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Scholar shares Sufi history

Posted by :jprokop On : November 14, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Latif Bolat, a native of Turkey, gave a presentation about the history and development of Sufi philosophy, poetry and music, followed by a concert in which he played some of the music mentioned in his lecture Nov. 10 in Ice Auditorium.

In the pre-concert lecture, Bolat explained the origins of Sufi mysticism and its parallel but separate existence to orthodox Islam.

He told stories about Sufi’s first poets, its first martyr and the people who helped to develop its philosophy.

He also illustrated the differences between Sufi mysticism and mainstream Islam by comparing the buildings, lifestyles, methods of worship and views on music of the two denominations throughout history.

Bolat began the concert by giving an in-depth description of the development of Sufi music, which he called “troubadour music” and compared to the troubadours of Europe.

He said the Sufi word for troubadour translates literally as “the one who is in love,” a reference both to the musicians’ love for their god and to their tendency to start off as shepherds who have their hearts broken by young women.

“This is why there are 40,000 brokenhearted love songs,” Bolat said. “So many young men would begin making music for this girl, and then realize their true beloved was up there, not this woman who married someone else and had eight babies. There’s a Sufi saying that goes, ‘If you lift a stone, there’s a mystic poet under there.’”

Bolat read Sufi poetry in Turkish so that the audience could hear the sound of the language before rereading the poems in English.

He performed several Sufi songs and encouraged the audience to sing along with the refrain of one of them.

Two of the songs were 800 years old, while two others were about the bombing of Hiroshima and Robin Hood figures in Turkish history.

For the last part of the concert, Bolat put on a slideshow of Turkish landscapes. He accompanied the slideshow with more Sufi music.

Bolat has performed in concert halls, community centers and universities around the world and has led cultural tours to Turkey for the past 10 years.

“I like traveling,” Bolat said. “In order to host cultural tours, people get to learn every single stone of the places they visit. I enjoy getting to know places so well.”

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Sharon Gollery/Culture editor
Sharon Gollery can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Portland band gives enthusiastic Cat Cab

Posted by :jprokop On : November 14, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Guitarist Marlin Gonda performs during Pocketknife’s Cat Cab on Nov. 10 in the Fred Meyer Lounge. Melanie Timmins/Senior photographer

Audience members danced and cheered enthusiastically as Portland, Ore., pop band Pocketknife made its college debut at the Pro Cat Cab on Nov. 10.

Pocketknife is signed by a Portland indie label SoHiTek and consists of four members: drummer Karen D’Apice, keyboardist Jessica Boudreaux, vocalist David Chase and guitarist Marlin Gonda.

The band began with Chase and Gonda playing with two other members they knew from school. Their drummer left the band and moved, and he was replaced with D’Apice. Shortly after, their keyboardist quit and was replaced by Boudreaux.

“I’m pretty sure I only got the keyboard spot because I look a lot like their old keyboardist. But at least I’m good at what I do, right?,” Boudreaux said.

The band was well-received by students.

“They were great,” freshman Peggy Barrett said. “Their sound was really unique, but also sounded like pop should sound. I loved it. It made me want to get up and dance around and be happy.”

Pocketknife’s excitement and enthusiasm showed in its performance. Each member was genuinely happy to be there, loving what they were doing.

They danced around with the beat of their music. Pocketknife has a happy, pop beat in each of its songs, making it hard not to dance along to it.

“They reminded me of a mixture of Death Cab for Cutie, Brand New and Owl City. Their music just made me want to dance around. It was so upbeat and enthusiastic. It just made me happy,” freshman Linnea Caso said.

Between all the dancing and joy in the room, Pocketknife’s performance was a good time for everyone present.

“Linfield was awesome, especially for our first college show,” D’Apice said. “Everyone was so nice and they all danced for us. A couple people even hung out for a while after the show to talk. This was definitely a good show.”

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Breanna Bittick/Staff writer
Breanna Bittick can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Alumna’s debut novel stems from thesis

Posted by :jprokop On : November 14, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Molly Johnson, class of ‘04, began writing her debut novel as her undergraduate thesis. Now, seven years later, the novel has been published.

Johnson described how she struggled through the writing and publication process during an author reading in the Nicholson Library on Nov. 7.

Johnson’s novel, “Sparticus and the Circus of Shadows” is geared toward young adult readers and chronicles the adventures of a young explorer’s quest to rescue his missing mother from a traveling circus.

She said that after writing the original manuscript and graduating from Linfield, she decided to attend Portland State University for a master’s degree in writing.

Johnson used her graduate thesis project to continue revising the same book she began for her undergraduate degree.

After she graduated with her master’s degree, one of her professors recommended that Johnson give herself some time to clear her head before she continued trying to revise and edit the book.

“I was told to give it six months of breathing time,” Johnson said.

Johnson left to teach English in China, bringing the manuscript with her to continue editing after she was settled.

Her writing progress was delayed, however, when the flash drive containing the only version of her manuscript was stolen while she was traveling.

Johnson was forced to write a letter to Portland State, requesting a copy of her thesis. She received a hard copy in the mail and went through the painstaking process of retyping the entire document.

During this time, Johnson said she continually made major changes to the book, trying to fill plot holes and develop characters.

“The book always felt like water,” Johnson said. “It was never static.”

Even after hours of revisions and sending her work off to be considered for publication, Johnson still received multiple rejection letters.

Little did she know, her first major break would come from  a request from a former professor at Portland State.

Johnson said the professor contacted her, asking if a class could use her graduate thesis for an editing and publishing course. Johnson agreed, hoping that she could publish one of the revised versions someday.

Coincidentally, months later, a Portland State alumnus contacted Johnson, telling her that he read her manuscript when he took the revision and editing course. The alumnus had recently opened his own publishing house and wanted to kick off the company by publishing Johnson’s book.

“I think it was at this point that I realized that I needed to be an active player in the production of the story,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t just along for the ride anymore.”

Johnson said her fiance was a key player in the success of her finished book, as he read through the story, pointing out character inconsistencies and plot holes.

She said that now, even after a long editing process, there are still things she would like to change about her book.

“I already marked up a copy of the book with revisions,” Johnson said. “But I have to believe in my work and what it turned out to be.”

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Joanna Peterson/Managing editor
Joanna Peterson can be reached at linfieldreviewmanaging@gmail.com.

Veterans share stories during theatre talk-back

Posted by :jprokop On : November 14, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Audience members were invited to join the cast of the Linfield theatre program’s “Fifth of July” in a special Veteran’s Day post-show discussion.

The talk, “Veterans’ Perspectives on War,” followed the performance Nov. 11.

Sophomore Jenny Layton said the theatre program holds discussions after at least one show every year.

“We call them talk-backs,” Layton said. “There’s a panel of people who are invited. The talks usually fit with the theme of the show. It’s usually an open discussion, and the audience and the cast are free to ask questions.”

The panel for “Fifth of July” consisted of six men who were veterans of World War II, the Vietnam War and the second Gulf War. Bob Ferguson, a 1965 Linfield graduate, Daniel Belderrain, a 1973 Linfield graduate, James Duckworth, a 2007 Linfield graduate, Professor Michael Jones, Professor Eric Schuck and Jim Ragsdale were all on the panel.

Layton said that since the play focuses on a veteran returning home, the panel shared their perspectives on war and their post-war homecoming stories.

“They mostly talked about what it was like coming home and adjusting to being back with people,” Layton said. “They all had different experiences coming back. One of them said he went hitchhiking after he went back, and one was in Europe for six or eight months before he could go home.”

Besides the panel, several audience members who participated in the discussion were also veterans.

“One woman talked about how women are kind of overlooked as Vietnam veterans,” Layton said. “She was a nurse in Vietnam, but she’s had trouble getting the same benefits and things as other veterans. That hit me so hard, that in Vietnam and WWII, women weren’t really appreciated.”

The cast of “Fifth of July” felt touched by this discussion of real life war experiences, Layton said.

“We were all so in awe of what these men and women were saying,” Layton said. “There were several times when we were in tears or near tears.”

Layton said the subject of the play brought the cast and the veterans together in this discussion.

“To listen to these experiences of war, and then insert myself into my character watching my nephew come home as a veteran—it was so interesting to listen to them,” Layton said. “And then for the veterans watching the play, it was similar to watching themselves.”

The Veteran’s Day performance was for the benefit of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary of Yamhill County, which the veterans on the panel said they were grateful for during the talk.

“It was a beautiful discussion,” Layton said.

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Sharon Gollery/Culture editor
Sharon Gollery can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Students sample Korean food

Posted by :jprokop On : November 14, 2011
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Category: Culture

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DJK Korean BBQ provided a wide array of food during the Taste of Korea event in Beaverton on Nov. 9. Photo courtesy of Meghan O’Rourke

A plethora of meat, vegetables and tofu ready to be grilled sat in the middle of the customers’ table.

DJK Korean BBQ, located in Beaverton, Ore., was the destination for a group of Linfield students hungry for Korean food.

On Nov. 9, The Linfield Activities Board (LAB) organized “The Taste of Korea,” taking a small group of students off-campus for dinner at DJK Korean BBQ.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the event,” freshman Sandra Tran said. “It was a fantastic meal.”

The students were taken to their reserved table, on which there was already a wide array of appetizers, including broccoli and fishcakes, with several dipping sauces.

The walls of the restaurant were painted oriental-style, depicting people living the ancient, traditional Korean lifestyle.

Even the dishes reflected Eastern culture, with Asian characters printed on the plates and cups.

The menu included various meats and tofu.

The meat was uncooked, allowing the customers to prepare the food themselves over a grill constructed into the center of the table.

“I thought the beef was delicious,” sophomore Alex Lazar said.

Besides the meat and vegetables, each student was given a rice bowl, tea cup and soup bowl. Pots of green tea were placed on both sides of the table, as was a pot of vegetable and tofu soup.

There was an array of food to choose from, for a wide variety of taste buds.

The food came in a steady stream. Once the waiter or waitress saw that food was running low, they quickly replaced whatever was needed.

“My favorite food would have to be samgyusal, which is Korean pork belly meat and the kimchi jjigae, which is a kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) stew,” Tran said. Students left the restaurant with full stomachs.

The entire experience cost four dollars per student.

“I would most definitely go on another “Taste of” event in the future,” Tran said.

Senior Nicole Szanto, the cultural off-campus events chair, organized the event, and DJK Korean BBQ is only one of many restaurants to which LAB has taken students.

“Taste of” events showcase different cultures, treating students to a different type of food every time.

Past events this year have included “Taste of Portland” and “Taste of Lebanon.”

Students can sign up for“Taste of” events in the Campus Information Center (CIC) inside of the Riley Center. The price for these events is usually around $4-5, which includes the meal and transportation.

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Meghan O’Rourke/Opinion editor
Meghan O’Rourke can be reached at linfieldreviewopinion@gmail.com. 

Band creates storm of compositions

Posted by :jprokop On : November 14, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Seniors Chelsea Janzen and Alex Fitch perform during “Songs of Sea, Air, Storms, Love & Friendship for the band’s fall concert Nov. 8 in Ice Auditorium. Joel Ray/Photo editor

The Linfield College Concert Band created a storm to open its fall concert.

The Department of Music hosted the fall concert, “Songs of Sea, Air, Storms, Love & Friendship” on Nov. 8 in Ice Auditorium.

The opening song was Jim Casella’s “Stormbreak,” which required a large variety of exotic and untraditional percussion instruments, such as maraca shakers, ocean drums, rain sticks and wood blocks.

The piece was an energetic imitation of a storm presented in an outburst of powerful sounds.

Almost all of the performers played more than one instrument for “Stormbreak,” switching between instruments.

Their effort was reciprocated by the passionate applause of the audience.

After resetting the stage, the band performed Ron Goodwin’s “Tall Ships,” followed by Samuel Hazo’s “In Heaven’s Air.”

The latter was dedicated to the composer’s friend whose mother had passed away. Hazo presented his piece with Shakespeare’s Sonnet 21, which Paddock read as the introduction of the piece.

The last song before the intermission was “Suite on Greek Love Songs,” by Dutch composer Henk van Lijnschooten.

Paddock shared an interesting incident during the band’s rehearsal of this song.

According to Paddock, a trombone player in the band had the European publication of the sheet music, which resulted in unfavorable effects during the final rehearsal. Luckily, they discovered the problem and were able to perform the “non-dissonant version” of the piece.

After a short break, senior oboe soloist Amanda Summers performed Émile Paladilhe’s “Concertante” with the band.

Summers is in the Linfield Chamber Orchestra and Concert Band, and is the director of the Linfield Pep Band and Drumline.

More unusual instruments, such as the dumbek, a Middle Eastern and North African drum, were introduced and the band performed the exotic “Arabic Dances” by Henry Fillmore.

The lively piece required the musicians to shout from time to time and hit the drums so hard that one of the drummers’ hands were trembling when it ended.

The last piece was Henry Fillmore’s “Golden Friendships,” a circus-style farewell to the composer’s friends before he moved away.

Freshman Caitlin Evans said she liked the diversity and tone of the performance and that it spanned “every bit of the world.”

The Linfield Concert Band has rehearsed once a week since the start of the semester.

Freshman tenor saxophone player Daniel Bradley described the rehearsals as “lighthearted but intense.”

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Cassie Wong/Staff writer
Cassie Wong can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Spotlight: Athletes who make an impact off the field and court

Posted by :jprokop On : November 8, 2011
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Category: Features

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Sports are driven by competitive nature.  Athletes on the field or court work hard to be successful and to do their best. When it comes to spotlighting players, people tend to focus on those who score all the points or have the most playing time. However, the athletes who don’t have the highest stats are just as important.

Men’s Soccer

Freshman Emerson Morris-North is a varsity right-back/left back on the men’s soccer team. He has played soccer since he was about four or five years old and plans on playing for the next three years.

“It’s a beautiful game,” said Morris-North. “It kept me in line throughout my life, and I really benefitted from it.”

He says he feels that his role outside of being a player is to encourage others. He points out the positive and constructive aspects of his teammates.

With a challenging season, whenever he gets the chance to actually play on the field, he goes for it.

“It was a tough season. It makes me be hopeful for the future since we have such a young team,” Morris-North said.

He bonds with his teammates through hanging out with them on and off the field.

Through his support, he was able to become an important part of the team, even as a freshman.

Women’s Soccer

For women’s soccer, Em Fellows was one of the star players last year. This season, Fellows has been on the sidelines for six weeks from a bone bruise on her knee.  Even though her injury kept her from playing, she has taken advantage of the situation and has shined as a leader and motivator.

Fellows joined the team with a high level of training and now that she observes the team, she offers feedback to the players.

“I’m not going ask of anyone anything that I’m not doing,” Fellows said.

As one of the captains, many of her fellow players look up to her.

“The whole team is playing for her,” freshman Zoe Langsdorf said.

Recently, Fellows wrote a letter addressed to the whole team, expressing what she learned throughout her experience this year.

“The season has been a blessing in disguise for me,” Fellows said in the letter. “I have learned what it means to be a teammate—not only a teammate, but a teammate who cares, worries and finds joy in the successes of the players.

Volleyball

Sophomore Michon Hunsaker has played varsity volleyball for the past two years. She has recognized that even though she isn’t one of the highest ranked players, she still has to remain positive and be an example.

“It’s important to be there for my team and work hard to improve myself and increase the level of play of the team during practices,” Hunsaker said.

During games, she looks out for ways to help the players who are usually missed while being on the court.

Hunsaker is supportive of her teammates as she hangs out with them during practices and retreats, and at sophomore-freshman dinners in Dillin after practice.

“It’s character-building,” Hunsaker said. “I make an impact off the court and am supportive of my team in a different way.”

Football

As wide receiver on the varsity football team, senior Joseph Kloucek has realized the importance of being a great contribution to a team.

“I try to challenge myself everyday to bring a positive attitude and a blue collar-like work ethic, regardless of what challenges my team or I may be faced with,” Kloucek said.

As a senior, he serves as a role model for the

underclassmen because he has had experience with the way the program functions and operates.

As one of the “behind-the-scenes” teammates, Kloucek works hard and is determined to better himself and those around him, he said.

While spending about five to six hours a day and six days a week on the field, Kloucek said he feels that he has bonded with his teammates because they share a common goal.

He continues to play, bettering him overall as a person and allowing him to be a part of something bigger.

“If it weren’t for my teammates, I wouldn’t be playing the game of football today,” Kloucek said.

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Ivanna Tucker/ Features editor
Ivanna Tucker can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.com.

 

 

Senate Meeting 11/7/11

Posted by :jprokop On : November 7, 2011
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Category: The Rest

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The truth about orgasms

Posted by :jprokop On : November 7, 2011
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Category: Opinion

Dear Bailey,

How can I be sure I am having an orgasm?

~The Big “O”

 

Dear The Big “O,”

When I was younger, I remember having it described to me as an explosion.

When I finally had my first orgasm, that definitely wasn’t the case, and my reaction was, “That’s it?”

This doesn’t mean this is how it is for everybody. Orgasms can still be “mind-blowing” at times.

Experiencing orgasms is different for everyone and varies each time from smaller, fleeting sensations to more exhausting or intensely demanding body reactions.

There can be a warm sensation, numbness in some areas, toe curling or vibration of the legs or other parts of the body.

Sometimes people are quiet, while others may have an uncontrollable need to cry out. Generally, there is a feeling of release.

Men and women both have full-body responses, but they orgasm differently.

Women are able to orgasm more than once.

Men have more parts that are involved than women and commonly ejaculate when they have an orgasm.

Men can, however, orgasm without ejaculating.

Women also have the ability to have a similar ejaculation experience called squirting.

This can take a lot of concentration on her part that can be difficult to accomplish because it feels similar to relaxing to pee, and the woman needs to feel comfortable.

While it is easier for men to have an orgasm during intercourse, not all women are able to.

There is the mysterious G-spot that can cause some women to orgasm when stimulated.

This can be reached more easily in different positions, such as doggy style or raising the hips by placing a pillow under them.

Many women can also reach orgasm by stimulation of the clitoris.

This can be done with one or more fingers or orally.

When aroused, the clitoris becomes larger and firmer, making it easier to find under the hood at the top of the pubic area.

While in a relationship, or with a continuous sexual partner, you should not fake an orgasm to try to make the other person happy.

An orgasm is a form of sexual communication that means something is being done right.

Faking can lead to different expectations and your needs being unmet.

The best way to find out if you are having an orgasm or how you react when you have one is practice.

Yes, I do mean go play with yourself. Find a private setting and have fun. It may take a while, but it’s worth it.
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Bailey can be reached at linfieldreviewbailey@gmail.com.

 

‘Attack the Block’ fails to impress

Posted by :jprokop On : November 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

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“Attack the Block,” although attention-grabbing because of its promise for action and drama, really isn’t all its cracked up to be.

Although the director has created successful movies before, “Attack the Block” didn’t live up to expectations.

“Attack the Block” is written and directed by Joe Cornish, who brought us “Hot Fuzz.”

It’s the story of a teenage gang in London and their unlikely battle against a group of aliens who have landed in their neighborhood.

I enjoyed “Hot Fuzz,” and the trailer for “Attack the Block” looked pretty good, so I thought I’d give it a shot.

The alien invasion story is a bit overused, and this story wasn’t anything fantastic.

The humor wasn’t there, and I could hardly understand what anyone was saying because of the accents.

There wasn’t anything special about this movie, and overall, it wasn’t that entertaining. I give “Attack the Block”: 6.5/10.

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Hayden Mace/For the Review
Hayden Mace can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.