Western CEDAR

Follow

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2015, Volume 45, Issue 04 - Winter

  Carina Linder Jimenez

  One of my favorite novelists, James Joyce, once wrote, “I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.” These two sentences speak to the ongoing reality that is a person’s life.

  Everyday people are looking forward toward a change or looking back at what they once needed. We live in a world that is perpetually unsatisfied but also entrenched with hope. To reach a world people want to live in they may choose to stand silently in a demonstration, or rush head first and fists crashing into a protest. Another person may simply be gripping onto each day as they let go of an addiction or escape a social status.

  We here at Klipsun have also been feeling the pull toward something new. Currently, Klipsun is a bi-quarterly publication. We have decided to change to a quarterly publication. Why? Just like any person wants to reach their highest potential, we too wanted Klipsun to push itself to reach its highest journalistic ability. We craved a larger quarterly publication with more in-depth content for readers to sink into. We wanted an active online presence that included releasing articles that weren’t going to be in the printed publication. We’re going to provide more for our readers not only in quantity but quality.

  The previous publication, Perspective, was one of our first moves toward an online-first publication. Before distributing the print publication, we released all the articles online. With Crave you will also begin to notice us release articles and multimedia pieces that aren’t related to the publication theme.

  These are some of the steps we have begun taking toward keeping our readers engaged throughout the year. More changes will continue to occur and we hope you stay involved as Klipsun expands.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 45, Issue 03 - Fall

  Carina Linder Jimenez

  Thinking back to your childhood, I’m sure each of you has engaged in the simple fun of spinning in a circle. Your feet began shuffling as you pushed yourself to spin rapidly and erratically. Depending on your mood, you either shut your eyes tightly for the rush of possibly colliding or you kept them wide open to experience the thrill of losing focus.

  Spinning and spinning. Faster. Now you’ve opened your eyes and continued spinning for a few more seconds.

  Unable to maintain your balance, you fell to the ground and stared up at the sky - waiting for your focus to return. Your eyes feel as if they’re swirling around and flicking back and forth.

  During this activity you’ve changed your perspective of the environment around you. While small scale and basic, the act of pushing yourself to experience a new viewpoint taps into the human need to connect. Either to connect to one another or an intangible idea, this publication provides a moment for you to step back into your childhood when everything was new and nothing was concrete.

  Take the time to open your mind and view another person’s perspective on death, life, courage, service, dreams.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 45, Issue 02 - Fall

  Carina Linder Jimenez

  From the moment you picked up this publication to the time you sat down to read it you have passed someone who has lost a loved one, has achieved a fitness goal, who balances a mental disorder, has aced a final and who is advocating for a cause.

  It’s easy to become engrossed in your own story and not realize the thousands of stories similar to your own. We all each achieve, suffer, balance. Whether for humanity, animals, the Earth or ourselves, everyone is forging a path that has and will encounter barriers.

  One of my most memorable barriers was when I was 13 and my GPA was dwindling at 1.4. My teachers rallied together to put me into drug and alcohol counseling. My parents reminded me of college. At the time, I was not on track to reach any of my academic goals. This left me with two options: accept my situation and continue with it, or accept my situation and surpass it.

  Within one quarter my GPA shot up to 3.4 and I was enrolling in honors classes.

  This isn’t to say every limit should be surpassed. To see a limit as a barricade or safety is entirely in the eye of the beholder. A limit is an acknowledgment of a line that you cannot pass or you must break; a step in a certain direction to achieve the ending you’re searching for.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 45, Issue 01 - Summer

  Genevieve Iverson

  Klipsun thrives off collaboration. For this issue, 13 staff members and 22 writers were a vital part of the construction of this magazine. With the many unique personalities and ideas involved, our magazine is able to evolve with each issue and share some powerful and delightful stories.

  At Klipsun, we believe it is important to incorporate clear words, stunning pictures and relevant, clean design to embody a whole story. Without one element, the others would suffer. Interacting with a story on a more engaged level means spending time absorbing the visuals as well as the words.

  By making a magazine, we are able to bring real human stories to our readership. As humans, we have the ability to construct our lives and selves in many ways. Take your diet into your own hands and build it around wild, foraged food like some Bellingham residents, or embrace your childhood nightmares and turn them into an artistic career. Change your surroundings by building ships in bottles or growing an exact replica of a tree… in a miniature size.

  All of these stories and more wait inside this issue, and it is no surprise that they inspired me to take a deeper look at the way I live my own life. Wonders of the Wilderness pushed me to consider ways to grow some of my own food while living in a city apartment, and Shop to Sheep made me think about where my clothes are made. As a person who is always on the lookout for new hobbies, Nurturing Bonsai and Bottling a Vessel were fascinating reads of unique pastimes.

  The Klipsun staff can’t wait to share, so read on. Imagine the possibilities at your fingertips.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 44, Issue 06 - Spring

  Genevieve Iverson

  As a child, I spent my summers at the family pond, learning to swim and exploring the shoreline armed with rainbow goggles and a shrimp net. While I loved the florescent wings of the blue and red dragonflies resting on the cattails, I preferred to inspect their green larvae counterparts clinging to the dock pilings beneath the surface of the water. They looked like sleeping insects incased in murky, underwater cocoons. As the summer progressed, the larvae climbed up the pilings into the sunlight. A dragonfly would crawl out, stretching its new wings and fanning them in the air.

  The dragonflies taught me the process of metamorphosis, emerging and breaking through several surfaces in a matter of minutes. And after they warmed their wings, they flew to the cattails, leaving a dried skin of another life behind.

  For this issue, our staff and writers came together to decide what “surface” means to us. We were struck by the different definitions and interpretations of the word. As you read, we hope you consider what it means to you as well.

  What exists on a surface may not be an accurate representation of what lies beneath. Read on and travel into caves with Washington state spelunkers, see a criminal strip club through the eyes of an undercover cop and dive into the depths of Puget Sound in search of lost ship- wrecks. Our writers bring you stories of all kinds of surfaces, both literal and figurative. Take this copy of Klipsun home and indulge yourself in the stories printed on the pages to come.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 44, Issue 05 - Spring

  Mindon Win

  What comes to mind when you read the word “grow?” I remember standing against a door frame while one of my parents marked my height with a pencil, each small line showing the passage of time. I think of summers spent pushing the lawnmower over a field of grass that seemed to sprout back overnight. And now, as I write my last of four letters as Klipsun’s editor-in-chief, I consider how I have grown as a person during my time at Western.

  College is a place for people to grow into themselves. Students gain a better understanding of the world around them and learn something new every day during one of the most formative times in their lives. They meet new people and make new mistakes. My time working for this publication has helped me understand who I am and established my passion for journalism. I have been lucky enough to be on Klipsun’s staff in some capacity or another for 10 issues and every moment on the magazine has been an opportunity to learn from. But how do you measure the experiences you have had?

  If you are measuring the growth of alpaca fur or octopus tentacles, a ruler can easily answer that question. Measuring tree age, the number of days a dead body has been decaying or the amount of electronic waste we produce annually starts to get a little bit trickier. In some situations, growth can be easily quantified in units that may change depending on the continent. For others, growth is more subjective. How does one measure the impact of adopting a child or creating a community garden?

  The Klipsun staff want to encourage knowledge and understanding that will have a lasting impact on our readership. Whether you are a student picking up a magazine on the way to class or a curious reader browsing our website from a far-away country, we want your view of the world to expand as you experience the content of our publication. As you read through our stories, we hope you think about what “grow” means to you.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 44, Issue 04 - Winter

  Mindon Win

  In an era when time seems to pass at a break-neck pace, staying current is an important part of any publication’s day-to-day operation. How can we stay current as a publication when societal trends and global issues seem to pass in a matter of days and weeks but we only publish twice a quarter?

  Klipsun stays relevant by telling the stories that matter not only to the people who pick up the magazine the day it comes out, but also to those who will read it years from now. For Klipsun, staying current means more than just keeping up with the times. The means in which stories are brought to readers is constantly changing. Readers are no longer passive consumers of media. The single downstream approach to storytelling is changing, allowing for reader participation and influence in what they read. We are trying to reach out and involve our readership throughout our process and allow them to help shape our final product. Our readers should know what life was like and what issues were worthy of being published when our staff sat down to plan the magazine. We want Klipsun to be a portal into what was important to the staff and community when the magazines were neatly stacked around Bellingham.

  We want to convey to both present and future readers that finding clean energy alternatives and reducing waste is of paramount importance to our readership and staff. We want people to read about how technology is moving into an ever more digitally dominated realm while some people still hold on to analog methods. We want readers to connect with stories of people as they break world records, give death new life and live every day with a neuropsychiatric disorder. These are the stories we have decided to tell in this issue. We want them to interest, enlighten and fascinate you. Staying current for our readership is important, but being current is as much about looking to the future and learning from our past as it is about observing the present. Take the time to read through Klipsun and see what our Current issue is all about.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2014, Volume 44, Issue 03 - Winter

  Mindon Win

  The Balance issue of Klipsun is aptly named. Hopefully by now you have read through our Impression issue, in which we pushed the magazine forward. We wanted to lift up our stories through design and photography in such a way that the reader could connect with stories and recognize the work of our writers and staff. Impression was created out of chaos. Many people came together as a team and figured out how to make a better magazine that was both sustainable and interesting. We wanted to bring the reader the best we had to offer and stories that would fascinate and inform. This issue saw the chaos organized and focused into something we are all very proud of. Klipsun achieved balance in its use of photographs and design. Our staff found balance in how we operate and how to best foster our writers while delivering the best stories to our readers.

  This issue includes stories of both physical and mental balance. One writer tells a story about ice skating and how the physics of the human body propels skaters across the glistening ice. Another writer wrote about student entrepreneurs who realize balancing work and school is a small part of balancing the elements of a startup business. One writer tells the story of people who live with vertigo and work every day to find balance in their lives. Another writer profiles a student whose love of music and supporting friends helps him overcome having bipolar disorder.

  At one point or another we have all tried to achieve some degree of balance in our lives. Whether we are balancing time, resources or our minds, most people seek to find balance in their lives in an otherwise unbalanced world. We live in a society of advancement and discovery. We always strive to progress forward as a people — that is nature of our nation and of humankind. The staff and writers of Klipsun hope readers will be inspired by the work in this issue and will seek to achieve balance in their lives. Together we can make the world a better and more balanced place for everyone.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2013, Volume 44, Issue 02 - Fall

  Mindon Win

  When I was growing up, my grandfather kept endless rows of boxes filled with National Geographic magazines along the far wall of his garage. Every time I would visit, I selected a box and meticulously combed through every page of the 20 or so issues before returning it and selecting another. I would stand in awe at his collection of cameras and look through the 92 years of history he had cataloged throughout his lifetime in photo albums that were curling at the edge of pages. My grandfather passed away several days before we began production of this magazine. I was left to think not only of the impression he left on me, but also on how profound a simple impression could be.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2013, Volume 44, Issue 01 - Fall

  Lani Farley

  Synergy has always fascinated me. The concept that two separate things, ideas or people can blend together and create something far more powerful than either one of the individual parts.

  The concept can be seen as rather basic and easily understood, but I like to think of synergy as some sort of deeper, far more powerful occurrence than ourselves. Hidden elements blend together in unknown ways to produce something completely unique.

  When things blend together they can have hidden repercussions and benefits. Something is as simple as blending a flying kite and surfing can lead to thrilling moments on the edge of life and death. The past can bleed into the present when modern day Civil War enthusiasts reenact battles that are so realistic it can bring onlookers to tears.

  Rather than focus on how and why things blend together, I like to think about the end result - what we are left with. Looking back on my time at Western, I don’t dissect individual lessons from each of the course I took, I think about all these smaller lessons from my major and minors have come together to create my educational experience, the things I will carry with me long after graduation. So I encourage you to step back and drink in what happens when you combine two different elements. It can be truly magical.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2013, Volume 43 Issue 06 - Spring

  Lani Farley

  I was always taught speed could be thought of as the rate at which an object covers distance. But my concept of speed has changed throughout the years. For me, it is about the progression of something or someone, the moments between the seconds.

  However, I didn’t always see speed the way I do now. Growing up with an uncle named “Fast Mike”, who races cars professionally, speed was always about being the fastest. He would maneuver around the cones on the track in the blink of my eye, finishing first in a matter of seconds.

  As I became older he asked if I wanted to ride with him in one of his races. My hands gripped the side of the seat as he started the engine. I was preparing for the ultimate fast-paced thrill.

  But something funny happened. The memories of him whizzing around the track faster than my eye could follow didn’t match up to what I felt and saw while being in the car.

  Time seemed to slow; every move he made was done with such purpose and precision. We were no longer racing at 90 mph but gliding slowly along the track, feeling those moments between the seconds.

  In compiling this issue I learned even more about the importance and unique quality of speed. One man experiences what it feels like to set the land-speed record on a motorcycle, while a basketball coach with a heart condition has to slow down and show his passion for the game on the sidelines.

  How one treats and experiences speed is the key, not how fast or slow something happens.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2013, Volume 43, Issue 05 - Spring

  Branden Griffith

  I sometimes like to think of myself as clever. Yet I still find it nearly impossible to come up with a witty answer when asked, “If your house was burning down, what’s one thing would you save from the fire?”

  Trying to imagine the walls ablaze around me, I close my eyes and scan the eternal mess that is my bedroom. My line of vision crosses my bike, heap of clothes in the corner, musical instruments and laptop, as I evaluate which of these things I wouldn’t be able to live without.

  “Assuming my family is safe, I would throw my mandolin on my back, grab my copy of “The Great Gatsby” and the Bible my grandma gave me, and then hop on my bike and jump it through the flames like Evel Knievel,” I would answer. But that’s cheating.

  As I listen to others answer the same question, I realize the items I find vital are drastically different from what the people around me would save, and none of their items are similar to each other. As we start to hear about the family photos, laptops, cameras and cats that people would save, we start to see what each person values the most.

  In this issue of Klipsun, we get a glimpse into the vital things in life, such as the Olympic hopeful’s decision to ensure his path to the podium, and the adopted woman finding closure in search of her birth parents. We also sweat along with a wrestler who has to lose 10 pounds in fewer than 24 hours.

  In this issue, we see vitals in a new way. We give up our own idea of the things that are necessary, and we start to think about what the people around us might hold while leaping through the flames.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2013, Volume 43, Issue 04 - Winter

  Branden Griffith

  Time to come clean. I’m afraid of flying. Unfortunately, I didn’t know this until the airplane I was on started taxiing down the runway, preparing to take me and my family to the happiest place on Earth: Disneyland.

  Heights are fine. I love to climb mountains, hike narrow cliffside trails, ride the glass elevators at the Space Needle and jump off unstable ledges into the lakes of Eastern Washington, but there is something about being unable to control my own rise and fall that gives me the willies.

  What you are about to read chronicles stronger people than I. We found people who put their lives at risk for the thrill of backcountry exploration, people who climb trees for a living and people who climb ice for fun, even though they’re completely aware of the “screaming barfies” they may feel when they finish.

  This issue of Klipsun tells the tale of the man who helped us discover Earth through a photo, and why owning solar panels in a state known for rain isn’t a terrible idea.

  People stronger than I, the 15-year-old kid sweating bullets as the airplane banked in a circle around the runway to land. Clutching my stiff armrest and with my body pressed into the uncomfortable padding of my seat, I was almost ready to take my chances with a parachute.

  Soon enough, I would be walking through the airport thinking about nothing but roller coasters and Splash Mountain, and my fear of falling from the sky would be far behind me.

  When you read these stories, I encourage you to see the world through the eyes and lenses of the men and women who aren’t afraid to fall, and who see heights, both literal and figurative, as inspiration. I know I have learned a thing or two from these people already.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2013, Volume 43, Issue 03 - Winter

  Marissa Abruzzini

  Viscous, egg-shaped blood cells encase spiraling strands of DNA, a drop of turquoise paint seeps through the spongy layers of a hand-painted portrait, and hundreds of dents are imprinted with black ink on a piece of paper.

  These details, along with others, are missed because of their subtlety, but without these small pieces, the bigger picture wouldn’t exist. Even a simple chore such as typing on a computer involves a series of complex electric currents and muscle memory.

  Many people don’t think about the in-depth mechanics of their computers as they rush to type up an essay the night before it is due. As you will see in this issue of Klipsun, looking into the details of even seemingly mundane subjects can reveal fascinating new perspectives.

  This issue explores the tiniest fragments of the things we take for granted.

  You will read about the lifesaving details that stand between a man’s safety and his lungs filling with flames, as well as the centimeters of thin hair that could earn a competitive beard grower the title of world whisker champion. This issue includes stories about a woman who uses tracks to hunt one of the strongest creatures in North America, and what really happens behind the scenes of a crime investigation.

  For these subjects, the fine points are vital. But what happens when someone is constantly bombarded with life’s specifics? As you read through this issue, you will learn how people with Asperger’s cope with mountains of information and how far twin sisters go to claim their own identities.

  Taking time to appreciate the intricacies of life with all five senses is fulfilling, but sweating the small stuff can cause a massive headache. As you read the stories here, pause to think about the mechanisms that form what is important to you. Rather than letting life pass you by in a whirlwind of clocks and espresso shots, take a moment to appreciate its complexity. Carpe diem.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2012, Volume 43, Issue 02 - Fall

  Marissa Abruzzini

  Standing on the front row bleachers at the fairgrounds, I could smell acrid gasoline pluming from the exhaust pipes of 10 demolition cars about 500 feet away. My older brother aimed his camera at the line of cars, which looked like colorful beetles from where we stood.

  “I can’t see anything from here,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  We made our way down to the security tent nudged between the audience and the demolition ring. A man in aviators and a bright blue security jacket stood at the entrance with his arms folded.

  “You can’t come back here,” he said. My brother pulled out his laminated photo pass and pushed past the guard.

  “John says it’s alright,” he said. “You can ask him.”

  Before the guard had a chance to find out John was not a real person, we made a beeline for the backstage entrance, ducking under the “Do Not Enter” tape roping off the out- door arena. My brother snapped away as cars smashed into one another less than 20 feet from his lens.

  A deafening crunch ripped through the night air as two cars collided head-on. A tire tore off the heap of metal, skidding rapidly through the dust an arm’s length from where I stood. One thought played over and over in my head: I shouldn’t be here.

  Security boundaries like this protect photographers from getting hurt; but when is a boundary too strict? Physical and psychological boundaries exist in every facet of life. In this issue of Klipsun, we explore the limits of limitations.

  You will learn about Bellingham’s place in Cascadia’s imaginary border, and the all-too-real US/Canadian border, how extreme hikers push their bodies to the breaking point and how a group of performers can dance with fire without getting burned.

  I was lucky to walk away from the demolition derby intact when I defied the only rule meant to keep me safe. When you read this issue, consider why you adhere to some boundaries, and rebel against others. Where do you draw the line between limitation and limitless indulgence? After all, even rebels need rules.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2012, Volume 43, Issue 01 - Fall

  Brian Corey

  I’m done, checked out. I graduated. Talk about a pivotal moment.

  While I write this it is time for myself and many others receiving their diplomas to step into roles as accountants, engineers, teachers and such, but when this hits stands another group of students will be entering their first year. It’s a simple cycle of coming and going. Each person will create his or her own path through college and into the professional world. Sort of like a choose-your-own- ending book. This story, while individually exciting, is very common. The stories within these pages are a bit more out of the ordinary.

  What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word pivot?

  Instantly, I think of pivotal moments. But when you think of the word as a whole it can be interpreted in many different ways.

  The group of writers and editors that worked on this issue put together a piece of literature that is a tell-all, gut-wrenching and entertaining read.

  Can you pray the gay away? Reporter Josh Galassi explores the ex-gay movement in an investigative article about organizations that say they can turn the gays straight.

  Jessica Pain writes about the goals, no pun intended, of different foosball organizations trying to reach Olympic glory. She talks with world-class players and you may even learn a tip or two for that next game at the pub.

  Scared of bee stings, are you? Well, you can thank the local bee farmers, and be happy those fuzzy buggers are still around. Marissa Abruzzini takes a peek at how some Whatcom County residents are fighting the possibility of bee extinction.

  Losing a loved one to suicide, something we at Western experienced on more than one occasion in the previous academic year, is a horrid and unthinkable event. Jeremy Mohn takes us through the lives of people who have dealt, and continue to deal, with the loss of a loved one to such sad circumstances.

  This just scratches the surface of the stories we tell. It is hard to combine such serious topics with more light-hearted ones, but I am proud of this magazine and what it contributes to our community.

  Read, think and read some more. Enjoy.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2012, Volume 42, Issue 07 - Spring

  Brian Corey

  Dear reader, “Jump!” “Do it! Go!” “Jump!” She jumped. The river was flowing slowly about 50 feet below. In the brief instance of free fall before she splashed into the water she was free from all havoc, just herself and the summer breeze. Then she hit the water, and the rocks just below the surface.

  In a jump she had made numerous times before she made one little error and landed in an area quite a bit shallower than the usual splash zone. Both of her legs broke on impact. Friends were able to pull her from the river. As she was dragged from the water people starred down from Jordan Bridge in Arlington, Wash., which spans the Stillaguamish River, rethinking their next move. Many people before her took the dive and many people continue to do so today.

  This is the story of a friend of mine who took a risk with an outcome that was unfavorable, to say the least. She took a risk, as all of us do every day of our lives. That may be a cliché thing to say, but true nonetheless.

  Risk is often associated with negative actions, but in this edition of Klipsun we explore the idea of risk in a broad spectrum. We learn what having a medical marijuana license really entails, how bull rider’s lives change eight seconds at a time and we get a detailed look into the life of homeless youth who call downtown Bellingham home.

  As you read through this publication think about the risks you take every day, and the risks you didn’t take that could have changed who you are as a person. I know my life is different because of the risks I have taken; calculated and in the heat of the moment. I’ve placed some bad bets but I have also made some excellent investments.

  How can we not associate risk with the things we do everyday? Come on, do you always look both ways before you cross the street?

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2012, Volume 42, Issue 06 - Spring

  Elysia Nazareth

  “Time is of the essence” “A Wrinkle in Time” “Times Like These” “Killing time” Whether in contract law, classic literature, pop culture or everyday idiomatic expression, it cannot be denied – time is ever-present.

  Commonly used as a measuring system to sequence events and to quantify rates of change, the passing of time can vary from person to person and situation to situation.

  For me, with 10 days until graduation, the saying “time flies when you’re having fun” could not be more true. It’s times like these that I can’t help but think about the different events in our lives that signify benchmarks in the passing of time. And yet, why is it that whenever we’re feeling particularly vulnerable, lost, confused, bored, in pain, etc., that time moves so slowly?

  The irony of timing is what makes it such an interesting concept.

  In this issue of Klipsun magazine, “Time of my life” details how the hours, minutes and seconds crawled by on one reporter’s 34-day nautical adventure from Bellingham to Hawaii.

  You’ll follow another reporter to Nicki’s Diner, where he attempts to beat the clock and his stomach, in a 6-pound, 20-minute food challenge.

  And in “Cultural perceptions of time,” you’ll learn that in some non-Western cultures, a lack of punctuality benefits successful human relationships in an exploration of the social vs. punctual being.

  Given that time is in and around everything, I hope you can learn from the contents of this issue. Now I could say something cheesy like “take your time as you flip through these pages.” But I won’t.

  Enjoy your read.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2012, Volume 42, Issue 05 - Winter

  Elysia Nazareth

  It is in our nature as humans to assume that weakness, in its most literal form, insinuates disadvantage or fault; almost instinctively, our minds seem to formulate the dichotomy between weakness and strength.

  We each have our own intellectual, physical and emotional attributes that define our personal singularity. Varying connotations of the word “weak” stand as one such example of our uniqueness and variety, yet despite these different interpretations, we all experience weakness in one way or another.

  In this issue of Klipsun, you’ll read that for some, weakness is indulging in our guiltiest pleasures – which may mean secretly listening to Vampire Weekend’s self-titled album, while assuring friends that they’re “too mainstream.”

  You’ll see that it’s common, especially in the Pacific Northwest, for one to think they’re getting their daily dose of caffeine by ordering the boldest roast that Starbucks has to offer, when in fact, the lightest roasts pack the biggest caffeine punch, so to speak.

  And in one case, while coming out of a coma leaves him at his weakest physical state, one student’s struggle proves to have the strongest mental and spiritual implications for his fervor for life.

  This issue of Klipsun looks to set aside preconceived notions of “weakness” and broaden the interpretation of the word “weak.”

  Before you read any further, take a minute and think about how you would define the word “weakness.”

  Now forget that definition.

  As you flip through these pages, remember that our weaknesses are what help us relate to one another. They’re what make us feel human. And without them, we’d only have our strengths – and how boring would that be?

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2011, Volume 42, Issue 01 - Fall

  Lindsey Otta

  It s not until I catch a cold or come back from a loud concert that I realize how difficult it can be to live with an impaired sense. Not being able to taste or smell can make a weeklong cold unbearable — I just love food too much. A home-cooked meal sends my senses through the roof.

  Unfortunately, years of blaring my headphones, going to concerts and grinding my teeth every night since I was little has caused hearing loss in both my ears. My television volume is usually set at more than 30 and I always sit in the front of the class so I can hear my professor.

  In this issue, Klipsun explores several senses by examining sensory learning, the culture of the deaf community and how food presentation affects taste, as well as some unique senses like a sense of direction or sense of humor. We even explore the senselessness of making a penny.

  Last but not least, I would like to wish Klipsun a happy 40th birthday. It s been an incredible 40 years and I wish the best of luck to future Klipsun staff.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2011, Volume 41, Issue 06 - Spring

  Lindsey Otta

  When I was little I loved to play hide-and-go-seek. I don’t remember what the appeal was exactly; maybe it was the challenge to try and stay quiet or finding the perfect hiding spot. Either way, I wasn’t really good at the game. The thrill and excitement got the best of me and I usually started giggling and I was always the first person to be found.

  Although staying hidden has always been a challenge for me, my curiosity of hidden objects and issues has always been a constant in my life. The saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat;” and with the amount of technology readily available today, our curiosity can be satisfied in seconds. But what about the answers not found on the Internet? Like hidden gender roles, food label censorship or buried delicacies? This is where Klipsun steps in to fill the gaps. In this issue Klipsun strives to discover objects and issues that have been hidden from plain sight.

  There are always new things to be discovered, some more hidden than others or less hidden than we may think or want. I hope these stories satisfy any new or old curiosities; and magnify the hidden things in life.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2011, Volume 41, Issue 05 - Spring

  Olena Rypich

  It’s fascinating to think back to March of ’99 when I came to America with my parents, six suitcases in tow and about four learned phrases in my pocket: hello, goodbye, please and thank you. Though I’m fluent in English now, the occasional accent slip still reminds me of those years I was frustrated with my broken English. Back then, the TV we bought at a garage sale had only three channels, one of them showing “The Simpsons,” “Supermarket Sweep” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.” This was the quality television that taught me the basis of my colloquial English.

  The spectrum of this issue’s theme runs the gamut from lighthearted to deep and serious. It explores a silly phenomenon, gets us in touch with our inner teen romantic and also probes the issues that too often get swept under the rug: emotional pain and abuse and the hopeless feelings they trigger. It’s the kind of break no Superglue can fix. Ultimately, these stories are about moving on, maturing, turning a new page and letting go of the past — that’s the way to heal the worst wounds.

  The Gestalt theory holds that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I like to think of the collection of ceramic shards on the cover as a beautiful plate, a work of art that used to be a whole. To get that one cover photo our photographer smashed tons of dishes. But hey, it was all for good luck.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2011, Volume 41, Issue 04 - Winter

  Olena Rypich

  The picture to the right cannot say much about me. Beyond what is visible at first glance are the many layers of my identity: Ukrainian, aspiring public relations professional and journalist, pianist, student and daughter, among many more. I’ve taken to embracing them all. Without any one of these layers, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, and someone else may have been writing this letter.

  The stories in this issue peel back many layers and expose what often goes unnoticed beneath the surface. One writer takes us on a journey back to the days when Bellingham was a booming center for coal. One story may leave you questioning your own safety; another, reconsidering how much you’re willing to pay for beauty. A story of one student’s radical transformation after weight loss may leave you wondering about the layers that make you, well, you. Try to see the complexity in even the most ordinary things, because nothing in life is too simple.

  With this issue, we are also celebrating the life of Shearlean Duke, who lost her battle against a brain tumor in February. On one layer, she was an incredible woman; on another, a beloved professor, editor, public relations professional and mentor for many; and yet on another, a world traveler and loving wife. Her work and contributions to the Department of Journalism and Western are invaluable. She will always remain in our hearts.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2011, Volume 41, Issue 03 - Winter

  Michael Homnick

  I know what you re thinking: Who cares about dirt anyway?

  It's all around us, finding its way onto our shoes, into our homes and under our fingernails. But we didn’t make this issue to highlight dirt’s prevalence. It’s dirt’s ability to play a unique part in so many people’s lives that makes it special.

  For some nature seekers, it takes a little more than a hike to get the blood flowing. Off-roading gives these daring drivers an opportunity to become one with nature, and kick up some dirt along the way.

  It’s also common for people to associate dreadlocks with dirt — a connotation that one Klipsun reporter found is not always true.

  Humans are always looking for ways to stay clean. But in spas around the world, people are realizing all that may take is a healthy portion of mud.

  And even sometimes people can be inherently dirty. Take Dirty Dan, Fairhaven’s putrid patriarch, a man famous for his filthy lifestyle.

  True, these stories are all about dirt. But they are also about the way people walk on it, drive over it, wear it, bathe in it, get rid of it and live their lives with it.

  So roll up your sleeves, put away the soap and remember a little dirt never hurt anyone.

• 

  Klipsun Magazine, 2010, Volume 41, Issue 01 - Fall

  Angelo Spagnolo

  Dear reader, I just consumed a Big Mac, fries and a Dr. Pepper. The cows used for my burger probably grazed where the Amazon Rainforest stood before it was devoured to make way for the crowd of lumbering bovine. The soda was sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Furthermore, I could have walked to the restaurant, but instead I wasted a non-renewable resource by driving.

  And I don’t really care.

  Our campus community is highly aware of consumption. We’re powered by green energy. Instead of dumping our trays into an all-encompassing receptacle, we sort trash into a variety of containers marked food-waste or compost. We generally agree that consumption is bad. But like any word in the English language, consumption has a variety of meanings.

  Some of those meanings are delicious, like the 6-pound burrito at Jalapenos. Some make you ask questions: Why would Canadians drive many miles and endure lengthy border waits just to scour WalMart’s overflowing shelves? For some, the negative force of consumption resonates in more ways than just environmentally, like those with the rare chromosomal disorder Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes an insatiable and life-threatening desire to eat.

  Though I see nothing wrong with an occasional fast-food indulgence. I’m not asking anyone to stop recycling, composting or biking. I’m only asking that as you flip through these pages, and as you navigate your daily lives, keep an open mind when encountering that omnipresent and multidimensional presence; consumption.