December 2018

Rogue

News

Volume XII, Issue IV

December 20, 2018

In This Edition:

P2. Family X-Mas Traditions P3. Parking and ASD Bond P4. Students Talk Politics P5. Trans Out of Existence P6. X-Mas Tree Contest P7. X-Mas Tree Contest cont.

P8. Homeless Holiday P9. Santa Unveiled P10. Reckoning with Tragedy P11. X-Mas Consumerism P12. Yule Lads and Comic

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Not Your Typical X-mas Discover more about some of the unique Christmas traditions of your classmates. From Christmas in Hawaii to an annual ballad of screeching chipmunks.

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Political Debate at AHS The Young Democrats and Conservatives of AHS debate over school voucher programs. See which argument persuades you.

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X-Mas Tree Contest We challenged Rogue News class to draw Christmas trees in 15 minutes... these were the results.

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Santa Unveiled

art by Alex Brehmer

art by Alex Brehmer

Did you ever feel betrayed by your family when you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real? Learn more about the opinions of AHS students and their reactions when they learned the truth about Santa!

STOP MELE ALEX’S GRINCH KALIKI-MOCKING FAMILY CHRISTMAS Christmas in Hawaii: It Isn’t What You Might Expect

Thank God They Love Each Other More Than Christmas

by Zeleyha Mata

by Alex Brehmer

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ost people think that Christmas in Hawaii is drastically different. If you’re one of those people, I’m here to tell you that whatever you imagine is definitely reaching. We don’t, as my dad so beautifully put it, “run around in loincloths and capture pigs to hang their skins under the Christmas tree,” although that would be very entertaining and probably somewhat liberating.

Growing up in Hawaii, “THE BEACHES ARE LIT UP a place that rarely drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit WITH NUMEROUS BONFIRES in winter, I can’t say I ever MADE FROM DRIED CHRISTMAS got to experience the typi- TREES.” cal Christmas that people see in movies since the lack of snow made that pretty impossible. The seasons generally don’t change very much apart from it getting a little “chilly” in winter and having excruciatingly humid summers. But I can’t deny that it is paradise when it wants to be.

From ages 3 to 6 I lived up on a mountain called Hulalai which is where I had my first semi-traditional Christmas. A tree farm was right up the road from our house so when it came time to pick one out, I could hardly contain my excitement.

I remember wandering through the mist-laden pines, munching on crab apples and honeysuckles. My dad and I found the perfect tree and brought it back in triumph. But, long story short, I thought the tree would last forever, so when it came time to throw it out, I had quite the mental breakdown, which you could say was my version of finding out Santa isn’t real (sorry kids.)

From then on, we celebrated Solstice and only decorated trees growing outside. It wasn’t until I was around 12 that we finally started to practice more common traditions like wearing Santa hats, decorating the house with lights and having stockings for each member of the family (including our dogs and cat). Finally in the last few years I convinced them to give me another shot with the Christmas trees. My birthday is in early January so to make the day more special, we began participating in a popular islander tradition: burning it. Every year after the holidays are over, the beaches are lit up with numerous bonfires made from dried Christmas trees. It’s a pretty great way to close the holiday season and they make the best marshmallow snack under the stars by the crashing waves (although, sand does tend to stick to the marshmallows).

Since we have an abundance of fresh outdoor material, wreath making is also common, especially in a halau (a traditional hula group) like my mom and I were. Palm trees are wrapped in lights and there isn’t a year that goes by without Starbucks being packed with people holding peppermint lattes as they savor the feeling of a cozy afternoon while it’s 70 degrees outside. And of course, Mele Kalikimaka, a song I’m sure you recognize, is played on a constant loop everywhere. But all in all I’d say the Hawaiian Christmas can be pretty special if you are surrounded by people you love, even if we don’t get a white Christmas.

art by Alex Brehmer 2

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hristmas isn’t my family’s favorite holiday. I don’t think we have one. Halloween is fun, but even then, we’re not very festive people. We’d much rather spend our time alone in our rooms than gathered together around the yule log, singing carols and making out. This isn’t to say we’re not close. We just all enjoy our respected hobbies a lot. That said, the spirit of Christmas is infectious. So much so, that late December is the only time my fam“IT’S NOT TRULY CHRISTMAS ily gathers to participate UNTIL MY DAD TURNS ON THE in what I deem “real traALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS ditions.” I’m talking about CHRISTMAS ALBUM.” the real traditions happy sitcom families have: like caroling, drinking hot cocoa out of our handmade mugs, performing human sacrifices, and going to church.

Around the 20th of December, someone (usually my little sister) points out that we still don’t have a Christmas tree. Frantically, we pull up our fuzzy socks, zip up our sweaters, and tie our scarves nice and tight. It takes a while for our minivan to heat up, and it’s a long drive from my house to the “Christmas-Tree-SaleExtravaganza” in the parking lot by the freeway exit. By the time we get there, the tree selection is slim. We like it this way! It makes picking the ugliest tree way easier. Our fascination with ugly trees started kind hearted. “We’re going to give this poor, sick, brown bush the merriest Christmas ever!” At least, that’s how we tried to explain it to our littlest sister. She doesn’t understand why we don’t buy the pretty trees, like her friends’ families have. I truly believe it’s because we’d rather make fun of a runty eyesore than actually take the holiday seriously. My dad tells her that it’s because we’re Jewish. We’re not Jewish.

When we get home with the tree, we grab the two grey tubs of old, dustysmelling Christmas decorations. We go through and untangle the tinsel and make fun of my grandma’s hand painted gingerbread men. They are really awful. It’s not truly Christmas though until my dad turns on the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album on the Bluetooth speaker. My mom hates this album.

She’s always hated it. The shrill cries of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore make her ears bleed. Every year, she begs my dad to turn it off. Every year, my dad reminds her that it is the ONE Christmas tradition we have. My sisters and I sit in front of the tree and pretend to inspect the same ornaments we’ve had since 2004. If we make eye contact with our mom, my dad will think we don’t like the music, and it will break his heart. If we make eye contact with our dad, our mom will take it as a sign of aggression against her. No one wants that. Right around Jingle Bell Rock, the room becomes too tense, and my dad turns the music off. Then my dad makes cookies, and we gather around the T.V. for a late night showing of the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It gets less politically correct every year. When it gets too offensive, we watch Bob’s Burgers. Then we go to bed.

PARKING IN PERIL

A New Perspective on Student Parking at AHS editorial by Sophia Wiencek

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t’s 8:17 in the morning. I pull into the staff lot and see almost half of the spots sitting there untaken. The 2 front rows of the Lincoln lot are filled with cars and more continue to file in.

It’s a cold morning, and the staff lot is a lot closer to my first class. It doesn’t seem like a problem to park in staff.

Why would I park in Lincoln? It is so far away, unpaved and unmarked. The day goes by, and at the end of the day, there is no parking violation sticker on my car. Throughout the month though, 3 violations are placed on my car, along with a $50 fine. This fine was the push that finally got me to stop parking in the staff spot, but I still had some lasting frustrations about parking at Ashland High School.

My biggest issue surrounding parking is that there are a limited number of spots reserved for students and an abundant number available for staff.

Even when I’m 15 minutes early for school, it is hard to get a spot in the

student lots, and coming back from lunch, the lot is filled to the max. With Southern Oregon University students and other residents parking their cars in student lots, there is not enough space for students. Because there are

Image of an AHS parking violation sticker.

90 spots for students, only 90 parking passes are sold. Once they sell out, no more can be purchased. This becomes an issue when students without passes park in the lots, congesting lots that are supposed to be reserved for students with passes.

In an interview with the Dean of

Students, Glenna Stiles, I asked for a teacher perspective on parking. “They [teachers] have kids they need to take care of. Zooming in at 8:25 am, they really needs those spots. Kids come in at 8:24 am and are like ‘oh an open spot,’ taking teachers spots” said Stiles.

“It is a balance between need and respect and whether students get caught or not, creating a point of contention.”

Speaking with Stiles about these issues revealed the complexity of the parking problems.

Looking at the many open spaces in the staff parking lots, the temptation to park in the staff lots is hard to fight. With the current parking rules in place, many students don’t see how this could actually affect the teachers whose spots are being taken. Although I have new sympathy for the teachers whose spots I would be taking, I still haven’t found a solution to my parking problem at AHS.

“IT IS A BALANCE BETWEEN NEED AND RESPECT AND WHETHER STUDENTS GET CAUGHT OR NOT.”

ASD BOND PASSES THE TEST New Bond is Good News for Ashland School District

by Grace Johnson

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uring the 2018 midterm elections, Measure 15-178 was passed in Ashland. This measure issues $109 million in general obligation bonds, which is money that can be used only for improving long term infrastructure in the Ashland School District.

The Ashland community is historically very generous when paying taxes for schools. The bond passed with 69% of community members voting “yes” and 31% voting “no.” With this new bond, schools are hoping they can improve buildings for safety, modernization, health, technology, and energy efficiency. The bond money will not be fully available until June 2019, because the existing bonds that were issued in 2007 are projected to be paid off in May 2019. The money will be used throughout the next 25 years beginning in June 2019.

Jordan Ely, the Chief Finance & Operations Officer for ASD, said that since the bond is so new, no plans are “set in stone.” Plans for exactly what to

do with these funds is being worked out by the district bond committee that was created in July 2017. The committee is made up of both school board members and community members. Schools across the district have made “wish lists” of improvements for their schools, although none of the proposed ideas have been approved because the district is trying to “establish overarching projects in all facilities” according to Ely. The school district consulted financial firms to help the bond committee determine the amount of bond money ($109 million) they would ask for. However, a specific budget has yet to be made for each school.

For Ashland High School specifically, Karl Kemper and Erika Bare, along with office manager Rebecca Sullivan walked every inch of campus in June 2018 to determine what the priorities were for renovations. On their list is to upgrade the humanities, science, and library buildings. At the moment,

AHS’s top priority is attaching an elevator to the humanities building to make it more accessible to students who have disabilities or injuries. A rumor about a potential resurfacing the parking lots has even been floating around, as well as improved intercoms and bells.

The biggest concern the district and community have is security improvements within schools. Ely said that during board meetings, members of the committee heard all kinds of perspectives, from extremes such as fences with barbed wire around schools to completely open campuses.

The district has talked with architects about specific designs for safety improvements and are planning to facilitate conversations with students about what they envision for their safety.

One idea that has stood out is integrating an electronic key system for the buildings. This would enforce badge access to buildings, track which employees are on campus, and create lim-

ited access to visitors. The district also wants to enhance hallway circulation on campuses such as Helman that are easily accessible to visitors and people of the public. Student safety is the top priority within the district. Modernizing and making buildings more energy efficient is also high on the list of improvements that want to be done in schools. Walker Elementary and Ashland Middle School are the two schools that need the most work to improve efficiency. A large portion of the bond money will go to improving HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems, as well as restructuring them in a way that will make the buildings sturdy for years to come.

Overall, the district is hoping that with these upgrades, schools will have a better sense of security and students will be able to learn in an environment that is best for them and their knowledge.

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Views on Vouchers

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he school vouchers that are available in 14 states and the District of Columbia allow parents to choose the school their children will attend using public funds. Vouchers redistribute funds typically allocated to a school district from state education funds and give them to individual families to help pay for private school tuition. Many argue that the voucher system creates a competitive education market, providing monetary incentives that promote the improvement of schools. Others question if it is a proper use of taxpayers’ money.

States have the freedom to establish laws relating

by Lara Rivera

to the public schools under their jurisdiction. This includes creating a voucher program. For example, Utah has a limited school voucher program that is available only to students with disabilities. In addition to other requirements, the students must have attended a public school prior to requesting a school voucher. Other states have different requirements for their voucher programs. In Maine, students are not required to have attended public school before requesting school vouchers.

In Oregon, school vouchers are not an option under any circumstances. However, Oregon pro-

Young Democrats

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editorial by Lilli Morrish

hile conceptually, the educational freedom promised by school vouchers seems promising, the reality is that in application, the voucher system is completely unable to deliver on its lofty goals. Vouchers run counter to religious liberty as promised in the First Amendment: they divert public taxpayer money to religious institutions as 75% of private schools are religiously affiliated according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In addition, these public funds are supporting educational institutions that are free to deny admission to students based on any criteria they like, including religion, disability or language ability. The majority of citizens don’t even want this program. Since 1967, 23 states’ constituents have failed measures for voucher programs and tax aid to private schools. The greatest issue with vouchers, however, is that they undermine opportunities for low-income and minority students. Capitalism is fun in theory, but most voucher programs do NOT cover the full cost of tuition and fees for private schooling, and also don’t take into account com-

mute time and cost, ignoring accessibility. Only high-income students get to take part in this inherently flawed and exclusive capitalist fantasy of “educational competition,” while students in poverty are further pushed to the margins. When vouchers are implemented, local public schools – so-called “bad” schools – are still often the only accessible educational institutions for low-income communities, and then they are promptly shut down. Instead of giving these students opportunities, vouchers are undermining the very institutions they rely on. The solution is to help struggling schools and taking into consideration why they are struggling, instead of abandoning at-risk communities.

Voucher programs enable politicians to ignore real educational issues like class size, funding, and teacher salary. There is no valid reason to siphon money away from the public schools that 91% of US students attend, according to the Department of Education, and pour it into unregulated religious institutions that do nothing to increase educational accessibility.

vides alternatives such as charter schools and magnet schools, which are publicly funded. In 2014, the Education Equity Emergency Act was proposed in the state legislature. If the act had been approved, there would have been the option to create educational school vouchers for private school tuition, and other educational expenses in Oregon. The majority of Oregon’s students go to a public school assigned to them based on their zip code. Jenna Altig from Young Conservatives Club and Lilli Morrish from Young Democrats Club argue their beliefs about school vouchers below.

Young Conservatives

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editorial by Jenna Altig

ourteen states in our nation have 25 successful school voucher programs. Vouchers are a way that parents can determine their child's educational path to help them succeed in their future. Bringing voucher programs to more public schools would significantly improve the public school’s quality of education because they would have to compete with private schools in order to keep students attending that school. Americans already pay taxes that go toward public school education. Inadequate schools lose money and will eventually close because they are unable to meet the standards required. That leaves Americans paying unnecessary taxes for schools that aren’t fulfilling educational needs. People may argue that voucher programs are just another way to weed out the good schools from the bad, leading to the closure of more public schools. However, competition is the main baseline in the capitalist government that America has today. Forcing these schools to gain way for their government funding will create a better learning environment, and better education for

lower and middle class students. Getting better education in areas of poverty, and allowing these students living in poverty to be a part of the voucher program, will help overcome racial and minority segregation. School vouchers will allow lower-income parents to get a better education for their kids without having to worry about racial segregation and violence in their learning environment in schools with low educational performance. According to The World Top 20 Projects, the United States’ educational system is ranked number 16 in the world. The United States has a very strong economy, but why can’t our public schools and education be just as strong? Making it more enjoyable and safer for all American kids to attend public schools or be a part of the voucher program will rapidly increase America’s educational performance like it has done in the Milwaukee and Cleveland schools. Voucher programs are not a waste of taxpayers’ money. They will help the youth of America educationally move forward and strengthen our nation.

Pearson’s Education System editorial by Novia Wetzel

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f you’ve attended an American public school, you’ve probably heard of Pearson Education.

Maybe your teachers use their textbooks or you noticed their name on the bottom of your science test.

The point is, Pearson is everywhere. Their corporate claws are in pretty much everything education related from textbooks to standardized tests to even testing teachers for their qualifications. Pearson is so much of an educational superpower that by 2012, they owned around 40% of the testing market. However, you’ll hear outrage and resentment from parents, students, and teachers alike about Pearson’s methods.

In 2012, eighth graders in New York took a statewide standardized test for reading. Both students and educators have critiqued the test for a question that left everyone perplexed: the talking pineapple question. Students read a text about how a talking pineapple challenged a hare to a race (much like the tale of the tortoise and the hare). The other animals thought that the pineapple had a trick up his sleeve, but their suspicions were proven false. The hare won while the pineapple hadn’t moved an inch. The animals then all joined in feasting on the pineapple and the story ends with the moral that pineapples don’t have sleeves. The students were expected to answer questions such as “Why did the animals eat the pineapple?” and “What would have happened if the animals had decided to cheer for the hare?” Several stu4

dents have expressed that they were disappointed in the test and that the question was incredibly absurd.

According to the NY Times, a New York Principal, Michael McDermott of Scarsdale Middle School, commented that the question was used in other state wide standardized tests and confused students in other states as well. The organization FairTest, who advocates the end of misuse and flaws of standardized tests, keeps a log of the company’s flaws within their tests. It’s reported that said flaws include printing errors and frozen screens during testing time in 26 different Florida counties. The outrage of students, educator, and parents are quite understandable. Pearson, a worldwide corporation that focuses on education, recycles their state wide standard test questions. Parents are depending on Pearson to give their kids fair standard tests that don’t involve an outrageous text and a series of questions about some cheap knock off of an old fable.

Pearson Education has grown a lot since their days as a textbook printing company. They practically own the testing market, especially in North America, and they are involved in everything having to do with education. However we must question ourselves. Why do we allow one company to have so much control over something as critical as education even after they’ve made so many ridiculous mistakes? Can we really trust Pearson to give our chil- Novia Wetzel, pictured above, shares her outrage over Pearson’s arbitrary testing policies dren and the future generation a good education?

Title IX Transgender Troubles

editorial by Amber Eaton

“It’s now okay for a man to hit a woman,” was the from sex discrimination in schools, and transphofirst line of a video that debuted on Youtube on Oc- bia is sex discrimination. Preventing a girl assigned tober 3, 2017. It was created by PragerU, a conserva- male at birth from entering the girl’s bathroom, as is tive organization. The advertisement was blatantly now permissible, serves only to keep the patriarchy’s transphobic. As a trans damaging gender binary in woman, I found the way “THE TRUMP ADMINISplace. This is an attempt to they spoke about a recent dehumanize people who go incident between 2 fight- TRATION’S DEPARTMENT against a constructed idea ers in an MMA match very OF HEALTH AND HUMAN of gender. These humans triggering. One of the fightdon’t fit into the box sociers was a trans woman who SERVICES REMOVED ety implies they must stay caved in the skull of the PROTECTIONS FOR in. Transgender people do other woman in the match. not make a choice to be The advertisement spoke TRANSGENDER HUMANS transgender. If that were about how being a woman true, no one would make FROM TITLE IX. ” or a man is a quality decidthat choice because of how ed about a person at birth, hard it is to be transgendetermined by the person’s genitals, and implied der. Several recent studies conducted by universithat transgender humans are making a choice to be ties show undeniable similarities between the brains a gender not originally assigned. This simply isn’t the of trans and cis women, and the brains of trans and case. cis men. Yet when presented with this information, Just last month, the Trump administration’s de- transphobes worldwide say it’s fake. Just check the partment of Health and Human Services removed comments of any Facebook post relating to trans isprotections for transgender humans from Title IX. sues. Our country is in a state of denial. Some peoTitle IX is a document meant to protect students ple think there is a “transgender outbreak” because

it appears to them that this is a new fad, but queer people have always existed, and have always been oppressed.

Throughout history, cultures all around the world used conversion therapy to “fix” LGBTQ+ members. People thought that they were making a choice and that once they were punished enough for their sexuality, they would change their mind. My own personal experience has proven that no amount of shaming will erase my identity.

Living as a woman in America is extremely challenging, so why would I do that of my own volition?

The estrogen pills I take daily decrease the bone density and muscle mass that would help me to fight off an attacker. Why would I do that of my own volition? Saying “I’m transgender” instantly makes certain people respect me less. Why would I be transgender of my own volition? Gender dysphoria is no longer nationally recognized as a mental disorder, yet I am frequently told I am sick and delusional.

Trump and his administration think that they can dissuade us by making life more difficult for the transgender population. They are incorrect.

A Trial in Treating Depression This is the second half of a story first published in our November edition. To read the full review, go to Theroguenews.com. editorial by Logan Knouse

Disclaimer: If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, please consult a medical professional. The Rogue News is not offering medical advice.

In the first half of this article, I explained how and why I decided to pursue methods of treating depression. I explained how online suggestions help manage stress, which assists in coping with this mental illness. The next step I took in this reviewing process went more in-depth.

Taking the advice of Ashland High School’s mental health professional, Melodee Baldridge, I signed up for a new exercise activity—yoga. It’s well known that exercise is a viable means of keeping chemicals in the brain balanced to assist in managing depression. New activities also lead to social interaction, which can help counteract the isolative tendencies depression often brings—something the therapist I spoke with was adamant about.

When I first arrived to the class, I was tired, nervous, and wondering why I’d come; I could’ve just touched my toes or something. Throughout the class, however, I felt myself become more and more comfortable. The atmosphere was relaxed and it didn’t matter that I had no clue what I was doing.

The instructor focused on how breathing deep in and out, in correspondence to the positions, helps to calm the nervous system. It wasn’t very rigorous activity, being a class for beginners, but I left feeling calm. Afterwards, I wasn’t worried about the usual stressors; it felt like I was affixed to the ground, and the ground only needed to know which foot to put down next. I only attended one class and I am aware that to fully experience the benefits of a work-out like this would require more than a single go. I’ve experienced such a benefit with an exercise program I began in July of this year. After a few months of going to the gym to do weights and the creation of a consistent routine, I felt so much more confident. I felt strong for the first time in my life, and that confidence transferred to nearly everything I did. A huge part of this change, I believe, came from the regular endorphin exposure I established in my brain. All in all, introducing a new exercise helped me stay focused in many other areas of my life, keep my stress levels down, and be an overall more confident person.

The last and most vital treatment was talk therapy. Therapy is the number one recommended

treatment and was suggested to me by all sources I consulted; both Baldridge and the therapist I interviewed were adamant about the effects of talk-therapy. It is by far the most important to include in this review. When I interviewed Ms. Baldridge about treating depression, she explained how she uses what’s called an ‘integrative approach’ and ‘behavior plan’ to assist in reprogramming the depression pathways that form in the brain. “If a person came to see me, I would assess them. We look at diet, exercise, they would see the nurse, and we would collaborate and figure out how we can change behaviors and diet to create a full, well rounded approach.” I didn’t have time to take on the extensive task of re-organizing every aspect, but it is important information regardless for anyone inquiring about how depression treatments may be addressed in therapy.

When asked about resources in the community, Baldridge responded, “I’m a free resource! Because you can sign for your own mental health care at fourteen, if you don’t want to pull your parents in, you can come here for free counseling.” Due to the climbing numbers of patients with anxiety, nearly all counselors are booked in and around the Ashland area, making the school’s health center a valuable resource. For anyone looking for out-of-school help, Ms. Baldridge mentioned another source. “Your next best bet is gonna be the Community Counseling Center. The interns charge ten dollars an hour which is pretty inexpensive.” She described the SOU interns as very capable and a wonderful resource for people looking for cheaper therapy in the area. The therapist I spoke with recommended the same organization.

For this review (and for myself), I went and signed up for a couple weeks of counseling. I wish I could correctly explain how valuable it feels to just talk to someone. It was a new experience to have a person who’s there to simply listen and help me.

There was never any worry about saying something wrong. Sitting, drinking tea and being asked questions about my world, with no agenda, no outside influence to please or conform to, made my life seem like mine for the first time in so long.

I mentioned earlier that I have a difficult time with managing stress. My counselor noticed this fairly quickly, likely by the incessant twisting of the ring on my forefinger. They suggested we use our time to focus on stress management. We focused on breathing—four seconds in, 6 seconds out, a technique I’ve implemented as of late. Every time I see a door frame, I’m supposed to take a deep breath. I’ve breathed better in this week than I have in six or seven years. I walk through a lot of doors. She also had me talk about my relationships and how my lifestyle, in relation to stress, affects them. Not only are these sessions helping me relax, I can begin to analyze myself in a way that promotes positive changes.

Overall, therapy is no hoax; that’s my impression. There is no cure-all, but there are many methods for assisting people towards a better self, one who may have a grip on depression.

I began this article with the hope of helping others, despite the cliché. I understand now it was as much to help myself. If I didn’t have a reason to step back and assess myself, I never would have. I needed to do this research because this article was my first step. When trying these things, I had to look myself in the eyes and say, how did that change me? And, after it was all finished, I had to ask, why did I do it?

I won’t give advice and I can’t say any of these methods will help others. What I can do is lay my experiences on the table and let them be picked apart in the blind hope that someone will find a fleck of gold; gold which helps unveil a path towards sustainable mental health. Facing a monster can be terrifying— I promise, I’ve seen plenty; but now there’s a hint of triumph, an idea that the monsters can be tamed and depression doesn’t have to control any of us.

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“I FELT STRONG FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, AND THAT CONFIDENCE TRANSFERRED TO NEARLY EVERYTHING I DID.”

The Rogue News Christmas Tree Contest!

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We challenged AHS students to do a coloring contest. No one responded... So here are submissions from three teachers and the Rogue News staff. Could you have done better?

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8 VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE TREE! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8H9Q35W

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EDITORIAL

Homeless Holiday Perspective editorial by Logan Knouse

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believe a lot of people forget that there are those in the world who, during festive seasons, don’t have a family, a home, a tree in the living room or lights illuminating the night. We pass by nameless people every single day, and most of us don’t bat an eye. While some homeless can be upfront, nagging, capable young people, the majority of the homeless are hidden from view and have very real and difficult stories.

On a particularly cold evening, under 30 degrees, Rogue News sought out the opinions of someone with personal experiences on the matter of homelessness. In downtown Ashland, right outside Martolli’s, a woman, heavily bundled, sat outside holding a sign reading ‘season’s greetings.’ Rogue News inquired if she’d be willing to talk about her experiences being homeless and she agreed.

This woman, Susie, was evicted from her home due to a new Oregon statute that put her mobile

“MY SON’S BEEN GONE 20 YEARS AND MY HUSBAND’S ONLY BEEN GONE 6. I MISS THEM DURING THE HOLIDAYS.” home in the same category as ‘floating homes.’ She was barely late on her rent to the mobile home park but was evicted. She spoke about the cold being hard on her, especially after breaking her collarbone, and mentioned how most of her friends, those who don’t qualify to sleep inside, don’t get enough food to keep

Pioneer Hall hosts Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless. Photo courtesy of City of Ashland

warm through the night.

When asked what was difficult for her during the holidays, she responded, “I lost my firstborn son in an automobile accident right after graduation and then I lost my husband. My son’s been gone 20 years and my husband’s only been gone 6. I miss them during the holidays real bad.”

Susie also discussed stereotypes she observes.

“The workers at the shelter are always saying to count the bowls because these people steal, and that’s not true. We’re just like everybody else, we’ve just fallen on circumstances,” she said. It was heartbreaking to hear. At a time centered on goodness and peace, people in our community continue to be stereotyped and ignored.

The state does help the homeless to an extent.

They get fleece blankets and hats, cots on some nights, and the homeless shelters celebrate the holidays. “At pioneer hall, we had Thanksgiving dinner.

And just last night, across from the Presbyterian Church, they had a Christmas tree up with wool socks on the giving tree. We all got to pick a pair.

They do special things for us in the holiday season.”

But homeless people are still on the streets when it’s cold, and they are still treated as lesser when no one wants to hear their stories.

Hers is a hard one to hear and was monumentally eye-opening for me. I can buy my decorations and peppermint lattes and I won’t think twice about it, but these people don’t have those opportunities and don’t get to experience this festive season like I do.

There isn’t a chance that, after hearing these experiences, I could ever go back to taking my situation for granted. I will always remember what Susie said: “For the grace of God, anyone might be in the same position as us.” It’s a blatant truth, and the world could stand to hear it more.

Jumping into Judaism editorial by Skyye D.

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s a person with Jewish heritage, I wish that the extent of my knowledge of Judaism didn’t come from watching the first half hour of Passover at Bubbe’s 3 years ago.

I’m also quite possibly the only Jewish person to never have eaten a Latke. I’ve never really felt connected to my Jewish heritage, as I don’t really believe in God and my grandparents stopped practicing Judaism when my mom was born. Although my family never celebrated Hanukkah, I’ve always wondered about the sense of community that would come with it. I also thought it might be important to learn about the traditions that Jewish people have fought to keep alive. Since it is the Hanukkah season, I set out to learn a little bit more about my heritage.

Something that I had always been interested in learning about was how to light a menorah. I thought it was something that would be easy to learn, but is also an integral part of Jewish culture.

Going into my meeting with a mentor (who would teach me how to light a menorah), I wasn’t sure what to expect. My knowledge on everything menorah related was quite limited, as I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a menorah shown in the media.

After learning with my mentor, I was pleasantly surprised. Lighting the menorah was simple, and could definitely be something that I practiced in the future. As my mentor read the Hanukkah blessing to me, I realized just how beautiful this tradition is.

Even something as simple as learning to light a menorah has left me yearning to learn more about Judaism.

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Although I was really interested in learning about Hanukkah, the people around me weren’t. I asked my family if they would want to celebrate Hanukkah this year, and although they agreed, they weren’t very enthusiastic. On the first night of Hanukkah, I realized that my family hadn’t given any effort to get a menorah, or other items important to the celebration. To them, learning about and celebrating our traditions was not very important, which is okay, but I was still very disappointed. I thought the whole situation was very ironic as I wanted to learn about Hanukkah to stop the erasure of the traditions, but it seemed that in my family at least, the erasure was already complete.

I thought since this was proving to be harder than anticipated, it would be helpful to speak to someone

“MY KNOWLEDGE ON EVERYTHING MENORAH RELATED WAS QUITE LIMITED...” who was going through the same experience as me.

Coincidentally, a friend of mine, Eliza Strong had recently decided to connect with her Jewish heritage. Before the Holocaust, her great-grandpa, who was an Ashkenazi Jew, changed his name to hide his

Jewish heritage. They raised their daughter Catholic. Strong explained, “finding out that I was Jewish made me think about how much I want to carry on those stories. The Nazi party worked so hard to make those stories and traditions go away, and they were successful in so many cases. It was super important to me to find out about what kept them going.” Strong has also been working with kids on Sundays at Temple Emek Shalom. “Everyone is super nice to each other, and the kids are super sweet and dedicated to it.” Strong quoted a man at the synagogue who told her something that stuck with her.

He said, “Judaism is like a box that’s super heavy, super hard to open. But once you open it there’s a bunch of super beautiful stuff inside.” Strong’s story inspired me to try to follow in her footsteps, and not let my culture become erased, especially with the recent attacks from anti-sematic terrorists.

Learning about a small part of my culture and joining others in a similar situation has been essential to me. The mass erasure of people like me and our traditions make me think that it is very important to keep Jewish history alive by passing on traditions, as many people have tried to smother the flame. I think that in the future I will try harder to celebrate Hanukkah, to really get a taste of Judaism, and hopefully continue to become more involved.

Santa Unveiled P

arenting: it’s such a hard job. When you don’t know the right things to do to make sure your kids are happy and behaving, it is challenging. So you turn to the one tool you have: LIES, a technique that has been passed down through generations, but maybe shouldn’t be anymore.

Lying to children is a natural response for a parent these days. They lie about the Boogeyman to get them to sleep, they tell them that the Easter Bunny is real and they tell them how a big man in a red suit is coming down the chimney at 12 o’clock at night and watching them to make sure they’re sleeping. Why the heck would you do that to your kid?! I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t sleeping well at night knowing any of this. Sure, my parents got me to behave with this technique, but as I got older, they decided to tell me everything all at once! As a kid, I was traumatized. I remember sitting in my living room

LIES ARE FOR THE LAZY

editorial by Zoe

Fenstermacher

Tell Them the Truth?

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art by Alex Brehmer

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Talia Aazami “I broke the iPad for Christmas and my mom made me come with her to the store she bought it at to get it fixed.” (Learned about Santa at age 9)

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editorial by

presents are part of this delightfully deceitful tradition. It’s adorable to see kids so excited about meeting a guy in a red suit at the mall, even if they don’t know it’s just some paid-off old man that loves making kids happy. Believing in Santa makes Christmas special for kids; it adds to the magic of the holiday for both children and parents.

Christmas is a magical time for everyone, but it’s a totally different feeling when the magic of the holiday is more than just the thrill of receiving gifts and the appreciation for the people around you. When you’re a kid, the most magical part of the holidays is really the mystical elves making toys and Rudolf ’s nose glowing inexplicably. And of course, there’s the magic behind Santa. I think you should keep

that imagination in kids minds for as many Christmases as possible.

Besides, believing in Santa improves kids’ behavior. They’ll do anything get on his good side and stay off the naughty list (even if they forget all about staying off the naughty list once the holiday passes, at least they’re less of a hassle during the holiday). It also makes them go to bed when they’re high on adrenaline on Christmas Eve, because ‘Santa comes when you’re sleeping.’ Although it can be a tough moment when kids find out he isn’t real, learning that the jolly, bearded man is a lying fake is a rite of passage as children mature. It’s a story, just like the fairy tales that are told to children before they go to bed. The feeling of betrayal and mistrust is heartbreaking for kids, but momentary. Once they get over the shock, they’ll love their parents just as much as before. And once they mature a little, they’ll be grateful for all the Christmas wishes their parents made come true when they were younger.

Bridget Burr

arents want to be honest with their kids.

They want their children to be able to trust them and set an example, teaching them to never tell a lie. Too bad. I think you should lie to your children, and by that I mean tell your kids Santa is real. It’s just one of many myths told to children: they’re told the story of the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and leprechauns. Why single out Santa? Even if you must eventually crush their trust in you, it’s part of childhood. Lying to your kids about Santa is a national tradition. Watching for his sleigh, baking him cookies, and opening his

Ariel Hernandez “My mom still thinks I believe in Santa.”

(Learned about Santa at age 7)

TEACHING IS IN THE TRICKERY

Charlie Burr “I figured out Santa wasn’t real about the same time I realized God wasn’t real.”

(Learned about Santa at age 6)

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your uncle is in need of a fancy watch to impress someone, get him that watch, but don’t tell your kid that Santa did it. Your kids can handle that Santa is just a character of Christmas. It’s a way to get parents to spend more money on extra presents that have the effect of making your kids feel loved by someone else. Your child deserves to be told the truth, and know that you love them enough to seek out that perfect gift for them. Tell them Santa is not real! He’s a man in history that teaches us to love, be giving, be kind and spend a cold day huddled by the fire with family.

Anonymous “It was 7th grade English Class. We were writing a prompt about how Santa wasn’t real. That’s when I found out. I wrote about how I found out 2 Minutes ago.” ( Learned about Santa at age 12)

Julia Ferguson “My mom kinda just told me like ‘hey, you know how Santa isn’t real, right…?’

She thought I already knew. I was devastated!” (Learned about Santa at age 8)

Jack Murphy “3 times in a row on Christmas Eve my Grandpa, my uncle, and my dad all took me aside and said ‘hey I have something really important to tell you: Santa Claus isn’t real, Jack.’” (Learned about Santa at age 6)

U O Y D I D ?

N E UT H W ND O 6 FI

after my friend told me Santa wasn’t real and asking my parents if that was true. I was praying to God that my friends were just saying it to mess with me. I hoped my parents were not lying to me about something I loved. But no.

My parents straight up lied to my face.

Yes, believing in Santa is fantastic, making kids so happy and full of joy, but I can assure you, you can tell them the truth and still, keep that joy. Don’t bluntly lie to your kids face and tell them Santa is a real man flying in the sky with reindeers. In reality, he was a Bishop named St. Nicolas. He was rich and gave money to a family so the dad didn’t have to sell his three daughters. His story teaches us to be kind and give to those who need help. Don’t fall for the consumerist propaganda crap. If

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Reckoning with Tragedy Marin Monteith speaks on the Tree of Life Shooting

by Ava Hearn

A

s the new year approaches and 2018 comes to an end, we are given the opportunity to look back and reflect on the past 12 months. 2018 has seen a number of major tragedies. There have been over 300 mass shootings in the United States since January of this year. The regularity of mass murders in the U.S. has some people questioning our response to mass shootings. In school settings especially, some question whether class time should be taken away to discuss shootings and mourn lost lives.

On Wednesday, November 28, AHS senior, Marin Monteith, gave a speech honoring the victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on October 27, 2018. In addition to sharing her own personal experience and reaction to the shooting, Monteith invited AHS students to reflect on and mourn the 11 lives lost in the tragedy.

In her speech, Monteith encouraged students to embrace the grief that accompanies these tragedies and to try to create a sense of empathy for the victims of the Tree of Life shooting. “We are the generation that is going to be responsible for the way that the world thinks about these issues,” said Monteith while talking about the importance of addressing tragedies in the school setting. “These issues are going to the wayside, and people are forgetting them because they don’t affect us directly so [students think] it’s not our problem.” Monteith admitted that she was disappointed by the lack of recognition from AHS following the Tree of Life

shooting, recalling that it was discussed in only one of her classes.

“In Ashland, there is a very strong sense that ‘if it doesn’t touch me then it doesn’t matter’,” says Monteith. “The only people of the Ashland community that I saw reacting to the Tree of Life shooting were the people of the Ashland Jewish community.”

Monteith clarified that she didn’t blame anyone for numbing themselves to mass shootings, and admitted that she too was guilty of desensitizing herself to the world around her.

“I have no anger or resentment to people who are numbing themselves or building themselves a wall,” says Monteith. “I did not give that speech from a place of anger, but from a place of desperation.” Continuing, Monteith cautioned that we “hold the whole value of the human life in our hands, no matter if its people in our community or people on the other side of the country. I want the whole world to understand the value of human life, and that starts with us.”

When asked about her hopes for the future, Monteith stated that she wants to see people around her caring about these issues so that mass murderers will feel fully alienated for their crimes against humanity.

Following her speech, Monteith passed out notecards so that people would have the opportunity to send a message to the families and friends of victims of the Tree of Life shooting. “My grief was so deep that it could have left me feeling hopeless, but knowing that a message was getting across made feel better because it was an actual productive action that took steps toward change,” said Monteith when speaking about how the cards helped her to cope with her own sadness. “I am grateful to everyone for listening and taking my words to heart. I want everyone to know that this is not a hopeless cause, and that we have so much power. Change will happen if we make it happen, and everyone is capable of making it happen.”

Senior, Marin Monteith, sharing about the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting

Jack Duggan on Honoring Veterans An Interview with Speaker Jack Duggan

by Ayla Foust

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eterans Day is celebrated as a national holiday in honor and remembrance of anyone who has served, or is currently serving in any branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is a holiday primarily thought of as a day off, rather than a day to express gratitude for our veterans. Ashland High School is one of the many public schools that is closed on November 11 each year in honor of these veterans. But are we truly honoring and acknowledging those who’ve served our country?

In a recent assembly, Vietnam War veteran Jack Duggan spoke to Ashland High students about his experience. Duggan enlisted when he was just 19 to serve his country without fully understanding what he was signing up for. “1965. It was a time of Vietnam, a time when we still had a draft, and I knew I’d get drafted.” He spoke honestly of his times spent in the battlefield and the encounters he had, many of which still affect him today. When asked about the 22 veterans that commit suicide every day, Duggan states “we have to do better.” Duggan adds that there should always be respect for those who have served, but he feels there needs to be more public acknowledgment of veterans.

When Vietnam veterans returned home, they were not welcomed with parades or treated like

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Vietnam Veteran, Jack Duggan, speaking at the special assembly on November 28th

the nation’s heroes. Vietnam was different in that returning soldiers were shunned and disrespected. Duggan explains how the first thing returning Vietnam veterans wanted to do when they came home was disguise themselves and suppress their military background. They grew out their hair in hopes of appearing like a hippie, throwing off the typical soldier stereotype. In their anger about the Vietnam War, Americans failed to recognize how hard the adjustment was for these veterans as they came home. Many soldiers struggled with actions they had to take in war, even after they return home. “They were the enemy. Life in a war zone is cheap, but it doesn’t stay in a war zone when you get home.” says Duggan. Duggan spoke of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) both in regard to his personal experience and that of his fellow veterans.

He expressed that PTSD is another part of being a veteran that should be acknowledged more in today’s society.

While taking the day off on this holiday and saying “thank you for your service” to U.S. Veterans is an acceptable approach, it’s not necessarily enough.

It’s important to stay informed on current conflicts and be understanding of what is on the line for active military personnel. “Vote, participate, learn something.” Duggan expressed these are important components of being a productive citizen in our society and working towards valuable change.

Duggan closed with, “you’ve got your life ahead of you; you’ve got visions of what you can be and those visions will change, but I hope that you will never forget that you can always work for a more positive world. That is how you can honor veterans.”

The Effects of Christmas Consumerism That’s A Wrap on Giftwrap editorial by Bailey Mustard

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s Thanksgiving comes to an end and we feel the Christmas spirit set in, an overwhelming need to purchase presents covered in plastic packaging and gift wrap washes over us. Our minds race to think of the perfect gifts, to prepare extravagant meals and to find the biggest tree. The toll this takes on our environment is great. According to Commercialwaste, an environmental research firm, the amount of trash produced between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day has increased by an estimated 25% since 2010 (about one million more tons of garbage each week). The wrapping paper, ribbon and plastic packaging from all the presents we give and receive will eventually find its way to the landfill. Also stated by Commercialwaste, thirty eight million miles of ribbon, eleven billion dollarsworth of packing material, and 2.6 billion holiday cards will wind up in the trash and forgotten by all. But forgotten doesn’t mean gone. All of these things will slowly decompose in the landfill, producing methane gas, a smelly greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Global warming is one of the most prominent threats to the planet and our future. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warns that if we do not limit our carbon footprint and take steps to improve our effect on the environment within the next twelve years, global warming will become catastrophic and irreversible.

Not only are we hurting the environment with waste during the holidays, but an estimated 15 million trees are cut down and decorated for Christmas each year. The overall effect this has on the environment is appalling, and it will only get better if we change our ways. Instead of cutting down a tree, try investing in an artificial one. While fake trees can be expensive, you can reuse it every year, and save a few real ones.

Food waste has a particularly large environmental impact as well. According to foodwaste.com, an estimated 74 million minced pies are thrown away each Christmas, as well as 4.2 million plates of turkey. As for drinks, about 225 pints of lager and beer are wasted, along with 35 million bottles of wine.

The idea of over-compensating on the holidays in order to impress company is not uncommon. It’s been documented that people buy food in bulk, in fear of not having enough on the table for everyone. With so much food being prepped, cooked and baked, we tend to overlook how much is winding up in the garbage. Food and drink accounts for 33% of the US’s CO2 emissions, and a large portion of this rolls in around the holidays. If you do have extra food after the holidays, you can donate it to a local shelter. Roughly 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life, says foodaidfoundation.org. With world hunger being such a detrimental problem, donating leftovers is a great way to give on the holidays, and help the environment at the same time.

Another way to protect the environment during the holiday times is to reuse gift wrap, ribbon and bows from the previous year, as well as using recycled paper for cards. This will decrease our waste percentages and help slow global warming.

Instead of over-buying food to impress your guests, impress them with your cooking. And instead of letting all that wrapping paper go to waste, remember to reuse. This Christmas, let’s give our earth a present and be conscious of our actions.

As the Lorax says, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, it’s not going to get better, it’s not.”

Toys Break, but Memories Are Forever editorial by Lexie Taylor

I

t’s Christmas morning. A freshly powdered blanket of snow clings to the ground, the milk and reindeer cookies have been eaten and little boys and girls leap out of their beds and dash down the stairs to gawk at the mountains of presents Santa delivered in the night. All those Black Friday wrestling matches and races were worth it. Lisa got her greatly needed plastic ponies with colorful hair and Johnny has finally completed his Lego Batman set. But the next day, the bat mobile lay in broken pieces and locks of rainbow hair fall to the floor in retaliation. The decorated pieces of plastic are thrown out and a week later completely forgotten.

The idea of giving presents to our loved ones to show how much we appreciate them is a sweet gesture and feels good when you see their faces light up with gratitude, but when did that notion turn into a mandatory gift giving frenzy? Yes, dozens of presents just for you gives a rush of excitement and anticipation. Counting down the days until they can be opened only adds to the mystery. But what happens when that day comes and those mysterious gifts turn into unwanted socks and underwear? The disappointment settles in and you’re forced to nod and smile with gratitude.

This year, instead of a mountain of unwanted presents, my family and I have decided to get a few gifts for everyone and go on a Christmas vacation to create memories and reconnect before facing a new year of work and school. At first, I was disappointed I couldn’t rip into a bunch of presents in the morning, but then I realized that those few hours of Christmas glee didn’t compare to the memories of making snow angels and snowmen with my family or the satisfaction of smashing a giant hunk of snow into my sister’s face. In the past, I took for granted these types of precious moments over break, but I now notice I remember spending time with my family more than the actual present unwrapping.

Another reason we decided to do this was because of the expense that came along with a bountiful Christmas. On average, one person will spend $700 on presents, meaning that the U.S. on a whole spends $465 billion on gifts, according to Investopedia. Buying during the holidays seems obligatory. I remember buying a few more things for friends and family because the store was having a huge sale or Cyber Monday got the best of me. This year though, we are focusing more on spending time with family and not the presents.

The holidays are reasons for families to come together, to visit members you only see around this time, a reason to get over family feuds and take a break from life for a while. Even religious traditions behind this month can be traced back centuries and when it all comes down to it, the bringing together of family and community are a vital part. I’m not saying we should do away with presents, because this season can be a nice opportunity to show those you care about some appreciation. Still, we should keep in mind that presents are not what Christmas is all about. art by Lia Moe

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Holly Jolly Yule Lads

by Jared Stamper

Who are the Yule Lads?

The Yule Lads are from Icelandic Christmas folklore. They go to everyone’s houses to leave gifts in their shoes, but only if they’re good. If not, they leave rotting potatoes. One comes each day for 13 days leading up to Christmas, all with individual quirks and tricks. Let us go through my 6 favorite lads and what they do.

p Cote Clod Shee

ay Sniffe

Doorw

r

Sheep Cote Clod is the very first Yule Lad to arrive come Christmas time in Iceland. He comes on the 12th of December and will harass your sheep, although with difficulty due to his peg legs.

Doorway sniffer has an abnormally large nose and in turn, a fantastic olfactory system. He uses it to locate Icelandic leaf bread. For eating. Because he’s hungry.

Spoon Licker

Stubby Stubby is a cute, abnormally small, creature that breaks into your house and steals your pans. What does he do with said pans? Eats the crust off them of course!

Door

Slammer

Spoon licker loves Þvörur, a wooden spoon with a long handle. He is extraordinarily skinny because of his extreme malnutrition.

Bowl Licker Door Slammer has an affinity for guess what? Slamming doors. A man of simple tastes. He loves to slam doors especially during the night. So if you ever hear a bumpin’... .

Bowl licker is quite a character in that he steals a specific type of bowl called an ‘askur.’ It’s not known what he does with said bowl, but it’s presumed that he licks it.

Inspiration From Literature

by Sequoia Snogren-McGinnis

“I thought the most beautiful thing in the world must be shadow, the million moving shapes and cul-de-sacks of shadow. There was shadow in bureau drawers and closets and suitcases, and shadows under houses and trees and stones, and shadows at the back of people’s eyes and smiles, and shadow, miles and miles and miles of it, on the night’s side of the earth.” - The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath You could be a shadow, I suppose, making the whispery, shadow-sound you make, weaving around the heavy, gelatinous rain drops (splat-splat on the pavement) And you the shadow, dimensionless, looming, the most beautiful thing in the world.

art by Alex Brehmer

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