there!