Daily Archives: May 4, 2021

Arts and Entertainment, Features, Slider

Inspiration vs imitation: Learning when to detach oneself: Why taking a step back is just as crucial as moving forward.

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Inspiration is key. It’s something that I need around me constantly, and it’s what drives me to create.

 But I have to know when to detach.

Not that long ago I wrote a piece about what some local artists are doing to find inspiration during these trying times, as it sure hasn’t been easy to pick up that paintbrush (or camera, in my case) and do what we love. Most of the people that I interviewed had the same problem that I did when it comes to inspiration, and it’s something that I am now starting to realize is a bad thing.

 All of our inspiration comes externally.

Because our inspiration comes externally, we all find the need to have it around us constantly. Whether that be magazines, photobooks, or saved photos on Instagram, we all heavily rely on having it readily available to us when needed.

The problem with getting so attached to external inspiration is that we get fixated on these certain things.

We form habits of looking at other artist’s work and using that as our main drive to create. “If they can do that, why can’t I?”

Habits can be productive. Habits can give us meaning, structure, motivation through life. Some habits, however, can easily and dangerously slip themselves into the world of complacency. Here’s an example: admiring your favorite photographer’s work. It is natural to gravitate towards what you know you already like. To a certain extent, you want your work to somewhat resemble their work, as that is the kind of work you enjoy, and strive to create one day.

But what can you learn from doing the same things and limiting yourself to only the things you like?

If we only strive to create things that resemble our sources of inspiration, we will never make anything new. If we only strive to create things that resemble our sources of inspiration, we will never grow.

To challenge habits is to grow, and growth in itself can be art.

 Adriel Jimenez is a creative director, photographer, and stylist based out of Lawrence, MA. Having dealt with this same issue, Adriel spoke a few words about being an artist during these times, acknowledging your relationship with inspiration, being sure of yourself, and more.

“It’s funny because I feel like I take in so many different kinds of inspirations, that I never even asked myself this question. I feel like there’s different kinds of inspiration. Those tangible inspirations like other people doing their specific craft, like you, Jamal Shabazz, Elissa, Sean Brown.

And then there’s another form of inspiration, which I guess can be considered motivation, but I feel like they kinda go hand in hand: it’s where the self-drive comes from, you know what I’m saying? Always trynna be better than my last sh*t, or being so hard on myself that I gotta create some ill sh*t.

But I would say the biggest inspiration (whether it sound cliche or not) is self, you know what I’m saying? Because everything that comes from that is just the reflection of it.

If we talking about external inspiration, I can see us having too much of an attachment on it being problematic if it’s not regulated, because there’s a fine line between being inspired by something, and copying it. I feel like that’s the main downfall of even looking at things outside of yourself, really. You know what I’m saying? It’s very easy to fall into the habit of mimicking others, almost on the identical level.

So yea, I guess … I kind of want to say that maybe those attachments to those external inspirations should be limited but the attachment is one thing, then it’s like, what you do with that attachment, feel me?

You can be somebody’s biggest fan, and not mimic what they do. It’s really dependent on who you are, and how secure you are with yourself. I feel like the more you know yourself, the less you’re going to try and mimic things that aren’t you. Even if you’re a fan of that work.

 “It’s not about detaching. It’s about being more secure in yourself, so you don’t need to detach. Your art is unaffected.”

I feel like it may not even be necessarily about ‘letting go’ of your relationship to the inspiration, but not letting it consume you, to the point where your creation IS your inspiration.

Like I said, I feel like it’s not about detaching yourself from it. It’s more about going back to being secure in yourself and what you bring to the table, amongst all these different artists you might look to for inspo. It’s not about detaching. It’s about being more secure in yourself so you don’t need to detach. Your art is unaffected.”

Not all artists look externally for inspiration though. Some artists are lucky (or unlucky) enough to have their inspiration come internally, regardless of outside stimulation. I sat down with Susan Elias, a Lawrence artist/creative, who also deals with similar issues.

Susan is a graphic designer, and studio artist who focuses mostly on painting and drawing. She spoke about how her inspiration comes from her emotions, and how it can stunt your growth.

“Something that tends to inspire me the most is emotion. My state of mind.

“I think that can have a negative effect on my work if I tend to have the same emotion, or if my mental state hasn’t changed much. I guess that’s when it can be negative; if I’m stuck in the same mind state for a while. If my emotions haven’t changed in a while, then whatever I create will be derived from one place: my negative emotions.

“I think a time to let go is when I have a specific idea in my head, and I can’t recreate it physically in a piece, and then it frustrates me to the point where I don’t want to make anything. I had that one thing in my head, and it didn’t come out the way I imagined, and now the rest of the piece is birthed from frustration.

“Your art might not come out as good as it could have, because you were so fixated on it coming out a certain way.”

I think that the way to get myself out of that funk is to detach myself from that idea. Or for next time, be open to the idea of the outcome being different than how I wanted it to. Using what I had in mind as a starting point, then letting myself branch off and work in the moment. I think it’s very important to work in the moment, because you might limit yourself when you’re so tied to an idea. Your art might not come out as good as it could have, because you were so fixated on it coming out a certain way.

“We have to be open to change.”

Features, Slider

Pandemic pregnancy: The pressures of parenthood

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Because there is still so much that we do not know about COVID-19, we are unsure of some of the effects that it can have on a developing child.

What we do know is that COVID-19 is uncommon in newborns born to mothers who had tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy, and while some newborns have tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after birth, it is unknown if they got the virus before, during, or after birth.

Pregnant women often bear the brunt of limited health resources, and past epidemics have shown that it makes pregnant women and babies that much more vulnerable. It is harder for women to access health-care facilities due to increased physical and financial barriers, as well as fear of contracting infection. Women who were unable to access family planning, were more likely to give birth at home — which is riskier for both mother and child.

One mother, Emerald Medina, who gave birth to her first child in August of 2020 shared her experience: “Having my daughter Phoenix during the midst of a pandemic was very bittersweet to say the least,” she said. “I was not able to do much while pregnant because that was when COVID-19 got out of control, but it was a blessing in disguise, as I was able to rest most of my pregnancy. I was laid off in March 2020 from my waitressing job and I was 3 months pregnant at the time. I barely went out during COVID and when I did, I was very cautious. Once it came time to go to the hospital and bring her into the world, it was nice to just have me and my boyfriend Travis there with no visitors interrupting. Having a baby was brand new and very stressful for both of us and it was calming knowing that nobody was going to pop in on us while we were adjusting in the hospital.”

Medina also shared the effects that having a child during a pandemic can have on one’s mental health.

“Phoenix is now almost 8 months old, and if I am being completely honest, raising a child during a pandemic is very isolating. I am now a stay-at-home mom and barely leave my house,” she said. “I was collecting unemployment until very recently which has made me start looking for a waitressing job at night, since Travis works first shift, and daycare is very expensive, plus, in the middle of a pandemic, I do not feel comfortable sending her off with people I do not know all day. Depression has been eating me alive because I am unable to take my daughter out to places because I am too worried about her or me getting sick. The same goes for my friends who have had their kids around the same time as me, everyone wants to get together with the babies, but everyone has that worry about the virus. Even though COVID has made things a lot harder and more stressful, having my daughter during a pandemic was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”

Home Page News Bytes, Opinion

Opinion: The complexity of higher education

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I’ve seen the idea recently floating around that colleges should be free.

On the surface that seem like a great idea, but if you look deeper, does everyone deserve to go to college?

I will not lie college is expensive with everything from textbooks that cost hundreds of dollars to scary fees for high-cost courses and their Learning Management Systems (LM.) What I think makes college different than other forms of education such as middle school or high school is that college is the survival of the fittest. In college your education is as good as you make it, either way the college ends up with your money if you pass or fail.

What motivates me to do well in college is a fear of failure, my parents pay for my college education, and we have made a deal that they will pay for me just if I pass my classes. If I fail and have to retake the class, I have to pay them back.

By having a little bit of skin in the game it forces me to do my absolute best. Now if we took that away and made college free it would turn into high school again, people would slack off because there would be no consequences for their failure.

Also, not everyone in society is meant to go to college. The reality is that not everyone is meant for college, some people just work better in trades or in self-employment, it wouldn’t make sense for them to waste all their money on a college education.

The United States needs their minimum wage workers to have a functioning economy.  Some people go into companies without a college education. The end up working a minimum wage position but after years of working there they gain the necessary experience to move up to a better paying job. After reading what I just said you must think I am privileged and ignorant. Don’t get me wrong, I do not think college should be completely free and the current cost for some schools are ridiculous. I think the government should either reduce prices on state schools or they should introduce more programs like the GI bill but for other government agencies. So, if you serve the government, they will pay for your college depending on what school you go to.

Another reform that should be made is to the textbook market.  As I said in the opening the prices student pay for textbooks are ridiculous. The teachers should be able to distribute and pay for the parts of the textbook they need instead of buying the whole thing.

Overall, I think everyone should have a chance at college. I think their succusses should be decided on how much they are willing to work for a good education. Our current education system is flawed but it also promotes survival of the fittest mindset. If you are really motivated to go to an Ivy League school and don’t have the money you can work for it, get good grades, study hard, play a sport, doing stuff like that helps your chances of getting in. If you don’t want to go to college then don’t, you shouldn’t be pressured by society to go down a specific path. You probably won’t go far without a higher education but there is a lot of alternatives to college, such as trade school (which costs significantly less money).

 

Arts and Entertainment, Home Page News Bytes

A reflection on the GTAV roleplaying community throughout the pandemic

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The Grand Theft Auto: V roleplay community, shorthand GTA RPC, felt loss, heartbreak and sorrow in 2020, with the loss of some of its most prevalent, founding members.such as Kenny “Blue622” Tencredi, who took his own life in July of last year, following the death of Byron “Reckful” Bernstein. One of the most well known and active members on the scene, his loss was felt by everyone who knew him, and followed him. He was known in the community as a catalyst for the growing popularity of the server “NoPixel”, and by his friends as “one of the kindest guys around… a genuine guy who wanted the best for everyone,” (RatedEpicz, Twitter).

I’ve been a part of the community since 2018, and while I never interacted much with Blue622, or knew him out of character (OOC), I’ve seen his legacy firsthand in in the interaction I have. I don’t know his name OOC, but Scruffy, an OG member of the server, said, “I’ve been on here a long time, you know? [and] There isn’t a single person on here [that] doesn’t know him, remember him. He was one of the greatest dudes I knew. We all loved the guy, [he] went out of his way to make us feel welcome, comfortable. If he saw someone watching an RP from far off, he’d get them involved. He’s the reason we’re all here. I guess [we] just try to do what he did, you know?” His way of treating his interactions were always geared towards making it a good time for everyone involved, which is still reflected in the roleplaying seen today.

The GTA: RPC hasn’t always been as tight knit as it is now. I remember it being close to lawless, without much regard for genuine RP. Slurs being shouted in genuine, random acts of violence, and unwarranted sexual interactions. However since its spike in popularity, and with more large-audience streamers becoming involved especially in NoPixel, we’ve seen a drastic uptick in quality, sense of community, and general safeness. Especially since the death of Blue622, everyone within the community feels an obligation to continue what he started; a safe place to have all inclusive fun, at any time, with an entire community that has your back OOC. Randy Jackson (in charcter) said that “I probably wouldn’t have met any of my friends that i do now without [this server]. We look out for eachother, make sure we’re good offline, check up [with eachother]. We care about whats goin’ on in [eachother’s] lives off stream. I’m grateful for that. I guess thats what he taught us.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the community has only grown tighter, with an emphasis on mental health. People are encouraged to reach out if they need help and seek help when they need it. The bond felt between members of the community runs much deeper than a customized video game, with genuine care given to everyone within the community. It’s a shared connection that has kept its members grounded and extroverted throughout quarantine and isolation.

Home Page News Bytes, Sports

NECC Knights baseball players embrace hard work, team spirit

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The Northern Essex Knights baseball team has really stepped up over the past few weeks ,bringing their record to 17-8 after starting the season off 3-6 after the first nine games.

The baseball team here at NECC is well known for not only constantly winning their region, but heading to the college world series. However, with COVID, this season was not set up for such.

Before the season began, every other team in the Knight’s region and conference decided to not thave a 2021 season. This led to not only the Knights having to find dozens of other teams to play, but leaving them with no choice but to switch their district for the year so they could place in an NJCAA tournament in order to possibly make another trip to the College World Series.

Not only has their district changed, but their entire regular season schedule was filled with top division 3 schools in New England along with some of the best NJCAA teams in the country.

However, none of the players have seen this as an obstacle. Catcher Dylan Duval said,“We have clicked. What was going on at the start of the season was not our game. We have grown so much as a team there is no stopping us when we play our game. Our chemistry as teammates and friends has skyrocketed. Anyone can see when we step on the field how much each of us want to be there in the World Series together.”

It is great to hear how these young men have come together in such a short span of time all so they can reach this specific goal of theirs. In fact, the Knights have made it a ritual to run a mile and a half after every practice and every game no matter the conditions or the time of day.

Outfielder Kam Levesque said,“The runs are a game changer. We will beat a team at home and when they are walking back to their bus they see us running around the track and that to me is just the best feeling in the world. Now every team we play knows that when we step out on the field we are willing to work harder than them. Even on away games when we get back to the school at 9 or 10 p.m., we immediately head over to the track and get busy.”

Being there with this group of guys everyday has changed everything. Every player on the team is so focused on simply the classroom and winning a national championship.

It does not seemlike anything else goes through their head other than making sure their work is completed andgetting in their extra work on the field or in the weightroom.

Outfielder Logan Burril stated,“This school brings out the best in all of us. The team chemistry cannot be beat. On the day weare helping our teammates in practice and finishing laps while later on we are in the gym together which is followed by us making sure we have our assignments completed in the best quality. We all feed off of each other which is why I think we are the best team in the nation.”

Every player is devoted to making themselves a better person, a better student, and a better ballplayer in their time here. It is great to see and observe the fact that every player on the Knights baseball team here at Northern Essex has bought into the process and putting in the work to be great at whatever they are doing in that very moment.

Editor’s Note: Joe Muzio is a member of the NECC baseball team.

Arts and Entertainment, Home Page News Bytes

Mortal Kombat review

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Mortal Kombat has been a treasured game for almost 30 years. It’s use of extreme violence, gore, and intricate fighting techniques has led it to accumulate 11 main installments of the game, with its most recent being Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019. On April 16, 2021, Mortal Kombat the movie was released.

It follows Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan, an aspiring MMA fighter, who works to seek out Earth’s greatest champions to fight against the enemies of Outworld, in a tournament known as Mortal Kombat and to save Earth.

Directed by Simon McQuid, the film attempts to appeal to the games fans with easter eggs and extreme violence, however its story and plot fall short. Starting off strong, with a solid backstory and tearful loss, the plot becomes hollow and crumbles away by the third act. It is filled with plodding, lackluster world-building. The film spends too much time on searching for characters, without showcasing any of their powers or giving them credible backstory.

Much of the information is a fraction of what it could have been. It then focuses on what can only be described as a training sequence for a good portion of the film, where the characters are working on learning their powers.

The other problem is that the entirety of the movie focuses on this great tournament, called Mortal Kombat, that will result in the liberation or demise of Earth, yet the battle never arrives.

The whole plot is focused on something, that in the end, falls short. The movie was barely saved by an occasional laugh and the CGI. The fights were definitely engaging, including memorable finishing moves from the game. But for anyone who is not a fan of the game franchise, it offers very little.

The script feels loose and off-center, and the pacing of the film is way off. Too much time is spent on training, and the battles during the climax are quickly thrown on and back off the screen.

It was disappointing to be introduced to so many potential characters and backstories, only to be left with hollow and forgettable characters.

The film is saved only by its over-the-top and wildly entertaining fights, and its cheesy yet occasional comedic relief.

 

Arts and Entertainment, Slider

Haverhill Art Walk

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As vaccines are flying and progress is being made to set quarantine-reality behind us, it’s time to remember what it’s like to live again! What better tools to help with that than community and art?

The perfect, lively aid is coming to Haverhill in the form of an Art Walk.

The event runs from 3:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. on May 8. A partnership between local businesses and local artists, the Art Walk invites the community to travel along a mapped route to visit restaurants, studios, and more with accompanied artists. Anyone interested can view the information online with the resources provided below.

An artist yourself? Perhaps a local business-owner? Feel free to reach out to the organizers’ contacts to join a future Art Walk route! Whether you want to do some live painting like Michael D. LaBranche or open a creative activity to the public like the Lisa Hartel Studio, demonstrations of all kinds are welcome! The energetic plan aims to not only bring amusement and a breath of fresh air for those stopping by, but to raise publicity for those skillful and valuable participants of the Haverhill community.

If you can’t make it next week on the 8th, not to worry! The Art Walk will come back every 2nd Saturday of the month until September (dates provided on website).

As we all itch for the day when we can throw away our masks, step outside on May 8th and smell some roses, see someone painting roses, or maybe even someone selling roses!

Creative Haverhill Website:

https://www.creativehaverhill.org/

Art Walk Page:

https://www.creativehaverhill.org/haverhill-art-walk

Contact:

haverhillartwalk@gmail.com

 

 

Arts and Entertainment, Home Page News Bytes

Movie theaters face challenges in 2021

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There has been a progressive decline in moviegoers over the past years, causing small theaters to disappear rapidly. The most recent in the Haverhill vicinity is Cinemagic, which announced its permanent closing in February. “I miss going to the movies, it is deeply saddening that the smaller chains are closing.” said Owen Devlin, a student at NECC.

COVID-19 has only added to theaters dwindling away. Because of the social distancing guidelines, it has forced theaters to open at smaller capacities, causing companies like WarnerBros to lose money on its film. They tried releasing the film Tenet during the pandemic and lost millions on the project. This caused many companies to take a new direction and try to revamp the way they release films. In December, WarnerBros announced they would be releasing all of their feature films during 2021 on HBOmax.

However, this came as a surprise to many of their movie exhibitors, who received notice only an hour before they made their announcement. AMC was incredibly disappointed and lost 14 points of stock the day of WarnerBros statement. However, many feel that it was the right decision given the circumstances, and some are even excited for what this means for the future of movie watching.

“I had no problem with Warner Bros.’s decision. I felt that it was a way to keep people safe as well as still providing a means of entertainment through the safety of their homes.” explained Karen Stokes, another student at NECC. It also offers many a choice in how they choose to watch movies.

Many feel excited about the prospect of watching a new film from the comfort of their own home. “I think it’s awesome that they’re incorporating the choice to stay home and enjoy a new movie.” said Waynlyn Otero.

It leads the way forwards into reshaping how people watch movies. With more options, it gives the consumers more flexibility. One student explained how it would be interesting to see some movies in theaters and others available at home.

“It all depends on the caliber of the film at hand; If it’s something like a Marvel movie or A Quiet Place, most people would probably want to see it on the big screen and share the experience with others. If it’s something like The Kissing Booth or The Snyder Cut of Justice League, most people would be ok streaming them instead. If you look closely, you can sometimes tell which films best fit the format they’re presented on,” said Leo Wellock.

This idea is quite interesting. It is without a doubt that the fans of huge films who can hardly stand their excitement for a release still love the magic of going to a theater. But there are many, especially families, who would love to sit down in their living room together and snuggle up on the couch.

Opinion

The gym class debate: Optional vs. required 

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Many high schools offer gym class as a graduation requirement. Given that a lot of the students play sports or go to the gym on their own time, some would argue that gym class is not worth the time slot it occupies in a school schedule. On the other hand, America also has a large obesity problem and having mandatory gym classes for public schools could be part of the solution. 

An article in the Daily American newspaper titled, “Question of the week: Should physical education be optional?”, says that if a person doesn’t want to participate, they won’t and that many of the students who don’t participate are the “unhealthy students” who are often left feeling “embarrassed and out of place...”. 

The article also questions why music or art class isn’t required every year. Gym fulfills the needs of athletic kids versus creative kids who would prefer to put their efforts into the arts or any of their own passions. Limiting access to the arts can hinder high school students when deciding what colleges to attend because they have not had the opportunity to explore their interests and therefore are at a disadvantage in comparison to some of their peers.  

Aidan Foley, a freshman majoring in international business also thinks gym class should be mandatory. “It gives kids the chance to take a break from schoolwork and helps them start a healthy lifestyle.” he says.  

With access to physical education, students with ADHD and other kids who need to keep active, are less likely to struggle with their academics and can stay focused during class time.  

Ben Ashworth, a freshman majoring in education believes that gym class should be mandatory in all grades. It keeps kids active, and it helps with their work giving them breaks in-between classes. 

“Kids need to want to want to come to school and [for] some kids, gym is their only class they look forward to coming to. It definitely helps kids with learning about obesity problems and how to avoid becoming obese.” Ashworth says. 

Given the opportunity, many students would benefit from having gym class but there are pros and cons for both sides of the argument.  

Deciding to make physical education mandatory should be made on a case-by-case basis for each school and what is best for their specific student population.