By Ursula Newman

For the last four decades, Good Relations has been more than just a place to buy sex toys and lingerie. Founded by former Humboldt State University professor and clinical psychologist Dr. Melinda Meyers, the space has been a trusted community resource, chock-full of sex education, body positivity and inclusivity. 

As a student at Humboldt, Meyers attended a home-based pleasure party — like a Tupperware party, but with toys — at a friend’s house. The presenter, Susan Anderson, was a nurse practitioner and women’s health specialist. Meyers was surprised by how educational the experience was, and soon began working at the company with Anderson. Within just a few months, she realized people needed lingerie. 

“The most affirming sex-positive thing for everybody is not the same thing, and I wanted to have a broader range,” Meyers said. “So, I started my own company in 1983.” 

After two thousand successful parties, she opened the first Good Relations store in Arcata. In 1994, she began teaching in the psychology and critical race and gender studies departments at Humboldt, and did so for 25 years. Meyers also worked as a licensed clinical psychologist for 16 years before retiring in 2021. During the pandemic, much of her time went into planning and designing the current location of Good Relations. In Nov. 2023, the store moved down the road and into the new space located at 329 2nd St. Today, it continues to serve the community by providing a welcoming, judgement-free space to explore pleasure, wellness and self expression. 

Meyers and her small team fill the store with care, looking out for products and brands that are sustainable, gender and size-inclusive, made in the United States and BIPOC, LGBTQ+ or women-owned. By being intentional when bringing products into the store, they are able to cater to all bodies and gender expressions. 

“I think people dress in ways that feel sexy to them, and or affirming to them,” Meyers said. “And sometimes feeling sexy is affirming, and sometimes the other way around. Part of feeling affirmed is being able to feel sexy. Our store definitely skews fem, but I have plenty of masc stuff, and fem and masc things that fit pretty much all bodies.” 

Because of her background, and with help from the store’s code of conduct, Meyers has a strong relationship with customers and values their discretion. When you enter the shop, a sign reads: ‘Good Relations is an anti-racist, anti-sexist, LGBT+, and sex-positive business that celebrates diversity and aims to create a safe and comfortable place for everyone to shop.’ Their code of conduct is outlined stating: ‘Do not touch, comment about, or make sexual advances to anyone in our store. Shaming someone’s interest you don’t understand is disrespectful. This is a store for adults. Please act like one.’ 

“People’s business is people’s business,” Meyers said. “Especially right now, it has to be discreet — it just has to be.”

In a small town, being a trusted business is important. Meyers stressed that a lot of work has gone into establishing that Good Relations is there as a resource.

“We work to stay within what our community is comfortable with,” Meyers said. “The store goes mild to wild. If you’re walking by with grandma and the kids, you’re not seeing anything in the back. We do that intentionally, and as a result we’ve never had any issue.”

Good Relations focuses on providing an enjoyable shopping experience for all. To stay accessible, there is a range of price points —with good, better, and best in every category. 

“I’ll always have 5 for $25 panties,” Meyers said. “Some of the panties in there will work on people who are tucking. There’s organic cotton in there when I can get it —that’s how we try to meet college students’ and other lower-income people’s needs.” 

Talia Block, a sophomore at Cal Poly studying psychology, noted the reasonable prices and supportive atmosphere. 

“I had a great experience there, they are so helpful,” Block said. “I went there the first time that I wanted to buy a sex toy, and they were so informative, kind, and helpful.”

When Good Relations started, advertising methods were much different. Meyers used advertisements on broadcast TV around 1996 that showcased and celebrated different bodies, and promoted inclusivity. The messaging of the store was unique. It was the only sex & body positive, education-focused store that Meyers knew of. 

“41 years into this, I still love it,” Meyers said. “I think now, contributing to that is the fact that I’m not alone anymore.”

Meyers offered a few suggestions to those who’ve never visited a sex shop before. Bringing a friend might help if you’re nervous, or check on Google and see when the shop is less busy. On the opposite side, come out during Arts Alive! on the first Saturday of every month. Blend in with the crowds, look at the monthly art on the walls, and browse the store. 

Good Relations strives to uphold its commitment to normalizing discussions on pleasure and wellness. Its doors are open to everyone, every day of the week.

“Don’t be afraid and don’t be ashamed to say, ‘yes I want this,’ and ‘no, I don’t want that,’” Meyers said. “You get to like whatever you want — you’re not hurting somebody else, you don’t have to earn the right to pleasure. Sex is healthy and pleasure is good for you.”

By Ariana Wilson

The Northcoast Preparatory Academy recently concluded its whirlwind theatre immersion exercise on Jan. 23-25. The performances were held in Gist Hall Theatre, allowing NPA juniors and seniors the creative liberty to design sets, props, and costumes, act, and collaborate with directors to adapt a play to their vision. This year’s play was Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros. 

Ionesco’s play is an absurdist social criticism of fascism in Nazi Germany. The rhinoceros symbolizes the savage nature of humanity and portrays the ease at which individuals can become conformists when influenced by a majority.

As upperclassmen and students of NPA, actors Margot Roscoe, Joey Hodges, and Richie Alvarez embodied the roles of Berenger, Jean, and Papillon, respectively. 

“When you’re a character that is completely detached from the world, you can detach yourself from the world too, and you are completely limp to whatever else is happening, completely oblivious to the world around you,” Roscoe, who plays Berenger, said. “And then you get serious, and then you’re the only one left, and then you kind of have to face [yourself] and have to face humanity.”

Director Omar Gad was introduced to the project as students received scripts. Learning alongside the actors that were thrown into the “The idea was to introduce the scripts to [the students] and give them a feel for it,” Gad said. “I think people forget what absurdity feels like, and [we had to] bring them into the mentality of absurdism and fascism in a historical period.”

Directors Omar Gad and Rosemary Stevens had less than two weeks to rehearse and prepare for opening night. “It’s kind of a process that’s established at NPA,” Stevens said. “We read the script with the students, make sure they understand what’s going on. We do some theater exercises, build a little bit of the ensemble community beforehand, then we do auditions, and we give everyone their role.”

Berenger, identified as the town drunk, is relatively indifferent throughout the play and has no fundamental beliefs. Still, as more and more townsfolk begin to adopt this fascist mentality, deny humanism, reject individuality, and become rhinoceroses, Berenger starts to sober up and think for himself.

Director Rosemary Stevens reflected on Ionesco’s influence through the lens of her and Gad’s directorial vision.

“Ionesco’s interpretation of the times that he’s living was like, ‘Let me take all these horrible things happening and abstract it and make it almost so ridiculous and absurd,’” Stevens said. “So, we had to take some of the words Ionesco had written and give them to other characters but maintain the same story. And that was really fun, and it was really rewarding, seeing the way the students made it work.”

In the play, Berenger visits his steadfast and opinionated best friend, Jean, at his home following an argument the pair had at a local bar. Berenger shares his fears about the rampant rhinoceros with Jean as he watches everyone he knows morph into animals. Throughout their conversation, Jean paces in and out of his bathroom. Each time he returns, he resembles the savage animal more and more until he has completely transformed.

“When I’m turning into a rhinoceros, I say, ‘After all, rhinoceroses are living creatures, just like you and me. They have just as much right to life as we do,’ and I’m like, looking at the audience and saying, ‘Fascists are humans too,’” Hodges, who plays Jean, said. “And I’m like, ‘Why am I saying that?’ But NPA has always wanted us to voice our opinions [and be] advocates for everyone. NPA pushes you to go beyond what you are and then also reminds you that you’re not a horrible person.”

In the play’s final moments, Berenger is alone, the last unchanged human. His morals waver as he watches all his friends, colleagues, and loved ones become unfamiliar, horn-nosed beasts. He talks to himself to the point of invigoration, increasingly becoming aware of the importance of free will and accepting contradiction.

Rhinoceros is thought-provoking and timely. When politics and people are divided, it is easy to become detached, but Ionesco reminds us, “When you’re involved yourself, you can’t help feeling directly concerned.”

Ariana Wilson is a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in scientific diving. She intends to merge her passion for the environment and conservation with her love of journalism as a science writer in the future. This semester’s goal: write one story per section.

By Alexis Blue

Senior studio art major Maya Song revels in creativity, acrylic paint and half-inch flat brushes. Originally from the Bay Area, Song grew up drawing, garnering inspiration from her aunt, a collage artist, and her father who enjoys architecture. When she was 14 years old, Song began taking her art more seriously by joining El Comalito, an art collective in Vallejo, CA, which allowed her to gain some experience through art markets. 

“The first things I ever sold as paintings were because my brother was a skateboarder,” Song said. “He was sponsored by a deck company, so he had thousands of decks just at his disposal. I would sand them down, and repaint them, and then I would sell those at the market.”

In her last few semesters at Humboldt, Song has developed her skills as an artist, holding on to her childhood as inspiration. Song shared that her artistic style is often guided by children’s toys or images from sticker packs, digital art from the early 2000s and even equestrian themes.

“Every piece that I’ve ever done has had some sort of portraiture, essentially of family members,” Song said. “So, one of my maternal lineages — grandmas, aunts, my mom, stuff like that; a lot of exploration of generational womanhood.” 

As many artists experience, there are moments when creativity lulls and there are moments of yearning for inspiration. In these moments, Song has sought out music and friends.

“I think it’s really important to sort of surround yourself with other creative people from different mediums, because what everybody else is working on pushes you to think outside of your normal streams of inspiration,” Song said. 

Song reflected on some dream projects of hers in the future, including a project that she is currently working on, an Asian-American art gallery to recognize artists in the Humboldt County area. She also shared excitement in possibly seeing her art displayed alongside an inspiration of hers.

“We’ve always sort of talked about how there’s really a lack of representation in Asian-American art in the area, even though there’s so many amazing Asian creators that have come from this space,” Song said. “I think the cherry on top would be if we were to get some Martin Wong pieces in the exhibit.” 

Song believes that art is for everyone, not just conventional artists, and that there’s no wrong way to go about it. “You gotta just do it,” Song said. “It really is all benefit and no risk. You don’t have to show your work to anybody. It’s just to make something for yourself, and be super selfish about it.”

Alexis Blue is a junior at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in journalism and minoring in writing. She enjoys drinking coffee, sunsets on the beach, and playing soccer.

If you’ve ever visited McIntosh Farms Country Store off of Giuntoli Lane in Arcata, then you know the food is bomb and the line is long! That is why I was elated to see them appear on the DoorDash app. Well, visiting is becoming a regular habit now. 

The menu boasts items such as freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, pancakes, country fried steak, hearty sandwiches, burgers, and a variety of vegan options to suit a variety of taste buds. 

There is something about their fresh, soft, spongy, homemade English muffin—it is the best English muffin around. This particular English muffin’s purpose is to hold all the ingredients of my favorite mini man breakfast sandwich together. I know, the name “mini man” seems so gender specific. Even the word mini is a stretch to describe the beyond average-sized breakfast sandwich. 

Within the homemade English muffin is a layer of sausage, bacon, eggs, cheese — and yes — a thick stack of hash browns. My go-to is no meat, no cheese, substitute avocado, and then its magic. They kick down a healthy portion of avocado. There’s nothing basic about this breakfast sandwich — the thick hash browns elevate the sandwich in flavor and height. With each bite I think to myself, this is a really good sandwich and it’s big enough to feed anyone. 

My hankering for the breakfast sandwich is not the only thing that keeps calling me back. The homemade blackberry raised brioche donut is delicious as well! The donuts rise for over a day before being fried and glazed for your morning treat. It is airy, sweet, and delectable, glazed in a tasty blackberry glaze that runs down the edges. The donut is slightly crispy on the outside with a soft, sweet, tangy inside laced with a delicate hint of nutmeg. It’s the real deal and the donuts sell out quickly, so get there early or dash it! 

Maranda Vargas is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt majoring in journalism with a minor in film production. She is a visual storyteller with a passion for covering stories on lifestyle, the arts and nature. She can often be found exploring the beauty of the world through her camera lens.

Dead Poets Society: Why writing is so wonderful

Dead Poets Society was released in 1989 and directed by Peter Weir. The film is adapted from a novel by the same name released in 1988 and written by Nancy H. Kleinbaum. 

The movie takes place at an elite, old-fashioned, all-boys boarding school in New England. A passionate English teacher, played by Robin Williams, inspires his students to rebel against the conventional ways of thinking and seize the potential of everyday life.

I love this movie so much, not just as an enjoyer of good films, but as a writer as well. I apologize if this review feels more like a personal reflection on why I love it than a traditional review. 

There are many moments in this film I love, but Robin Williams’ monologue about poetry hits a very special place in my heart.

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, ‘O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?’ Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?” Robin Williams said, performing asRobin Williams said, performing as John Keating..

Many of us in communications, art, or other less traditional majors often feel judged by family, friends, or those in *serious* fields — all majors are serious —, who ask, “What are you going to do with a degree in ____?”

I used to just say, “I don’t know” — and I still say that from time to time—because in reality, I really don’t know exactly what I will be doing after graduation. However, I get so emotional watching the scene in Dead Poets Society where Keating says “…medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

It’s true that the world will always need more doctors and engineers, but we also always need more artists, more writers, more journalists. Calling these professions unprofessional is just plain stupid.

Could you imagine your life if your favorite author never wrote that book, or an album you love was never made. Where would you be today? I think I’d be a whole lot more depressed than I am currently. 

We need reasons beyond the necessities to truly live, and anyone who says otherwise is probably lying. Which is why what you do, or want to do, is so damn important. 

Keating continues, “That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

That last line, “What will your verse be?” might as well be the nail in the coffin for what makes me openly tear up while watching this movie. The way Keating looks at the character Todd Anderson (played by Ethan Hawke), a character who I also very much identify with, is just so important to me.

For such a long time in my life, I had no idea what I wanted to do. It made me anxious thinking about my future, dreading being a burden on my parents because I wasn’t good at anything. 

It wasn’t until I took a creative writing class as part of my general education at Fresno City College that I discovered writing might be something I’m good at.

I still remember a comment from my teacher, Jeff Tannen, on a paper I did well on. Something along the lines about it could easily be an article for the Rolling Stone.

Little did Mr. Tannen know how much that compliment meant to me. He was my Robin Williams that day. 

It wasn’t until later I discovered that journalism was a good avenue for me. Regardless, the moral of the story is, the path to achieving what you want isn’t always linear. The sooner you realize that, the happier you will be. After all, whatever your verse may be, it’s yours—and that’s what truly matters.

Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

By Kimberly Alexsandra Madrigal

On my dreadful, unfortunately oh-so often 12-hour long Amtrak journey from Humboldt back home for the holidays, I was pleasantly surprised to find out — via literally everyone I follow sharing on their Instagram stories — that Kendrick Lamar released a 12-track surprise album titled GNX that very morning. 

Now, y’all are gonna hate me for this, but I’ve lowkey given up on immediately streaming albums when they drop. No, don’t stop reading — blame Drake’s last 5 albums for turning me this way. I wait until the locals decide what’s good or not, and then from there, I decide if it’s good or not.

Upon hearing the album had a Debbie Deb sample, I had to stream ASAP — starting with that song. I pressed play and let out a scream on that heinously crammed 7 a.m. bus ride through SoHum. ​​Squabble up is too good. I am a bit of a whore for a great sample. I especially love this one, since it samples a song that went 20 times platinum in my childhood home alone thanks to my LA Mexican mom — the music video needs a review of its own. 

Upon streaming the album in its entirety, I don’t have much else to say, other than it’s really fucking good. Not like us was just a glimpse of how creative and down Kendrick could get. Kendrick brings in the beloved SZA, yet holds space for upcoming LA rappers such as Peysoh, Roddy Ricch, Azchike, Wallie the Sensei, and Lefty Gunplay on this 44-minute long record. 

This album to me is an exceptional representation of the modern west coast music scene. It is a nostalgic — yet ahead of its time — mosaic of all of the creative, varying influences and styles from classic and new west coast rap & hip hop, along with synths and vocals of new and old neo-soul and R&B.

I am led to believe there is something for everyone on this album. KDOT and SZA pay a brilliant homage to the 1982 If This World Were Mine duet between 80s R&B legends Cheryl Lynn and Luther Vandross on Vandross, the third track of the album. The unique dark beat and flow on hey now reminds me of the late LA rapper Drakeo The Ruler, with a bit of early E-40. Lamar then pays homage to Mexican mariachi and the 90s G-funk era in reincarnated. We are surprisingly introduced to the isolated and powerful Spanish vocals of Dreya Barrera, a local Los Angeles based Mexican-American Mariachi singer. Interestingly enough, Lamar befriended and scouted the artist after viewing her emotional performance at the Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela Memorial in late October. We then hear the possible reincarnation and possession of a certain rap legend when Lamar begins to rap over a G-funk beat that is a sample from a song by the one and only Tupac Shakur… are y’all catching all these west coast parallels?

Now let’s bring up some of the infamous lyrics that have sparked convos on social media since the drop. Kendrick brings up the disrespect LA transplants cause the city, its people, and reputation in dodger blue — “Don’t say you hate LA if you don’t travel past the 10.” He brings up how transplants talk negatively about LA and LA culture, yet their arguments are invalid as they don’t bother to attempt to immerse themselves in the various neighborhoods and cultures that make up the real LA and its culture. 

All in all, I would say this album is wonderful. It’s turnt, then it’s soulful, then it’s serious, then it’s goofy — yet it’s not overwhelming. This album is a mix of a love letter and yearbook signed to those on the west coast from Lamar. It’s rare for me to find albums these days that I consider no-skips, because I’m quite picky with what I let control my vibe and essence. I’ve genuinely enjoyed this album so much that I’ve proudly streamed it through and through multiple times since its release about a week ago. The question isn’t if GNX is on the way to becoming a West Coast Classic, but rather, are you in for the ride? 

Kimberly Alexsandra Madrigal is a third year Journalism:PR Major at CPH, originally from Fresno, CA. She enjoys shoes, traveling, DJ-ing, dancing with friends and most of all serving cuntress! Catch her cool and iconic contributions on any of the student publications.

By Matthew Mazzucco

Well, it’s happened again. I’ve fallen in love with an artist only to find out they did a concert in Arcata years ago that I totally missed — I’m looking at you, Sierra Ferrell. However, I’m going to give my obliviousness a pass this time, because I’m genuinely just happy I found Magdalena Bay at all. I hear about four new songs a day just by scrolling through TikTok. However, when I discover a song through my “for you page,” it usually ruins the song for me forever. Something about the same clip of a track playing over and over leaves a sour taste in my mouth. “Image” off Magdalena Bay’s new album, Imaginal Disk, is the first exception to this phenomenon. Let’s be honest — with a hook like that, it’s hard not to get sucked into the world of Imaginal Disk.

When I say world, I mean WORLD. Nothing new for Mag Bay; Imaginal Disk includes a full story with multiple characters: The Doctor, Blue, and True Blue, a version of the character Blue after undergoing the titular Imaginal Disk procedure. The story examines numerous concepts, including loneliness, transformation and perfection, and whether perfection is attainable or even desirable in the first place. However, if you’re like me, the story might as well be an afterthought with this album. During one of my shows at KRFH, Cal Poly Humboldt’s student-run radio station — The Pet Sematary, Mondays & Thursdays at 1-2 p.m. — I openly said I never go into albums thinking about the possibility of a story being there. I believe if I did, I would go full-on conspiracy theorist, finding characters in elevator music. I think with that mindset, it only goes to show how good Imaginal Disk truly is, as I personally feel concept albums can fall short when not interacting with the story.

If I could describe the album in one word, it would be lush. I hate to use that word, as it is often overused in album reviews, but I genuinely can’t think of a better one. The world of Imaginal Disk is so precisely crafted with specific moments of dreamy vocals, like on True Blue Interlude, an advertisement in the album’s universe, and deep crunchy guitar such as in That’s My Floor. The album feels like a full-on rollercoaster ride, going from a nearly two-minute-long King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard-esque jam at the end of Tunnel Vision into debatably the lightest song on the album, Love is Everywhere. However, unlike a rollercoaster, it doesn’t feel like you’re being whipped around. Something about this style of intimate synthpop makes it easy for you to settle in, trust the process, and enjoy the ride no matter how many twists and turns it takes you on. 

Some of the standouts on this album for me are Image, with its aforementioned amazing hook and a breakdown that will have you checking if your speakers are broken — in the best way. Vampire in the Corner holds some of my favorite synth bleeps and bloops in the entire album, and That’s my Floor is one of those songs where you have to keep an eye on your speedometer while playing, because the energy in the song will make you unknowingly start speeding. 

This album really surprised me. After hearing Image for the first time, I knew I’d like it, but I didn’t realize it would be one of those albums that you can play on a loop without even realizing it’s repeating. I recommend this album to basically anyone, but especially those in need of some dreamy sounds, catchy hooks and something to dance to. While listening to this album, it can be easy to believe that Love is Everywhere.

If you liked this album, I highly recommend Caroline Polachek’s Desire, I Want to Turn Into You.

Matthew Mazzucco is a Communications major/Journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt. He has an interest in music journalism and broadcasts weekly at KRFH and Humboldt Hot Air under the name DJ Jackalope. 

By Mario Orozco

The end of Mar’s Gaming Garage is here, and I can’t think of a better way to put the series to rest than with one of my favorite games. For the finale of Mar’s Gaming Garage, I chose to review Persona 5, a Japanese role-playing game. Persona 5 is one of the most well-rounded games I have ever played and strongly holds the number two spot on my gaming Mount Rushmore.

The story of Persona 5 is both fun and thought-provoking. It follows the main character, Joker, and his group of highschool vigilantes. The group enters the minds of corrupted adults and steals the sources of their distorted desires. Persona 5 is such a compelling experience that perfectly blends together a story of friendship and moral ambiguity. The game does a good job presenting reasons for people to either support or oppose the group’s actions. I personally think they are justified, considering the despicable nature of the antagonists. If they don’t want us messing around in their heads, maybe they should rethink their actions. 

The power system in Persona 5 is creative and unique to the series. Each member of the group has a persona, which is the physical manifestation of their inner psyche. The personas are used for combat, each with their own abilities and designs that reflect the characters they’re associated with. It is such a cool concept and it makes me wonder what my persona would look like — probably just a pile of sentient late assignments.

Another exemplary aspect of Persona 5 is the gameplay. It is split into two different worlds with their own game mechanics; when the characters enter the cognitive world, the game is structured like a dungeon crawler. Each antagonist has a uniquely designed cognitive palace that reflects their twisted desires, which you get to explore to find the root of their corruption. The combination of stealth, puzzles and turn-based combat makes for an engaging experience throughout the entire game. It’s a heist in a different dimension — need I say much more? 

The other style of gameplay is basically a life simulator set back in the normal world. Going to school, spending time with other characters, and even eating ramen are all essential to your success in the cognitive world. The things you do here unlock new abilities to improve your experience in the palaces. It also provides you with some time to catch your breath between bosses and build bonds with the rest of the cast. 

Building relationships with the other characters is one of my favorite parts of this game. As the story progresses, the group naturally bonds and grows to care for each other.  However, if you want to truly understand the cast and their motivations, you need to spend time with them individually to level up your friendship. Each character has their own relatable hardships and traumatic experiences that you help them overcome and work through. This both builds a stronger bond and gives you some bonus abilities to use in the cognitive world. For those of you who are wondering — yes, you can date the other characters, if awkward highschool romance is your thing.

There isn’t a single thing I dislike about Persona 5, so I want to give an honorable mention to the soundtrack. The soundtrack for this game is fantastic and it’s the only video game soundtrack I listen to in my day-to-day life. The music in this game is so good, it deserves an entire review of its own. 

Overall, Persona 5 is one of the best games I have ever played. For the first and final time in Mar’s Gaming Garage history, I’m giving a game a 5 out of 5. I played this game throughout the course of this semester and it took me a total of 132 hours to complete. If you’re interested in role-playing games and have over 100 hours to spare, then I wholeheartedly recommend this game to you.

Thank you for listening to me yap about video games for all this time.If you have any thoughts on this review or the series as a whole, you can email marsgaminggarage@gmail.com. 

Mario Orozco is a writer and assistant social media editor for The Lumberjack. He transferred to Cal Poly Humboldt in 2022 and his favorite game of all time is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

By Alexandra Berrocal

How to be Ace by Rebecca Burgess was published in 2021. They are a full-time illustrator, whose work has been featured in The Guardian. How to be Ace is their first book. This book is about how they found themselves, their place in the world and — eventually — love as an asexual person. 

“When I was in school, everyone got to a certain age where they became interested in talking about only one thing: boys, girls, and sex,” Burgess said. “Me, though? I was only interested in talking about comics.”

It also tackles what it is like to live with OCD. I think the book’s most important lesson is to just be yourself, no matter where life takes you. I know that sounds really, really, trivial — it might even sound a bit cringe. However, it’s a very important lesson. The world is filled with people who are trying to be someone they are not. Society sometimes tries to force people into being someone they are not, too. This doesn’t just happen among the LGBTQ population either, I think. Even within the LGBTQ population, sometimes people try to force us to act in ways that are contrary to who we are as people. 

This book, as well as being a decent introduction to asexuality, is also a great introduction to OCD and what it is like to live with it. As for an intro to asexuality, not everyone is the same as Burgess. Not everyone has the same issues. It would be a mistake for someone to read this and think, “Oh, all asexuals are like that,” because we’re not. We’re not a monolith. So, I don’t expect Burgess to accurately reflect us all. She can only reflect herself — she can only be herself. So, if we want representation, we should make more representation. 

Maybe one day, people will realize there are all kinds of asexuals. But for that day to come, we will need to work for it. In the meantime, thank you, Burgess, for reminding us to be ourselves and showing us how to do that.

“Life can never be perfect,” Burgess said. “But I’m glad that I’ve figured out how to be okay with that.”

Alexandra Berrocal is a self-published author who has written fifteen books. She likes to crochet and draw, as well as read and write. She is from Orange County. They are journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. They like dogs, and they sing alto in a choir. If you have an idea for a book she could review, email them at alexandraberrocal@gmail.com.

By Mario Orozco

Using stealth is one of my favorite ways to play and experience a game. Something about sneaking around and taking out enemies one by one has always been appealing. This week, Mar’s Gaming Garage will be looking at Dishonored, a stealth-action game set in the plague ridden city of Dunwall.

Dishonored follows the Royal Protector, Corvo, who’s been framed for the death of the empress and the kidnapping of her daughter Emily. The story of the game is a simple one — you break out of prison to take revenge on the people responsible and restore Emily to the throne. 

What brings the story to life is how your actions affect the way your allies perceive you and can change the outcome of the story. Playing the game non-lethally will result in a good ending, but that’s the boring way to play. Personally, I tried to play the most chaotic way possible and took the lethal approach to most situations. The game gives you so many different ways to take out enemies that playing peacefully seemed like a waste of resources.

The place where Dishonored shines is in its gameplay. Like I said earlier, I love stealth games, so I obviously loved every moment of this experience. The game implements supernatural abilities that Corvo can use to teleport, see through walls, summon plague rats, and even stop time. These features set Dishonored apart from other stealth or assassin games and allow for creative ways to get through missions and take out enemies. 

Dishonored is hit or miss for me when it comes to its characters. The issue isn’t with the characters themselves or their personalities, but the way they switched up on me. If you cause a lot of chaos throughout the game, the other characters will lose trust in you. I was very offended when my boat driver called me a bad person. I may have taken out hundreds of soldiers unnecessarily, but I have feelings too. 

This leads into something I didn’t like about the game. Dishonored gives you a clear motivation to want to watch the world burn around you. You are forced to watch the death of the empress that you swore to protect, the kidnapping of her daughter.To top it all off, you’re framed for it all. This to me seems like plenty of reasons to want to tear the system down, so it’s kind of annoying that the game punishes you for it. In my heart, the bad ending is really the good ending. 

Overall, Dishonored was one of the most fun games I have reviewed so far. While the story doesn’t match up to some of the others I’ve played, the gameplay is phenomenal and carries the experience. Dishonored took me 15 hours and 7 minutes to beat, and I rate it a 4 out of 5. If the game didn’t make me feel so guilty for the way I played it would’ve been higher, but I still recommend it to anyone interested in stealth games. 

If you have any games you would like me to review or any thoughts on this review, you can email marsgaminggarage@gmail.com.

Mario Orozco is a writer and assistant social media editor for The Lumberjack. He transferred to Cal Poly Humboldt in 2022 and his favorite game of all time is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

The Love Witch: A Technicolor Tale That’s Just Alright

By Julia Kelm

The Love Witch is a film directed by Anna Biller. It was released in 2016, but it looks more reminiscent of the 1960s with its technicolor-film flare, which is what made me so intrigued by this film in the first place. The story follows a modern-day witch, Elaine, who uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love with her. However, they all meet a deadly fate.  

To put it plainly, I did not particularly enjoy this film. However, before I talk about the negatives of this film, which there are many, I wanna talk about the few things that I liked. 

First off, this film is very visually pleasing and feels like it came out several decades ago. This is due to the costuming, makeup, set design, and the movie being shot on 35 mm film. Film gives it that grainy, nostalgic feel, and it’s pretty expensive to shoot on film nowadays, so I applaud their decision to go the authentic route, instead of just using some post-editing.

Something else that is very neat about this film is that a considerable portion of the film was shot in locations here in Arcata and Eureka. Some of the most notable spots are Arcata Square and the Bair-Stokes House, also in Arcata. It was definitely fun to say, “Oh, I’ve been there,” while watching Elaine wander around our little college town.

Now, I’d like to get into what I didn’t enjoy about this film. This film is trying really hard to feel like an old movie, which it mostly succeeds at, even going above and beyond with its use of 35 mm film. However, what immediately took me out while watching was seeing this modern-ass BMW in the first ten minutes. Why put all this effort into having me be engrossed in the past, and then show that ugly contemporary car? What annoys me even more is that the shot could have easily been framed more tightly, keeping the focus on the characters with the house as the backdrop, making the period feel more immersive.

Going beyond that one detail, the acting in this film is also awful. I don’t think there was one performance in this film that I even remotely enjoyed. It wasn’t even funny-bad either — Elaine is just so boring, which kinda sucks for a movie that’s supposed to be a fun, sexy witch slasher flick. This film’s 2-hour runtime felt more like 4, dragging on far longer than necessary. Scenes are stretched well beyond their limit, weighed down by some of the dullest dialogue I’ve heard in ages.

Something that also bothered me about this film was its supposed message of feminism with the character of Elaine. Elaine kills men because it’s a way for her to gain empowerment, which she outright explains near the end of the film at the club. This approach is generally ineffective, as it’s always more impactful to show rather than tell the audience why a character behaves the way they do. We never really have a good reason for Elaine killing these men, outside of her explanation and a few comments here and there. 

I think this film could’ve been a whole lot better, it does have all the pieces of a good cult classic, it’s just missing charm. 

There are a few changes I’d make if I had the power. No offense to the cast — this could also be more of a directorial issue — but I’d start by hiring more charismatic and genuinely talented actors. I’d consider someone like Mia Goth, Margaret Qualley, or Aubrey Plaza for the role of Elaine, giving her a slightly more unhinged edge. The 35mm film may need to be sacrificed for the budget to get one of these actresses, but that’s just a sacrifice I’m willing to make. 

Furthermore, the characters could have a little more depth by making the men more hateable and giving Elaine more of a personality. I would also make Elaine’s reason for her motives more clear. A better-explained backstory with her ex-husband could remedy that.

It’s definitely worth a watch if you only care about cool aesthetics, or seeing some iconic Arcata spots. However, it’s not high on my recommendation list. What is nice is that it’s currently free to stream on Tubi, so you won’t have to pay to watch this mid movie.

Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

Brave new author tackles gun violence

By Alexandra Berrocal

Ellen Hopkins wrote her take on gun violence, People Kill People, in 2018. I have personally met Ellen Hopkins. I was also her Facebook friend, during the time that I had a Facebook account. During that time, she was a good friend and a good role model.  She was also a conscious researcher. 

Now, I don’t normally care to read fiction. However, this book was a real page-turner. It was about the lives of six teenagers —who act more like adults than teenagers— who all have a reason to buy a gun, pull the trigger, and shoot someone. Rand and Cami are two married teenagers with a young son. Silas and Ashlyn are members of a white supremacist youth organization. Daniel is an immigrant. Grace is the person that Daniel loves. Noelle was disabled after an accident and has become depressed. 

I am not certain that this story is meant to be an allegory. That is, I don’t think that the characters symbolize anything in particular. I think they are just people. Married teenagers with children are common enough that I bet a lot of people know one or two. The far right is now prevalent enough in our country that some people may be in close proximity to a white supremacist, or a former white supremacist for that matter. If you are from Southern California like me, you have likely met immigrants. Disabled people can seem invisible in society, but anyone can become disabled at any time, as Noelle’s story reminds us. The question is, which one will shoot the gun? I won’t spoil the end, but I will tell you that it is extremely unexpected and very sad. The plot twist at the end also makes the point at the end of the book that much more salient.  

Hopkins has always been more of a poet, and she doesn’t disappoint in this book. However, good chunks of this story are in prose as well. Hopkins is just as good at prose as she is at poetry, so fans of good writing won’t be disappointed. However, it is a bit of a departure from her earlier work, especially if you read Crank and liked that. 

This book is worth reading, but it is also very dark. Read this book, but maybe go easy on yourself for one or two days afterwards. You may need some time to recuperate.  However thick this book may be, it is a relatively quick read. You should be able to get through it in two days.

If you want a better understanding of what people are capable of — or what life is capable of — read this book. If you want to know what people who are radically different from you are like, read this book. If you want to see how people can be connected, even though they don’t seem to be connected, read this book. If you want an important story, read this book. 

Why artistic endeavors are not a stupid, frivolous pursuit

This week I am reviewing Looking For Beauty: Humboldt’s Plein Air Community Shows Why Art Matters. It was compiled by CM Phillips and was published in 2022. It is difficult to find background information on CM Phillips because — apparently — CM Phillips is a very common name. It consists of short essays from dozens and dozens of artists that are about why art matters to them, why they paint, etcetera etcetera. 

Plein air painting is the art of painting a landscape outdoors, as the light is shifting in front of you. This can be frustrating because light changes so quickly. However, many artists say it is an incredibly rewarding experience.

Many artists said that it is a way for them to connect with nature. It is a way for them to appreciate beauty, and a way for them to share that beauty with others. They said the times we are living in makes it more important to practice art, not less. They said that the arts aren’t some stupid, frivolous pursuit. One artist mentioned eight miles of painting on a rock wall that some archaeologists recently found. She said that’s the importance of art. That civilization was no more, but the art remained. Sophisticated art, at that.  

What I took away from this book is that art isn’t a frivolous pursuit. Art is extremely important to civilization. It may not stop climate change, provide food, or anything like that, but every civilization has had art and we ignore it at our peril. Looking For Beauty is a compilation of essays on why art matters from a variety of local plein air painters. Something that came to my attention — that the author acknowledges — is that there are no painters of color in this book. This is very sad, but I guess no book is perfect. I also wonder if artists’ perspectives on their craft would have been different if artists’ from a wider variety of traditions had been included. How would an abstract artist feel about the importance of their craft in the face of climate change? What about an artist who paints cityscapes, or dogs and cats, or portraits?  

If you are an artist, and you wonder why your craft is important, read this book. If you wonder in general why art is important, read this book. If you are an artist, and you are feeling like your profession doesn’t matter, read this book. If you are curious about art, you feel like you might want to try it out, pick up this book. This book deals a lot with the “why” of art, and not so much with other aspects, so it’s good in that way. This book is more about plein air than anything else though, so it might not appeal to people who want to paint other things. That said, if plein air is your thing, this book is probably for you. Go for it!

Fantastic Mr. Fox, A fantastically fun film for fall

Fantastic Mr. Fox, released in 2009, is a stop motion animated film directed by Wes Anderson. The content of the film is based on the 1970 children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The story follows Mr. Fox, voiced by George Cloony, who is bored with his current life. So, he decides to plan a heist against three local farmers. The farmers, tired of Mr. Fox’s stealing, seek revenge against him and his family, causing turmoil for not just Mr. Fox, but all the other woodland critters in the community.

Anderson’s creative visual style is often associated with the color yellow, and Fantastic Mr. Fox is an excellent example of that. The film is absolutely stunning, down to the cute little animal puppets, the distinct sense of symmetry, and autumnal vibe represented in the colors used, which makes this movie really stand out from most mainstream animated projects.

Something that is also worth noting about the production of this film is the sound design. To either give the film a more realistic sound, or just for fun, Anderson recorded dialogue for outdoor scenes outside in natural settings. He recorded in places like forests and farms instead of in a studio, which is something you may not necessarily pick up on during a first viewing of the film.

Anderson is my absolute favorite director. As a photographer, it’s simply pleasing to me that you can pause any of his movies and be met with a perfectly symmetrical shot, which is honestly something I recommend doing if you decide to watch Fantastic Mr. Fox.

The cast is also great, with a lot of the familiar voices we hear in Anderson films such as Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Owen Willson, and Bill Murray, just to name a few.

Anderson’s films usually don’t perform well at the box office, so the actors involved are often friends who genuinely believe in his vision. I love this approach because it allows him to stay true to his artistic perspective without compromising for commercial success.

I also genuinely love the story of this film, outside of all aesthetic appeal. Schwartzman’s performance as Ash Fox is particularly entertaining. 

Ash is the young son of Mr. Fox, and is… different. He starts the film insecure from feeling like he’s always been in his father’s shadow, which is then made worse by his much more athletic and charming cousin, who seems to impress his father. 

The film concludes with Ash gaining confidence in himself, forming a bond with his cousin by ultimately saving him from the farmers.

It’s honestly such a whimsical film that everyone should watch at least once. This is just a great film that would perfectly pair with a fuzzy blanket and a warm cup of apple cider. With November already here, I know I want nothing more than to do exactly that.

Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

By Jasmin Shirazian

Under green stage lights, two leading musicians, Rah and Jonah, played lively beats with a guitar and heritage spoons. Fairies, clowns, Maleficent, and a variety of other creatures in costume littered the audience. Voices ricocheted off one another as audience members chatted amongst themselves, bursts of giggles coming from different friend groups in different pockets of the Gist Hall Theatre. One thing’s for sure — you absolutely could not hear a pin drop. Despite the show starting 20 minutes late, guests did not seem to mind the delay and spent the extra time enjoying themselves. Soon enough, a fairy and a merchant began the show by thanking the audience for their patience and enthusiastically pointed out exits and bathrooms, in case we needed to, “pee-pee, poo-poo, or vomit.” 

And with that, the group of 30 or so clowns and fairies rushed onto the stage. With excessive noise and bright costumes, the chaos came to a sudden halt when someone — a clown planted in the audience — demanded it. After a few funny stumbles and steps, she insisted the clowns and fairies put on a true performance — to which they accepted in exchange for her soul. And so, the show continued. 

The Fairy Cirque is one of the annual circus performances put on by the Humboldt Circus, a student-run club on campus. The show consisted of a number of acts; fairies dancing in a circle of mushrooms around a fallen maiden, a goose’s story of avenging their father’s death, the story of Hermie the Wormie at a summer bible camp, and so much more. The lighting of the show was spectacular, cuing the audience to shifts in the story, instigating laughter, applause, fear and all the other knee-jerking emotions that come with a performance such as this. 

From storyline-infused dances, to interactive storytelling, to stand-up comedy, each act had a little bit of clown — or fairy — magic for everyone.

A crowd favorite act of the night revolved around a sleepaway bible camp, where they sang the song of Hermie the Wormie. The campers were met with a razor-clawed — or rather, metal-tonged — hazard suit-clad creature to deliver Hermie’s true story. Then, out came a group of cloaked actors to surround the bible campers, who were then forced to see a live-action recreation of Hermie the Wormie and its diet of humans. 

Vaya Ren attended the show to support her friends who were involved in the performance. They, like many others, loved the bible camp skit and regarded it as the funniest act of the evening. Ren recalled non-stop laughing throughout the entire show and reveled in the audience’s matched energy. 

“It’s been so delightful, so beautiful, so funny,” Ren said. “The crowd energy is so much fun; gosh, so much laughing. There’s been so many beautiful [performances].” 

Anna Martinez, a former circus member, also attended the show to support her friends still active in the club. 

“I just love the gay, raunchy vibes,” Martinez said. “I’m actually going to next weekend’s show as well, to see the extra acts that weren’t able to go on this week.”

Each act was accompanied by music, whether that be a pre-recorded track or the two live musicians. In one skit, condoms fell from the overhead lights and onto the performers, who then tossed them into the crowd. 

Toby Hetrick, the self-titled Worm Dealer, joined the circus after leaving an abusive relationship, seeking to put those emotions and pain into their art. In doing that, they were led to a community that supports them. 

“I really like the people,” Hetrick said. “It’s great — everyone is basically just as weird as I am.” 

While this show is full of laughter, lights, jokes and joy, it can be a bit overwhelming at times for individuals who struggle with sensory issues or just a case of a low social battery. Nonetheless, for $8 tickets for students, it’s worth going and getting to see a community of silly individuals free to be their silly selves. If you missed the Fairy Cirque last week, your last chance until next semester is on Nov. 16 and 17.

By Mia Costales 

Golden cempazúchitl petals lined the brick walkway, forming paths to each ofrenda. The smell of tamales and champurrado filled the air and La Llorona could be heard softly beneath the murmur of attendees. Bottles of tequila and pulque, pan de muerto, and dishes of copal were just some of the offerings surrounding photos of loved ones. Other ofrendas included cigars, children’s toys, and photos of pets. 

Día de Muertos, also called Día de los Muertos, is a two-day Mexican holiday celebrated from Nov. 1 to 2. It is believed that the souls of children visit the altars, or ofrendas, set up by their family on the first and the souls of adults visit on the second. These ofrendas are commonly set up with photos of the deceased and offerings such as food, candles, flowers, and alcohol. Offerings are provided with the intent of remembering and paying tribute to loved ones who have passed. 

While Día de Muertos is largely a Mesoamerican holiday, many Mexican-Americans and families of immigrants have brought the celebration to the States as a means of cultural preservation and respect for the ones who came before them. Thanks to the city of Eureka, this tradition has transcended borders and is being kept alive every year. 

Maria Ramirez, a community organizer for the event, showed up early to put her ofrenda together. After adding the finishing touches to the altar, she changed into a witch hat and decorated her face in makeup resembling the markings of a calavera, or sugar skull.  

“After having my son, I realized the real meaning of family,” Ramirez said. “The whole idea, really, is to bring an offering to important people in our life. We did this for them. I don’t want [them] to be forgotten.” 

She explained that the photos on her ofrenda were not only of her friends and relatives, but also of prominent Mexican figures such as Frida Kahlo. She also pointed out a photo of a Hoopa woman who she wanted to commemorate on her ofrenda. 

Most ofrendas were dedicated to family members, friends, pets, and even notable artists and political figures. However, one ofrenda strayed from the traditional sense and instead included photos of martyred Palestinians. Alice Finen and Ellen Pimento, members of the Humboldt for Palestine collective, set up a large ofrenda decorated with over twenty photos of Palestinian children and adults, prayer candles, homemade paper garlands, and Palestinian flags. Sunflowers, roses, and cempazúchitles were nestled in between the offerings.

At around 4:45 p.m., several groups of all ages from Eureka performed traditional dances in front of the community altar in the Old Town Gazebo. After this, a mariachi group performed Mexican folk songs and classic mariachi arrangements in the street near the festivities. The mariachis invited the audience to sing along as they played Llorar y llorar. The crowd eagerly chanted along to the music as the mariachis swayed with the beat, occasionally letting out high-pitched gritos. 

“I have been honoring Día de Muertos since I was actually a student at HSU, so probably since 2005. It’s become a really sacred, important part of the year for me,” Blessah Breault, a Eureka community member, said. “This is my daughter’s boyfriend [Pico] and he passed two years ago. He always said, ‘Everyday is a closer day to making it. All the way to the top, slowly but surely.’ I did this for him last year and then again here today. I feel that with this altar, for my family I’m channeling all of the ancestors through Pico.”

As the sun started to set candles were lit, illuminating the ofrendas and giving the flowers a glowing effect. At 6:30 p.m., Cal Poly Humboldt’s Danza Azteca and Ballet Folklórico performed by candlelight, once again drawing a crowd around the gazebo. Community members dispersed for the final time after the performances were over. Some embarked on a last walk through the circle of altars, and others indulged in carne asada and Jarritos. 

Mia Costales is a junior journalism major and the Life & Arts Editor for The Lumberjack. With an extensive background in music performance, she hopes to combine her love of music and the arts with her passion for localized news and activism to bring thoughtful and informed stories to the public. 

Black Ops 6 delivers a well-rounded experience worth your time

By Mario Orozco 

When you look at the history of gaming, Call of Duty (COD) is one of the most popular franchises of all time, boasting 24 mainline games. Only one of these games is important today, Call of Duty Black Ops 6 (BO6), recommended to me by a communications major.

Like most COD games, BO6 is essentially three games in one — multiplayer, zombies and the campaign. To be fair to the game, I’m going to be looking at each mode individually and give my overall thoughts at the end.

The first game mode up is multiplayer; the biggest challenge of this mode is the maps. Aside from a few good ones, the maps you play on kind of suck and encourage camping. This is a bummer, because the new movement system in the game is fantastic. 

The omni-directional movement system allows players to run, slide, and dive in any direction. Watching someone zigzag through your bullets and dive at you with a baseball bat is hilarious, so it’s a shame so many players sit crouched in corners. Despite all of the campers, I’ve had a lot of fun in the mode and hope future maps fix some of these issues.

Next up is zombies, which is what I buy COD games for. In my opinion, zombies haven’t been consistently good since Black Ops 3, but I can’t stop playing every new game just hoping for a taste of what once was.

So far, only two maps are out, Liberty Falls and Terminus. Liberty Falls opens with a fantastic cutscene, unfortunately the map is a little lacking and doesn’t feel like a zombies map. However, it includes multiple small easter eggs — hidden surprises — that make the map more enjoyable to play. The main easter egg of the map is surprisingly easy to complete and only took me two attempts to beat.

Terminus, on the other hand, is an amazing map. Terminus actually feels like a zombies map and is pretty difficult as well. The map has two different boss fights that can easily end your easter egg attempts and send you back to the lobby. I am still working on completing this easter egg, as I have failed the final boss fight four different times.

Overall, zombies is the best it has been in a long time, and I’m excited for future maps. However, there are a couple issues that should be addressed. The bullet weapons in zombies are too weak for higher rounds and special zombies spawn so often that they don’t feel special at all.

The final mode of BO6 is the campaign, which turned out to be one of my favorite COD campaigns ever. This campaign produced two of my favorite missions of all time. Featuring both new and old characters, it delivers a genuinely interesting story filled with deep, sympathetic moments. Oddly enough, the campaign might actually be my favorite part of the game, which is surprising because it’s usually the mode I care about the least.

Overall, BO6 has a lot of potential and is the best, most well-rounded COD game that has come out in a long time. I have put 34 hours into the game so far and I rate it a 4.2 out of 5. If you’re a COD fan on the fence, or have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, then I highly recommend this game to you.

If you have any games you would like me to review or any thoughts on this review, you can email marsgaminggarage@gmail.com.

Mario Orozco is a writer and assistant social media editor for The Lumberjack. He transferred to Cal Poly Humboldt in 2022 and his favorite game of all time is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.