March 7, 2013
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There are many things that bother me. I hate the term “pet peeve,” bugs floating in pools, and dumb TV shows. I am annoyed by desks that rock when I move, country music, and especially lurking. But there are few things that make me as crazy as disrespect, especially when it’s several hundred students unable to listen to one speaker. I’m not accusing the entire population of Xavier and the middle schools of being terrible listeners, because probably the
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majority of us are at least quiet and paying attention. But it struck and astounded me how many people I saw whispering to one another during Melissa Ohden’s speech. I see it ebb and flow from Mass to Mass, and it makes me and others angry then, too. But it is utterly appalling to see it when a woman is here to tell us how someone tried to kill her and how we can stop the same thing from happening again. I also find it horribly hypocritical. We watch movies like Les Miserables or read about revolutions and say we’d be by their side, fighting the good fight against injustice, ready to go against armies to save the innocent. It sounds great when
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imagining yourself defiantly waving a red flag or singing with Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. But when we come across someone standing on her own barricade, waving the red flag of survival and crying out for those who have already fallen, what do we do? We whisper and giggle and call it a guilt trip. Please tell me this is not happening, not at Xavier, not in the land of the smart and the home of the Catholics! Think how hard it is giving speeches, especially in front of your peers. Now imagine you were a victim of terrible violence and heartache and you must describe these experiences because you know it may save someone else
Don’t let recipe cards go extinct We all know that the rise of technology has caused some things to start down the slippery slope of extinction. Landlines, maps, encyclopedias, floppy disks, CDs…these are just a few on the long list of used-to-be “innovations” that are disappearing from our world. When it comes to some fashions and objects from the past, certain people have begun to bring them back. The rise of vintageinspired items has proven this trend. Even though I do find vintage bicycles quite charming, I do not consider myself much of a vintage guy. But there is one thing that I believe should stay: the recipe card. Recipe cards have a long tradition in the United States. Recipes used to be passed down by
example: oral tradition. Once people became more and more literate, the written word was the celebrity. The sacred “three-by-five” became the preferred method of passing down the revered secret recipes of moms across the country. But with the innovations of technology and the Internet, recipes are beginning to become digitalized. This tradition is even being forgotten by much of the younger generations. Unfortunate. Recipe cards have affected my life. My grandma used to work in a bakery. When the bakery closed, she was able to take some of the recipes with her. Written on note cards, these recipes have been the origin of many heavenly baked goods that have come out of her kitchen. Looking at these cards, one can see caked-on flour, vanilla stains and a slight yellow tinge as the paper has aged over time. These cards hold more than just a recipe, they contain
years of experience and tradition. Just like historical documents, these cards could live through years of wear-and-tear and give testament to the living history in which we all live. Technology can only do so much in conveying recipes to future generations; it is black and white. Hand-written recipe cards provide a rich tradition and can make cooking more personal. I love to cook and I find it unfortunate that the personal aspect of cooking has started to decline. Let’s change that right now. Next time you make one of those specialties of yours, write the recipe down on an index card. Repeat. Keep those cards in a safe place and take them with you, no matter where you go in your life. Tradition can be a beautiful thing to create. Preserve it for future generations to experience.
Bryan Banowetz Opinion Editor
Importance of a high school job Remember when you were little and your parents got you a pet to teach you responsibility? A similar situation should be given to all high school students, but instead of a furry animal, give them a part time job. Every high school student should experience what it’s like to work outside of school. It teaches you valuable lessons and prepares you for life outside the gray walls of Xavier. Many parents disagree, arguing that getting good grades is the child’s sole priority and adding the responsibility of a job would distract them. Are those parents really doing their children any favors or are they shielding them from what is to come? Parents who
shelter their children from extra responsibilities are not helping their children, but hurting them. Working provides skills that can’t be taught in a classroom. Being employed forces you to manage your time better than you would if schoolwork was all you had to worry about. It teaches you to look ahead and prioritize on what’s really important, even if you only work two hours a week. As much as I want to stay out later on Friday nights, I know I’ll regret it at 8 a.m. Saturday morning when I’m walking into work, barely able to keep my eyes open. A part time job forces you to choose, and later deal with the consequences of that decision. A job teaches you to work with people who are rude or inconsiderate. In high school, it’s easy to avoid those who are unappealing to you,
but in a job, you are sometimes forced to face those people head on. And the worst part is you have to be nice. Whenever a rude member walks into my work, I want to tell them off or roll my eyes, but I can’t. I’m forced to bite my tongue, smile, and be the most pleasant version of myself. It also teaches you to take orders. No matter if you start your own business or work underneath someone, chances are you’ll have to people please your way to success. As important as school is, it can’t teach you everything about the real world. A part time job gives you a preview of what is to come because as much as we wish they could, our parents won’t always be around to hold our hands.
C.J. Lampe Opinion Writer
whisper? from the same fate. Add in several hundred pairs of eyes and a whole bunch of kids whispering. Did anyone watch the vice presidential debate a few months ago? Do you remember when it got to the point where one of them said it would be easier if they didn’t interrupt each other? If politicians can recognize the basics of respect, we should be able to do so much better! We all know we’re old enough, smart enough, and kind enough somewhere inside ourselves. Let’s just do it, please. Speakers, musicians, priests, it’s all the same. We know better, and it’s time to shape up.
Gina Reiman Opinion Writer
Childhood hangouts 1. Chuck E. Cheese’s 2. Super Skate 3. The Play Station 4. Bender Pool 5. Thomas Park 6. Beaver Park’s Monkey House 7. McDonald’s PlayPlace 8. Baskin-Robbins 9. Story Time at the Public Library 10. Roosevelt Sledding Hill