The Waltonian

During Passover, God required the Israelites to set themselves apart. When the plague came and took all the first born sons, it did not distinguish between Egyptians and Israelites. Unless the blood of the sacrificial lamb was upon the doorframe, the plague was not stopping. Why did God do this? Why didn’t he automatically spare his people? The plague was brought in order to remind them that they are not any better.

Christians stand on sidewalks holding signs that read “Being gay is a sin.” They preach to their neighbor that they aren’t good enough, that they must do this, this and that before they can be saved. They say you must read your Bible daily and go to church. They say you must believe God is this or that, and that your salvation is conditional upon what you do or who you are. All the while, these people believe themselves to be better off because they know the truth and pray before they bite into their sandwiches.

Is that what Jesus said? I’m dying for you only if you promise to be perfect like me? You’ll only be saved if your doctrine is rock solid? Is that what God designed, a faith in Him that makes the believers self-righteous and judgmental? I’m not sure what red letters Christians have been reading, but I’m reading all of them – even the black ones – and I only see one King on the judgment throne.

I am forever being humbled by the glory of God. He tells me that I am no better than the girl I just harshly judged as she walked by me. My sin runs just as deep, if not deeper. Yet we as Christians sit by and judge. We mock and condemn and throw stones when we have absolutely no right to do so. In fact, we should be the one against the wall or upon that tree, hanging and taking the punishment that was taken from us. Jesus chose to suffer for us, yet we turn from that miraculous sacrifice and use the new life we’ve been given to destroy. We seek out the weak and struggling, and we destroy them with our condemnation. We forget that we are no better.

In Romans 1, Paul tells of the people of Rome who know God and know His truths, but they turn from it. So God gives them over to their sins, and what happens is only more sinful behavior. This passage is one that is often used in the anti-homosexual campaign. But what about the other behaviors that Paul lists? “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful…” (verses 29-30, NIV). Where are the campaigns against liars? Against gossipers? Before attacking others for their sins, should we not remove the plank from our own eyes? We are no better.

1. Asking us to go home, then expecting us to be back hours later. It’s not a surprise to anyone that this entire snow/ice storm has caused intense amounts of stress. And it’s no secret that carefree snow days are long over. When the dorms were beginning to feel the chill sans electricity, students were informed that they may go home. Who wouldn’t jump on that opportunity? Who would choose a cold dorm with no hot water and (perhaps more importantly) no internet connection over a hot shower, a hot meal and their own bed? The thought that power wouldn’t return for days was quickly dismissed when mere hours after the mass exodus, it did just that. Sorry to the students who traveled home, only to turn right back around. We should have known this was too good to be true.

2. Hour by hour cancellations…via email. The suspense is torture. How can I plan to procrastinate when I’m told only every few hours the latest cancellations? Can they just do us all a favor and wipe the whole day out? We understand that we must meet certain credit hours. But the painful refreshing of Eaglemail every ten minutes to see any updates is not worth the stress.

3. Every feeling related to Valentine’s Day. It’s always the same, every year. Couples plan these big, extravagant dates and spend tons of money, simply to prove they love one another. All the while, single people sit on, pretending that they’re great with being alone, but their secret glares are more obvious than they think. Whether people have a big date or have no plans at all, I hear constant complaining. My big question: Why can’t we just be content with what we have and where we are? Valentine’s Day is the biggest test of worldy happiness. Most of us fail. Perhaps we should turn from our selfish ways and focus on how to better care for people around us on this day all about love?

4. People who deface snowmen. During the winter blizzard that has overcome our campus, people have taken the time to construct adorable snowmen. Whether they built them during a study break or perhaps procrastination, it doesn’t make a difference. They took time to brave the cold and create something adorable, something that brings us back to the happy snow days of our youth. What did the snowman ever do to you? Just because you have an issue with Frosty, doesn’t mean you get to take that joy away from the rest of us.

1. Make up work on snow days. Remember the good old days? When a snow day meant nothing to do but spend all your time sledding and drinking hot chocolate? When you didn’t hear from teachers, meaning there was no work to be done? Ever since the invention of Blackboard, professors have taken liberties in assigning work whenever they want – including the middle of a beautiful blizzard, which resulted in the cancelation of classes. It seems like not having class means more work for us students. Why do professors do this to us? Why do you make us dread snow days rather than scream for joy at the early morning email? As much as I love snow days, I’m ashamed to admit to my seven year-old me that I’d rather be in the classroom.

2. The line to pick up books. The snow days didn’t help the mail room out. Now, instead of the regular craziness which involves book pick-up, they now have two days to make up for being closed due to snow. I can only imagine how many packages accumulated in that small room during the snow fall. We are forced to suffer from this, standing in an incredibly long line in the freezing hallway, all to pick up the books we haven’t been able to read during our snow recess. It’s kind of hard to do the make-up work when your book is trapped inside the mail center. You know it’s bad when the line to pick up books is longer than the line to get into the dinning commons, especially when we’re already two weeks into the semester.

3. WEPA kiosks. So we’ve all been dealing with the new printing system for a while now, but there are still glitches arising. For example, the limited number of kiosks around campus – not convenient for those of us who are rushing to last-minute print before class. Then, there’s the kiosks that don’t even work half the time. How is this helpful? These problems are just a nuisance, and they make me miss free printing all over again.

Miley Cyrus’ new album entitled “Bangerz” is nothing like the old Hannah Montana that occupied so many of her years. The album contains shocking lyrics, club beats, several featured artists, yet the same talented Cyrus. Although many of the songs appalled me and left me speechless, I can’t help but say her voice sounds great. She displays her range in many of the slower songs, incorporating beats into ballads.

The album begins with one of Cyrus’ slower songs entitled “Adore You.” She whines a lot of the lyrics, making words difficult to understand. The beat is catchy, although by the end of the song, it becomes annoyingly continuous. You’ll find yourself asking, “Is this giving me a headache?” The song seems like a strange choice to begin the album with. It is quickly followed by “We Can’t Stop,” a song that everyone has heard probably too many times. It was hard to listen to the song without thinking of the shocking music video that accompanies it. This song, however, is just the first to contain the lyrics that will shock listeners the whole way through the album. So if you enjoyed this bizarre, club anthem, then get ready for more.

The album featured four artists including Brittany Spears, Big Sean, Nelly, and Future. (Who is Future, you’re wondering? I had no idea, either.) Spears paired up with Cyrus in the third track, entitled SMS (a.k.a. “Struttin’ My Stuff”), which sounds grungy, leaving me disappointed by Spear’s never-ending failed attempts at comebacks. (I, personally, have been pulling for Brittany all along.) The other songs featuring male artists hardly contained their voices at all, yet another disappointment. The song titled “My Darlin’” featuring Future was a strange collaboration. Although they continually echoed the words “Stand by me,” which is reminiscent of other songs that are well-loved, the auto-tuned voice of Future ruined it. The song featuring Nelly titled “4X4” also had a strange sound, like a mix between salsa music and country. Overall, I would say that the collaborations on this album were sub-par. They left me confused and wishing I had stopped before I even started.

If you are a fan of her latest hit “Wrecking Ball,” you’ll also enjoy several of her other ballad break up songs. As she wails with angst against the boy who walked out with her heart, the background beat will have you wanting to dance and head bang along with her. Songs like “Someone Else,” “Drive,” and “Maybe You’re Right” show off Cyrus’ voice as she slows it down to release some anger. Whether these songs were meant for Liam Hemsworth or not, they’ll have you wanting to hop in your car and drive as you belt the lyrics along with her.

If you would rather not hear the more shocking lyrics that Cyrus is brave enough to sing, avoid the tracks entitled “Do My Thang,” “Get It Right,” and “FU” (although “FU” isn’t as inappropriate as one would initially assume). These tracks, particularly “Get It Right” left my jaw on the floor as I sat there thinking, Did she really just say that? These song, although they have great dance beats, contain vulgar, sexual messages that shouldn’t surprise listeners if they’ve seen her latest music videos.

The Cyrus that is seen on this year’s VMA’s with Robin Thicke wearing nothing but a nude leotard is the Cyrus you will hear on this album. Overall, the songs are relatively short, none lasting no more than five minutes. Often at the end of a song, I was left sitting there, unable to figure out what I had just heard. The lyrics were either too fast, leaving me confused, or too crude, leaving me not wanting to understand the actual message behind the songs.

If you’re looking for great songs to jam out to or dance in the club to, Cyrus nailed it. If you’re looking for a great breakup song full of angst, she nailed that too. Her talent shines through in almost all the songs, regardless of the words or messages. If, however, you’re looking to hear songs with depth and soul, look somewhere else.

The weather lately has been bizarre! One day, you’re bundling in your winter coat with a rosey red nose from the cold, and the next you’re shedding the coat for a lightweight jacket. Could the weather just make up its mind already? Regardless of the constant shifts in temperature, colder weather is right around the corner. We’re talking snow, sleet and all the good stuff that comes with it; hot chocolate, cute boots, canceled class, and snowball fights. So here are a couple of ways that you can prepare for the winter season.

1. Stock up on food. Food is always a necessity, no matter the season. But, it is particularly important to have the right food for those snowy days. I highly recommend some cans of quality soup. Sure, have your regular stache of Ramen, but invest in some chunky Campbell’s soup. Everything from Pot Roast to Chicken Noodle, pull out all the stops to have these soups on hand. Make sure you also have a fair share of snacks. Who knows when you may get stuck in your room for an entire weekend, so have some packs of crackers (very useful when paired with the soup), bags of chips, and, of course, some cookies. Nothing is better than microwaving a chocolate chip cookie and enjoying it while wrapped in a warm blanket. Make sure you also have some milk to help you enjoy the cookie. Don’t like milk? Have your favorite fruit juice on hand. And don’t forget, hot chocolate is a must!

2. Bust out your sweaters. Yes, even the “ugly” ones. No one’s going to judge you in your oversized, bright colored sweater. Chances are, you’ll be warmer than them! Sweaters are great for enjoying the weather outside, but also for sitting at your desk studying. There’s nothing cozier than curling up to watching a movie wrapped in the baggy sweater you bought from the local Salvation Army. Not to mention that sweaters are the style right now, so go ahead, rock that sweater!

3. Prepare for alternative activities. There’s nothing better than looking out your window to see mountains of snow, running to your laptop to check your email, and seeing that classes are canceled for the day. What are you going to do with your free day? Of course, the obvious answer is to sleep. And the studious answer would be catch up on homework, maybe even work ahead. But in reality, is that really what you’re going to do? To prevent boredom during your time free from study, have alternate activities in your room that can entertain you and your friends. Board games, for example, are a great way to spend quality time with your friends. Or think about going outside! Snowball fights and sledding down the Kea/Guffin or Doane hills is always an exciting, snowy-day adventure.

4. Put time in at the gym…or not. We tend to do nothing but snuggle up in warmth during the winter months. The weather isn’t as nice, so instead of going for a walk or jog outside, we decide to just scrap it altogether. Although I would not recommend going for a run in a snowstorm, I do recommend thinking about how you’re going to stay healthy between a Thanksgiving meal, a Christmas meal, and countless cookies with snowmen on them. Perhaps there’s a workout video you could spend time doing. Or maybe going to the gym to work off some of those hibernating calories. When animals hibernate, they purposefully put on weight to stay warm. For humans, this is not ideal. So make a plan and stick it out! Spring will be right around the corner; the weather will be beautiful for plenty of outside exercise.

5. Invest in a good pillow. The essence of hibernation is sleeping. So of course, you’re going to need the right tools to sleep right. Consider buying a supportive pillow to ensure better sleep and a healthier neck and back. Also think of other essentials such as a warm, soft blanket. They’re perfect for curling up in on those cold winter nights. And what about a mattress pad? If you don’t already have one, I would highly recommend it. This cushions can be cheaply purchased at Walmart for five to ten dollars. They are a great, soft pad to lift you off the springs of your mattress both at school and at home.

6. Don’t lose touch! Its easy to hoard up in your room during the winter and have no contact with the outside world. Try to avoid this! Plan time to spend with friends, perhaps doing some fun winter activities. Looking forward to break, there will be a month when you’re not living in close proximity to all your closest friends. So take time to text, call, or Skype each other so the winter is not so lonely. It is this time during the cold months that people can develop SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Take time to prevent this by visiting with other people and taking care of yourself. Make sure you also don’t loose touch with your class work. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of pumpkin spice lattes and never come out. While it is great to spend more time relaxing and sleeping, make sure to put in the time before finals sneak up on you.

Enjoy your hibernation!

1. Campus-wide sickness. Why does it seem like everyone gets sick at the same time? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we all live on top of each other on this quaint campus. It may also be due to the college students I observe who seem to have forgotten that simple lesson from kindergarten: cover your mouth when you cough! There is nothing more annoying than getting coughed on by your classmate as you pass around papers. Or in the dining commons, when you’re making your own sandwich at the deli and you notice the person in front of you adding their own personal ingredients to the spread – that ingredient being their germs flying from their mouth from an uncovered cough. Soon enough, after noticing a few of these things, I find myself getting the sniffles, and all my friends are coughing, too. Let’s take a minute and remember what our lovely elementary school teachers taught us, so that we can all enjoy the rest of our semester free of illness.

2. Inappropriate messages on white boards. Really? Are we in middle school? I get sick of walking down residence halls only to see curse words or crude drawings on people’s dry erase boards. I’m almost positive that’s not what they’re for. Now jokes, on the other hand, are a great thing to put on these boards; it is a way to bring joy to every person that walks by and takes the time to read it. Cute drawings of animals are also a great way to fill the space and make people smile. It is not a fun time, however, to read profanities. So let’s clean it up.

3. People who scream on the phone. You know you’re talking too loud on the phone when the person three rooms down can hear your conversation. It really isn’t necessary to talk so loud, yet countless people tend to raise their voices when they pick up their phones. Or, there’s those people who talk on their phones in inappropriate places, such as the library or the study lounge. These are not ideal places to hold a conversation with your boyfriend from home, especially when you’re surrounded by people who are actually trying to be productive students. Next time you pick up your phone, make a conscious effort to check your voice volume often.

What burns your toast? Email Ellen Sherman (esherman@eastern.edu) with what really annoys you & see if it gets published!

1. One thing that has really been burning my toast this past week is the burning temperatures. ISN’T IT OCTOBER?? Fall is the best time of year, with the leaves changing color, cute and comfy sweaters with stylish boots, and pumpkin spice flavored everything. What could be better? One thing that this fabulous season should not have up its sleeve is 80-degree weather. I am sick of sweating on my short walks to class, practically getting sunburnt on bare legs that should be relishing solely in long, corduroy pants. Where has my beloved fall gone?

2. Motorcycles in the parking lot. Seriously? As if parking wasn’t already more frustrating than it should be. There is nothing worse than the HUGE let down you experiences after whipping into the always crowded parking lot, thinking that you have found the coveted last spot (oh, and it’s a nice one) only to find that small bike taking up the entire glorious spot. It is incredibly annoying to park on campus as is; now they’re really throwing a wrench into everything. I’m all for motorcycles, but I’m saying that they should get their own, much, much smaller spot.

3. The government shutdown. More importantly, people talking about the government shutdown. I understand that it’s a pressing issue and it’s affecting a lot of people. I understand that people have their own opinions and viewpoints and they are more than excited to share them, but I, frankly, am sick of hearing about it. And it’s only been a few days. Here’s my solution: Congress and Mr. President, figure it out. If you are refusing to do so, refuse also your paycheck, because it is ridiculous that you are still getting paid even though everything is shut down. You should only get paid when you’re doing your job. And doing it well.

4. Smelly washing machines. Do your clothes actually get clean in those things called student washing machines? I would dare to say they don’t. There is nothing grosser to me than placing my clothes into a machine that smells like it was built to grow mold. They worry about our couches growing mold? Why not start with those machines! It would not be a bad idea to have someone come in and give them a really good cleaning. Perhaps then they would effectively clean clothes without that horrid after-smell.

What burns your toast? Tell us!

E-mail Ellen Sherman (esherman@eastern.edu) with what really annoys you & see if it gets published!