The Cascade Vol. 28 Iss. 14 by The Cascade

MAY 6 TO MAY 20, 2020

VOLUME 28 ISSUE 14

Inviting cats to zoom calls since 1993

THE CASCADE'S SUMMER READING LIST

UFV STUDENT AID FUNDRAISER

VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOURS

FIONA APPLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BOLT CUTTERS

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 14

News Editor Sam Young samuel@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Carissa Wiens carissa@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Andrea Sadowski andrea@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Chandy Dancey chandy@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Media Manager Anoop Dhaliwal anoop@ufvcascade.ca Photographer David Myles Staff Writer Aleister Gwynne Staff Writer Nicholas Ashenhurst-Toews Staff Writer Krystina Spracklin

Sports Editor Alex Jesus alex@ufvcascade.ca Production Assistant Anoop Dhaliwa Illustrator Kayt Hine Illustrator Rain Neeposh

Social Media Coordinator Daniela Vasquez

Gabriel Peters

Front Cover: Mikaela Collins

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE Volume 28 · Issue 14 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Pitch meetings will be digital for the remainder of the semester. Please email managing@ufvcascade.ca to be put on the assignment email list. In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic, or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members. The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.

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Sports Writer Nic Jackson

CONTRIBUTORS

ARTS

Feature Editor Darien Johnsen darien@ufvcascade.ca

OPINION

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

NEWS

Production Manager Elyssa English elyssa@ufvcascade.ca

Creative Director Mikaela Collins mikaela@ufvcascade.ca

CONTENTS

FEATURE

Business Manager Aneesha Narang aneesha@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Nadia Tudhope nadia@ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE

Executive Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca

10 Snapshots.......6

7.......Study Break

NEWS New UFV facility pending......3

3......UFV student aid fundraiser

OPINION Editorial.......4 Drinking in isolation.......5

4.......Dear Robin 6.......Diet culture

CULTURE Cascade Kitchen......10

11.......Online museums and galleries

Managing anxiety......10

ARTS The Half of It......12 Fiona Apple album release......13 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker......14

12......Taxidermy, beekeeping, and fires 13......Multimedia recommendations

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 14

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

news@ufvcascade.ca Sam Young — News Editor

NEWS NEWS

UFV //

NEWS BRIEFS Canadian economy enters recession According to the Business Cycle Council at the C.D. Howe Institute, the Canadian economy has officially entered a recession. The council defines a recession as “a pronounced, persistent, and pervasive decline in aggregate economic activity,” and based its declaration on Canada’s current GDP and employment figures. According to the council, Canada’s most recent economic peak was in February, shortly before preventative measures around COVID-19 significantly slowed the nation’s economy. Statistics Canada said they believe the national job market shrank by 9 per cent in March, and economists expect to see further decline in April’s data.

- The Globe and Mail

Wet’suwet’en chiefs, government agree to sign title and land rights agreement An agreement has been reached between hereditary chiefs and the federal and provincial governments to formally acknowledge the rights and title of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed May 14, although the details of exactly what the agreement contains have not yet been publicly disclosed. The MOU is part of a land and title rights negotiation that has been decades in the making, and is a separate issue from the Coastal GasLink pipeline dispute. Wet’suwet’en elected councils have been critical of the decision, and said they have not offered support for the hereditary chiefs to sign the agreement.

- The Tyeel

UFV considering new facility purchase

Following years of obstacles, administrators push to acquire Chilliwack facility SAM YOUNG According to a March 13 UFV Senate report, a third appraisal is now underway for a building in the Chilliwack Educational Park (CEP) that the university has been attempting to purchase since 2016. The "1041 Building," which was previously used by the Canadian military, is located near UFV’s Technology and Trades Centre in Chilliwack. The report states that UFV acquired funding to purchase the structure from the province in 2017, but several complications have since arisen, preventing the sale. In 2018, Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) required the property be re-appraised, and the new appraisal was evaluated to be significantly more expensive than previous assessments had shown. In response, UFV officials negotiated in 2019 for another appraisal using revised methodology in the hope of receiving a lower figure. According to the Senate report, this new appraisal

UFV Chilliwack. Sept. 27, 2012. (Rick Collins/UFV Flickr)

is now underway, and UFV hopes to have the purchase completed later this year. In addition to the dispute over the building’s appraisal, the Senate report cites “multi-party interests” and “federal obligations and changing mandates” (including necessary consultations with over 20 First Nations bands) as reasons for the delays. UFV has previously leased the 1041 Building from its current owner, the Department of National Defence

(DND), using it for instruction in the heavy mechanical trades program. Dave Pinton, Director of Communications, said he believed that if the purchase is completed, the facility will continue to be used in this role. The Chilliwack Progress reported that UFV’s interest in the building dates back as far as 2012, when university officials first toured the structure following the end of its use by the Canadian Forces.

UFV //

UFV employees raise money for student aid UFV staff and community come together to help students in need SAM YOUNG Following the move to online-only classes in March, some UFV staff members have opted to make recurring monthly donations toward student aid with money that would have otherwise gone toward parking fees. According to a university press release, at least 152 employees are currently participating in the initiative, which is contributing $3,980 each month toward the UFV Student Emergency Fund on an ongoing basis. According to UFV’s financial aid webpage, the Student Emergency Fund is intended to “assist students who are experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties that are beyond their control and prevent them from reaching their educational goals.” The university is also promoting an online option that allows staff and community members to make onetime donations of any amount.

Anita Nielsen, executive director of advancement and alumni relations at UFV, said that the suggestion to donate parking fees arose organically. “Somebody that was part of the emergency operations committee suggested, ‘What if staff were to just redirect their parking fees for the period of time when [the school is closed]? People probably wouldn't miss that off of their pay,’” she said. “We said that we'd be happy to run with that, and everybody worked really quickly to put it together.” Nielsen, who oversees all of UFV’s fundraising efforts, added that from that point on, involvement has only increased. “Right now we're at about 150 [staff giving their parking money], plus staff that are donating. We set a goal for 200, and we're edging our way up there.” She also said that the university has plans to continue supporting students who are struggling during the

COVID-19 pandemic, beginning this week with “Giving Tuesday Now,” a global charity initiative that took place on Tuesday, May 5. Staff and community members have been encouraged to give what they can, with all donations received by UFV during the event going to the Student Emergency Fund. “We're starting to get donations in already,” said Nielsen on Friday. “What's great is it's not just people that are our ongoing donors — and we obviously appreciate their support — but it's new people supporting as well.” According to UFV’s financial aid webpage, students wishing to apply for support from the Student Emergency Fund should contact UFV Financial Aid for an application. In order to be eligible, students must provide supporting documentation, and be registered in good standing in at least two courses. The fund is open to both international and domestic students.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

OPINION

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 14 opinion@ufvcascade.ca Carissa Wiens — Opinion Editor

Humour //

Editorial //

Lessons from a pandemic: it's time to cut mandatory attendance

Dear Robin

JESSICA BARCLAY

ROBIN HALPER Life is tough and confusing and weird. We all need help sometimes, and when you need an expert opinion, you turn to an expert opinion-giver like Robin Halper. Whatever problem you’re facing in life, Robin will have a solution. The Cascade cannot guarantee the effectiveness of Robin’s unique approach to life, but if you’re in a jam, get some advice by writing to halp@ufvcascade.ca Crying over Crayolas Dear Robin, I purchased a 100-pack of Crayola markers, but it seems like pretty much half of them are green, and my favourite colour is pink. How can I add some more diversity of my favourite colour into my colouring pages?

Sincerely, Connected to colouring

Hello, I use their 50-pack of markers, and 25 of those are green too. I did a quick Google search about how apparently the human eye can see more shades of green than any other colour but got pretty bored of reading the scientific data, so go look up some stats on the colour green, and then maybe you’ll have your answer as to why Crayola takes us for a ride like that. But in order to add more diversity in your colouring pages, I

find that using children’s colouring pages rather than the adult ones is better because the children’s ones only have like three spaces that need colouring, so you don’t need to worry about overdoing it on the green. Robin A party, but not Dear Robin, Next week I’m turning 19, which is kind of a big deal, and I would love to go to a bar with my friends, but obviously that’s not a possibility. Any tips on celebrating while isolating? Sincerely, Birthday bummer Hey, Join the party. You’re not alone; by the time this is done everyone will have celebrated at least two or three birthdays in isolation. It’s just the new norm. When I celebrate something (like waking up before 11 a.m.) in quarantine I order take-out, and at some restaurants now you can add alcohol to the order. So just add a six-pack to your Cactus Club order so you don’t have to drive to a liquor store by yourself and purchase a bottle of Skinny Girl Margarita mix. Robin

As B.C. begins to consider a gradual shift toward normality, it is evident that current university policies will not be enough to ensure safe, in-person learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed weak points in a university's ability to reduce, and the significance of its role in reducing, the spread of infection diseases. Discussions around what changes need to be made should not be limited to ensuring social distancing in classrooms and revamped cleaning standards; policies around mandatory attendance and the effects that it can have in spreading infectious disease need to be a significant part of the conversation. Continuing activities such as school and work while sick is thoroughly ingrained in our society. It is so normalized that there appears to be few, if any, surveys on the number of university students who attend class while ill. It’s expected that they have; we all have, and have had to. The current overarching attendance policy at UFV puts the decision of whether to make attendance mandatory, optional, or dependent on activity at the discretion of the professor. The only requirement is that the expectation and consequences are clear to students. Some professors are lenient, but others attach considerable portions of final grades to participation or attendance. Sick notes may be required for missed classes, and some may remove students from their class if too many days are missed. The jury is in though, and to no one's surprise, sick people in public places spread infectious diseases. Doctors of B.C., an association of local physicians and medical students, has advocated for the removal of policies requiring sick notes since 2014, in part because sick people going out puts others at risk of getting sick. COVID-19 has displayed the extent to

which staying home can impact the spread of an infectious disease. According to Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, physical distancing has been found to be one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The less contact a sick person has with others, the less an infectious disease can spread. There are undoubtedly benefits to students attending classes. A 2010 study by Credé, Roch, and Kieszczynka found a high correlation between class attendance and grades, but the researchers expressed reluctance to conclude that class attendance resulted in high grades based on correlation alone. Sickness needs to be self-reported. University students are adults, and can decide if they are sick or not. Requiring a doctor's note puts others at risk, and bogs down the medical system. Attendance allows participation, discussion, and engagement with the material that studying alone can’t provide. It also enables professors to interact with the students and gauge their interest in the material and their understanding of the concepts being taught. Staying home while sick needs to become the new normal, and university policy can make that happen. There need to be clear limits on a professor's power to require students to attend a class and on the grade percentage attendance can make up. The benefits do not outweigh the right to choose, however. Many students at UFV pay their own tuition, and should be able to choose to attend or not to attend a class they pay for. Mandatory attendance for classes is an outdated policy that does more harm than good. Students have the right to decide whether to attend class and to choose to protect those around them from sickness without negative consequences to their grades. In the wake of this pandemic, UFV has the responsibility to protect this right, and ensure the safety of its students.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 14

OPINION COVID-19//

Have another drink and calm down Stop beating yourself up over having another glass of wine CARISSA WIENS Since physical distancing was first being encouraged in Canada this past March, Nanos Research reported that 18 per cent of Canadians surveyed have increased their alcohol consumption. Along with many of our drastically altered lifestyles, alcohol consumption is not the only thing to change: many peoples’ eating habits have changed as well. The “Quarantine 15” has been joked about for weeks, but is now facing backlash because it’s simply fat shaming, which is not helpful for anyone, ever. It’s not the end of the world if someone gains weight because of altered eating habits for a brief period of time, and in the same way, it’s okay if we have an extra drink or two along with the other 18 per cent of the Canadian population while we wait out this pandemic. Of course, if you face serious problems with alcohol, it’s best to avoid it in general. But if you enjoy a glass of wine sometimes in the evenings, don’t spend your night obsessing over that second glass you had — just like you shouldn’t obsess over hav-

ing a bagel and a thick amount of cream cheese for breakfast instead of just black coffee. That high-calorie breakfast and an occasional extra drink will not kill you. According to the Nanos report, the four main causes of an increase in alcohol consumption at this time was a lack of regular schedule, boredom, stress, and loneliness. That’s very understandable. We’re human and sometimes a gin and tonic or two can not only calm us but also even bring us some hint of joy in these sad times. I’m sure I’m not alone with constantly counting how many beverages I’ve had a week so I can’t be classified as a “heavy drinker” when my doctor asks me how much I drink a week. Here to Help B.C. recommends no more than 10 alcoholic beverages per week for women and no more than 15 for men. Usually this is easy for me to keep under; I’ll have one or two beers most days then I’m totally fine. But since being isolated, I seem to want a drink more often than usual. And I’m here to say that now I am officially done being mean to myself about wanting (and then hav-

ing) an extra drink these days, and you should too. I’m making this choice for myself for several reasons. Firstly, I’m not paying $12 for a cocktail right now, I’m just tossing tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup in a glass and calling it a day; it’s a money saver. Second, I am in no way getting the kind of drunk where I have to use the whole next day nursing my hangover. And finally, craft beer is delicious, and I’m supporting breweries in the Fraser Valley when I

buy from them. Just like you’ve (hopefully) stopped hating yourself for ordering pizza for dinner again this week, avoid hating yourself for having a second (or third) glass of wine with that pizza. Things are weird right now, and it’s okay if we act a little differently than usual.

Illustration by Kayt Hine

Life //

The right to be fat or thin

Body positivity and weight loss culture seem like opposing forces, but should be brought together again KRYSTINA SPRACKLIN

People are wonderfully supportive and terribly opinionated when it comes to a weight loss journey. Everyone has some sort of thought when it comes to your body, because being fat or skinny offers someone a visual where they can decide what’s too much or what’s not enough. There are countless diet trends, management devices, apps, and varying success stories of what will work or what could fail. There’s the opinion that if you can’t love your body as it is, you’re not in the right mental space for weight changes. There’s an idea that losing weight can even be an act of internalized discrimination. Online, these conflicting views separate entire communities of people calling for body positivity and self-love, and people trying to lose weight and make healthier choices. Ultimately, though, the journey of weight loss and loving your body should go hand-in-hand. When it comes to the body positivity movement, I’ve always been on the fence. No movement is immune from influencers who have dangerous opinions and a plat-

form to preach them. Most of these social waves tend to reach extremist sides — on one hand you have people vehemently denying any health risks or concerns when it comes to obesity, and on the other you have people who believe all fat people deserve to die or be condemned because they look unappealing. Somewhere in the middle you find people who just want to exist within their body and learn to appreciate it without enduring any harassment or shame. As a fat woman, I try to exist in this pool, where it’s quiet and less preachy. A huge issue in the weight loss and body positivity communities is that there are always people waiting to tell you that you’re doing it wrong. Once you cross that threshold of privacy by posting your journey publicly, your body and self become public domain, ripe for roasting or praise. Someone posing in a bikini, whether with fat rolls or a flat tummy or loose

skin tucked away, is far more dignified than someone who posts a photo of their loose skin lopping out of their yoga pants or hanging over their underwear and claiming “This is it, this is the real me.” The shame that comes with exposing your imperfections lest you be labelled someone who’s fake or trying to “deceive” everyone — as if no one can possibly figure out by now that when you lose a large amount of weight, your skin will loosen — is terribly harmful to one’s self-esteem. Not everyone can afford surgery to remove loose skin, and it’s an incredibly dangerous procedure to go through. But within the weight loss communities, there’s a huge amount of pressure to expose your imperfections, embrace them with a smile, and then fish for a doctor to remove them. It wouldn’t be so upsetting if it weren’t for the fact that so many of these people admit that it’s very difficult or painful for them to post

something like that for the world to see. It’s painful for them to embrace this new change in their body. And all I think every time I see it is “Why? Why are you causing yourself harm for people who ultimately should not matter to you?” This uncomfortable exposure shouldn’t be a mandatory stop on a public weight loss journey. Your journey shouldn’t be influenced by the approval of others. There is no way to gain love and acceptance for yourself if you’re relying on others to come to a consensus and tell you when you’re enough. Quarantine has put a spotlight on these fears, declarations of self-love, and desperation to return to a consistent weight loss regime. What worries me most is what happens when we start to settle back into our normal routines. Extreme weight loss solutions will likely never be properly monitored or cease to exist — not when the industry is worth over $4.2 trillion worldwide — and I’m not looking forward to the next pyramid scheme diet or laxative tea that will take homestayers by storm as they race to get back to their pre-quarantine bods. Illustration by Kayt Hine

SN S AP HO TS

BRIEF BITS OF BITE-SIZED BREVITY

CURTAILED COMMENTARY ON CURRENT CONDITIONS

Illustrations by Rain Neeposh

What am I doing with my life I don’t know how it happened, but my day turned into night and my night into day. Time has reversed because time holds no meaning in quarantine/self-isolation. When all there is to do is sit around at home all day, it doesn’t matter what times you are asleep or awake. I have been sleeping between the hours of 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. every day, and am awake for the entire night. Doing what? God only knows. Mostly binging Netflix, baking elaborate cakes, or strolling around my neighbourhood at 3 a.m. I have done everything possible to try and get my

body back into a normal circadian rhythm without any success. For some reason, it’s like my brain turns on at night; my most productive hours are between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. I’ll try to force myself to go to sleep, but as I lay on my mattress, which is so old I can feel the springs massage my back, I get trapped in a cycle of anxious thoughts and promptly drown them out with Netflix until sunrise.

Andrea Sadowski

Whose cat is it anyways? I love the neighbourhood cats. Big cats, small cats, ugly cats — they're all good. The problem is that I don’t have one. We’re living in the golden era of pointless walks, my friends, and the height of any walk is when I see your cat standing at the end of your driveway, beckoning me with its fluffy tail and aloof, slightly condescending attitude. Your cat’s eyes meet mine and time freezes. Will he bolt, leaving me cold and alone on the sidewalk? Or will your cat take pity on my poor soul?

For those few precious minutes when I pet your cat, your cat is my cat too. And that’s nice. But please don’t call the police — I’m not trying to be weird. I just wish there was a timeshare system for cats. You get him when he’s in your house, and I get him when he’s on the sidewalk. Full disclosure: I don’t have any money, and I’m not super clear on how timeshares work. Please, I need this.

Adrian Rain

What my bookshelf reveals about me The New York Times recently published an article titled “What Do Famous People’s Bookshelves Reveal.” The piece goes through several recent celebrity appearances on social media and/or late-night TV shows and which books are on the bookshelves behind them. Since I like talking about my bookshelf I thought I would provide you all with something similar, without actual footage of it. • In Faith Alone: The Doctrine of Justification by Thomas Schreiner: I have a whole cubby on my bookshelf of all the textbooks I collected over the year and a half I attended two different Bible colleges. I don’t reread those books.

•

Yes She Can: 10 Stories of Hope and Change from Young Female Staffers of the Obama White House compiled by Molly Dillon: Dillon: I didn’t pay much attention to politics during the Obama administration. But with the dumpster fire of America’s current president, I read books like this to remind me of the good ol’ days. Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: Kinsella: I’ve read every single book of the Shopaholic series and will read all future books of the Shopaholic series, no questions asked.

Carissa Wiens

Happy Feet: Feet: the cosmic horror film that time forgot Happy Feet is criminally underrated. Not only is it a great kids’ movie, but if the penguins were recast as humans, it could be adapted into what would likely be regarded as a cosmic horror masterpiece. Imagine, if you will, a fascist theocracy where people must sing to find their soulmates. Only these unions are seen as valid, so a young man who can’t sing but who compulsively dances has to fight for recognition and acceptance. Though the young man is able to prove his love for his childhood friend, the religious leaders of his community blame him for an on-

going famine which is actually caused by alien interference. The young man sets out to find the aliens, only to learn that he can communicate with them by dancing. He brings the aliens back to his home, and the protagonist has to oust the church and teach everyone to dance so that they can beg for their puny little lives. Also, the courtship songs that are supposed to come from the core of the characters’ very souls are actually the aliens’ commercial pop hits. Wouldn’t that be wild?

Mikaela Collins

STUDY BREAK Quarantine Personality Quiz Everyone’s got a quarantine personality! What’s yours? Take this simple quiz to find out: 1. You’ve woken up and another full day of quarantine is upon you. What are your first thoughts?

a. Better move from the bedroom to the living room. b. I wonder how my sourdough starter is doing. c. I can probably sleep a few more minutes before I need to get ready for my shift.

d . Another day. All alone. Why me, God?

2. What is your uniform for the day?

a. Your pyjamas and a robe that haven’t been washed b.

in God only knows how long. Yoga pants, a tie-dye shirt you made yourself, and a velvet scrunchie, which you also made yourself.

c. Professional-looking clothes with comfortable footwear.

d. Full glam hair and makeup. No one sees your outfit over video chat anyways. 3. What is your beverage of choice when you finally roll out of bed to start a new day?

a. Wine. Or a nice cold craft beer. b. Dalgona coffee, that whipped instant coffee everyone has been making.

c. Coffee in a to-go mug. d. Coffee in a mug you made at a pottery class you

took with your friends, with a little added creamer and your tears that have dripped in accidentally.

You’ve turned on the TV. What is playing? a. Netflix. You’ve almost gotten through the entire library.

b. YouTube, to take an online yoga class or tutorial on how to make ceramic earrings.

c. The news, to watch the latest update from our health minister.

d. Whatever my other friends are watching on Netflix Party.

Your stomach is growling. What are you going to eat?

a. Open another bag of chips as an appetizer, order take-out for dinner, and a box of Girl Guide cookies for dessert.

b. A five-course meal you have made yourself from scratch.

c. Some of the meals your kind neighbours have dropped off for you.

d. Something quick to prepare so you can hop on

If you picked: Mostly A’s: Couch Sweet Potato I see you living your best life in your sweats stained with chocolate and ketchup, armed with a pantry full of snacks and a cupboard full of wine. You are truly an inspiration to us all by making the most of this sweet at-home time. Mostly B’s: Anxious Artist There is literally nothing you won’t do to distract yourself from being alone with your own thoughts. At least you’ve been incredibly productive during this pandemic — even picked up some new skills and read that stack of books by your nightstand.

Mostly C’s: Essential Worker Congratulations, we would not be able to get through this pandemic without you. Even after all your hard work, you have made time to take this useless quiz published in this small university’s student-run newspaper. Look at you, doing all the things! Mostly D’s: Enduring Extrovert As soon as the social-distancing restrictions have been lifted, you will be the first to go screeching outside, hugging every person in sight, and sapping all the energy out of these introverts that have been saving up for weeks. Hang in there!

your FaceTime dinner date.

Snakes and Lizards

Horoscopes //

Your weekly life predictions as told by Ang the Great

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 You might get in a fight with a neighbour or an old acquaintance this week over a difference of opinion. Just let these things slide, and eventually you’ll both forget about the matter.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Someone close to you will be particularly unpleasant this week, and you may find them hard to be around, but this is when you should be there for them the most. Lend them a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on if necessary.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 A bit of juicy gossip about a friend might reach you this week, but don’t believe all that you hear, as the people spreading these rumors care more about themselves than anyone else. Just don’t spread the gossip any further.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 You will encounter someone today who will give you the prudent life advice you have been searching for. Accept this wise figure’s counsel.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Someone will turn to you for advice this week, and you should feel proud that others trust your discerning nature and wise opinions enough to come to you with their problems. Be confident in your consultation with them.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 You have been lacking all motivation lately to achieve your goals. Keep your eye out for new opportunities this week because the thing you have been waiting for is not going to simply fall into your lap.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 You will uncover a new fascination this week and be engrossed in study. Don’t get overwhelmed if at first the subject matter seems too hard to comprehend — if you put in the time, your efforts will pay off.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 You will be engrossed in great feelings of nostalgia this week. Normally, these feelings cause you to feel inexplicable sadness, but now these feelings will drive a creative surge in you and lead you to new discoveries.

Illustration by Elyssa English Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Use all the time you have to yourself this week to do some deep soul-searching. Now is a better time than ever for a little selfimprovement as the inquisitive Mercury moves through your orbit this week. Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 All of your relationships — friends, family, romantic partners — will go well and run smoothly this week. You will have better communication and be able to see their point of view more clearly than you ever have before. Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 You may find yourself having a difficult conversation with someone you love this week, but we all have to make tough choices in life sometimes, so just suck it up and rip off the Band-Aid. Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 Do some soul-searching in your romantic life, as the moon has positioned itself in your relationship house this week. Are you truly happy with the partner you have, or are you just settling? These are the questions you should ask yourself.

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 14

FEATURE //

Your friendly neighbourhood is ol at ion r e a din g lis t Compiled by The Cascade Editorial Board

We’re all bored out of our skulls in isolation. There are some great options to kill time, like planning out your life goals, improving certain skills, building relationships — but let’s be real: that’s lame and boring. But never fear! Put that brain back into your skull because now’s the perfect time to pick up a book (remember books?). Here at The Cascade, we love to get lost in the world of fiction (or nonfiction if you’re one of those people) and want to share some of our personal favourites with you.

Carissa’s Corner My pleasure reading is very different from class readings: no Austen, Dickens, or Hemingway, just newly released fiction with splashy covers and less than 350 pages. I don’t dislike the classics; it’s just that I’m not necessarily going to read Anna Karenina instead of ripping through Too Hot To Handle. Contemporary fiction provides the thrills and joys that keep me entertained and away from Disney+ that the classics just can’t do for me.

heartwarming read that still kept me on the edge of my seat. The story follows a family of four as they grieve for their son who died tragically at a young age. Throughout the novel we see how each family member deals with his death as well as how they deal with the death together. I read this book in one day; it was that good.

My top pick from my quarantine reads is Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel. It’s a slower-paced psychological thriller about a mother convicted of abusing her child for 18 years. The book follows the aftermath of her arrest and includes some intense mind games. Get a copy now. The Shape of Family by Shilpi Somaya Gowda is a

Chandy’s Chapter If you want to broaden your horizons this quarantine, why not pick up some reads that are Indigenous, queer, or, better yet, both? It’s often said that people forget what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel, and both these pieces pack a powerful punch. Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway is a poetry collection that explores the emotional landscape of being an Indigenous trans woman in Canada. The vulnerability that Benaway shows in just the first few poems completely shook my world and had me close to tears in public. She isn’t afraid to speak her truth about sexual and romantic intimacy, body dysmorphia, or colonialism. This book truly feels like Benaway’s life shown bare, and it personally inspired me to the point where I was overflowing with ideas for creative work soon after finishing it. If nothing else, this book will expand your mind and soul, and you’ll walk away with having learned from the

experiences of a talented poet. Next, Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead follows similar themes. This time we follow Jonny, a two-spirit, Indigenous individual who’s desperate to escape his life on the reserve and move to the city. It’s a slice-of-life narrative that never has you on the edge of your seat, but it’s incredibly easy to read and full of honest accounts of queer romance, life on the reserve, trauma, and sex. Another interesting aspect of his life is that Jonny has to find his way, and that means becoming a sex worker who has to fetishize his race in order to get by. He reflects on this as he tries to raise enough money to travel back to his hometown for a funeral. Jonny Appleseed won’t shake you to the core like Benaway’s poem anthology, but it will make you question what you know about the queer Indigenous experience. Surprisingly, Benaway also helped edit this book.

Elyssa’s Exclusives Natural Causes is the first novel in an ongoing series by James Oswald, which follows the life and work of a fictional Edinburgh Detective Inspector Anthony McLean. In the first instalment of the series we are thrown into a world that, though strongly grounded in our reality, toes the line of the supernatural in a subtle yet satisfyingly unsettling way. The recently promoted detective inspector has his work cut out for him. While the rest of the police department struggles to keep up with a series of brutal and seemingly random murders, McLean’s attention is pulled from the case by the surprise discovery of a young girl’s body, a victim of a ritual sacrifice some 60 years before. Despite the protests of his superiors and a growing sense of unease, or perhaps paranoia, he is determined to prove an outrageous and unorthodox theory that may link everything together.

This dark, suspense-filled novel goes above and beyond the usual crime procedural, introducing us to a cast of colourful and compelling characters that, by the end of it, begin to feel more like living, breathing people than words on a page. The core of the story may be the gritty and chilling murder mystery, but it is driven by these characters. It is through them that Oswald has crafted such an addictive series. With 10 completed novels in the series thus far, there is plenty of material to sink into and find distraction in for the months ahead.

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The Cascade’s Reading Checklist: Stepping into her shoes is a joy — especially if she’s out scouring the mountains of Oklahoma for justice while you’re scouring the back of your pantry for the last graham cracker.

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Mikaela’s Musts Did you know that reading out loud isn’t just for little kids? In the early days of books, reading aloud was a prime form of entertainment, even for solitary readers. My favourite book to read to myself is True Grit by Charles Portis. First published as a serial in 1968, it follows the journey of 14-year-old Mattie Ross through the American West in 1873 as she seeks revenge for the death of her father. Mattie is unsentimental and driven by a cold, raw anger at the same time as she is naive and precocious — and a hilariously sarcastic narrator. Stepping into her shoes is a joy — especially if she’s out scouring the mountains of Oklahoma for justice while you’re scouring the back of your pantry for the last graham cracker. If you’re looking for something more contemporary, Michael Chabon’s speculative novel The Yid-

dish Policemen’s Union asks the question, “What if the U.S. had accepted Jewish refugees during World War II?” The answer? “It would have given them a lease of a large district in Alaska, and in 2007 a homicide detective would have to race to solve a murder in the few weeks before the district returned to being property of the United States, getting swept up in an international conspiracy in the course of the investigation.” With narration that will make you fall in love with a hardboiled, alcoholic cop by the third page and dialogue as rhythmic and witty as The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union is a fantastic story told by grounded characters. If you like murder, intrigue, broken men, and interlingual puns, this is the companion for you while you wait for the May flowers allegedly on their way to replace our April showers.

Nadia’s Nook In these times of isolation and danger, why not read about more isolation and danger? With Tana French’s Broken Harbour, you can get deeply invested in the murder of a family in an isolated community and the adverse affects isolation had on their mental well-being — which is not a parallel to how any of us are feeling whatsoever! While this is actually the fourth book in French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, and I would normally recommend reading them in order, since each book has a different protagonist who is introduced earlier in the series, this one is the most relevant. I first read it while cat-sitting alone in a townhouse, which I have to recommend as the ideal immersion experience if you want to feel like a stranger is in the house with you!

long to escape your problems (or an invitation to the wedding of an ex you’re still in love with) by running off to tour half a dozen countries in a matter of months, at least you can get immersed in someone else’s travels when you can’t have any for yourself. I have described this book as “soul-warming” before. It also made me cry.

If you’d rather escape the current situation, preferably via pretending travel is still an option we have, try Less by Andrew Sean Greer. If you, like protagonist Arthur Less,

Darien’s Deep Dives One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a Nobel Prize-winning Columbian author, was recommended to me by a friend around this time last summer. I binged it in about a week. It was a haunting, well-crafted display of magical realism. It was first published in 1967 in Argentina, and was later translated into English in 1970. Contrary to its title, it’s not really about solitude — at least not in an individual way. It is about a fairly isolated town in Latin America called Macondo, and journeys readers through several generations of the Buendia family as the town shifts and culture changes. I’ll be frank — some people hate this book and cannot keep up with its complicated family history where multiple members of the family carry the same name. I admit I was kind of confused at some points; but the enchanting, quirky, and strange stories just kept me reading. By the time I finished the book, something about how I looked and thought about life changed, and though I was left feeling slightly confused, the book stuck with me. It

speaks to so much that is raw and wonderful in human nature, and contains some of the most real characters I’ve ever read in a book — Marquez shows incredible insight into society, people, and family dynamics. This is one that can be read over and over again, and might just be the perfect thing to occupy your mind during isolation. If you’re more into depressing, dark tragedies about traumatic childhoods (like myself) then Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill is the perfect book for you. O’Neill is a Montreal-born author who usually bases her books in Quebec, giving readers a glimpse into French Canadian culture and history. In Lullabies, she follows Baby, a little girl growing up with a young, single, heroin-addicted father. She goes through tragedy after tragedy and is failed by the grown-ups in her life, until she meets a local pimp and falls under his spell. This book is dark, gripping, and could definitely be read in two or three sittings. What’s great about it is that O’Neill is constantly contrasting the dark, dirty adult world with imaginative and innocent childhood. It is my favourite book of all time — O’Neill captures the confusion and sadness of growing up with an addict parent perfectly.

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CULTURE

culture@ufvcascade.ca Andrea Sadowski — Culture Editor

Column //

COVID-19 //

Cascade Kitchen: Roasted Vegetable Soup

Managing Coronavirus fears and anxiety How to stay calm during a crisis ANDREA SADOWSKI Whether you live in Abbotsford or Indonesia, everyone around the world is feeling some level of anxiety and fear around the Coronavirus, whether it’s fear of catching the disease, anxiety about finances due to losing your job, or a deep sadness over having to physically distance ourselves, especially when it is during important life events like graduation, birthdays, or weddings. It is completely normal and warranted to feel this anxiety, and recognizing this feeling is the first step to gaining control over it. So here are some ways you can reduce COVID-19-related stress in your everyday life: Consume healthy amounts of media. It is important to stay informed, as this is a rapidly-developing crisis; however, watching the news all day, every day is not helping your mental health. Limit what you read and watch to credible news sources only, like the Government of Canada’s website, the World Health Organization website, and reliable news channels like CBC, BBC, and Al Jazeera, and set an allotted time limit for how long you will intake news for every day. Make your own health your first priority.

Roasted vegetable soup. May 3, 2020. (Andrea Sadowski)

ANDREA SADOWSKI The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca. This is hands-down the best soup you’re ever going to make. It is a sweet, creamy, wonderful bowl of deliciousness, with minimal ingredients, that is best served with a chunk of crusty bread on the side. Trust me, you will thoroughly impress whomever you serve this soup to, and it is incredibly easy to make. Ready in: 45 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 sweet potato 1 onion 3 carrots 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper 1/4 tsp nutmeg 4 cups vegetable broth Method: 1.

Chop your peeled sweet potato, carrots, and onion and spread them out on a baking sheet. Drizzle the chopped vegetables with olive oil, and sprinkle with all the spices. 2. Roast vegetables at 400 F for 30 minutes. 3. Once the vegetables are done roasting, add them to a pot along with the vegetable broth and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. 4. Transfer the contents of the pot into a blender and blend until smooth. 5. Serve and enjoy!

Use this time to be the healthiest possible version of yourself — get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious foods, and exercise frequently. Once you develop these healthy habits you will soon find that you start feeling better than when you were binging Netflix all night, living off a diet of chocolate cake and Sun Chips. I cannot stress enough how wonderful exercise can be toward an improved mental health. And of course follow all the necessary precautions to help avoid contracting COVID-19: wash your hands, keep physical distance (try to stay at least six feet away from others), avoid non-essential er-

rands or travel, and do not touch your face.

Stay connected. Social distancing does not mean social isolation. We have more tools than ever to be able to stay connected to our friends around the world. Be sure to schedule regular phone calls and video chats with your friends and family, and try to have a relaxing, fun conversation, not one dominated by Coronavirus news and fears. It is important to share these feelings with others, but don’t let it be the main focus. Plan ahead for what you can. It may help to write a list of everything you are worried about, try to get to the root cause of your anxieties, and try to brainstorm different solutions to your fears. For example, I spent almost the entire month of April worried about whether or not I still have my summer job in hospitality, but a week ago I decided to just start applying for other summer jobs, and I already have half a dozen interviews with potential employers. Don’t go too deep into hypotheticals; this exercise is simply to show you that maybe your fears are not as big and scary as they seem in your head, and to help you utilize your problem-solving abilities and recognize that in the midst of all this chaos, you still do have some control over your life. Phone a counsellor. If you need to talk to a mental health professional, you can phone the EmpowerMe hotline, a free crisis line for UFV students open 24/7. There is also the Crisis Text Line, where you can reach a counsellor through a simple text message. Anxiety is not a problem you can solve or “hack” your way out of, but rather an emotion to be recognized and managed. Go easy on yourself and others, because living in a pandemic of this nature is a new experience for all of us.

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CULTURE COVID-19 //

Cultural sites to visit at home Museums and galleries offer online activities to keep you entertained

NICHOLAS ASHENHURSTTOEWS With life still at a standstill and most of us stuck at home, the effects of the self-isolation period have likely taken hold. Confined to a few rooms, the thought of even going to the store may be overwhelming, not to mention the boredom that bleeds through and blends the day together. Fear not, for there are several museums and galleries that have taken to providing resources and activities online, many of them being free. Several of British Columbia’s cultural sites have created virtual experiences. The Vancouver Art Gallery, for example, has PDF activities to motivate and cultivate creativity. While they are geared toward children, anyone could use them as a springboard into a new art skill or creative project. Additionally, the gallery offers Art Connects, a series of online Zoom gatherings running from March 31 through to June 30 on Tuesdays and Fridays. These streams will include guests

from both local and international art communities, and there are already a number of past events archived on Vimeo for one’s viewing pleasure. The Royal B.C. Museum, located in Victoria on Vancouver Island, also has online activities for people of all ages. Most exciting are their virtual field trips where host Liz Crocker takes spectators on tours of some of Victoria’s outdoor spaces. These field trips can be accessed either through Zoom or via Facebook Live, and previous trips can be watched on the museum’s YouTube channel. The museum also has a number of other free activities, including the Emily Carr Timeline, which showcases the museum’s highlights from their Emily Carr Collection. The Museum of Anthropology located at UBC, similarly to other museums, offers a 360° virtual tour of the Great Hall as well as an online exploration of their archives and collections, which includes historical documents, photos, and objects. Online activities are not limited to local B.C. institutions. The Louvre in Paris offers a number of virtual tours of the gal-

lery, including a look at their Egyptian Antiquities collection, and a look at the remains of what was the Louvre’s moat. The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. is another prestigious museum offering virtual tours. Through their website, one can tour their past, current, and permanent exhibits, with additional tours of the Smithsonian Castle and 360° tours of the Museum Support Center and research stations. The Tate Modern in London is offering an online view of galleries ranging from British art throughout history to more modern pieces. The Tate Modern even has online art tutorials for those who want to learn to paint like some of the featured artists. If you have an interest in architecture, the Guggenheim located in New York offers an exploration of the building through time along with an audio guide. They also have a variety of “Artist Profile” videos showcasing interviews from contemporary artists who have been featured in their exhibits. Another showcase of extraordinary architecture is the Winchester Mystery House located in San José, California. While it does offer some

free downloadable activities, they do have paid online tours including a video which can be rented for a period of 72 hours or purchased, as well as a one-time payment 360° virtual tour of the house. Finally, Google has an extension entitled Google Arts & Culture which offers online resources, such as an “Art Camera,” which has a collection of high-definition artwork, allowing you to get a close look at famous paintings, right down to the brushstroke. There are 360° videos to have an interactive experience while maintaining physical distancing. There is also “Street View,” which allows people to tour famous sites and landmarks including, but not limited to Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the British Museum in London, or the Museo Frida Kahlo in Ciudad de México. Even when stuck at home, the internet has allowed people to stay connected. Museums offering virtual tours is just another way to do that, with the bonus of not travelling or paying what can be pricey admissions fees.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

ARTS

VOL. 28 // ISSUE 14

arts@ufvcascade.ca Chandy Dancey — Arts Editor

Netflix //

Twice the love for The Half of It Unlike other young adult Netflix Original romances, The Half of It is an artistic triumph NADIA TUDHOPE The Half of It is an unexpected treasure. This Netflix film centres around studious and friendless Ellie Chu, who makes money writing other people’s papers (alarmingly, keeping half of the school from failing) until Paul Munsky, a goofy and sweet jock who is bad with words, begs her to write a love letter to his crush, Aster. Pressed for money to keep the power on in her house, Ellie agrees — and helps Paul pursue the girl she is also in love with. I expected a sapphic romance similar in tone and aesthetics to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, but The Half of It was not that at all. It’s significantly more weighty — focusing on ideas about abstract art, philosophy, and definitions of love — and the real romance at the heart of it is the bromance between Ellie and Paul. While it’s easy to anticipate that Ellie and Paul’s business relationship will evolve into something closer to friendship, I didn’t anticipate just how invested in their relationship I would be. Ellie invites Paul into her home and supports

his entrepreneurial sausage making, and Paul invites her to parties and makes grand platonic gestures. It’s obvious that they care about each other in their own ways, with their own stumbling affections. “You know what it’s like to finally meet someone your age who gets you?” Ellie asks, and it’s unclear if she means Paul or her love interest. The Half of It takes place in the small (fictional) town of Squahamish, and rather than the indulgent, oversaturated colours predominant in its Netflix Original contemporaries, The Half of It is instead saturated in greys, browns, and forest greens, and locations prevalently feature wood-panelled walls. It feels like a small town, and an ungentrified one at that. You get a strong sense of the setting early on in the film, and with such deftness that you can feel what it’s like to live there, the subtle suffocation of it. The cinematography in The Half of It is surprisingly adept. It’s capable of evoking a great deal of emotion with a single shot, and packing another with subtle, yet heavy, symbolism. It’s clear that thought has been put into every angle; the

shots are largely simple, but strikingly effective. The film references its opening discussion of the ancient Greek belief that people have been split in two, left to long for their other half, with a shot of Ellie and Aster floating in a hot spring together, heads close but facing opposite directions, each wearing one of Ellie’s T-shirts. It sets another scene in the middle of a road, with one character on either side of the double yellow lines, the clear divide between them poetic and unstated. The movie’s true power, though, is its emotional impact. Its characters are easy to get invested in — by minute 12, I loved Ellie, and Paul’s unwavering sweetness makes him an easy character to care about. The movie relies on subtle acting choices and taking its time with important scenes to convey the emotions of the characters, and this makes it all the more engaging. With its care in delivering feeling in any given scene, The Half of It is able to deal with themes of immigration, depression, grief, religion, and the universality of feeling like an outcast with authenticity and vulnerability.

Book //

Taxidermy, beekeeping, and fires The formula for a new Canadian novella CARISSA WIENS Advice for Taxidermists & Amateur Beekeepers by Erin Emily Ann Vance is a 2019 release from Alberta publishing house, Stonehouse Publishing. Through this novella we see a brief glimpse into the lives of the Morris family as they process the death of their pregnant sister, Margot, along with her two children in a house fire. Set in a small town in Alberta, Margot’s three surviving siblings try to carry on their family’s traditional careers of beekeeping and taxidermy after their sister’s death. Many of the Morris family’s main connections within their community are through these professions. The people of the town, including their beekeeping and taxidermy communities, are taken by surprise with the tragic death, and they’re all left wondering if this house fire was an accident or on purpose — and if it’s arson, who did it? Vance uses her 97 pages wisely. The novella jumps right into the story and its setting, not wasting any time. We’re able to learn about all three siblings well enough throughout the book to understand the family. With a book so short compared to

other novels, the reader is left wondering why Vance didn’t just make it into a fulllength book. But after taking some time away from the book after finishing it, I realized that its length was quite appropriate. We are given all of the information we need to satisfy us. We really don’t need a 400-page novel to learn about the fire and its aftermath; we need (and receive) a brief look into the lives of the Morris family without being bogged down with a large amount of useless information. The book is dark: a family is grieving some of their own who were burned alive, but Vance doesn’t beat us over the head with this. Instead, she adds in pieces all throughout the story to see what the Morrises' lives were like before the house fire. We’re given adequate coverage of the Morris family, and how they try to move forward. This is a simple read. It’s something to pick up before bed and read a chapter or two of, but it’s not an attention-grabbing book. The grim circumstances in this rural town rarely leave us desperately curious. Sudden surprises and any sense of suspense are missing from this novella. Even though the main storyline of not knowing how the fire started was a big question

mark throughout the entire book, there were never any moments where I was fully consumed by wanting to know what happened. At the end of the book when the truth was revealed, it felt like a let down; there wasn’t much build-up. I even flipped back a couple of pages to see if I had already actually known this and just forgotten or missed it — that’s how anticlimactic

it felt. Even though the ending was too subdued, the novel was well-written, relatable with the sibling relationships, and a decent read for times when you don’t want to get stressed but rather enjoy a quick and quiet read in the evenings.

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

ARTS Album //

With quarantine comes an unexpected treasure

Multimedia //

Find something new to love

Fiona Apple’s first album in eight years CHANDY DANCEY Fiona Apple’s newest album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, was released on April 17, marking her first collection of songs put out since 2012. It features 13 tracks that scream empowerment, boldness, and experimentation. Apple’s newest album is unapologetic self-expression on her own terms. Fans are saying that this album helps them cope with quarantine, and it turns out that the decision to release it during the COVID-19 pandemic was intentional. Although originally slated to come out in October, Apple made the case to

release it earlier to avoid getting lost in the mix. With all the work that went into the album’s production, Apple wanted to make sure her voice was heard. For her troubles, Fetch the Bolt Cutters has skyrocketed its way to number four on the U.S. Billboard 200. In an NPR interview, Apple explains the name of the album to mean “Fetch your tool of liberation. Set yourself free.” This is further reflected in the title song, “Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” which encapsulates the main message: rise up and take back control — break free from your prison. With the mixture of frustration and fear the world is collectively feeling during quarantine, this album cements its relevance and temporal self-awareness. With an album name that came from a TV show featuring Gillian Anderson and album art that feels homemade, the tracks adopt a similar unpretentious and uninhibited frame of mind. Some tracks are simmering with anger, others are lovelorn, all are rebellious. Tracks begin as well-produced, fully realized pieces that deliver a strong message. Curiously, most also follow

the trend of having outros that melt into layered instrumentals, meditative repetition of lyrics, and sounds like the barking of dogs present during recording. Each track feels like it gets its idea across then promptly erupts into a raw and uninhibited form that shows what’s going on in Apple’s head. It’s organized chaos that doesn’t feel like it takes away from what the album is trying to convey, contrary to what critics say. “Under The Table” paints the picture of an expensive dinner party — one where you’re obviously not supposed to argue with another guest. Yet, Apple proclaims: “I would beg to disagree / But begging disagrees with me,” and we love her for it. “Shameika” tackles childhood bullies and recounts a time that an acquaintance (not even a friend) told Apple she had potential, and the phrase stuck with her. “I Want You To Love Me” is a medley of powerful piano melodies and string instruments as Apple begs for understanding and affection, drawing out the words: “And I’ve been waiting, waiting for you / You to love me” for an entire long, shaky breath. A number of songs also tackle the sexual assault Apple faced as a young teen, exploring forgiveness and the manifestations of anger. In “For Her” she focuses on the story of another woman she knows, unabashedly singing: “You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in.” It’s a line with weight so heavy it carries the entire song as it devolves into repetition of earlier lyrics. Apple pushes the boundaries of what’s socially acceptable to speak out loud and confront. Instead of questioning whether assault happened, the song unquestionably speaks the truth and layers multiple women singing to do so. During this time of solitude and selfisolation, Fetch the Bolt Cutters is an album for the people. It encourages us to turn inwards, focus on how we’re holding ourselves back, then manifest that into action and liberate ourselves. Apple questions complacency and makes listeners want to journal, unleash our fury on a punching bag, or scream in the middle of the woods. After almost a decade without Apple’s voice and wisdom, both now echo clearly with the lyrics: “Kick me under the table all you want / I won’t shut up, I won’t shut up.”

NICHOLAS ASHENHURSTTOEWS Increased time at home means that there are many long hours that will need to be filled. Perhaps at this point you’ve exhausted Netflix but are still looking for media to entertain your time. Here’s a list of media that will, hopefully, stave off boredom and loneliness for a little while longer. Starting with music recommendations: released in February of 2020, Spanish Love Songs’ album Brave Faces Everyone is a piece of art that feels particularly relevant to these times. Mixing punk and emo aesthetics and lyrical sensibilities, the album takes the listener on an emotional journey touching on topics such as growing up, anxiety, depression, poverty, drug addiction, and the figurative, or perhaps literal, end of the world. At 10 songs, this album can either feel comforting or a little too heavy considering the dark subject matter. If you're missing conversation, podcasts may be the way to go. Often recorded in long-form, podcasts that update regularly can be a welcome addition to everyday routine. If, for example, you enjoy true crime, Cult Podcast is a must for listening. Recorded by three Los Angeles-based comedians, it has an impressive back catalogue of 135 episodes, with extra and bonus episodes mixed in. As they talk about cults, there is the possibility that some material will be quite dark and not for everyone, especially because these are people who often have a joke to undercut whatever horrible reality they are talking about. If that darkness seems a little much at the moment, MusicalSplaining is a podcast where video essayist Lindsay Ellis subjects her friend who doesn’t like musicals to a wide range of them — from Cats and its 2019 film adaptation to newer shows such as Hadestown and Beetlejuice to Broadway classics such as The Phantom of the Opera. Unfortunately, as Broadway has ceased performances and “gone dark” and most theatres and touring shows have closed, this podcast is on an unplanned hiatus.

If you prefer reading, particularly if graphic novels are a favourite style of storytelling, webcomics are an ideal media for this time. While it can often feel like you are watching a story being told in slow motion, many webcomics have an impressive backlog that can take a while to work through. If you like folklore-based stories, the horror-adjacent Wilde Life is phenomenal. It follows a writer by the name of Oscar Wilde, though it should be noted that this Oscar Wilde is not the Irish poet, as he moves to a small town and befriends a number of its strange inhabitants. If shows such as Sailor Moon are more your style, Sleepless Domain follows a cast of colourful characters as they fight off the forces of evil and deal with darker themes such as grief and loss. YouTube, of course, is another platform with a wide range of content. Whether you’re into arts and crafts, books, makeup, or video games, there is something to watch. If you want to watch two guys who’ve been best friends for 35 years, Good Mythical Morning’s hosts Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln "Link" Neal have taken to revamping their Rhett & Link channel and have been posting vlog-style videos on Saturdays. Whether it’s eating as much GrapeNuts cereal as possible or playing disc golf with tortillas, this duo will always make you smile. If you’re craving a narrative and are passionate about animations, Dollmotions’ Divus series may be for you. Rooted in a rich folkloric world, the series feels like a blend of Gravity Falls and Fantastic Mr. Fox. It follows a cast of anthropomorphic characters living in Amsterdam as they come to learn of the existence of people with magical powers. Animated in stop motion with handmade dolls, Divus’ many mysteries will have you anxiously awaiting the next episode. With the excess hours, there has never been a better time to pick up a new piece of media and watch, read, or listen to it. While this list does have a bias to it, hopefully it’s varied enough in its media type and theme that you will discover something new to love.

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ARTS Movie //

The Rise of Skywalker: ending a story generations in the making

GABRIEL PETERS This week, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is being uploaded to Disney+; with the current closure of movie theatres, such an upload may bring the film into the spotlight once again. With the discussion of this film reopening, even for a short time, I want to propose a little hope for this movie going forward. It’s not as if anything that anyone says can raise its box-office scores, but it may be too soon to relegate this movie to failure status. Afterall, this is a mistake Star Wars fans have made before. Bringing a conclusive ending to a story which has been generations in the making would be a monumental undertaking for any storyteller; the immense fanbase and cultural value associated with the Star Wars franchise only intensifies the pressure and scrutiny. However, despite an initially polarized response and somewhat underwhelming box office performance, it is a cautious belief of mine that The Rise of Skywalker may yet grow to be understood

as a satisfying ending for the Skywalker saga. Star Wars films tend to grow more generally accepted over time. For many years, George Lucas’s prequel trilogy was ridiculed for many of its writing, acting, and storytelling elements. However, over recent years, general approval ratings of the turn-of-the-century trilogy have skyrocketed. One key reason, as noted by Screenrant writer, Alex Leadbeater, is that when making the prequel trilogy, “Lucas was returning Star Wars to children — not the children who grew up with the films in the 1980s, but the next generation — [and eventually] those 1990s kids would grow up with a strong appreciation of Episodes I-III.” This point is a compelling one; over the past several years, those who grew up watching the prequels as an existing part of the Star Wars universe have reached the age where their voices are a valid and even dominant force in the broad cultural discussion of Star Wars. In 2020, the university and early work-

force-aged members of society, members who often determine cultural trends, are the same members of society who grew up buying Lego associated with the once-infamous prequel trilogy. As they have aged, these prequel fans have made their voices heard, and progressively caused the Star Wars community as a whole to accept the prequels as an important portion of Star Wars storytelling. It is easily conceivable that over time the sequel trilogy, featuring characters designed for today’s children, will undergo a similar rise from the ashes of Star Wars approval. Disney has effectively returned Star Wars to whom it belongs — the children — once again. And once again, as with the prequels, the older generations of Star Wars fans have failed to realize that they do not compose the target audience as they once did. Older Star Wars loyalists are welcome to appreciate the veiled references and general Star Wars atmosphere present in the new films (The Rise of Skywalker in particular delivers much on these two fronts) but are not truthfully the fans for whom these

movies were produced. Star Wars is as it has always been and does what visionary George Lucas always stated he wanted it to do, “to give young people some sort of faraway exotic environment for their imaginations to run around in.” Bearing this in mind, it seems likely that the eventual judgement of The Rise of Skywalker will not be conducted by today’s squabbling nerds on Reddit. Instead, it is today’s children who will have the final word. These are children who will grow into tomorrow’s thinkers after experiencing the film with the same child-like wonder many of us felt when enjoying the exotic environments featured in the original Star Wars movies and its prequels. If this is so, Disney’s conclusion to the Skywalker saga, the final steps of a story many of us have invested in for years, may very well go on to reside safely in Star Wars lore as a conclusion that helped its young viewers to experience the world Lucas created just the way he intended — whether or not the world of 2019 was ready to accept it.