T H E
L I N N - B E N T O N
C O M M U N I T Y
VOL. 52 EDITION 11
C O L L E G E
JAN. 20, 2021
Back to Clay A student’s hands move the rolling pin, to roll out their slab of clay.
A Positive, Safe, and Warm Return to In-person Ceramics Classes at Linn-Benton. STORY AND PHOTOS BY HIKARI KAWAI Remember, masks on before entering the building! The smell of disinfectant is pungent. The dead silence of the empty classroom is finally broken by the sound of feet shuffling into the classroom. Actual voices belonging to murmuring young people, in present time, float across the room. Back in March 2020, LBCC was forced into doing completely remote learning due to COVID-19. For the Ceramics Department, this meant no college classes or community classes until further notice.
For the duration of summer, the Ceramics Department, administration, and facilities began trying to figure out a way for the department to offer classes once again. Finally in the fall, the first in-person class began in the ceramics studio at the Benton Center in Corvallis. This term the studio and classes open and available for smaller classes, though fewer classes are being offered and taught. The studio now has “OK!” written on the tables, making sure that students know that they are able to sit at any “OK!” spot to ensure six feet of distance between each other. Cubbies are assigned based on distance between one student and the next.
Students in the ceramics studio on Tuesday, January 12, focusing their full attention to the clay at hand and the room is silent except for the music that lingers in the background.
As you first walk in, there is a safety station with hand sanitizer, separate cups holding sanitized pens and another for used pens. Also present is a paper to fill out for checking in and out -- a log to keep track of who was in the studio at what time. There are still “open hours” going on. Open hours are a time outside of class where only ceramic students are able to come in. Though, of course, some changes have been made to make it more available as it is limited to 10 people in the studio at a time. During class time and open hours, students' faces are filled with concentration, hands moving continuously to create something out of the clay. It’s quiet, with an occasional muttering to oneself, and clattering of tools. “Currently there are 16 students (eight per class),” said ceramics instructor Renee McKitterick. “The classes taught are limited to Ceramics I and Ceramics II currently. Last term we had two sections run and this term we have three sections.” “It was overwhelmingly positive last term,” said McKitterick. “It gives students a way to have artistic release. They don’t have to be on a computer, reading on a screen … it is such a special and novel thing right now.” Overall, students, volunteers, and instructors alike are grateful for the opportunity to be there physically in the class working with clay, giving students a
Close-up of Haley Hass making progress on her pinch pot.
break from Zoom classes and computer screens, and getting a change in pace and environment. “Yes! I am quite glad to be able to volunteer!” Susan Pachuta said. “It’s not as chaotic, and there’s been less volunteers on staff since due to less classes happening, there is less need for volunteers.” For student Haley Hass this the first class she’s been able to physically attend since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown. When asked if she is glad to be finally doing a class in-person, she said, “Yes! 100%!”
Inside this Edition
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ROADRUNNER RESOURCES
SEE PAGE 3
GARDENING TIPS
SEE PAGE 4
SUPER MARIO WORLD
SEE PAGE 6
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CAMPUS NEWS
JANUARY 20, 2021
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COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
To change or not to change?
LISA HOOGESTEGER
LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Letters Welcome The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” pages to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of the Commuter staff or the College. Deliver letters to: Address: The Commuter Forum 222 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321 Web Address: LBCommuter.com Phone: 541-917-4451, 4452 or 4449 Email: commuter@linnbenton.edu
STORY BY DAKOTA GANGE
about thinking about whether or not maybe possibly there is some modicum of benefit or reward in doing something differently. Most folks get stuck in this stage for a long time and can be in the void known as “paralysis by analysis”. Too many “what if ’s”. “Preparation” is talked about as a small window of opportunity when contemplation meets desire for action. I think of this as standing on a high dive. As a kid I remember many days watching others jump or dive and thinking about if I could do that. When I finally decided to go up the steps, I felt ready to leap. At the edge of the platform though... my knees began to shake and I heard my friends egging me on...I tuned it all out, and jumped. It wasn’t joyous until I resurfaced:) But I know myself some and if I’ve done the preparation, I’ve got to let go of the fear and jump
(physically or metaphysically). If I wait too long, I’ll talk myself out of it. “Action” - need I say more? Except that you really do need a thought out plan, with contingencies. Thinking through how to avoid expected pitfalls is important. And for most folks, sharing your goal with another person gives some external accountability. Take one step. I dare you. “Maintenance”. They say it takes 60 days on average 60 days for a new habit to become automatic. The journey of a thousand miles, starts with one step. -Lao Tzu Note: This is not a lecture on health behavior, or health beliefs or any of that. This is thoughts on my observation and personal experience working in health and fitness. Take what you want, leave the rest.
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“Our goal is to keep students in school. We want students to stay in school, we want them to stay focused and get the education they’re seeking, despite everything going on in their lives,” says Linn-Benton Foundation Coordinator Linea Everts. Many students not just here, but across the country, are now facing homelessness amid the pandemic. With service industry closures, many have been faced with unemployment in 2020, and it’s spilling over into 2021. On December 26th, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program ended (via Oregon unemployment), and now many are left without unemployment compensation as well. While there is another program coming out to extend these benefits, in the meantime, people are left vulnerable. “I haven’t seen a single application (among our emergency fund applicants) where somebody has not mentioned that Covid directly or indirectly affected their life”, says Everts. Dear Students and members of the Community: Are you struggling with purchasing your textbooks, or maybe you’re feeling deterred because you don’t have a good computer, or internet? Maybe you just need some food to fuel you. Let us help. Maybe you need help with utilities, a down payment for an apartment, back rent to keep you from getting evicted, or perhaps you are in need of housing overall. Let us help. Perhaps it’s all of these issues. Linn-Benton wants to help it’s students. We know life as a student has never been easy, and with the pandemic comes a whole new level of difficulty. With millions of Americans still unemployed, and with the service industry still partially shut down, hundreds of students here at LinnBenton Community College have
been left jobless. This article is for you, whether you need something big or small. “Our students have probably been hit the hardest, and that’s all states analysis of unemployment, showing that the people making under that $40,000/yr, are the people being largely impacted at this time. That's our student demographic. They [the students] don’t have that extra income or jobs in the restaurant or service industry,” says Everts. “We’re also finding that work study has been affected a lot. A lot of our students depend on work study both at OSU and Linn-Benton, and with the closure that’s [work study] gone away.” Since April 2020, Linn-Benton has been contacted by close to 200 students, who have been experiencing an emergency or need assistance to cover basic needs. Roadrunner Resources works closely with various community organizations, which include CSC, DHS, Utility assistance, SNAP benefits, and OHP, and 40% of students who reach out to LBCC are helped via these outside resources. About 30% of students who reach out will receive help from the Roadrunner Resource Center who leverage Foundation funds to help cover things not covered by community agencies. Statistics provided by Everts. “When it comes to housing almost half of the requests that we have are on housing, or related to concerns on housing, and they’ll [students] contact us not knowing whether they can take a class or not. We’ll find out they’re couch surfing, but have an opportunity to get an apartment, but can’t come up with the deposit, and that’s where the Community Service Consortium (CSC) has really been able to step in. As an institution, we’re trying to help with that immediate barrier that is hindering a student to get education.” says Everts. She encourages all students with any resource barrier to contact resources@linnbenton.edu. From there, a coordinator will be able to help them get the resources they need, whether it’s through various programs
Roadrunner Resources Online Application.
within the community, or emergency funds via Linn-Benton. The emergency funds program at LBCC is there when it’s been determined that outside community resources can’t help. You can apply via the email above, or through Roadrunner Resources at https://www.linnbenton. edu/student-services/other-resources/ roadrunner-resource-center.php. LBCC has been working closely with the Community Service Consortium, which is a community resource that has been around for over 40 years now. They provide emergency resources to those in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties, as well as some select services in Polk county. CSC is available to the whole community, not just students! Visit them at https:// communityservices.us. “We see so many students without access to the internet.” “Students who don’t have access to proper internet have reported sitting outside starbucks (for internet) only to be harassed for loitering. The impact of this pandemic is like a rolling snowball.” Everts is in charge of the scholarship programs as well as stewardship and donor relations, supporting fundraising events, and is responsible for supporting the Roadrunner Resources with emergency funds. She “loves working with the students, but some of these stories are really heavy...Not having half the resources many of us had in school, I think this really shows the resilience of our students.”
The scholarship programs are open twice each year, with the next on February 22nd. “I really want students to know that they should apply for scholarships, especially because in this particular instance, there are a number of students who had scholarships to be paid out for winter term, and are no longer here. We need to re-assign that money, and we can’t do that if students don’t apply.” Linn-Bentons online system is great because once you apply, it allows you to be considered for close to 200 scholarships at once. Check it out here and apply: https://www.linnbenton. edu/tuition-and-admission/financialaid/scholarships.php. In addition to Roadrunner Resources (which includes the various community outreach programs), Jackson Street Youth Services of Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties have reached out to Linn-Benton to let their support be known. They are providing support in the following areas: Educational Advocate, Fees for books/testing/sports/clubs/ applications/graduations, School supplies, Homeless Verification letters for FAFSA, Support with scholarships, FAFSA/college or vocational applications, Academic Coaching, Support groups, and Basic needs documents (birth certificates, ID, SSID). For those that are between the ages of 10 - 24, they will provide snacks and meals, food boxes, laundry and showers at limited sites, and mental health and case management referrals. Students - there is help out there, for the smallest of barriers to the largest. With overheard thoughts of ‘somebody else needs this more than me, so I’m not going to apply,’ Everts fears those who could use the help won't reach out. So, this message is for everyone and anyone; if you need it, just ask! Your community is here to support you in so many ways. We just want you to keep going.
Photography Editor Hikari Kawai Student Voice Editor Dakota Gange
SAFETY
Web Master Marci Sischo
SUGGESTION
Copy Editor Bowen Orcutt
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Contributors Karen Canan Brenda Autry David Shaughnessy Megan Oliver Tanner Johnson Natalie Pelc Abby Johnson Leah Biesack Alistar Woods
LBCC has a Safety Committee whose goal is to identify and eliminate risks on our campus, and to prevent accidents and illnesses through the involvement of employees, managers, and students in an effort to provide a safe and healthy place to both work and learn. A "Safety Suggestion Box" is available to provide a way for you to communicate your safety concerns, hazards spotted, and suggestions for promoting safety. Please email your suggestions, comments, concerns to: safetycommittee@linnbenton.edu
As Temperatures Decline, Keep Safety in Mind LBCC's Closure Information & Inclement Weather Protocols Stay Safe During & After a Winter Storm
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Amid The Pandemic, We Have Seen a Large Increase in Homelessness
STORY BY
The Commuter is the weekly student-run newspaper for LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors.
CAMPUS NEWS
Let Us Help!
Wellness Wednesday The stages of behavior change, as described by Prochaska and DiClemente (1983) are; • Pre-Contemplation • Aware vs. Unaware • Experience & Failed • Contemplation • Preparation • Action • Maintenance Any health behavior change is less likely to be a single moment of decision and more likely a series of stages over time that lead to action. Also involved in making any change is perceived self-efficacy, peer inf luence, fear, motivation and a zillion other inputs. When I studied Public Health formally, I was fascinated with trying to predict human behavior. It is just so varied that no one theory or construct really covers it, and in any given moment, given all the information possible, someone will choose something no one could have predicted. Complex we humans are. And ever changing. But back to the 5 stages listed above, I love that the first stage is “precontemplation” - being unaware. How exactly did they study what wasn’t there? “Contemplation” as a stage makes lots of sense to me. Thinking
JANUARY 20, 2021
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JANUARY 20, 2021
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COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
5
King Of Staten Island STORY BY
STEVEN PRYOR
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
Plant Parenting Tips
PHOTOS: HIKARI KAWAI
Featuring the germination greenhouse.
Some Advice for Those Looking to Start a Garden This Spring
A&E
JANUARY 20, 2021
STORY BY
ALISTAR WOODS During quarantine, gardening has become a popular hobby that people have begun taking up during an insane year where the sense of control was definitely lacking. More people are just starting out with the hobby, even by just collecting a few succulents for their home. But with gardening being as popular as it’s become in recent times and the gardening season coming up fast, how does a beginner prepare and what are they supposed to do? With the abundant amount of public resources available around Corvallis and Albany, such as the community gardens and the various garden shops found in both towns, their answers to these questions were actually quite similar to one another. “They need a yard or walkway if they want to do gardening in containers. They need to decide between raised beds or direct [sow] into the ground,” says a previous employee of U&D Nursery when asked where a beginner should start.
“Then prepare the soil for the garden. Add in organic types of materials, such as manure, peat moss, humus, composted yard debris, mint compost, etc. [They should] make sure they have the right garden tools, gloves, and clothes that can get dirty,” they continue. Other tips included testing the soil and adding a good compost before planting. According to a phone interview with someone working in the Albany community garden, certain vegetables, such as carrots or peas, will benefit from early planting while it is still cold out. It was suggested that a good idea is to look at a seed catalogue beforehand to see what you want and prep the soil accordingly. You can find an array of online seed catalogues at the bottom of this article. “They also need to decide what type of plants they want before they plant. Acidic or not. Totally different fertilizer. Make sure they can get water to wherever they plant,” adds the previous U&D Nursery employee. While these tips do focus on outdoor gardening, some can be used for indoor gardening as well. Indoor gardening is a more controlled environment, but your
The sign for U & D Nursery is up and flanked in the background with the various varieties of plants and trees
space and choices of plants will also be more limited. The focus in that instance should be on what type of plant you want, what purpose you want it to serve, and where you can put it. During an over the phone interview, the recommendation was for
Close-up of one of the aloe plants U & D Nursery had in the houseplants greenhouse.
plants which can act as an air purifier of sorts since they will help filter out stale air, help remove environmental contaminants, and may help reduce anxiety as well. All in all, gardening seems to be a surprisingly popular hobby with people that otherwise may have never shown interest in wanting to tend to a garden. These tips were made in the hopes that people can properly prepare for the gardening season coming up this Spring of 2021. Local Seed Catalogues: Adaptive Seeds Wild Garden Seed Seed Savers Exchange
U & D Nursery has a large variety of different plants, specifically here the perennials. They store them outside since they are hardy enough to bear the cold. Starts growing in the germinating greenhouse where it is nice and warm, and protected from the harsh outdoor weather and temperatures.
Featuring the germination greenhouse.
Click here for more information
Featuring some young jade plants.
“The King of Staten Island” is the latest film from Judd Apatow, whose previous credits include “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up.” Building on the success of his previous films, the director brings an ideal mix of comedy and drama that ranks among his best work. The story follows 24-yearold Scott (Pete Davidson, “Saturday Night Live”), an aspiring tattoo artist who lost his father in a fire 17 years before the events of the film. As his mother (Academy Award nominee Marisa Tomei) plans to remarry with a firefighter named Ray (fellow “Saturday Night Live” alum Bill Burr); Scott must not only come to terms with his loss, but also forge a new path in his life. This comedy/drama was OUNCIL RSHIP C S T LEADE originallyT UDENslated for theatrical release in the summer of 2020; but was instead released on video on demand due to the novel coronavirus/
SH S T U DENT LEADER
I P COUNCIL
COVID-19 pandemic. The result is the ideal blend of earnesty and raunch that Apatow has made a trademark of his style ever since the cult classic TV series “Freaks and Geeks.” The cast has a great chemistry to each other, playing off each other naturally in both comedic and dramatic scenes; and setups that mix the two moods. Steve Buscemi is a standout as an aging firefighter referred to as “Papa,” and the New York setting fits organically with the story and its characters. The music also compliments the story perfectly, with both the score by Michael Andrews and a selection of fantastic songs setting the ideal mood (one standout is a spirited rendition of the Wallf lowers’ “One Headlight”). The script, which was cowritten by Apatow, Davidson and Dave Sirius; is equal parts humorous and heartful, as Davidson’s character is named for his real-life father; who was also a firefighter that the film was dedicated to the memory of. With the film now streaming on HBO Max as of January 9, “The King of Staten Island” is an ideal recommendation as one of Apatow’s best films to date.
THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND
STARRING: Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr and Steve Buscemi DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow AVAILABLE ON HBO MAX MY RATING: ★★★★★ PHOTO COURTESY: IMDB.COM
STUDENT LEADERSHIP UPDATE
ARE YOU STRUGGLING
AT LBCC?
The Roadrunner Resource Center helps navigate or guide students over barriers that come up during the term that might prevent them from staying in college. Some resources we can get you connected to might be: • Connecting to resources for childcare • Helping purchase textbooks or other school related costs • Assistance with transportation • Help connecting to resources
that can assist with utility bills, internet and phone costs • Connecting to food resources within the community • Referrals to healthcare related assistance • Help with connecting to housing resources within the community • Access to emergency funds that could help assist over a barrier • Assistance accessing scholarships on campus as well as other forms We are here to assist you-please reach out with any questions you might have- we are here to help you be successful! Just send an email to resources@linnbenton.edu to connect with a Resource Navigator. Or, visit our campus Single Stop Resource Tool to complete a quick profile where we can then match you with many community resources and LBCC emergency funds that could help.
CLUB SPOTLIGHT
The Parents Club
The Parents Club was established to help advocate for and support parents who are in school. Members come together and share their experiences while finding resources they may not have known about. For information you can reach out to student lead Krista Fortenberry at krista. fortenberry.9913@mail.linnbenton.edu, or Club Advisor Aoife Magee at mageea@ linnbenton.edu
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From Table to Screen STEVEN PRYOR
PUBLISHER: WB Interactive
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
DEVELOPER: CD Projekt RED PLATFORM: Playstation 4 (Also Available on Xbox One and PC, Coming Soon to Playstation 5 and Xbox Series) ESRB RATING: M
PHOTO COURTESY : IMDB.COM have plans to continue updating the game in the near future (two major ones being slated for January and February 2021); there is at the same time plenty the game does right along with both figurative and literal bugs to work out. Using the lessons learned from their work on “The Witcher” series, the story and world building are among the strongest elements in the game. The setting of the fictional Night City, CA has immense attention to detail; depicting a near-future city in Northern California with an alternate history that goes back well over a century before the game takes place. The character customization for your avatar is a new benchmark for flexibility, and the approach to the story’s branching paths is highly refreshing. Rather than a black and white morality system with some neutral options; each character “life path” has unique
dialogue and actions that can raise your in-universe “street cred.” There is clear progression for each weapon and piece of equipment you gain, and it’s also possible to clear missions key to the plot without even firing any shots at all. That said, the game is clearly not without faults. While the game has been performing fine on PC for the most part; the story on consoles has been much different. Issues range from unintentionally hilarious quirks (such as in-game contacts clipping through doors) to more serious issues of the game geting stuck and having to restart the hardware and software. While performance tends to be better on higher-end PCs and consoles (ports for the PS5 and Xbox Series lines are currently underway), even they haven’t been without problems. Even so, CD Projekt RED has established themselves with a reputation
of being very understanding towards consumers. On top of the game getting more content over the next few years, all versions of the game will continue to get updates to address the issues being faced. Players on Sony and Microsoft platforms will also be able to upgrade to the upcoming ports on Playstation 5 and the Xbox Series free of charge. Despite the game having a flawed launch, “Cyberpunk 2077” has a foundation for a much stronger future. For better or for worse, it’s definitely a game that pushes the existing console generation to its limits and provides a window into the next generation of openwold adventure games. Keep an eye out for a full review after the January and February updates go live.
Classic Nintendo Game REVIEW BY JOSHUA BLOEDEL
The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) was a massive success. It saved the video game industry from the video game crash of 1983 and made Nintendo a household name. Thanks to games like Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, The Legend of Zelda, etc., the NES became the famous console it’s now today. So obviously, work on Nintendo’s next console, the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), began. One of the first games worked on for this console was Super Mario World, a game for the famous Super Mario Bros. franchise. Upon its release on August 13, 1991, it has become one of the best-selling games for the Super Nintendo (selling over 20 million copies) and is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time. So, is it an eggcellent game? Or are we going to be in a Super Mario World of pain? Mario and Luigi have decided to take a vacation to the prehistoric island Dinosaur Island. However, this was interrupted by the news that Princess Toadstool has been captured by Bowser again. So Mario must
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JANUARY 20, 2021
CYBERPUNK 2077
STORY BY
(Note: This editorial is based on the latest build available as of this writing. Your experience may vary depending on which version you’re currently playing.) On December 10, 2020; “Cyberpunk 2077” finally saw release after being delayed from earlier that April. Though the game clearly has ambition and does a lot right to the credit of developers CD Projekt RED (the Polish studio whose previous credits include “The Witcher” video games), there are admittedly flaws that are keeping the title from reaching its full potential even as it lays down the foundation for the future both in its world and the next generation of video games. The game is based on the acclaimed “Cyperpunk 2020” tabletop role-playing game, though even if you haven’t played it; the game does a great job establishing its open world and the characters who inhabit it. Playing as a mercenary who’s primarily referred to just as “V,” the story consists of three unique backgrounds; all of which involve an experimental microchip that contains the essence of rock star-turned-revolutionary Johnny Silverhand (the immaculate voice and likeness of Keanu Reeves). As the chip is also valued by the corrupt Arasaka Corporation, all does not go smoothly. Upon its launch, the game had a handful of patches on both consoles and PC; and while the developers already
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SUPER MARIO WORLD
DEVELOPER: Nintendo EAD PUBLISHER: Nintendo PLATFORM: Super NES, Kiosk, Game Boy Advance PHOTO COURTESY: NINTENDO rescue the princess once more, defeat Bowser, and restore peace to Dinosaur Island. That is basically the entire story of the game. It’s quite lacking. Because of this, I give the story a C+. Like the previous Mario
titles, the game has you play in 2D levels. In order to defeat enemies, you must hop on them. But there are some new abilities added to this game that hasn’t been seen in previous games. Mario can now spin-hop which can
break blocks beneath. The game also introduces the Cape Feather which acts very similar to the Super Leaf from Super Mario Bros. 3 in which after you run a bit and jump, you can f ly. but it allows you to glide as well by moving up and down. But there is one addition to the gameplay that is basically the game’s selling point: Yoshi. Yoshi and his other dinosaur friends have been sealed into eggs by the Koopalings and will assist Mario once freed. Mario can ride on the dinosaur which gives the player control of the creature. Yoshi can swallow nearby enemies with its tongue and can create power-ups for Mario by eating fruit. I had a ton of fun playing this game. I think my problem with this game was the world map. There is one part of the game where one could easily get confused about where to go because it requires a secret exit in one of the levels. Other than that, the gameplay was great. I give it an A. The soundtrack is good. It’s a classic but doesn’t really stand out to me. I give it a B+. To conclude, Super Mario World is indeed a classic game but is lackluster in my opinion. I give it a 7.2/10.
5-Word Book
Reviews BY LEAH BIESACK
Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas, Tom Robbins: Wordsmithing meets fun and games. Missoula, Jon Krakauer: Horrifying. Important. Not too cheery. Ordinary People, Christine Schutt: Doesn’t represent Schutt’s talent well. Freedom, Jonathan Franzen: Entertaining, but not The Corrections.
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JANUARY 20, 2021
Heartache for the 9-5
STORY BY LEAH BIESACK
You don’t need a drop-out turned born-again college student to explain the recent gash Netf lix has inf licted upon us. You’re well aware. As December 31st called it a night, one of the most turned-to streaming services had no qualms coming between our overly committed relationship with iconic TV show ‘The Office.’ (People say ‘trying times.’ This is what they mean.) The New Year’s Eve Countdown was a bit more like a doomsday device, and likely the real reason no crowds
came out to Times Square. Midnight struck and our souls were turned into pumpkins, only to be hollowed out, rotted out, and left to wither on the vast empty porch that is 2021. We know you know. Your pain is our own, your withdrawal is felt across all state lines and rundown wi-fi networks. Were we maybe a bit clingy with the TV series? Sure, there’s no denying the strength of that attachment. But what were our options? As 2020 was one of our most tumultuous years to work through, there was solace in knowing the one reliable comfort source, lived mere clicks away. A confident yes to
‘Continue Watching?’ was probably the only thing we knew for sure last year. The Office has been the soothing balm that’s allowed us to keep showing up. And, just like every other toiletry and beauty product I fall head over heels for, it was taken off our [virtual] shelves. I don’t have the solution. Frankly, I don’t even have great news. (Am I salting the wound?) And though it’s probably under my obligation to mention that there is another streaming network to turn to, I know not one of us who feels comfortable navigating that route. I’m here to offer
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an alternative. Consider these placeholders, and not replacements. They won’t look the same, they won’t sound the same, and yet, they might give you a little light in this cavern of black we now find ourselves in. Not a lantern, mind you. But a match f lame, at least. This is the best we can do at the moment. You deserve better. I sure know I deserve better. But let’s settle, for now, and agree to use all of our upcoming birthday wishes to try and make some change. Hang in there.
Derry Girls:
Filmed and set in Ireland, this comedic sitcom is the kind of refreshing that should charge at the door. Set in the 90’s, with plenty of Irish swears and slang to go around. Derry Girls shakes a cocktail of nostalgia, hilarity, and lack of restraint while garnishing with a tiny sprig of historical accuracy. With the voices of The Cranberries heard throughout the score, this two-Season show will touch on your better days, while still shining light on all the girlgang moments you have to come. Pros: Wildly talented cast, better slang than ours, opportunities to think about future international travel without getting too depressed. Cons: I lied. The travel thing will bum you out.
Broad City:
Comedic sitcom takes place in NYC, featuring two magnetic female leads (Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson), along with heaving-hitting cameos (is that you, Tony Danza?). Episodes hover around 22 minutes, so your commitment level can remain low while still being interested. Sharp writing, with fresh takes on inappropriate and awkward moments, and zero plot-lines that would require episodes to be watched consecutively. Pros: a great look at real New York, top-tier comedy in low-brow situations, female empowerment made for easy-watching. Strong nod to the opening credits. Cons: only 5 seasons, so I advise stacking your queue accordingly.
Fireplace Channel:
When there is simply nothing good enough to watch, and when, frankly, we don’t even want to feel better, it’s best to just take that time to stare into the void. Netf lix offers four different options to turn your screen into a crackling fire, including the much lauded Birchwood Edition. You can allow yourself to be mesmerized, to take peace in the lack of stimulation, and to let your heavy depression be the bellows that keep the fire alive. Pros: None of your clothes will smell smokey, easy way to avoid the high cost of firewood. Cons: Will not keep you warm. Physically or emotionally.
Ream of paper:
When things get desperate (and they will, dear readers. I assure you.), it’s best to go straight to the source. Office Depot sells paper by the single ream, or in packs of three, eight, and ten. As you may guess, it makes more fiscal sense to buy in bulk, so the latter could be a fun way to commiserate with friends. Office Depot offers curbside pick-up, so though this requires you to crawl out from the depths of blankets and despair, you can still bring a blanket in your car (and I’m sure the despair will follow loyally.). Each sheet would allow for a new opportunity to crumple your frustration or soak up your emotion. A ream used as a pillow is also an option. Pros: Might be something lying around your parents’ basement office, makes for less screen time. Cons: Office Depot doesn’t stay open past 8pm, so would recommend buying ahead of time, as the hardest hours are at the darkest of night.