Issue 74.6
6
Disclaimer and Publication Information: The Union Weekly is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of the Union Weekly, not ASI or CSULB. All students Union Weekly may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. The Union Weekly anonymous letters, articles, editorials, and illustration, but must have your name and information Union Weekly assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for claims of its advertisers. Grievance procedures
“Sorry, I’m not lactating anymore.” Alfred Pallarca, Culture Editor
Rose Feduk, Editor-in-Chief
editorinchief@lbunion.com
Marco Beltran, Managing Editor
marcob.union@gmail.com
Connor O’Brien, Managing Editor
connor.union@gmail.com
Eric Garcia, Advertising Exec
advertising@lbunion.com
Shereen Lisa Dudar, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com
Alfred Pallarca, Culture Editor culture@lbunion.com
Sierra Patheal, Campus Editor campus@lbunion.com
Molly Shannon, Food Editor food@lbunion.com
Michael Wood, Music Editor music@lbunion.com
Connor O’Brien, Art Director connor.union@gmail.com
Roque Renteria, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com
Truc Nguyen, Web Manager
Alyssa Keyne, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com
God Warrior, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com
Chrissy Bastian, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com
Assistant Editor: Sam Winchester Contributors: Paula Tena, Linda Nygård, Alexis Jacob, Geno Mehalik, Soohee Han, Sophia Zarders, Wes Young, Kevin Tran, Helen Ames, Michelle Slieff, Delon Villanueva, Bianca Lemus, Vivian Valencia, Eric Herschler, Aaron Mason, Hazuki Onaga.
Rose and the Sasquatch We Treated Badly Rose Feduk Editor-in-Chief There’s no feature this week, and I’m going to tell you why. You see, last week when we went into the deep drawer next to my desk labeled “FEATURES,” all I found were some ketchup packets and cobwebs. Usually, when I look in this drawer, there’s a tiny Sasquatch with a typewriter hunched in an uncomfortable position, with sweat dripping from his furry brow as he clacks away on the feature for the week. He conducts all the interviews, transcribes all the audio, and does hours of fact checking and copy-editing while we hoot and holler and bang on the desk while watching reality shows on Hulu Plus. As it turns out, he left a few days ago, leaving just a note that cited “unsuitable working conditions,” “unequal pay,” and “too much loud” as his reasons for leaving. We’ve tried to contact his landlord and members of his family to prod him back into working with us, promising a 20% increase of twigs and berries for his wages, but we’ve had no luck. Sasquatch has Union are temporarily without a feature and have learned a valuable lesson in labor rights. If you’re not buying that story, I have
an alternative: we just have too much good content that we wanted to show you this week, and we couldn’t squeeze in a three-page feature. In addition, we have also brought back our Athletics page, headed by our new editor, Chrissy Bastian. Give her a private round of applause and send her reviews of games on campus, sports news, analysis, and anything related to doing the opposite of what I do most of the time (which is just sitting around). Speaking of writing articles, here are a few more ideas you can ponder while you peruse through this issue: A tour through the most expensive music videos ever made (Michael Jackson’s “Scream” was not worth every penny,) an article documenting the worst movies Paul Giamatti has ever made, or a photo tour of art made with food. Those are just casual suggestions of course. I’m sure you’ve thought of more inspired ones at three in the morning. Now, go forth and write! And if you know why that music video cost so much, please email me at info@lbunion.com.
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Questions? Comments? Coco Marx? Long Beach, CA 90815. E-mail: info@lbunion.com
OPEN MEETINGS EVERY TUESDAY AT 5:30PM MEET US AT OUR OFFICE IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF THE USU. EMAIL INFO@LBUNION.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.
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3 Campus
Group picture with Ghanaian students
Jumping on the levy above the Ninth Ward
Donut-eating contest at the Thomas House
Enacting our Educations Have you ever wished you could swing a hammer instead of lugging around your textbook? Do you dream about traveling to the African diaspora instead of listening to lectures about the continent in your Geography classroom? Do you wish you could give back to your community in addition to living and learning in it? If so, CSULB’s service learning classes might be the perfect choice for you. Here, students report their worldwide volunteer experiences—and the outcome is unanimous: Do it. Make a difference through your coursework; you won’t regret it. Alternative Spring Break coursework is only offered in the spring, but service learning offerings can be seen at http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/personnel/cce/students/courses/.
Across the ocean: Ghana, Africa Words cannot begin to describe how invaluable my Alternative Spring Break Program experience in 2013 was, but I will give it a shot. First and foremost, I credit the coordinator of this program, Dr. Beverly Booker, for her collaborative leadership approach, which brought the very best out of me and my fellow travelers. I am certain that one of the factors that made this experience so crucial to my personal and professional development was that each individual who participated was included in the planning and implementation of the entire service learning project. Absolutely everyone involved was was given the opportunity to teach dance to Ghanaian children, something I would have never fathomed when I began my journey as a dancer. Additionally, we held workshops for our service learning sites, which covered the topics of ethnic identity, storytelling, public
speaking, and career goals. Each workshop was facilitated by an emerging leader in the discipline, which provided us all with the opportunity to explore how we could creatively transfer our skill sets to serve a population with cultural nuances that were relatively new to us. On a personal note, the experience of being an African-American on the continent of Africa felt incredibly healing to me. I have participated in a few campus presentations on our group’s experience this past year, and I consistently speak to the theme of “connection,” which was pervasive throughout this journey. I recall sitting in everyone in our group going round robin stating their intentions and expectations for the trip. At the time, I stated that my intention was to learn to love and appreciate
Aaron Mason Contributor comfortable embracing the African side of my label as African-American. Growing up in a culture in which there are very few accurate and positive representations of Black people, it was important that I seek out my heritage beyond the US narrative of slavery. Being in an environment in which I saw myself in the faces of university professors, in the beauty of an African rainforest, and in the eyes of the most humble and appreciative children I have ever encountered left me walking tall with the healthiest sense of pride This is not to say this experience did not bring to the forefront the harsh realities of the aftermath of centuries of enslavement and colonialism. But through these realities, I was able to recognize my privilege as an American, as well as my responsibility as a descendent of Africans to honor the
legacy of those who came before me. This recognition was probably most salient as I stood at the “Door of No Return” at the Cape Coast Dungeons. This was a location where Africans who had been captured and enslaved were taken prior to making the journey to the Americas. As the door opened, I looked out and could visibly see the toll that hundreds of years of oppression had taken on Africa and its people, and I was entire diaspora. However, a warm feeling of hope and promise came over me as I walked through the door and looked back to read the inscription on the opposite side, which read “Door of Return.” In that brief instance, it occurred to me that I, and every other descendant who could comprehend that message, represented a people coming full circle and stepping back into their place as an equal and vital part of humanity.
Across the country: New Orleans, Across the street: Thomas House, Louisiana Sierra Patheal Campus Editor Garden Grove Alfred Pallarca Culture Editor It’s easy to forget how long it takes to rebuild after a disaster. When that disaster was initially approached in a manner as uncoordinated and reconstruction takes even longer. Perhaps one of the longest-lasting realizations I gained from participating in CSULB’s Alternative Spring Break program in New Orleans a few years ago was that disasters are far from over when they stop showing up on prime-time
after the destruction. The Alternative Spring Break program is part of a full, three-unit class, a capstone that meets General Education requirements for both Human Diversity and the D2 category. Participants learn about the history and culture of New Orleans, the circumstances surrounding storm. Then, finally, when other students are jetting off to spend Spring Break on
their couches or in Cabo, the Alternative Spring Break class flies out to New Orleans and spends the week volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and building houses in some of the neighborhoods that were hit the hardest by the storm. While one week of service doesn’t make
It was probably the best $800 I spent during last the winter break. I decided to take Winter
Break has been facilitating student aid in New Orleans annually since the initial disaster. Long Beach continually makes an
the most rewarding part of the class was the community service we had to do. We
have not been forgotten. This spring will be the ninth anniversary
took POSC 450, or “Comparative Political Movements,” to meet both a General Education and a major requirement. The class was intense, as a whole semester would be compressed into a mere two weeks.
organization for the class to witness how a social movement starts and progresses, as
after the storm. Consider signing up to swing a hammer or fasten down a roof next
the neighborhood. Students attending class during a regular semester would need to do 20 hours of community service of their choice; seeing our class only lasted for two weeks, we only had to do 10 hours. Conveniently, the professor handed us
can make.
around LA and Orange County that we could
hardest-hit quarters of the city, like the economically depressed Ninth Ward, are
dedicate our time to. A few representatives from the organizations also visited the class to tell us the opportunities that await us. Some of the standouts within my class were Tree People, Shoestring City Ranch, and Thomas House. I decided to do my 10 hours at the Thomas House, since volunteering to mentor children has always been a passion of mine. Thomas House is an organization that helps families who are either homeless or on the brink of
program for children and teenagers. Although it is not mandatory for students to continue serving for our chosen organization after the 10 hours are completed, I drop by at least every other week to volunteer. Helping those children out is truly satisfying. and feel productive during the winter break, I also felt a sense of satisfaction for spending some of my time helping people out.
4 Opinions
Throwing in the Towel Why quitting can be a good thing Shereen Lisa Dudar Opinions Editor
Illustration by Rose Feduk Editor-in-Chief
I quit. Despite the negative connotation of the word “quit,” I can assure you that there
decided to let go of…” and, “It’s time for me to give my attention to new things.” The only problem, and the only reason I remember these phrases verbatim, is I told my boss all this over text. I can continue to claim that it was a weekend and our work schedule goes full swing Monday through Wednesday, so I was just trying to leave before then, but I know deep down that I did it because I was scared. No matter how good your relationship with your boss is or how charismatic of a person you are, it’s difficult to be confident when you’re quitting. Because of the mentality ingrained in our heads as children, being a “quitter” will be difficult and feel bad. If I had quit in person, or even called, I know I wouldn’t have said everything with as much poise as I did over text. I would have stumbled over my words, felt anxious, and probably changed my mind halfway through and decided not to quit. My boss called me a couple hours later, and I paced back and forth listening to him say how much I would be missed while interjecting to assure him that I only left to pursue other goals and did not have any pent-up animosity, but even then, it was nerve-wracking. I quit, I was sure of it, and there was no going back. I felt extremely relieved and free, and then I wanted to cry and felt like my insides were going to collapse;
doing so will make you feel better than if you had stayed. Ever since childhood, it’s been ingrained into our heads that quitting is for failures and that we should keep at it, but if you’re bad at something, don’t enjoy it, or no longer care—walk away. I understand that that’s easier said than done. Some people, including myself, will stay at a job long after they know they want to leave because too much time has already been invested. We have friends who make the job tolerable and we get paid, so there shouldn’t be anything to complain about, but we just can’t shake that feeling that this place ultimately sucks, which causes us to roll our eyes every time our boss leaves the room and doing work we know is subpar. When this vicious cycle is reached, it’s better to just stop. Going to work is a waste of time—your friends will continue to contact you if they care to and the money can be found elsewhere. Stop thinking in terms of time spent and start thinking in terms of happiness lost. Now you’re ready to quit. There’s supposed to be a process involving a two weeks’ notice and a resignation letter, both of which are ingrained in your head even though you never learned them anywhere. All we’re ever taught is how to get a job. At some point, someone told you how to write and format your résumé, what to wear for an interview, and what sort of answers you should have, but no one ever said, “This is how you quit.” The focus is on getting the job, even if it’s shitty.
an unpaid job through the school, therefore I had no obligation to dress up and meet in person. I played with the phrase “I quit” for a couple of days and ultimately decided to avoid those actual words and opt for, “I have
I overthought the whole process, and leaving felt like I was losing a part of myself, but that’s simply not true in retrospect. I got everything I wanted from that job and it was great while it lasted. It’s important to remember that the only way to advance is to leave old things behind. This isn’t a manifesto encouraging you to quit your job, but rather to push you to rethink where you are and whether you can do better. No, happiness won’t pay the bills, but if the time you’re spending at your job feels wasted, consider walking away.
Competing Against Myself If you don’t try, you’ll never succeed Sierra Patheal Campus Editor
Filtered Fun In defense of Instagram Eric Herschler Contributor
On Friday afternoon, I competed in the CSULB Student Research Competition. My category was Creative Arts & Design, and I had a wonderful time presenting my thesis project to a couple of knowledgeable, engaged faculty members from the Graphic Design and Architecture departments on campus. I was also the only competitor in my category. While the experience of presenting was wonderful practice for possible conference involvement in the future, and while I rarely turn down the opportunity to ramble on about my current
on campus that would love to reward us for those them. And so for whatever reason—fear, embarrassment, or a simple acknowledgement of thirty-three things to do on the due date—we let opportunities pass us by, never realizing just how accessible those awards and recognitions may be. Now, I should mention that Creative Arts & Design was not the only category
myself! Congratulations, self! As strange as that felt, it also made me realize how surprisingly uncompetitive some of the opportunities on our campus are. There are chances to excel all over this univeristy, and in our overworked, overstressed lives, most of us simply overlook them, convincing ourselves we wouldn’t have a chance if we entered anyway. We forget the fact that most of us are doing pretty awesome things with our lives, and if we just took a moment to frame them properly, there are organizations
in some of the sections. My respect and congratulations go out to winners in the Behavioral & Social Sciences and the Health, Nutrition, & Clinical Sciences sections in particular—those were competitive. But my section wasn’t the only category with only one presenter, and some of the categories had no entrants at all. Don’t tell me there’s no one on this campus doing research in Biology or Agriculture. If one student in those divisions had decided to submit a project synopsis, that lucky student would have walked away from the ten-minute presentation (and beautiful, catered awards dinner) with a check for $100 in the mail and an opportunity to represent CSULB at Cal State East Bay in May. Seems like a weighty reward for the effort of
I’m not really an expert when it comes to Instagram. I had one for less than a month and even though it wasn’t for me, I was able to understand what Instagram was all about and stopped being a massive hater. Instagram is actually pretty neat, because it’s the only popular app that allows people to post their boring daily lives through pictures. People like it because it’s a fun way to capture the monotony of life. The people who complain about their feed being littered with pictures of white girls’ vanilla lattes just don’t get it. Instagram isn’t supposed to be some life-changing photographic revelation. It’s a fucking social network app that lets you share pictures of your day with your friends. What more do you want?
The main reason people hate on Instagram has to do with the filters. Professional photographers frown upon Instagram users because they think the quick filters are an insult to the time it takes to create and develop a real photograph. Many photographers claim that Instagram will never take over real photography, to which I reply, “No shit.” Instagram doesn’t need to take over photography. Comparing Instagram to photography is like comparing vinyl records to mp3s. Both play music, but they are completely different beasts. Instagram is an easy way to test your artistic waters before you commit to real photography. Even if you’re not interested in photography, it’s still interesting to see how your friends lead
summarizing some research and giving a brief presentation. That’s the thing about awards, competitions, and scholarships—you never know who’s going to enter. Sure, it might seem overwhelming when you look knows? You might be the only person in that category. Or you might be one in a thousand, and your project still might be the best. You’ll never know until you give it a chance. So, next time you see an award or competition advertised on campus, pause for a moment and think about it. Do you something together in time? If the answer to those two questions is unequivocally “no,” then alright—it would make no sense to try to track down every opportunity in Long Beach, and you’d run yourself ragged trying to. But if you can answer those questions reason not to give it a try. Sure, it might be scary, and maybe it’s something you think you can never win—but just imagine how wonderful you’ll feel if you do!
their daily lives. Kevin Tran complained last week about how Instagram showcases how boring people’s lives are. That’s the point. People like Instagram because it shows that people lead pretty average lives. I’m a total Facebook addict, but I understand that it’s nothing more than a highlight reel. Most them look good. The same can’t be said for Instagram, and that’s why most people prefer it. So take a picture of that pretty sunset or misspelled Starbucks name, and realize that you’re just as average as everyone else.
5 Opinions
“Instagram isn’t supposed to be some life-changing photographic revelation.”
VOTER INFORMATION The Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) has requested that the university’s Student Fee Advisory Committee conduct a referendum to provide additional support for ASI programs and services by increasing the Associated Students fee. The amount of the requested fee increase is $16 per semester ($12 in the summer) effective fall 2014. Additionally, to address inflationary concerns, the ASI is requesting the ASI fee be subject to adjustment every three years from the date of the referendum’s passage by an amount not to exceed the corresponding increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County area. All such adjustments would be subject to authorization by the Student Fee Advisory Committee, with the first adjustment being implemented in fall 2017. The fee referendum will be conducted as an online election on Wednesday, February 26 and Thursday, February 27, 2014.
BACKGROUND The Associated Students fee has not been increased since fall 2000. In the years since then, the cost of operating ASI’s various programs and services has increased by over 44% with no corresponding increase in the fee amount. In order to keep offering programs and services, ASI has had to freeze employee wages, refrain from replacing outdated property and equipment, postpone the maintenance and upgrade of ASI-operated facilities such as the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center and the Soroptimist House, and hold off on establishing any new programs or services that students have been requesting, such as a 24-hour study center, major concerts and large-scale entertainment programs, and additional scholarships. With the upcoming increase in the California minimum wage and the need to address the deteriorating condition of ASI facilities, ASI is faced with the possibility of having to decrease the amount of funds awarded to student clubs and organizations, discontinue the funding of scholarships, and possibly eliminate certain programs or services. Due to these challenging financial circumstances, the Associated Students, Incorporated is proposing that the Student Fee Advisory Committee conduct this referendum, allowing students to vote on increasing the Associated Students fee.
General INFORMATION Argument for a Fee Increase
•With a $16 fee increase, CSULB will still be among the lowest in ASI fees of any public, four-year institution in the State of California. •The $16 fee increase will allow ASI to provide new programs and services such as a 24-hour study center, a major concert, other large-scale entertainment programs, study abroad grants, and/or research grants. •ASI has delayed many projects due to a 36% loss of buying power since 2001 and thirteen years of inflation. This fee will allow ASI to fund many badly needed projects. •The fee will be adjusted to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) every three years, effective 2017 giving ASI consistent buying power in spite of inflation. •The $16 fee increase will prevent further cuts in ASI programs and services, such as student organization grants, student travel funds, club sports funding, scholarships, childcare services, and recycling services. Argument against a Fee Increase
•The $16 per semester fee increase is in addition to other fee increases such as the recent increase in the Student Excellence fee. •Every three years, subject to the approval of the Student Fee Advisory Committee, the fee will be adjusted to match the CPI without a vote of the student body. •The $16 per semester fee increase will be especially felt by students who are not on financial aid or scholarship programs. •Some students may not take advantage of the new programs and services.
8 Food
Soul Food Hambone’s BBQ should be on every foodie’s bucket list Words and Photos by Molly Shannon Food Editor
“It was like the gates of Heaven had opened, and God was the baby-back rib warmly greeting my taste buds..”
So you just broke up with your boyfriend. Maybe your cat died. Or you completely bombed a midterm for which you studied
macaroni & cheese, black-eyed peas, and
for the family-sized tub of ice cream. Well,
boiled to perfection. Alyssa and her family have made soul food dishes like baked
my lifetime, but without a doubt, these trumped all the rest. The perfect balance of
traditional comfort food, take yourself out what better way to pump up your spirits than This homestyle eatery located on
Alfred chose the chicken and shrimp tacos, which were decorated with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa. He described
to beef up your heart, from pulled pork and brisket barbeque to baby-back ribs and, of
and like me, he also went for the coleslaw.
and cheese, the sweet potatoes, the ribs; they are not easy to make. This is even more of a
made the drive up the 605 North. Despite
walked into this establishment, we were
in the club. Finally, Helen ordered the barbeque pulled pork sandwich with a side of sweet
NEED to check out this place. Alfred wanted me to mention that he spotted Dominic from Big Brother 13
is validated.
have helped.
buds. The barbeque sauce that blanketed
sweet-tea you will ever come across), just in the ribs with coleslaw, which was covered
food-venture included Alyssa, our Literature Editor, Alfred, our Culture Editor, and our Swedish friend Helen. Alyssa tried
9
A one-on-one with the owner of Seoulmate on 7th Street Words and Photos by Bianca Lemus Staffer
“I guess I expected to meet a heavy-set businessman in his 50s or 60s with a gold watch.�
was only one Korean restaurant in the entire colored food shack called Seoulmate. Trust
a classmate in one of my journalism classes. house that was converted to a business. As a meet a heavy-set businessman in his 50s or meant some type of Korean food heaven had just opened near my place, which meant no
places allowed him to see what he says were
Seoulmate, he would rather close down. Seoulmate is a very intimate and mellow
for Seoulmate derives from fusion food trucks
conscious about the food at his restaurant, he also spoke about his customers. At
Korean staples, but we also have our fusion
and who opened Seoulmate not for his own conscious about what they cook, especially because their entire kitchen is surrounded by a clear window so anyone and everyone can see how they make and prepare the
totally recommend you not only stop by and most likely be the friendly black-framed eye-
Food
Seoul Food
10 Culture
About 50 million American adults are diagnosed with a mental disorder and one in four are suffering from a diagnosable disorder every year. Living with a mental condition can be challenging and
students who deal with having a mental disorder and their daily
for those who are in the dark about their situation. Illustration by Hazuki Onaga Contributor
The Darkness of My Happiness Vivian Valencia Contributor
Sweet Dreams, or a Beautiful Nightmare Shereen Lisa Dudar Opinions Editor
time in my life, as he was dropping me worst episodes thus far. Nothing felt real, in fact none of the emotions I felt then are describable to me now. I was diagnosed with bipolarism when I was 13. I would go through episodes of being sick. My emotions would fluctuate from some months of me being excited, having an abundance of energy, and confidence to think the impossible to having no emotions at all and feeling utterly depressed. I would feel as if I was a star, one of those famous celebrities in the movies, who had it all. In a blink of an eye, everything would change. My happiness high would quickly fade away like smoke would into thin air. Numbness would quickly start circulating my body, and all the positive energy would turn into negativity. I would go for days crying,
In the top drawer of my desk are two pill bottles: Quetiapine Fumarate (Seroquel) and Fluoxetine HCL (Prozac). I take them out every so often when I’m feeling anxious or when I have been awake in bed for hours, but I haven’t opened them and actually had a pill since last summer. I started attending therapy and taking medication three years ago. After days with minimal sleep and food, I began hallucinating and decided enough was enough. I told my parents and they took me to a psychologist who had me go to a teen anxiety group. It wasn’t long before I had a psychiatrist put me on meds. For a while, the dosage kept going up and the appointments for blood work seemed never-ending. I was taking my medications during the day and floating from class to class in a zombie-like state. When I was instructed to move my medicating time to an hour before bedtime, the zombie state transferred to my sleep.
nights without sleep, and I felt like disappearing into darkness. Looking back at those episodes, only images of those days come to mind. I feel possibility of them happening again, and thinking about the future. Sometimes, it is hard for me to open up to people for fear of being judged. I realized that this is who I am, but at the same time, it doesn’t fully Currently, I am in the dormant stage and appreciating my health. I am taking my medication and focusing on things that make me happy. I decided to stop attending college as I realized it is not something that arouses my creativity. I am pursuing my passion in fashion and art outside of the college environment. Because of my episodes, I learned to appreciate my family and those who are close to me on a much deeper level.
I could practically feel the mood relaxers wash over me like a wave as I was rendered motionless and transported to Dream Land. It was fantastic. It was too fantastic. Catching up on all the sleep I had been deprived of for so long was addicting. I loved those magical little pills that made me feel normal. For the first time in a long time, I was having dreams. With these dreams came a new kind of insanity. The dreams involved people in my life and were so realistic that I became unaware whether things were happening in real life or just in my head. Popping the pills was becoming routine and I couldn’t have imagined my life without them, which was definitely problematic. I didn’t want to need these little tablets and capsules. Yes, they were helpful in solving a problem, but they weren’t the only solution. On my own, I decided that I was done taking pills. My sleep anxiety, depression,
Though one might think my disorder could possibly make my family fragile, it actually brings us closer together and stronger. One day 10 years from now, I hope to have a so-called ‘normal’ life with a career that I have always wanted, a happy family, and the typical white picket fence around my house. Ideally, I would want work with children dealing with this syndrome improve their lives Being bipolar does make me feel somewhat vulnerable, but having this more than a regular person could. In a way, I like to see that me having this illness makes me a stronger person. It might not be over any time soon—maybe it will never be—but —perhaps even a better person—every time I come out of it.
and mania would have to be something I dealt with naturally. I had stopped going to therapy long before that, so I didn’t feel it necessary to run it by a doctor. I called the doctor about a month after I stopped taking the pills and they were cool with it and told me to come back if I ever felt suicidal. I don’t really dream anymore and I sometimes have to wait until 2am before I it. I’m happy I got help when I needed it and overcame the stigma of taking medication. I am open about everything I’ve been through and I know that if I ever need to go back to taking medication, there’s nothing wrong with that. Anxiety doesn’t just go away and I know I sometimes overreact when little things happen, but I’m not going to turn to my medication just because things get a little tough to handle. I have learned to turn anxiety into a positive experience.
11 Athletics
Juggle Them Balls
Chrissy Bastian Athletics Editor
An inside look into the CSULB Beach Balls Jugglers’ Club
Photos by Sam Winchester Assistant Editor
You may have wondered about that group of people hanging out on the lawn near the bookstore with hula-hoops, balls, clubs, and other knick-knacks scattered around. Some are tossing things around, while others are just chilling. Personally, as I walked by them to class each day, I would be curious about who they were and what they were all about. I guessed that they were some sort of group of friends, just hanging out and having fun.
UW: How many hours a week would you say you two are out here? CN: It kind of depends. I would say we’ve all improved on our skills here, because we’re like, “Okay, we just want to play.” I’m here sometimes for two hours, sometimes half an hour [each day]… I try to come out here on my breaks, whenever I’m done with class or don’t have anything to do… You don’t even have to really practice, if you don’t want to. Still, usually everybody practices, so it’s fun.
legitimate club. If you’ve heard the rumors about how nice the Jugglers’ Club is, I can tell you they are all true. From the second you step onto the lawn, they are instantly accepting and eager for new members. They always have signs saying, “We teach!” and I assumed that they were just being courteous, but they are actually excited to tell you their stories and show you how their tricks are done. Obviously, one cannot learn the ways of to get you out there and engaged: attempting new things while challenging yourself and broadening your skills.
for experiences and friendship. So when you have free time or a few minutes in between classes, I suggest you stop by and try some juggling out. We met with Vice President Nestor Ramirez and Secretary Christina Nguyen to get the inside scoop on what the Beach Balls Jugglers’ Club is all about. UW: What made you guys join the jugglers’ club? Did you see everybody out here practicing and did that excite you, or how did that come about? CN: Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. I just sat down on the grass one day and saw a bunch of people juggling. I asked what they were about, and they said that they were the juggling club! UW: So, when did you join? CN: I’m a junior now, so I’ve been here for three friends I made here, and I’ve met a lot of new people along the way. It’s been pretty fun. NR: And I joined just last semester. I was
From what I saw, the Jugglers’ Club is the perfect environment to feel safe and comfortable to try out stunts. Everyone there is learning new skills and pushing to get better. It is not a competition, but a place
juggling, and I was kind of intimidated. It took probably about two weeks for me to come over here and join... But they were really friendly people. I just came here, and I was just accepted.
UW: What’s your favorite thing— juggling? Hula-hooping? Something else? CN: how to juggle whatsoever. I actually learned how to juggle last semester at the end, so it took me a while, but I started out hula-hooping. I didn’t know what to do, and I didn’t know how to do any tricks, but then a bunch of hulahoopers kept on coming, and I watched and asked questions, and now I think I’m pretty decent. [Laughs] I’ve learned a lot of new tricks and met a lot of new friends because of it. And going. NR: started. They began teaching me, and I learned balls, but I’m trying to get these [clubs] down. UW: And how was Beach Balls founded? CN: It was founded in the 1990s by a bunch of math professors. They started with anything, like those Rubix cubes—anything that you could use, they juggled it. People are so creative here. After the professors started it, all of a sudden a bunch of people came by and started juggling too, and then it was founded. UW: Is there still a lot of professorial involvement in the club? CN: Not a lot, but I see them sometimes! They’ll pop over with their clubs hidden in their pockets, or something, and then they bust them out… They’re really talented—
UW: So then, it took a while for it to CN: Yeah. This—a lot of people getting to know it—started happening about a year ago, maybe. When I first started, there was nobody. We tried adding new things, playing music, buying new equipment, putting it on Facebook, putting up signs, things like that. One of our former club presidents, Walter, did an amazing job [of making us more well-known]. UW: Would you say that you’re seeing more people, now that you’ve branched out a bit? CN: Yeah! People are more open about it, I think, and less afraid, hesitant, or reluctant. Everything’s here—you just have to get up and try it! The club here’s so nice, and everybody’s so different, but everybody gets along.
Beach Balls meets on the lawn by the Bookstore Monday through Thursday from 11-3pm. Facebook: Search for “Beach Balls: CSULB’s Juggling Club” Email: csulbbeachballs@yahoo.com
12 Entertainment
Molly Shannon
McQueen is King McQueen will join these other men to be
serene, everyone carries on around him as if who worked harder than anyone. Despite statement, I personally think he is one of when Solomon and the others wanted to revisit his latest project, 12 Years a Slave, a their stories prematurely. In addition to an incredible story, the
possibly be seen as a metaphor, to convey the idea that Solomon’s story should not have been simply cast aside and avoided. The necessity of survival was an apparent
us are familiar with its story by now: 12 Years a Slave follows a freeman, Solomon Northup of kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South condescension, and dehumanization by a number of White Southerners. As an audience, we remain powerless,
his sharp fall from his comfortable world
shackles, the shot is dark and lifeless to mirror moment I broke down with him, because extremely painful moment, we see both
humanity—slaves were forbidden to reveal if they had an education, unless they yearned
and because this wasn’t a time I could softly just how horrible the situation was. And in was all too real, and I don’t think it’s one that
even individuals’ own names were stolen, by the tips of his toes for a lethal four minutes. What really cut me about this scene was the
Crooklyn Cinema No list of African-American directors would be complete without the controversial and brilliant Spike Lee. Born and raised in New York, Lee comes from a rich tradition of New York University alumni. In 1986, he made his debut with the independently She’s Gotta Have It. Made for about
Roque Renteria
makes deliveries and encounters racism
(which I will not reveal because you need to watch this movie if you haven’t already) that was considered quite controversial.
as actor, director, producer, and writer. She’s Gotta Have It was met with critical
an accessible director, this is not the case. Spike has directed many Hollywood movies. Some of these include Malcolm X, Inside Man, and The 25th hour collaborations that launched the careers of both. The 25th hour does not start Denzel,
makes people examine racism in United into the Hollywood circuit. His exposure to Do The Right Thing. Do The Right Thing is set in 1980s Brooklyn and is an exploration of racial a pizza delivery boy named Mookie who works for an Italian-American pizzeria owner (played by Danny Aiello) who has
nevertheless, they showcase Lee’s skills as a director and his ability to aid actors in world as he sees it. The man is outspoken, just like his movies and is not afraid to make
please, reward yourself and watch them. And if you have already, then watch them
political views or beliefs, but you do have to a Spike Lee joint.
13
The Lego Movie The Lego Movie
him, Emmet likes to live by the rules—I mean, instructions—and is pretty much
not all that special, but when Business’ plans
Where Are My
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street,
been around since 1949 and remains to be one of the most popular toy brands in the world, Pants? honestly exist just to make you want to buy more toys. Some of these adaptations even take very cynical routes, like Transformers and G.I. Joe, where the movie only sells itself
wise but self-aware Vitruvius, every decision
surprise about The Lego Movie is its emphasis
Business (Will Ferrell), who, is in fact, so prominent in pop culture. On the other hand, The Lego Movie not only embraces the
never be afraid to think outside of the box. upside down when he accidentally discovers
material in classic Simpsons episodes. The and charm, too. The attention to detail in
Unfortunately, to be the Special, Emmet must be a Master Builder: one who can build
faux-stop motion fashion. Your eyes will never leave the screen. The voice cast is
before people realize that Emmet is really
to their utmost abilities, rather than just
Cartoons We’re Lovin’
the ideas or stories we want to tell. The Lego Movie with its non-stop amount of jokes and an unexpected emotional core, Lord and Miller
CSULB Theatre Arts Department & California Repertory Company present:
TABOO. TRAGEDY. ABSURDITY. Steven Universe
Rick and Morty
Rose Feduk
Marco Beltran
The series follows Steven Universe, a chubby kid who wears sandals, and his adventures as
I feel like I was put on this Earth to watch Rick and Morty. Yes, I understand those are very
Edward Albee’s Girls of female character types, as demonstrated in this show and with most of Adventure Time’s cast of princesses. The level of quality on the show’s
and not-so-subtle allusions to pop culture and ’80s movies, to the already fully-crafted Rick and Morty has slowly become my life. The show follows the skewed iterations of the main characters from Back to the Future in
The Goat or,
Who is Sylvia?
like an illustration that could work on its Morty, as they try cope with puberty and
there is still much potential for it to build
microscopic theme park inside the body of a homeless person. Watch it if you’re a fan of Dan Harmon, creator of Community, and Adventure Time.
the forefront.
Directed by James Martin
FEBRUARY 21 st - MARCH 8 th, 2014 At the ROYAL THEATER aboard the Queen Mary
Info & Tickets:
www.calrep.org | (562) 985-5526
Entertainment
Everything Truly Is Awesome
Delon Villanueva
14 Music
Strummin’ their Stuff We spoke with the winners of our second annual songwriting contest Interviews by Michael Wood Music Editor
1st Place: Single Barrel Six Union Weekly: How did it feel to win Lovely Jams? Robert Turner: It was an incredible experience. We came in with this mentality that the odds were going to be stacked against us because we were the only rock band. We were the only ones with drums— everyone else was acoustic and softer. I had
rock act amongst mostly indie acts; did you feel out of place at the show at all? RT:
in that sense. UW in Stones.” Was it written about anyone in particular? RT: Marvin wrote that song after he broke pursue another girl. Then she kind of left him in the dark before saying no. So his whole thing was that he left something that was good for something that he thought could
UW: You mentioned that you were the only
2nd Place: Hannah Moroz
HM: I don’t know. I felt really bad because I was kind of sick and my voice doesn’t recover
Union Weekly: deeply personal song. Was it written about
went over much better than I thought it did.
romance in general? HM: It is written about a particular person and they know about it—it’s cute
with nobody. So the whole song was about having to deal with that kind of heartbreak but moving on from it. We wanted to avoid the typical love song with the happy ending. We wanted to show the reality of it. UW: What did you feel was the strong point of your band’s performance? RT: I felt like it was the drums. I had personally cracked down on Andrew’s performance over the last couple of months really showed me at that show that his performance was clean. UW: Who was your favorite act? RT: beautiful voice. We all agreed that she was our main competition and we thought that
UW: When did you start performing and how long have you been performing? HM:
what I was going to do with the Youtube was really cool. UW: Your vocals really stood out during your performance and on your recordings. What HM
—
her. UW: Do you have any shows or news about with us? RT: so we’ll have a more professional quality demo out by next month—April at the latest. Which will be great because for people who have been following us since the beginning; they know the quality of our demos have never been the greatest. It’s going to be really exciting knowing that we could have radi0 caliber tracks coming out soon.
HM: there’s this whole genre of music called Wizard Rock— Harry Potter and then it branched out into people who write songs about Sherlock Doctor Who Star Trek—whatever you can think of. People write
want to talk to anyone else about my music.
because it is. A lot of my songs are about but I’m taking the lessons to sound more to keep them applicable to the rest of life too. So I hope it applies broadly. UW: What did you think was the strongest point of your performance at Lovely Jams?
3rd Place: Amateur Hour Union Weekly: So the title of your
I have not been doing this for very long; I’m barely branching out. UW: So what’s next for you as a musician? Are you writing new material? Playing shows?
an entire album deliberately. It’s going to be called Something for Everyone,
you become your own worst enemy. UW: You really surprised a lot of people when you decided to perform your set without microphones. What motivated that decision? AV:
started working on Amateur Hour. UW: When did Amateur Hour start? AV: It started getting more serious last
the energy of the crowd. Shows are supposed
and mics would’ve restrained a lot of that. UW: How long have you two been performing together? AV:
a culmination of things that we like from those bands that we mix into our style. UW: My favorite part of your performance was the enthusiasm and the energy of it all.
or so years. We hadn’t actually stuck with anything though until recently when we
take some practice? AV:
because that’s not what I’m naturally inclined helps though.
UW: sound? AV: A lot of what we’ve been listening to
the next thing I’m recording.
active is really freeing in a way. UW: What’s next for Amateur Hour? Are you like that? AV: This song competition was actually the
Adam Vargas:
was his own best and worst actor. He does
we’ve been working on and doing some recordings. We can probably get an EP out we should have something.
15 stories remind us of the humanity in students we pass on our way to class.
‘I Could Watch Him All Day’
Janna Jesson Staffer
Her hands were cracked like oak trees, and she typed in all caps because she was 90. She had a reason to misspell and add random characters. She was Grandma Olive, and she had a Facebook, and that was enough.
She grew up when things were slow as mud, and it took a week to get a letter from her loved ones. She didn’t mind the pace of mud, but she liked getting quick responses via email, and she liked cell phones with big enough screens to see. She had a crush on Ryan Seacrest after seeing him host a parade and loved sharing details about it because she knew it’d make people giggle, or at least smile. RYAN SEACREST HAS A NICE SMILE AND VOICE. I COULD WATCH HIM ALL DAY. She loved smiles where the teeth revealed outnumbered the ones hidden in the mouth. She had a smile like that, a long, toothy smile that was slow like mud to spread across her face and as pretty as the petals on a daisy.
She wanted one where you could see her smile parting the skin on her face. I chose a photo of her with her round, red glasses on, sitting at her desk. When Grandpa was alive, he took the photo with shaking hands just as oaky as his wife’s. It didn’t make her sad when she remembered that Grandpa had taken the photo. She told me that by the time she was 40,
Illustration by Claire DeWilde Staffer
the time she was 70, it was 10 friends. When her best friend died, it was worse than them
‘Sorry I Had to Leave So Soon’
Sam Winchester Assistant Editor
I always wondered if he was ever going to talk
He rubbed the back of his neck.
Australia-shaped mole under his jaw and how when he laughed it looked like a really weird smile upside down. His hand always found a way back to his neck, as though he had done something embarrassing. Nobody ever introduced us, but we always exchanged smiles or waves when we saw each other in class. Alex, “So, you’re coming to Liam’s thing— again with his hand. This time he looked at
Illustration by Juan Cruz
his neck foolishly. I hadn’t noticed he had a Penrose triangle tattoo on his left forearm. awkward even when we had company, but I secretly enjoyed every second. Every sigh. Every whistle. Every glance.
put his hands in his pockets, and we waited in silence at the bus stop. The bus came and I went in, turned around, and waved goodbye. My stomach hurt for the rest of the day. I took a hot shower and waited for my hair to dry. While I decided what I wanted to wear, Alex’s laugh still resonated in my head. After a while I headed out to my friend’s house. The noise was not too bad. There was no sign of Alex. I was getting bored, so I went out for a smoke. It was cold and I regretted not bringing a sweater while I rubbed my arms in the hope of making them warm. sounded tired. him and tried to hide my cigarette.
an awful, high pitched voice. I looked at him speechless. Shivering. Was it getting colder? My stomachache was back again. Alex leaned forward and kissed me. I don’t know how, but suddenly I was running out of my friend’s house. God knows how I got home, but there I was, unable to come back to reality. Hours passed and so did the weekend. There were a few unanswered texts on my phone. Suddenly, it was Monday again. Emily asked. “Sorry I had to leave so soon. My stomach I still had his jacket, and it smelled like him.
‘I Fall in Love too Quickly’
Camille Hove Staffer
She was transient. She was orange, red and “That’s not always a bad thing. It might
at me and jumped in after it. I looked back inside the house, but no one
“Hmmm. Probably over Christmas when I
dived in after her. “Okay, miss unpredictable, where are
The beat of a hip hop song came on and she grabbed my arm. She turned toward the dance
Her skin was like liquid silk. I wanted to make a quilt out of her.
ship on an unbalanced sea. Then she tugged, and my skin followed her, as she veered outside into the backyard. “John’s mom has the best roses. You have
me before diving down. I followed her into the aqueous light, keeping my eyes on her hair that spiraled
a soul, it would be hers. I watched as her amber cat eyes danced behind the bottle of champagne and held my breath. Then I spoke. as soon as my tongue stopped working. Her voice came up to me, like a thin cloud of pearly smoke. The kind that isn’t dangerous. I looked at her, and her face was open, curious. theme of the party, but I like it. You can call me
Illustration by Kris Schweitzer
all, but expected. She never stopped trying to make friends, and she’d go to great lengths to communicate in ways that were easier for them, like adding them on Facebook. I think she made it a challenge to see how many people she could love and how many people would relent and start to love her back. She had a self-deprecating sense of humor where she would sometimes apologize for being so blind, for misspelling words, or posting statuses too late at night. She would reply to people who liked her posts, like: HI OLIVIA ITS NICE TO SEE YOUR FACE ON MY NOTIFICATIONS. Other times she would critique TV shows, saying, WHY DO THEY HAVE TO CUT THE SCENES SO FAST?
with a bee hiding inside. I wanted to pluck her petals, one by one. “All right unconventional. My hamartia is “Mine is being reckless with people. I fall
I nodded. I was too surprised to answer. I took a sip of my drink while she gulped the last of her champagne before throwing the glass into the pool. She wiggled her eyebrows
bottom of the pool and held a basket that was anchored there by stones. She picked up a rose and held it out to me. because no water could put her out.
Literature
Heard on Campus
Volume 74 Issue 6
Monday, February 24, 2014
LBUNION.COM
DISCLAIMER: Hey, God Warrior Here. My God’s not dead. He’s surely alive. He’s living on the inside. Roaring like a lion. Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silence. Send manifestos to 1212 Bellflower Blvd Suite 239, Long Beach, CA 90815. This page is satire/parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. In God Warrior name, I pray, and no one listens. Submit your Platonic dialogues via email to grunion@lbunion.com.
FOCUS ON YOUR CHEESE RESPONDING TO YOUR DIJON Q’S WITH A’S Focus on your cheese. Mmm, yes my children. It is I, the great Goudini, with your weekly regimen of soulcleansing practices. This past weekend, I took a trip to the grocery store with the intention to, you guessed it, by Great Goudini “Focus on my cheese.” Yes, I think with all of the hatred and wars and bad juju going on in the cosmos, we must think back to something as simple and sweet as a block of sharp cheddar. I mean, that’s what I read in a magazine once. But going back to the cheese—I arrived at the Trader Joe’s on First and Broadway, and after picking up some spray cheese to brush my teeth, I came upon the place where I would reach true nirvana. I looked to my left and looked to my right, and, once I found that I could be alone with the cheese display, I took off my sandals
and stepped inside. My toes slipped into a package of fresh mozzarella and I seated myself on a cushy round of brie. I thought back to a time when I was watching the Grammy’s on primetime television and a Babybel cheese commercial appeared before my eyes. That laughing cow was so full of joy that I felt like I needed to change my life, quit my job at the Starbucks down the street, and adopted a mantra to teach to millions everywhere. Focus on your cheese. Focus on your cheese. Focus on your cheese. Asiago.
Hey y’all, Dijonay Jones here trying to take a second swing at life. It’s been a while since you’ve heard about any action from me, unless you’re talkin’ ’bout the action I bring on the FLO’, by Dijonay Y’All HAYYY!!! Anyway, that peanut from our last movie was probably the last “spread” I’ve gotten, unless you’re talkin’ about spreadin’ them LEGS, HAYYY!!! And so I’m back now to reveal some juicy Hollywood secrets for y’all! If y’all wondering what I’ve been doing with my time these days, well I’ve been busy perfecting my music career, dabbling in some reality shows, and starring in a few movies. Perhaps you noticed me on the last Saw movie as the voice for the saw they used to chop up that girl. Other than that, I’ve been living
bicuriously during my spare time. That’s right, you heard me, bicurious. I’ve been swimming in the lady pond every now and then since the Gross sisters rubbed me the right way while they were stealing my lunch money. Actually, I saw it more as foreplay, if ya catch my drift, HAYYY!!! Bring ’em out, bring ’em out! It’s hard to talk when it’s all in yo’ mouth. I forgot I was supposed to be spilling some green and chai tea with y’alls. Well, Penny is knocked up, again! It’ll be her fourth baby with Ron Stoppable! Don’t ask me how that happened. Mhhhmm! Girl, it’s a mess with Kim and that lil’ rat. Suga Mama’s trying to get on that Real Housewives show. If you ask me I would’ve married Kate and Ashley. That dumb bitch Zoe is now Miley Cyrus. Ever since she owned that dance competition, she twerkin’ up a storm. And of course, LaCienega is a part of the 405 freeway.
LOCAL DOUCHEBAGGIES SPOTTED STEALING PAPERS It has come to the attention of the Grunion Weekly that papers have been taken en masse from newsstands across campus. Entire piles of paper, 20 and 30 copies at a time, have been snatched by Vivacious Vee away! And yet, while the obvious explanation is that they’ve been stolen by an evil overlord for the nefarious purpose of enslaving humanity via paper-chain handcuffs, we at the Grunion Weekly investigated more deeply than that. We laid undercover in bushes for three long nights, watching paper stands around campus, before we caught them. We followed the adage of keeping in pairs and decided to split up to follow the individual groups of hooligans. There
was a surprising amount of them, too. We almost lost them in a roundabout but eventually caught up. We discovered that our pages were split up by categories as well as personal preference among a highly literate group of hobos. They used the papers for two purposes: one, for the obvious warmth that one requires on these foggy, cold nights in LB, and two, for bedtime stories during the terrible 2am insomnia crisis. The pants article last week was a high topic of discussion and argumentation among the hobos, but eventually they were able to come to terms with the fact that they could stuff their own pants with the pants article, so everything worked out. Then we followed three of the other hooligans, who still had piles of our paper, all the way to a dark alley. They
eventually led us to a large mountain of various pieces of garbage strategically stitched together to form a fort of some kind. Continuing to dash after them, we were almost close enough to touch, until they crawled into a the small, tunnel-like entrance. We tried our best to keep up, belly of the Garbage Mountain. Expecting it to look like a big ol’ treehouse/cave, we were shocked when we encountered quite the contrary. This tunnel had transformed into a high-tech futuristic universe of worker bee-like people, darting back and forth on bear-sized centipedes. Large computer screens occupied the barriers, and goobers stood in front of them, furiously typing away gobs of smack. Carmen Sandiego ran around the room yelling orders at all of her minions. The
snozzberries tasted like snozzberries! It all kind of reminded me of the episode of The Fairly Oddparents when Timmy has a remote control that lets him walk into the TV. Anyway, we grabbed the tail of the a giant centipede that they had jumped on, lassoed the hooligans with God Warrior’s “lasso of truth,” and got our papers back. We didn’t ask what all the computer-fairyshit was all about, and we didn’t care. So that concludes the tales of our escapades with the escaped papers of yesterweek. And for all you hooligans, hobos, and homie-hoppers, don’t even think about stealing our papers again this week! We will be waiting. We will mess and thrust them upward into the sky, and whole sky will break into pieces.
INSIDE
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER SAYS A MEAN THING; IMMEDIATELY APOLOGIZES
AMERICAN COUGAR COMMUNITY SETS SIGHTS ON LOCAL BABY MINORITY
BRANDI RECEIVES BELATED WHITNEY HOUSTON’S DEATH
NOTICE
OF
“SEXIEST BABY ALIVE”: BABY MARRIES LIFETIME GIRLFRIEND AFTER EXITING MOTHER’S WOMB