Category: Stories In Focus

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Stories In Focus

Sabbatical Stories: Professor Murphy, Art

Q: Why did you choose to take a sabbatical this year?

A: Sabbaticals are very competitive. Not everyone who applies is awarded one. Houghton, like most colleges awards up to four sabbaticals per year. A faculty member is eligible for one after 7 years of teaching (hence the name- reflecting the 7th day of rest) this is my 3rd sabbatical in my 28+ years teaching at Houghton. No matter what year I took a sabbatical some group of students would feel a bit abandoned. I applied for a reduced load sabbatical, which is a bit different from the typical half year or year long versions most faculty elect to take. A half-year is one semester off with full pay. A full year is half pay. I extended a sabbatical over the entire year by teaching 1/2 year throughout the enter year. This gives me only a few contact hours per week on campus and the rest of the time working at my home. I did not want to leave my senior painting and drawing majors completely. This way I still have some limited contact with them in their final senior capstone studio work. I only teach. No committee work or academic advising. It has worked out very well for me. I hope my students feel the same.

Q: What are some of the projects you have worked on?

A: I stated in my application that I wanted to concentrate on three areas of my professional work.

  1. Studio work

  2. Reading in my field and in literature

  3. Reading and research in Film

I feel the best so far about the studio work. I work about 30- 50 hours each week on my paintings (they are really not strictly paintings…mixed media pieces). I average about 2 per week. The drawing phase for each piece takes about 12-18 hours. The painting and mixed media another 10. They are all 7X10 inch works. So far I have completed about 45. By September I hope to have between 75-100 from which I will exhibit about 20-25. These are far more labor intense than work I have done is many years. For the past 7-8 years my watercolor paintings could (and should ) be done in about an hour. At the end of each year I had typically about 200 paintings. From which I would exhibit about 10%.

My reading has gone about as I anticipated. I have concentrated on several postmodernist writers.

Murphy_TedDavid Markson, David Foster Wallace, William Gaddis, George Saunders, and Borges.

I have also immersed myself in poetry- particularly 20th century Polish poetry by Wislawa Szymborska, Zbigniew Herbert,  Bronislaw Maj, and Czeslaw Milosz as well as the Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa. There are many others- Louise Gluck, Mary Oliver, Tomas Trasnstromer , John Berryman and James and Franze Wright.

I have continued my interest in Shakespeare over this sabbatical with a couple of works of criticism Shakespeare After All and Shakespeare and Modern Culture by Margorie Garber, and Tony Tanner’s Prefaces to Shakespeare. This and the plays themselves which I can listen as I paint.

Film has been mostly work in a few directors I have become more interested in Yasujiro Ozu, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Robert Bresson. I have also been reading in art. Works on Magritte, Balthus, Deibenkorn, Gorky, and Amy Sillman.

Q: How has it affected your work as an artist?

A: I needed time to to immerse myself in a new body of work. Creative work is unlike scholarly work in that no clear ideas can be set out as a plan. The work grows out of the working process. This time to just work and see where it leads has been very productive. I also had opportunity to see several important exhibitions is New York. The Magritte show at the MOMA and the Balthus exhibition at the MET. As well as The Art Institute of Chicago.

My sabbatical really began with my participation in the CIC (Center of Independent Colleges) Seminar at the High Museum in Atlanta where I was one of 20 faculty selected nationally meet and discuss 17th century Dutch art and patronage. This was centered on the Royal Picture Gallery of the Mauritshuis from The Hague, Netherlands, on exhibit is Atlanta.

(home of the Girl With A Pearl Earring, Vermeer) and 38 other works. (the Show started in  San Francisco at the Young Museum, High Museum of Atlanta and concluded at the Frick Museum in New York City)  This seminar was fully funded by the Kress Foundation and was a magnificent experience. This has also impacted greatly my work.

Q: Have you read/learned anything interesting during this time?

A: NO…just kidding…I have already covered this above.

Q: Do you think it has given you the time and rest you need?

A: I feel a relief from the teaching responsibility. But more so from the committee and departmental day in and day out complications. This is all part of the job for a faculty member. Last year I was very busy with Rank and Tenure committee, Honors student work and interviews and preps, departmental hires and decisions and advising. This year my colleagues have relieved me of this and it has been very helpful. That is what we do for each other.

I am grateful to the school for this time and look forward next year to exhibiting my new work and giving a lecture on this material. Currently I have an exhibition of 10 paintings At Milligan College is Johnson City Tennessee. Some of these works will be included in my show post sabbatical.

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Stories In Focus

Recommended Reads: “Bitchfest” by Margaret Cho

Within the pages of Bitchfest lie a collection of essays spanning ten years of publication in Bitch magazine, a glossy founded in 1996 by editors Lisa Jervis and Andi Zeisler. The essays are arranged into eight sections, covering topics such as growing up, gender identity, sex, body image, and activism, all through the love-hate lens of popular culture—and all with keen intelligence and insight. Indeed, most of the essays are penned by professors, authors, and speakers in their field, thinking critically about the way the media represents not only women, but also homosexuals, transgendered people, people of color, and those otherwise on the outskirts of society.

Courtesy of macmillanusa.com
Courtesy of macmillanusa.com

So, why “bitch”? As Margaret Cho explains in the book’s introduction, “a bitch is assertive, unapologetic, demanding intimidating, intelligent, fiercely protective, in control—all very positive attributes,” and yet, the word is still used by so many to attack, insult, and hurt. These qualities are valuable and right until they are employed by the wrong person, a woman, and suddenly they become negative and undesirable. In the pages of the Bitchfest, this status quo and many others are challenged and subverted.

It is for this reason that Bitchfest is an important read, especially for Houghton students. Not because it is sensationalist or controversial, although it can be at times. But because it, more than any textbook or testimony in any sociological or anthropological class you might take, gives a voice to those with unique and sometimes marginalized perspectives and experiences. Take, for example, the essay Sister Outsider Headbanger: On Being a Black Feminist Metalhead, in which Keidra Chaney talks about life as a black girl with an obsession with heavy metal. Perhaps the most piece for me personally was Danya Ruttenberg’s Fringe Me Up, Fringe Me Down: On Getting Dressed in Jerusalem. Ruttenberg shares her encounters as a female rabbinical student choosing to don the kippah and tzitzit, garments traditionally only worn by men. Women are not explicitly prohibited from wearing either item, and yet Ruttenberg still came up against negative reactions among her peers. I am not Jewish, and yet I could learn from Ruttenberg’s honest faith and her questions about her choices of expression. I am not black, either, and yet I could relate to Chaney’s struggles with being herself in a way that caused others consternation.

Bitchfest manages to contain a broad and sometimes contrasting range of viewpoints in a cohesive and effective manner. There are essays that hail the Spice Girls and essays that praise promiscuity alongside essays that decry the Spice Girls and defend virginity. There are even essays by men—essays about how masculinity is portrayed in the media, essays about “fratrimony” and the power of the male bond, essays about the word “like.” There are heartfelt essays about abuse and shame, and there are hilarious essays such as Urinalysis: On Standing Up to Pee. What they all have in common is that they are honest, they are passionate and opinionated, and they fight for the underdog.

 

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Stories In Focus

The Changing Face of Student Government

The senators troop into the weekly SGA meeting in small groups at a time, chattering and taking their time to find their seats. It’s 10 in the evening but, besides a few yawns here and there, the group doesn’t appear to be tired. Soon the meeting begins with role, read by Andiana Siddell, vice-president of the body. Each senator responds with a “present” to their name as the conversation dies to a low murmur.

SGA_all we do is doughnutsThis body looks different than it did a year ago, and that’s all due to new changes in the SGA’s constitution. Last year, sensing that an inadequate number of constituencies were being represented, SGA adjusted its constitution in regards to its representation. Now, instead of only requiring a member to be a representative of a class and no more, the constitution stipulates that “Active Membership of the Senate shall be composed of three members elected by each class, one member elected by each on-campus student residence, one member elected by the varsity athletes, and one member elected by each academic area.” The main goal, after all, is to get more groups on campus represented.

The result of the changes? According to Hardy, “It’s a mixed bag right now. I think it’s given us a Senate that has a little more diversity than it has had in the past, but at the same time it’s harder to fill all of those seats.” Indeed, getting people to fill the empty seats has been a task that SGA has been undertaking all year but, for some reason or another, students have been less than keen to take on the positions.

Hardy attributes these difficulties to both low enrollment and overworked students, but he also mentions something else. Students, he says, remain largely ignorant of what SGA does, though, he adds sarcastically, “Apparently, people know that we do Donut Day.” Jokes aside, Hardy fears “about what is it that we’re actually doing that gives value to students.” Said Hardy, “I think more than changing the structure, this is leading to a new conversation about what student government should actually be doing.”

The question of student government’s relevancy is a significant one for other reasons, particularly just as Houghton is expanding into nontraditional educational areas such as online education programs through its partnership with Indiana Wesleyan University and two-year degree programs to begin next year in Buffalo. The inclusion of these programs should introduce a new population of students, ones not located on campus, and with it becomes a problem of representing these students in student government.

Partly because of these new changes, according to Greg Bish, director of student programs, “What students need today is not what was needed in the past.” Bish has been encouraging the current cabinet to examine “progressive models” of student government on other campuses to begin modernizing student government at Houghton. A key question to ask, said Bish, in the coming weeks and months to come is “As we consider the number of residential students in addition to online, graduate, and two-year degree students, with the addition of the social media and technology of today, what is the appropriate amount of student leadership?”

Hardy echoed Bish’s sentiments and added that, since the current model was formed “in the late 80s or in the 90s”, it’s about time for an update. For now, though, with the election cycle for the next senate and cabinet well underway, it appears as if an update is still a long ways away

 

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#SPOTOn: Strongest SPOT in Years

This year’s spring SPOT was a clear success.  Just by luking at the audience one could tell as everyone constantly johned in laughter together.  Senior roommates, Luke Ogden and John Carpenter did a superb job #tag teaming back and forth throughout the two hour show with an array of facetious comments and jokes. They kept it short and concise with fewer acts, while regularly engaging with the audience, therefore making this one of the strongest SPOTs in years.

SPOT_2As normal, not all acts were equally amusing, though few disappointed.  The show started out a little slow with a typical Christian school jab.  The song may have had one or two clever lines, but overall it served as the usual conservative Christian relationship song with overdone points, such as getting “friend-zoned.” Also, the Mariachi band did not garner quite as many laughs as was perhaps hoped, but overall the show was strong and flowed well.

During setup breaks the extremely talented duet of Malcom Bell and Jerbrel Bowens entertained with upbeat piano-percussion pop songs that kept the audience lively.  Also during breaks, Luke and John creatively entertained with their various top 10 lists.

The Flight of the Concords song Jenny was brought back again and done quite well.  And videos such as the RAs Reading Tweets and Amazing Race were also clever and fun components to the show.

Due to some steph that happened following the fall SPOT, Nathan Hatch could not afFord to be quite as scandalous in his musical performance, although his Party Rock duet with Nathaniel Efthimiou still trumped some other acts included in the show.

The news update could not phelp making some jabs at Russia’s unprepared setup for the Olympics, and, though touching on serious issues, the two were only joshin’. This second performance of Hatch’s cracked people up with some eggcellent yokes from both him and co-anchor Josh Phelps.

And I must profess-or should I say concur with many peers that Ben Murphy’s clever punny story elicited an aBendant amount of laughs.  Returning later with his Jimmy Fallon inspired thank you notes, more laughs were released as he thanked Luke Crawford for “reminding us what Jesus would look like if he was a 6’4” Canadian white ginger from Thailand with a giant smile.” And also he was sure to thank Sodexo as well “for a bar-like atmosphere in a dry town”- though as Luke and John remind us we should all be getting drunk… on Jesus.

Another fun wordplay skit included a quintet of sophomores who produced a clever script consisting of an impressive amount of Lord of the Rings quotes and references.  And though funny, I urge you to also take warning from the skit: If you are in the music building and need a drink, resist-“do not disturb the waters.”

Overall, briefly mullen over the night’s events from the clutch president appearance to Sodexo jokes (napkins are a staple food) the show was strong and entertaining.   Good work hosts, people shall be tweeting about this for days to come-well, as long as the Internet is working.

 

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Her, Questioning Relationships

In his latest film, Her, Spike Jonze invites his viewer into a pastel-colored future that will daze them in reflection for weeks following. Set in the near future, the film opens on Theodore Twombly (Joaquín Phoenix) working at BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com, a ghostwriting service for the romantic and lazy. As he leaves work, he speaks a voice command to his phone, “Play melancholy song.”

Courtesy of collider.com
Courtesy of collider.com

He walks out onto the streets of a bustling Los Angeles, making his way back to his apartment. He is in a slump – lost in daydreamed memories of his estranged wife who is seeking a divorce from him. The world Theodore travels through is not unlike our own. Those around him tinker with gadgets on the train, exploring their own unique and pixelated realities.

The world painted by Jonze is believable because it reflects the world of today. It does not indulge in science fiction tropes of latex jumpsuits and flying cars. It seems a very accurate prediction of the world we will soon inhabit. The devices that make our lives wonderfully convenient today have become staples in Theodore’s time.

The film ignores the limits of its genre. It does not show the viewer a future for the sake of its own self-indulgence. Rather, it uses the vantage point to weave a human love story. At the same time, it examines issues of human connection without seeming preachy or superior.

After seeing an advertisement for an artificial intelligence, OS1, in a subway terminal, Theodore picks up a copy for himself. Alone in his apartment that night, he activates his purchase. After a few basic questions and a loading screen, it springs to life with a cheerful, “Hello? I’m here.”

“Hi?”, Theodore responds.

Awkward at first, their stilted introduction eases into laughter. The OS identifies itself as female. Theodore asks for her name. She comes up with one on the spot, “Samantha”.

The role of Samantha is played by an unseen Scarlett Johansson. Imbued with programmed personality, she helps Theodore through his trepidations about the world. Together, they grow. As they become fonder and fonder of each other they begin to form a relationship that will change the both of them by the end of the film.

This relationship is beautifully scored by a collaboration between Arcade Fire and Karen O, orchestrated by Owen Pallett. The soundtrack mixes melancholy acoustic instruments with humming electronic sounds. It fits unobtrusively into the story, adding to it in subtle ways. When Samantha composes music to express her deeper feelings, her compositions grow more varied and detailed as she grows in intelligence and complexity.

As a viewer, Jonze’s future will challenge your view of what a relationship truly is. Thematically, the film is a love story. Soft music and bloom seep smoothly into the narrative. These are balanced by a story that shows a deep relationship with flaws and imperfections. It poses a question to the viewer. Why do we indulge ourselves in connecting to others?

Is it so we can lay our burdens on another and take theirs in return?
Is it so we can experience the edges of our human limits in both serenity and frustration?
Is it so that we can learn something new about ourselves?

 

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Coming Up: Bluegrass and Folk CAB Coffeehouse

This upcoming Tuesday in Java 101 the CAB Coffeehouse will feature a bluegrass-focused performance by students Abby Talone, Zach Kitchen, Colleen Winton, and Annie Hassen. These four have been playing music together for some time, including a performance last semester at the alumni coffeehouse that took place during Homecoming weekend. Aside from Coffeehouses, several of the group’s members have also played for Koinonia on Sunday nights.

CoffeehouseThe two hours will feature a variety of instruments. Annie Hassen will be playing the violin, a key element of traditional American folk music. Junior Zach Kitchen will be playing the mandolin, while fellow junior Colleen Winton will be performing on both the acoustic guitar, and also egg shaker. In addition to more traditional folk instruments, Winton will be contributing her whistling skills to the performance. Senior Abby Talone, who is a Koinonia leader, will add her strumming talents, playing on her Martin & Co. acoustic guitar. The four are intending to incorporate a variety of harmonies and vocal styles into their performance to emphasize their “folky feel”, as Talone put it.

The group chose songs that would best showcase their intended sound and create the desired casual and rustic ambiance. The selection of songs they will be covering include songs and artists such as “Flowers in Your Hair” by The Lumineers, “Your Love is Strong” by Jon Foreman, and “Like the Dawn” by the Oh Hellos. Additionally they will cover other artists such as the popular English folk rock band, Mumford and Sons, the Christian acoustic folk band, All Sons and Daughters, and similar folk-based musicians.

This American traditional style of music, or folk music, dates back to the early 1930s, from which it developed into our current genre of “hipster” or “indie” music. However, folk music is an intrinsic part of our history as Americans, as it incorporates elements from both the blues, country, bluegrass, gospel, and old-timey – a picture of how the integration of the American people as a nation began with the integration of music.

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Creation Care House: Engaging in Environmental Stewardship

Designed as an effort to create more options for students to get involved in the act of environmental stewardship, the Creation Care Townhouse is continuing to have an impact. Houghton’s Sustainability Coordinator, Brian Webb, sent out an e-mail last summer to all townhouse residents, seeking anyone who was interested in the opportunity to pursue creation care. Webb said that his purpose in creating the Creation Care House was to designate a place that could engage students on the topic of creation care in a more intentional and ongoing way. “I was familiar with the model of a living learning community…I really liked the idea of taking that model and applying the topic of creation care to it, particularly since creation care, stewardship, sustainability, whatever you want to call it, is very appropriate to the residential context.” Webb also said that these types of communities are particularly impactful because when students go on to live on their own, they are able to take the principles they’ve implemented and continue them into an awareness of how their habits impact the world.

After conferring among their housemates, future residents of Perkins 49 took Webb up on his offer. House member Lauren Bull stated that their admittance into the house was anything but grueling. “There wasn’t really a formal selection, we just kind of volunteered,” she said. Her housemates include Winona Wixson, Brittany Libby, Lydia Wilson, Jory Kauffman, and Amy Eckendorf. After the group had been selected, a number of different options were afforded to them in terms of which area of creation care they wanted to explore. The group chose food and water.

CreationCare2

Bull said this meant they would be composting, low-flow faucets and toilets would be installedin the house, as well as having monthly meetings and brainstorming sessions with Brian Webb to learn more about sustainable food practices and the difficulty of eating organically in college, among other things. It was all part of this initiative that moved two large composting bins to the townhouse area, available for all residents’ usage.Webb said his goal for designating the Creation Care House was to create something that was both internally and externally focused in educating and encouraging good stewardship practices within the townhouse, as well as enabling the students to take their knowledge to the community, particularly in the other townhouses. Last semester, the group sponsored a visit to a local farm where all the vegetables were naturally grown. Bull said the visit along with listening to the farmer and his wife talk about his farming practices was part of the learning process of coming to awareness in being more intentional. “It’s really cool to see how achievable it is. They made it look very attainable.” The venture was posted with only 24 slots, all of which were filled. The first of this month marked a showing of the documentary Fresh, examining America’s food system, all organized and promoted by the Creation Care House. They are currently planning gardening workshops to be held later this semester.

As for the future of the program, Webb said he is leaving room for expansion. “Ideally,” he said, “I would like to get two houses next year. If I had two quality applications from groups of students who are committed to it, then I would accept two houses.” He also mentioned that the following year’s application process would be a little more difficult, hoping for more of a competitive bidding process, not made possible this year because of the rapidness with which this was developed. He is also hoping that next year the Creation Care House will be able to bring in some sort of creation care expert each month about their area of expertise, adding weight to the program’s intentionality and credibility. In its educational and communal benefits as well as its perceptible success, the Creation Care House has measured out to be something sustainable in itself.

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SPOT Preview: “There’s going to be a lot more laughing.”

As first years, Luke Ogden and John Carpenter dreamed of one day hosting SPOT together.  As seniors, the pair will live out that dream this Saturday. Sitting together on a townhouse couch, Ogden and Carpenter discussed the upcoming show, their role as hosts, and inevitably reminisced about their past as students, friends, and roommates.

With a half-empty gallon of green tea in his lap and his co-host’s inspiring presence nearby,

Ogden explained some anticipated differences in the upcoming SPOT, in contrast to previous shows. “There’s going to be a lot more laughing, ‘cause John and I are awesome,” he said.  “There’s going to be even more jokes, more fun-ness, more ooo’s, more ahh’s, more music.”

Ogden also said that he and Carpenter eagerly await aspects of the show that he describes as “elements of surprise and fun.” They look to CAB for one such element, a series of Vines, to go with this SPOT’s theme of social networking, dubbed #hastagspot by the hosts.

Along with the promised humor, Ogden and Carpenter vowed to stay true to SPOT’s function as a variety show. They assure the appearance of some singing acts, group dancing, and plenty of videos. In addition, Carpenter anticipates “some stuff we’ve never really seen before; people are getting pretty creative with their ideas.”

Ogden himself, a music enthusiast, said, “I will probably make a singing appearance… definitely can’t keep my vocal chords from moving.”

Courtesy of Facebook.com
Courtesy of Facebook.com

Aside from Ogden’s own voice, both he and Carpenter expressed specific excitement regarding their choice of musical interludes between acts. Performing live, pianist Malcolm Bell and drummer Jerbrel Bowens will assume the stage frequently during the night, working together to both entertain and enthrall the audience during set changes and act transitions.

As Carpenter said of the two musicians’ talents, “They’re both good enough that we can tell them what to play an hour before the show and they’ll be able to do it.” Ogden added to his co-host’s statement, describing the pair’s awaited musical appearances as “beautiful.”

Aside from the various acts and the musical performances of Bell and Bowens, yet another aspect of SPOT lies in Ogden and Carpenter’s own performance as hosts. As friends since freshman year, the hosts claim four years worth of ideas related to the enactment of this spring’s SPOT.

As roommates, Ogden and Carpenter indulge in planning the event while the majority of Houghton indulges in sleep. “We do a lot of brainstorming in bed at night,” said Carpenter. “Once we’re talking it doesn’t really stop.”

Ogden said, in explaining his relationship with Carpenter, “We feed one another – literally and figuratively.  There’ll be times I’ll be like, ‘John, you want some eggs?’  He’ll be like, ‘Yea’…  But we feed off of each other as well – not so much literally in that way – more figuratively.”  Such “feeding” often results in a cascade of witty comments, the essence of their pending SPOT appearance.

The hosts display chemistry off the stage that can only be anticipated to make an appearance in the spotlight as well. They profess a successful friendship due in part to making up for each other’s faults. For Carpenter, Ogden is better with words; for Ogden, if a joke goes too far, “John always knows when to stop.” Due to such chemistry, or possibly just the fact that they both have blond hair, they once were even mistaken as brothers.

Overall, Ogden and Carpenter anticipate a satisfying SPOT for this spring. They possess confidence in the acts and in themselves as hosts. As opposed to the lengthy, mediocre SPOT of the fall, Ogden plans for a SPOT filled with entertaining acts. He said, “We would rather have an hour-long SPOT of awesomeness and good acts than a two-hour-long with good acts and bad acts.”

 

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Recommended Reads: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This summer I was introduced to the talented writings of Gillian Flynn, a contemporary writer, who has composed three novels, Sharp Objects, Dark Places, and her latest, and in my opinion her best, Gone Girl. All three of her writings are packed full of mystery that keeps you from putting the book down until the very end, and trust me, they are all worth it, so don’t skip ahead. These thrilling stories take you into the minds of very complex individuals whose lives revolve around seeking the truth, which takes them each on a journey worth reading about.

Courtesy of katyat34.typepad.com
Courtesy of katyat34.typepad.com

Gone Girl begins with introducing us to a couple from the Midwest, Nick and Amy Dune, on the day of their fifth anniversary. But this isn’t any normal anniversary; this is the day that Nick’s wife goes missing. The story is written from the perspective of Nick Dune, beginning the day Amy goes missing and continues to tell the story each day afterward. At the same time the reader is able to learn a lot about who Amy is through her diary entries, which date back as far as seven years.

From the very beginning it is obvious that Nick and Amy are not having the greatest relationship. This is mostly to do with the fact that they both were forced to move from their home in New York City back to Nick’s small hometown in Missouri. To make matters worse, their once flourishing jobs in the writing world came to an end because of the poor economy and the decline in newspapers and magazines jobs available. Another factor damaging their relationship is the secrets that they both have withheld from each other.

As the days go by we learn more about Nick and the difficulties he goes through. From the very beginning the police and the town assume Nick to be the main suspect for Amy’s disappearance. His lack of emotion is noticed by both the police and the media. He also has great difficulty at thinking before he acts which makes matters worse.  No one believes his innocence except for his sister Go (short for Margo.)

We can come to the conclusion that Nick couldn’t be the one behind his wife’s disappearance because we are reading the story in his point of view, and can see that he truly does not know where Amy is. Panicked and angry he responds to the police during their investigation “My wife is gone. My wife is gone!” finally showing his concern that he has so much trouble expressing throughout the book. But there is still so much that we don’t know about him, for instance the truth that that he no longer loves his wife. But he still cares for her and is determined to find what happened to her.

As the days go by we continue to learn about Amy through her diary. We come to know her like we would a new friend, listening to the stories of her life with Nick. She is a happy and bubbly person who is always on the positive side of things. Yet as we read further we make another discovery that casts her husband in an entirely different light than what we’ve previously encountered him as the narrator of the story. So who are we to believe, Nick or Amy?

I recommend reading Gone Girl because it is a story with many layers; it is interesting, compelling, and plays clever psychological tricks on your mind. As you read, you may start to think that you know these characters, and you might even venture a guess as to what happened to Amy. However as soon as you’re halfway through the book, there is a plot twist that you never seen coming, and the story abruptly and completely changes. One would expect elements of mystery in any of Flynn’s books, but with Gone Girl she takes it to a whole different level.

Gone Girl was number one on the New York Times’ Best Seller list for eight full weeks. It has garnered a generous amount of praise, and will soon be adapted into a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox, with Ben Affleck as Nick and Rosamund Pike as Amy. The film will be released October 3rd 2014. So go read this amazing thriller for yourself and experience the great writing Gillian Flynn has to offer.

 

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Athlete Profile: Stephany Ellison

Recent addition to the women’s basketball team, Stephany Ellison, brings both athletic skill and a competitive attitude to the court.

Ellison began her college career at Eastern Kentucky University where she had been recruited by their Division I women’s soccer team.  In hopes of “coming closer to home and in need of a change,” Ellison transferred to Houghton last year as a sophomore.

Ellison has continued in playing soccer but also competed on Houghton’s field and track team, running the 100 and 200.  She had first joined track to become faster for soccer season and was struck by the rigor of the program.  Ellison attributed track for “improving her running technique,” which has translated to all the sports she participates in.

Although her first love is soccer, Ellison has found motivation through basketball as well. She acknowledges that something particularly enjoyable about basketball is the proximity of the fans.  Ellison “feeds off the crowd and the close atmosphere,” she says. Coming into the season Ellison was unsure what to expect but has found the “chemistry to be so much better than anticipated and has come to know the team so well.”

Courtesy of Houghton.edu
Courtesy of Houghton.edu

Captain Kristen Moose, senior, likewise identified an intimate dynamic on the team.  Moose and Ellison played basketball at rival high schools and now as teammates look to each other for intensity on the court.  Moose said that, “Stephany makes people better and it is an advantage to have her around.”

Ellison plays the position of point guard but is also a “key defender . . . hustles and works hard,” says Women’s basketball coach, Alicia Mucher.

One need only to look at Ellison’s statistics to see that she has “made the transition to basketball really well,” commented Mucher. Ellison is number one on assists and number two in the categories of points, 3-point FGs, free throws, and steals.

Mucher says that Ellison has not only showed initiative on the team but also “effort towards managing academics while contributing athletically.”

Ellison similarly comments that her “competitive edge” even follows her into the classroom and into her major, Inclusive Childhood Education.

In looking towards the future, Ellison has tried out for the Charlotte Eagles, a professional women’s soccer team in North Carolina and will be receiving a decision shortly. Yet in the meantime, Ellison is “really glad” to have been able to have the experience of playing on the women’s basketball team while being at Houghton.

Contemplating the past season in coaching Ellison, Mucher said that the “fact that we have her in our program is an asset, Stephany shows no fear and provides a fire to those around her.”