80 TWU Confessions
Exploring the anonymous controversy behind the popular Instagram account.
of Casablanca Christians and the Environment Epoch
Years Volume 27, Issue 7 02. 08. 2023.
The legacy of one of the greatest films of all time eight decades later.
One of my favourite songs of all time is Bon Iver’s “Holocene.” It is an incredibly personal song that compares very intimate, specific moments in the singer’s life with the grandeur and majesty of the natural world. The song takes its name from a bar in Portland, Oregon. It also takes its name from The Holocene, our current geological epoch, which began about 11,600 years ago at the end of the Last Glacial Period. The song represents a variety of human experiences, from the mundane to the sublime.
In creating this issue, “Epoch” represents landmark moments and eras, things and events of significance. Diego Bascur’s “Why Do I Write?” outlines the writer’s battle with an era of drought in his writing life. Contributor Isaac Coon’s “As Time Goes By” analyzes the brilliance of the legendary Casablanca 80 years after its release. Hope Evans explores the ongoing debate around police violence—a defining political issue of our time—in a harrowing article in the News section.
But, as always, there is so much more to look forward to within the pages of this issue. In Arts & Culture, David Witzke talks about the origins word “rizz” while contributor Bret van den Brink explores the strange title of Glass Onion in this issue’s “Reviews From the Brink” instalment. Jumping to Opinions, contributors Andraya Stuart and Kasmira Warawa break down Christian perspectives on environmental stewardship. Over in Sports, you can read my first-ever piece for the section, an interview with Britton Roxburgh. Lastly, in Humour, contributor Alex Walker recasts the hit HBO series Game of Thrones with The Muppets.
The mission of Mars’ Hill, as the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University, is to inform and entertain its readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the TWU community, and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members in accordance with the Community Covenant, Statement of Faith, and Core Values of the University.
WRITERS
Isaac Coon
Lex Diersh
Tori Martinez
Andraya Stuart & Kasmira Warawa
Bret van den Brink
Alex Walker
PHOTOS
Rachel Schouten, pg. 1
Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University located on the traditional ancestral territory of the Stó:lō people. Floated with funds raised by the Student Association, Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while intentionally addressing local, national, and international issues
Mars’ Hill encourages submissions and Letters to the Editor. Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit submissions for style, brevity, and compatibility with the Mission, the Statement of Faith, the Student Handbook, and the Core Values of the University. Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, Trinity Western University, its officials or its Student Association.
Too scared to ask out that hot girl from Rels class? Have a thought you’re dying to share? Did a professor say something strange or funny? Do you have some information that you want to get out to the student body? Whatever it is, the declassifieds are here for you. Submit yours at www.marshillnewspaper.com/declassifieds
TWU likes to store its students in residence buildings kept strictly between the temperatures of 1°C - 4°C, similar to that of your household refrigerator.
Someone told me I looked like I walked out of the Narnia closet. It was amazing.
Plantacided was committed on Tuesday night at 11:20 pm in Skidmore.
Snowman slaughter was committed outside RNT by Marko. He argues he should not be prosecuted as he breathed life back into it.
Did y’all know that Jordan has twin?
What the frick is the difference between sarcastic, facetious, and ironic?
Will Jacobson be open in time for exam week? Stay tuned…
i am so broke help
“Lots of death-just how we like it”-SarahGrace
TWU please, im begging you... shut the damn bell up
If climate change is the greatest global issue of our time why wasn’t COP27 a virtual event?
Did the Well’s funding get cut? why is it barely open this year? It’s sad as it’s such a good place for students
Snow removal has been trash this year. Why is it 5 days into the snow and we still have ice on the sidewalks
I despise profs who cancel multiple 3 hour classes. I had a prof cancel two this semester -which is like 4 classes if it was twice a week. What am I actually paying for if my prof doesn’t show up for classes to teach??
I feel like I could pull anyone with these shoes on-Twu overhead
The barbecue pulled pork sandwich is the only thing at the book store Caf that is worth 10.95
To thou who circles the RNT loop in their car after dark, you are an inspiration for all
Why don’t Columbia Bible College rels courses transfer anymore? It’s a quality school
TWU really kicking us out of our apartment of 3 years for some freshmen who can’t swim
Hot take we need less Christmas break. (That rhymed)
Dear Mars Hill; I was doing a search on Google for “orthodoxy vs orthopraxy” and “Mars Hill” came up as the third hit. How delighted to find out that this was from TWU! I am a 1996 TWU alumni and enjoyed finding a chance to be proud of this great school!
Jay Reimer (TWU 1996)
Trinity rangers on instagram like “lets slap the ugliest colour grade known to man onto these photos”
You took 9 months to figure out that trick? You could’ve made a baby in that time!
I resonate with everyone egg
The REAL egg poster would NOT have missed two issues [blowing steam out of nose emoji]
Who is dropping $672 on 15 grad photos after a 100k degree
To the first year Ed student from Fraser who helped me carry a coffee table to RNT: I forgot your name but you were so helpful and kind! Thank you and say hi if you see me again!
Mark Husbands... Go with God; but please go!
I heard from kate Muchmore woo that there are rocks on the ceiling
fned is BACK!
egg Want more?
Patti Victor for TWU President!
Mars’ Hill should publish more often, I really like reading about what that Arts and Culture Editor guy writes Sarcastic, possibly ironic comment
I send so many email :( whyyyy
Breaking news! Hannah Gallandt-“AHHHH”
PLEASE wear deodorant in the library. it is absolutely rank up here the incessant beeping in the Douglas lounge is driving me insane - I CAN HEAR
“Jesus died on the cross to open the gates to Cybertron.”
There aren’t enough Mormons at this school
We need more Mormons at this school. More mons, some would say.
I believe all men are gay until proven otherwise #she/her things
Manny the Mammoth is NOT a cool dilf
I love psychoanalysing men
Y’all it’s the season of love
That being said, I want love
Anyone want to make borscht
I had the most amazing everything shower
Coffee makes me sh—
When researching “epoch,” I was really drawn to the element of transformation and change that comes with the beginning of each era. The focal point of the piece is the hand reaching toward the water. The hand represents humanity, and the tattooed leaves symbolize life and growth. The water symbolizes a number of things, most of all it symbolizes change. Water is fluid and constantly moving, ushering in new life and carrying what is dead to its next destination. On the water is Charon, the ferryman of the underworld in Greek mythology. Above him is the sun; the sun has been seen as a symbol of transformation in many cultures across history. It rises and sets, bringing in a new day and ending it with a beautiful display of colours. In the top right, there is a dove, which symbolizes new life and hope. The clouds across the whole
I personally believe that people are putting friends over jobs
Sometimes you need to reflect and maybe you do deserve better friends I need more hugs in my life
I think one of my love languages is physical touch but I’m terrified of people touching me
Seth personally asked me to do more declassifieds DO NOT make borscht! It will betray you, it’s powers are not always for good. I repeat, do NOT make borscht. West-Coast COLLEGIUM gang. Woohooo!!!
Monty python is the modern Shakespeare
Did the math once about when Dr. Rowe and his wife started dating and I have to say that his wife clearly knows how to work a system. I have so much respect for those two it’s insane.
“I’m pretty sure Angela Bassett is God” - Seth Schouten Editor’s Note: I stand by this statement. —Seth
“That’s it I’m whipping the Japanese keyboard out”Sent Long
“Makeup that looks like dirt...
F—, was I supposed to do that??” - Seth oh shoot…….. I made the borscht
“Watch your beef-loving mouth”
Mr Nezzer should be Vader and Mr Lunt should be Palpatine
I haven’t been able to make my favourite pasta since I broke up with my Italian gf. Rip.
Boston pizza charged us for auto tax………
“I’m sorry, could you please repeat that? I got distracted reading about lesbianism.”
if anyone else confesses their feelings for me im gonna throw up. im not looking for a ring until at least next winter.
Alex Walker’s “Burger Queen” is the great anti-capitalist manifesto of our time Talk is overrated, lets just vibe. And love is overrated in mind.
Does anyone if Steven Coulter is single?
Kinda wanna ask him out [monkey covering eyes emoji]
MRS degree?? More like Master of Rizz Sciences !!!
‘t Hart makes my heart go thud thud thud [black heart emoji]
Did you guys hear that Maddy McMillan’s greatgrand-pappy McMillan built McMillan (the building) with his bare hands?
HELP, I DRANK OVER A LITRE OF ALOE VERA DRINK. I’M GONNA SH— MY PANTS.
Andrew Borschtard
Do you need to followers and blue tick
Maybe the borscht isn’t actually that bad . . . maybe there are blessings that come out of it. We shouldn’t be so harsh on its powers without giving it some time.
Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit or reject submissions based on content and/or length. A printed submission does not reflect an endorsement of any kind, nor does it reflect the opinions of Mars’ Hill or its staff, the student association, or Trinity Western University.
piece represent opportunities for growth. The colouring of the sky was heavily inspired by Van Gogh. I love how he was able to make his paintings seem alive, and I wanted to capture that effect. The overall message of this artwork is that change is constant: things begin and end, and there’s no way to stop it. What we can do, however, is embrace it. We can rise and set like the sun and seize any opportunity for growth that comes our way. Change is not a time of despair, it is a time to grow.
Milo Fritz is a third-year linguistics student minoring in political studies. He is a self-taught artist, and one can often find them doodling in class.
TWU Confessions is an Instagram account which has been widely known over the years as a place to share thoughts, feelings, and general comments anonymously. Though many different variations of the account have existed, the general idea has remained the same: by clicking a link in the page’s bio, anyone can write anything to be submitted in posts which come out every few days. These submissions are filtered through an unknown facilitator of the account. Both sides of the operation remain unnamed, sender and receiver.
are looking at, and it just fosters more gossip,” was one opinion voiced on the matter.
The opposed position centers around the behavior of those behind the screen compared to face-to-face; the idea that there are some people who are different when typing behind the mask of a digital world. Another comment shared, “Every once and awhile there’s something wholesome or funny, but it’s so tough when the majority of the posts are gossip. You’re feeding into someone’s insecurity, and that just sucks that there’s someone affiliated with TWU that’s doing that.”
“Man, these people are the scum of the earth.” I’m hoping to slow it down a little more and post more of the funny stuff and the good side of what people send in. It should be entertaining without tearing people down.” With this sincerity, it seems the account hopes to head in a better direction, perhaps towards community building even through the confessions themselves.
The idea of anonymous sharing on a social media page enables a rich discussion which leads down many avenues. Accountability, responsibility, and moral obligation come into the spotlight. TWU Confessions is fairly popular, yet has suffered from a fair share of controversy. Accusations of cyberbullying and harassment lead to this storm of “anti-confessionists” who deem this account as the plague of community life here at Trinity Western University. Yet there are always two sides to every story, and in the spirit of all that is journalistically pure, both sides must be given room to express themselves.
Those who see this page as a breeding ground for cyberbullying, harassment, and the overall festering of campus life speak boldly in their defiance of the account. Their concern stems from a care for the community and a hope that accounts such as this do not become enablers for gossip on campus. “Things that don’t need to be spread are being broadcasted on a social media platform that, of course, students
The stand of these anti-coffesionists ignites a passionate front against anonymous accounts such as this, as well as the bystanders who watch as these posts are made. One opinion said that “I think often we overlook that, and we don’t acknowledge the pain and truth behind what we are so freely commenting on and liking. That’s where I guess I’m curious about how our student body can follow and engage so positively with this account, when a lot of the time somewhere in the mix, there are confessions which are really mean and hurtful.” With the closure of this account, the hope for those opposed to TWU Confessions is a healthier campus, far from gossip and negative comments online.
However the other side of this controversy comes from a place of reflection and a more positive view of the account. They share the purpose of this account: “Sometimes it’s really wholesome and people are giving each other advice, connecting, and getting closer to the community. That’s why I started running the account.”
Furthermore, the account facilitator shares their concern for negative comments and mentions a desire to lessen the comments’ effect: “Sometimes I read through the stuff people send in and I’m just like,
Both sides speak from places of passion and sincerity. However, this controversy reflects a larger issue of anonymous accountability. It seems whether posted or not, there are those who choose to speak hatefully with the intention of bringing others down—even here in the TWU community as well. As students, as faculty, as human beings, our goal should be to live positively, to foster community, especially when we think no one is watching. We must do better.
“TWU Confessions is fairly popular, yet has suffered from a fair share of controversy.”
“Sometimes I read through the stuff people send in and I’m just like, “Man, these people are the scum of the earth.” I’m hoping to slow it down a little more and post more of the funny stuff and the good side of what people send in. It should be entertaining without tearing people down.”
Hope Evans
Content warning: The article contains descriptions of police brutality.
In early January, a 29-year-old father was pulled over at a traffic stop and assaulted by five police officers. He died of his injuries in the hospital three days later. His attack and subsequent public outcry have refocused the spotlight on police brutality in the United States, especially in regard to issues of race.
On the evening of January 7, Tyre Nichols, a Black man, was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving in Memphis, Tennessee. Then “a confrontation occurred,” according to the statement posted to the Memphis Police Department’s Twitter account the next morning. Nichols ran from the police towards his home and then “another confrontation occurred.” The report says that “afterward, the suspect complained of having a shortness of breath,” and, later, that “the suspect was transported to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition.” He died of his injuries while in that hospital three days later.
Van Turner, the President of the Memphis NAACP— the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People—said that “If you read that report, you would not think that Tyre is dead because of excessive force. It’s written in a way to be positive towards those law enforcement agents. . . . The report is disingenuous. It’s fabricated.”
suspicions.
The city’s fire department released a statement of their own, saying that they received a call from the police to respond to a report of a person who had been pepper-sprayed and arrived to find Nichols handcuffed and slumped against a police car. The emergency responders arrived 15 minutes before the ambulance arrived and were present on the scene for half an hour before the ambulance left with Nichols for the hospital.
Then, on Friday, January 27, video footage of the attack from body-worn and mounted cameras was released to the public, showing five cops beating Nichols as he called for his mother while helpless on the pavement. For an hour, they punched, kicked, and pepper sprayed him.
The footage also shows the officers attempting to manipulate the narrative in real time. They would yell at Nichols to get down while the video showed him already pinned to the ground, or say that he was high or reaching for their guns, neither of which was shown on video. Turner says that this manipulation is not unique: “You’re seeing this more and more. They’re almost acting like the cameras didn’t catch what happens. . . . For this guy to say Tyre reached for his gun, but we didn’t see that, it is dumbfounding.”
Initially, the five officers who attacked Nichols—all Black men—were fired and charged with second-degree murder, among other charges. However, once the video footage came to light, more people were implicated in the crime. Not only was Nichols attacked by the five officers, but there were other officers and emergency responders present who did not intervene. Memphis Councilor Martavius Jones said, “When everybody saw the video, we see that you have multiple officers just standing around, when Mr. Nichols is in distress, that just paints a totally different picture.”
On January 30, the police department announced that two other officers had also been relieved of duty shortly after the event. Only one, Preston Hemphill—a White officer—was named. The initial five officers and Hemphill had all been part of the Scorpion unit, which targeted violent criminals in high-crime areas. The unit has now been disbanded.
The city’s police chief, Cerelyn Davis, was suspicious of the report as well. She doubted that the events were described truthfully, since the report seemed “a strange summary of what occurred at a traffic stop” and because it was submitted hours after the assault. She began to investigate the event based on her
Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, had suspicions that there were more people culpable even before the footage was released. “Questions were raised before the video was released,” he said, “I just felt there was more than five officers out there. Now, five were charged with murder because they were the main participants, but there were five or six other officers out there that didn’t do anything to render any aid. They are just as culpable as the officers who threw the blows.”
On the same day, the city’s fire department announced the dismissal of two emergency medical technicians—Robert Long and JaMicheal Sandridge— because they “failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols,” according to a statement from the department. They also dismissed Lieutenant Michelle Whitaker. The same statement said that, for all three, “their actions or inactions on the scene that night do not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department.”
Nichols’ funeral was held Wednesday, February 1. He was honoured as “a good person, a beautiful soul, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, a human being” by Reverend J. Lawrence Turner. One of his friends, Angelina Paxton, remembered him by saying, “This man walked into a room, and everyone loved him.”
However, the funeral was not just a celebration of life. Both Reverend Al Sharpton and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gave passionate speeches, calling upon Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would enact broad police reforms such as creating a national registry for police officers who were disciplined for misconduct and banning no-knock warrants.
“If you read that report, you would not think that Tyre is dead because of excessive force. It’s written in a way to be positive towards those law enforcement agents. . . . The report is disingenuous. It’s fabricated.”
“However, the funeral was not just a celebration of life. Both Reverend Al Sharpton and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gave passionate speeches, calling upon Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.”Photo by Koshu Kunii via Unsplash.
main stages. In the first revelation, the glass onion is physically represented in the film as the glass dome on Miles’ Greek villa, wherein his office is located. At this point, the glass onion serves to illustrate the vapid gaudiness of the tech billionaire. The second—and most important—revelation, in the dénouement of the film, discloses the symbolic meaning of the glass onion. Being masterminded by the idiotic Miles, the film’s mystery is no mystery at all; the crucial piece of evidence, Andi’s napkin, is located in Mile’s office, the flamboyant centre of the villa, precisely where one should immediately suspect it to be. A glass onion, thus, is a symbol of something in which people seek complexity (in the layers of the onion) where none exists (because the layers are all transparent).
Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Ilove a strange title. Titles are rather important, as they are often the first bit of an artist’s work conveyed to the audience. A title forms one’s expectations in approaching a work of art, and in retrospect, one will use the title every time one refers to it. When considering a work of art, the title thus plays a crucial role in the interpretative dialectic between expectation and retrospection.
to immediately understand something strange, and so at the stage of expectation, strangeness “arouses wonder” but at the stage of retrospection, when one begins to understand the meaning of the strangeness, strangeness arouses “aesthetic imagination.”
With these brief prolegomena, I may now approach my given topic: the 2022 film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, written and directed by Rian Johnson. This Agatha Christie-esque mystery, set during the COVID-19 pandemic, centres on detective Benoit Blanc’s undercover investigation of the doings of tech billionaire Miles Bron. The acting, setting, and music are all quite good—I was thoroughly entertained throughout—and at the end, I was near to tearing my hair out whilst my inner aesthete shrieked banshee-like as the Mona Lisa went up in smoke. My main concern here, however, is the film’s ever-so-strange title.
The quality of strangeness, meanwhile, can be quite impactful in a title: a strange title evokes curiosity and lingers in the memory. More radically than these virtues, strangeness is an aesthetic quality in and of itself. According to Owen Barfield in Poetic Diction: A Study in Meaning, “The element of strangeness in beauty . . . arises from contact with a different kind of consciousness from our own, different, yet not so remote that we cannot partly share it, as indeed, in such a connection, the mere word ‘contact’ implies.” Strangeness is a gift imparted from the meeting of two minds, where their differences create something utterly unexpected and peculiarly wonderful. We are unlikely
Before one understands it, the strange title, Glass Onion, surely “arouses wonder,” as Barfield would have it. Wonder awhile—picture, if you will, in your mind’s eye, an onion wrought of glass. It is lovely, is it not? It is delicate, fragile, and intricate. It is fashioned layer upon layer in so mysterious a manner as to nearly defy explanation. Yet, as all the layers from its outermost skin are visible, with light dancing a stately sarabande between them, so too is the centre visible. Perhaps it is a microcosm of the Ptolemaic cosmos, with its concentric spheres of crystal, whose gyrations produce the musica universalis. Perhaps I read too much Renaissance poetry.
Through gradual revelations in the film, understanding transmutes wonder into aesthetic imagination. The revelations occur in three
I would not consider it extravagant to describe Johnson’s conceit of the glass onion as inspired, were he to have invented it. He, however, did not. Rather—and this is the third revelation— the conceit was invented by the Beatles, whose song “Glass Onion” played over the film’s end credits. Johnson’s use of the conceit in his mystery is nonetheless ingenious. The Beatles’ song is cheekily about people who over-analyze the band’s lyrics, particularly in the manner of a conspiracy theorist. Hence, the song (and, by extension, the film) raises the thorny issue of how an audience ought to respond to a work of art, and it suggests that sometimes one should take a work of art for what it appears to be, rather than seeking out hidden meanings where none exist.
Or, perhaps, the symbol of the glass onion suggests that the troublesome murders and the injustices that spur them could all have been avoided if only the characters attuned the music of their souls to the music of the spheres.
“Strangeness is a gift imparted from the meeting of two minds, where their differences create something utterly unexpected and peculiarly wonderful.”
“Before one understands it, the strange title, Glass Onion, surely “arouses wonder” . . . picture, if you will, in your mind’s eye, an onion wrought of glass. It is lovely, is it not?”Daniel Craig in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Image via Netflix.
Around the beginning of winter break, I started to hear whispers of a new slang word. “Rizz this” and “W Rizz that” whispered the crowds of hipsters that wander around campus. On the surface, the word seems simple. Charisma gets shortened to rizz: a word that is both fun to say and easy to use.
Part of rizz’s appeal is its versatility. You can simply say that someone has “W Rizz” or perhaps refer to them as a classic character such as “the Rizzler” (the Riddler) or “The Rizzard of Oz” (the Wizard of Oz). Much of the discourse is simplified along the terms of “Homie has unspoken Rizz” which is an interesting turn from last year’s similar, but much shorter-lived slang, “Big Dick Energy.” Or to put it more eloquently, I turn to Mars’ Hill staff writer Diego Bascur, who simply posted an Instagram note that said “homie rizz,” a combination of words that theoretically have meaning but, when put together like that, simply escape me.
Yet rizz has a surprisingly complex set of definitions. The sheer fact that no one can agree on what it means, but everyone knows how to use it, is what makes it interesting. Slang is something that happens organically, and it is difficult to trace both its true meaning and origin. A general definition simply defines rizz as similar to the idiom “to have game” or as Wiktionary succinctly puts it, “one’s ability to seduce a potential (usually female) love interest.” Though a personal favourite comes from a few definitions
down in Urban Dictionary and asserts that people with lots of rizz are most well known for having mem
orized the script of Jerry Seinfeld’s The Bee Movie
sea and fish on the table. There are also many references to “unspoken rizz” throughout culture, which seems to define this type of rizz as more specifically unknown sexual allure than any specific game. Unfortunately, the term is also coated with a thin veil of misogyny; the fact that a fishing metaphor works so aptly should be a slight tip-off that this term commodifies both relationships and people. It reduces the complex interpersonal relationships of people down to numbers and removes personalities from bodies in an almost frightening manner.
Just as difficult as it is to parse what rizz actually means, it is also difficult to determine exactly where rizz has come from. Multiple sources online draw the term’s origin to a YouTuber and Streamer known as Kai Cenat who first used the word. One Urban Dictionary definition claims that Cenat’s editor from Baltimore adapted Baltimore street slang. Yet, popular internet meme dictionary Know Your Meme claims rizz as Cenat’s New York street slang. Cenat certainly helped popularize rizz, but it is highly unlikely that there will ever be a definitive answer as to who originally created the word. It has been diffused into culture so much that no one really owns rizz anymore. It has simply entered the English lexicon. Some people will use it as a replacement for confidence or seductive allure. To crudely put it, there is no distinction with rizz between catching fish and simply attracting fish. Yet as any fisherman knows, there is quite a large distinction between fish in the
With the coming of the Second World War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully, or desperately, to the freedom of the Americas. Lisbon became the great embarkation point, but not everybody could get to Lisbon directly, and so a Refugee Trail sprang up. Paris to Marseilles, across the Mediterranean to Oran, then across the rim of Africa to Casablanca in French Morocco. Here, the fortunate ones through money, or influence, or luck, might obtain exit visas and scurry to Lisbon. But the others wait in Casablanca… and wait… and wait…
The beginning of this year, specifically January 23, marks the 80th anniversary of the release of Casablanca in the United States. Released right at the peak of Hollywood’s Golden Age and adapted from the unproduced stage play Everybody Comes to Rick’s, the movie is often cited as one of the greatest movies ever made.
maintains a policy of neutrality in his cafe, an analogy for America’s own policy of isolationism prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It may be tempting to say that this is just another word and that we should disregard the inherent problems involved with the concept. After all, this is a word that will likely stick around for a good length of time while its meaning is slowly shaped into a stable form. Yet there is inherent danger associated with ignoring the broader social implications of a word. Not all words are created equal. For instance, there are some words that are unprintable and would probably cause our Editor-in-Chief, Seth, to descend from the heavens and smite me on the spot. In truth, using the word rizz probably will not cause a broader societal collapse, but it is worth understanding what we are saying and the ideas we are espousing. To rizz or not to rizz is up for debate, but however the cards fall, I think it goes without saying that we should think before we speak. More people should learn that.
Set in 1941, during Nazi Germany’s occupation of France and prior to America’s involvement in the war, the story follows the cynical Rick Blaine, an American expatriate who owns the club, Rick’s Café Américain, in Casablanca. The French Vichy government of Morocco, while politically distinct from occupied Metropolitan France, is in cooperation with Hitler’s Nazi Party. Consequently, the film opens with the murders of two German officers in Casablanca and the arrival of the Nazi Major Strasser by plane. Despite the political unrest surrounding him, Rick
Rick has come into the possession of two letters of transit, signed by a high-ranking French general, allowing for unrestricted travel across all of Europe: priceless commodities to the refugees of Casablanca. His secluded world is further upset when Ilsa Lund, the former love of his life and the source of his cynicism, walks into his club. To add insult to injury, she is joined by her now husband, Victor Laszlo, a freedom fighter and a leading figure of the French Resistance. They have both come to Rick’s to procure the mythical letters of transit and catch the last plane to leave Casablanca, hoping that Laszlo can continue his work in America, outside the grip of the Gestapo.
A cynic, an old flame, and her idealist husband?
Yes, that is right, at the heart of Casablanca is one of those dreaded love triangles we have all grown to hate. Indeed, Casablanca has melodrama in its veins, right down to the music that swells as Ilsa goes from
pointing a gun at Rick to falling into his arms and declaring her love for him. The movie is, by all accounts, a cheesy chick flick. Remember that the next time some pretentious douche like me walks around calling it one of the greatest films of all time.
But Casablanca is more than just the problems of three little people. It is a slice of life from the past, a place not so long ago, a window into another time. If you could describe the movie in a single word that would be the word to use: time. Rick and Ilsa’s love story, told through flashbacks, was cut short by the outbreak of the war. If only there was another time, they wonder. So many people’s lives were ruined and uprooted—people both good and bad, on the run from the ultimate evil of the Third Reich.
Story continues on next page . . .
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“There is inherent danger associated with ignoring the broader social implications of a word.”
“A cynic, an old flame, and her idealist husband? . . .
Casablanca has melodrama in its veins . . . The movie is, by all accounts, a cheesy chick flick. Remember that the next time some pretentious douche like me walks around calling it one of the greatest films of all time.”Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. Photo via Warner Bros.
Continued from previous page . . .
I could not imagine being put in that position. You hear so often from people today that their families moved long ago to America or to Canada after Hitler’s invasion of Europe. I cannot imagine staying behind—or, even worse, getting left behind—and I cannot imagine being in that place, waiting to get out, stuck in Casablanca to wait . . . and wait . . .
But Casablanca captures the time so well because it was made at that time. Filming began in May of 1941, and the movie’s premiere was rushed in order to capitalize on the ongoing Allied invasion of North Africa. It is not a period piece, the way Dunkirk (2017) or Hacksaw Ridge (2016) are period pieces of the same war (although, on different fronts). No, Casablanca is not a period piece; it is the period.
It is not just about the time; it is the time. Rick’s eventual turn from cynicism to rediscovered idealism reflects and argues for America’s then involvement in the war, but so much of the anxiety and the wait, the time of the movie, reflects the real uncertainty people felt about the ongoing war, a war that might have ended in Nazi victory.
Yet the war is almost always in the background of the movie. We never see a battlefield, per se, but we feel the gasp and the holding of breath, the uncertainty over whether the free world would prevail, and whether or not it would prevail in one piece. So much of the emotion depicted on screen is just . . . real. Something not always explicitly said, but something right in the movie’s bones that’s heartbreakingly real.
In one of the movie’s most memorable scenes, a meeting between Rick and Laszlo is interrupted when they hear the German officers, led by Major Strasser, singing “Die Wacht am Rhein,” a traditional
song of German patriotism that was appropriated by the Nazis. Enraged, Laszlo approaches the cafe’s house band.
“Play ‘La Marseillaise.’ Play it!” he demands. With a quick nod of approval from Rick, the band plays the French national anthem. At first, it is only Laszlo singing, but soon it is the whole cafe singing together, the French refugees smothering their German occupants. The German officers try to sing louder, but they are soon overwhelmed by the crowd, and they sit down, defeated.
resilience of the French people during this time. These moments of high drama are also punctuated with a kind of intelligent wit and humour that always seem to populate these old movies. In what is perhaps one of the greatest exchanges of dialogue, following the singing of “La Marseillaise” and leading into the movie’s final act, the unashamedly corrupt Captain Renault is forced by Major Strasser to close Rick’s cafe.
“How can you close me up? On what grounds?” Rick protests.
“I am shocked,” Renault says, morally appalled, “shocked to find that there is gambling going on in here!” Not half a second after saying this, a croupier hands Renault a wad of cash.
“Your winnings, sir.”
“Oh, thank you very much. Everybody out of here, at once!”
The scene is memorable because its message is clear: only by working together can we overcome tyranny. But the importance of the scene runs even deeper. During the scene, the camera focuses on Yvonne, played by actress Madeleine LeBeau, who is tearing up while singing the French anthem. Notably, the script does not call for this. At a time when Germany still occupied France, when Nazi soldiers still marched through the streets of Paris, many of the French refugees never knew if they would see their homeland free again. They never knew if they would sing “La Marseillaise” again; many on the run were afraid to. LeBeau, the last surviving credited cast member, was also an actual French refugee, as many of the extras in this scene were. Her presence during the scene is important because the anguish she expresses is real. And all this from a character that has around three lines of dialogue in total. The role she plays is small, but LeBeau’s story is a testament to the
Last year, Sports Editor Scott Bowers and Staff Writer Diego Bascur wrote a recurring column called “Who Ya Got?” for the sports section. It was a chance for Scott and Diego to share their picks for upcoming sports tournaments and titles. I have always really liked this concept for a column. However, David and I both have such little sports knowledge that our predictions would either be laughable or embarrassing, to say the least. So, instead, I pitched to David that we take the premise of “Who Ya Got?” and instead apply it to something we could talk about with ease.
Behold, Who Ya Got? Academy Awards Edition.
The nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards were announced on January 24, by actors Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams. There were, as always, some big snubs and some major surprises. Some of these nominations came out of the blue, while other films featured blue people. As with almost every Oscars ceremony, this year’s Oscars will once again be wildly interesting and fabulously boring all at the same time. It is incredible how they keep pulling off the same trick year after year.
With the nominations all in, David and I share our picks and predictions—“Who we got”—for the 2023 Oscars.
David: I simply must choose Everything Everywhere All at Once. It has been a long time since I have seen a film with such profundity and one that captured the experience of growing up in our newly interconnected world.
Seth: I have got to agree with you, David. Everything Everywhere All at Once is a very special type of movie that does not come around very often. It is maximalist in its visuals and concept but is so emotionally grounded in a very simple story of family and acceptance. If you have not seen Everything Everywhere yet, you are missing out. The more sadistic part of me, however, is rooting for a Triangle of Sadness win.
BEST DIRECTOR
Seth: First, I have to mention that Sarah Polley (Women Talking) and Charlotte Wells (Aftersun) were completely snubbed in this category. But, out of the nominees, Spielberg is my pick. The Fabelmans is such a beautifully crafted film. It is also one of the few movies about the “magic of the movies” that actually interrogates the effect art has on the life of an artist and the impact it has on how the artist sees the world. It is meta in a way that makes a point.
David: I feel like Spielberg is a fairly obvious pick for this—I mean it is Steven Spielberg—but my little indie heart would like the Daniels to win for Everything Everywhere. Bringing together a movie of that great a scope and fusing all of its odd parts together was a miracle from a directorial standpoint, just as much as it was in the editing room.
David: Colin Farrell. While I found The Banshees of Inisherin to be both eloquently disturbing and just regular disturbing, I have to admit that Farrell plays his role fabulously.
Seth: Farrell is an excellent pick. He and Brendan Gleeson might be the best on-screen duo of the year in a year full of great duos. I also feel like I should show some support for Paul Mescal. Mescal’s performance in Aftersun is truly stunning. Just go watch Aftersun. It was my favourite movie of 2022.
BEST ACTRESS
Seth: Cate Blanchett. It is Cate Blanchett. Is there any actual debate here? Her performance as Lydia Tár is one for the ages.
David: I hate to be contrarian (this is a lie), but this is clearly a win for Michelle Yeoh.
At the time of its release, and following its commercial and critical success, there was talk of producing a sequel to Casablanca, but no sequel was ever made. Remakes have been proposed, but all attempts at a remake (God forbid a “modern-day” remake) have turned sour. No, there is just no recapturing the pure magnetism of Casablanca. It could not have been made at any other time, it never would have made it off the runway. And now, as time goes by, Casablanca stands still. A moment in history, in movie history and in human history, forever preserved.
From the overabundance of poorly executed CGI to the lacklustre productions churned out by multi-media conglomerates, there has been a lot of cynicism recently about the quality of the modern movie-making industry. Maybe Hollywood is worse now than it was in its Golden Age, maybe it is better, or maybe it can get better. But no matter what the future brings, we’ll always have Casablanca
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Seth: Listen, I know he is not a nominee, but Steven Yeun should win this for Nope. It remains a crime that he was not even nominated. I have got my fingers crossed for a “here comes Steven Yeun with a steel chair!” moment at the ceremony this year.
David: C’mon here, Ke Huy Quan is the obvious choice. This man had an incredible performance that made me bawl my eyes out when he mentioned laundry and taxes. (Sometimes I cry about both those things in real life but usually not in movies.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Seth: See the declassifieds.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Seth: This is one of the few categories where I would be fine with any of the nominees winning. Five great films with five great screenplays.
David: I agree with Seth. He did not tell me that this was an option and made me think a bunch about this one.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Seth: For me, it is either Glass Onion or Women Talking Glass Onion is probably one of the most creative, energetic movies of the year, and its scripting is what makes it crackle with so much energy. Women Talking’s screenplay is just exquisite. It effortlessly weaves its themes and characters together into this devastating punch.
David: You have got some points here, Seth. Glass Onion was a fabulous time, but Kazuo Ishiguru is a Nobel Prize-winning author that writes some phenomenel stories, including Living
“Rick’s eventual turn from cynicism to rediscovered idealism reflects and argues for America’s then involvement in the war.”
Along with the rise of technology has come a multiplying and endlessly creative stream of new storytelling methods. One of the most fascinating trends to emerge primarily in the last 10 or so years has been the use of certain narrative devices within different mediums. While there are examples across culture—like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’s use of comic book text boxes and onomatopoeia—the one that has stood out to me most recently has been the use of the popular video game Minecraft to tell different stories.
I am not a gamer and never was; the farthest into Minecraft I got was playing the free version on my phone. Still, I have very fond—if limited—memories of playing the game with my sister and cousin, trying desperately to survive my first night in the game or creating our own city where we never actually got past building the streets. Eventually, I discovered the videos of other, better players using Minecraft: Story Mode or similar narrative-based stories within the Minecraft universe. Minecraft is uniquely positioned among popular games as the proverbial blank slate upon which an infinitude of stories can be created of every genre and style.
ing that has nothing to do with the blocked world.
Black Plasma Studios (BPS) is a YouTube channel that tells stories using the blocky look of the Minecraft world. Their stories range from classic Minecraft games like Bed Wars to Star Wars spin-offs and original fantasy worlds. According to their website, “the channel started as a studio specialising in Halo content [in 2008], primarily making movies called Machinima. In 2015, David and his team decided to switch to Minecraft animation to tell stories and entertain viewers.” Founded by David R.B.—better known as Arbiter617—the team is currently made up of six animators all of whom go by their gamer tags. They currently have just over 10 million subscribers and post content about once a week.
I discovered BPS when I was in my mid-teens, and I was captivated by their stories and the fun way they told them. I have always been fascinated with unconventional storytelling, so perhaps it is no surprise that I was drawn to this new style. I was looking through their channel recently, and I was caught by the complexity of the stories and emotions the creators manage to convey through what is seen as a primarily childlike game. One of the best examples of this is Animation Life, an hour-long film, which follows Steve (the standard player character for beginner Minecraft players) on his journey to discover who he is and defeat Herobrine (the mythological “bad guy” of the Minecraft world). When I first saw it, my fourteen-year-old self was so awed by the level of animation and the complexity of the story that I immediately went back and watched it again just to soak it in. I have rewatched it over the years because it is so much more than just a simple fight between Minecraft characters; it has depth and personality.
has a total of 209 million views and 2.8 million likes. Though it is made for a much younger fan base, many of the comments have been left by older people (like myself) who remain impressed by the animating skills and style. Using the notoriously time-consuming Blender software, animators have consistently created fantastic graphics and enjoyable stories set within the Minecraft world.
Minecraft was first released by Mojang Studios in November 2011. It falls under the category of what is called a “sandbox game” because it allows players a high degree of creativity and the ability to mould the world how they see fit, with no overarching game objectives. A world made entirely of cubes, Minecraft features a variety of game modes that enable different styles of play, such as creative building or survival. Entering into the 2010s, the game’s popularity skyrocketed: Minecraft music parody videos, pre-scripted adventure series disguised as simple survival stories, downloadable RPG-type maps, mods, and more abounded. Animators and creators alike soon saw the potential for telling a different kind of story as well; people began using animation software to tell stories either set in the Minecraft world (the game has many of its own stories and legends within its ‘canon’ and large fan base) or of their own mak-
Animation Life actually takes place in two dimensions: the “outside” world of the creators (still animated in Minecraft form) and the “inner” world of Steve, Alex, and Herobrine. The two overlap often, with Arbiter even entering that inner world to help his digitized friend. Steve is never a static character, but one who grows and learns who he is and who he is meant to be. One of the biggest twists, of course, is that he and Herobrine are one and the same, two sides of the same coin. He sacrifices himself to remove Herobrine altogether—but the story does not end there. We actually get to see Steve struggling with the consequences of what this means for him and how to conquer this side of himself.
Released in 2018, fans were delighted when four years later the creators picked up the story again, this time with Herobrine’s followers hunting for Steve to take his place as their rightful leader. The video currently
Though Minecraft was certainly not the first video game to be the basis for animated stories, I believe that it is a hallmark of this generation’s animation: a true example of what people are capable of when given full freedom and a different world to create in. We have the internet to thank for that. While it is likely it will never become as mainstream as other storytelling methods like movies or books, I believe it has earned its place among them as the unique and different style it is. It certainly has for me—and I am not even a gamer. I just happen to enjoy a good story and seeing the internet give people a chance to explore niche areas that might previously have been, if not ridiculed, then at least not commercially viable.
“Minecraft is uniquely positioned among popular games as the proverbial blank slate upon which an infinitude of stories can be created of every genre and style.”
“Though Minecraft was certainly not the first video game to be the basis for animated stories, I believe that it is a hallmark of this generation’s animation.”
Andraya Stuart & Kasmira Warawa
Editor’s Note: This article was written as a research project for GENV 131 last semester. Part of the assignment was to share the results of the research with the public.
In the past decade, topics related to the environment such as climate change, conservation, and restoration have been attracting attention. At a Christian university, subjects such as environmental stewardship and creation care, or in other words, evangelical environmentalism, are also frequently mentioned in the sciences because of the belief in God as the creator. The question is, what exactly does it mean to be a steward of the environment? Why should Christians care about the environment? Do Christians share a common perspective on the environment, and how does this shape the way we interact with nature?
was the thing that was missing: . . . taking some tangible action. I feel like my work here is meaningful in the sense that I can see progress happening and see restoration efforts being successful.”
There is a discernible link between creation care and consumerism. When we asked A Rocha’s restoration technician about what can be done for the environment, we were simply encouraged to “stop buying stuff.” Particularly in the Western world, great focus is placed on what we own and what we can buy, but this mindset can be at the expense of natural resources. We need to have priorities when it comes to choosing what is essential to own and what is unnecessary to have. In the case of stewardship, the key is to live simply. Living simply can take various forms, but at its core, value is not found in material items.
Even though news stories about climate change can be overwhelming, we need to remember that there is hope. One biologist, Amelia Hesketh, shared, “Creation, in the natural sense, is resilient. Seeing that is also really hopeful. Small changes can make bigger impacts.” Therefore, small actions can have significant effects, and this applies to both actions that harm the environment and actions that help restore it.
Genesis 2:15 paints a beautiful image of humanity and creation coexisting harmoniously: “The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.”
to action; you are called to action. Taking care of creation is a responsibility that is given to you. So, what do you do to care for the environment? Do you recycle or use a reusable water bottle? Avoid food waste? Do you spend time in nature? Do you think twice before making a purchase? Have you considered getting involved with an organization that is working closely with the local natural environment? If some of these actions are part of your rhythms, what more could you do? Environmental stewardship is not only a concept to be explored but a lifestyle to embody. After all, we live on this planet, so should we not all take care of it?
John Mark Comer, in his book Garden City, eloquently encourages us by saying, “You are a modern-day Adam or Eve. This world is what’s left of the Garden. And your job is to take all the raw materials that are spread out in front of you, to work it, to take care of it, to rule, to subdue, to wrestle, to fight, to explore, and to take the creation project forward as an act of service and worship to the God who made you.” As such, if we say that we are serving and worshiping God, then we must look after His Creation that is placed in our care.
To answer the questions at hand, a group of students from the last fall semester’s Global Environmental Issues class decided to seek perspectives from different sources, namely students, professors, pastors, environmentalists, and literature.
As Christians, we have a responsibility to care for creation. In fact, we hold a greater obligation to care for creation than non-Christians, as a result of our calling in Genesis 2:15 to “work and keep” the garden. Sometimes, it is easy to learn about global environmental issues without taking any action. We believe that these issues are too great and far removed for tangible action to occur. A staff member at A Rocha, a Christian environmental stewardship organization in Surrey, BC, shared, “I found I was learning a lot about what the effects of climate change would be on our ecosystems in British Columbia, but I wasn’t doing a lot to contribute to efforts to combat climate change. I sought out this work because I think that
When it comes down to it, important questions that we should be asking ourselves is, “What is creation?” and “What is my role in ‘tending’ to it, as stated in the book of Genesis?”. One woman from A Rocha had an insightful perspective: “Creation is anything that contains the breath of life, anything that has been created by God. Creation is intentional life that God has gifted to this Earth and we’re a part of it. Creation is creaturely. It’s tangible, dirty, and there are problems with it, but it’s beautiful.” There is immense joy and peace to be found in God’s good creation, but it is our responsibility, as part of creation, to be involved in its care.
With these perspectives in mind, we are called
“Particularly in the Western world, great focus is placed on what we own and what we can buy, but this mindset can be at the expense of natural resources. We need to have priorities when it comes to choosing what is essential to own and what is unnecessary to have. In the case of stewardship, the key is to live simply.”
“Environmental stewardship is not only a concept to be explored but a lifestyle to embody. After all, we live on this planet, so should we not all take care of it?”
Despite the notion that many moms are avoidant to technology, quite a few mothers are also uploading content of their children all over the internet. There were mommy bloggers which then gradually transitioned to family YouTube channels, parenting advice reels, and now, TikTok’s newest aesthetic: sad beige children.
Hayley DeRouche has gotten a boost in internet popularity by parodying the neutral decor on her TikTok @sadbeige and Instagram account @officialsadbeige.
The comedy writer and mother of two, now dubbed “That Sad Beige Lady,” described the trend to Yahoo Life as “Sad beige is when your aesthetic is marketed in such a way that it views childhood as a sombre experience and that dressing your children this way or creating this environment will create a calm environment full of little scholars who want nothing more than to just, like, listen to Mozart quietly in their beige room and play quietly with their one wooden toy.”
As DeRouche shows compiled clips of clothing in neutrals from companies such as the Aspen and James kids clothing boutique, she gives commentary in a German accent to imitate filmmaker Werner Herzog. Looking at an array of sacking cup baby toys, she introduces these cups of sadness in the colour themes “dissociation,” “white woman’s Instagram,” “deep-sea depression,” and “numb.”
DeRouche’s commentary is funny precisely because it is oddly accurate, as any spoof or parody should be. Instead of the oak milk, shell, and terracotta descriptors for the not-so-various shades of beige, she calls them porridge, paper bag, and mystery spice at Penzeys. She also remarks how the minimal style attempts to keep the appearance of a childless lifestyle and is popular among social media influencers whose homes are the backdrops for product promotion.
When perusing the sad beige aesthetic online, Aspen
Why do I write? Why do I love it? I currently face these questions in the midst of a doubtful time in my life. I wonder about this passion; I worry about its validity in my life and of the fire which seems so dim in my soul. Our doubts must be faced, as without them we can become distant to the reasons why we love them in the first place. We might never grow deeper in what makes our passions fierce and pure. I face doubt now, as fear takes me to a place where I question this passion of mine.
As doubt has crept in, writing seems to be an unnatural action, an awkward motion which must be forced out. Every word resists me, and flow alludes me. The act of putting pen to paper, fingers to the keyboard, feels almost painful. It has brought me to a place of self-reflection, in that my passion, and the career which stems from it, seems to be in question. I near the edge of myself where a leap of faith must be taken. I near a crossroad which must be faced.
and James’ “Winter Essentials Stay Cozy two-piece Sweat Set in Oak Milk” retails for an unfortunate $70 and their “Organic Cotton Chunky Knit Sweater in Shell” starts at $80. It is unreasonable to buy a sweater for an adult price for a baby who will outgrow it in a few months. The same argument that children do not care about the colour of their clothing and toys also applies to their price tag. With much of motherhood now being portrayed in trends on social media, unsolicited parenting advice is digitalized in story links and sponsored advertisements.
absent of fun-filled, cherishable moments, and it is not vacant of the deepest love.”
The millennial mom even admits that DeRouches’ videos are funny and acknowledges that her personal preference does not need to work for everyone because it works for her family. With sad beige’s gender neutrality making it easier to have clothes that can be hand-me-downs and the soft palate calming to avoid sensory overload, she stands by her decision to dress her children in sad beige and maintains that neither mother nor child is unhappy.
While not a mother myself, I respect that each and every one of us have the freedom of choice when it comes to how we raise our children. Despite the blandness of this newest trend, it is not as harmful as some of the other trends have been, such as the infamous Tide Pods challenge. However, its biggest danger might lie in its origin. This trend is essentially ‘for the parents by the parents.’ This can lead to the false notions that beige is the best because it is in high demand and that those on the outs are somehow less than.
Beige does not equal better. Beige does not mean ethically produced marketing or non-toxic and eco-friendly. I have never been a fan of the aesthetics that seemingly accompany sad beige which have a strange affinity for pampas grass, faux brown leather, and inspirational wall hangings with sayings like “I can do hard things” in cursive.
Mariah Maddox defends this newest trend in her December 2022 Motherly article “I’m a proud ‘sad beige parent’” with her tagline stating, “No matter what colors fill our home, this remains true: It is not
“I remember a time where words flowed out of me like a stream meeting an ocean, and in the ocean, I found peace. Now I roam a desert, where words are as scarce as water, and inspiration is a mirage which slips through my fingers like sand.”
This deep bond I once had with this place of serenity has been robbed from me. I remember a time where
In favour of neutrality, both the trend and common ground, I do not want this to be unsolicited advice. Beige is not better or worse; it is just a little sad and, therefore, funny. Call it heathered gray, oak milk, or fifty shades of nude, I do not care how you dress your baby as long as you care for them. All I ask is just please do not make parental responsibility an aesthetic too.
words flowed out of me like a stream meeting an ocean, and in the ocean, I found peace. Now I roam a desert, where words are as scarce as water, and inspiration is a mirage which slips through my fingers like sand. I wander in hope of finding meaning, the lost love for an action that came so naturally before. I need answers to the questions I face. Why do I write? Why do I love it?
That is why I write now, why I continue to seek in hopes of crossing this desert of doubt. I desire to find solace in a sanctuary which I once called home. It was the place where the words made sense even when nothing else did. It was where vision was real and formed on paper like trees filling out a forest. I roam to find this forest again; I hope to feel peace amongst the trees where all is quiet and beautiful. That is why I write, why I love it: because it all used to make sense.
“Sad beige is when your aesthetic is marketed in such a way that it views childhood as a sombre experience and that dressing your children this way or creating this environment will create a calm environment full of little scholars who want nothing more than to just, like, listen to Mozart quietly in their beige room and play quietly with their one wooden toy.”
time away from basketball was refreshing, and he was satisfied with the way his time with the Spartans ended. It was not until October rolled around that Goertzen began to reconsider his unused years of eligibility.
eight months is not going to be the same as last year. I started all 23 games that we played and that’s not going to be the case this year; I’m probably not going to start any games this year. It’s just a matter of helping where I can, playing when I need to play, being a leader and leading by example, and being as selfless as I can be.”
Editor’s Note: This interview was done in November 2022.
In February 2022, the TWU men’s basketball team honored their senior players as they played their final game at home court. After three seasons with the Spartans, Andrew Goertzen said his final goodbyes to the bright lights, the bleachers, and the fans at the Langley Events Center. Leaving his legacy behind, the 6’9” centre geared up for his future outside of sport.
Little did we know, Goertzen’s absence would not be long. After quietly adjusting to a life without basketball, whispers of Goertzen’s return to the Spartans began.
Following his time with the Spartans, Goertzen continued his academic journey at TWU. Currently enrolled in TWU’s Professional Year Program (PYP) to receive his Bachelor of Education, Goertzen’s basketball career ended in pursuit of a teaching career.
Goertzen was not always a Spartan. After red-shirting at the University of Victoria for one year, Goertzen brought his skills back to his hometown. Because of his transfer to TWU and his year at UVIC, Goertzen still had two years of player eligibility left. Ideally, Goertzen would have been able to continue his time with the Spartans; nevertheless, he knew that he could not sacrifice his commitment to the PYP program.
In the past, athletes have successfully completed a winter season while simultaneously enrolled in PYP at TWU. Unlike other sports, a basketball season goes from the winter and into the spring. For Goertzen, playing during his professional year seemed nearly unattainable given the circumstances. In an interview with Mars’ Hill, Goertzen explained, “I was told it wouldn’t be possible and I didn’t want to put a year of my life aside for another year of basketball, so I thought it must be over now.” Accepting the commitment he made to his future, Goertzen closed the “varsity athlete” chapter of his life.
Goertzen never anticipated returning, especially after having the summer of 2022 to reflect upon his final season with the Spartans. For Goertzen, the
After watching his former teammates reconvene in the Fall, Goertzen began to miss the action. Goertzen explained, “Basketball brought a very good routine [to] my life and helped me establish a consistent way of living my life, and without that, I felt like I was scrambling all the time.” Goertzen also shared that he missed the affiliation that he had with the basketball team, stating that “I was still in some of the group chats, and I saw them all getting along and being together, so I missed that sense of comradery.” With these feelings coming to the surface, Goertzen decided to find a way to return to the court.
Itching to get back on the court, Goertzen took it upon himself to discuss his return to basketball with the Board of Education at TWU. After considering Goertzen’s prior commitment to his PYP, a mutual agreement was established. By promising to prioritize his practicum, Goertzen will have a group of advisors to ensure that Goertzen is being consistent in the classroom. If the advisors have reason to believe that Goertzen is not fulfilling his duties as a PYP student, he will be pulled from the men’s basketball team for the rest of the season.
It is clear that Goertzen’s intentions this season are based on playing a supportive role. This is important for the growth of the younger, newer members of the team, but it is also crucial for 6’10” centre, Connor Platz. Goertzen helped mentor Platz through his first year of varsity sport during the 2021/2022 season. This season, Platz has taken on Goertzen’s former position and has completely exceeded everybody’s expectations.
With Platz being this season’s starting centre, Goertzen has found himself in a different position than when he left. Despite this, Goertzen knew Platz’s potential and did not intend for his return to change Platz’s seniority on the court. “Before I came back,” Goertzen said, “I laid it out to Trevor that I didn’t want to come in and take Connor’s spot. My intention was always to play behind Connor and to back him up. I love how good Connor has been playing and how impressive he’s been. Last year, my job was to push him where he needed to be pushed. I really felt like I saw him flourish towards the end of [last] year and to see him continue from that and become so good so quickly is a really encouraging thing to see.” Playing a diverse role as a player and a mentor to his team, Goertzen is proving his intentions to be humble and selfless as he continues to lift up his teammates.
As for Goertzen’s expectations for the upcoming season, the player simply wants to play the game he loves and be a leader through the game. Goertzen shared his perspective, saying, “I am not expecting to have the craziest statistical season. I think that I can help the team in a lot of ways both on and off the court, and that’s my ultimate goal.” Ultimately, Goertzen’s intentions leave him hoping that his return will have a positive effect on his teammates and the coaching staff. His willingness to be available wherever help is needed proves his ability to detach himself from “seniority” and encourage his younger teammates.
TWU’s School of Education was one of two groups that Goertzen had to ensure were on board for his return. Goertzen shared that the men’s basketball coach, Trevor Pridie, struggled to identify Goertzen’s purpose on the team if he were to return. Goertzen explained his conversation with Pridie, stating, “As I laid out what my desires were for [Pridie], he started to see the same picture that I did in terms of what I wanted to bring to the team.” The admirable part about Goertzen’s vision for his return was that he envisioned himself becoming a supporting member instead of a starting centre.
When discussing his vision and what that would entail, Goertzen stated, “[I am] somebody who’s had experience . . . and can help where it’s needed. Coming back after not playing for
Every team needs somebody who displays the vital role of senior players and the impact they can have on team maturation. Goertzen is not spending this season looking for minutes and points, but rather, he is looking to adhere to the role of mentor. It is through leadership and experience that Goertzen will help his teammates develop into independent players and future leaders for the men’s basketball program.
“Basketball brought a very good routine [to] my life and helped me establish a consistent way of living my life, and without that, I felt like I was scrambling all the time.”Julianne Jones Photo via Spartans Athletics.
Days before his fundraising run for sports charity TeamUp, Britton Roxburgh was nowhere near expecting to perform a 100-kilometre run. The idea came rather suddenly to Britton. “It initially was actually a bet,” Britton said. At an RA retreat the weekend before the Spring 2023 semester, he jokingly mentioned that he could run 100 kilometres. Others were doubtful of his claims.
By the end of the retreat, attendees were beginning to place bets on whether or not Britton could, in fact, complete his goal. “If people tell me I can’t do something . . . I’m going to try,” he said. But the idea of completing such a run was no easy feat. “I realized . . . ‘Wait, can I actually do this?’ Because I had never run more than 22 kilometres at one time.”
In the end, Britton chose to raise funds for the charity TeamUp which, according to their website, works with partner organizations “to assist community development programs using sport in order to build the way to a brighter future.” TeamUp was founded by Graham Roxburgh, Britton’s father, who also serves as the head coach for the TWU women’s soccer team. TeamUp works in communities that range from Burnaby, BC to Malawi and Paraguay, among others. Britton, along with the rest of his family, has worked extensively with TeamUp in the past.
On Sunday, January 8, the reality of the task began to dawn on Britton. “I had no preparation for this,” Britton said. Between Christmas break and the RA retreat, Britton had spent minimal time in recent weeks running. “I think I ran once over Christmas for, like, a kilometre. At that point, it hit me, like, ‘What am I about to do?’”
But Britton maintained his resolve. “I need[ed] to get this done. It’s either I stop at the finish line or I get a free ride in the ambulance to the hospital.”
four hours of sleep.”
But he was not alone in his journey. Along the way, Britton was joined by others for support and companionship. People brought him food and water over the course of the day. His heartbeat and oxygen intake were also frequently monitored. Britton completed the run just before 11 p.m., having run continuously for the past 19 hours. He had started out with a fundraising goal of $1000. By the end of the race, he had raised just under $3000.
After some deliberation, the run was set for Monday, January 9, the day before the start of the spring semester. Britton had under 24 hours to prepare. “That night, I went home, I told my parents . . . I said, ‘Mom, Dad, I’m going to do something stupid.’” Britton realized, however, that he did not want to complete the run just for himself. “If I’m running 100 kilometres, I could do a fundraiser.”
Britton woke up at 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning and began his run. By his calculations, Britton would have to run the road around Trinity Western University’s Langley campus some 66 times to reach 100 kilometres. He had some support at the starting line from friends and the RAs who were on campus. By 11 a.m., Britton hit the halfway point on the run. “I think that’s when people [realized] . . . that maybe [I] could do this.” Britton took the race slowly, trying to pace himself over the course. “The challenge wasn’t how fast I could do it, but just to get it done,” said Britton. “I wasn’t prepared physically, I hadn’t been doing anything special with my diet, I had less than
“It’s definitely one of the longest, hardest things I’ve done,” he said. “By the last 8K, I was just like, ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.’ I was just trying to finish.”
I spoke to Britton a few days after his run. He was still recovering and mentioned persistent pain in his feet and legs from the run. However, he remained optimistic and proud of his accomplishment. “It was really fun, honestly,” he said. “I’m probably going to do it again, but I want to go for three marathons in a day. . . . Next time, I would love to include more people and get them involved. . . . I thought I was going to be mainly by myself, but I had people with me for about 70 percent of it.”
On January 25, the Trinity Western University Spartans helped promote the mental health campaign, Bell Let’s Talk Day. In an effort to bring awareness to mental illness in Canada, the Spartans encouraged their teammates, peers, and fans to help end the stigma surrounding mental health.
Sprinter for the track and field team Kenny Blackman Jr. has developed a mindset that transcends the misconceptions about mental health. Being a long-term athlete, Blackman has an inspiring perspective on mental health that beautifully exhibits the purpose of Bell Let’s Talk Day. By encouraging his community to find positivity in times of turmoil, Blackman shows us the importance of supporting others and promoting openness toward the conversation around mental health.
In an interview with Mars’ Hill, Blackman shared his perspective on Bell Let’s Talk Day and its growing importance, stating, “The day itself is a celebration of acceptance, and it acknowledges mental health as an important topic. For me, this topic has hit home over the years, and overall, I’m very grateful that mental health is being acknowledged and addressed in our society.”
Blackman shared that his mental health has fluctuated throughout the years. He admits that coming to terms with your mental health is a difficult thing to do. During the pandemic, Blackman had to learn to accept his feelings at the time. He explained,“I finally started to acknowledge that my mental health was suffering at that time. I was struggling a lot with self-identity and finding my purpose. Pre-pandemic, I would brush off those issues and continue going on with the day. The pandemic gave me time and created an opportunity for me to address those issues and work on them.” Taking time to reflect on his mental
health, Blackman has approached his career as an athlete with a new perspective.
thoughts can dictate your mental health and that the best way to minimize them is by fighting back with positive thoughts. Blackman explained this perspective in relation to sport, saying, “Giving yourself the affirmations and positive thoughts actually do help, and I’ve experienced this myself. That’s why I encourage that for others. In game, or in life itself, I think [positive thinking] is what helps us get through.” Based on his personal experience and the way this mindset transformed his mental health, Blackman aspires to see his peers practice the same habits.
In Blackman’s first year at TWU, he had a very successful rookie season. He won Canada West for his main event in the 60m and was named Rookie of the Year. Reflecting on the success of his first year, Blackman stated that “after my first year, I put a lot of pressure and expectations on myself to perform at that same high level.” Because of this, Blackman felt that his identity depended on his label as an athlete. “I came into Trinity with a lot of people who knew me from elementary and high school. A lot of people just knew me to be an athlete, and ultimately, it was challenging. I didn’t have the foundation and knowledge of my mental health to be able to deal with that. I would second guess myself a lot and would question if I am actually the athlete they viewed me as.” Despite the struggle between identity as an individual and as an athlete, Blackman is even more inspired to help others find their importance.
The motto that Blackman has been living by is “the power of positive thinking.” He shared how negative
Hoping to project the power of positive thinking on others, Blackman ensures that he is a support to his teammates. As a fifth-year athlete, he feels a certain sense of responsibility to encourage his teammates in their athletic and personal endeavours. Blackman shared his hope for his teammates, sharing that “I have experienced the journey that some of my teammates are on right now. It’s easy for me to meet them at that level and walk them towards steps of positivity and gratitude. When I first came in, I was aware of my emotions but I didn’t have the skill to manage them properly. After a lot of trial and error, I have been able to get more of a grasp on how to come out on the other side of certain obstacles.” Through this, Blackman shows us that you can use your experience to inspire others in their journey through mental health.
With the discussion around mental health becoming more and more prevalent, Blackman demonstrates the importance of talking about your experience and being a light to others. As the various pressures of life weigh you down, encourage yourself and others to exercise the power of positive thinking as Blackman has. This way, we can continue the conversation and create a supportive community of students, athletes, professors, and administrators at TWU.
“I had no preparation for this . . . I think I ran once over Christmas for, like, a kilometre. At that point, it hit me, like, ‘What am I about to do?’”
“I need[ed] to get this done. It’s either I stop at the finish line or I get a free ride in the ambulance to the hospital.”
“The day itself is a celebration of acceptance and it acknowledges mental health as an important topic. For me, this topic has hit home over the years, and overall, I’m very grateful that it is something that is known globally.”
What’s the most absurd story The Muppets could parody after Twilight or, lest we forget, 50 Shades of Grey? How about everyone’s favourite violent, incest and nudity-filled fairy tale, Game of Thrones? After foraying into the censored version (i.e. no boobies or f-bombs) of HBO’s favourite son, I have determined the definitive casting for a project that would have to be censored to the extreme, as if Kidz Bop took on “WAP” or when VeggieTales replaced King David’s affair with Bathsheba with Larry stealing a rubber ducky.
Kermit the Frog as Ned Stark. Obviously, the lawful good protagonist plays the lawful good protagonist.
Bobo the Bear as Robert Baratheon. Both large and lethargic, King Robert could only be portrayed by a Muppet as big as Bobo.
Do you want to truly succeed in 2023 and be the best version of yourself? Then get a mullet. That’s the only way. Go to the nearest barbershop, salon, friend with a pair of scissors, etc., and tell them to give you a mullet right now. Do it. Before it’s too late.
This is the year you let the intrusive thoughts win. Go find a door and rip its hinges off with your teeth. I know you’re all thinking about it. Come on, sink those chompers into that rusty, squeaky metal. It’s good for your mental health.
Did you know that DeVries has the worst fire alarm on campus? Its high-pitched whine will live in your ears rent-free for hours after it goes off. That’s your building, so do yourself a favour and dismantle all its fire alarms. Maybe dismantle the sprinkler system too to avoid a Douglas 6 Mid fiasco. If a fire ever does happen, just call 911 like a normal person.
Sam the Eagle as Jaime Lannister. I’m particularly picturing Jaime’s look in his “Prisoner of Robb Stark” phase with this one.
Camilla the Chicken as Catelyn Stark. Female characters are pretty sparse in The Muppets, so I’m going for “Mother Hen” vibes with this one.
Miss Piggy as Cersei Lannister. Who else?
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen. The only human maintained in the casting. Her lines are always so dramatic which would be hilariously contrasted with The Muppets.
Statler and Waldorf as Jorah Mormont and Barristan Selmy. Instead of giving Daenerys wise counsel, they just roast her. Or maybe constantly joke about how they can’t roast her because she’s fireproof.
Beaker and Bunsen Honeydew as Littlefinger and Varys. Their chaos levels all match, and when they’re having witty rapport with each other Beaker is still only saying “Meep”.
The Swedish Chef as Viserys III Targaryen. A character as vile as Viserys played by someone as zany as the Chef. Maybe he sells Daenerys to chicken lords instead of horse lords?
Scooter as Jon Snow. This is meant to be a comedic contrast more than anything, but Scooter does have some serious underdog energy.
Janice as Sansa Stark. Once again, we’re low on female characters here, but Janice kinda captures Sansa’s repetitive naivety.
Rizzo the Rat as Arya Stark. Both are small and will bite if provoked.
Animal as Robb Stark (and the Drums as Talisa?). Animal captures Robb’s boldness and confidence and both are hairy.
Gonzo as Theon Greyjoy. Considering Theon’s roller coaster of a story arc, he could only be played by someone who is as easy to pity as he is to laugh at as Gonzo.
Walter and Robin the Frog as Bran and Rickon Stark. The most “Aww” muppets play the most “Aww” characters.
Fozzie Bear as Joffrey Baratheon. If you don’t get it, I can’t explain it to you.
Rowlff as Sandor “The Hound” Clegane. He’s literally a dog, and they both have apathetic tendencies.
Pepe the Prawn as Tyrion Lannister. Small, ladies men, fiery, and clever.
Dr. Teeth as Khal Drogo. Both are crackhead ring leaders.
Uncle Deadly as Tywin Lannister. Honestly, they both have the exact same look and voice.
Sweetums as Samwell Tarly. Large and loveable.
HKIN
You better make sure you don’t violate the gym’s dress code when you work out today. Wear monk’s robes. Or a onesie. Or a Hazmat suit. Or a shirt that says: “I would never show my shoulders because shoulders are sinful and their presence will surely cause my brothers to stumble.”
Two of my friends got diagnosed with celiac disease this year, so there’s clearly an epidemic going on. You should try and build an artificial set of intestines that can be attached to someone with gluten intolerance via a tube. The person can enjoy the taste of gluten-filled food, then as they digest it the tube will detect the presence of gluten and siphon it out into the artificial intestines. I suppose people with celiac disease could also just chew the food and then spit it out, but no one wants to eat next to that.
This week you should eat Sodexo rice and only Sodexo rice. Pretend it’s a little colony of ants crawling into your mouth. Pretend that sounds
appetizing. Pretend I wrote something that made sense and was funny here
I’m trying to be nicer to Seth Schouten (my Editor-In-Chief), so I’ll get you guys to do it for me. Whenever you see Seth (tallish, blondish-brownish longish hair, glasses-ish), give him a big hug. Squeeze as tight as you can. Give him lots of little kisses too. If he screams, it means he likes it.
SAMC
The reason this issue is so late is because our Editor-In-Chief decided to be a theatre kid, so you should consider TWU’s Theatre Kid Rehabilitation Program. If you or a loved one have participated in one of TWU’s theatre productions or the 11:07 improv troupe, listened to an entire musical’s soundtrack, enjoyed Starkid, been aware of Homestuck, used pronouns, had neurodivergent tendencies, or just exhibited loud and obnoxious behavior, it’s not too late. Please reach out to baileyfroese@gmail.com for more information.
Dear Diary, I can’t stand it anymore. This kid is driving me up the walls. I can’t seem to do anything right in this house, but do you think he does anything wrong? NO. He’s just Mr. Perfect all the time, at least when people are watching. I’ll bet he does horrible things when no one is looking, like animal cruelty or arson or blasphemy or something.
Ugh. Stupid Jesus. Stupid, perfect Jesus. Why is he so weird?
Mom and Dad practically worship him, of course. Whenever I ask what’s wrong with him, Mom just gets this weird look on her face and says that Jesus is a “very special boy”. Yeah, well, the Rabbi called me that too when I had to repeat the third grade, but no one gets all misty-eyed about me. She’s totally weird too; I’ve heard the rumours. I’ve heard something about a very early pregnancy and her blaming it on “immaculate conception” or some garbage. Uh-huh, no one called it “immaculate” when it happened to Hannah next door (rest her soul; they stoned her for that, I still remember her ex-boyfriend’s screams of “I love the patriarchy!”). Anyway, why the heck is Jesus so special? Is it because he was born in a stable?! Mom and Dad love to bring that up on his birthday, by the way. They tell the whole story every year. We get it, Mom, some shepherds came over. They were probably just wondering what the screaming was about.
Jesus doesn’t even act mad when I bring this up. He just says something weird like, “Be not afraid, all shall be revealed according to the Father’s will”. Ugh, shut up, Jesus. Not everything
you say has to sound all profound and pretentious all the time. Mom and Dad just eat that stuff up. I mean, last year he ditched us during the Passover Festival, and I thought, oh boy, Jesus is really going to get it this time, but he didn’t?! Because he was talking to some teachers?! Okay, go off, Jesus, you went to Temple. Anyone can do that. The way people treat him, you’d think he was the Messiah or something. Please. I’ve seen him pee in the river like anyone else. You think the Messiah pees in the river? Of course not.
Ugh, I feel gross. I’ve got the squirts like you wouldn’t believe, probably because I accidentally drank from the pee river. Jesus probably didn’t, he was probably too busy pulling someone’s sheep out of a well or something. I just can’t -
Oh wait, I feel a lot better now. Not sure why. I know Jesus just came in here to give me a hug. Why does he do stuff like that? He knows I hate him, why is he so sweet all the time? Why does he always look at me like, like . . .
Like I’m special too.
I probably shouldn’t keep hogging the chamber pot. James needs it too from drinking from the pee river with me. I think I’ll get some sleep. It’s weird. I feel all cozy right now, like I’m still being hugged. Like all the dark and scary shreds inside are closing up. Like I’m not bad and stupid and unloveable after all.
This house is weird. This family is weird. Everything is weird.
Are the leaf blowers making you get up early on your one day to sleep in? Is the Douglas fire alarm putting a damper on your chill, lofi beats study time? Never fear, for I have devised a list of things you can do to get through it and survive the noise!
1. Find a pit of sand or dirt and stick your head into it like an ostrich. If you put your head in deep enough, you will no longer be able to hear all of the annoying campus noises.
2. Hire someone to keep their hands over your ears at all times. Your arms will get pretty tired after a while and your noise-cancelling airpods will die eventually. Plus, you get a friend to keep you company as an added bonus.
3. Pound your head against a nearby wall. After a while, the ringing in your ears will drown out the noise.
4. Make sure to stay hydrated. All of that yelling at your neighbours to be quiet while you’re trying to study is going
to make your throat super hoarse and dry, so make sure to have a bottle of water with you at all times. Or even a nice, refreshing glass of lemonade from the Bookstore Caf will get the job done. Just make sure you don’t drink too much, or you will be spending most of the day going to the bathroom.
5. If you’re really frustrated, find an abyss or a void and scream into it. There’s nothing more soothing than letting out all your frustration at an all-consuming black hole. And, if you’re lucky, the void might just scream back at you.
All of this noise can be a bit overwhelming. You might find yourself wondering if the Douglas alarms will ever cease. However, by following these simple tips, you can make it through! Don’t forget that it will all be over eventually. I think.
Is there something you’re passionate about more than anyone else? Is there an idea or story you’re dying to share with the world? Do you like to make people laugh?
Send us your pieces or ideas to marshill@gmail.com
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