Veterans Day is Monday, November 11, 2019. To honor our veteran students and the many veterans in our community, the Student Veteran Association (SVA) is hosting several activities this week. Veterans Day is to honor the military service members who have served and were honorably discharged or retired from the military.
Saturday, November 9 is the Veterans Day Parade held in
Downtown Texarkana. The parade starts at 11:00 am. The SVA will have a float
honoring our veterans. If you missed the parade there are plenty of other
events you can attend to show your support.
Monday, November 11 from 3pm–9pm Golden Corral will be
honoring our veterans with a free meal. Volunteers are needed to help with
seating and other tasks. If you are not available to volunteer, a donation
bucket will be available with the proceeds going to our local Disabled Veterans
Chapter.
Tuesday, November 12 is the Bake Sale from 10am–2pm in the lobby area of the UC building. All proceeds will go to the SVA to help support programs for student veterans. Help is needed for providing baked goods to be sold.
Wednesday, November 13 the SVA will be cooking hamburgers and hotdogs along with providing yard games. Games will be from 10am -2pm and food will be served from 11:00 until gone. “Burgers, hotogs, drinks, and chips, for a bargin price of Free”, Mr. Hernandez said. “This is the SVA club’s way of thanking the campus for their support” VA’s Mobile Vet Center will be visiting the campus (adjacent to the BASS Building) during this event as well. The mobile center provides assistance and referral for veterans needed benefits and counseling if needed.
Thursday, November 14 is Movie Night from 7pm-11pm held in
UC 217. Pizza and popcorn will be provided. The movie showing is Neighbors 2,
a comedy about a couple trying to sell their house with a sorority next door.
Help is needed for setup and clean up afterward.
Friday, November 15 is the Flag Ceremony Event from 10am-1pm
at Eagle Hall. This event is to recognize student and community veterans.
Cupcakes and punch will be provided. Guest speaker is Retired Col. Wiggins.
Help will be needed for escorts, setups, and cleanup.
Show your support by helping, if you can, with any of these events this week. To find out more information about these events and how you can help contact Robert Hernandez at the Veteran Services Center located at 132 in the BASS building.
The cover of Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.
Books have always had the power to connect audiences of all ages across time and space, and Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time is no exception. Originally rejected by twenty-six publishers for dealing “overtly with the problem of evil” and being “too difficult for children” this beloved classic went on to win the Newbery Medal, the Sequoyah Book Award, and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. It was also nominated as runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. It has been adapted into audio books, a play, an opera, a graphic novel and two films (Disney released a TV movie in 2003, and a theatrical film in 2018 starring Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine). The Texarkana Repertory Company (TexRep) will bring this treasured story to the Stilwell Theatre at Texarkana College in November.
Hero Medina as Meg, Gabe Lohse as Charles Wallace, and Culen McElhannon as Calvin. (Credit: TexRep Facebook page)
As with any adaptation, there are some differences between the script and the original book, but the spirit of the work remains wholly intact. Some characters and scenes have been removed or rewritten for brevity’s sake, but the heart of the story is not lost. In this thrilling fantasy/science fiction adventure, siblings Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, along with their friend Calvin O’Keefe, travel through time and space to save their father who has gone missing following a mysterious scientific expedition. Along the way, they dive through wormholes, visit distant planets, and meet all manner of strange creatures. In order to save their father, and the world, the kids must overcome their fears and face an evil force as old as time itself. This is a story about the power of love, and the beauty that lies in unconventionality. As our heroes learn, sometimes the things we see as faults are actually our greatest strengths. Our differences make us unique, and they make us strong. This a story of empowerment for people of all ages, proving that everyone, even— and perhaps especially —children, has the power to change the world.
The cast of seventeen is made up of TexRep veterans and new faces alike. The show was originally intended to be performed by five actors playing multiple roles, but in this production, the roles were separated so that more actors could participate. In addition to a stellar cast, TexRep is relying on technical magic to bring this tale to life. Dazzling projections, colored lights, sound effects, and moving set pieces transport the audience to strange new worlds. These factors, in addition to special makeup and costuming, work in harmony to make this larger-than-life production as fantastical as the book it is based on. From a technical standpoint, this show is quite difficult, with literally hundreds of light, sound, and projection cues. The projections were generously loaned to TexRep by their friends at the Dallas Children’s Theatre. Artie Oliasen, who is an Artistic Associate of the DCT and a dear friend of Cooper, is the one who suggested the show. Cooper says, “I still look for new challenges, and this show both creatively and technically pushed us in great ways.” Although he doesn’t have a favorite scene, since the show isn’t divided into traditional scenes, he particularly enjoys the “Tessering” scenes (which refers to the sequences where the children travel through space-time) and he also finds the Man With Red Eyes (played by Austin Alford) to be very effective.
Director Michael Cooper and the cast of The Outsiders (2017) taking questions at Talk-Backs (Credit: TexRep Facebook page).
Although every play has meaning, the third show of every season is a particularly important one for TexRep. This slot is referred to as the “Educational show”. Generally, they choose a script that is based on some classic work that kids read in school. Recent “educational shows” include: The Great Gatsby, Twelfth Night (or What You Will), The Outsiders, andShakespeare in Love. This slot is special because, in addition to regular evening performances, TexRep invites local middle and high schools to private showings on a school day. In a world where Arts programs often struggle just to exist, especially in a town our size, this is a great way to introduce kids to theatre and spark interest in the Arts. Of the matinees, Cooper says “To get all these kids to live theatre, to see how involved they get in the productions is amazing.” He added, “There are teachers who contact me at the beginning of every school year to find out the dates because they and their kids love coming.” In addition, TexRep always collaborates directly with Texarkana College on educational shows in hopes that they function as a recruitment drive for prospective TC students, as well as celebrating the talent of current students. Perhaps the most fun part of these shows is the “Talk-Back” session. Following curtain call, the actors gather onstage in costume and the audience gets a chance to ask them questions. This opens a great (and often very entertaining) two-way dialogue between the students, teachers and the actors about the work itself and the creative process in general that they won’t get anywhere else. The educational slot is unique in that is the only show of the season that holds Talk-Backs. This particular show is also unique in that matinees will take place before the show officially opens.
This show has been a very rewarding experience for all involved. “It’s great to do a show that you can safely bring the entire family to,” Cooper said. While it is a kid-friendly show, he assures that it “plays on so many levels” that the adults will enjoy it just as much as the children. In today’s world, positive stories like this one are essential. Michael Cooper believes, “With all that is going on in the world that just feels so negative, any story that can mention Jesus, Mohammed, Da Vinci, and Gandhi in the same sentence needs to be told. The power of love can never be ignored.” Tickets for this show are available online, or at the door.
Performances of A Wrinkle in Time will be:
Thursday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 16 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m.
The theatre doors will open thirty minutes prior to showtime.
College life can be hard, overwhelming, and exhausting. There is a lot of things you must deal with. Things like:
Registering your classes
Making sure your tuition is paid
Buying your books and needed supplies
Attending and getting to class on time
Understanding your class assignments
Doing homework
Studying for test
Club meetings and sports activities (if you are involved)
What some people might not understand is that this is only half of what a student must deal with. What about the everyday things in your personal life? The things you were doing before you went to college. Things like:
Your job
Your bills
Your automobile and the upkeep
Your household chores
Your family
Your health (mentally and physically)
Between school and your personal life, it can be a challenge to keep up with everything. What are you to do when it becomes too much to handle? You could just give up and quit school as an easy way out, but why? You decided to go to college for a reason. You just need to get organized and plan things as best you can. Things are going to happen that are beyond your control but do not panic. I have some tips and advice to share with you that I have done while in college.
First, do not call it quits. Life happens. Consider this a test as to what can and will happen once you graduate. Now for my tips:
Make a list of everything you must do for a
month. (classes, work, homework, bills, chores, errands, and family time)
Pick a different color for each item. (I use gel
pens and sticky notes) If you see things in a certain color, you will be able
to distinguish one item from another.
Next, make a weekly planner using the colors.
Don’t forget to include those major projects or papers that can take more than a
week to accomplish.
Set a reasonable time to accomplish each item.
When you have finished a task, mark it off.
When something unexpected happens; like you get
sick, your car breaks down, or you have a family emergency; stay in contact
with your professors to catch up on anything you miss. They are here to help
you not to see you fail.
Make sure you get enough sleep and eat right to
stay mentally and physically healthy.
Take two to three hours a week for fun or to
just relax. Overwhelming yourself can put added stress on you.
Stay in a positive mood. You can do this by
surrounding yourself with positive thinking and acting people.
Try to avoid any negative behavior while
achieving your goals. Negative attitudes can bring added stress you do not need.
These tips will help you get
started in organizing your life and school. Life does go on and things happen
that are not expected, just remember the reason you decided to go to college.
Some days will seem harder than others but remember you are not going to be in
school forever. The lessons you learn today will help you achieve your goals
and a lot more, later in life.
What is a climate activist? Who is Gretta Thumberg? Why have “#ClimateStrike” and “#FridaysForFuture” become trending hashtags/topics worldwide? Although these terms are almost unheard of in Texarkana, they continue to take the world by storm as society begins to acknowledge the clock is ticking on our planet earth.
Gretta Thumberg is a 16-year-old climate activist who influenced the Fridays For Future movement. Climate and environmental activist are just what they sound like; people who are protesting to make changes in an effort to protect our planet and slow down the irreversible effects of climate change. Thumberg began a climate strike in August 2018, skipping school on Fridays to protest outside of the Swedish Parliament, holding signs and passing out flyers. Thumberg quickly caught the attention of local media outlets which helped spread the movement, these strikes have now spread to almost 150 countries. September 20th-27th was Global Climate Strike Week, where protests occurred worldwide leading up to the United Nations Climate Action Summit.
The U.N. Summit happened on September 23rd with an estimated 7.6 million people protesting throughout the week in an effort to show a demand for change. Thumberg delivered a powerful speech, scolding the world leaders for the way they’ve prepped planet earth for her generation. The U.N. supported the protests, hoping it would encourage countries to come with solid plans for major changes in the near future. However, many were left disappointed as some countries, including the United States: one of the worst perpetrators of emissions, did not attend the summit. Others attended with weak plans that would barely keep the temperature survivable for long.
The U.N. Summit concluded with both hope and fear. Key messages from the SDG Summit read: “…it is clear that the world is not on track to meet the SDG’s by 2030. The future is now, and the Earth’s systems are changing quickly.” However, the great outcry for change across the globe shows there is hope for a climate revolution, which has become necessary for survival of our younger generations. Young leaders like Thumberg need to stay strong in their battle as they continue to inspire and inform others about our struggling planet.
Former President Jimmy Carter was in the news recently showing his passion for helping others. He has been an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity since 1984 and continues to this day. The 95-year-old took part in a Habitat for Humanity build on Monday, October 7, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee after falling at home the night before. He showed up to help with a black eye and 14 stitches. According to Stephen Sorace with Fox News, “Carter feels that ‘God gives us life and freedom and with that freedom, everyone can make a basic decision as to what kind of a person they choose to be,’ but he encourages all to help others.”
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit
organization that builds houses for the needy with the help of volunteers in
the community. They depend on financial donations to fund their work. An
international board of directors oversees the work of Habitat for Humanity. Their
vision is a world where everyone
has a decent place to live. For anyone wanting to get involved and make a
difference, this is a great place to start. It is a global organization located
in local communities in all fifty states as well as more than seventy countries
around the world. Texarkana has an active local chapter.
Habitat for Humanity makes the application process easy. Any family in need of affordable housing, regardless of race or religion, can apply through their local Habitat for Humanity. Each local chapter has a selection committee who chooses homeowners based on their level of need, willingness to partner with Habitat, and ability to repay a mortgage through an affordable payment plan. Homeowners take an active part in the building process working alongside volunteers. They also receive financial education to teach them how to manage their money.
Everyone is in need at some point in their lives to some degree and it is our duty to step up and help. For anyone wanting to donate or get involved, call the Texarkana Habitat for Humanity chapter at 903-832-1746 or visit their website.
Do you like money? Personally, I love money. Like many of my student peers, what money I do have goes towards boring necessities; bills, gas, dog food, human food, etc. While we’re being responsible poor young adults, we forget to treat ourselves…so let’s look at a few ways we can pamper ourselves without spending our life’s savings.
Now, being rich makes things a little easier in the pampering department and us poor folk may have to work a little harder– but it just makes the results that much more satisfying. (I tell myself it’s more satisfying to make it seem like a choice…) The saying: “look good, feel good” has some truth to it, especially to the younger generation that is typically obsessed with self-image. So, if you have your nails done your chances of feeling good are much higher. However, are we really going to use two weeks’ worth of grocery money to get our nails done? No, because we’re poor independent college students who don’t need no nail tech.
For this, Walmart is our best friend; there are options ranging from $2 to $25 that give you the freedom to do your own nails. Look up YouTube tutorials on the type of nails you want and then…do it yourself. Taking the time to learn a new skill and then executing it, in this case nail care, can be a frustrating emotional roller coaster but the more time and effort put into it will bring you that much more satisfaction in the end when you know you did something yourself.
So now that our nails are well taken care of we can move on to eyelashes. Eyelash extensions have been taking over the planet, and what’s not to love about eyelash extensions? The price. Extensions can start around $100 and go up from there with a monthly fill of about $50 or more. So how are we getting long luscious lashes on a budget? We’re growing them ourselves! We’ll take a few household ingredients– castor oil, coconut oil, and a Q tip- and put it on every night before bed which produces long healthy lashes for under $10. The results aren’t as instantaneous as eyelash extensions, it will take a few months to see results, but that’s the price we pay for not paying more money up front.
Our nails are done, our lashes are long, and we are feeling great! You don’t need to be rich to feel and look like a million bucks.
Watching hockey can be confusing for people who are new fans; with rules, regulations, and terminology that are intimidating to learn, it can seem like it is in a whole new language. Hockey is continually growing with a new National Hockey League (NHL) team joining the league in Seattle in the 2020-2021 season and more recently the Vegas Golden Knights playing their first season in 2017-2018. With continual growth, it’s better to go ahead and get a head start on learning the rules now.
Let’s start with some terms that may be confusing to new viewers.
Icing
If you’re a beginner, icing is one of the more confusing hockey terms, but it’s easy to understand once you’ve got some general knowledge.
You can’t shoot the puck from your end of the ice to the other end in hockey. This is called “icing.” You’re in the clear when your player first touches the puck when it reaches the other end but if it is touched by the other team, it returns to your end for a face off.
Offside
In hockey, you cannot stay in the area of the opponent waiting for the puck. If you do this, you’ll get called offsides by the referee. You are also offsides when you cross the opponent’s blue line before the puck crosses the same line.
Pulling The Goalie
Sometimes, teams decide to pull their goalie if they are losing at the end of a game. You’ll also see teams pulling their goalie when the penalty is delayed.
Only six players can be on the ice at one time from each team, but there is no rule dictating what position they must be filling.
Once the goalie leaves, they will be replaced by an offensive player. At this time, the team is actually playing 6 on 5.
Now that you have a basic understanding of some of the rules, let’s look at who the players on the ice are.
The Goaltender
Firstly and arguably most importantly, we have the goaltender, also known as the “goalie”. The goalie in hockey plays the same role a goalie plays in any other sport; keep the other team from scoring.
It sounds simple enough but a lot of the time, the only thing goalies can rely on are their hand-eye coordination or their instinct.
Two Defensemen
The role of the defensemen can be a bit more diverse than that of the other positions. There are essentially three different roles the defensemen can play: classic, offensive (it sounds contradictory, I know), and a hybrid version.
The classic defensemen’s role is to stop players from the opposing team from scoring and to create some aggression and intimidation on the ice; they rarely take any shots to the net and their first priority is to defend.
The offensive defensemen is someone who will act as an extra forward. They will handle the puck from their end of the ice and create scoring opportunities and even take shots on goal themselves.
The hybrid version is just that, a mix of the traditional style of play with the style of the offensive defensemen. They don’t shy away from big hits but are also there to help put points on the board.
The Right and Left Wings
The right and left wings are both considered skill positions and they are the positions that cover the right and left sides of the ice, respectively. They are usually fast and are responsible for generating most of the goals.
The Center
The center is the player who is responsible for creating scoring opportunities for their team. They are usually players who can read the game well and are able to steer the game in the direction they wish to take it; much like a quarterback of sorts.
Although these are just some of the basics involving hockey, you now have a general understanding of what is going on and that means you’re one step closer to enjoying this great sport without having to ask too many questions.
For a more in-depth look at hockey rules click here.
After a devastating double overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues in game six of the 2019 playoffs, the Dallas Stars look to redeem themselves and make their fans proud this year. October 3, 2019 marked the official return of the National Hockey League (NHL) to Dallas, Texas.
Left to Right; Miro Heiskanen, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, and Tyler Seguin Photo from dallasstars.com
During the preseason, the Stars acquired Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks), Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks), and Andrej Sekera (Buffalo Sabres). Sekera brings maturity and experience to an already impressive line of young defensmen that includes Miro Heiskanen who participated in the 2019 NHL All-Star Game and had an astonishing season last year, leaving many under the impression that he is going to keep improving as his second season begins.
With the addition of players like Pavelski, the Stars have given themselves the ability to create stronger, more diverse line combinations. Pavelski was placed in a line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn which proved to be a successful group. In their final preseason game, all three players scored a goal, leading the team into overtime where they sealed their 4-3 win in a shootout against the Colorado Avalanche.
The preseason has not gone without its fair share of injuries, with Corey Perry out for two weeks due to a broken foot and Jason Dickinson placed on a day-to-day status after an accidental in-game injury from teammate, Seguin. Martin Hanzal and Stephen Johns are on injury reserve due to Hanzal’s back injury and Johns’ head injury. Julius Honka is now out of the lineup with no specifics or updates on his situation.
The Stars started off the regular season against the Boston Bruins, with their matchup ending in a 2-1 and two more injuries added to the Dallas Stars’ roster with Roman Polak fracturing his sternum and Blake Comeau recieving a lower-body injury putting him out for 2-4 weeks.
The Stars played against the reigning Stanley Cup champions and their division rivals, the St. Louis Blues, on Saturday, October 5, which proved to be a very physical and aggressive game. The Stars gained a 3-1 lead over the Blues with a power play goal but after a controversial call, the goal was disallowed since officials declared that Justin Dowling was offside. The Blues then tied the game two minutes and eleven seconds later and eventually gained a lead, ending the game with a score of 3-2.
Dallas played against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, October 6 and was led in goals by Roope Hintz. Hintz scored two goals and Seguin scored one goal to give the Stars a total of three goals. The Stars could not seem to pull through with a win, falling to the Red Wings with Anthony Mantha scoring all 4 goals for Detroit.
The Stars coaching staff and the players both know what changes need to be made in order to generate more scoring opportunities and hopefully improve their record as the season continues.
Do you remember what you would imagine for your life in your 20s? You would be a cool cat with a real job. Maybe you were a server on skates at Sonic or traveling Europe in your dreams. Who really didn’t want a job in which you could roller skate all day? Maybe those were just my dreams. The real question is, “Are you living your dreams?”
Give yourself a second and think to yourself what you truly pictured for yourself in your 20s. Now ask yourself why you haven’t accomplished the goals. It’s understandable that maybe costs are too tight, or the dream may seem extreme and scary at this point.
Spring 2019 I walked the halls of A&M Texarkana when a TV screen suddenly caught my attention. It read something along the lines of “Study abroad in Paris.” In that moment all of my daydreaming of being like Rory from Gilmore Girls flashed before my eyes. I made a choice in that moment to do whatever it took to spend time in Europe all by myself. I picked up a couple of extra shifts and I went for it. In the blink of an eye I was living out my Lizzy McGuire moment in Paris, France for four weeks.
Here are some tips and tricks I learned over the few months before my lone excursion across the pond:
Accountability partners are everything. Once you let someone, or a few people, of your dreams and goals you will feel more responsibility to accomplish it.
Organization is key. Trust me, I am not a professional organizer by any means, but I do know how to write out a checklist. Give yourself some deadlines and do them.
No excuses. The morning of my flight, I experienced a heavy anxiety. I felt like I couldn’t actually be capable of traveling the world by myself, but I did it anyway. I pushed through my fears and conquered them. Remind yourself, “I can do it.”
You are the only one capable of fulfilling your dreams. Go out and live them.
Attention, book lovers! If you enjoy reading Stephen King, Louisa May Alcott, and T.S. Eliot then you have a treat in store just in time for the holidays. Hollywood is releasing three new movies this fall based on books by these authors.
Stephen King lovers are sure to enjoy this new released movie adapted from Doctor Sleep.
Warner Bros. is releasing the movie November 8th. A sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep takes place years later with Danny Torrance now an adult. He meets a young girl with similar powers to his. Torrance has to protect this young girl from an evil tribe who is trying to use her powers to make them stronger. This film will have the same type of atmosphere as the original movie The Shining. A thrilling dark fantasy for horror lovers of Stephen King.
T.S. Eliot fans are in for a treat as the Broadway show Cats is being released by Universal Pictures on December 20th.
The movie is an adaptation of the musical played on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber first introduced fans to Cats in 1982. Webber adapted his musical based on Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a collection of poems that centers around a tribe of cats called Jellicles.
The film centers on which cat will be chosen to ascend to the “Heaviside Layer’ to begin a new life. Fans of Cats are going to enjoy this adaptation as Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, and Taylor Swift star. Be sure to listen for a new song titled Beautiful Ghost written by Taylor and Webber, sung by Francesca Hayward, in her first feature-length film role.
Sony Pictures is adapting yet another version of a film based on the novel written by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women.
This film will be the eighth adaptation of the novel’s two volume set written in 1868-69. The plot stays the same as it shows the lives of four sisters who find their way as they enter womanhood. The March sisters have been classic characters book lovers and movie-goers have fallen in love with.
The screenplay is written by Sarah Polley (Away From Her) and Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), who also directs. Gerwig’s adaptation will capture the poignancy and wit of the novel. The film stars Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Saoirse Ronan (Mary Queen of Scots), and Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia 1&2).
