Inaugural Week in Review

This busy week offered several activities, many of which I sadly was unable to attend due to ASUP Senate proceedings and prior commitments.

I was unable to attend the African-American Read-in, the Anti-Valentine's Day Reading held by the English Society, a lecture about graphic novels, the Trashin' Fashion show, in which students submitted clothes made from recycled materials, the Campus Community Emergency Response Team session, a group preparing the campus for survival in case the community is shut off from resources via an emergency, the CPB movie Hereafter, or the Pilots After Dark event "Dance Your Heart Out."

I was fortunate to attend the Alaskan Immersion Plunge Concert/Bluffoon Improvisation performance and the ASUP candidate information meeting.

The concert, which raised at least $400 from $3 admission prices, featured student Sam Wegman and a group including April Vanderkamp, the event organizer.
Sam performed a cover of The Beatles' "Something", his own "Behind Closed Doors", "Never Perfect" and an untitled song that discussed the use of white lies to hide the truth of the subject's addiction.

Vanderkamp's group took a more humorous approach with their covers of Weezer's Sweater Song, the Band's "The Weight", "Maybe" and "I'm Sorry", the latter two being Vanderkamp originals about a couple's progression in a relationship culminating in living in a house built for four and a blunt but still respectful way of ending a relationship.

The Bluffoons performed some of their usual games like "Presidential Debate" in which two "candidates" have to say "A vote for me is a _____ for a ____", "I promise a _____ for every ____" and a closing quote, which was "And My Axe".  A team of three people mime the words that go in the blanks  and the first person to complete the phrases "wins" the election.  As easy as it might sound, ten minutes worth of using Michaelangelo's "The Creation of Man" from the Sistine Chapel fresco so the candidate could get "I-pod" managed to produce more laughs than I thought.

I managed to accomplish the highest goal for a spectator, getting a suggestion used, during the game "3 Rooms." This game features three different scenes happening, but the last line of one scene must be used in the next, word for word.  The scene featuring my suggestion "nice pants" had the trials of alleviating the pain of too tight pants. 

One of the interesting games was their starter, "My Movie", in which Bluffoon members pitched their ideas, provided a synopsis if prompted, then had their movie performed if the "studio executive" wanted to see it.  The participants provide some interesting ideas like "The Movie about the Thing", the tale of a multi-armed creature; "The Spoon Diet: a How-to Guide" where eveerything is eaten with a spoon, "The Legendary Benches of Azaroth", and "Orange You Glad?," the tragic claymation tale of two oranges that exist peacefully until one of them gets squashed.

The two hours flew by and was a solid investment of $3 and two hours on a Friday night.  The next Bluffoon show is Friday, February 25th, so take advantage of your Friday night by investing in laughter.

The candidate meeting for Executive Board positions was a harbinger of the week within ASUP Senate with one candidate concerned about personal attacks aimed at her.  Since I am acting as the coordinator and producer for the debate, I am concerned on how it will go, especially with the CST 363 class attending.

It should be fine, but the activity surrounding the newest resolution over allocating Capital Improvement Funds toward the construction of the new Recreation Center says it will not be easy. Activities includes facebook groups on both sides of the issue, strong opinions on how to discuss it during this Monday's meeting, a compromise meeting held after the Beacon deadline, a Beacon story that was unable to discuss the proposed compromise and a petition to move the decision to a student vote, for which I helped obtain signatures, all create a sense of tension and stress for the next week. The petition hinges partly on the resolution discussion being tabled, an uphill task.

If I can survive the next few days, the week should be smooth sailing until Junior Parent Weekend, which might present its own creative circumstances.

Take care, and have a safe and efficient week!