Soulstice Vol. 3
Soulstice 2011
Table of Contents
Page 2...........................................The Steampunk Revolution and Why it Shouldn’t Grind Your Gears Jennifer Migliarese Page 4..........................................................................................................Dating in a Different Time Arielle Hontscharik Page 6.........................................................................................Ditch the Workout and Join the Party Dana Spinosa Page 7...................................................................................Community Service Will Change Your Life Daniel Mitchell Page 9............................................................................................................The Myth of Multitasking Kristie Koczkodon Page 11........................................................... Back to the Start: Younger Adults to Older Generation Mariangela Fiorilli Page 12.................................................................................Why Being Fit is Being a Good Role Model Rebecca Costa Page 14...................................................................................Bullying in Schools: A Dangerous Game Shannon Ann Sweeney Page 16................................................................................................................The Life of a Mummer Timothy J. Driscoll Page 18.......................................................Casablanca Restaurant: An Escape to the Mediterranean Nichole Heimer
Cover photos by Jennifer Gregory Back cover photos by Dr. Fran Pelham
Page 1
W
elcome to another year of Soulstice magazine, Holy Family University’s student owned-and-operated general interest magazine. Despite being only three years old, Soulstice magazine is growing bigger and stronger with more content each year. What’s new this year is an addition to the Soulstice staff, Assistant Editor Jennifer Migliarese and Copy Editor Bridget Bowne. With the help of these two lovely ladies, I have been able to get Soulstice together with more speed and much less stress. All of the articles in this magazine deserve a fair shot, but I do recommened checking out Jennifer Migliarese’s article about the steampunk movement if you’re looking for something fresh, new, and underground. Enjoy the new Soulstice and stick around for next year! -Jennifer Gregory Editor-in-Chief
Soulstice 2011
The Steampunk Revolution and Why it Shouldn’t Grind Your Gears
S
Jennifer Migliarese
teampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that many people have never heard of. It is relatively underground and the only people aware of its existence are those who admire that type of lifestyle. Steampunk encompasses Victorian art, technology, fashion, and political views. The technology aspect is called anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as people during the Victorian Era may have envisioned them. The history of the steampunk subgenre surprisingly began not long ago in the 1980s and 1990s. Its influences include authors such as H.G. Wells and Mark Twain. In 1999, the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was released and it depicted technology and fashion of the Industrial Revolution. Its roots reach into almost everything from movies, to books, and to television shows. Before delving too much further into this subgenre, one must look at the influences of steampunk. The Industrial Revolution had begun and factories began sprouting up everywhere in the cities. This was an important time in both America and Great Britain because of how it affected everyday life. It was a turning point in human history. Steam power was introduced and was fueled by coal. Around 1850 is when the Second Industrial Revolution happened. During this time, steam powers began to fuel ships and railways and eventually lead to the creation of the internal combustion engine. Iron making and textiles were big industries by this point and lead to even more innovations. Society began to improve dramatically. Aside from the influence of technology, steampunk
takes its fashion influence from the Victorian Era of the United Kingdom. This was a period where Queen Victoria reigned June 20, 1837 to until she passed away on January 22, 1901. This era was prosperous due to profits gained by the British Empire. This was also considered a long era of peace. The population during this time doubled from 16.8 million in 1851 to 30.5 million in 1901. The main factors that were attributed to this were morality rates and fertility rates. Along with an increase in population, there was also an increase in material goods. The architecture was very much Gothic and lead to a battle between this and the Classical ideals. Due to the comforts of this era, it is no wonder the steampunk subgenre is in love with this time period. One main center of this lifestyle is the Victorian fashion. Steampunk has integrated corsets, top hats, canes, and pocket watches into its arsenal of fashion, along with some Industrial fashions such as goggles. The elegance of steampunk can easily be matched with an adventurous side that includes airship battles, revolutions, and pirates. Steampunk seems to cover every aspect of life during the late 1800s and early 1900s. People who live their life this way take it seriously. In the Victorian aspect, men follow standard codes of chivalry when interacting with women and act like proper gentlemen. Women act with class and sophistication. However, as an adventurer, books show both men and women as being knowledgeable of technology, slightly aggressive, and possibly alcoholics. When it comes to art, steampunk is able to turn any ordinary item into a work of art. Many people who are mechanically inclined are able to add gears, gold trimming and other steampunk objects to something as simple as a keyboard or a clock. The Museum of the History of Science Oxford even had some exhibits that featured steampunk inspired artworks from October 2009 to February 2010. Music heavily influences the steampunk world. It is difficult to define steampunk music as it does not have its own genre. Bands such as Abney Park tend to add industrial and dance sounds to their style of music.
Page 3 Another band by the name of Doctor Steel adds industrial hip-hop to their sound. As of lately, there have been more conventions dedicated to steampunk. In 2006, SalonCon, became the first ever convention for Neo-Victorian/Steampunk enthusiasts. Before that, in 1997, a masquerade ball called the Labyrinth of Jareth was held in Hollywood, California. (Jareth was a character from the movie Labyrinth and was played by David Bowie.) People show up to this two-day event wearing costumes inspired by the film Labyrinth, as well as dressed in their steampunk best. Recently, steampunk has been drawing mainstream attention. It has been featured in movies and television shows. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which began as just a graphic novel and could be considered a very important look into this subgenre, was released in movie theaters on July 11, 2003 and featured Sean Connery. This movie is full of steampunk references that include fashion and technology. It takes place in Victorian London and mentions many mythical characters from books, including Count Dracula and Dr. Jekyll. Many works of literature are based solely around steampunk or have influences of steampunk. One book entitled Not Less Than Gods depicts a young man by the name of Edward Anton Bell-Fairfax who has just returned from a war and is welcomed into the arms of an organization known as the Gentlemen’s Speculative Society. There he learns there is a world beneath the surface underground that is very technologically advanced for this time period. Considering it takes place during the Victorian Era and involves technology, I would say this qualifies as steampunk One final point to make is that steampunk is a very fascinating world to explore. Even if one could care less about the Industrial Revolution, there is no doubt that it took a great amount of intelligence to combine all four factors of technology, fashion, music, and the future into one mysterious ball. Someday maybe steampunk will not be so underground and more people will acknowledge it when they see it. Maybe also one day it will receive its due credit for creating a world where the future meets the past. In keeping up with the mannerisms and actions of today’s people, I believe anyone could learn something from this world.
Soulstice 2011
Dating in a Different Time Arielle Hontscharik
I
f the women of the 19th and early 20th centuries could see how men and women interact today they would be, put simply, quite appalled. Some might also be shocked, and a bit curious at how their traditional system of dating, once called courtship, has evolved into the informal practices of modern dating. Many young people today don’t know that at one point in time they couldn’t simply call up a guy they liked and go out to a movie with him, or even be seen together, without the approval of their parents. To most people today this would be shocking, and even considered ridiculous; but, at one point in time that was how it was. Until the early 1900’s courting was a common practice in society and was taken seriously by both the interested couple and their parents. Meetings and correspondence could go on for anywhere from a few weeks to a few years before a marriage proposal took place. In the early days of courting, the suitability of marriage partners was the main concern. Not until many years later would love become a more prominent deciding factor. An interested gentleman couldn’t simply walk up to a lady and initiate a conversation with her. He had to be formally introduced. After being introduced the majority of meetings between the young man and woman took place at her house. On a woman’s invitation the gentleman of interest would visit and they would entertain each other under the watchful eye of a parent or chaperone. During such visits the young lady and the gentleman got to know each other’s personalities and interests before making a serious decision about marriage. Gradually the rules and structure of courting became more lenient, changing with the times. Eventually, more women were enrolling in college or going into the workforce. They no longer stayed in their separate spheres of the man being present in society and the woman fulfilling her duties at home. More time and money was spent on dating and it became more common for either the man or woman to ask someone out. For some the idea of the man always picking up
the tab was less important. Love was taken more into consideration and sometimes no commitment was expected; whereas, in the days of courting, marriage was always the intended outcome. Today just the word “dating” can be interpreted in numerous ways. Everyone’s views of what is considered dating, and what is expected to come out of it is different. Many young men and women date with the thought of commitment or marriage in mind. There is more freedom to choose and to decide instead of having parents or family members decide if the relationship is fitting. Often times we don’t realize how different it was back then. Born in 1920, Raffaelina DeDominicis was one of those people who can see how different the times are now. “I used to go out with my friends. We’d go dancing three or four times a week at different places. We used to have a lot of fun, but I always made sure I was home by twelve,” she said. It wasn’t because her parents told her she had to be home by that time. It was because she didn’t think they’d like it if she stayed out much later. “They didn’t stop me from going out, but I used my own common sense to be home before twelve o’clock.” Laughing, Raffaelina remembered when one night she lost track of time and didn’t get in until almost three in the morning. “When I got home my parents were waiting for me. My father wanted to kill me. I ran up stairs and locked the bathroom door so he couldn’t get me. My mother was trying to calm him down,” she says still laughing at the memory. When it came to dating or even just going out with her friends what Raffaelina could do was limited when it involved being away for a whole day. She never went overnight anywhere. “Oh, they didn’t like that at all…things were different then,” she said. One time, she remembers that they had a small club of girls that would hang out together and they decided to go to the shore for the day. “Guess who wasn’t allowed to go?” she said. “I spent all day in my room. I was so upset. I could’ve snuck out but I didn’t. I was too honest. They were a different mindset, girls weren’t supposed to go anywhere.” Another time, similar to the beach trip, instead of
Page 5 staying home Raffaelina went anyway. Her boyfriend, who would eventually turn out to be her husband, wanted to take her to New York for the day. “He asked my parents and they wouldn’t let me go. So I went anyway, but he had his sister chaperone us. Isn’t that stupid? Stupid!” A lot of young people today will meet other people at bars, through other friends, at work, or at any number of places, but she mostly met people at dances. They would make a date and meet around the corner. “I didn’t tell them anything. They wouldn’t even let me go if I’d told them,” she says, adding that they never went to bars. “We went to regular dance halls with whole orchestras. You know, it wasn’t like they have now, they don’t have nothing now…It was more fun then.” One of the stark differences between the days of courting, when dating practices started, and today is what is openly discussed. Parents talk to their children about boys, girls, dating, and sex, but back during other times those things were never mentioned and girls had to figure them out for themselves. “Our parents, my parents, they never spoke to us about anything. Now everything is out in the open. You know more. You can talk to your parents. We couldn’t say anything to our parents,” she said. “The only thing my father told me, the morning I got married, he says ‘always respect your husband.’ Back then, everything was hush hush hush.” The restrictions she had while dating aren’t all that common today. Girls have more freedom and more information available to them. They can talk to guys without having their parents formally introduce them. Even if a family doesn’t like whoever a woman chooses to date and potentially marry, they don’t have the authority to say they won’t allow the relationship. Thinking about the days when she used to date she said, “It was all good living, clean cut living. My time was a different time.”
Soulstice 2011
Ditch the Workout and Join the Party Dana Spinosa
W
ant to get in shape? Tired of doing the same old workout in the gym? Want to make your workout fun? Zumba can change that, ditch the workout and join the party. Get ready to party yourself into shape because that is what this workout is all about. Zumba is a Latin-inspired, calorie-burning, fitness party. The workout is easy to follow and it moves people toward joy and health. It is a dance program that incorporates hot international music with contagious steps that are addictive. Zumba was created in 2001 and is the largest, most successful dance program in the country. No more dreading your workout at the gym. Now you can be excited to dance and workout at the same time to some of your favorite music. Zumba is offered to anyone, age, shape, and size do not matter! Men and women can enjoy this dance workout together. There are five different types of Zumba classes that are offered. The first type of class offered is the original Zumba class. These classes feature exotic music set to high-international beats. It is easy to do, fun dance fitness party. You do not need to be a dancer to take the class. Just go to the class with a good attitude looking to have a fun good workout! Some older men or women might not be able to keep up with the fast pace workout but can always take another class offered called Zumba gold. This class is targeted more towards the older participants and those who are just starting a new healthy lifestyle. Zumba gold still offers the dance party, Latin-inspired moves, just in a simple, easier to follow way. The pace might not be as fast or hard as regular Zumba, but it is still giving the traditional Zumba workout! Now maybe you are not looking for a workout where you just do routine dance moves all the time. Maybe you are looking for something that is fun like Zumba but you want to tone up your body and not just burn the calories. Another class offered is called Zumba Toning. This class entails body-sculpting exercises and high-energized cardio, to create a strength-training dance workout. Students learn how to tone up arms, abs, glutes and thighs while doing this workout.
You can sculpt your body naturally with lightweights and toning sticks. This programs focuses more on working out certain parts of your body not just an all body fitness class. Not only can you take this dance fitness in a regular gym class but also you can take Zumba to the pool! Aqua Zumba is offered and anyone can join the pool party. It incorporates the regular Zumba moves with aqua fitness moves making it a fun pool workout. You are getting all the cardio you need along with toning and fun! They say the pool is where you can get the best results when working out! Why not have fun with a dance workout in the pool! That is something you can definitely look forward too. Zumba is a dance fitness that is offered to all ages, even kids! Zumbatomic is a class that is offered for kids age’s four to twelve. This class is a high rocking, fitness party type class, choreographed with kid friendly routines. It offers all the music kids love and it releases all the energy that kids have. Parents love this Zumbatomic because it boosts their selfconfidence and is a good way to keep their children in shape in a fun way. It is something that kids look forward to because they love just dancing around using all the energy they have. When they see everyone else in the class doing it they know they can just sit back and be there self. Sports and other activities are not for everyone but Zumbatomic can be. Any kid can join and not have to worry about being competitive because there is nothing to be competitive about. Lastly, Zumba in the circuit is offered. This class offers the same thing that every Zumba class offers but in a circuit routine. It is a thirty-minute circuit-training workout, which is a series of strength exercises at timed intervals. There are different stations where students move to throughout the workout. The workout is different at each station but you are all still thumping beats and moving in hip-hop style Anyone can join this fun and bring their own energy into the class. It is a class that can be offered anywhere to anyone. It already has its own workout tapes and games for video games systems. You don’t even have to leave your house to get this great workout.. Start your journey to a healthier life style while having fun at the same time. Ditch the workout and join the party with Zumba!
Page 7
Community Service Will Change Your Life Daniel Mitchell
C
ommunity service is a wonderful thing that can benefit people’s lives that are being served as well as your own life. There are many different types of community services that a person can get involved in. Community service work can range from working as a volunteer in the Peace Corps, Salvation Army, coaching sports in your township or helping in a Catholic school. One thing is for sure no matter what type of service one finds themselves getting involved, in it is clear that giving time is often more valuable than giving money. The service chosen will most likely have a great impact on the people being served and community service often benefits the people serving. Money is a wonderful thing to give and most charities are very thankful for the donations they receive. However, there is also a great need for man power. What good is all the money if there are no volunteers? Communities have a great need for religious education teachers, coaches, cooks in soup kitchens and volunteers to keep senior citizens company in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. All the money in the world cannot help educate children, keep kids safe after school and keep lonely seniors company. Volunteers are a necessity and many great programs are not running well and at
their full potential because they are short on help. Many people are not sure what type of service is right for them or do not think they have skills to offer or feel that they just don’t have the time to give. They should not feel this way because there are so many opportunities out there. There are many opportunities available that only require one or two nights a week such as volunteering at a local food bank or a soup kitchen. Beginners do not have to start off by volunteering at a disaster site or go overseas on a rescue mission. Helping overseas is a wonderful thing to do and can be a fulfilling experience but there is a great need for help right here in the United States. Every community in this country has people in need of help so there is no need to travel far to lend a hand. Many teachers believe that their student’s biggest problem is a lack of motivation. Many students lack the ability to see that what they are learning today will help them in their future. Students report that they don’t see how leaning in school will help them in their life. Researcher Diana Hedin from the University of Michigan states that Community service gives students the opportunity to put the knowledge they have acquired throughout their education into practice and gives them the ability to make this important connection. Community service also gives high school and college students the ability to develop their social skills. Many employers are reporting that new graduates lack the ability to effectively communicate. Community work is often done in group settings which can give them an opportunity to develop important life skills. Community service also exposes students to people of all ages and gives them the opportunity to learn how to communicate with other people besides their peers. This is important
Soulstice 2011 because this prepares students for the real world. Jennifer Mitchell is a twenty one year old Holy Family student that began visiting a woman in her nineties when she was in high school. She never realized when she began visiting Nancy that she would be able to lift this woman out of a slump. Nancy had no family and was extremely depressed and felt very alone. Jennifer was able to give her something to look forward to every week by visiting her every Thursday for one hour. Nancy and Jennifer became very close and Nancy would often say her family was their when Jennifer come to visit. Nancy taught Jennifer about her life and what it was like to live through tough times like War world II. Nancy was able to show Jenifer that you can have friends of all ages. Jennifer realized she had turned Nancy’s life around and when she went to college she was awarded a scholarship for her work. The most wonderful part of giving up time to get involved in some type of service is that anyone has the ability to change a person’s life for the better. Whether keeping children safe after school and out of harm’s way or visiting a lonely senior citizen that has no family nearby volunteering has the ability to have a positive effect on someone’s life in need. There is not a more rewarding feeling than knowing that you have the ability to change the course of another person’s life for the better. In many cases just that one hour a week can make a huge difference in someone’s life and it is important to remember that. When getting involved in community service many people are not aware of the personal benefits of giving their time. Many communities give awards to their members who perform services that are above and beyond the call of duty. There are also scholarships that can be awarded to high school and college students. Many people strongly believe that the personal satisfaction that one receives from their volunteer work is the most rewarding gift of all. Community service also gives participants the ability to network with other great people that all share the communal goal of making a positive difference in their community. Some people have even met their best friend or their spouse through there volunteer work. Community service is an extraordinary thing that can benefit many people’s lives. There are a lot of types of community service that a person can decide to get involved in. There are many differ-
ent types of volunteer opportunities such as, Peace Corps, Salvation Army, and coaching sports in your township or for a Catholic School. Works Cited CommunityService.org | Volunteering Search and Non-profit Information. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http:// www.communityservice.org>. Corporation for National and Community Service. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://www.nationalservice. gov>. “Daniel Mitchell.” Personal interview. University of Michigan. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http:// www.umich.edu/>. “University Of Pennsylvania Community Service Directory.” Penn: University of Pennsylvania. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. <http://www.upenn.edu/csd/index.html>.
Page 9
The Myth of Multitasking Kristie Koczkodon
M
ultitasking always seems like it’s a good idea: performing multiple tasks at the same time. Sounds like a quick way to get things done right? Wrong. Recent studies show that multitasking affects us psychologically and socially. Today we are surrounded by so much media and technology that they start to become a distraction rather than a benefit. Multitasking is very popular with college students; it’s probably right up there with procrastination. Imagine you’re a student who is sitting at home, about to write a paper for English class. You sit down with your laptop and before you begin to research, you check your email. After responding to your inboxes, you check your Facebook page. Seven notifications! You post on your friends’ wall, browse new pictures and update your status. Someone posted a video from Youtube so you watch it, and then you watch ten other videos before realizing that an hour has passed and you haven’t even started your paper. Then you open up a word document and you receive a text message. You look at your phone to see your friend has texted you to watch something on TV. Once you turn on the TV, there is no hope for your paper getting done. It is a lost cause. Instead of putting the cell phones away, keeping the TV off, and not going online for anything besides research, we are trying to do it all at the same time. One would think that doing multiple things at the same time would get a lot done, but in reality, instead of focusing on one thing at a time, we aren’t getting much done at all. The reason we do so many things at once is because we are always looking for instant gratification our generation is used to having everything immediately. Some may think multitasking is a talent. It’s not. Walking and chewing gum at the same time can be considered multitasking but that doesn’t acquire much skill and does nothing for you. The same goes for all multitasking. If you’re reading a book and get interrupted by a text message every five minutes, you’re never going to get the full concept of the book. The absolute worst multitasking that you could possibly do is while driving. This is dangerous for both you and the people around you. Doing anything besides driving is risky. One of the worst things to
do while driving is use your phone. How can someone look at their phone and send a text or email, go on Facebook, or make a call while paying attention to the road? It’s either impossible, or the driver must have a guardian angel watching over them. Other things people try doing while driving are eating and putting on makeup. I guess these things do require talent, but you won’t need or have that talent when you’re in a hospital bed. We try to get so many things done at once we don’t realize that it’s putting our lives in danger. And the lives of others. Multitasking inhibits us because we are so used to emailing, instant messaging, Facebook chatting, and texting that it is going to be difficult to communicate with people in person. As a Communications major and despite being guilty of multitasking, this issue is important to me. Only limiting communication to over the Internet or cell phone will deter your interpersonal skills. If you think about it, there aren’t many things that you have to do in person anymore. Most of the tasks you typically have to go outside for are now done over the internet or phone. Multitasking is just a way to trick our minds into thinking we’re getting more done than we actually are. If we devote our time to one thing, we will get more done than if we tried doing multiple things. The time it took me to write this article is probably three times more than it would have taken me if I wasn’t multitasking. I get distracted so easily, instead of ignoring it and finishing one thing, I try to do them all at once. How can an article get written if the TV is on, my phone is rining, and I’m on Facebook all at the same time? Peter Bregman, the CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc., a managing consulting firm, tried an experiment of not multitaksing for one week. There was a very interesting outcome: there was no downside to not multitasking. It was nice not multitasking for once; he got a lot of projects finished. He was less stressed because he lost patience for things that weren’t a good use of his time, and gained more patience for things that were beneficial. I encourage all of you multitaskers to follow in Bregman’s footsteps and try this for a week. I am going to do the same. I think it will be interest-
Soulstice 2011 ing to see a difference in my productivity and stress management. The most important and perhaps the hardest thing, is turning everything off. Devote your full attention to your family and turn the TV off while eating dinner. When it is time for work, devote yourself to that; don’t email during a conference call. When you drive, don’t allow any distractions in the car, just drive. Try to do one thing at a time and I’m sure you will see a positive change in your life. You will think more clearly, be more productive, and be a happier person. Here’s another tip: don’t forget to have some “me” time without any distractions. It’s always good to clear your head and relax in peace and quiet.
Page 11
Back to the Start: Younger Adults to Older Generation Mariangela Fiorilli
D
id you ever stop to wonder how exactly your family made America their home? If you really think about it, this country is made up of immigrants that came from all over the globe. Maybe some of you may know how your family settled in this country or some of you may not know. Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn how to find your immigration records? Those pieces of paper hold a lot of sentimental value and personal information that allowed a fresh start for one to be in this country. After looking different sources, I came to find that there are ways of how one can obtain records. It can be explained in a few simple ways. I found one site that seemed helpful and listed the following information of how to obtain your immigration records. This site is the archives government site and it has immigration records for the arrivals in the US from 1820 to 1982. It lists in detail the different places you can go to obtain this information for the time period of arrival and the Port of Arrival, either it being online, in Washington DC, NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) regional facilities, by mail or at libraries The first thing I want to explain is how you can obtain this information online. · In the aad.archives.gov, there are over 600,000 person listed from the period 1846-1851. · On this website, go under browse by category, and pick Genealogy/Personal History-Then select the database ‘Records for Passengers Who Arrived at the Port of New York during the Irish Famine, period 1846-1851. Then you search the name. · Another website is Castlegarden.org which focuses on immigrants from 1830-1892. This is when Ellis Island opened and from 1855 to 1890 Castle Garden was Americas first official immigration center. You follow through the same search process as the previous website; it is just a different time period. · Ellis Island has its own online searchable databases for over 22.5 million in New York between 18921924. (You can also visit Ellis Island) As long as an online site or library has a Microfilm catalog, you should be able to look up the names of your family.
Your other option is to take a trip to Washington DC and get the records in person. · You can go to the National Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 204080001. You do not need a prior arrangement and the staff can help you look up the NARA microfilm publications as long as you go during research room hours to find your records. The last way to retrieve your immigration records is to do it by mail. · You can order the copies of your records by first filling out a form called NATF 81 either online, and they will send you the records or by writing to the National Archives and Records Administration at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 204080001, and then be sent the form to fill in and send back in. Imagine what it would be like to look at those old documents and see what qualifications and issues were brought up for your family to come and settle here. You can learn what took place that day or get a special look to get a feel of what it might have been like to go through all of the processes and situations I explained some of the different ways to get your records for whatever is convenient for you. Maybe not now, but eventually take some time to learn about in a way your family history through the immigration that made up this country. Source: http://aad.archives.gov/aad/
Soulstice 2011
Why Being Fit is Being a Good Role Model Rebecca Costa
L
ooking slim and being healthy is a great way to show your child, or children, how to be a good role model. Eating right begins at an early age. Picking healthy foods is a way of life that is learned. Mother’s are trying to look their best these days so they can prove to their kids they are great role models. Eating right and staying in shape is not just a daily routine for most women today but it is a teaching process for their children to pick up. Children look to their parents for help in life, including their eating habits. An easy way for mothers and their children to eat healthy and stay in shape as well, is to join a gym together or even simply devote two hours a day to activity together. Eating well is the responsibility of the parents. If the children eat poorly it is because the mother is not preparing the food properly. I will provide easy, on the go healthy ways to eat, along with finding the time to get in those couple hours of exercise a day. Parents are children’s biggest influences when it comes to healthy behaviors, so providing your kids with opportunities for family fun is a good way to keep your children and yourself healthy. You can help your children learn to make healthier food choices and engage in regular physical activity by being a good role model. Here are ways you can influence your children by being that good role model. Plan regular family activities together. Encourage children to take up an afterschool sport. Take your kids to the park to walk, jog, in line skate or play catch. Make walking the dog a fun game by counting how many times the dog stops or how many rabbits or squirrels the dog sees. Lastly, encourage your children to help plan meals, from developing menu to shopping, preparing and serving the meal. Make sure your kids know they are part of the team and that health and fitness are a family affair. Children can also pick up on their parents’ attitudes about food. As role models, parents need to monitor their own behavior so that their children acquire healthy attitudes toward eating. Parents need to know that what they do has a greater impact than what they say. Parents who engage their children family cooking give children an idea of a better food model. show proof to their children that eating right is a model
they should portray. An idea for children to see what the rest of the family is eating is to have daily family dinners, together so good role modeling can be viewed by the impressionable children. An example of a healthy meal is grilled meat such as turkey or chicken, with some mixed vegetables on the side. Desert should be some type of fruit such as bananas or strawberries. One way to stay in shape while keeping your children active is also by good role modeling. After a good healthy meal such as grilled chicken and vegetables, you can plan a family activity such as going for a walk together or even making running a fun activity by counting the animals you see or pick a color and count how many different times you see it. Parents can keep in great shape and even have a partner doing it. Parents can be good role models if they simply they organize some ideas to get their children to stay active. Today many parents resort to on the go meal planning. This leaves little time even for getting exercise in. Parents can cook just once or twice a week to make life easier. If parents cook a couple meals and refrigerate them, children can have a healthy meal that only needs to be heated up. Another idea is teaching children at a young age to help prepare the food so that when parents aren’t home from work all they must do is use the stove to heat up the food. Parents should also encourage kids to simply get out and play. Some parents put too much emphasis on signing children up for sports camps, and kids don’t get much unstructured outdoor time. There is so much structured organization by adults for children that we’re not allowing them to structure their own time anymore. Children need to play to be physically active, to create games of their own or to play sandlot baseball. (Goodloe, Dallas Morning News) PE is simply not enough exercise for our kids. Kids are usually only receiving ninety minutes of physical activity a week. Doing more after school activities does not only benefit the child but also gives parents some time to themselves when they are home or can even act as something for the child to do while the parents are not home, acting as a supervised activity. This whole healthy eating and excising is much
Page 13 easier when they are children rather than when they are adults. Adults are not as receptive to change as children are and starting young can lead to a very healthy life style. Being a good role model does not only benefit the child but benefits the adult as well because it is a way for the parents to stay in shape and also a great way to bond with their children. Working out is a great way to release stress and anxiety from the work day and can also allow for some back to basic fun such as playing catch with your child or going for a nature walk. Being a good role model does not only benefit yourself but also benefits your child so use your parenting power and teach your children to eat right and stay healthy. Communicating with them about how important it is for them to be healthy and what the possible problems can be if they are unfit. Explain the health issues as well as the self esteem issues they could have if they do not stay fit. If your kid just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever want to leave the house, then it may be time to put your foot down. You are the parent after all, what you say should be the final words! So do something with this special power over your kids, start getting active. Works Cited Goodloe, K (2008) How to Keep your Children Healthy, Dallas Morning News
Soulstice 2011
Bullying in Schools: A Dangerous Game Shannon Ann Sweeney
S
chool is supposed to be a safe place for children to learn and interact with their peers; however, that may not always be the case. Schools are often divided into different cliques that tend to determine how you are treated, whether good or bad. Bullying in schools has become an increasing issue over the years and has recently been thrown into the headlines because of the attack on the 13- year -old Upper Darby, Pa student by seven other older students. Bullying is defined as an aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength which is often repeated over time. There are several types of bullying: verbal, physical, indirect, social alienation, intimidation, and cyber bullying. Verbal Bullying, the most common type, includes name calling, offensive remarks or consistently making fun of the person. Physical bullying is any aggressive hitting, pulling, or shoving of someone. Indirect bullying includes spreading false rumors about someone which indirectly hurts ones feelings. Social Alienation is when a person is specifically excluded from a group or activity. Intimidation is a type of verbal threat with the purpose of making someone give in to the bully’s demands. Finally, there is cyber bullying which has changed bullying in recent years. Now, instead of just physically or verbally bullying someone, a person can destroy their victim’s reputation with a click of the mouse. Adults can have a great impact on how children behave. In schools, teachers and principals are with the students for a majority of the day which makes them more available to help prevent bullying. Stopbullyingnow.com states that children learn most behaviors from what they notice adults do or say. If adults do not intervene, bullies may feel that there is nothing wrong with their actions and then the victims feel they deserve the bullying. If adults become involved, they are able to express to the victims that their silence only makes the bully more powerful. This is why it is very important for students to feel comfortable enough with their teachers in order to go to them if a case of bullying occurs. According to bullyinginschools.com, 60% of those identified as
bullies have been found to have at least one criminal conviction before they reach 24 years of age. If adults do not step in, permanent damage could be done to the victims. According to research done by Janice Gallagher, one out of four children is bullied and one out of five defines themselves as a bully. Also, according to education.com, direct bullying starts in elementary school, hits a peak in middle school, and then declines once students start high school. Stopbullyingnow.com states that one incident of bullying occurs every seven minutes; there is adult intervention in 4% of incidents and peer intervention in 11% of incidents. Bullying can have major consequences which can have lasting impressions for not only the victim but the bullies as well. Some of the consequences of bullying on the victim are the victim becoming depressed, lonely, scared, and anxious. Victims tend to have a low self-esteem and also tend to be socially withdrawn. They also experience headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and poor appetites. Victims of bullying tend to be absent from school and even dislike school. They also have thoughts about suicide. Those who bully tend to get into more fights, drop out of school, vandalize and/or steal property, and are more likely to become a criminal. Bullying prevention should be implemented as soon as a case of bullying is reported. Although the education system is not entirely at fault for the bullying, many schools at times have turned a blind eye to cases of bullying and chalk it up to “part of growing up.” There are some things teachers can do to respond to bullying cases in school as well as things the school can set in place. According to stopbullyingnow.com, teachers can stop the behavior by individual intervention and asking the bully the following questions; What did you do? Why was that a bad thing to do? Who did you hurt? What were you trying to accomplish? And finally, next time you have a goal how will you meet it without hurting anyone? They can also protect the victim from the bully and apply consequences when appropriate. Finally, teachers can remind bystanders to take action next time.
Page 15 From the very beginning, schools should establish that bullying and other aggressive behavior will not be tolerated and have a set policy for such behavior. If the bully understands that their behavior is unacceptable, they will be more likely to not repeat that behavior. Students can also get involved in the process. Some schools offer a peer mediation, where the students help talk out the issues with the students that they are having problems with. Schools are also putting in place certain opportunities for the students to air out their grievances with another student such as lunch, which gives the students a chance to talk through their problems and bond while eating. School is supposed to be a safe environment where children can learn; however, it is not always the case for some children. An incident of bullying can affect the victim for years after and cause them distress and in some cases, result in the death of a child. If teachers and other school staff do not prevent bullying in school, then the bullying will get progressively worse. For example, the Upper Darby School District experienced a case of bullying in January when seven teenage boys bullied a younger peer and videotaped it. No one was there to help stop it but the video went viral and became a huge story all over the country. The teenagers were then caught and taken to juvenile court where they were facing multiple charges. Schools should establish that bullying and other aggressive behavior will not be tolerated from the very beginning and have a set policy for such behavior. If none of those measures are taken, there could be more instances that occur such as the Upper Darby bullying. Being bullied is a form of harassment that no child should be put through especially since it is preventable. If kids are taught early on that bullying is unacceptable, they are more likely to be understanding of others differences and accept their peers.
Soulstice 2011
The Life of a Mummer Timothy J. O’Driscoll
I
t’s 5:00am on New Year’s Day when your alarm clock sounds. As you roll over to turn the alarm off and get out of bed you are beginning to prepare for one of the most important days of the year. Twelve months of planning and preparation comes down to this one day. Every year on New Year’s Day the City of Philadelphia hosts their annual Mummer’s Parade. The parade consists of four divisions; Comics, Fancy Division, Fancy Brigade and String Bands. The String Bands are the highlight of the parade because of their bright colors, shinning sequins, beautiful ostrich plumes, elaborate costuming and amazing music. These are just some of the qualities of the world famous Philadelphia Mummers Parade that takes place each year on New Years Day. The first official parade was organized by the City of Philadelphia in 1901, but the tradition has its roots as far back as the 17th Century. Bands did not begin to compete until 1906 and the City awarded prize money to the winners. In the parade’s long history there have only been two cancellations in 1919 and 1934. With the average cost ranging from $30,000 - $80,000 it is necessary for bands to fundraise all year long by playing parades, concerts and other functions. There are currently 17 String Bands that compete in the Parade on New Year’s Day. The rules of the parade only permit 64 costumed members and with brass instruments not allowed in competition, the String Bands have a very unique sound created by the blend of saxophones of all shapes and
sizes, along with accordions, banjos and percussion. After you roll over and get out of bed you begin to realize that this is the day you have spent a year preparing for. The once a week rehearsals turn into three times per week when you get into “mum season” and you feel like you see your band mates more that you see your family! As you begin to wake up it’s time to make sure you have everything you need. The checklist usually consists of the standard items: turtleneck to wear under the costume, Chap Stick, bubble gum, tuner, extra reeds and anything else that may come in handy that day. When you have all your things together you pack up and head to “The Club” (the name given to a String Band’s meeting place). You arrive at the club and there are people everywhere, people moving costumes into their appropriate place, the trucks are getting their final prep as the marshal’s head down to the parade to begin assembling the props. You find yourself in the middle of a conversation with a few of your band mates and someone yells out “Hey guys its 6am start getting you costumes on, Bears are at this table for makeup,
Page 17 Zebras and Hippos are on the other side of the room.” It’s an odd sight to see 64 men lining up to get their make up on for the day and the application of eyeliner can turn into makeup catastrophe as tears stream from the burliest guy in the band because “the eyeliner makes him tear up.” When all the members are dressed and have their makeup on, they begin to get their instruments out and tune them up in preparation for the neighborhood practice. After a short pep talk the bands will head to their spot where friends and family gather to see the final show before they hit the street and offer the support and encourage the members of the band. Pictures are the norm after the practice and then it’s time to load the busses and head to the parade. As the bus rolls to a stop you can look out the window and see the props and costumes of the other bands, you look around but try not to focus too much on what you’re seeing so it doesn’t throw your focus off. The parade kicks off and the first bands make their way “up the street” and your band finds themselves tuning and getting into line because it’s finally go time. The competition aspect of the parade is enough draw for some bands but other bands focus on the competition and recognize that they are also there for the fans, so the focus is on the competition but they must also make sure they play for the crowds. The streets are lined with people who have come out on a cold January 1st to see their favorite String Band present their theme and cheer them on. As you approach the first drill practice spot there are people everywhere on the parade route cheering and clapping and yelling. Ryan O’Driscoll, a 19 year old Baritone Saxophone player of the Greater Kensington String Band said, “The parade is unlike anything I have ever been a part of. Playing for not only the people of Philadelphia, but travelers from all over the world come and see us: The Mummers. It’s a great thing to be a part of and I’m glad I am able to help keep this tradition alive.” The first spot is usually a little shaky and after that the nerves are gone for each practice spot up the street. As you approach city hall you know that the big deal is about to come up. When walking up to the judging area your Captain is shaking hands with every member of the band telling them to do their best and give it your all. It’s a strange feeling of calmness that first takes over as you
approach the starting line. Ryan said, “as you ‘round City Hall and you see those bright lights shining in your face it’s hard not to smile knowing that you are about to go out there and give it your best to try and get the best prize possible. But as you get closer and closer to the start, that smile slowly starts to fade as you realize what is about to happen.” The closer you get to the start the faster you can feel your heart beating. You realize that the routine is about to start you take one last deep breath. The Drill Master blows the whistle, the drums come in and before you know it, four minutes and twentyeight seconds have passed and you’re walking out of the judging area. When you get back to the bus everyone in the band is ecstatic. High fives, handshakes and hugs are the norm. Loved ones and friends are calling and texting to tell you how great of a job you did and you suddenly find yourself in a state of euphoria. After the buses are loaded you head back to your club to wait to celebrate a year of hard work and dedication. Later that night your band will receive the prizes but regardless of the result every band has a reason to celebrate because it’s another year we made it “up the street.”
Soulstice 2011
Casablanca Restaurant: An escape to the Mediterranean Nichole Heimer
O
ne step away into the Mediterranean and transforming all of your five senses to an authentic Moroccan cuisine. We are greeted by a gentleman in unusual clothing, but never the less authentic. He introduces us as our waiter, Adam, pronounced Ahdom, as he explains is much “sexier” sounding! Adam leads us to a cove, where beautiful couches line the walls for us to sit down at our table. He begins to open our wine that we brought with us, because Casablanca is a BYOB, and pours it from high above into our wine glasses. The wine bottles are then set on the floor to keep the gold round table clear for our eight course meal that was about to be served. Buen apetito! The First Course. Hummus and baba ganouj. Served first in its creamiest, richest, hummus in Pennsylvania (chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon) and smooth, rich baba ganouj (eggplant pureed, with tahini and other various Mediterranean spices). Served with pita bread for dipping. The Second Course. Three tasteful salads. Carrots strongly flavored with garlic, vinegar, and spices that contrast with the tender eggplant salad beside them, marinated in mild spices. The third salad is a medley of crunchy diced cucumbers and tomatoes with parsley, vinegar and oil. The Third Course. B’stilla. A delectable Moroccan pastry of flaky phyllo dough dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon and is filled with a mix of eggs, chicken, toasted almonds and sweet cinnamon spices. The Fourth Course. Chicken or rabbit. The chicken is melt-off-the-bone tender, perfect for eating with
fingers. Topping it is your choice of lemons and olive, super-spicy homemade harissa sauce, walnuts or dried apricots. The rabbit (an unusual and low-fat alternative to chicken is cooked in a mildly spiced tomato sauce topped with sweet dates. The Fifth Course. Beef, lamb or chicken shish kebabs. Juicy chunks of beef lamb or chicken grilled with onions, green peppers, and tomatoes and brushed with a garlic and olive oil marinade. Or alternatively, melting tender nuggets of juicy lamb topped with sweet honey and almonds, or fragrant lemon and spicy cumin. The Sixth Course. Couscous with vegetables. A traditional dish of morocco, a medley of carrots, onions, and other vegetables served on a bed of steamed semolina grains, topped with bits of chicken, chickpeas and raisins. The Seventh Course. Basket of fresh fruit. Fresh and un-cut fruit, apples, grapes, oranges, plums, and other in season fruit to refresh your palate. The Eighth Course. Baklava and mint tea. The version of these traditional small pastries served at Casablanca is a unique, sweet blend of walnuts and honey snuggled in between tall layers of flaky crunchy phyllo dough. The sweet mint tea is poured from a height to aerate and cool it to perfection. Adam explained that his parents struggled to get by supporting nine children in Morocco, so they had decided to move to the United States 25 years ago and start the family business, Casablanca. His par-
Page 19 ents were then able to put all nine of their children through college. Today the children own and operate the restaurant to keep their parents dream alive. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the authentic music captivates you. You are instantly transported from Warrington, Pennsylvania to a whole new foreign place in the Mediterranean of Morocco. The smell of the Moroccan food overpowers you and makes your mouth salivate. All the different flavors hit your tongue and keep you wanting more. It is here where you get to experience your five senses all at once.
Soulstice 2011
Soulstice Staff Jennifer Gregory Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Migliarese Assistant Editor Bridget Bowne Copy Editor