Alpaca Story

The overwhelming musky scent of the barn is the first noticeable trait at Bluebird Hills Farm. The second is the array of black, grey, and white Alpacas bundled together like a bunch of sardines in the tiny barn as Laurel Shouvlin, one of the owners and caretakers on the farm, talks to a group of students from Wittenberg University. At first glance, and at first smell, the appeal of an alpaca farm seems grim, but the more you learn about their desirable qualities, the easier it is to understand their appeal.

Tim and Laurel Shouvlin have had alpacas on their farm since 1997, and they now share their land with over 70 alpacas. Alpacas have been imported into the United States since the 1980s for breeding purposes, but to Laurel and the rest of the Shouvlin family, alpacas are more than just a “product.” To the Shouvlin family their alpacas are not only used for their fur, but they become friends, learning tools, and even ‘devious comedians’.

“I don’t have to worry about teaching my kids about sex education,” Shouvlin said, describing how mating season for the alpacas is a very literal lesson for her children on the ‘birds and the bees’. She laughed as she regaled of her sister had to have “that talk” with her nephew when he first saw two alpacas mating.

Less humorous however, is the main reason for the alpaca farm, their fur. Their fur is sheared once in the spring and once in the summer, not only for selling purposes, but to also keep the animals from overheating and ultimately death.

“If you did not shear alpacas they would die,” Shouvlin said.

The fiber in the fur encourages parasites, and alpacas are an animal that are bred and needed for their fur. Alpaca fur is turned into yarn which is then used for knitted and woven products.

While selling the fur makes a profit, the upkeep of a farm is very expensive, and the family only breaks even when selling the fur.

“As long as I’m breaking even, I’m happy,” Shouvlin said, the appeal of the farm was having livestock, not to make a profit.

The appeal of the livestock goes even farther than teaching sex education and shearing fur though, they’ve given Shouvlin a chance to experience a job as an “entrepremanure.” After the fur has been turned into yarn, it gives Shouvlin a chance to use her creativity while knitting, sewing, and judging alpacas in fairground competitions.

Alpacas, commonly known as herd animals, need at least one companion or more, and a group of three to four alpacas is ideal for the animals to feel stress free. However, when a female alpaca is pregnant she tends to shun away other male alpacas. An alpacas pregnancy lasts seven months, and birthing tends to happen in the spring and fall to avoid heat for the newborn babies.

“Never a dull moment at Bluebird Hills farm.”

More Than Just A Counter

The aisles are bustling, the people are hurried, and the lines are long and snake around as you walk into the local Springfield Wal-Mart. The only person smiling is the lady greeting you at the door, and you’re almost sure it’s only because she’s getting paid to do so. But why is it so intense? The walls are still stocked high with demanded products; no one’s getting hurt; yet the air is full of tension and hurry. A trip to Wal-Mart must not be high on people’s list of favorite things to do, but how does it measure up working there, and even more, working in customer service?

            A Wal-Mart employee, wishing to remain anonymous for fear of this getting leaked, whispers to me as I stand in front of her notebook in hand, that she wants me to pretend I’m returning something, “I’m not sure if I’d get in trouble, but I really don’t want to risk it.”

            Her shoulders relax as I realize that getting in trouble is probably the least of her worries though. The people are rude and arrogant, and it’s hard standing behind a counter all day dealing with people who see you as nothing but a servant to their customer needs.

            “People automatically come in with an attitude,” she says, “even when I do stuff I’m not supposed to do, they are still rude.”

            I’m sure my puzzled look when she says she “does stuff she’s not supposed to,” urges her on to explain herself further.

            “I take back stuff that I’m not suppose to. People would come in and want to return shoes that were clearly worn, but I would take them back anyway.”

            From opened bags of candy, to returned bathing suits without the liners makes one wonder what people are thinking when they walk up to the return desk.

            “People are rude,” she continuously pushes as I scribble down my notes, “one time a man called me stupid. But really, if you’re attempting to return used shoes, who is the stupid one?”

            She grimaces at the memories as her chestnut dark hair, speckled with gray bounces around her heavy shoulders, her tone barely in a whisper as she continues.

            “I may not have gone to college, but I’m not stupid. I actually read a lot and enjoy learning new things. My job shows nothing of my intelligence level, but some people just don’t understand that, they see me as a lowly Wal-Mart employee in a blue smock.”

            Much more than a Wal-Mart employee, she grew up in a small town outside of Cleveland by the name of Perry, OH where she enjoyed playing outside with her two little sisters. She sadly admits that she never saw herself at the age of 57 working at her local Wal-Mart, but she did always like the idea of working with people. So even though people don’t always treat her the best, it’s not always the worst either.

            She smiles as she regales the story a young woman who told about her “baby daddy who wouldn’t pay his child support.”

            “You meet some pretty interesting people working her. Some people are so willing to tell you about their day. It’s not just about returning the items, and maybe it’s because of where I work, but people don’t’ worry about being judged about what they say or do.”

            She even tells me how one time a man asked her to reach inside his pocket to get his money for him. “He didn’t have a hand,” she whispered, “it was the weirdest thing, but I felt bad, so I did it.”

            Her genuine manner is so sweet it makes one wonder how anyone could ever be rude to her. She’s still young, but she seems so tiny and frail standing behind that big counter, holding the power of whether an item will get returned or not.

            “I don’t like being talked down to, but when working with customers you have to be understanding of everyone situation no matter what. That’s just what I wish people could see also. I’m not just a Wal-Mart employee, I’m so much more.”   

Review Rough Draft

All Time Low, a pop punk band hailing from Baltimore, Maryland released their latest album, Nothing Personal in early July 2009. The album, finished with the help of other artists and producers to co-write songs, reeks of used lyrics, un-original song titles, and doesn’t even compare to their previous 4 released albums. The band did record, write, and produce the album all while touring, but that doesn’t excuse their over-used phrases and typical song lyrics about break-ups, cheating, partying and one-night stands.           

The lead singer, Alex Gaskarth, who wrote all the lyrics for their previous albums, fails to tie up the loose ends in Nothing Personal. In one song, Hello Brooklyn, he spends 40 seconds only singing the names of different cities, just in case we forgot his geographical knowledge. Another track, Break Your Little Heart, basically sums up the song in just the title. The lyrics, screaming about breaking someone’s heart makes you feel as if you were thrown into a middle school relationship where it’s more about revenge than actual emotions.

The seventh track, Too Much, gives light on the actual talent and writing ability the group has, but its unfortunate the auto-tuning is so strong you can’t concentrate on anything else.  Gaskarth has a strong, powerful voice backed up by talented musicians; they should have just left it at that.

 

A lack-luster album with 12 songs that could easily be condensed down to about 4 follows up their previous albums, which were filled with inspirational and moving lyrics. The lyrics in Nothing Personal are over-used, with Gaskarth singing about a “burning flame” or “heated match” in at least three of the songs, and the ideas of the songs never stray far from each other. They only range from broken relationships, to one-night stands and the parties that inevitably led up to it, and they’re words your little sister could’ve wrote in high school.

 

It’s not to say that this album shouldn’t receive any credit though, because you can see their hard-work and dedication throughout the album, it’s just unfortunate it didn’t pay off. In the end,  I would suggest the album if you’re looking for a generic pop-punk track-list that any average band could’ve produced, but if you’re looking for something new and refreshing, I’d walk right by it.

 

Secret Sins

The notable black gates at the entrance, followed by the historic dorms and academic buildings give the atmosphere an almost serene feel, and even give the impression that the libraries, school buildings, and church are constantly filled with students. From the community service Wittenberg students are required to complete, to the continuous church services at the Weaver Chapel, the students seem to be wholesome kids dedicated to their work and religion. Don’t be fooled by the huge library stuffed with books, or the filled classrooms day to day though, the students that trace these halls and rooms don’t necessarily don the sinless image they may want to portray.

Everyone’s sinned. From the smallest sin to the biggest indulgence, any one you can name has taken part in something they may be ashamed to admit. How far have some of these sins gone though? According to a recent poll of 118 students taken at Wittenberg, 87 percent of males and 53 percent of females have gone to class under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both; and 80 percent of males and 49 percent of females have also driven under the influence.

From bonging 151 rum and having LSD induced conversations with a bunny, to “driving to Canada on a whim to gamble,” it seems the more Wittenberg students appear to be studying, the more false that accusation becomes.

So is it just the use of alcohol and illegal substances that lowers our inhibitions, or is it also the sex drive that most students seem to obtain in their years at college? Might be a little bit of both. According to the poll, 22 percent of males have had a threesome while 10 percent of women have, and 76 percent of males and 66 percent of females have fallen to the recent trend of “sexting.”

The sexual tendencies don’t stop there. One student admits he “had sex in a pool with a girl while 30 people were watching,” and another admits they “broke a friend’s mom’s bed while having sex.”

It isn’t just about the alcohol, drugs, and premarital sex, however; cheating in school takes 87 percent of males and 78 percent of females, and 38 percent of both genders have stolen money from their parents.

If you live this life, you know this life. You know that behind the books you study, and the knowledge you gain, there’s still a little, if not a lot, of sin in everyone. Is sin the right word to use though, since the act of “sin” is supposed to leave one damned for eternity? If so, almost all of Wittenberg’s student body is about to be warm for quite some time.

feature story rough draft

The sudden rush hits your body as you realize you have the urge and need to go to the restroom. It looms across to you from the restaurant and the first sign of panic arises in your chest as you think about venturing out to it alone. You attempt to alleviate some stress by turning to a friend and asking her to accompany you to the bathroom, and she grabs her stuff without a second thought. You feel safer knowing she’s behind you as you walk towards the door and as soon as it closes, that’s where most people get lost on what’s really going on behind that women’s restroom sign.

So why is it that girls have to go in groups to the bathroom? Does it really provide for a buffer from the staring eyes of everyone as you walk past on the way, or is just because we want to use the restroom for more than just the norm of relieving ourselves? Either way, it’s hard to for women to explain, and even harder for men to understand.

“I don’t get it,” freshman Chad Downing said, “what are they doing in there that they have to do it in groups?”

Well to a woman, going to the restroom requires more than the act of just using it. “When I say I have to go to the bathroom it actually means I’m probably going to fix my make-up and still make sure my outfit looks as good as it did when I left,” sophomore Steph Sodders said.

So as the restroom doubles for a dressing room and make-up studio, the question still arises as to why woman have to do it in pairs. “I may get the checking yourself out part,” Chad said, “but why can’t girls do that alone? Why must they have their friends with them at all times?”

“It’s weird going by yourself,” Danville High School senior Taylor Reyes said, “why go by yourself when you can easily go with your friends.” Why though? Is it really due to the fear of walking across the restaurant with numerous pairs of eyes only on you, or is more related to just wanting to have someone with you?

“I like to talk to my friends in the bathroom,” Steph said, “it gives me a chance to tell them things I wouldn’t want to say at the table or in front of others.” So now the ladies have turned the restroom into a gab session instead of using it for the intended purpose. It makes one wonder though, what could they really have to talk about in the bathroom that you couldn’t other places?

“Everything!” Taylor said, “Especially if it’s about a boy who may be back at the table. Being able to go to the bathroom with my friends gives me a chance to talk about how much or how little I may like that certain guy.”

“That makes me nervous,” Chad said upon being told these findings, “now every time a group of girls goes to the bathroom that I’m with I’m going to be wondering if they’ll be talking about me.”

It’s not just boys though as Taylor said, it’s everything. From what they’re wearing, to what they’re going to do later, girls see restrooms as a place for the whole lot. And consequently enough, their last thoughts are to actually use it as a bathroom.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ‘gone to the bathroom’, without really going,” Steph says, “I really do see it as not only a restroom, but a physical and emotional check-up as well.”

 

Loney Rough Draft

             Chief Carl Loney, more regularly known as the “e-mail man,” claims “not all education takes place in the classroom.” Is this why he usually turns a blind eye when the tradition of streaking takes place in Wittenberg’s hollow? Or is it because he wants to also be seen as more of a heroic figure than just a police officer. I guess it all depends on whom you ask.

Loney had been in the force for over 30 years, and abashedly follows in the footsteps of his family who were all members of a police force. You can tell by the way he controls the classroom conversation and the way he eagerly proclaims, “Wittenberg has 13 officers,” which is much more than a regular force that he’s proud of who and what he has produced.

Loney, who is more than willing to offer up how alcohol infractions have gone down (20 from past years), and liquor referrals down by 101, but when asked about the current McMurray’s situation he shies away from the matter.

            It makes one wonder if Loney only wants his force to be recognized in a positive light. “We don’t want it to be an us [Wittenberg Police], against them [Witt Students] kind of thing,” he says looking over his notes, “and we are concerned about the students.”

            His, and the other officers work has paid off though. The infractions and referrals have noticeably gone down, and they do abide by the Clarity Act, which forces the university to keep all records available. They handle 80-90 % of crime cases that come through campus, and are constantly patrolling Wittenberg streets making sure the students are safe.

              “It’s not about me,” he continuously says, making it a point that he actually does care about the students. He even recalls a story of how he bought a student a notebook because they couldn’t afford one.

            When asked about the tradition of going streaking in the hollow Loney chuckles and says, “It’s not a robbery in my book.”

Classmate Interview

Just like the flavor of her favorite ice cream, mint chocolate chip, Katherine Elizabeth Wenger is a refreshing break from the average teenage girl. At first she may seem a little typical with her favorite color pink and her love of masculine and athletic boys, but after talking with her for just a few minutes you get the feeling that she’s actually very down to earth and extremely sensitive.

Born in the small town of Granville, Ohio, Katie still traces back to those roots everyday. “I love being at school because of the friends I’ve made, but I miss my family and home more and more everyday.” Sharing a close-knit relationship with her family does make it hard for her to be away, especially since she’s away from her mom, who she sees as her inspiration and role model.

After talking with her about her home life, you get the sense that she’s a very passionate person, and Katie’s biggest fear is losing someone she loves. “I’m afraid that someone I care about is just going to slip away too soon, sometimes with certain people you just don’t get enough time.” 

Her fervor for the things she loves has clearly paid off because during her senior year of high school she won the coveted prize of Cheerleaders of Cheerleaders, which she had been striving for since becoming a cheerleader at the young age of 4.  “I do regret quitting dance though,” she sighs, which is another thing she was very passionate about, “but cheerleading is still one of the biggest parts of my life.”

Even though she’s extremely passionate and loving, Katie also prides herself on being outgoing and unusually optimistic, but she does say one of her biggest characteristic flaws is her hunger for victory. “I would never want a twin sister because I know I would be so competitive with her. I wouldn’t want someone that I’d constantly have to compete with.”

Something else you wouldn’t guess about Katie’s personality from just looking at her girly blonde hair and burgundy painted fingernails is that she’s actually very adventurous and has some pretty big aspirations for herself. “The craziest thing I’ve ever done is going cliff jumping in Barbados,” she smiles at the memory, “and if I could have one thing in life it would be to be a news broadcaster, like the next Katie Couric.”

She starts to stray back to the normal teenage girl when discussing how her favorite movie is Pearl Harbor, the first thing she would do with a million dollars is buy a car, and her dream husband is Justin Timberlake, but when I ask her what’s her biggest life lesson she throws me off by saying “you can’t let the past ruin your future.” She seems so calm when saying it, but you can tell she’s been through some rough patches that have shaped her into the mature women she is becoming today. 

Katie’s surprises don’t stop there, for when I ask her the final question of what always makes her smile, her answer is no where near the normal things you would expect to hear. “Knowing that I’m loved is what always keeps me going,” she grins, “I like knowing the people I love care for me back.”