The Igloo | Issue 2 by The Igloo

APRIL 2014 WHERE THE COOL THINGS ARE

THE

Editor in Chief

Ellie Boroughs

Creative Director

Emily Dombrovskaya

Managing Editor

Lincoln Pigman

Branding Consultant / Graphic Designer Maya Singer

Website

http://www.igloozine.com

Facebook

facebook.com/igloozine

Tumblr

igloomag.tumblr.com

Instagram

@igloomag

FOUNDED IN MOSCOW The Igloo chronicles our experiences as teenagers and our exposure to teen culture. Founded by Ellie Boroughs, Emily Dombrovskaya, and Lincoln Pigman.

Credits Front Cover Photograph - Kanye West Yeezus Tour Promo © Table of Contents Background - Our Editors We Don’t Hate I Hate Being Single Photo - ihatebeingsingleseries © Jennifer Lawrence Lookin’ Weird - Saturday Night Live © Kanye in Front of Balloons - Kanye West Yeezus Tour Promo © Balloons - Ewa Nizalowska Photos of Ellie - Our Editors

‘SUP EVERYONE?

Welcome to the second print issue of the Igloo! Igloo life hasn’t stopped since the last publication. In fact, everything has grown and sped up. Of course, we’ve had weeks of lull where a post goes unnoticed and unshared, but they’re always outweighed by great feedback and bursts of excitement. A lot of material we’ve published - and by that, we mean like 3 pieces - has been devoted to the infamous Kanye West, and I think that in a way, many teens are similar to Kanye: cocky, seemingly ridiculous, but totally cool once you get to know them. Obviously, we don’t know Kanye personally; but whom are we kidding? He’d definitely be amazing. Even if you think that that’s far off and completely ridiculous, I hope you have your own revelations that come with this issue. Explore the possibilities. Learn stuff, or whatever… Our first issue is available on the App Store (sort of), we’re launching the beautiful Igloo website, and one of our posts has the heartwarming comment “bambi/ indie/gypsy/tropical” under it: the highest form of approval on the interwebs. It’s been a lot to process. We dream so widely and bravely as teens, and so often we get smacked right to the ground on things we may have viewed as good ideas or interesting projects. This happens so often that every success that we have outside of the endless cycle of academics and extracurriculars should be celebrated: I’m a strong believers in that. This is why I’m so incredibly proud of the Igloo. We think of a time, merely 6 months ago, when we launched our facebook page and published the first letter from the editors, dreaming of what could become of us. It seems like something from a different universe.

I think this issue is representative of that. We, of course, have our pieces from Kanye Week, our first but likely not only themed week. We also have three great pieces on media: what do you get when you mix musical episodes, Jennifer Lawrence, and a 70’s sitcom? An amazing TV and film section. We have some articles about friendship, growing up, and dead flies. We’ve really expanded our art section with multiple photosets that we felt really were representative of the Igloo’s growth over the past few months, an amazing comic that none of the editors made but are proud of it as if it were their own, and so much more. We actually wish that we could show you some more of the art we have because the past few months have been photoset mania. You can check out all of those photosets on our tumblr or website, if you’d like, but expect an art issue to come out in the somewhat near future. It has been a big few months for us, and we hope you see that in this issue. On a final note, the universe in which we now live would not be possible without the talented Maya Singer. Honestly, the website and the layout of the zine are all her, the adroit Ewa Nizalowska - check out the art section to see what we mean - and every other equally important teen who has contributed to this issue. As often said by our parental figures, with love: Get lost (in the pages of this beautiful publication).

-The Editors: Emily Dombrovskaya, Creative Director Ellie Boroughs, Editor-in-Chief Lincoln Pigman, Managing Editor

t.v.

Kanye, Kanyay, Kanyeah

We Don’t Hate I Hate Being Single

6Interview by Ellie Boroughs

The Igloo interviewed Rob Michael Hugel of ihatebeingsingleseries. Musical Episodes: Good or Evil?

9Article by Emily Dombrovskaya

14The Igloo Crew

The products of the Week of West / Kanye Week over at The Igloo. A Bilingual Rap

15Written and Previously Performed

Magical moments vs. lazy writing... do by Nicolas Saenz songs and sitcoms really go together? Poetry with a beat written by an incredibly intelligent and thoughtful lad. Is JLaw the Only Law?

11Article by Carly Preston

Mixtapes for the Musically Deprived

16Collaborative Mixes by our own

Why Jennifer Lawrence shouldn’t be a Lincoln Pigman and Emily Dombrovskaya new standard. Music set for a mood, a feeling, a day, an event, or anything you might have That Girl That Changed the World planned. Article by Ellie Boroughs (Available at 8tracks.com/igloomag) Feminism in the 1970’s, specifically spread by Marlo Thomas and That Girl.

music

life Deja Connu

17Article by Ellie Boroughs Ever thought about Deja Vu? The Void

20Article by Chiara Valenti

A thoughtful reflection on teen life today. The Igloo Plays Cards Against Humanity Our Editing Team played a round or two and wrote about it, of course.

From Afar

Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation

23Photographs by Yevgeniy Lapin Doodles

26Illustrations by Emily Dombrovskaya

Collages

27by Lincoln Pigman 28

Let’s Go to the Beach, Beach, Let’s Go Get Away

Photographs by Ewa Nizalowska

Comic

Drawings, thoughts and collages by 22Reflection by Lincoln Pigman 29 Ewa Nizalowska

A short story about how we aren’t that different than bugs.

art

I Hate.

We Don’t Hate I Hate Being Single Interview by Ellie Boroughs

There are hundreds of webseries out there about hipsters trying to survive in New York or LA. But, I Hate Being Single created, written, starring, and edited by Rob Michael Hugel is different. Sure, it still has those common elements of a hipster and New York, but it questions the concept about what a hipster is (just watch the first episode) and it isn’t actually about “hipsters”. It is about a young guy, who just happens to live unconventionally, trying to find love in the Big City. IGLOO: Your name is Rob. Your character’s name is also Rob. Crazy coincidence, right? ROB MICHAEL HUGEL: Insane coincidence! I do sometimes wonder if I should’ve done it differently because of the confusion sometimes. For example my twitter account is my name, robmichaelhugel. the show’s twitter account is @ihatebeingsingle and under name it says “single rob”. Then I’m constantly switching back and forth and wondering what the point is? IGLOO: Your character, Rob, is a multi-talented guy. What cool thangs have you done in the past? ROB: Let’s see… cool thangs…. Right after college I used to sell merch for and make tour videos for the band Copeland. I traveled the country for a year with them and met all their fans in the process. Being the merch guy is pretty great because you meet a lot of people who are having the best night of their life. Another THANG: One of the first gigs I booked in NY when I moved here was I modeled for ipod, doing the dancing silhouette photo shoot for the print campaign. I literally booked it off of craigslist and had to dance for casting director in the audition. They eventually didn’t use the shots of me when the campaign released but it was still exciting either way. Last THANG: I did a test shoot with Michael

Showalter (from The State, Wet Hot American Summer, They Came Together) last year. It’s something that wont see the light of day but Michael was so cool and supportive. He kept saying thank you for doing this and I was like shut up thank you! IGLOO: What were you like in high school? ROB:I was reallllly into 80’s stuff, thrift stores, ska/punk, innocent/stupid pranks, wasting film in yearbook, making videos with friends impersonating jackass and tom green. I was also in marching band and played french horn. I was in a band that only covered weezer songs for a bit then we wrote original songs that could have been Weezer b-sides. I drove my family’s old mini van and installed a horn that played “tequila”. Also had a box of wigs and fake mustaches that we’d put on and take polaroid photos and leave them on our friend’s cars at a party? I don’t even know why just so they’d know we were out having more fun than them. I have an older brother who got me into a lot of music and movies type stuff that I give a lot of credit to him and his circle of friends. They were pretty great role models. IGLOO: Any life advice out there for the future robot people? ROB: Be confident in yourself. If you want to do something creative or artistic just start doing it and own it. Don’t be afraid to ask

people for help around you. Surround yourself with good people, leave circles that aren’t supportive. My overall advice is to aim high. IGLOO: The New York comedy scene seems to be very close knit (Lyle and Ashley, Shannon, Akilah,etc.). Is there anyone you haven’t been able to work with, whom you really want to? ROB: Oh sure… there’s a lot of people I know through comedy who I rarely see because it’s so big and people are just running around everywhere all the time. In New York someone like Nicholas Megalis from Vine would be incredible. I know the High Maintenance gang and I’d love to do something with them, Chris Roberti is another hilarious actor comedian who I haven’t had the chance to work with. IGLOO: You just announced the second season of I Hate Being Single. What amazing things can we expect? ROB: Oh man. I’m trying to give this character a lot more dimension this season. He’s not just a mope anymore. Although he’ll inevitably find awkwardness I want to see more ups and downs of the character’s life. There’s some plot lines that are very dependent on our indiegogo’s success. Rob moving to the suburbs is one possibility. He also might have bed bugs and have to find some unusual (surprisingly hip) places to live. What else? guests! I want to get a lot of great faces of a whole variety of backgrounds and platforms. Like youtubers, improv/sketch, people from tv, etc. IGLOO: What comedians do you think are underrated? ROB: Oooo. I wouldn’t say under-rated because it implies something more negative but I do think there’s some talents that are not super well known yet and I know they definitely will be. My friend Casey Jost is someone who I’m always in awe of. He’s

goofy and charming and super funny. Charla Lauritson is a friend and hilarious comedian who is releasing a new series right now called “Clench and Release” I can’t wait to see. Fellow Onassis sketch teammate Lauren Conlin Adams is someone who is insanely funny, committed, beautiful, and strong (like literally she could beat me up) and I can’t wait to see her everywhere playing what appears to be a normal presentable woman who is surprisingly dark and twisted. Lastly Shannon Coffey of I Hate Being Single, Random Ass Girly Channel, Coffey Chat. She’s a genius (I don’t throw that word around lightly) and a huge inspiration to me. If there was ever a bandwagon to get on it should be one that follows her every move. IGLOO: Do you have any side projects that we should look out for? ROB: About to release “Man Vs Waiter”, a 6 part mini series where Rob is on a date and has to deal with the worst waiter ever. IGLOO: Why did you choose YouTube videos as the medium for your work? ROB: The community. I’ve never seen a community as strong as youtube’s. Uploading a video is one thing but the community is really the most important. Seeing the regular subscribers come back and comment after new videos are released is my favorite thing ever. The fact that we are making a connection and it’s building over time, getting to know each other through comments or tweets. (as much as you can “know” someone over the internet. It’s what makes it worthwhile to upload regularly, knowing people out there who I’ve never met will watch and comment as friends and supporters, rooting for the channel. Now that I’ve been uploading for 2 years it really feels like we are a team. IGLOO: Creatively, what part of the process

Being Single.

do you find more fulfilling: writing, acting, or editing? ROB: Ahhhhhh tough question. All of it. For this particular show I do all of those things kind of out of necessity. I’m most excited to act out of all those things. Being in the moment of acting is definitely my favorite part of the process It’s probably why I started into this stuff in the first place. To be someone else (even if it’s a scripted character based on myself) Setting up the moment by writing is very fulfilling because that’s when you decide it’s really going to happen, we’re going to create something that doesn’t already exist. When I finish a script (even a rough draft) I feel so accomplished I want to throw a party and dance for an hour. That’s not a good plan because there’s still much work to do. Editing is a 2 part emotional roller coaster. First I dread it, probably procrastinate (like writing). Then at a certain point when the grunt work is done I get some ideas and start to see it take shape, then it’s a blast. In the end I get fulfilled because it was finished and released.

Completion is fulfilling. IGLOO: Lastly, would you rather be in a synth pop duo or in a pirate metal band (it’s a thing)? ROB: Pirate Metal Band yes please all day every day.

Emily DombrovskayA ON

MUSICAL EPISODES: GOOD OR EVIl? It’s a rather regular occurrence on television that when the jokes become stale or the plot isn’t moving quite as quickly as audiences would like, a musical episode is created. The cast breaks into song and dance throughout the episode, hopefully, making audiences want to clap their hands together like the happy little monkeys the cult leaders of television want them to be. The first musical episode to ever be aired on television was “Lucy Goes to Scotland” of the celebrated I Love Lucy, aired in 1956. In the 1950s the concept of a musical episode was truly innovative, but as technology developed other ideas that left the musical episode forgotten for a long time. But a new hope glistened, a renaissance occurred, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer presented the world with “Once More, With Feeling”, described by fans as “a Crowning Moment of Awesome”. And since that glorious day,November 6th, 2001, musical episodes have become a staple. However, musical episodes are a win or fail sort of deal. Are they good or are they evil? Do the hilarious songs stay stuck in your head for days or do you roll your eyes as the main character belts out another one? Let’s find out! As of recent years, one of the biggest fan favorites in the musical department is “My Musical” of Scrubs. The premise of the episode is that a patient has an aneurysm which causes her to hear everything around her in song; the music stops when she goes through surgery. Where do I start? This episode is perfect from start to finish. While the characters break out into song, their lyrics are hilariously crafted, much like those of a professional musical (how strange!). Some songs like “Guy Love” and “For the Last Time, I’m Dominican” make me laugh to tears. Another example of a well executed musical episode, in my opinion, is “The Nightman Cometh” from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Unlike so many musical episodes, this one is built around a plotline which makes perfect sense in the ridiculous lives of the gang, particularly with Charlie’s wild moments of brilliance and insanity. I believe this episode. I believe that it wasn’t created to “shake things up” out of boredom like so many others. The musical Charlie writes doesn’t come out of the blue; he writes theme songs or jingles every few seasons. The idea that the songs are based on the character’s sentiments rather than the plot of the show, is a very interesting approach to the problem of the

musical episode. Not only does it allow for a better understanding of Charlie, but the other characters also “shine” through the roles given to them, making it an incredibly fun episode to watch. Yes, there are magical moments like these on television where all the elements are properly aligned and the musical episode is king. However, is that the case for most shows?

No. There are many ways you could go wrong with a musical episode. Does it change the structure of the show too much? Are the songs adding to the episode or just acting as place holders? And are the creators even trying (it’s kinda sad to even have to ask that)? The musical episode of That 70’s Show may be an example of exactly what not to do. The premise is unclear, the songs are all stolen hits from the 70s, and they made the fatal error of changing the pace of the show without any explanation. The episode doesn’t have the grandeur of a musical musical episode (that made sense), but dancing in circles cannot be explained with no plot change, even if you’re a show based on a bunch of teenagers who take drugs! It’s too much for the premise of an innocent dream, it lacks all sense. It would be forgivable if the songs were original, but they’re just pop tunes from the 70s, and not even the best ones (really, Steve Miller?). Another show that uses others’ music is Glee. Not once, not twice, EVERY.SINGLE.EPISODE. If musical episodes are so frequently regarded as failures, who thought it would be a good idea to have a whole show devoted to cliquy teenagers trying to learn how to sing? They pop-ify songs we’ve all liked and listened to (or at least used to like). No, they don’t use interesting, unusual arrangements of songs, just a pop band that suddenly appears to accompany a bunch of teenagers! How convenient! And if you think I’m angry about Glee, then you obviously haven’t heard what I have to say about the Wiggles. But we’ll spare them for the sake of children everywhere. So there’s overwhelming evidence for the evil of musical episodes. There will always be beautiful, hilarious episodes that make sense and develop characters, but they are gems in a sea of badly executed attempts to change up dying shows. But go look for yourselves! There are hundreds of episodes to judge from.

By Carly Preston When logging onto any social media site, whether twitter, tumblr, even Facebook still, it is impossible to get through a full timeline scroll without seeing any photograph of American sweetheart, Jennifer Lawrence. This blonde, awkward 23 year old burst onto the scene with her role in the film adapted novel The Hunger Games. However, her childlike demur and vocal hatred of too thin Hollywood actresses let her become the queen of the internet.

Now, J Law is constantly praised as the frontier of young Hollywood. With quotes stating she’ll never diet and she likes pizza too much to be thin, one has to wonder: but aren’t you are thin?… Yes, I know being a size 4 in a size 2 world is a bit different but it is no true representation of women across the globe. A society that allows for the praising of a “real girl” despite her sex symbol status and bikini thin body shows a clear hypocrisy with not only men but women. Of course, a size four is healthy; however, teaching a young girl to be healthy but constantly needing to eat junk food in copious amounts isn’t a strong attitude for a teenager. Women— young and old —need to find the safe balance between self confidence and health. Too much of either is what causes the praise of the first big time size four celebrity female. However, for a moment, imagine all J Law’s quotes were said by another Hollywood actress. An actress, let’s say a size 12 or higher. One who looks like Queen Latifa or Melissa McCarthy. With quotes such as: “I can eat that whole pizza by myself,” and “I ate French fries

and laid in bed all night,” this size 12 would not be praised; rather, be called a slob and unhealthy. It’s okay for a thin girl to eat pizza, but not a thicker women? According to the celebrity focused culture it is completely normal, if not expected. These expectations lead to harsh and saddening statistics. In 2013 according to ANAD.org, (Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Diseases) 95% of eating disorders are affecting people between the ages 12-26. A shift in media attention and a society that regards all it says is necessary to save the growing rate of body image issues in females. Finally, as confused and saddened this topic makes me, a J Law mutiny is not my goal. Instead, a coup against the media outlets and people who allow to accept the idea of normal women as perfectly sized 4. A coup against the men who expect women to be shaped like J Law. Finally, a coup against telling any female exactly how to feel and look.

That Girl That Changed the World

Ellie Boroughs

I never really watched TV shows from before the 1990s. As a selfproclaimed TV junkie, I am a little ashamed of that fact. Sure, I grew up watching MASH and Hogan’s Heroes with my family, but the shows I preferred growing up were more along the lines of Seinfeld, Gilmore Girls, and the-god-awful-shows that were on Disney Channel (after of course, Lizzie McGuire, That’s so Raven, and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Those were the best).

In the one episode I saw, only one man treats Ann-Marie like she is anything less than an equal. Thankfully, that man was not the male lead, and thankfully, she stands up for herself, not letting any man take advantage of her. A running theme through the episode was her independence, she didn’t need no man to take care of her. She was doing perfectly well on her own. It was only when the male lead tried to show up and save her that the shit hit the fan.

Really, the only things I knew about the 1970s growing up came from That 70s Show. While I loved that show (with the exception of the last few seasons), the 70s never really appealed to me. They were the years of my parents’ youth, which obviously meant to my young self that the 70s were long, long ago. I was more of a Modern Girl (Sleater-Kinney brownie points?). In fact, I still am. Give me a computer over a typewriter any day.

My parents said something the other day about how feminism was different 30 years ago. It was more empowering. Our generation reaps the benefits of their hard work, but we don’t appreciate it. We are still making progress but we aren’t fighting for the progress as much. I’m not sure if I agree with that, but then again, I wasn’t alive 30 years ago. The only insights I really have into that time period come from listening to the older generation and learning about the television in that time period.

Thankfully, research for a paper lead my uncultured self to the discovery of Marlo Thomas. For those of you who don’t know who she is—which is likely most of you because we are talking late 60s, early 70s, after all —she played That Girl in That Girl (actually her character’s name was Ann-Marie). I started watching the show with very low expectations, a byproduct of my Generation Y mindset of old means bad; modern means progress. I was expecting to be angered by patriarchy rather than being overjoyed by the fact that in the one episode I saw, there was more feminism than seen on most TV shows nowadays.

I can see the feminism in That Girl. It’s pretty blatant. Ann-Marie stands up for herself whenever someone tries to take advantage of her, but she isn’t ashamed of her sexuality. She openly flirts with the male lead, and not because she is trying to manipulate him but because she likes him. She respects herself and doesn’t let anyone else tell her she can’t. That Girl was in many ways a forerunner to the Mary Tyler Moore Show: the story of a young beautiful woman who doesn’t think of herself as inferior or as anything less because she isn’t married and wants to work. In many

ways it is the forerunner to a lot of television that is on air nowadays. As Marlo Thomas said in Yael Kohen’s book We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy, “I wanted to be a comedy actress. And I knew when I got the opportunity that I wanted to play the person that had the problem, not the person who assisted the person with the problem. I could see very clearly that I didn’t want to be the wife of somebody, or the secretary of somebody, or the daughter of somebody. I wanted to carry the story as opposed to just being an appendage of the story, which is what women were on television.” The role of women on TV has changed, allowing for a corresponding change for women in society. Women were no longer just wives, secretaries, or daughters. They were people, and they were people with problems—a fact that every woman already knew, but it seemed like the other 50% or so of the population couldn’t accept. I know female characters still aren’t quite where they deserve to be (I mean, just look at the Big Bang Theory. The women are the best characters, but they are written to be almost entirely depended on the men. In fact, none of them would even be characters on the show if they didn’t have some sort or relationship with one of the male characters), but we are getting there, and we owe part of that progress to Marlo Thomas and That Girl.

KANYE, KANYAY, KANYEAH The products of The Igloo’s Week of West:

Dear Kanye, I am engaged to a beautiful woman, but I am concerned about whether or not she is in love with me or whether she just loves my money. —She’s a Gold Digger but I Gold Dig Her Dear She’s a Gold Digger but I Gold Dig Her, Now, I don’t know her but from what I heard, she’s got a baby by Busta. I ain’t saying she a gold digger, but she ain’t messing with no broke fella. Just be warned, she got one of your kids, got you for 18 years. I know somebody payin child support for one of his kids. His baby mamma’s car and crib is bigger than his. I know you love her, but son, get a prenup! I must Kar-dash-ian, Kanye

Kanye, I need a new white tshirt, but I can’t find one I like! — Delilah Hey there Delilah, I, too, have a hard time finding the perfect plain white tee, which is why I created a shirt in collaboration with APC. Unfortunately for you (but not me), all of those shirts have sold out, so I guess you are out of luck. Anything you can do I can do better, Kanye Kanye, I recently left the church I worshiped in for 20 years and am looking for someone new to worship. Who is this Yeezus fellow? — Reborn Dear Reborn, I am Yeezus. I am a god. I am a god. I am a god. Ain’t no way I am giving up. I’m a god. Mi casa, su casa. Let’s worship me together. From the mind of a genius, Kanye

RAP

NICOLAS

SAENZ]

TRANSLATIONS OF SPANISH ARE ITALICIZED AND NOT TO BE SPOKEN. First I was a monkey Swinging, so freely Now I’m just a junkie High on the illusion that every single one of us is gonna be the fusion that molds this Earth together But it really doesn’t matter about my future, an adventure Santa María La Pinta La Niña es mi favorita [La Niña is my favorite]

Fue la más pequeña [She was the smallest]

Pero fue la primerita [But she was the first]

bailar sin empeña

[To dance without anyone to insist]

I love to dance I love to sing Who owns the rights to all of these things? Bailar no es blanco [Dancing isn’t white] Bailar no es negro [Dancing isn’t black] Bailar es mover con todo tu cuerpo. [Dancing is moving with all of your body.]

We all climbed that same tree of who am I and where will I be? But always remember the fifth of November Cause words should be free, So let the water hit your chest Rhythm is no test As long as you don’t rest Clear away anxiety what I call a rat’s nest stopping the flows of everything that rows Don’t step on the toes of the lady, cause she’s the reason he glows. Estamos aprendiendo [We are learning] y no compartiendo un mango [And not sharing a mango]

No es un tango [Is not a tango] There are things I would change Like not being better

Gimme brains Gimme goals All I can do is give people lols Look at a book Look at a nook All I see is see what I took from you so I’m sorry But why can’t I be better Not better than you But in general General [General] quinientos soldados 500 [soldiers] estan muertos [are dead] y no morir con causa [And to not die with a cause] es un mejor oferto. [Is a better offer.]

¿Soldado que es tu nombre? [Soldier, what is your name?]

Ahora estas timido [Now you’re timid] Hablame hombre! [Talk to me man!] que no sabes que [Do you not know that] yo tampoco quiero morir. [I also don’t want to die.]

A good deed goes a long way Keep yourself at bay Find who you love And make sure they love you back if not, get ready for a full frontal attack. These words that I say have no language have no background it is sound that I make your ears on the ones that do the create so everytime someone tries to scare you Tell’em you can’t hear Then you won’t fear After all we choose what we listen to We choose what we wanna do Soon to be 9 billion people and it might be you To put our hands to together feeling the warmer weather it’s getting better and better

So Remember Me When you’re famous, Amos, Always a treat to those of us who crave it you’re a juicy piece of meat Carne [Meat] Carnivoro [Carnivore] Quiero guadarte I wanna put you en la refri a congelarte [in the fridge to freeze you]

para regresar a mi vida [to get back to my life] el arte [the arts] Arte, amor, [Art, my love,]

quiero siempre darte

[I want to always give you]

Imagination in a nation that doesn’t know how to apply themselves so they die cause they’re dry leaving all the ties to another world A world from which I belong But world, I’m building a rocket made out of chocolate so out of topic I’m in the tropics No sé donde estoy [I don’t know where I am]

Ni a donde me voy [or where I am going] They call me Good Roy Cause I’m playing with fire It’s my desire to climb higher and higher but how will I know when I get to the top unless I fall down and measure my drop.

Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Mixtapes for the Moody Musically Deprived

ABOVE:

BELOW:

MFTMD #5 - March & #6 - April

Deja Connu Two days before school started this past year, I went on an adventure with my friend Lincoln. We walked from our apartments (we are neighbors) on Kutuzovsky (aka Kievskaya for all you Moscow Metro buffs) to Old Arbat to Red Square to Tretyakovskaya. If you live in Moscow, you know that that is a fairly long walk. A walk that if you were to wear the wrong shoes during could cause bloody heels (not that I speak from experience or anything. No, definitely not.) In terms of our friendship, that was an important day for Lincoln and I. We had been friends since early May of 10th grade (so really only a few months), but

this was the first time we had really hung out together without a group buffer. We had bonded a lot over the summer through 2 am conversations, being the only people on facebook. And while our friendship did not really begin because of my best friend (and Lincoln’s girlfriend) Emily, our friendship really lasted because of her. Lincoln and I met because of MUN (Model United Nations, for all you cool kids out there).We traveled to Helsinki together and bonded at a modern art museum and through discussion of Doctor Who. On that trip, he introduced me to The National, a band that I now love even though I don’t listen to them nearly enough. I have been on enough school trips to know that the friendships you form during them are usually only because you have no one else to talk to. Had it not been for Emily, it is likely our friendship would have had that same fate. I am really glad it didn’t. Anyway, the day started pretty early, I think, around 11 am (I rarely wake up before 12, unless I have to because I AM A LAZY BUM) and I knew from the start that we would be doing a lot of walking, even though beforehand we had only discussed walking to Old Arbat. I remember this fact very well because I specifically chose shoes that I thought would be good for walking. They weren’t. I also remember I wore the denim shirt that I had just gotten be-

cause I wanted to seem cool. It happened to be an extremely hot day (I mean it was late August in Moscow, so of course it was hot). Spoiler alert: denim shirt on a hot day is not a good idea. It was a pretty simple day. We just walked and talked. I bought him water at one point and then I bought him apple slices at McDonalds (he and Emily constantly owe me money because #friendship, but I owe Em money too, because my parents haven’t paid her enough for being my friend). Emily met us at McDonalds and we all just hung out for a while. That day was important for the friendship between the three of us, because we had never hung out as a trio, and now you can always find at least 2 of us together. That day was the real beginning to our friendships, and you can’t just forget beginnings, so I guess it is a good thing that it was a memorable day. Flash forward about 6 months from that day and you’ll find 3 teenagers, one guy and two girls, leaving school as quickly as humanly possible so they can get their Chinese visas and then get to their friend’s birthday party. The guy and one of the girls are holding hands and wrapping their arms around their friend, forcing her to walk at the same pace as them (being sadists), inside the barriers their arms have created. To an outside eye, we probably looked like idiotic teenagers, and honestly, as the person in the middle of the circle, I felt like we were idiotic teenagers. In that moment, I wasn’t a big fan of the friendship bombardment, mainly because those two idiots do it all the time when we hang out. Trust me, it gets annoying. But I know that in 10 years it will probably be one of my favorite things about high school. If you know me at all, you probably know that I wish I lived in the fictional worlds of romantic comedies and sitcoms because life always seems to work out perfectly

there. Serendipity exists in sitcoms and romcoms; it rarely exists in the real world and I wish it did. There was serendipity that day. After we got our visas, we walked to the metro. Right by the metro, there was a McDonalds. The same McDonalds. I forced the two of them to order us food and I ended up paying for most of it (#friendship). All 3 of us shared a Happy Meal because we are idiotic teenagers who were hungry enough that they didn’t want to have to wait to eat, but also knew that they would be eating Mexican food soon. The party was a lot of fun. Honestly, one of the best nights in my life. Lincoln and I had to leave early though because it was a sleepover and I was sick and he was a dude. Luckily, since we are neighbors, we were able to make the journey home together. It wasn’t until we were on the bus and driving past Old Arbat that I realized the path we had taken that day was almost exactly opposite the one we had taken that day in August. There was the McDonalds, the Mexican restaurant was right by Red Square (and we walked by the Kremlin to get to the bus stop), the bus took us past Old Arbat, across the river and to our apartments. Déjà vu roughly translates to “I’ve seen this all before”, but the sentiment it represents implies an inability to place those memories. I felt the phenomenon of a location reminding me of one moment in my life, but I could place the memory. It didn’t feel like I was reliving that day in August. It felt like I was in an entirely different moment, but the two were somehow connected, like they were existing at the same time on different timelines. It felt like the world was translating the events in my life into a different language, but the order of the words got mixed up and the meaning behind them slightly changed. That probably sounds pretentious and like I am trying too hard to

be “poetic”, but I honestly can’t find another way to describe it. I am a slightly different person than I was last August and the days we experienced were slightly different from each other, but the memories… they’ll always be connected together, now.

When you are on the verge of turning 18, there are days when questions daunt you, like spirits that have been unwillingly trapped in the material world and are slowly catching up to you. The biggest and baddest question – what the hell are you going to do with your life? Me, being myself, I tend to be able to momentarily shoo them away. Nevertheless, they end up coming back – just like yo-yos. Questions about my future are like yo-yos. No matter how far you fling them, they just come back straight into your hand for you to ponder or (if you’re incompetent with yo-yo’s like me) they just dangle from your finger and weigh you down. Either way, they are a constant burden and a reminder of your growth, the years flying by, and that you’re simply going along with the system of life society has predisposed for you to follow.

The Void

The other day my mom told me this childhood story. She and her friends were out in the fields by her house, and they started to ask each other what they wanted to do, or be when they grew up. Each gave their answer, and then came the turn of the last kid who was digging a hole at his feet to pass the time. They asked him what he wanted to be once he grew up, and he answered, “the hole”. Of course, the answer was ridiculous; they just laughed at him and continued daydreaming of their future.

I guess this “article” is more so my inner voice yelling out all its thoughts until it forces me to put them on When my mom told me this story, I too laughed at paper, but I have a feeling my inner voice is voicing first, but when I thought it over, I got it. I could relate something that the majority of young adults are going to it. Everyone’s life is a hole that draws in dreams, through right at this moment. I think my inner voice hopes and goals. A vacuum that sucks in what we is also saying to mess with this system. Why should wish to accomplish, with what we actually achieve, I abide to this stereotype of life? I want adventures, and all our failures as well. But unfortunately, every- I want excitement, I want innovation! Of course I’ll one’s void is very similar. With the exception of those go to university, but I’ll go and study what I want, I’ll few dissimilar humans that do something incredibly have a job I’m enthusiastic about, maybe I’ll have marvelous and innovative with their life, we are all kids or maybe not – nonetheless, I believe that it’s very similar. But these are exceptions, exceptions to up to me and only me. I don’t want to go through my the system that has been assigned to us all – school life like the pages of a popular, but mediocre book till 18, choose a major, go to college, hope you chose which you sort of kind of like, where there are mothe right major-if you don’t choose correctly, 4-5 ments when you really like it, and then you just can’t years of your life are withdrawn and you have to start wait to finish it. I want my life, my void to be filled with again, as if in a twisted board game. Perhaps you light and memories that I will never want to forget, chose the right one, get a job, set up a family-maybe successes and maybe failures but no regrets, stories not-and then watched the system pass on to your which are worth telling. I want it to be a book that kids. I don’t like it – I don’t like it one bit. when you’re finished with, you’ll want to read again. ¶

THE IGLOO PLAYS CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY With the end of February break on the horizon, the Igloo team decided to give the much-needed week of relaxation its due and celebrate. As we know, no Igloo party is complete without a game of Cards Against Humanity; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided to share some of our favorite card combinations with you:

sad but true

first, the Easter Bunny

fun for the whole family

sad but true again

the golden years

more than bargained for

gritty thriller

spooky, scary: NYC

christmas all year round

ruinining all the days

From A f a r

a reflection by Lincoln Pigman There’s a dead fly on the open page of my English journal. I don’t know why it’s dead or why it chose that particular and seemingly random spot to die, but it looks to have lived a meaningful existence; one full of joy and purpose. It probably had trouble with schoolwork in its early years as I did in mine, as well as its fair share of heartache and disappointment. Its name was probably Ted… It looks like a Ted. Ted’s stuck in a ballerinalike pose, one leg (a wing in Ted’s case) extended in the direction of his desires in life. Was an annotation of a pop song the object of Ted’s aspiration? Or merely an adequate grave? Ted’s final facial expression reveals nothing; even in the grip of death, he continues to fight for the lost art of keeping a secret. I’d like to have asked Ted about his wife: was she

faithful? Did she and him disagree on trivial matters such as the question of which drawer was reserved for socks and which was reserved for underwear? Did they sleep in separate beds after she had found out about his drug habit? Everyone’s got a vice; Ted’s was coke. Well, whatever flies snort instead of it. Their drug wars must be far more horrid than ours. I can picture the scene: fly DEA agents rush - no, fly - into a warehouse and try to outbuzz the escaping drug smuggler flies attempting to escape via speedboat. The situation quickly escalates and lives are taken. Wives and mothers weep, police commanders receive promotions and smile to the flashing cameras, while orphaned sons swear revenge and prompt yet another senseless war of flies. Perhaps they’ll make a movie out of it all; a trilogy, even, if it gets off the ground. But the masses of adolescent flies will inevitably settle for illegally downloading the film, leaving the ambitious director penniless and forced to

continue his career as a director of excessive deodorant ads that you will grow to hate as they delay your viewing of the new music video by your favorite singer (who is, of course, a fly). But then again: you wouldn’t have heard of him. He’s just a fly, and you’re just someone reading about an English journal.

Photos by Yevgeniy Lapin Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation

I have never considered myself artsy, nor have I thought about making anything with my own hands. Still, there’s something that attracts me in what others create. I quickly realized that there should be a way for me to express my artistic nature. And that’s why I ended up focusing on photography. Actually, I don’t even remember exactly how I realized that taking pictures would be the only kind of art that truly fits me.

About a year ago I joined a photography class at my High School. And this experience was unforgettable. We started off with basics and later moved on to digital photography. Many people liked editing pictures on the computer – I liked taking pictures with the film camera and printing them later. I don’t shoot a lot and, yes, sometimes photos turn out to be crappy. But, I enjoy it and that’s the most important thing. And it doesn’t matter to me whether people like my works; I find a getaway for my mind in it. Today I not only take pictures, but also observe others’ creations via social networks. I genuinely believe that this hobby of mine gives some freedom and helps to understand the world around me better.

ILLUSTRATION (L) AND COMIC (R) BY EMILY DOMBROVSKAYA - top -

-bottom COLLAGES BY LINCOLN PIGMAN

Let’s Go to the Beach, Beach, Let’s Go Get Away Photos by Ewa Nizalowska “I took these pictures at the beach at the beginning of fall. I wanted to capture that feeling you get when you’re coming home in the evening and feel empty in a way that isn’t necessarily good or bad.”

EWA NIZALOWSKA

THE IGLOO ISSUE #2