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(01/24/03 10:00am)
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, love seems to be filling the air and relationships have become a hot topic.
It was therefore to an eager audience yesterday evening at the Penn Bookstore that authors Catherine Orenstein and Deborah Luepnitz expressed their opinions on how feelings, emotions and values shape intimacy and relationships.
Luepnitz explained that the title of her latest book, Schopenhauer's Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas, came from her favorite Schopenhauer parable in which the fabled porcupines suffer from loneliness when too far away from one another but suffer from being poked by each other's quills when too close. This, she claimed, resembled the trends in many human relationships.
Luepnitz, who works for the Penn School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, explained, "People come to therapy for all kinds of reasons, but what always gets affected in the end is intimacy."
In her book, she explains the various factors that affect a human's intimate relationships, including the unique therapist-client relationship.
Luepnitz read excerpts of her book in which she described the struggles of herself and her patient as the patient targeted the problems that developed because of past abuse, molestation, homelessness and eating disorders.
The patient, whose life Luepnitz described as having been "a train wreck," suffered from intense depression, and Luepnitz frequently felt frustrated during her 14 years of providing therapy for her.
"Sometimes people ask me whether a therapist has to love or like a patient in order to treat her. The answer is no," Luepnitz said.
In addition, Orenstein, a Harvard graduate who is now a freelance writer, explained that her book Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality and the Evolution of a Fairy Tale addressed intimacy from a different angle -- from how it has been partially shaped by the changing influence of fairy tales.
"Fairy tales shape our ideals of love and sex, and they permeate reality. Few realize what fairy tales are really about," Orenstein said. "For many of you who want a 'fairy-tale wedding,' you haven't read the original fairy tales by Perrault, [in which] the husbands were abusive and often murderers."
Orenstein explained that the ideals for relationships, gender roles and domesticity have been introduced to many children in Disney movies such as Snow White, in which Snow White is whistling and singing as she cleans the house for seven men.
The fairy tale that interested her most, Orenstein revealed, was the original "Little Red Riding Hood," written by Charles Perrault in the late 17th century French court to caution young girls about doing their utmost to protect their chastity.
"Originally there was a sexual undercurrent to this story," she said. "In French, the saying for a girl who had lost her virginity was 'she had seen the wolf.'"
More recently, however, Red Riding Hood spinoffs are used in alluring ads which promote products that women can use to "bring out the wolf" and used even in pornography.
"The story changed from 'protect your virginity,'" Orenstein said, "to 'bring out the wolves.'"
(11/26/02 10:00am)
This Thanksgiving, certain Philadelphia senior citizens have a little more to be thankful for.
(11/11/02 10:00am)
For College seniors and designers Aejie Rhyu and Claudia Zhao, Friday's Vis-a-Vis fashion show was a chance to finally exhibit their hard work.
(03/04/02 10:00am)
If Marilyn Monroe were alive today, she would be too fat to be a model.
(10/04/01 9:00am)
Justin Schmaltz uses the Clipper Magazine instead of a meal
plan.
(03/02/01 10:00am)
On any given Saturday night, Penn students sit down to romantic candlelight dinners. The meals may cost a week's pay. The lights are dim, the violin plays softly in the background and, so far, the companions seem pleased.
But there is one thing missing -- and the students are lost on how to order it.
Wine -- it's a part of our culture, our society and our professional lives. If knowledgeable on the beverage, a person can throw a posh party or impress the boss at a business lunch.
But, when it comes to wine, most undergraduates are clueless.
"I drink a lot of wine, but I don't really know what's what," College senior Constantin Friedman said.
Now the Penn Philomathean Society is hoping to change that, with the help of the Drug and Alcohol Resource Team.
The society has launched a wine-tasting seminar this semester, determined to turn Penn students into wine connoisseurs.
It's not entirely ironic that DART, an organization that cautions against alcohol abuse, supports a seminar promoting wine.
In fact, DART president Molly Macdonald said that this seminar is a safe way of showing people how to enjoy wine.
She came to the first session to advise students to drink responsibly.
"We're a peer health education group," she explained to the students in attendance. "Our mission on Penn's campus is to provide education to reduce high-risk drinking. Educate your friends not only on what to drink but also on how to drink."
Philo started the seminar in hopes of creating a more well-rounded Penn student.
"Since 1813, our mission has been to increase the prestige of the University in the modern world," Philo President and Wharton senior Nikhil Da Victoria Lobo explained. "The reason we want to work with wine is that wine is a cultural activity. It's not something you engage in for the sake of having alcohol."
The society will hold six sessions for this seminar throughout the semester. Thirty Penn seniors, all of whom are 21 or older, attend each workshop.
Deborah Scoblionkov, the wine columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Jim Anderson, a Philadelphia wine and food connoisseur, teach these sessions.
Scoblionkov and Anderson didn't know the difference between a Chardonnay and a Cabernet before venturing to Europe, where both discovered wine was an integral part of the culture.
"I lived in Europe for three years," Scoblionkov explained. "Soda was pretty expensive. Wine was the cheapest beverage at that time."
Anderson learned about wine during his visit to France.
And after learning about wine, both now use their understanding in their daily professional lives.
So what will the two teach Penn students?
"I want for them to develop a sensitivity to wine and incorporate it into their lives," Scoblionkov said.
"I hope that they'll be able to feel confident in any setting that might require them to make a choice of what to drink," Anderson added. "It can be an intimidating thing."
Scoblionkov started off the first session with a short history of wine, then poured some of the beverage for the students to try. She explained that the seminar will have a "practical approach to wine."
Most students in the seminar consider themselves novices when it comes to wine.
Scoblionkov said that those unfamiliar with fine wine might opt for commercial popularity rather than quality.
"Usually people stick with a very safe, recognizable wine, and those are some of the most boring ones out there," Scoblionkov noted.
Macdonald added that there aren't too many opportunities on campus to learn about wine, especially since other drinks are more popular at pubs and parties.
"I think wine is not one of the primary beverages that is consumed," she said. "I think the drink of choice would be either liquor or beer."
Some say education on wine and other alcoholic drinks may even cut down on binge-drinking.
"You end up drinking less and getting more out of it," Anderson explained.
The key is learning to savor the quality -- the taste, the smell and the texture.
The Office of Student Health, which often deals with students suffering from over-consumption of alcohol, applauds the new wine-tasting seminar.
"People who participate in wine-tasting are interested in the use of alcohol in a responsible fashion," said Evelyn Wiener, director of Student Health Services. "Alcohol is a part of this society and it is the responsibility of the University and various service departments to provide education, screening, counseling, treatment and referrals."
(04/24/00 9:00am)
More than 60 people gathered in King's Court/English House Saturday for an evening of swing dancing. The Class of 1938 Lounge in King's Court/English House was awake and swinging on Saturday night. Starting at 8 p.m., around 60 students and assorted Philadelphia residents enjoyed swing dancing to jazz tunes by artists ranging from The Nat King Cole Trio to Duke Ellington. Laughing, chatting and dancing away, the swingers partied until about 1 a.m. Wharton junior David Jacoby, the president of Penn's Ballroom Dance Society and the disc jockey for the event, explained that the event correlated well with Philadelphia's thriving swing dance community. "It was cool to have people from all different types of communities come to the dance," Jacoby said. The dance was preceded by a swing dance lesson taught by two current Ballroom Dance Society members, College freshman Bryan Hirsch and College freshman Clare Wang. Hirsch and Wang taught the basics of swing dancing by demonstration. Afterward, the instructors encouraged their students to join them on the dance floor. "I think people had a good time and I think that swing dancing is a lot of fun," Hirsch said after the event. "It's something that's relatively new as far as a Penn swing scene. Swing is just becoming popular on campus. We are definitely seeing that there is a growing demand for a swing-team on campus," he added. The dance was co-hosted by the Ballroom Dance Society and King's Court/English House. The college house provided refreshments. PennPM -- a program implemented by Penn to provide free activities for students during Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings -- also helped organize the dance. Other events this weekend, each of which were sponsored by different college houses, included a "Charleton Heston Night" in Stouffer College House and a scavenger hunt, sponsored by Spruce College House. The resident advisors and house managers from King's Court/English House were also involved in setting up the dance. "It's free and open to everyone, and it's in a fun, low-key atmosphere," Jacoby said. During the year, the Ballroom Dance Society offered dance lessons in the Class of 1938 Lounge for a set fee every Sunday afternoon. These classes varied by the level of difficulty and by the different dances taught. "On Sundays, you learn different dances. The idea is to come to these events and practice what you have learned. Their events are pretty successful," explained Ballroom Dance Society member Ehmd Coudy, a graduate student who lives in Philadelphia. "They have different styles of lessons. It's a lot of fun," Engineering junior Alex Wong said.
(04/07/00 9:00am)
Terry Mattingly would be the first to admit that being both a hard-hitting journalist and a practicing Christian is not easy. Regardless, Mattingly, a professor of journalism at Regent University in Virginia, explained to a small crowd of Penn students and faculty members at the Kelly Writers House on Wednesday night that it is indeed possible to be both in America today. Mattingly, who was brought to campus by both the Writers House and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship, spoke for nearly an hour about the various problems facing Christians who aspire to cover religious topics for newspapers and magazines. Mattingly captivated the audience by beginning his talk with a personal anecdote about his experiences in a Charlotte church with a spirited and lively congregation in the 1980s. He said he was sitting alone in a pew during a church service, quietly taking notes on the event for a column he was writing, when suddenly the priest directed the question "Brother, are you with us?" specifically at him. This question, Mattingly noted, had been a common one in his career as a writer who focuses on religious issues. Mattingly has been writing weekly columns about religion for the Scripps Howard News Service for 13 years. Mattingly said he and many of his fellow religion columnists find it difficult to respond when frequently asked about their own religions while conducting interviews. "It is impossible to avoid the fact that religion is a controversial issue," said Mattingly, an Orthodox Christian. "Even if you are of the same church as the person you are interviewing, things can still be uncomfortable." He explained that when a Christian journalist is asked to what church he or she belongs, the best response is simply to, "tell them you take the subject [of religion] very seriously and that you want to get the facts straight." It is also essential, Mattingly continued, to have respect for the interviewee's religion and beliefs. "I would try to report unto others as I would want them to report unto me," he said. "Everything would improve if we take other people's faiths as seriously as we take our own." "To me, the moral of what he said is if you want to be a good journalist, you have to show the person you are interviewing that you understand him or her," said Omar Harb, a first-year post-doctoral student in Biology. For Mattingly, the focus of the public tends not to be on religion. "Everybody wants to write about spirituality, feelings and things that are touchy-feely, instead of religion. Oprah's hot, the Pope's not," he explained. Mattingly said the manner in which Christian journalists deal with conflicts is only half the problem, adding that he hopes others will also approach problems differently. "Christian journalists should not be judged as Christians," Mattingly added. "They should be prepared to be judged as journalists. "I'd feel a lot more comfortable letting myself get judged as a journalist and letting my priest and myself take care of the rest."
(03/10/00 10:00am)
Students have spent the week enjoying unseasonable warmth and blue skies The sky has changed from overcast to sunny, squirrels and birds are scampering around all over campus and students are getting their first chance in months to sample some of their newly purchased tank tops, sunglasses and shorts. This week, all Penn students, regardless of whether they're going to spend spring break partying in Cancon or relaxing at home, received a week-long going-away gift in the form of blue skies and warm temperatures. "It's kind of spring fever," College junior Carolyn Naylor said. Indeed, there's little doubt that the Penn campus -- and Philadelphia as a whole -- has come to realize that, at last, spring is in the air. Beginning Monday, hordes of students crowded onto blankets on College Green or lounged on couches in front of their Locust Walk fraternity houses. And each of the perennial signs of spring -- music blaring on the Walk, tables set up outside the Palladium -- have been present all week. Yesterday, despite morning clouds and brief afternoon showers, Penn students were still enjoying the pleasant temperatures in the low 70s. It's been quite a change from the look of Penn's campus during the winter months, when both Locust Walk and College Green were nearly empty and the city was hit with below-freezing temperatures in mid-January. Then, the few people seen on campus were wearing several layers of clothing, running to and from their classes and making every attempt to keep warm. Students and teachers alike have enthusiastically greeted the week's warm weather. In fact, many small classes have been taught outside on College Green and many students, in turn, have opted to do their studying outside rather than in the library or in their rooms. "It's just nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy the weather instead of being cooped up in your room," explained Wharton freshman Young Rhee, who took advantage of yesterday's weather to eat lunch on College Green with a friend. "It's been nice. I eat outside whenever I get a chance," Engineering junior Peter Withstandley said. "I've been spending more time outside." And even though the week before spring break is typically filled with exams and papers, some students have put their work on hold for the sake of baseball catches, pickup football games, frisbee tosses, guitar-playing sessions and dog-walking. "It just brings everyone out into the open," Naylor said. "People get really excited for school to end as the weather changes." The weather has not only affected the activities of Penn students on campus. The local beverage and ice cream shops, for example, are experiencing a renaissance of sorts, with lines of up to as many as 15 patrons at a time. Greg Sarkisian, who works at Amazon Juice in the Moravian CafZs food court, said the sale of smoothies at his store has sharply increased in the last three weeks. "It's almost an 80 percent increase in smoothie sales," Sarkisian said. Eric Yates, the owner of the Baskin Robbins on the 3900 block of Walnut Street, said he too has seen a large increase in the sales of ice cream and smoothies -- a phenomenon that started, he says, on Saturday night with the Penn men's basketball game at the Palestra. "From last week, sales have gone up easily 50 percent," Yates said. Still, the volatility of the Philadelphia climate has left at least one Penn student wondering just how long the warmth will last. "I am from Philly, so I am used to this weather change," College sophomore Liana Zatuchny said. "Philly weather goes up and down, so I would not be surprised if it started snowing again tomorrow." Zatuchny's assessment is not so far-fetched. Temperatures are expected to plummet into the mid-50s today, and the campus will likely be pelted by pouring rain tomorrow afternoon. But don't expect too many students to care. Many will already be soaking in the sun on beaches and cruises miles away.
(02/01/00 10:00am)
Every year, some students have problems getting their deposits back. To avoid problems, follow a few simple steps. It may not be hard to get a full refund on your security deposit, but that doesn't stop several dozen Penn students each year from being unable to reclaim their money. In fact, nearly 80 students last year complained to the Office of Off-Campus Living that they were not given back their security deposits. So, how can one be sure of getting a full refund on a security deposit? "It is not only keeping your property in good shape, but also documenting and keeping track of things," Office of Off-Campus Living Director Mihaela Farcas said. She explained the five main steps to receiving a full refund. First, the tenant must check the apartment and document its condition prior to moving in, which can be done with the OCL's move-in checklist. Then, while living in the property, Farcas said tenants should "be careful, take good care of the property and leave it in a condition similar to the way it was in the beginning of the lease." Upon moving out, proper notification of lease termination is essential. The lease should specify the necessary notification set by the landlord. Inspection of the apartment upon moving out is also important. The tenant should compare the condition of the apartment at the end of the lease to the way it was in the beginning of the lease, Farcas explained. "Make a list of the damages, and keep a copy for yourself. It is sometimes even helpful to take a couple of pictures," she said. Lastly, the tenant should provide the landlord with a forwarding address in writing. Security deposits are often used to pay for any damage -- besides the usual wear and tear -- that the tenant may do to the apartment. It can also be used to pay for the tenant's debts. "The security deposit is not rent," Farcas said. "The purpose of the security deposit is for the landlord to be protected against any damages to the house or any unpaid financial obligations." In addition, Farcas noted the problems that can occur when living with other people off campus. She mentioned that a group living together should be aware that they might all be held partially responsible for the damages another tenant has done. A security deposit can vary in amount. For the first year, the landlord is legally allowed to ask for any amount up to the equivalent of two months' rent. After one year of living on the property, the landlord can only ask for the equivalent of one month's rent. During the beginning of the third year of rent, the security deposit begins accumulating interest at the rate of the bank in which it is invested. However, the landowner is allowed one percent of this interest to cover his or her administrative costs. The remaining accumulated interest is due to be paid to the tenant at the end of the year. The landlord has 30 days prior to the tenant's moving out to either refund the security deposit or to justify why it will not be fully returned. If neither happens, the tenant is allowed to take legal action. If the tenant disagrees with the landlord's failure to return the security deposit, legal action may be necessary. "If you do the right thing, and you document and give notification, the law is on your side," Farcas said.
(11/04/99 10:00am)
Getting your writing published is rarely an easy task. But Penn alumni and 1993 graduates Caren Lissner and Josh Piven tried to ease the process last Thursday night by giving students a few helpful tips at Kelly Writers House. The program was organized by program manager Heather Starr and entitled "How To Get Published." Piven and Lissner spoke about their experiences in their young careers, discussing in hindsight what did and did not work in terms of getting writing jobs and getting their work published. "I was a very confused young Penn English major who wanted desperately to someday just be a writer," said Lissner, who was recently promoted to managing editor for a chain of weekly newspapers in Hudson County, N.J. Once a reporter for The Daily Pennsylvanian, she has since written for The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Harper's. Piven, author of the book The Worst Case Scenario Survival Guide, first took an entry-level job in New York after graduation. "Living in New York on that salary is very frustrating mostly because you are in New York and you can't afford to do the things that people go to New York to do," he said. Piven is currently writing for several magazines, including Business Philadelphia Magazine and Success Magazine. Lissner and Piven know the keys to becoming a published writer. "People always discourage writers," Lissner said. "And they always say you're not going to make any money, but nobody becomes a writer for the money." She and Piven offered advice for getting one's first work published. Lissner explained a good start would be winning a writing contest because winning pieces can be recognized and published. "Take the first publishing job you get," Piven also advised. Both he and Lissner agreed that the first job opens many more doors to the writer. "Writing is all about networking," Piven said. "It really is all about contacts." From there, Piven explained that showing initiative and being a "self-starter" are advantageous for the first job. By following that strategy, some of Piven's own work was published during his first job, he said. Lissner and Piven also gave advice on freelance writing. They made it clear that although freelance writing has creative perks it has its disadvantages as well. "It is very difficult," Piven said of dependence on freelancing as one's sole source of income. "My recommendation would be to get into publishing and then try to make some extra cash through freelance writing." Neither Lissner nor Piven used agents to publish their work. "If you are trying to sell a book, send it to a bunch of agents," Lissner said. "Say 'this is who I am, this is what I have done.'" In terms of finding an agent, Lissner recommended using the agent of an author with a similar writing technique. Both Lissner and Piven admit that becoming a published writer is difficult but can be worth the effort. "Your whole career can be put on hold," Lissner explained. "But it is a series of miracles, and it can pay off." They both agreed that perseverance is the key. "Write, write, write and submit, submit, submit," Piven advised.
