CRA Z E

the hearth issueissue 3 / volume 6 / december 2014

table of contents

08 an artist’s haven

12 express yourself

16 overcoming loss

22 how to give back

26 history in drunken dares

30 procrastination guide

32 fall albums

36 alone in the world

40 a dash of grace

44 a novel challenge

48 student auctioneer

50 budget outfits

54 ask a teacher

56 find your niche

58 from the sketchbook of

60 diy knitting

contents

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a note from the editors...Fall has always had a strange, inexplicable magic about it.It is, after all, an inconvienent, contradictory little season. It has one foot in summer and one foot in

winter, and the weather is always freezing when we want warmth and warm just as we’ve gotten used to the snow. The leaves are pretty for as long as they linger on the trees and a nuisance for the next month or two. Every year, Christmas encroaches further and further on its territory, and this year, as always, snow and Black Friday sales came to us before we were ready to say goodbye to our autumn colors.

Yet, despite all this, it manages to feel more comforting than any other season. The weather may be brisk, but we give autumn warmth in our memories. We remember the roar of the fire, the way it felt to bundle up in blankets, to hold a hot mug of cocoa. Fall brings with it a sense of home, of familial love that comes with the holidays and with the familiar sights and sounds.

This fall, we wanted to bring to Westside the same things the season brings to us. We want to enchant these halls with the same magic that shines from red leaves or rain boots. Hopefully, as you enjoy this issue, you’ll remember the coziness of your childhood and take advantage of the potential warmth in the present.

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contributors

Editor-in-Chiefs : Allie Laing, Lia Hagen

Managing Editors : Jenna Hynek, Tom Huerter, Lilli Marvin

Design Editor : Kirsten McCormack

Photo Editor : Abegale Headlee

Copy Editors : Estella Fox, Grace Wolfe

to the issue...

contributors

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Staff : Sarah Lemke

Maddie Look

Lauren Chesire

Ally Guenette

Casey Arritt

Abby Hack

Jake Larsen

Nikki Saner

Jaylee Johnson

Bridget Mizener

Audrey McCann

Andrew O’Donnell

Elise Tucker

Claire Wilson

Aaron Casey

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issue intro

hearth[harth]1. the floor of a fireplace; that warm, comfortable spot on the rug where you curl up after sledding2. home; where you feel safe and loved, cozy and protected against the harsh weather

playlist: hearth is where the heart islisten here

1. home by edward sharpe and the magnetic zeroes2. yankee bayonet by the decemberists3. homeward bound by simon and garfunkel

4. it won’t be long by the beatles5. goin’ home by the rolling stones6. rockin’ chair by the band7. georgia on my mind by willie nelson8. the letter by the box tops

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feature: apollon theater

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n a frigid day in November, I made my way along the winding Vinton Street. The wind blew my hair briskly until I couldn’t

see what was in front of me. I was searching for the Apollon Theater and saw it through the breaks in the strands of my hair. A small black and orange sign declared the name of the theater, which looked dark and mysterious with wooden boards strategically placed on the windows and

the lights turned down. As I opened the old creaky door, I looked around to find busts of the living dead staring at me from a podium and apocalyptic weapons hanging from the walls. I had found the shelter—the theater. The Apollon Theater is more than the typical art gallery. They have a way of bringing artists from every background together, finding a way to incorporate chefs, singers, actors, sculptors, and

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safe house for allart gallery provides shelter for artists and community

story and design by jenna hynek, photos by abegale headlee

1801 vinton st. 402-884-0135

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feature: apollon theater

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songs for creeping around the apollon

the fight song by marilyn manson

dead bodies everywhere by korn

hey man, nice shot by filter

living dead girl by rob zombie

i walked with a zombie by rocky erickson

zombie by the cranberries

thriller by michael jackson

monster by kanye west

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more into a single place that holds performances a few weekends throughout the month. The theme for the month of November: zombies. The gallery has been transformed into an apocalyptic safe house. It’s not only for hiding from the ‘walkers,’ but also a place a variety of artists can call home. This is reflected right down to the theme selection, which Creative Director Ryan Tewell chooses to reflect his artists’ strengths. “The reason we decided on [the zombie theme] now [was that] we have an artist the gallery represents who does zombie makeup professionally and an artist who makes zombie combat weapons,” Tewell said, “Since we knew we had those people in the gallery already, we [thought we] should probably take advantage of that.” Tewell wanted the Apollon to be a place where artists could feel a sense of belonging. He demonstrates this by exemplifying each artists’ individual talents to make their theater successful. The process of coming up with themes and ideas, however, is partially on the artists themselves.

They are all expected to collaborate. “What’s fundamental to what we’re trying to do here is bring artists from different disciplines together and have them work together to create things,” Tewell said. With this foundation, the artists spend time together and are provided with a sense of family that most starving artists don’t have a chance to experience. However, the community feeling isn’t only for the artists—it’s for the spectators as well. “The arts in general to me can be kind of stuffy,” Tewell said. “Some would never even approach the topics we do… We wanted to make art more accessible to more ‘normal’ people.” This is the keystone of the Apollon: anyone can enjoy the art. The themes are meant to connect to the average person. Money and social status isn’t what makes you enjoy the theater: it’s the art, the way the ‘normal’ topics the artists focus on are taken to another level by the talent in this gallery. It means you don’t have to be shy when you walk into this theater. Instead, you can just sit back and enjoy the art. Unless, of course, zombies get you first.

listen here

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fashion: express yourself

express yourselfwestsiders show off their personal style

design, stories, and photos by lia hagen and kirsten mccormack

Some days, when the weather outside is dreary and my mood is even drearier, just getting out of bed feels beyond me. When I eventually pry myself out of the warmth of my blankets and stand, exhausted, in front of my closet, there’s only one option for an outfit.

It’s the perfect bad mood dress, familiar and comfortable, black lace falling softly against my legs and making everything seem so much more bearable. We all have comfort clothing, be it the dress we always look presentable in or the Doc Martens that have been in our family for years. Clothes can bring us home, can display our personal fashion and make us feel warm and cozy in a way nothing else can. With this in mind, Craze chose to display four Westsiders with an exceptional sense of fashion. They all make it clear: there’s no better way to get into the swing of the season than with a good outfit.

angel hardinsophomore

jacket: pacsun

shirt: pacsun

pants: abecrombie and fitch

shoes: marshall’s

gold necklace: forever 21

silver necklace: von maur

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mykiah nelsonsophomore

leggings: marshall’s

shirt: thrift store

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boots: burlington coat factory

jacket: gift

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cooper gatzemeyersenior

flannel: the flying worm

shoes: tilly’s

hat: pepsi center in denver, co

pants: tilly’s

opinion : loss

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getting through lossstory and design by tommy huerter, photos by kirsten mccormack

finding your new normal

hree loud bangs ripped through the mid-November air, seven shots each. 21 bullet casings were scattered across the dry cemetery grass. His life remembered

by that moment. Everything came to a standstill. It was all over. My siblings and I just stood there and sobbed in one, warm embrace, a stark contrast to the crisp air. The family departed in a caravan of three black Lincoln limousines. As we turned the corner, the coffin was lowered into the ground, and the members of the color guard walked away. No time was wasted. 80 some years of life remembered by one wife, five children, 18 grandchildren, one Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, and three loud bangs, seven shots each, 21 in total. It seemed impossible that I was now expected to return to the real world. Three days before, none of this seemed real. Three days before, I was sent to the dean’s office. I was scared, walking through the empty halls of Westside High School. I couldn’t imagine why I was being sent to the office; I had never gone there before. However, it was not what I had done. It was what had happened. I knew something was off when the secretary came out from behind her desk as soon as I approached the office. “Your sister is waiting for you,” she said. I entered a suffocating little room. It was a perfect square with white walls and a single fluorescent light. A round table with fake wooden veneers was crammed into the room. My sister sat at the other side of the table. She had clearly come straight from work. Her bright green scrubs contrasted with her light pink winter coat. She took a deep breath and just stared at me. The

silence was deafening. What she said next took the air out of my lungs. “Mick’s gone.” When we arrived at my grandparent’s house, everyone seemed overcome by sadness. I noticed my grandmother, and she was walking. The woman who had spent the last year in a wheelchair was walking, supported by two people. Her black flats slid across the tired wool carpet. I walked up to hug her, and she collapsed into me as I held her up. Then, she whispered something in my ear that I will never forget. “He loved you,” she said. I’m sure she would have said more if she could, but her Parkinson’s Disease compounded by incredible grief prevented it. Even though that was all she could say, however, it was all I needed to hear. The night of the funeral was the hardest. I didn’t know how I was supposed to return to school the next day. The only thing I could focus on was the fact that he was gone. At every meal, my grandma and grandpa would sit at the end of their long white table. Now, there would be only one person there. I was cold. I was ice cold. I couldn’t find my warmth again. The warm and fuzzy feeling I got from all the things that made me happy didn’t work anymore. It took a long time to get back to normal, to accept my new normal. Life went on and the empty, cold feeling slowly faded. The sadness of my grandpa’s death was transformed into the memory of the joy he brought to this world. I was warm again. Then, everything changed on Oct. 15 of my senior year. I woke up that morning and sprung out of

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opinion : loss

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bed. I was so excited. In less than 24 hours, I was going to be in Los Angeles touring my dream school. I had a late start that day, so I didn’t have to get up until a little before 11. I got dressed and got in my car to go to school. As I was pulling out of the driveway, I noticed something and stopped the car. My dog and best friend Bubba was lying under a bush. I got out of the car to check on him. He was very calm, but he just wouldn’t move. He had gotten his cancer diagnosis only a few months before. I knew this was Bubba’s last day. As I got back up to go to my car, I checked the time on my phone. It was 11:11. My grandpa passed on 11/11/11. I was expecting this school day to be full of excitement about my trip. Instead, it was full of dread. I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to say goodbye.

All day, I struggled to picture what my life would be like with Bubba gone. When I got home, my sister was laying with Bubba on the sidewalk. We huddled over him and sobbed. My ride to the airport pulled up at the same time as the veterinarian did to take Bubba away. This was the end. I sobbed on top of him. Hard sobs, the sobs that shake every part of you. When I got to the airport, I found the seat farthest away from anyone else. I eventually turned off my phone because every time anyone called about Bubba, I let out embarrassingly loud sobs. Not even a crappy cup of airport coffee could warm me. I was cold. I was ice cold. The warm that took so long to return had been ripped away from me once again. Neither of these, however, were my first

experience with death. When I was 10, my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s. I barely have any memories of her other than when she was in a hospital bed. Looking back, I realize the reason I cried so hard was because everyone else did. I didn’t know what was going on. All the people who I thought of as so strong seemed so weak. After the funeral, I was fine. It was over. I thought this was what death was always like. I was wrong. Loss stays with you; it follows you every day. It makes you cold, so cold you think you’ll never be warm again. Before I lost my grandpa, I had never known anything like it. I’m not going to pretend that I’m an expert on loss because I’m not. I get it—most people outlive their grandparents, and dogs don’t live forever. These are the kind of hard times everyone goes through, but it doesn’t mean they should be

discredited. Loss is intensely personal, and we all have very different experiences with it. The older you get, the more seasoned you become to loss. Every loss hardens you; it makes you more prepared for the next one. Before high school, I was naive. I knew

that my 87-year-old grandfather was not going to live forever. I had accepted it. I thought I was prepared. Little did I know how hard it would hit me. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, and I thought it would never get better. Every day, the pain gets a little bit easier. Sadness over the loss turns into joy over the memories of your loved ones. Some people think they can run from loss. They think they can avoid it. This is what I, unintentionally, did when I lost Bubba. After I touched down in California, he was completely out of my mind. For those four days, I avoided the loss and bypassed the grieving process. The only problem with this strategy is that you can never completely avoid it. You can try to run

“Sadness over the loss turns into joy over the memories of your loved ones.”

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away from it for as long as you want, but one day it will hit you. When I got back home, it hit me. The initial sobbing stage of grief was over. Instead, it was an empty feeling that nothing could fill. It will get easier with time, however. I will never forget that night after my grandpa’s funeral. I remember sitting on the bed and having no idea what to do. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t think. I felt stuck. I kept going back to that image of us all being at the long, white dinner table and Mickey not being there. Then, my mom gave me the best advice I have ever

received; she told me this was my new normal. She told me how every single day it would get easier. It would never be the same, but it would get easier. Like I said, I’m not an expert on loss. I’m sure there are plenty of people at Westside who have already experienced more loss than I will experience in my whole life. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t know the feeling, which we will all feel at some point in our lives. The only thing you’re guaranteed in life is death. All I can promise you is that it will get better; it always gets better.

falling for autumn

snapshots: autumn

a photoessay for the classic autumn sightphotos and design by lilli marvin

hink of the word autumn. Nine times out of ten, the first image that comes to mind will be something along the lines of chunky sweaters, hot cocoa, holidays, and most importantly of

all, the hundreds of vibrant colors and shades of leaves that appear during the coziest time of the year. Trees explode with warm colors, adding even more of a comforting setting to the already snug season. Here are some of the things that help bring us together and set the scene for a fantastic fall: leaves.

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wish that we could all pick flowers and laugh. I wish we never had to be sad,” said Natalia, my mentee from Wind River Reservation.

After returning to Omaha, Natalia’s wish corrupted my thoughts. I tried to be a more peaceful person just so her wish would come true. I spent more time loving and laughing. She had become a little sister many miles away. I yearned to come home to see her sweet smile again. Volunteering at Wind River Reservation in Lander, Wyoming is one of my most joyful memories. Whenever I return there for a mission trip, I feel like I’m coming back to a little piece of home I left behind. Through volunteering, I have formed relationships that extend my family to people from all over. Although we don’t all have the opportunity to go

on a mission trip, there are wonderful volunteer opportunities to form great relationships within Omaha. Volunteering doesn’t just give us the opportunity to help the community—it also allows us to meet interesting people. It’s a chance to make new friends and create lasting bonds outside of school and home. Throughout my high school career, the places where I’ve volunteered have become a second home. Many Westside students decide where to volunteer out of whatever’s closest. Oftentimes positions are already filled, so we have to scramble to get those last few hours before graduation. Craze wants to help you avoid those problems and venture outside your bubble of ordinary volunteer places and try something new. After all, people need your help all over Omaha.

a second homefeature: volunteer

story by ally guenette, design by allie laing, photos by sarah lemke

build sense of community through volunteering

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“I

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westside community schools

Where: Westside Elementary Schools

When to Volunteer: After school hours

Who to Contact: School Community Club (www.westside66.org)

If you’re unwilling to go outside of the Westside District, volunteering at one of Westside’s elementary schools is a great option. Besides Outdoor Education, Westside provides many opportunities for high school students interested in working with younger kids. Senior Blair Goldstein took advantage of one such opportunity this summer. “Volunteering to paint faces at the Prairie Lane Carnival was awesome because I love to paint, I got to be with my friends, and it made kids happy,” Goldstein said. “It’s great when you can do something for others and genuinely enjoy doing it.” Another opportunity to volunteer in the Westside district is to do general cleaning around the school. Bridget Bertsch spent her summer at Loveland Elementary School learning volunteer hours this way. “I just [asked] some teachers I knew from Loveland if there was anything I could do around the school for volunteer hours,” Bertsch said, “There were a lot of tasks around school that couldn’t get done without the help of volunteers. I met a bunch of cool kids from the high school I had never seen before, and now we’re good friends.”

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Hunger has always had a high presence in Omaha. In fact, according to teh Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition report, 1 in 7 Omaha citizens experience food insecurity. St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church started the “Lunch in the Park” program to fill this need. This program makes sack lunches which are delivered to homeless people in Gene Leahy Mall every Sunday afternoon. Chris Luther is one participant in “Lunch in the Park.” “I would have never imagined how appreciative people would be just for a lunch,” Luther said. “At first I was a little nervous because I didn’t know how the people would act, but I just realized they are like everyone else, and they just need a little help.” The best way to connect with the homeless community in downtown Omaha is to participate by passing out lunches. The “Lunch in the Park” program needs volunteers willing to drive from St. Timothy’s on 93 St. to Gene Leahy Mall. Volunteers hand out a lunch and any other materials provided, such as socks or hats, to every person waiting in the park

lunch in the park

Where: St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church at 510 N 93 St. to Gene Leahy Mall at 1302 Farnam St.

When to Volunteer: Sundays at 11 a.m.

Who to Contact: Chris Lund at 402-391-1144

feature: volunteer

helping hands

Where: Materials at 2724 Douglas Street #314

When to Volunteer: Weekends

Who to Contact: Kay Noonan at 402-444-7774

Driving down the street, it’s no shock to see that litter is a huge problem in Omaha. Although picking up litter on your own time is great, it doesn’t count for volunteer hours. Volunteering for “Keep Omaha Beautiful’s Helping Hands” program is a way for those who enjoy the outdoors to receive service hours. “Keep Omaha Beautiful” focuses on reducing litter and solid waste management. This program needs volunteers to help provide yard clean-up for elderly people who cannot afford to pay for services. The work includes raking, pulling weeds, and mowing. Senior Elizabeth West has volunteered for this program since her freshman year. “I have met so many amazing people from Helping Hands,” West said. “Not only the volunteers, but the home-owners we are working for. My favorite part about volunteering here is when the home-owner sits with us while we work. They tell us stories about when they were kids. It made me realize how many interesting people there are in Omaha.”

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food feature : le bouillon

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Cape Cod Oysters

Squash Toats with house-made ricotta

1017 Howardold market restaurant’s past, present, and futurestory by bridget mizener, design by jenna hynek, photos by sarah lemke

very Nebraskan knows the Old Market is the cultural center of Omaha. Less well known is the fact that this mecca for artists,

craftsmen, and chefs was born more than 45 years ago when Sam Mercer accepted a drunken dare to save the warehouse on 1017 Howard St.

Today, 1017 Howard is inhabited by Le Bouillon, chef Paul Kulik’s newest restaurant. From its unremarkable start as a warehouse, to an abandoned property, to

the core of the Omaha dining scene, to the home of the up-and-coming Le Bouillon, 1017 Howard has always been the heart of the Old Market.

The charming, timeworn building now standing at 1017 was first built in 1880. It began as a depot in Omaha’s old

fruit and vegetable warehouse district. However, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, tenants began to vacate. As urban blight set in, the property owners began ripping out buildings and replacing them with parking lots. The result for the downtown community, says Kulik, was “total devastation.”

Luckily, an expatriate art-loving lawyer living in France, Sam Mercer, inherited much of this warehouse space in 1963. He was a highly successful attorney who

represented high-profile French artists. Every few months, he would travel from Paris to Omaha to check on his property. Though he owned much of the surrounding real estate, he didn’t own 1017 Howard, which was slated for demolition. Every rational property owner saw this derelict storehouse and wanted nothing to do with it.

What happened next is Old Market folklore.

“The night before—literally the night before this

building was supposed to be demolished and turned into a parking lot, some friends of his held him at this party all night long,” Kulik said. “They got him super drunk and talked him into buying the building and opening up a restaurant. Even though he had no restaurant background and he

1017 howard st. 402-502-6816

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Squash Toats with house-made ricotta

“They got [Sam Mercer] super drunk and talked him into buying the building and opening up a restaurant. Even though he had no restaurant background and he lived halfway around the world, he agreed to it.”Paul Kulik, chef and owner of Le Bouillon

lived halfway around the world, he agreed to it.”

Kulik credits this action with creating what we now know as the Old Market.

“It became the most important urban space in Omaha,” he said. “That one decision made that possible.”

Without that fabled night of cocktails and a little bit of luck, that historic landmark would now be a parking lot. Instead, the 1017 Howard building was saved and the Mercer’s French Café was born.

From its humble beginnings, the restaurant rose to significant heights. For upwards of four decades, the French Café was the cornerstone of the Old Market and a destination for diners across the area.

“For the first 20 years of its existence, it was the most important restaurant space in the city of Omaha, if not in the state of Nebraska,” Kulik said.

But after 45 years of business, it has been succeeded by Le Bouillon, which is, as one might guess, another French restaurant. Much of this French influence comes not from Le Bouillon’s predecessor but from Kulik himself; while attending Creighton Prep, he spent a year abroad near Marseilles in the south of France. There, he fell in love with French cooking and culture. He spent many of the subsequent years globetrotting, working in French restaurants in Washington D.C. and Paris,

France.When he returned to Omaha,

he knew he had to somehow honor his inner francophile while simultaneously paying tribute to his hometown. As a teenager growing up in Omaha, Kulik had come to appreciate the significance of the Old Market.

“All of the important cultural events, for years, happened here,” he said.

He opened the Boiler Room Restaurant in 2009 with the backing of the Mercer family. Its industrial interior was painstakingly preserved as a nod to the Old Market’s humble beginnings, and as for its French-inspired menu… well, in 2012, Kulik was named a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Award—the highest honor for chefs. His newest project, Le Bouillon, is just a few blocks away in the famed 1017 Howard location and opened on Black Friday of last year.

Kulik described opening Le Bouillon as a marathon; he occupied the building for almost a year before it opened. Fortunately, all his work has paid off: Le Bouillon is a tremendous example of the wonderful combination that is French influence and Omaha heritage, served in a gorgeous 134-year-old building with soaring windows and carved woodwork.

Though Sam Mercer’s institution is no more, his ineradicable impression lives on in the Old

Market. The Mercer family continues to manage the Old Market properties, and Kulik is making a concerted effort to return Mercer’s taste to 1017 Howard.

Le Bouillon is now home to much of Sam Mercer’s art collection. A tree sculpted by Niki de la St. Phalle, a world-renowned artist, and many watercolors painted by Sam Mercer himself decorate 1017’s interior.

All of these elements—the historic building and the carefully selected artwork—combine to create the perfect setting for Kulik’s menu. From a meticulously crafted riff on paella called Arroz a la Plancha (Spanish for “grilled rice”) to an unexpectedly harmonious combination of fried green tomatoes and maple syrup, the food lives up to the environs.

“You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a special product,” Kulik said.

Not bad for a place that used to be a produce storeroom, but 1017 has always been much more than just that. From a fruit and vegetable depot, to a building set to be razed, to a legendary culinary establishment, to finally an emerging restaurant, 1017 Howard has seen its share of history. Across the years, one thing hasn’t changed: its role as an integral part of Omaha. For Le Bouillon and for Sam Mercer, it was fate.

“We were desperately looking for a place to call home, and we found it here,” Kulik said.

food feature: le bouillon

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Paul Kulik, chef-owner of Le Bouillon Cape Cod Oysters

opinion: procrastinate

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all i want to do is sleep and cry

an expert’s guide to procrastinatingstory and photo by grace wolfe, design by lia hagen

Part of me thinks I do it just to complain and get attention. Moving from class to class, I’ll tell anyone who listens. I’ll start with, “Do you have Honors Literature?” and then, no matter the response, I’ll continue to say, “Well I don’t have the essay done yet, and I haven’t even started it.” The other party usually gives me a worried expression or agrees. If they agree, it turns into a game. The excuses come pouring out of my mouth, absent of rational thought. I had to help my mom, I had to go to dinner with the family, or I just fell asleep. I’ll try to one-up anyone when they complain about homework.

You see, I’m part of an elite group of teens who wait until the last minute to work on something that definitely cannot be done the night before. But I do it anyway. So, I’m here to tell you how to complete a homework assignment, test, or project at the last minute while still keeping your grades up.

Build it up as much as you can

The best thing to do is wait until every single project is piled up so you have to complete it all in one night. Make a checklist and arrange the things from least important to most. Slowly and tediously work your way down the list. Make excuses to yourself as to why you can’t complete each project. Internet not working? That’s all right take a break. Can’t find the rubric? Hey, you need to know what the teacher wants. When you’ve finally exhausted yourself, take the things you don’t have done and tell yourself you’ll attempt to finish them in your open mods. Now pat yourself on the back and get a good night’s sleep. You’ve done well... well, kinda.

Do work in open mods

This is why we have modular scheduling, right? Time to get help from teachers, work on homework, or panic and frantically attempt to finish a project before class. The best part is you’ve lumped it all into one mod so you don’t have time to

eat! Sure, maybe it’s not your best work, but then again, what is your best work? You’ll never know because you always put things off until you’re too stressed to do well! Hey, don’t beat yourself up about it. Now you can brag to all your friends that you completed a seven-page essay in 20 minutes.

Just don’t do it

This one usually works out well for me. Sometimes the stress becomes too much, and you spend your night crying instead of working. So the third option is to not do anything and hope for the best. Walk into school with your head held high ready to face the impending wrath of your teachers. Here’s where knowing how to lie comes in handy. If you’re a good liar, you can really do a lot. Your teachers aren’t dumb, but if you try hard enough you’ll annoy them into not caring. In all honesty, taking a downgrade on a project is worth it. And remember, it’s just high school, and getting a bad grade isn’t the end of the world.

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music: fall album reviews

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fall albumsalbums to sing in the season

story and design by estella fox, photos by estella fox and sarah lemke

ast week, I listened to an album I haven’t heard in a while. I closed my eyes and immediately visualized driving down a familiar winding

road. I thought about the fourth of July, the cold Atlantic waters, and I remembered that I listened to this album on repeat when I was in Maine a few summers ago. I could picture everything from that trip.

Music transports me to a different place. It brings back forgotten memories and feelings that come rushing in once I start listening.

I chose these albums because they remind me of fall. No matter what time of year, listening to them will make me think of rain, leaves changing color, and sweater weather. Autumn is my favorite season, so if you’re like me, you’ll love these albums too.

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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

The opening sounds of this album sound messy. The first song, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” opens with a buzzing guitar and drones on, and other percussions and instruments come in, seemingly sporadically. Jeff Tweedy, the lead singer, sings on this song like he just spent the night drinking after a bad breakup. “I am an American aquarium drinker/I assassin down the avenue/I’m hiding out in the big city blinking/What was I thinking when I let go of you?” The whole song starts to flow together, making a magnificent beginning to an album.

The rest of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot plays out perfectly. Tweedy sounds desperate, lonely, passionate — almost any emotion that comes from a relationship, he sings. He’s accompanied by simple drum beats, acoustic guitars, and a variety of pianos and synthesizers. The lyrics are beautiful and sophisticated. “Cheer up, honey, I hope you can/ There is something wrong with me,” Tweedy exhaustedly sings in “Radio Cure.”

Every song is perfect artwork itself, making this album a masterpiece. The song “Reservations” is an amazing ending. It’s obvious Tweedy is singing from his heart, while he carefully sings about love. He is backed by a melody of strings, keyboards, and cymbal, bringing this near-perfect album to absolute brilliance.

Genre: Alternative Rock

WilcoFor Emma, Forever Ago

Following a breakup with his girlfriend, the lead singer and mastermind behind Bon Iver secluded himself in a cabin in Wisconsin for three months. There, Justin Vernon created this album. It sounds like everything you’d expect from a sad man alone in a cabin: sorrow, isolation, and regret. His soft voice is backed by quivering acoustic guitar, with a mic so close that you can hear every metallic chord slide and every breath he takes, ultimately making a very intimate album.

He also has several layers of himself singing, almost sounding like an echo on the song “Lump Sum.” Occasionally, Vernon will burst into a more passionate form of singing, like on the song “Skinny Love.” “And I told you to be patient,/ And I told you to be kind,” he stresses. The lyrics in this album are careful and meaningful, but the true weight of them only really comes through when he is singing.

Every song is packed with passion, which is evi-dent even with his soft singing. For Emma, Forever Ago is the kind of album that sits with you long after you’re done listening.

Genre: Indie Folk

Bon Iver

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music: fall album reviews

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

If you’re a fan of cute, bubbly 50s hits, the first song off of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain might sound familiar. After an electric guitar, drum, and bass make noise for the first half minute, they fall into place with the continuing rhythm of a cow bell. Then, Steven Malkmus, the lead singer, starts on the track. Strangely enough, the tune is the exact same as Buddy Holly’s “Everyday.” This song is one of many relaxed yet amazing songs on this album. Some songs on this album are the best I’ve ever heard, and the ones that aren’t still move the album along really well. They are each incredible in their own right, but are tied together with an electric guitar and Malkmus’ recognizable voice.

The whole album has Pavement’s signature I-don’t-really-care-but-sometimes-do attitude. A good portion of the songs lyrics are generally meaningless, but that’s not the point. It’s the way that Malkmus sings that give these lyrics life. No one is really set on the lyrics to the hit “Cut Your Hair,” and that’s the beauty of it. He puts ridiculous lyrics in, showing that they don’t always matter. He’ll be singing for one minute and then yell the next line, making this song — and album — really fun to listen to. The thing that makes this album so amazing is the feel of the album as a whole. It has a warm, relaxed, and inviting sound that creates an unforgettable record.

Genre: Indie Rock

PavementHalcyon Digest

Deerhunter promoted Halcyon Digest by asking fans to print out a poster, photocopy it, and tape it around town. Band members were creating buzz about the album weeks before it came out, and that’s what this album is all about. It’s nostalgic for those days of naïve obsession and the kind of passion that only the young can have.

The lyrics show proof of this nostalgia. In “Base-ment Scene,” the lead singer Bradford Cox sings “It could be the death of me / Knowing that my friends will not remember me / I don’t wanna get old.” The album focuses around the feelings that come with youthfulness.

Sonically, the album perfectly centers around the theme. There are parts that are ambient, pop-y, and noisy. Compared to their other albums, this one uses a wider range of instruments, like electronic percus-sion, harmonica, and banjo that make this album interesting to explore. It is all tied together with Cox’s dreamy, floating voice. Throughout the whole album, he makes you feel childish, excited, and everything else that comes with being young.

Genre: Experimental Rock

Deerhunter

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snapshots: empty places

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I was sitting at the lunch table, laughing and talking, when the subject changed. The topic was something personal, close to myself and my family, and I couldn’t believe what they were saying about it. As the discussion went on, I grew more confused and offended. I kept my opinions to myself because I didn’t want to cause conflict with people I don’t usually hang around, but it felt more and more like I didn’t belong there, and I wondered if it was the right decision.

My expressions proved that I felt alone, yet no one seemed to notice. My vocal chords began to tense up, and I couldn’t get one word out. I was in such disbelief that it bothered me to even say anything. No matter how many other people were at that lunch table, I knew I was completely alone.

I’m not the only one who has felt this way. We can all feel alone, cold and forgotten in the harsh light of the world. For this photoessay, I wanted to show how it felt to feel lonely, away from home and comfort. I hoped to illustrate how it feels to be alone in this world.

empty placesdesign, story, and photos by kirsten mccormack

photos for when you feel alone

featured: junior stephanie dong

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snapshots: empty places

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feature: table grace cafe

community restaurant activates changestory by jaylee johnson

photos and design by claire wilson

1611 farnam st. 402-708-7815

dishing out graceby the plate

hen I sat down with the owner of Table Grace Cafe, Matt Weber, he told me

his restaurant was all about grace. To him, grace is the recognition of a gift that is deserved and not always able to be earned. At Table Grace, the workers believe everyone is worthy of being served, no matter their circumstance. Even before Table Grace existed, Weber still had a great amount of grace in his life. Before Table Grace opened in 2011, Weber and his wife, Simone, served the community through Table

Grace Ministries. Their goal was to use music as a vehicle to communicate about hunger and to bring people together. In addition to reaching people through music, Weber started a personal chef service for single parent families. This involved cooking meals catered to the family’s needs for one to two weeks at a time and sending them to the families with heating instructions. The Webers’ found that the recipients were incredibly gracious and they were able to provide hope to families that were struggling to put food on the table. Even though they were contributing

to people in need, however, the Webers’ hearts were yearning for bigger and better ways to make a difference in the community. Shortly after their chef service began, they began to receive donations from farms and gardens around the area. They were in need of volunteers to process the food. A group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln students who had just taken a spring break trip to Denver volunteered to help. This group of students helped Weber create his next act of grace. They told him about a community restaurant they

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feature: table grace cafe

visited in Denver called the SAME Cafe, which stood for “So All May Eat.” Weber was intrigued by the concept of a community restaurant, which is a restaurant that serves all members of the community regardless of their ability to pay, and he decided to visit the SAME Cafe in Denver. Weber’s interest in this idea led him and Simone to leave the chef service. “The personal chef service was awesome, but I could only take care of a few families at a time,” Weber said. “We just wanted a way to be more sustainable and reach further into the community to serve more people, so I thought the community restaurant concept

sounded pretty awesome.” Now, with Table Grace Cafe, the Webers’ are able to nourish more hungry bodies and souls every day. Weber and his wife pride themselves on owning one of the few restaurants that enables people of all walks of life to cross paths. A vast majority of the homeless population in Omaha eats at Table Grace because of their mission statement to serve people of every economic status. Even if a person doesn’t have money, Table Grace will still let them eat. After the meal,

patrons can work off the price of the meal by volunteering in the kitchen. Although they serve the homeless, Weber wants the community to understand that this place is for everyone. “We are a community restaurant, not a soup kitchen,” Weber said. “People don’t just come here for free food.” In any atmosphere, there’s a stigma against homeless people, with many people trying to avoid them. This could steer people away from eating at Table Grace. However, the Webers would love for the patrons to be more of the people in our community who have a steady income. Weber finds that change happens

through relationships, so the problem of hunger and the divide between working businessmen and homeless people can be resolved through eating at Table Grace Cafe. Next time your family goes out to eat, consider eating at

Table Grace Cafe. Weber knows it may be hard and uncomfortable at times to choose Table Grace, but that’s why his restaurant exists. “I’m okay with the fact that it’s hard to communicate that message [that it’s not a soup kitchen] because it shows that there’s a need that we’re fulfilling by being here and adding our presence,” Weber said. “There’s people in our backyard that need help every single day, and people need to start recognizing that.”

“There’s people in our backyard that need

help every single day, and people need

to start recognizing that.”matt weber, owner of table grace cafe

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feature: nanowrimo

t’s sort of embarrassing, but I think I’m the only person in the world who is nearly brought to tears by Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got A Friend In

Me.” It’s been that way since I was a little kid. My siblings all thought the song was sweet and happy (as every other normal person on the planet sees it), but there was one line that always made me tear up despite my efforts to stifle it. “When the road gets rough ahead, and you’re miles and miles from your nice warm bed.” It made me upset as a kid because I’d think about the characters Woody and Buzz getting separated, and that was pretty much the biggest tragedy I could fathom at age six. The line still continues to strike a chord with me as I grow older. The idea of being far from home and not being able to go back when I want to has always haunted me. The next line, however, always offered a little bit of reconciliation: “Just remember what your old pal said, ‘Boy, you’ve got a friend in me.’” There’s always little things we can use to comfort ourselves, to give us a piece of home when we’re away. For some, it can be remembering friendly faces and old friends who said they’d always be there for you. For others, it can be participating in an old pastime. I didn’t need it when I was younger, but lately, I’ve been able to find comfort in writing when things start feeling cold and out of touch. When

I start writing, I’m in my own world. Geographical location isn’t a factor; I’m as close to home as I could ever be. Though I may be the only person who has intense emotional responses to the Toy Story theme song, I’m not alone in using writing as a comfort for homesickness. Writers across the globe use the experience of writing to keep a piece of home with them. This feeling is only amplified when writers share it with others. One event helps writers to do just that every November: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Every year, hundreds of thousands of people attempt the task of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. According to NaNoWriMo’s official website, 310,095 people participated in NaNoWriMo last year. Among them were seniors Westside Cal Caudell and Emma Sherman. This year, Caudell and Sherman took on NaNoWriMo once again, illuminated by laptop light and armed with fresh coffee. Writers collaborate with each other to get to their goal by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 30, and Westside NaNoWriMo-ers use Writing Club to gage themselves throughout the month. Being surrounded by people who share the same passion makes November feel a little warmer. Writing club can feel sort of just like another classroom, but during NaNoWriMo, it can feel a little more like home.

na no wri mostory by lauren chesire, design by jenna hynek, photos by sarah lemke

national writing month candidates

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emma sherman

“[I got to] 15,000 words the first year [I tried NaNoWriMo.] It was awful last year. I got to 10,000 [words] the first day and then I scrapped it.... [This year,] I got the idea back for my NaNo in April. I think I always have an idea for NaNo like six months beforehand, then I just scrap it. I’m really into yaoi which is boy’s love — gay plots, essentially. I thought, ‘Why not write a story about some guys, and they fall in love, and that’s all that happens?’ The characters developed more, and eventually one of them became a demon hunter, and then I thought ‘I can’t write this!’ I got this idea that instead it was going to be a country bumpkin werewolf and he has to figure out . . . what’s killing the forest and what not, and then I scrapped that because I like the backwoods accent too much to waste it on NaNo because I don’t have time to develop it right. Then it went back to being a gay love plot, and then it went from that to a kid whose parents are getting divorced and he just has to deal with it, but I don’t have first hand experience with that. So I said, “Never mind, can’t do it, don’t want to offend anybody.’ Then it kind of took on to: she can see ghosts, and her best friend only has one leg.”

genre: realistic fictionresult: incomplete

senior

feature: nanowrimo

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cal caudell

“The first year [I did NaNoWriMo,] I think I got 5,000 words, and I thought ‘This is so difficult!’ I didn’t [finish] last year because I was super busy during NaNo, but I did get around 25,000 words, so I got halfway to the goal before I stopped... [My plot this year was inspired by] this book. Originally it was something my friend recommended to me. It was very misogynistic and very racist, but it was a book about this lady who is interested in dragons, and through different circumstances, she is able to combat the misogynistic society and go study dragons. I didn’t read the whole book. I couldn’t get through it because it was just so bad. I thought, ‘I’m going to rewrite this, but I’m going to do it way better and with lesbians.’ It’s this woman named Elise Hawthorne. It describes how she’s on this journey to find dragons, and when she gets there,the dragons are like oddly aggressive. They’re not behaving how she’s learned they usually behave, and she has to figure out why. And there’s weird love/romance subplots. I’m very emotionally invested in this story, and I want to finish.”

senior

genre: fantasyresult: incomplete

student auctioneer builds relationships one sale at a timestory by elise tucker, design by alllie laing, photos by abegale headlee

feature : auctioneer

etty Botter bought some butter but she said this butter's bitter. If I put in my batter it will make my batter bitter. Memorizing rhymes such as

this is normal to senior Michaela Mapes, an auctioneer at the Auction Mill. Before she began her work, however, she needed to educate herself more on the auctions. The purpose of auction school is to get you prepared to work at the auction house. You do chants and other exercises to improve your selling performance, such as practice scenarios that could happen in the event. “It was really fun because you are around people who love auctions,” Mapes said. “Every day, we would get at up six in the morning and for one to two hours we would do number drills and chants.” She met many people at auction school, specifically a good friend named Janina. When they first met, it was just like meeting an old friend. They had a lot of things in common, and they were both interested in the same antiques. Every time they talked, they created a better bond. Her teachers also helped her get in the groove of working an auction. “The people there were extremely nice, and the teachers were all helpful,” Mapes said.

One of her favorite auction school

experience happened with her family, who really loved the way she could pursue a job and have fun at the same time.

“My mom and my grandparents were there, and they all we able to see me auction,” Mapes said. “The first item I ever auctioned was a set of baseball cards.” With each auction she hosts, she grows to know more about the customers there. “The people that come to the auctions have very interesting stories and are a very diverse group of people,” Mapes said. “I really enjoying talking to all of them because they always have great stories to tell about past purchases or how their collection is coming along.” She has met people from all over Nebraska, like store owners from the Flying Worm and Midwest Pickers. “Vince O'Connor has a store in Fremont called Yankee Peddler West,” Mapes said. “He hasn't been to the auction in awhile, but I love to go to his store because I collect antique books, and he will usually give me a good deal.”

Whether it’s O’Connor or Janina, however, one thing’s for sure. Mapes’ auctioneering career has given her more than just money and cool antiques—it’s allowed her to connect with others in a way she never could have otherwise.

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betty botter boughtsome butter

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creating your

story and design by allie laing, photos by abegale headleevintage outfits on a budget

fashion : scout

personal statement

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$74.50 for a button down from Vineyard Vines and $148.00 for a pair of Hunter boots. Fashion isn’t always about spending your entire paycheck on clothes with a designer label, but rather the personal statement you’re creating for yourself. Here at Craze, we’re not only fans of expressing who you are through fashion, but also finding it at an unbeatable price. Every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Scout, a local vintage store in Dundee, has their weekly dollar sale. With bins full of items for only a dollar, along with old school Betsy Johnson heels and Marc Jacob leather

jackets hanging on the racks, it’s impossible to leave empty handed. Best of all is the fact that every dollar you spend makes the Omaha community a better place. Scout is a local store dedicated to repurposing and reusing our old goods, and the proceeds of sales like the dollar sale often go to charities around the city. By mixing items that were in the dollar bins with other treasures found in Scout, three Westside students put together an outfit that showed off their own unique style. Next Sunday, you can do the same. Come on down and see what deals you can scout!

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chris rothesenior

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2 patterned band tee

saks fifth ave. jacket1

vintage pumas3

5019 Underwood Ave, Omaha, NE 68132

caroline leibelfreshman

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fashion: scout

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2 love lola sweater

plush sweetie scarf1

caroline’s boots3paperdoll jacket4

saks fifth ave. jacket

ethan beiersophomore

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5019 Underwood Ave, Omaha, NE 68132

2 curbstomp tee

picnic thyme shirt1

vans3

ask a teachertobin ehlers

story by jake larsen, design by jenna hynek, photo by grace wolfe

ask a teacher: ehlers

ome know Mr Ehlers as the Honors Biology teacher, while others know him as the cross country coach, and

even more know him as the guy who rides his bike in the school hallway. With his dry humor, love of the Chicago Bears football, and a high dedication to a fit lifestyle, Mr.

Ehlers has a personality that stands out among the Westside faculty. Because of his unique character and wisdom, there are many questions students of Westside have wanted to ask, and, thanks to Craze, these questions will finally get the real answers from the real Mr. Ehlers.

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“How do you recommend studying for a final?”

“Having studied all semester and putting out reviews, you need to separate out your studying day by day and go over each section a little bit each night. If you cram the night before or you study for something early and don’t go over it again, you won’t perform as well on the test.”

-freshman Anastaiya Luhina

“What would be the best way to drive in the snow?”

“Cautiously. Drive slowly and don’t trust the guy in front of you. You need to learn to be patient, give yourself some room, and leave the radio on because the trip will be a little longer!”

-senior Colin Cassidy

“How would you encourage a student to stay in shape regularly?”

“We try to encourage a lot of kids to do track or any athletic sports. With track and cross country, anyone can be a member since we don’t cut anyone. It may be painful at first, but after a while you enjoy the endorphins you get from exercising, and you want the feeling regularly. It’s great to see that more and more kids are going out and trying to stay in shape.”

-Anonymous junior

“What is the best way to apply for college?”

“Talk to the counseling staff, but I think a lot of our students look at really elite and expensive colleges for undergraduate degrees when you can get good educations and great weekend parties at any school. It may be less expensive, but you can still get a great degree at a school like Wayne State.”

-Anonymous junior

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very time I sit in class, I find myself zoning out. I listen to all the words that are said, but I’m

blocked from meaningful understanding. I see teachers moving their lips and hands, and give the occasional nod, but in the middle of their descriptive lectures I realize I’m unaware of what’s going on. It really drains me, and I often question if getting up in the morning is even worth it.

Lately, school has become a chore for me. I bounce between different classes trying to find some sort of guidance as to where my life will eventually lead, but I don’t find much. Too often do I find that my life is uninteresting when compared to what it could be, and I know I’m not the only one that feels that way. After a long time, I figured out that the only way to stop feeling this way is to find something that captivates me.

I recently found something that became a source of motivation for me. After taking Mass Communications my sophomore year, I realized journalism could be an interest to pursue. Being a part of a staff committed to designing and writing something meaningful, not to mention awesome, seemed really enticing. That’s what led me to try out

magazine. Craze was something new, and I needed that. But with my decision to join Craze came a lot of opinions from my friends.

The funny thing is, when I told them I was joining magazine, I already knew what their reactions would be. In a storm of slurs they thought were funny and anger they believed was justified, my friends attacked my decision. Although their ideas stemmed from ignorance, I understood every word they said. In my case, I’ve been able to grow a great deal in personal strength because of my problems. I’ve realized that accepting how others view me is a natural part of life. But more importantly, I have realized that I should accept myself for who I am. When you wear your identity like armor, it can never be used to harm me.

All my life, I’ve been searching for something to define and captivate me. In doing so, I wish to try and experience many things. That’s why Craze is important to me. But I know that with each decision I make, I must to be aware of the criticism of others and accept that as part of my life. People can view me however they please, but they can only help me grow by trying to bring me down.

growing throughpersonal decisions

story by aaron casey

be aware of criticism, but never let it stop you

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opinion : the truth

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leaves and pumpkin spice

dangerous by david wilcox

alone again or by love

into white by cat stevens

box of rain by grateful dead

just like a woman by richie havens

alameda by elliott smith

pale blue eyes by the velvet underground

go to sleep by the avett brothers

your home is where you’re happy by charles manson

a fall playlistlisten here

from the sketchbook of...sketchbook : emma elhers

emma ehlersstory by maddie look, design by casey arritt, photos by grace wolfe

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Q:A:

Where do you get your inspiration?

“Most of my inspiration comes from the music I play and listen to.”

Q:A:

What do your drawings mean to you?

“When I do draw for myself, it’s an emotional release, and it holds symbolism to me. I draw what I feel when I listen to music.”

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diy : knitting

knit a scarfstory by andrew o’donnell, design by casey arritt, photo by estella fox

stitching homemade warmth

how to:

materials you’ll need:-one to four rolls of yarn

- needles

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s gravity begins to rob the once bright trees of their brilliant crowns, leaving the landscape a mixture of gnarled creatures grabbing for the sky, the average student finds themselves needing a way to keep warm as winter sets in. Luckily, there’s no better way to combine fashionable and cozy this winter than to fill your wardrobe with hand knitted scarves. Stitching your own scarves is incredibly easy and an

activity that will definitely keep you warm and fuzzy, inside and out, all season long.

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one: the cast onBegin by looping the yarn from behind your thumb to behind your index finger on the same hand. Make sure you have enough of a tail for your “cast on”, or the process of putting your yarn on the needles to be long enough for the thickness of the scarf you desire. This is also the step that you decide how wide your scarf will be depending on how many times you “cast on.”

The majority of your scarf will take shape through the usage of the “knit stitch” which is done by taking the needle with the tail of yarn and weaving it through the yarn resting on the opposite needle. Take the needle with the yarn tail and slide it under the first loop of yarn on the opposite needle. Bring the tail of the yarn connected to the ball of yarn between the two needles and pull back down the first needle, al-lowing the stitch to fall on the needle with the yarn tail, completing the first knit stitch. Alter-nate from one needle to the other until you have come to the desired length of your scarf. Make sure you have enough access yarn for the finish-ing cast off.

This is the final “stitch” of your project and is identical to the knit stitch except one must use the double cast in order to pull their stitches off the needle. Once you have completed the cast off stitch and tied the yarn back into the scarf on the ends, you can keep your neck skin snug and stylish.

two: the knit stitch

three: the cast off

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dec.story, design, and photo by lia hagen

get out of the house with these events

dec. 3 - dec. 23:“a christmas carol”@ omaha community playhouse7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

dec. 3 - dec. 31:2014 survey: omaha artists@ w. dale clark library4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

dec. 4, 6, 7, and 11:kiki’s delivery service@ film streamstba

dec. 5:art show and holiday boutique@ caesium gallery5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

dec. 7:TAPESTRIES@ the apollon7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

dec. 7:holiday lights festival / wells fargo family festival@ downtown omaha12 a.m. - 5 p.m.

dec. 13:om center poetry slam and open mic@ the om center7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

dec. 13, 14, and 18:miracle on 34th street@ film streams

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