Empire Times 46.6

12M

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

12M

2019

201

EMPIR T I M E

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

2019 EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

2019 EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

vol. 06

2019

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

12M

2019

201

EMPIRE T I M E S

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

12M

12M

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019 12M

12M

≈≈≈≈≈≈ ª˙≈≈≈

≈≈≈≈≈≈

≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

12M

12M

04092019

2019

12M

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

EMPIRE T I M E S

CROSSINGOVERCROSSINGOVERCROSSINGOVERCROSSINGOVER

12M

≈≈≈≈≈≈ ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ª˙≈≈≈

12M

≈≈≈≈≈≈

≈≈≈≈≈≈

EMPIRE T I M E S

ª˙≈≈≈

ª˙≈≈≈

2019

≈≈≈≈≈≈

≈≈≈≈≈≈

2019

≈ ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈– ¬∞∞∞∞∞ • • • • •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈ • ¬∞ª˙≈≈≈•≈≈≈`≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ – • • • •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈• • •¬∞ • ≈≈≈ ≈∞∞∞∞∞ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ •ª˙≈ ∞∞∞ –¬≈≈≈ •¬∞•≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ • ≈≈≈ – ≈≈≈ ≈ •≈≈≈`≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ •••–≈≈≈≈ –•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬≈ ≈•≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ •• •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬∞∞∞∞∞ •••••••¬∞ ≈•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈ ˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •¬≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞¬ ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ –•ª˙≈ • ••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • • •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈–¬∞ ∞∞∞ –¬≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈• ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈∞•• ∞∞∞∞∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈ – ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈`≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ••• –≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ • ≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ••••• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ • ≈≈≈ •¬∞• •¬∞ • ≈ ≈•≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈ •≈≈≈`≈≈ ≈ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ –¬∞≈≈≈ ¬≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈¬• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ∞∞•ª˙≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈ • •∞∞∞ •∞≈–¬≈≈≈ ≈ ≈˙ª˙≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈•≈¬∞ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞•• •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈ –• ≈≈≈ ≈∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •• –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ••• –•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈ ∞∞ • ≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ • ≈≈ ≈ •ª˙≈ ∞∞∞ –¬≈≈≈ • ≈≈≈ ≈¬••••• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ˙•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ – ¬∞ ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈ ••• –•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ¬≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬≈≈ ˙ª˙≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈¬• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞–¬∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞•• ≈ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ••• •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈ –¬∞ ¬≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞ ¬ • ≈≈ ≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ˙•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈ ≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬••••• ∞•• •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞∞∞∞ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬ • ≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈ ∞∞≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞∞∞•≈ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈¬• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬••••• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ •••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ˙ª˙≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • •≈≈≈ ∞ ¬∞ –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ∞∞¬∞≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈¬• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈ ∞∞∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ˙•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ˙ª˙≈≈≈≈ ∞ ¬∞≈≈∞∞∞≈≈ ∞∞•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •• •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈ •• –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ ∞≈≈≈≈≈ ∞≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞ • ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞••≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ˙•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈ ∞∞∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ¬∞≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ¬∞ ≈ ≈∞∞∞≈≈ ≈ ≈¬∞ •≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ •••••≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ≈≈ ¬∞ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞≈∞•• ¬∞ ∞∞•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞•• ∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈∞∞ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞•• •≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈ –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈••≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞≈ ¬∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈¬•••••≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈ ∞∞•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈ ≈ ∞∞•≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈∞∞∞≈≈ ≈ ≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈∞≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞¬∞≈≈ ∞≈≈ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ ≈∞•• •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ ∞•• ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ •• –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈¬•••••≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈ ∞ ≈≈∞•• ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈¬∞ ≈ ∞∞•≈ ≈¬∞ ≈ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ ∞ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞•• •≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈∞ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞≈∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞∞ ≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈ ∞∞∞ ≈ ≈¬∞ ≈ ≈ ¬∞ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬•••••≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ •• –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬≈ • •≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈ •∞ • ∞∞ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈∞∞•≈ ≈ ¬∞ ≈∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞¬∞ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ •••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ¬∞≈≈∞∞•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈•≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬≈≈• • ••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •∞∞•≈ • ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈ ∞≈ ≈≈≈ ∞¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ ≈≈ ∞ ∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞≈≈∞∞•≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈•≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ • • • • • ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈•≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ¬ • • •¬∞ ••≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈

≈≈≈ – ¬ ª˙≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ • • • • •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ ≈ ∞∞∞∞∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ • •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈ • ¬∞ •≈≈≈`≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ • • • •¬∞ • ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈ • ≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈ ≈ •ª˙≈ ∞∞∞ –¬≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈≈ – ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈≈ –¬ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ •••≈≈≈≈ ¬ •≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈ ≈ª˙≈≈≈ –¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ¬≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ ∞•• •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈¬••••• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞∞¬∞ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈¬• ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ˙ª˙≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ •• ≈≈≈ ∞∞ –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬ • ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ˙•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ • ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈ • •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈ ¬∞≈≈∞∞•≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞∞∞ ¬∞ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈∞•• ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ •≈≈≈ ∞ ∞•• •≈≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ∞∞∞≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈ ≈ ∞∞∞ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ¬∞ ≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈∞∞∞≈≈ ≈ ≈ ≈¬•••••≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞∞¬∞ ∞∞•≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ∞ •• –≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ¬∞ ∞∞•≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ≈≈ ∞ ≈≈ ¬∞≈≈∞∞•≈ ••≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ∞ ≈≈≈≈¬•≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈∞ •≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈ ≈¬∞ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈•≈ •≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈ • • • • • ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈≈ ≈≈≈≈ ¬∞ ≈≈≈≈

EMPIR T I M E

12M

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

ire Emtip mes

Crossing Over ISSUE 6 // VOLUME 46

50

Y E AR S EDITORS

CONTRIBUTORS

JOIN THE TEAM

Alicia Wood James Watson Kienan McKay

Anele Lane Anu Francis Bayan Yazdani Carmen Giffen Evie Cazzolato Jack Snyder Jawahir Baraki Juliet Gibran Madeline Percey Michelle Wakim Rebekah Manser Susan Cilento Tina Louise Tommy Ablett Victoria Griffin

Empire Times is always looking for contributors.

If you’re a writer, photographer, or illustrator, send us an email or visit our website for details.

DESIGN Kienan McKay SUB-EDITORS Angelina Taylor Courtney Lawrence Elena Koulianos Evie Cazzolato Georgina Banfield Hannah Stampke Madalyn Short Michelle Wakim Peter Moreman Rebekah Manser Shevaun Rutherford

COVER ART Kienan McKay MASTHEAD & LOGO

VISUAL ARTISTS Darcy Holmes // Upside Down (27), Personal Space (31) Katara Wolfe // Headed West on the Path to Fairyland (45-7) Kienan McKay // Study After Prison (10), Ties (37) Penny Parker // Divided (24) Sean Goldfinch // The Gateway (09) Sheydin Dew // Love (28)

Ethan Brown PRINTERS

fb.com/empiretimesmag @empire.times www.empiretimesmagazine.com empiretimes@flinders.edu.au

EMPIRE TIMES is a publication of Flinders University Student Association (FUSA). The opinons expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, Flinders University or FUSA. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that EMPIRE TIMES articles and other information are up-todate and as accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken

by EMPIRE TIMES for any errors or omissions contained herein.

Newstyle Print SPECIAL THANKS Jess Nicole Tim Coyle PHOTOGRAPHY Flinders University Archives

EMPIRE TIMES would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people who are the traditonal custodians of the land Flinders University is situated on, and that their 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.

CONTENTS

0 2

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

31

06

THE AFTERLIFE Let's have a little chat about death

11

STUDY AFTER PRISON The importance of a second chance

20

NOT SO LONELY PLANET Travel brings all sorts of discoveries

22

WHAT WE SHOULD ASK

Shedding light on those with disabilities

27

26

24

ADULTHOOD

Are we really sure we've all crossed over yet?

28

LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY The experience we're never prepared for

30

PERSONAL SPACE

Is there really such a thing anymore?

33

CROSSING INTO EMPATHY Embracing those who have lost everything

36

TIE GUIDE

Keep it classy with this guide to tying your tie

38

AMBITIOUS CROSSOVERS We can't seem to get enough of them!

42

THE UPSIDE DOWN

Analysing the Stranger Things universe

44

CREATIVE: THE GATE

A short fantasy story about taking a chance on magic

Kienanames J Alicia

O V E R

So pause, to feel and examine the changes happening right now – be conscious of this movement of crossing over. Today won’t ever happen again, and before you know it, tomorrow will come along. Crossing over is about where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going.

So become aware of your own growth as it’s happening, and , prepare yourself for the new places and choices this growth is taking you. , Editors Empire Times, 2019

C R O S S I N G

Crossing over is that state of being we never notice – or are perhaps too afraid to point out. It’s a flux state, where either prospect remains possible. Faced with so many opportunities, as we often are in life, this flux state is an easy medium I think we often try to settle for, thinking perhaps it will stay, perhaps it will last. The awkwardness of indecision.

/ /

Despite being initially labelled as a “No Theme” edition, we decided to include the theme of “Crossing Over” after a lot of discussion about the direction of our year and our institution. Having recently celebrated 50 years of Empire Times, we’ve found ourselves considering the ways in which this magazine has changed, and how it has remained the same. The term crossing over may appear to suggest a treachery to the past – a changing of teams – but to us it has become about reflecting on the changes we are experiencing and influencing. This ties in with our opening theme “Seasons of Changes”, in an effort to examine the evolution of our publication, university, and ourselves as a community.

I N T R O D U C T I O N S

OVER

hen do we cross over? Often, we do it without realising. We move across bridges, go from one semester into another, and at university we cross into new places every day to explore more about ourselves. Students are in a constant state of transition. That may be the change from being considered a child to being seen as an adult, it may be transitioning between degrees, or sorting out what sort of career we want to pursue once we leave Flinders. We are standing at a threshold, with the opportunity to create a new epoch for ourselves.

/ /

CROSSING

0 3

W

EDITORIAL

PRESIDENT'S A D DRE SS H

0 4

/ /

I N T R O D U C T I O N S

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

ello friends! I hope you’ve been enjoying the sunshine as Semester 2 ticks along.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been doing a lot of Crossing Over of interstate borders. During the mid-year break I took 10 flights in 5 weeks, some of them for conferences and some of them for fun. I caught 2 disgusting colds, and lost count of how many airport sushi rolls I ate. It was exhausting and difficult but there were lots of good time sprinkled in there too.

I’ll be real with you, Flinders. Spending all of those hours on planes gave me a lot of time to think about life.

I thought about all the things that I’ve done while I’ve been President, and how I had never dreamed that I would be able to do so many things for this place that I love so much. I thought about what I might do when my time as President is up, seeing as it’s not that long at all now.

The conclusion - I have no clue what I’m doing. I’m sure there are some of you out there, close to graduation and thinking about what to do with life afterwards. Being so close to the end

but not knowing what comes after is kinda scary, and it’s going to take some real courage to step out into the unknown. The realisation that I came to was I needed to remember all the other things (aside from Flinders) that I love, and make sure that whatever I’m doing is because I love it and it sparks joy, not because it’s what I think I should be doing next.

Some people call it a mid-life crisis, but I think I’m going to call it my Crossing Over.

P.S. FUSA Elections will be happening before you know it, and I really hope that you will have a chat to those candidates and cast a vote - they are out there because they care about the people at this University and they’re willing to put the work in for all of us to have the best time while we’re here. So please take those two minutes out of your day to make sure the President’s Statements are still heartfelt but lit after I’m gone. x

Katt Hatzi Student Council President

20th

1st

FUSA Says Relax @ Tonsley

FUSA Uni Ball

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER

8th

sex issues

46 .4 sex issues

OCTOBER

sex issues

46 .4 sex issues

Student Elections (8th-10th)

sex issues

46 .4 sex issues

CHECK OUT THE FUSA FACEBOOK PAGE FOR46.4 MORE EVENTS

sex issues

sex issues

OCTOBER

National Archaeology Student Conference (1st4th)

T Y P E )

18th

( O R

R U OK? Day

O V E R

Be A Better Human Fair Day @ Bedford

C R O S S I N G

FUSA Annual General Meeting Be a Better Human Fair Day @ Sturt

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER

/ /

12th

( S E C T I O N )

11th

/ /

10th

0 5

WHAT'S GOING ON?

T Y P E ) ( O R O V E R C R O S S I N G / / ( S E C T I O N ) / / 0 6

What_Religion_ Tells Us_ About_Death *Empire Times would like to note that this article has been looked over by a practicing member of each of the religions mentioned below. There are also different sects in each religion, so the descriptions provided are broad and may not fully express each and every sect.

There are also varying interpretations of different passages – this is one such interpretation.

D

eath is something we know so little about, and it’s often only when we experience it close to us – whether it be when it touches a loved one, or our own close call – that we stop to think about it. What happens to us when we die? Is there another world, and does it resemble this one?

What is the purpose of this one if there isn’t another?

These are questions that many of us have pondered upon, myself included.

There’s so much anxiety around the idea of death, that sometimes it’s easier not to discuss it, and to avoid thinking about it. Because let’s face it, death is a terrifying thing that is hard to fully grasp. Many people believe we are naught but physical beings, and that when we die, that’s it. I respect that, yet if true, that could mean there is no purpose to our current existence.

Why should we bother being good to others if we are going to perish into dust? While I do personally believe in an afterlife, I simultaneously recognise that I lack the capacity to truly conceive what it constitutes.

ears, hands, feet, organs, and sensory faculties the baby develops during their mother’s pregnancy will greatly serve the baby when born into the world beyond. Notwithstanding, the baby is completely unaware of how important they will be while still in the womb. Indeed, the baby lacks the capacity to comprehend their use and function. For Baha’is, the development of spiritual qualities, or ”virtues” taught by all the world’s major religions, such as love, kindness, patience, generosity, courtesy, selflessness, and so on, are likewise vital for us in the next life: a spiritual realm that we cannot properly comprehend in this one.

I’m a Baha’i. Like in other religions, Baha’is believe that being a good person in this world entails some form of reward in the next; however, Baha’is don’t hold traditional concepts of "Heaven" or "Hell." They are explained to be metaphorical terms to describe spiritual states of relative nearness or distance from God, as opposed to physical places characterised by clouds or fire and Satan. What those spiritual states exactly look or feel like, we have no clue. An analogy used in Baha’i literature likens the relationship between our physical life and immortal soul as being analogous to a baby in her mother’s womb who is entirely dependent upon the world beyond, but ultimately lacks the capacity to conceive it. The eyes,

The Holy Writings of the world’s many religions expound on the subject of “the afterlife.” Religious groups may have vastly different conceptions of this afterlife: some believe in a literal Heaven and Hell, while others believe in continuous reincarnation until a state of nirvana is attained. What we all agree on as religious peoples, however, is that there is something more. I find this incredibly fascinating, but also scary. Having survived a near-death motor accident last year while on pilgrimage, it’s something I pondered on heavily afterwards.

The following quote from the Baha’i

writings has made me realise that I just don’t, and simply can’t, know what’s beyond: “In the time of sleep this body is as though dead; it does not see nor hear; it does not feel; it has no consciousness, no perception—that is to say, the powers of man have become inactive, but the spirit lives and subsists. Nay, its penetration is increased, its flight is higher, and its intelligence is greater.

To consider that after the death of the body the spirit perishes is like imagining that a bird in a cage will be destroyed if the cage is broken, though the bird has nothing to fear from the destruction of the cage. Our body is like the cage, and the spirit is like the bird. We see that without the cage this bird flies in the world of sleep; therefore, if the cage becomes broken, the bird will continue and exist. Its feelings will be even more powerful, its perceptions greater, and its happiness increased. In truth, from hell it reaches a paradise of delights because for the thankful birds there is no paradise greater than freedom from the cage.” – Abdu’l Baha, Some Answered Questions, pg. 228 “Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attains the

presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter... It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure. It will manifest the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving kindness and bounty.” – Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah But it’s not only the Baha’i Writings that speak about this fascinating yet confusing subject. I found some more guidance from other world religions too, which also view life as a journey consisting of different tests and opportunities for spiritual growth.

BUDDHISM A brief description of Buddhism, according to a Buddhist Flinders University staff member: Buddha isn't a god - he's a man that reached enlightenment, which is a state of all-knowing and true freedom. In this sense, Buddhism is not really a religion, but Buddha’s teaching about the true nature of ourselves and our world, and the path of practice for all sentient beings to reach enlightenment.

“Life is a journey. Death is a return to earth. The universe is like an inn. The passing years are like dust. Regard this phantom world as a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp - a phantom - and a dream.” – Vairrachedika, 32.

“Long is the cycle of birth and death to the fool who does not know the true

path… one road leads to wealth; another road leads to nirvana. Let the mendicant, the disciple of Buddha, learn this and not strive for honour but seek wisdom.” – Dhammapada “Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead already.” – Dhammapada, 21

Muhammad was his last messenger/ prophet; prayer; fasting; charity; and pilgrimage. There are also six core beliefs in Islam, belief in: the one God; Angels; Holy books (Quran, Gospel, Torah and Psalms); the Prophets (Muhammed, Jesus, Moses, Jonah, David, Ezekiel, etc); Judgement Day; and Divine Preordainment

CHRISTIANITY A brief description of Christianity, according to Flinders Evangelical Students and Overseas Christian Fellowship: God created all people to be in a relationship with Himself, however all of us have turned away from Him and try to run the world our own way. Jesus, the Son of God, has come as a human being; he died and rose again to deal with human sin, and call people everywhere to receive the free gift of eternal life through faith in him.

"And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, ‘They are dead.’

Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not." - Sura al-Baqarah, 2:154

“According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” – 2 Peter 3:13

While to many the religions of the world are fundamentally opposed, when we investigate theological perspectives on philosophical questions such as life after death, it becomes apparent that the world’s religions do teach us some interestingly similar concepts. The verses above, that although might reflect religious traditions with noticeably different beliefs about the afterlife, nevertheless counsel us that virtuous and righteous deeds while we are alive will benefit us after death (although in some religions there are further conditions involved, such as belief and religious practice).

Moreover, they allude to life as being eternal and the "afterlife” as being incomprehensible and, indeed, mysterious.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” – John, 11:25 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Mathew, 10:28 ISLAM A brief description of Islam, according to a Muslim student of Flinders University: Islam is an Abrahamic faith based on five fundamental and obligatory pillars: belief in the one God and that

“[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving” – Surah Al-Mulk, 67:2 “Allah is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will give you life.”- Surah Ar-Rum, 30:40

0 9 / / ( S E C T I O N )

We all know that death is unavoidable, but if so many of our religions reassure us that there’s more to it than simply a full stop, then perhaps we shouldn’t fear death that much after all. Whether you’re a believer or not, death is an experience that we will all one day share – and as morbid as that sounds, it doesn’t need to be something we avoid speaking about.

Perhaps the more we discuss death – the more ideas, thoughts, and fears we share – the better prepared we will be.

And the more we ponder death, the more we can appreciate life before we finally cross over into the unknown.

/ / C R O S S I N G O V E R ( O R T Y P E )

Bayan Yazdani

I

A_Different_ Kind_of_ Institution

carry a secret. I take it with me wherever I go. It stops me from fully participating and prevents me from connecting. I’m not like other students. It’s hard to tell just by looking at me. I’ve worked really hard to keep it hidden, but it’s not easy. Some days I run out of disguises.

I consciously study in less populated areas on campus just in case. I sit in specific seats on the train or bus to hide me from prying eyes. I’m careful when I use the stairs, hoping no one is walking up behind me or waiting at the bottom. I am fixated on the way I hold my body.

Please don’t see me.

I panic when I think someone has noticed. Or when I catch people whispering to each other, then look my way with apprehension or worse, judgement. Sometimes it’s not obvious. Sometimes my fear of being exposed and humiliated mutates into a paranoia that any glance my way is interpreted as a threat to my anonymity and I want to run and hide.

Please don’t see me.

Some days it would be easier not to leave the relative safety of the house, but I have to. For starters, I know that university is my opportunity to create a new life.

I also don’t have the luxury of home internet and I’m only allowed out on certain days and at certain times, so paranoid meltdowns need to fit into a very inflexible schedule.

1 1

I wish I could be braver. I wish I could embrace what makes me different and be a person who sees others judgements as burdens for only them to bear. I wish I could move freely around spaces and places without feeling that I may not be welcome.

/ /

Now you see me.

E S S A Y

My secret is that I spent five years incarcerated in the Adelaide Women’s Prison for a non-violent crime and I am currently on Home Detention. Like most women in the criminal justice system I’m not violent or dangerous, and I belong to the ever increasing “abuse survivor” cohort that are locked in cages. Despite my low risk and history, I’m forced to wear an electronic shackle around my ankle because everyone on Home Detention has to; that’s “policy” (aka penal populism). There are no exceptions. It wouldn’t matter if I was a 90-year old woman who stole $1000 from Centrelink 20 years ago. Here’s your ankle shackle Madam.

P E R S O N A L

Please see me.

/ /

What if I didn’t view my secret as a shameful burden to carry or as something that has to define me? What if my secret was shared in the hope that others who may have similar secrets recognise their story in mine? What if by sharing my secret I made it easier for others to improve themselves through higher education?

C A M P U S

Please don’t see me. …but, what if you did see me?

O N

Please don’t see me.

Now you see me.

Reentry is not easy. I’m not just a citizen for whom some reasonable restrictions apply while I am under government surveillance. I’m a walking non-citizen. Aside from the humiliatingly bulky electronic shackle, I face structural and discriminatory barriers that don’t really inspire a sense of positive citizenry. The consequences of a criminal conviction last a lifetime. Employment and volunteering is near impossible thanks to the rise of the for-profit criminal history check industry. I can’t get a mobile phone plan, any kind of credit, insurance, or membership to most professional associations as criminal conviction contravenes approval. There are no second chances. Ever. I couldn’t vote in the Federal election, and my forensic psychiatrist’s court report detailing my experience of abuse is available un-redacted to the

general public, but I can’t access the prison psychologist’s report. I have no idea what that contains. The Government has a ”file”’ on me that I’m not allowed to see. My identity is somehow assigned to my guilt. I am the sum of my past.

Now you see me.

I am on the verge of crossing over. I’m in that murky transition stage where I’m not quite a citizen but I must take on all the responsibilities of one. I must ”re-integrate”.

But how do you do that when society doesn’t want you? And I’m not alone. There are 7,000 of us under community detention orders at any one time in South Australia, but as far as I know I’m only one of two formerly incarcerated people studying at an Adelaide university.

This phenomenon is not as rare in other Western nations where universities have established targeted pathways.

I hope that changes. University saved me. That may sound dramatic but it’s a fact. Without it I may have died.

Reentry is not easy. I have big bold plans for my future and that’s going to mean putting myself out there in big bold ways, starting now.

Now you see me.

1 2

/ /

O N

C A M P U S

/ /

P E R S O N A L

E S S A Y

To make sure I get to lectures on time I get up at 4.30am every day to ensure the electronic monitor is adequately charged, given it can take up to 90 minutes. I do the same every evening. It disturbs me throughout the night, hitting my ankle when I move. It cuts and bruises my skin so I have to wear Band-Aids and bandages. I also live with the constant threat that with one false move I could go back to prison. I get text messages from the monitoring center, big capital letters screaming RETURN HOME IMMEDIATELY OR RISK BEING BREACHED AND RETURNED TO PRISON. When I ring them, hands trembling and heart pounding in my chest wondering what I could have done wrong while sitting at my kitchen table, the guy on the other end laughs and says ‘We probably got the wrong number, it happens.'

Tina Louise

Be it field, pitch, or court, these women are making history before our eyes, and it’s a privilege to watch it happen.

Michelle Wakim

R E P O R T

Captain of the Australian women’s national soccer team, the Matildas, Sam Kerr captured our hearts the moment she told critics to ‘suck on that one’ when her team made a comeback in this year’s Soccer World Cup. Last year, she became the all-time leading goal kicker in our national soccer league. But if we backtrack through Kerr’s life in sport, we find that soccer was not her first love. Kerr was raised in a household governed by a love for Aussie Rules Footy, so much so that her brother, Daniel, played AFL for the West Coast Eagles for over a decade. Growing up, Kerr played football with boys: for three years in her childhood, none of them even knew she was a girl. She dominated for her age, and her sex had no influence on her performance.

Until puberty, that is, when the boys developed physically to a point where Kerr could no longer safely compete with them. At the age of 12, during a time when there were no

Next is Australia’s golden girl. She’s humble, hardworking, and drops Disney quotes into her pre- and post-game interviews. Ashleigh Barty is a wonderful representation for our country on the international stage, particularly in the tennis world where we’ve had questionable personalities in the spotlight such as Nick Kyrios and Bernard Tomic. In June 2019, at 23 years of age, Barty became the second Australian to become world number one in women’s tennis. The first Australian woman to reach this triumph was Barty’s mentor Evonne Goolagong Cawley – a multi-faceted individual in her own right, being the only mother to win Wimbledon since 1914. Both these women are of Indigenous heritage and do a great deal to give back to their communities. Their achievements have not only been proud moments for women, but also victories for Australia’s First Nations people. But tennis is not the only sport Barty’s perfected: at the ripe age of 18, Barty found herself burnt out and struggling with mental health issues and chose to take a break from tennis to pursue cricket. In 2016, Barty made it to the Twenty20 Women’s Big Bash League, signing with the Brisbane Heat. After a full season of professional cricket, Barty felt ready to return to tennis.

Within a year of being back on the court she went from sitting outside of the top 250 female tennis players in the world, to finishing in the top 20.

/ /

With recent buzz around world class sporting tournaments – the Soccer World Cup, Wimbledon, and the Cricket World Cup – I’ve been glued to my TV, watching men and women around the world represent their countries at an elite level.

But my aforementioned ideas of success surfaced when I realised that some of the women I was watching have not only dominated in their current sport, but have reached heights of success across various areas in their sporting life.

These idols are fluid in their passions, allowing for a cross over in their talents. There are countless names that could be used as examples, but two women in particular have made their mark on 2019: Sam Kerr and Ashleigh Barty.

avenues for young girls to progress with football, Kerr switched to soccer. Being forced to give up something she loved filled her with frustration – Kerr claims that in her first year playing soccer, she was the worst on the team. But she worked to make up for lost time, giving herself the best chance to thrive. Now she has reached the peak of success, not just on a national scale, but internationally. There are even rumours one day she will make her way back to AFL!

S P O R T S

ost of us will spend our whole lives trying to perfect just one of our talents. As we get older, we are told that we will have to make choices about what pathways we want to pursue in order to be successful. We are told that we cannot possibly have it all. There is some truth in this, but we also limit ourselves and our capabilities when we build these inflexible mindsets around success.

/ /

M

1 3

SPO RTS

S T U DE NT COU NCI L A

fter a few personnel changes in some Student Council portfolios, we check in to see how they're adjusting to their roles and what the Council is doing for students.

1 4

/ /

O N

C A M P U S

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO? My name is Anu Francis and I have recently been elected as the FUSA Disabilities Officer for the second half of 2019. I am currently in my second year of a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) / Bachelor of Education (Special Education), after graduating a Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) in 2017. Outside of uni, I spend the majority of my time training, as I currently represent South Australia in Para-Rowing and Australia in Para-Badminton. My disabilities are Cerebral Palsy, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and Auditory Processing Disorder.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH STUDENT COUNCIL AND FUSA? My disabilities have certainly caused me some additional challenges during my time at university, and whilst I have received some great support from the Flinders Health, Counselling and Disability Services, I have seen little student-led action and support for students with disabilities. Therefore, I thought that with my lived experience of disability, I could make some positive and long-lasting change in this area.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR TERM? A key focus of mine is to create more opportunities for students with disabilities to get to know each other. Not only will this tackle loneliness within the Flinders disability community, it will also enable collaboration on a variety

of projects and events that directly help and appeal to this community. Some ideas I have for this is a series of small-scale social events such as lunches and movie nights, as well as regular Disabilities Collective meetings and information/practical sessions covering topics including employment and rights. I would also like to raise awareness and acceptance of disabilities within the wider Flinders community, through events including a celebration of the International Day of People with Disability on December 3rd, and regular disability-related contributions to the Empire Times (you can read my recent article in their "Sex, Love, & Beauty" issue, discussing how I navigate these with a disability).

Another important project idea I have is to establish a fully accessible Disabilities Space in the Hub, similar to the Women’s and Queer Spaces, where students with disabilities can socialise, relax, use kitchen facilities, administer medications, and study using a range of assistive technologies to suit their needs. Of course, there is also an ongoing need to improve overall physical accessibility, with current issues reported by students including insufficient signage of lifts throughout the university, some accessible toilets being largely inaccessible for some students who use wheelchairs, and unmarked stairs proving a tripping hazard for students with visual impairments.

FAVOURITE QUOTE It would have to be from an Irish Dancing doco I watched years ago called "Jig" (I was an Irish Dancer as a child!). This little girl, Brogan McCay, had all these people telling her she wouldn't make it and she confidently proclaimed, 'Aye I can! Watch me,' and then went on to smash all her goals plus more!

1 5 / /

my disabilities have certainly caused me some additional faf challengesaefaef during y time my time rgrg

( S E C T I O N ) / / C R O S S I N G O V E R ( O R

Anu Francis

T Y P E )

fwefqefwe want a keysqe focus to qefefwee create more opportunities for students with disabilities

HU M ANS FL IN DE RS WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS, AND HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT? think my biggest weakness is failing to be open. Don’t get me wrong – I have no problem being honest because I’m a terrible liar – but being forthcoming is another story. Growing up, I had been an honest and proud little professional wrestling fan and would let anybody and everybody know it. I proudly had these half-naked men on my bedroom walls and begged my parents to buy all the merchandise I could get. As I got older however it quickly become apparent how uncool watching greased up dudes go at each other was to all my peers. After much teasing and laughter I finally reached the age of conformity.

It wasn’t just wrestling that I felt embarrassed about, it was comics too, and all the nerdy fantasy and sci-fi franchises that I was a fan of. Graduating school and moving into adult life where you no longer have to fulfil social expectations should have been a breath of fresh air for me, but it wasn’t.

I was, and still am to this day, extremely uncomfortable expressing myself and sharing the things that I like.

1 6

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

I

It’s funny how the times seem to have changed though, and the things that we’d have gotten picked on in school for liking has now become the mainstream. Comic book heroes are the biggest thing ever and that’s awesome. This insecurity of mine is something that I’ve had to learn to manage as sharing bits about yourself is an important part of making friends and being social. To be comfortable being open, I have to be happy with who I am and for that reason I’m always striving to be the best version of myself that I can be and to make sure my interests reflect that.

1 7 / / O N C A M P U S / / C R O S S I N G

IF YOU COULD CROSS OVER INTO THE WORLD OF YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE/NOVEL, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

T

I

here’s a winding track near my house that’s partly grown-over with wild grevilleas and eucalyptus trees where I like to run, partly because the loamy, uneven terrain means bike riders avoid the area, but more so because at particular spots where the path juts out from behind the tree line, I catch a glimpse of the sweeping gorge and Cox Creek.

My dad was the first person to take me there, when I was finishing my honours degree, and he was also the first person to suggest finding a physical outlet for all my pentup stress and anxiety. I don’t think he realises the world of good he did. I’m running at least 3 times a week now.

On frosty weekday mornings, I won’t meet another person on that trail, and the feeling of complete withdrawal from civilisation often brings me solace. A place that huge and boundless can hold a lot of thoughts, and I think there’s something therapeutic and comforting in being able to release all mine into the ether at once, and be met with silence.

hope this never happens, because my favourite movie is The Matrix and I’d prefer not to be in a simulation eating the liquefied waste of other dead humans. Also if you eventually escape, you're basically a giant baby using your body for the first time, plus you have to break out of a sac.

It's either we are trapped in a simulation, or we are going to be devoured by The Very Hungry Caterpillar unexpectedly soon... What if there is a whole species of giant, flesh hungry caterpillars that have lived in the Amazon this whole time, only to now be searching for a new habitat and food supply in populated suburbs and cities? I mean we all know that we have stuffed up, but this is an event we haven't fully considered! All in all, I’m voting for the latter option myself, but I would be happy to settle for The Matrix as a reality if The Hungry Caterpillar is added into the Marvel universe. Move over Spidey...

O V E R

WHERE IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE, AND WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?

POLITICAL

CORRESPONDENCE

1 8

/ /

O N

C A M P U S

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

THE SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE 1) The Liberals are the openly capitalist party of Australia, upholding racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia, perpetuating the repression of Unions, the oppressed and poor, and being the avowed followers of big business. Labor politicians are just as dedicated to Australian capitalism as the Liberals, and willing to work together to prove it no matter how disgusting the policy.

Locking up asylum seekers, tax cuts for the rich, coal mining and commitment to Australian imperialism, are policies that the Liberal party holds and has bipartisan support in government.

Bipartisanship is the problem, we need more vocal dissent against the policies of the major parties.

2) Our organisation comes from the Revolutionary Marxist tradition of "Socialism From Below" - our understanding of socialism is it must be created by the self-emancipation of the working class, rather than from above in the form of a bureaucratic dictatorship, like we saw in the USSR, China, Cuba and so on. Authentic Marxism is a project for the liberation of humanity, not a dreary and totalitarian nightmare. When we talk about Communism, we are talking about a radically democratic way of organising society and the fading away

FLINDERS UNI LABOR CLUB of nation states, borders, class and the human misery generated from the existence thereof.

3) We oppose the campaign against the Confucius Institute, seeing it as a moral panic which backs up Australian nationalism and strengthens antiChinese racism. The media is full of such scares about “Chinese influence” which contrast the repression of the Chinese state with the so-called “freedom” and “democracy” of Australia. Supporters of Australian nationalism who highlight the repression of the Chinese state are being deeply cynical. Just think of Australia bugging Timor-Leste’s cabinet to sneak the upper hand in negotiations, of the offshore concentration camps we indefinitely detain refugees in, and the recent raids on journalists for reporting the war crimes we committed in Afghanistan.

We stand in solidarity with those oppressed by the CCP, like the current protest movement in Hong Kong, but we will never support Australian nationalism. This campaign will add to the climate which sees international students becoming the victim of racist attacks.

1) The Decriminalisation of Sex Work bill is currently enjoying somewhat bi-partisan support in the South Australian Parliament, after all major political parties gave their MPs a conscience vote on the bill.

The Flinders University Labor Club is incredibly proud to support the progressive Labor MPs that have made a strong case as to why this bill should pass through our parliament, and why it deserves bi-partisan support. South Australia remains one of only three states that are yet to decriminalise sex work, with our laws generally regarded as the most harsh and punitive. Decriminalisation of sex work is integral to the safety, health and wellbeing of sex workers and their families.

2) The origins of the Australian Labor Party dates back to the colonial labour and trade union movement in Australia during the late 19th Century, making Labor the oldest political party in this country. Labor’s constitution states the party’s objective as the ‘democratic socialisation of industry, production, distribution and exchange’, and the Flinders University Labor Club is proud to advocate for free education, universal healthcare and maintaining public ownership of trains and trams.

While historically and even today, the

12 3

What is a policy from your opposing political parties that you might actually agree with? Why would this deserve bi-partisan support?

How has your party changed over time? How were you formed and how did you get to where you are now?

/ / C R O S S I N G O V E R

2) Throughout the years the Liberal Party has grown and developed. Our members have a diverse range of views but all with the grounding principles as expressed by Menzies. With the wide range of views and ability to voice your beliefs, we remain the only party where honest debate can occur. Diversity of beliefs is not the only way have changed over the years. With the first openly gay federal parliamentarian, the first woman elected into SA parliament and the first Indigenous person to be the federal minister for Indigenous Australians, the Liberal party remains

3) As a party, we believe in individual freedoms. Anything that can potentially infringe on individual rights ought to be monitored closely.

C A M P U S

This is outrageous, and the Australian Government should do everything it can through our diplomatic relationship with China to show that the situation is unacceptable. Australia currently holds a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, and that should be used to also raise these concerns.

Further, it goes without saying that our Universities should do everything they can do to condemn human rights abuses. For any University to contribute technology towards the abuse of human rights, knowingly or not, is outrageous and out to be condemned.

the party for the everyday people of Australia.

Right

3) Given continuing reports of the mass detention of China’s minority Uighur population and other violations of human rights, including those outlined by members of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva, it’s now clear that even residents of Australia are being subjected to intimidation, and have been unable to contact family members.

1) A policy which currently has bipartisan support and I believe the support of the vast majority of the nation is the banning of ivory trade in Australia. Currently, ivory products “harvested” prior to 1975 are still able to be traded in Australia with little regulation. Furthermore, ivory may still be sold internationally if the owner can produce evidence that it was sourced prior to 1975. While an ivory market exists in Australia, demand for more products will also exist. There may always be a black-market trade of ivory, however, if Australia follows the lead of the UK, then illegally sourced ivory cannot be traded under the guise of a legitimate market. Banning the trade of ivory in Australia is something the current parliament should look at as it seems to be a position supported by people of all political persuasions.

O N

Flinders University Labor Club does not agree with every position of the Australian Labor Party, we advocate for the involvement of progressive students in the party’s processes and structures, which is how a party does develop and grow overtime.

/ /

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LIBERAL CLUB

1 9

Following the 4 Corners report (ABC) into the Chinese-funded development of technology in Australian Universities later used to persecute Islamic minorities in China, what is your view on the relationship between the Chinese Government and Australian Universities? Should an institution like Flinders be concerned?

A_Not_So_ Lonley_Planet_ Out_There N ot to be all white-girl, "wanderlust,” ”live, laugh, love” about it, but I’m genuinely a big fan of travelling. In the last ten years, I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a number of different countries and continents. In their own way, each of these places have shaped who I am.

However, I’ve actively avoided becoming that person who says, ‘When I was in London/ Dubai/U.S., etc.…’ because, well, everyone hates that person. Like, alright already we get it, you’ve travelled. Do you want a gold star?

Well actually yes! It’d be nice to have something shiny to distract from the overwhelming desolation of returning home after exploring the world.

NINETEEN: YOU SOUND LIKE YOU’RE FROM LONDON I was 19 when I moved to London, and W-O-W did it change me.

Since coming home to Adelaide I’ve struggled to answer the question, ‘How was living in London?’ because

how do you comprehensively describe almost two years of your life? I cried a lot, ate a load of potatoes, slept on the floor for two months, moved house four times, had a Christmas jumper party, and almost got stabbed in Soho. But I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. It was awful and magical and big and lonely. I grew up. I spent hours on hold to HM Revenue and Customs, paid council fees, signed leases, and had my first contracted job.

London made me realise two things: I was exponentially insignificant, and absolutely anything was possible. I could be anything or anyone I wanted to be in a city that didn’t know or care who I was. London helped me dream bigger.

Twenty: Turkey - Still Learning Before returning home to Australia, I travelled around the Mediterranean for a month. I visited some incredible places and I could write a million words about each, but Turkey in particular had a profound impact on me.

In Istanbul, I saw market stalls full of spices and impossibly packed lantern shops alongside brimming rug merchants. But I was also confronted with the realities of the Syrian refugee crisis, which in 2015 was becoming an increasingly bigger political issue.

Syrian refugees became more than a news headline – they were children,

E S S A Y

Evie Cazzolato

P E R S O N A L

Travel does so much for you on a personal level, which is great, but I also think travel can do a lot for the globe as well. There is a lot of scary stuff in the world right now. There are really toxic people with terrifying power, misinformation permeates, and prejudice and misunderstanding turn people against each other. But the more we experience different places, cultures, cities, lifestyles, attitudes, and stories, the more informed and conscious we become. Exploring a place markedly different from your home, learning and exposing yourself to the endlessly unique cultures of the world significantly improves our condition as a society.

/ /

The whole thing was incredibly stressful, between residency costs,

Because I was alone, exchange really pushed me to actually know and look after myself. I made lifelong friends from all over the world, drove in snow and skied for the first time. But I had no family to tell me what to do, so incorporating vegetables into meals became a new challenge. I didn’t have

MAKE IT HAPPEN I know some people have never been overseas, either by choice or personal circumstance, but I would strongly recommend trying to make travel a priority at some point in your life if you are able to. Put $20 every week into a travel fund, check with a travel agent the cheapest time of year to book, or research couch-surfing options. Find a way to make it happen, and go see the world.

T R A V E L

TWENTY-THREE: OH, CANADA! Most recently I travelled to Calgary, Canada on a semester exchange through Flinders University. This was my first solo adventure that lasted more than three weeks. One of my biggest fears was that I wouldn’t make any friends, which was the very least of my real problems.

a job, so budgeting was really important. I had to take myself to the doctor when I was really ill, and still had to shop for food when I could barely breathe from congestion.

It was hard, but it was perfect.

/ /

Having such close contact with people who had fled their country made me so much more aware of global issues, and taught me to be much more critical of how information can be manipulated and portrayed. It was not my first or last exposure to extreme poverty, but I really was naïve. Seeing refugees as I walked down the street made me much more conscious, and angry. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own little worlds (I still do) and forget other people’s suffering.

Living on campus often felt like a big group of juvenile children had been thrown in a building and left dangerously unsupervised. Fire alarms went off at 3am because someone was drunk-cooking a pizza.

There was a building meeting because someone kept stealing the pins from the hallway pin boards. We had a Moana movie night with karaoke in the eighth floor study room. Someone vomited in the lift and then just, left it there. A guy stopped my washing machine, added his dirty underwear, and then set it going again. Imagine finding an unexpected selection of tighty-whitey Y-fronts among your weekly wash. No one there was a real adult.

2 1

women, and men. They were people starving, begging, and crying on the streets. They were more than a statistic or graph, they had faces and names and families and stories. A few times I felt a little unsafe in the city, but I had money to travel and explore the world and do what I wanted. They didn’t have food or water or shelter.

visa applications, health insurance, subject approval; the list goes on. But I wouldn’t change a second of it (except maybe the sinus and chest infections that left me bedridden for a fortnight. On an unrelated note, always wear a coat in -15 degrees).

What_We_ Should_Ask_ But_Don't_Pt.1

Anu Francis

d i v i d e d penny parker

p e n n y p a r k e r

R

Is_Who_We_ Are_Bound_ By_Our_Age?

emember being in Year 6, and looking up to Year 12s, thinking they were so cool? It’s disappointing to grow up and find out that there is no sudden, magical change, and actually you’re just as dorky and awkward at 23 as you were at 13.

The good thing is – so is everyone else.

2 6

/ /

L I F E S T Y L E

/ /

O P I N I O N

I remember being a kid, hanging out to turn 18 so I could finally “be an adult” and buy my own Vodka Cruisers and be let into clubs to throw down to Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” with the best of them.

I hate those memes that say adulthood is about being tired, having a sore lower back and avoiding social interaction. First of all, go to a physio and stop drinking caffeine so late in the day so you can get more sleep.

But life doesn’t have to get boring Of course, being an adult in the eyes as you grow up. Yes, when you enter of the law is totally not equivalent to full-time work (if you enter full-time achieving “adulthood.” But the rights work) you’ll have less free time to go and responsibilities that come along out and have fun. It just means you with turning 18 and taking steps have to streamline your priorities and toward becoming self-sufficient are interests – and if they don’t involve an integral checkpoint on the path loud music and sticky dancefloors towards “growing up.” You’ve gotta get that’s fine, just own it. a few parking fines and lose a few bank cards and ID cards in town before you But the party doesn’t have to end realise the repercussions are annoying completely – adulthood doesn’t and not worth it, and take some steps have to be linked to glorified ideas to change your behaviour – you know? of duty and obligation. If you hate It’s all a part of the journey. Before responsibility, don’t buy a house! you know it, you’ll be a pro at the little Don’t get married! Don’t have kids! things, like supermarket shopping and Life is this great big choose-yourfilling out tax returns and you’ll realise own adventure book and the most you really are one step closer to the daunting part is realising you have the ambiguous ideal of “getting your life power to direct your life in any way together.” you choose. Once you come to terms Adulthood is about having spent a lot with that, the rest is up to you. of time chopping and changing, and experimenting until you find direction One thing you can’t get back as you and different passions that you love. get older is the sheer amount of spare Adulthood is about having plunged time you used to have every day to through many awkward-as-fuck hang out with friends. Gone are those situations, to the point where you’ve endless hazy summer days when either mastered them, or been so everyone’s free, and you’re all slumped embarrassing so many times that you across couches in someone’s living know it cannot get any worse, leading room doing nothing in the best way you to accept that life is awkward, and possible. You don’t notice time going it’s best to just move on. past, but one day you wake up and you’re approaching your mid-twenties, The thing is, you can’t skip that and suddenly no one’s ever free on crossing over phase of life. For better the same day, and it’s like you’re stuck or for worse, you just have to go in a never-ending loop of exchanging through it – but in the end, you’re messages like “we should catch up,” better for it. “yeah for sure,” without ever finding

2 7

a time that suits everybody. But if things never changed and time wasn’t precious, something would be lost in the beauty of life. Make the most of your youth while you still can because those days aren’t going to last forever (even if it feels like it at the time).

/ / ( S E C T I O N ) / /

The more you do something, the better you get at it, and the upside of adulthood is becoming more functional in every way. Now that I’m an adult, I (sometimes) check the price of petrol before I fill up, and always make sure the petrol light isn’t on. I’ve only left the house unlocked once this year. I go out for drinks even though I have work early the next morning, but only until 9pm. I make sure to go past Hungry Jacks on the way home, drink a big glass of water, and get my eight hours of sleep.

C R O S S I N G O V E R ( O R T Y P E )

And I’ve started wearing clean, matching socks every day – it’s a beautiful feeling.

The greatest part about growing up is having made mistakes and learned from them. It’s realising you’re going to keep making mistakes – and that’s half the fun. Having the freedom to choose your own path also comes with the freedom to decide how you react to whatever comes next – so lighten up! Let yourself enjoy your life – whether you’re on track to achieve set goals by a self-imposed time limit, or not. Experiment to work out what you enjoy, let your direction come to you; and don’t take it too seriously because every mistake you make brings you closer to getting it right!

Victoria Griffin

T Y P E ) ( O R O V E R C R O S S I N G / / ( S E C T I O N ) / / 2 8

W

Whatever's_ On_The_ Other_Side

hen I was 18 I crossed over from “virgin” to “sexually active”. My family were away for the weekend. I went out with friends. I met a bloke. He looked like Michael Cera. I decided that sleeping with him would be a good decision. He made me feel comfortable.

I told Michael Cera that I hadn’t done this before. He seemed cool. We sat on my kitchen floor for about an hour beforehand, playing with my dog, drinking Coronas (I kept the bottle caps from that night). I think that was his way of easing me into it.

We made out a bit, and then the clothes came off. I apologised for not being cleanly shaven down there – something I would never apologise for now.

That night was the first time I had seen a penis in the flesh. It was the first time I gave a blow job. I bluffed my way through it, trying to do what I thought was expected of me. In truth, I didn’t like giving oral sex that night, and there have been very few instances since where I have enjoyed it. From the limited media I had been exposed to, giving a blow job seemed to be something women relished.

We worry that adolescent boys are forming warped and unhealthy expectations of sex from porn, but we forget that adolescent girls also look to porn to try and work out the logistics of sex. I did. Back then, I never watched porn for pleasure: I watched it to see how "real" sex worked.

This guy gave me feedback as well. He said he couldn’t believe it was my first time, because (1) There was no

In the end, she made it all about me because it was my first time. I didn’t feel pressure to act or move my body in

I made a choice to educate myself properly after this experience: I listened to podcasts – I recommend Ladies We Need To Talk and The Hook-Up – spoke openly with my partner and read lots of articles. I eventually let go of my rigid understandings of sex. I didn’t look to porn for education and that was the best decision I’d made. For the first time, sex became a collaborative experience for me.

Before this I functioned on autopilot, and played the role I thought I had to play as a woman having sex with a man.

The impotence of sex doesn’t lie in crossing over from the title of “virgin” to whatever’s on the other side.

It’s not about crossing over gender binaries or sexual orientations. It’s about finding an equal, learning about the human body, and aiming for an experience, not just an orgasm.

Juliet Gibran

R E C O U N T

Then, two and a half years into my sexual explorations, I felt like I lost my virginity again. I found myself having sex with a woman. We had been on a date. I felt so at ease when we were out together that, somehow, she ended up at my house. Again, we sat in my kitchen. Anxiety hit when I realised I didn’t know how to have sex with a woman.

I stalled going to the bedroom by offering her cup after cup of tea while I frantically messaged my closest friends, hoping for some ground-breaking advice on how to approach this unfamiliar territory.

These three notes turned out to be markers of habit and gendered convention that were easily broken: they became insignificant points of contention. After exploring sex outside the bounds of heteronormative activity, I realised how limited my experiences had been. However, after breaking my sexual habits, I was terrified. I didn’t like being inexperienced. I felt threatened.

/ /

After that, I had lots of sex with men. Some of it good, and a lot of it bad. Over time, I felt as if sex became habit: I learnt to read the male body during sex, and I created my own routines with men. Sex became a pretty generic part of my life. It gave me certain pleasures, but it also brought certain misgivings.

(1) I missed the bulge. And, when I say bulge, I mean when men get an erection while you are both fully clothed. You feel it through their pants, and then they start grinding it up against you and you know you are heading towards sex, hard and fast. It is a signal to say they are ready. (2) I was very aware of how I was the stronger person in this situation. I had always dated guys who were taller and stronger than me, and that was hard to find with another woman. It made me feel awkward and in the early stages uncomfortable. (3) I do not like being the big spoon. I had never been the big spoon: I felt exposed. I felt I couldn’t offer the same comfort to someone that I had always loved receiving as the little spoon.

L I F E S T Y L E

I never regretted sleeping with Michael Cera that night.

It was an experience. I wish I could tell you I felt different the next day, but I didn’t really feel anything. The only thing it gave me was a short-lived dose of confidence because I knew for sure that I was attractive enough to be sexually desired. It felt like I had been mulling over a seemingly complicated riddle for years, but once I found the answer it turned out to be blatantly obvious and quite disappointing.

Even though I had found physical pleasure that night, I felt completely out of my depth. The next day, I jotted down a couple of thoughts in the back of a notebook.

/ /

The most ridiculous thing about it all is my experience was overwhelmingly positive compared to so many others.

I didn’t bleed and didn’t have any pain. I wasn’t nervous because I didn’t really care what the guy thought of me: I knew I wouldn’t see him again. Now, with the privilege of hindsight, it doesn’t sit well with me that women don’t expect pleasure during their first sexual experience; they expect pain, and anything slightly better is a blessing.

a certain way, and I definitely didn’t apologise for having pubic hair. Unlike many other first sexual experiences, I orgasmed.

2 9

blood, and (2) I wasn’t just a "dead fish" (I had to look that one up afterwards). The sex wasn’t awful. It also wasn’t even close to good. I was shocked at how this guy – a 24-year-old sexually experienced bloke – knew so little about how to pleasure me. I had explored my body enough to know what I liked but, as the titled “virgin” in this scenario, I didn’t feel it was my place to say anything in case it emasculated him.

3 0

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

_ _ _ _ _

How_Do_We_ Stay_Private_In_ Our_Social_World?

T he autopsy has come in: privacy is dead and social media killed it. Okay, maybe that’s not entirely true… but it’s certainly catchy! The reality is that privacy has become a muddy issue in the digital age and the ethics of information sharing are still being worked out. This doesn’t change the fact that for many of us, we feel as though we no longer have any personal space. New technology means that we’re more switched on than ever, but now it seems as though we’re forgetting how to switch off.

There’s a lot of wise sages out there that love to shill the old line ‘we’re more connected now than ever and yet we’ve never been lonelier.’

However, social media is a relatively new concept in the scheme of things, so it’s only natural that we’re still trying to develop a healthy relationship with it. It’s no secret that many people, young and old, are social media addicts. It seems we’re addicted to everything these days and marketing execs are always trying to exploit this. Yet the difference

between marketing and social media is that there are no warning campaigns.

Unfortunately, a lot of us didn’t know what we we’re getting into when we first signed up to platforms like Facebook. For all we knew it would go the way of previous failed attempts at social media platforms like the infamous myspace. We never could have imagined that we’d be stuck with this addiction, and worst yet, that we’d feel so socially bound to keep it. There’s an expectation for people these days to have social media profiles and that, most distressingly, we’ll be available on them at all times.

Social media has refined maintaining friendships into a convenient process; we witness everything that goes on in our friends lives without ever having to engage with them. Instead we do the bare minimum, maybe hit them up with a like, tag them in a cheeky post, or share a dank meme. We still talk to our closest friends though. In fact, conversations are seemingly endless these days; you just stop talking until you talk again. We feel obligated to give instant replies and expect the same in return. We know all the old

F

A _ 1 _ 1 _ 1 _ 1 _ 1 _ 1

( S E C T I O N ) / / C R O S S I N G O V E R

AVAILABLE _ 12/03/1998 03:50 PM 1.000.1.8173.22 VOID.EXE _ 07/04/1998 04:59 AM 1.000.1.8174.45 VOID.EXE _ 30/04/1998 07:11 PM 1.000.1.8175.36 VOID.EXE _ 18/05/1998 08:43 AM 1.000.1.8176.56 VOID.EXE _ 22/07/1998 03:25 AM 1.000.1.8177.87 VOID.EXE _ 03/10/1998 01:30 PM 1.000.1.8178.12 VOID.EXE

/ /

FILE(S)

3 1

_ DIRECTORY OF C:/ _ _ TERMINAL ACTIVE _ _ ENTER NAME: ET COMPRESSED TUNNELING STYSTEM ACTIVE SUBSTEM: 50% CHECKING FOR TEST OF ANDROID DIRECTORY RUNNING

( O R T Y P E )

a lack of boundar y

a lack of boundar y tricks after all – if you’ve been left tunes. Instead we’re just drowning out unseen then you’ve been screened.

3 2

/ /

C U L T U R E

/ /

O P I N I O N

All of this endless interaction can get overwhelming and some of us find ourselves needing a break, so we become flaky. We stop responding to everybody and go blank. We might be checking our feed to make sure we’re not missing anything important, but for all intents and purposes, we’re disconnected. We’re still binging other things, maybe two mediums at the same time, scrolling through a feed whilst re-watching that funny show we’ve seen a million times because the familiarity is comforting.

Eventually we have to re-enter the more social world and make up an excuse; apologising to our friends with explanations that our phones were flat. They oblige us, because they also do the same thing. It’s just how life is – but it wasn’t always like this.

our own thoughts because they never seem to stop. With all the information we’re constantly absorbing we’ve become bees, constantly buzzing, afraid that if we stop, we’ll drop.

Social media can be the ultimate selfdelusion. It’s where we go to pretend that we’ve got it all together or to laugh ironically that we don’t. We see all our friends putting on their best façade and we do the same. Everybody we’ve ever met is now our friend for life, but maybe human beings weren’t meant to have so many friends? We can feel guilty sometimes because we neglect the people we used to be close with, so we compensate by checking on their lives and clicking congratulatory ‘likes’ when they’ve succeeded. New job? Like. New car?

Like. First child? Wait, maybe I should send a message? I’ll send a like first and think about writing one later.

Friends are meant to be people you can confide in, that are easy to talk to, and who you appreciate the company of: people that bring out the best in you. On social media, friends can become ghosts of the real thing.

better, in spite of everything working against us. We need to reclaim our With the known rates of depression personal space and reinforce these and anxiety in young people having personal borders. If our justification risen by more than 70% in the past 25 for social media is because of the need years , there is seemingly a correlation for communication, then we need to be made between these statistics to start communicating better. It is and the emergence of social media. true that humans are social beings While this is all still being investigated, but we also need time to process serious concerns have been raised Through social media we have found information and spend time away as to the potential damages that lazy ways to pursue our passions – and from the intrusion of other people’s never being disconnected from the like the cynical sages say, ‘our searches thoughts and bias so we can shape our social media sphere could have on for community have left us lonelier own perspectives and personalities. our mental health. For many of us, than ever!’ Yet we still rely on it. We Personal space is about finding a our time for self-reflection has been require it for news, communication, separation from the busyness of our swallowed up by numbness. We turn and to remember important dates. modern lives so that we can better on screens, or put in earphones as we To have social media is to be a part of understand ourselves and therefore lose ourselves in shows, browsing – the ever-changing world. We can’t all modify our lives to better suit us as or even something as well-meaning just become isolated hermits living on individuals. as music – but we’re not hearing the desert islands. We have to try and be

a lack of boundar y

Tommy Ablett

3 3 / / / / O P I N I O N

ver the years, I’ve noticed something very interesting about the way our society, and the West in general, portrays asylum seekers; they are consistently vilified by our governments, by the media, and by our people. Our own government has had “Operation Sovereign Borders” running since 2013 – a military-led operation that turns back boats with asylum seekers that try to cross Australian waters. We also have horrific off-shore detention and processing centers, where people spend many years waiting to hear the outcome of their application. However, under International Human Rights Law, which Australia must abide by as a Contracting State, in Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention, it states that seeking asylum is not a crime. Additionally, many articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms this position as well. Despite this, we continue to treat people like they are illegal and we continue to vilify them, not only here, but around the world. Operation Sovereign Borders, its widespread support, society’s attitude towards asylum seekers, the conditions of our off-shore detention centers, and the overall disconnect with the suffering of human beings is baffling and of great concern. Asylum seekers are the most deserving of our empathy and acceptance because they are coming from the direst situations imaginable.

C U L T U R E

O

Empathy_For_ Those_Who_ Cross_Over

3 4

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

for safety, but those around me in high school didn’t agree – and that, I couldn’t empathise with.

In 2014, I became somewhat of a social media activist during the peak of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. I’d regularly jump online after school and watch videos of crying Palestinian mothers next to their deceased children and destroyed homes. In total, 551 children alone were killed over the 50 days, thousands more injured and traumatised for life. I remember vividly four boys in particular, aged between 9 and 11, who were innocently playing on the beach when they were murdered. I was so shattered by the images and the entire conflict, I found myself crying about it on many occasions. I’d post long rants on Facebook and cause a ruckus in class about it – one teacher even contacted the school counsellors to check on me because they were so worried. I was worried too though. I was worried about the innocent lives that were trapped and living in fear and extremely dangerous conditions. I just wanted them to be safe. Whether they reached this safety by air, boat or land, I didn’t care. I just wanted them to be safe. I empathised with them so much that I could justify any attempts they would’ve made to cross any borders “illegally”

Many people dubbed 2015 as the year of the “European Migrant Crisis”; a staggering 1,255,600 people had crossed the Mediterranean Sea into European countries, which was a number far greater than any year ever before. It is estimated that around half of these people were escaping the Syrian war, where there were bombs dropping on them left, right, and centre. They were also fleeing the imminent threat to their lives posed by ISIS. Many died at sea trying to cross into Europe during this time. I will never forget the picture of the Syrian toddler, Alan Kurdi, whose small body had washed up on a Turkish beach. The photo of his lifeless body made global headlines, and will ultimately go down in history as representing the human tragedies of the 2015 European Migrant Crisis. My heart breaks at the thought of the trauma that will stay with his father forever, as he lost his wife and two sons that night. Many of those who did make it to Europe were not met with great conditions, open arms, or empathy either. Instead they were painted as a problem, and many countries didn’t want to bear that burden.

In recent times, there has been a migrant crisis at the United States of America’s southern border. Donald Trump, current president of the USA, made it an election promise to build a wall to keep the South Americans out, and he is slowly succeeding. At the southern border, thousands of children have been separated from their parents/caregivers, are living in the most horrific conditions, and there have been serious allegations of abuse. Once again, people are dying trying to cross the border. In one publicised tragedy, a man and his toddler drowned in front of his wife’s eyes whilst trying to cross a river. These thousands of people wouldn’t risk their lives and put themselves through the most horrific and unimaginable conditions in their attempts to cross the border, if the life they were escaping wasn’t worse. Yet

most deserving of our empathy

the Trump administration continuously paints the South Americans as criminals, and states that America needs to build a wall to keep them out. The scary reality is how many people agree with them, and can’t understand why people would need to cross borders and seek asylum.

Additionally, those crossing borders these borders aren’t just families and adults; there are thousands of asylum seekers that are unaccompanied minors. That means children, alone and vulnerable, are making these scary journeys in hopes of a better life. One child, Hadayad Ullah, was just ten years old when he left Afghanistan to try and reach Australia. The Taliban had killed his father, and his mother was missing. So the young boy made the journey to Indonesia, hoping to come to Australia by boat.

He was unsuccessful. On his first night in Indonesia, he was scared and crying on the side of a road with nowhere to go. I myself have a sister that’s almost ten years old, and she would never go to the petrol station that’s two minutes from our house without being accompanied by someone, let alone go overseas by herself. It pains me to think about the atrocities Hadayad would have had to experience in order to decide to make the scary multi-country journey for the sake of safety. It hurts me even more to think about the atrocities that ten-year-old boy saw, how he felt when he decided to leave, and how he felt during his first night in Indonesia. He, and the thousands of other unaccompanied minors, are children, who desperately need our protection, compassion, and our acceptance.

ourselves – safety. They want to go to bed at night without the fear of a bomb dropping on them and their family whilst they sleep, without the fear that a corrupt police/ army/terrorist organisation might bombard their homes and terrorise them, without the fear of whether they’ll be able to find food tomorrow or not. As such, we should be portraying the situations asylum seekers are fleeing with horror and disgust, and not they themselves. We should collectively stop looking at asylum seekers as illegals or criminals, and start looking at them as humans, desperate for the safe and better life that they have a right to. We should stop closing borders across the world and start opening our arms to those who need our help most.

We need to stop judging people and vilifying them for simply crossing a border, and instead cross into empathy ourselves, in order to understand why and where they are coming from.

Ultimately, the very dangerous journeys people are willing to make to cross borders is indicative of the drastic and unbearable conditions they are fleeing, not who they are as individuals. People are only willing to make these scary journeys, because they want what we all want for

Jawahir Baraki

Our_Guide_to_ Tying_Yourself_Up PRO TIPS ork a dimple: For added style, pinch the wide end when pulling it through your new tie knot. This creates a dimple. It’s a clear indicator you know what’s up.

3 6

/ /

L I F E S T Y L E

/ /

G U I D E

W

Get the length right: The very tip of the wide end should rest in the middle of your belt when standing naturally. A tie that’s too short looks silly; too long and it gets in the way. Tall people should consider buying an extra-long tie – much of the length gets used up in the tying process!

FOUR-IN-HAND Simple and timeless, the four-in hand is a smaller, uneven knot. Perfect for a cool and casual look out on the town.

Best worn with a ‘point’ collar shirt, and medium or skinny ties.

(5.) Pull the wide end up and through the neck hole, from the back (6.) Pull the wide end down and through the tie knot VAN WIJK An eye-catching cylinder. For the adventurous type.

(1.) Complete step 1-2, ‘four-in-hand’ (2.) Cross the wide end under the narrow end, moving right to left (3.) Cross the wide end over the narrow end, moving left to right (4.) Repeat steps 2-3 twice more (5.) Pull the wide end up and through the neck hole, from the back (6.) Pull the wide end down through the tie knot, beneath the first wrap around HALF-WINDSOR The hybrid between four-in-hand and Windsor. Easier than the Windsor, but more formal than the four-in-hand.

Best worn with ‘semi-spread’ collar shirts.

(1.) Complete step 1-2, ‘four-in-hand’ (2.) Cross the wide end under the narrow end, moving right to left (3.) Pull the wide end up and through (1.) Hang the tie over your neck, wide the neck hole, from the front end on your left-hand side (4.) Cross the wide end over the narrow (2.) Cross the wide end over the narrow end, moving right to left end, across the front of your body (5.) Pull the wide end up and through (3.) Bring the wide end under the the neck hole, from the back narrow end (6.) Pull the wide end down through the (4.) Repeat step 2 tie knot

WINDSOR A more traditional knot, the Windsor is common for very formal occasions or workplaces.

fourin-hand

Best worn with a ‘spread’ collar shirt or for ties with a longer length.

(1.) Complete step 1-2, ‘four-in-hand’ (2.) Pull the wide end up and through the neck hole, from the back (3.) Bring the wide end down so it rests on the right-hand side of the narrow end (4.) Cross the wide end under the narrow end, right to left (5.) Pull the wide end up and through the neck hole, from the front (6.) Cross the wide end from left to right, over the ‘tie knot’ that’s starting to form (7.) Pull the wide end up and through the neck hole, from the back (8.) Pull the wide end down and through the tie knot

Jack Snyder

Name_a_More Ambitious_ Crossover...

3 9

/ /

C U L T U R E

/ /

O P I N I O N

Madeline Percey

PU ZZ LE S

1) Who wrote Ulysses (1922)

7) What is the new sushi shop on campus called?

2) Who is Stephen Gerlach?

8) Who was Kim Kardashians first husband?

3) Who was the first female engineer to work in NASA's Mission Control during the Apollo 8 mission?

9) What is the latest Quentin Tarantino film called?

4) How many episodes did the British TV show Misfits feature over its five seasons from 2009 to 2013?

10) What is the title of Client Liaison’s first album (2016)?

( O R O V E R C R O S S I N G / / ( S E C T I O N ) / / 4 0

12) What year did the Berlin Wall come down?

6) Why did the duck cross the road?

ANSWERS 1.) James Joyce // 2.) The current Chancellor of Flinders University // 3.) Frances 'Poppy' Northcutt // 4.) Thirty seven // 5.) Shane Warne (195) // 6.) To obtain a copy of Empire Times // 7.) Mr Wuhu Sushi // 8.) Damon Thomas // 9.) Once Upon A Time In Hollywood // 10.) Diplomatic Immunity // 11.) Puck Man, to avoid defacing the machine to spell 'Fuck Man' // 12.) 1989

T Y P E )

11) What was the original name for Pac-Man? 5) Who has taken the most wickets over the history of The Ashes test series?

4 1

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

What's_Up_ With_The_Up- S side_Down

tranger Things is a science fiction show set in 1980s Indiana. The story centres around the small town of Hawkins and its very shady Department of Energy, who unlock a gateway to a place called “the Upside Down.” It’s not a nice place.

It’s full of overgrown vines, has a toxic atmosphere, and is home to some very scary creatures. There’s the Demogorgon, a humanoid monster with a mutated Venus fly trap for a face, and also a giant being called the Mind Flayer, which looks like a nightmarish stick insect. Lastly, there are Demodogs. A type of Demogorgon but they’re a bit cuter, at least, when they’re not trying to eat people.

4 2

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

*Beware, the following article contains spoilers.

The strangest thing about the Upside Down is that it seems to be a mirror of Hawkins. There’s a replica of Will Byers’ home and Steve Harrington’s pool in it but they seem run down.

creating a kind of keyboard, and uses corresponding Christmas lights to communicate with her son.

That does sound a little like the internet – which was a presence that loomed over the 80s. The Demogorgon also uses this so called “network” for nefarious purposes, such as murdering and kidnapping people. Read into that what you will.

Whether the Upside Down is an allegory for the internet, future Hawkins, a plain old alternate universe or something else entirely, one thing remains for certain.

Something very strange is going on.

Anele Lane

A N A L Y S I S

Morelli calls the entire thing, ’A network of electricity, phone lines, communication devices and flashing lights that work together to connect distant worlds so that disconnected people can meet and [have a] dialogue with each other.’

F A N

Another theory is that the Upside Down is Hawkins in the future. It may seem a bit out there, but hear me out. The Duffer Brothers were originally going to call the show “Montauk,” which coincidently, is a place where experiments allegedly took place in the US relating to time travel and mind control. Dustin, Steve, Erica, and Robin also sneak into a

Alternatively, Michael Morelli, a PhD student studying technology, ethics, and culture, believes that the Upside Down symbolises the internet. To support this wild theory, Morelli points out the effects the Demogorgon has on technology — think flickering lights and haywire radios. Characters in Stranger Things also rely on electronic devices (telephones and radios) to hear those in the Upside Down. Joyce even paints the alphabet onto a wall, essentially

ahead

/ /

Quite a few people believe the Upside Down to be an alternate or parallel universe. The theory goes that because space is infinite, it is likely that replicas of our world and the people in it exist, with any number of slight to extreme differences.

Maybe the Upside Down is one of these alternate realities where something went wrong in Hawkins – a catastrophic event that may have caused humans to die out and allowed the Demogorgons to rise from the ashes.

rs

C U L T U R E

So, what exactly is the Upside Down?

Claire Williams, a pop culture and entertainment writer, believes that the Upside Down is future Hawkins post-nuclear war. Considering the tension during the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, explored thoroughly throughout season three, this doesn’t seem like an entirely outlandish idea. The Upside Down also shares many similarities with a 1980s study on the side effects of a nuclear winter, with both having blocked sunlight, low temperatures, and a toxic atmosphere. A somewhat scary idea, considering the threat of nuclear warfare is still a very big concern today.

/ /

David Harbour, the man who plays detective Hopper, said in an interview that the Upside Down ‘exists as a reflection of Hawkins.’ It must be a rather dark reflection then, as Mike, Dustin, and Lucas compare the Upside Down to a fictional dimension in Dungeons and Dragons called the ‘Vale of Shadows’ which is a ‘place of death and decay.’ Yikes.

4 3

s p olie

movie screening of Back to the Future.

Another pop culture reference to 80s film or foreshadowing? You decide.

4 4

/ /

( S E C T I O N )

/ /

C R O S S I N G

O V E R

( O R

T Y P E )

CREATIVE: The_Gate The forest was colder than I expected it to be. I pulled my arms in closer, wishing I could shove my hands into the warmth of my pockets. I held the old, kerosene lantern up a little closer to the tarnished compass that I clutched in my other hand, silently hoping that I was finally going in the right direction. The compass wasn’t the regular kind — rather than one needle, there were two; a silver one pointing north, and a bronze one pointing to the nearest faerieenchanted object. I hoped that this time the bronze needle would point me toward the elusive Faerie Gate and not to another lamppost, bird bath, or well that still had a lingering presence of faerie magic, even though the little creatures had all disappeared decades ago when Granny was little.

illness no doctor had seen before. It seemed like each day we visited her she looked weaker and weaker. This morning the doctors had announced that there was nothing more they could do for her, only make her comfortable until…

I shook that train of thought from my head and kept walking. The thin branches and leaves scattered over the forest floor crackled underfoot.

I didn’t have time to think about what the doctors had said, because I was going to find the faeries and get them to heal her.

But first, I needed to find this hidden Gate.

Ducking and weaving, I manoeuvred my way further through the trees, looking around for anything out of the ordinary. Granny said that it could look like anything, from small pebbles placed in a perfect circle to two trees with interwoven branches forming a grand archway.

What I wasn’t expecting, though, was an actual gate: a rickety, She was the one who’d given me the wooden, ivy-coated gate. It had a compass and told me about the Gate small faerie carved on top of the after our last trip to the hospital. left post with the right one just a My baby sister, Saoirse, had been simple, flat column. There was no all but living there for the last fence on either side. Perhaps it had few months, being treated for an been removed, or perhaps it had never existed. The compass was pointing right at it, even when I moved my hand from side to side.

My shoulders slumped with relief

The faerie righted itself, and with a huff, it looked over at me. A split second later it flew towards me so quickly that my eyes could barely keep up. The faerie did a few circles around me as I spun, trying to keep an eye on it.

‘Well, the fashion has certainly changed,’ it said as it flew up to my head. ‘The hairstyles, too.’ It flicked a bit of my hair and zoomed off again. The faerie circled me, picking at

I took a second to settle my breathing and compose myself.

Then I looked the faerie in the eye. ‘I want…’ my voice faltered. I cleared my throat and tried again, steeling my voice as much as I could. ‘I want you to take me to Faerie Land.’

F I C T I O N

‘Cat Sidhe got your tongue? Would serve you right. Trapping me in there for decades.’ Its voice was cut off with a groan as it bent forwards, reaching its arms down towards its tiny feet, wings fluttering with the strain.

‘Well, well, well, it does speak.’

The faerie crossed its arms. ‘Now, what does it want?’ It asked with a judgemental tilt of its head.

/ /

‘Finally came out from behind there, huh?’ The faerie placed its hands on its lower back, arching backwards.

I stood frozen to the spot. It was a faerie. A real faerie.

The faerie flew just out of arms reach, looking pleased with itself.

C R E A T I V E

Just as I dove for cover, I saw a bright flash of light coming from the Gate behind me. My heart raced as I sat there, back pressed up against the trunk, my chest heaving.

Had I just destroyed the compass?

The Gate was still there and the compass was still on top of the post where I’d put it. But now there was something else there, too. A faerie was sitting on top of the compass, stretching and complaining loudly.

When I stood up and inched closer to the being, it began speaking to me.

/ /

and I rushed towards it.

I set the lantern down and began pushing the ivy away from the Gate. As I looked for the latch to open it, the hope I’d felt upon seeing it leached away. There was no latch, no handle, no nothing. It was seemingly made not to open.

I slowly circled the Gate, trying to quell the panic rising in my chest.

I forced myself to take a deep, settling breath and step away from the non-existent latch for a moment. I stretched out my free hand to touch the tiny wooden faerie statue, until I noticed the bronze needle on my compass swing to the right gatepost. I quickly lost interest in the carving and stared at the compass as I circled the right post, watching the needle swing around to point at it. Then I carefully placed the compass down on top of the post before running to hide behind a nearby tree.

pieces of my clothing and jewellery.

‘Stop.’ I swatted at it aimlessly.

4 5

The one thing I could use to help my little sister get better? Panic flushed through my chest and I pressed my palms against my eyes, pushing out those thoughts, and peered around the tree.

again before sitting gently on my shoulder. I could feel its little hand on my ear. ‘What kind of sick?’

The faerie regarded me with a hard glare for a moment, before laughing so hard its wings stopped and it dropped down to my hand height.

‘Faerie Land! Ha! You think that’s what it’s called? You really don’t know anything about us, do you?’

I wavered. It was right. I was clueless about their world. All I had was this compass and this faerie, now. And it didn’t look like it was ready to help me anytime soon.

Tears welled in my eyes as I thought about Saoirse and her only hope resting on the fickle whims of a manic faerie.

Maybe it was the tears, or maybe it was something else, but the faerie’s expression softened, if only for half a second.

‘What business does a kid like you have with…’ The faerie rolled its eyes. ‘Faerie Land?’

Sniffling, I wiped my nose with my sleeve. ‘My sister’s sick.’

That seemed to capture the faerie’s interest. It zipped around my head

‘We don’t know,’ I whispered around the lump in my throat. ‘Nobody knows. She has blue blotches all over her body. She coughs all the time, but nothing ever comes up.

She cries.’ I shuddered. ‘She cries for help we can’t give her.’

The faerie’s voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Help you hope we can give her?’

I nodded.

‘And what would you do to receive this help?’

My mind flashed back to what we’d already done. We’d moved into a tiny apartment in a bigger city to be closer to the hospital. I’d started taking just a sandwich to school, and stopped going to marching band practices. Our family had quietly abandoned the tradition of going to the cinema every first Saturday of the month. Dad had even gone completely sober. It was better for him, really, but my heart still fell every time I’d catch him sitting at the table long after dinner was over, staring into his hand like something should be there.

‘Anything.’

I heard its wings flutter next to my ear in excitement. The next thing the faerie said sounded calculated and cunning. ‘Would you attempt the crossing to Faerie alone, knowing that I was your

The faerie was silent, contemplating my response. Finally, I heard a sigh and felt movement on my shoulder as it stood. The faerie flew up to hover in front of my face, hands on its hips. ‘Look, I’ll help you.’ It put up a hand, as if to stop the relief rising in my chest. ‘But there’s gonna be a few conditions. Number one: you do exactly as I say, always.’

Blocking the thoughts of what mischief the faerie would drag me into with that condition, I nodded.

I glanced at its pinkie, the faerie equivalent of a handshake. I was a little apprehensive, and the faerie’s first condition set my nerves on edge. What sort of things would it ask me to do? What happened to me if it decided against helping halfway through the journey and flew off? Would I get lost and end up wandering around Faerie alone forever?

The faerie wiggled its tiny finger.

‘I’m waiting.’

I took a deep breath. This was the best chance I’d have at getting to Faerie safely so I could find a way to help my sister. I couldn’t turn the offer down and return to her without trying everything I could to get a cure.

‘Excellent!’ The faerie zipped back to my shoulder, nestling into the knit. ‘Let’s get moving then. Faerie Land is quite a ways away on foot.’

As I made my way towards the Gate, the faerie flew down and touched pinkie-fingers with the faerie carving before flying back to my shoulder. Amazingly, the Gate finally swung open.

I bent down and took hold of the lantern again before picking my compass up from the post. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the Gate. The scenery around me changed as murky shadows leached into view and the woods fell silent.

When I turned to look back, the little wooden gate was gone.

The faerie pointed its arm out in front of me. ‘It’s that way, for now,’ its voice sounded deeper than before.

‘Call me Alwyn, by the way.’

I lifted my hand up to meet the faerie and touched my finger to theirs. A soft shower of light

Rebekah Manser Carmen Giffen

F I C T I O N

I thought carefully before I answered it. ‘Crossing into Faerie is my only hope, but I don’t want you to suffer because of it.’ I stared at the Gate before me. ‘I would like your help in making the crossing, but only if you freely choose to.’

The faerie nodded. ‘Good. And lastly, number three: I get to ride the whole way on your shoulder.’

With a deadpan expression, it held out its right hand, pinkie-finger outstretched towards me. ‘So, we have a deal then?’

/ /

My eyes narrowed as I considered its proposition. You couldn’t trust faeries. Granny swore by it. But there was something in this little faerie’s words that I couldn’t help but sympathise with; a desire to be free.

emitted from where we touched, sealing the deal in magic.

C R E A T I V E

only guaranteed hope at finding your way? Would you set me free, despite needing my guidance to fulfil your deepest desire?’

/ /

‘Of course.’

4 7

‘Number two: I’m free to leave whenever I feel. I’m not bound to you in any way.’

And Nanna’s watch

f mr o i s e q n u d i t o

I have a moment And many others – thank you – And you’ll not take them from me.

Self-proclaimed heretics Have wavering brows and bright smiles How easy it is To dissolve, meander, Travel between rungs and red-brick laneways Thick-skinned hands chose the clay with which they can work Carpel-tunnelled thumbs have the fabric they want So it was told

I see blackberries under the highway, Fathers of friends, Waiting, Traipsing through forums To seek a colour wheel of fungus Self-proclaime Mesh nets Have wavering From which hearts are safe How easy it is To dissolve, m Friendly mosquitoes Travel between Mascara armour laneways Borrowed coats Thick-skinned And Nanna’s watch which they can Carpel-tunnell I have a moment And many others – thank you – they want And you’ll not take them from me.

So it was told

aimed heretics ing brows and bright smiles t is e, meander, ween rungs and red-brick

I see blackber Fathers of fri Waiting, Traipsing thro To seek a colo Mesh nets From which hea

Susan Cilento

ed heretics brows and bright smiles s meander, n rungs and red-brick

hands chose the clay with n work led thumbs have the fabric

d

rries under the highway, iends,

ough forums our wheel of fungus

arts are safe

For more information about Empire Times and financial honorariums, visit fusa.edu.au/elections

201

2019

EMPIR T I M E

EMPIRE T I M E S

12M

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

ire Emtip mes

12M

50

Y E AR S 2019

201

EMPIRE T I M E S

Empire Times // 46.6

EMPIR T I M E

12M

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

Anele Lane // Anu Francis // Bayan Yazdani Carmen Giffen // Darcy Holmes // Evie Cazzolato Jack Snyder // Jawahir Baraki // Juliet Gibran Katara Wolfe // Kienan McKay // Madeline Percey Michelle Wakim // Penny Parker // Rebekah Manser 12M Sean Goldfinch // Sheydin Dew // Susan Cilento Tina Louise // Tommy Ablett Victoria Griffin

UPCOMING ISSUE SUBMISSION DATES ISSUE 8 : “FEAR & HOPE” // 22nd September EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

EMPIRE T I M E S

2019

Direct pitches and submissions to 12M empire.times@flinders.edu.au