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evolv[u]

page 22 // the arts

music, meditation and monasteries: seattle’s gregorian chant and its power

page 28 // unwind

interstellar - no spoiler review

page 10 // opinion

michelle obama’s hunger-free kids act:healthy or hungry?

page 34 // lifestyle

sweatpants: the first step to true mediocrity

e[u]

culture | opinion | arts | l i festyleissue i / november-december 2014 / home-brewed in seattle

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e[u]

magazine nameissue

founder

editor-in-chiefopinion editors

culture editorthe arts editorlifestyle editor

unwind editors

alt editor

design team

writers

cover image photographer

evolv[u]issue i, nov-dec 2014

ostin kurniawan

ostin kurniawanadam ahmedrichard dumomalia mackeyethan gahrevan zhaoalan songsofian mahmoudsebastian kurniawan

celina hipolitosebastian kurniawanostin kurniawan

oscar avatarebrandon chenpatrick matulkajessica cipriano selma ducanovicliam mcdonaldevan zhaosebastian kurniawanjacob hudsonjack white

vienna sebasstian

evolv[u] magazine is an independent, non-profit, non-commercial publicationaimed at providing a platform for creativity, free speech and intellectual discussion.

evolv[u] is circulated for use only by its staff, sponsors, and other related parties only. evolv[u] is not affiliated with any schools or school districts.

disclaimer:statements and opinions expressed in this magazine are solely those of the author(s) and may or may not be shared by the staff of evolv[u] magazine. at the end of each article, the author’s

name is given for reference. evolv[u] publishes with no intention to offend or upset any individual or group in any way.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

email: contact@evolvu.coweb: evolvu.co

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evolv[u] magazine is an independent, non-profit, non-commercial publicationaimed at providing a platform for creativity, free speech and intellectual discussion.

evolv[u] is circulated for use only by its staff, sponsors, and other related parties only. evolv[u] is not affiliated with any schools or school districts.

disclaimer:statements and opinions expressed in this magazine are solely those of the author(s) and may or may not be shared by the staff of evolv[u] magazine. at the end of each article, the author’s

name is given for reference. evolv[u] publishes with no intention to offend or upset any individual or group in any way.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

email: contact@evolvu.coweb: evolvu.co

welcome.

we are an independent, entirely student-run magazine

dedicated to your passions, art, and opinion.

and it’s entirely written and curated by you.

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2 evolv[u] // credits these are the people who make this happen

5 evolv[u] // about, vision and philosophy who we are, what we stand for and our vision

6 evolv[u] // a letter from the editor-in-chief a letter from the editor-in-chief

8 opinion // can soccer save america? the rise of soccer in american society and its repercussions

10 opinion // michelle obama’s healthy hunger-free kids act: healthy or hungry? good intentions, but michelle obama’s hunger-free kids act is doing more bad than good

12 opinion // why more people should vote voting and the individual’s role in the grand scheme of things

15 culture // feliz navidad the true roots of christmas in mexican culture

16 culture // you know you live in the pacific northwest when: ten things that confirm that you live in the pacific northwest

18 culture // open mic the value of speech and art in greater seattle and places to appreciate it

22 the arts // music, meditation and monasteries: seattle’s gregorian chant and its power the tranquility of seattle’s compline choir and their gregorian chant

24 the arts // half agony, only hope a poem by liam mcdonald

26 the arts // the black keys: turn blue review a welcome return from the grungy-ness of el camino and brothers

28 unwind // interstellar: an ambitious leap no spoiler review - a profound movie that deserves to be seen in IMAX

30 unwind // three indie artists to check out you’ve probably never heard metronomy, tycho, or the vaccines

32 unwind // the path to tranquility the steps to peace, relaxation and tranquility

34 lifestyle // sweatpants: the first true step to mediocrity an opinion on why the use of sweatpants are the embodiment of “laziness”

36 lifestyle // how to not dress like a f*ckboy it’s not hard to look bad. it’s also not hard to not look bad.

38 lifestle // everyday carry a voyeuristic look into the editor-in-chief’s bag

Contents

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about evolv[u]evolv[u] (pronounced evolve-you) was founded in the fall of 2014 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, inde-pendent and entirely student-run magazine for the high schools of the greater Seattle area. Striving for excellence in design and quality of writing, evolv[u] is staffed by cur-rent students at schools around Seattle with world experi-ence, evolv[u] strives to provide an insight into the talents, passions, perspective and experience of a diverse, open group of young adults.

vision and philosophyevolv[u] is dedicated to its service as a platform for kick-starting and sharing human talent and opinion to a great-er audience through writing and the arts. It is dedicated to supporting the individuality of young adults and guiding them in becoming open, proactive world citizens through writing; allowing them to make meaningful contributions to their community and society, developing both personal and social skills in real-life situations which involve initia-tive, responsibility, and accountability for their actions.

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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dear Reader (yes, you),

I would like to personally welcome you to le début of evolv[u] magazine. We’re off to a great start with a dedicated, passionate staff comprised of a core team of ten and even more brilliant writers and designers. We’re thrilled to finally be publishing something made from our own blood, sweat and tears.

In this issue, we explore how soccer can change the world (page 6), a piece about Seattle’s Gregorian chants and their power (page 22), a review of the Black Keys’ Turn Blue (page 26), and the open mic environment in greater Seattle (page 18)

In the near future, we hope to get larger and more diverse - expanding to the larger community, more schools, recruit-ing more wonderful talent and serving the reader better. We hope that we ignite a spark in your mind to pick up a pencil and write about things you’re interested in or passionate about - you write it, we’ll publish it. It’s that simple.

We hope that you enjoy this issue and the talent of all con-tributing members.

Again, if you’re interested in contributing, contact us!

Sincerely,

Ostin KurniawanEditor-in-Chief

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edited and curated by adam ahmed and rj dumo

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SAVE AMERICA?

CANSOCCER

by patrick matulka

Can Soccer Save America?by Patrick Matulka

Ever since the American Soccer League’s founding, soccer has been growing in popu-larity and enthusiasm in the United States. Yet, like the history of many other North American soccer leagues, soccer cannot hold a place of prominence for long.

Currently, Major League Soccer (MLS) is the reincarnation of many past leagues; but this time, however, the feeling is different. Ever since the induction of the soccer-crazy Pa-cific Northwest into the MLS, soccer in North America has received more attention. Such attention culminated in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in which the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) surprised many by advancing out of the “Group of Death” and into the Round of 16. The USMNT rose to the task, secured a strong victory over Ghana, and then went on to tie against Portugal and lose to Ger-many. Because Germany won the group, the US played against the recently improved Belgian squad which had many high-quality players such as Vincent Kompany, Eden Haz-ard, and Romelu Lukaku.

This match set the record for the highest total viewership by US fans of any single soccer match in history.

With such an upsurge in viewings, a question remains: why is soccer not as widely sup-ported as football in the US? To answer this simply, soccer is undervalued.

Besides the fact that football has become entrenched in America’s identity over the last 94 years, there is no other factor other its undervaluation that holds it back from taking its proper place of prominence atop the sports hierarchy in the United States.

Compared to American football, soccer re-quires minimal equipment to play - and this is a significant factor to explaining why it is so popular around the world. All that’s needed is a ball and four markers for goals. What comes from an easy pickup game of soccer is a fur-ther desire to purchase equipment, memo-rabilia, games, or a TV bundle with soccer games. Soccer is easy to pick up and hard to put down. In this way, the sport has captured the entire world and has begun to emerge in various portions of the US.

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The television industry needs to recognize that soccer presents a prime opportunity to increase profits. Soccer has the potential to appeal to all demographics. Besides our own MLS, the variety of worldwide leagues from every continent and language is enor-mous. This opportunity allows for many more networks to profit from airing soccer broadcasts.

However, supporting soccer is not a one-way street. For America to truly achieve economic salvation through it, the public will need to get involved too.

Building interest among the general Ameri-can public toward soccer wouldn’t be that difficult. Soccer already has immense sup-port in areas of the country such as the Pacific Northwest, and to further increase its popularity, television networks could promote it. If important soccer matches were shown during prime viewing times, the networks could garner much more attention and higher ratings.

These increases would partially translate into increased purchasing of team items. Because they are less expensive than NFL jerseys on average, soccer jerseys could ap-peal to a broader range of fans. With more people spending on soccer items, there would be a greater circulation of money in the economy and therefore stimulate busi-ness both in and out of the sports industry.

As with most other industries, the sports industry is connected to the sponsorship of other companies. America’s economy would be given new life. During these times, that could spell the difference between further financial ruin and the road to recovery. So, next time, think about whether or not you represent the future when you tune into a sports program.

Soccer’s increasing popularity makes the sport a viable market which American busi-nesses could heavily invest themselves into. ESPN’s expanded coverage of soccer throughout the US is admirable, but we can do better.

After all, this is the United States of America. ◊

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Michelle Obama’s Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act:

Healthy or Hungry?At the forefront of the battle for a healthier-eating nation, Michelle Obama has been getting mixed reviews on the supposedly ‘healthier’ meals served at schools through-out the United States. What gives?

Michelle Obama’s Healthy Hunger- Free Kids Act: Healthy or Hungry?by Brandon Chen

Since Michelle Obama’s change to school lunches across the nation, students in the United States have been giving very mixed reviews on the supposedly ‘healthier’ lunch-es the schools has begun to serve. With the First Lady’s constant push for the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, school lunches across the country have been changing to satisfy the act’s nutritional requirements. It’s good that Michelle Obama is making a drive to improve the health of America’s youth, but the extent of which this can be seen as ‘beneficial’ can be debated.

Since the huge change in school lunches during the end of last school year, students across the country have become doubtful of ordering food from their school. Being a high school student myself, I’m familiar with these changes and am not satisfied with what Michelle Obama has done to the school menu.

Like any other student, I used to purchase district-provided school lunches every day. Some of my favorite items included chicken burgers, stuffed bread sticks, and pizza. All these items are still on the menu; however, they have changed in flavor with the addi-tion of whole grains.

The First Lady’s Healthy Hunger-Free Kids

Act didn’t stop me from purchasing school lunch. When the act placed its changes this school year, the school had to omit almost the entire menu of the school’s student store. Food such as chips, barbecue burgers, and ice cream were taken out of the store. Other store favorites, such as the pizza twist, sur-vived the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act but decreased in serving size in order to fit nutri-tional requirements.

In my opinion, the modifications to the store’s menu were a good addition to pro-viding healthier choices to students’ lunches but devastate the store’s income that sup-ports the business running it. Omitting delicious items such as the barbecue burger, arguably one of the best items on the menu, wasn’t a favorable change to the store. Its fatty and greasy - yet delightful taste kept students coming back for more. However, once it was removed from the list of op-

“the modifications to the store’s menu were a good addition to providing healthier lunches but dev-astate the store’s income that support the business-es running it“

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Healthy or Hungry?

tions, the student store became less and less popular as a source to buy food.

In addition to ridding student lunches of junk foods, the school vending machines have been eliminated of chips and other overly salty and sweet foods and have been replaced by healthier alternatives with less fat and whole grain.

“Some schools ... are sur-rounded by convenience stores such as 7-11; and omitting school snacks from vending machines only en-courages the students to leave campus”

Personally, this change to the school is prob-ably the largest. For years, students have been given the opportunity to buy snacks and

drinks from vending machines during lunch and passing periods. Some of the eliminated items, such as energy drinks and candy, are overwhelmingly unhealthy for students and should be taken out.

However, other items like chips are pushing it a little too far. Some schools, such as Ed-monds-Woodway, are surrounded by conveni-ence stores such as 7-11; and omitting school snacks from vending machines only encourag-es the students to leave campus and purchase these snacks during lunch. Similarly to chang-ing the menu of school lunches, students are only roused to leave the campus during lunch time and seek even fattier and greasier foods from places such as Burger King and McDon-alds.

Limiting the students from the foods they enjoy doesn’t give students an incentive to eat healthier foods that schools provide. Michelle Obama’s Healthy Hunger- Free Kids Act push-es for a healthier youth but forces students to find other food sources to satisfy their crav-ings. ◊

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But when 42.5% of people are willing to make themselves second-class citizens and refuse their role in governing our nation, our democracy is less healthy than it should be. Americans forget that we, the voters, are the ones who have the power to control our fates, not just the politicians.

By refusing to vote, the significance of the people - the ultimate end user - is diminished, and the influence of the personal prejudices of politicians is exacerbated; these political positions unfortu-nately often in the wrong direction, whether it be purely political or non-secular. The Americans who vote are the ones who hold positions of power, and when so many people do not exercise their right to vote, the potential of our nation is conse-quently limited. This year, before the midterm elections, candi-dates from both major parties (Democrats and Republicans) came in to talk to us students. While they did talk about their viewpoints and ideol-ogy, they stressed the need for young people to vote. Though our political ideas may not be aligned, I believe that they are completely correct in saying that everyone should vote. As a matter of civic duty and personal opinion I believe it is a tremendous (yet solvable) problem in our na-tion. My family comes from a country in the Soviet Union where our people are not allowed the right to vote. They left that land for the freedoms of America and taught me that voting is the ultimate way to express yourself as a citizen.

Take the time to vote whenever you are given the opportunity. I plan on voting as soon as I am eligi-ble, and I sincerely hope that others do so as well and service both themselves and their nation. ◊

Why More People Should Voteby Oscar Avatare

As citizens of the United States of America, it is our duty to take full advantage of our right to vote. The fact that so many Americans don’t vote in our elections is embarrassing, to say the least. Massive uprisings have been pursued and lives have been lost in pursuit of this privilege; and frankly, today’s Americans do not appreciate that sacrifice. For example, in the 2012 presidential election, voter turnout was a miserable 57.5% -- which means the voices of massive 93 million Americans were not considered when electing the leader of the free world.

These 93 million Americans did not care enough to put in the little effort required to vote. As a country based on democracy - “We the People” - it is against the nature of the country in which we live to not participate in the active representation of the val-ues of our population.

In the United States, we are lucky enough to be given this fundamental right to choose who we be-lieve is fit to lead our country - and this is what sets us apart from the totalitarianism and authoritarian-ism that is practiced in many other governments around the world. People from these countries (as can be illustrated by the magnitude of foreign immigration into the United States) escape their na-tions and even sacrifice their lives to attain the abil-ity to have a say in their government. Generations of Americans before us have died pursuing our right to vote and generations of Americans after us may die fighting for the exact same right, unless we start taking advantage of this privilege.

Sometimes I feel as if we forget this fact. Even though we have grown up in such a wealthy, pros-perous and safe nation, we cannot forget this. Voting is such a powerful, profound right and the ultimate sign of our nation’s commitment to equal-ity. Election Day is the one day we are all equal: One man has one vote - wealth, race, religion, and all of these other sociocultural factors are irrelevant in the ballot box. We have the opportunity to guide the government of our nation.

13edited and curated by malia mackey

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[The people outside]In the name of heavenI ask you for shelter,for my beloved wifecan go no farther.[The people inside]This is not an innGet on with you,I can not open the door,you might be a rogue.[The people outside ]Do not be inhuman,Show some charity,God in heavenwill reward you.[The people inside]You may go nowand don’t bother us anymorebecause if I get angryI will beat you.[The people outside]We are worn outall the way from Nazareth, I am a carpenter named Joseph.[The people inside]Never mind your name,Let me sleep,I’ve already told youWe won’t open the door.[The people outside]We request lodging,dear innkeeper,for only one nightfor the Queen of Heaven.[The people inside] Well if it’s a queenwho’s askingwhy is it that she’s out at night,wandering so alone[The people outside]My wife is Mary.she is the Queen of Heaven,she will be motherto the Divine Word.[The people inside]Is that you Joseph?Your wife is Mary?Enter pilgrimsI didn’t recognize you.[The people outside]May the Lord reward youfor your charity,and may the sky be filledwith happiness.[The people inside]Happy home,harboring on this daythe pure virgin,the beautiful Mary.[Doors open, the people who are outside sing]Enter holy pilgrims, pilgrimsreceive this cornernot this poor dwellingbut my heart.Tonight is for joy,for pleasure and rejoicingfor tonight we will give lodgingto the Mother of God the Son.

Translation via:gomexico.about.com

Feliz Navidadby Jessica Cipirano

The Posadas (a celebration of the nine days before ‘Christmas’) are cel-ebrated in Mexico, and begin on the 16th of December this year. Los Po-sadas is a tradition that originated in Spain, but is primarily practiced in Mexico and Guatemala today. The literal meaning of a Posada is ‘a place to stay’, and is important in the Biblical story of Jesus. Posadas are the reenactment of Mary and Joseph searching for a place to stay during Mary’s pregnancy with Jesus when she wasn’t feeling well. The purpose of the Posadas is to go to homes and ask for a place to stay just as Mary and Joseph had done when they traveled while Mary was pregnant with Jesus. This event takes place over the course of six days; and during the Posadas, an entire neighborhood will get together and choose six houses to go to. With the Posadas, there are two distinct groups in-volved - the pilgrims seeking a place to stay and the innkeepers that live in the homes. The two grouped sing this (to the right) song in Spanish, as a call and response in order to recreate the scene.

Once allowed into the home the people are welcomed with a traditional Mexican feast that consists of ponche (Mexican Christmas punch), tamales (a Mesoamerican dish made of masa), atole (corn + maza-based hot beverage), and pozole (traditional stew). The guests also receive goodie bags filled with candies, fruits, and peanuts, and piñatas are present for the children to enjoy.

On Christmas Eve everyone partakes in one final Posada, and take with them a small baby Jesus figure to be lain down in a crib in order to represent his birth. On Christmas day, each person goes to church and celebrates the birth of Jesus as they eat and feast with one another. In some cases, presents are given to one another, yet this practice is restricted to the more modern areas of Mexico - specifically cities such as Mexico City. However, the presents given are minimal with the focus being on the religious aspect of Christmas time, as going to church and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ are most valued.

On January 6th Mexicans celebrate the equivalent to Christmas and it is known as Dia de Los Reyes Magos. On this day children leave their shoes by the front door and place a letter next to them, including a list of gifts that they want to receive. It’s believed that just as the three shepherds brought gifts to Jesus when he was born, they will similarly bring gifts to the children that ask for them. In most cases presents are exchanged on this day between people as well. Commonly this is schools are closed as to provide a day for family and friends. ◊

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THE PACIFIC NORTHWESTY O U K N O W Y O U L I V E I N T H E

W H E N :

by selma dučanovíc

You Know You Live in the Pacific Northwest When…by Selma Dučanovíc

1. You walk in the rain without an umbrella. Honestly, those things are just too annoying to carry sometimes and we’ve all basically ac-cepted the fact that, between September and May, it can rain at just about any moment. In fact, when it starts to rain and someone pulls out an umbrella, they’re probably from Out of Town. This is so very different from other places, especially when you’re travelling. When I was in Zagreb (a place you’ve never heard of in Croatia), I kid you not, it was barely sprin-kling and everyone pulled out their umbrellas. For Pacific Northwesterners (is that a word?) it’s go hood or go home.

2. North Face Jackets and Ugg Boots.Ah, yes, the starter pack of the stereotypical Pacific Northwesterner. Why North Face and Uggs? Because it’s cozy and warm of course! And, with our drab weather, who wants to go to school in anything else?

3. The Top College on Most People’s List is the University of WashingtonAs someone who doesn’t have the U-Dub on their list, it’s a little off-putting when almost everyone is scrambling to make the Decem-ber 1st deadline. You suddenly start doubting yourself -- should I be applying to UW? It might not offer what I want, but I look so cute in the purple and gold!

4. Driving in the Rain is No Problem.This may seem like a no-brainer but, apparent-ly, when it rains in Los Angeles, most people stop driving. Of course, they can afford to do that because they get an average of 284 sunny days a year. What do we get? One, if we’re lucky (just kidding, it’s actually somewhere around 150).

5. We constantly talk about the rain.See any above points.

6. “It doesn’t rain as much as you think…”Even though we love talking about the rain and how we never see the sun, we are fiercely protective of our region when someone else says it. Anyone who has left the area gets it. Often times, the first question someone will

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THE PACIFIC NORTHWESTY O U K N O W Y O U L I V E I N T H E

W H E N :

by selma dučanovíc

photo courtesy of michael bolognesi

ask when you tell them that you’re from Seattle (you say Seattle because that the only city they know in the Pacific NW) is “Isn’t it always raining there?” No, no it’s not. We know what the sun looks like, thank you very much, it’s that yellow hazy thing obscured by the clouds.

7. 12th Man Flags…EVERYWHERE.They’re more prevalent than the actual American flag. They’re on cars, houses, busi-ness, etc. And even if you don’t really under-stand or care about football, it’s Seahawks all the way.

8. You just accept the color Green.Trees, man. The kind where the leaves don’t fall down. But seriously though, Seattle isn’t considered the Emerald City for nothing. In the Pacific Northwest, nature is a thing. And it’s not just anything, it’s an important thing. Seattle is even known for being one of the “Green-est” (as in, eco-friendly) cities in the nation. The color green is on the Washington State flag, the Seahawks, the Sounders, Starbucks, and medical crosses just to name a few. We might even bleed green…but don’t test it

out.

9. And speaking of Starbucks…It’s everywhere. Sometimes it’s difficult to be out-side of the Pacific Northwest and be more than a block away from our favorite coffee shop for extended periods of time, we just can’t adjust. And the thing is: we don’t notice how obsessed we are. When I was in Turkey, I didn’t see a Star-bucks until I was in the airport getting ready to leave and I ran to it.

10. And finally…You get a little too excited when someone men-tions the Pacific Northwest on TV.Let’s face it, we’re ignored a lot. Most of the country focuses on the East Coast and, when they finally decide to look towards the West, it’s usually California. But that’s ok! We’re a hidden gem. We’ll just sit back, drink some Starbucks, and listen to Nirvana in our flannel shirts and Ugg boots until the rest of the country catches onto our not-always-so-hipster trends. ◊

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OPEN MIC

Open Micby Liam McDonald

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”–Maya Angelou

As a young resident of Edmonds myself, I am often quick to jump to describing this little beach town as a place the elderly come to rest their weary heads, and where whispers hold more energy than a Pump-kin Spice Latte. Its soft sunrises warm my skin against cold pacific winds, and the rain takes the steam off my hot temper. The Se-attle suburb jazz mimics emotion just as the waves kiss the shore. This little beach town is abundant with inspiration and charm-

ing beauty. If you asked me if I like it here, I would merely respond with a smile. Here is a birth place of art and devotion. As I have noted in both the professional and student fields, it is brimming with individuals over-flowing with stories and inspiration.

However, if you asked me if Edmonds is a community where it is easy to spread ideas or share out your stories, I would be stumped at producing words to accurately describe the grey aura that cloaks this town. Even as a poet, I’d be tongue-tied.

My poetic beginning came about thanks to Nancy Branom, my sophomore English teacher at Edmonds-Woodway High School. She continues to be a constant proponent of art, along with various other traditions of storytelling. She taught me and my peers how to retrieve our stories from the deep wells of our souls, the mountainous moving power of words. In essence, she showed us

“...a birth place of art and devotion”

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OPEN MIC

our first and most powerful tool. She taught me that every single human on this planet has a story worthy of being told - worthy of being performed. Mrs. Branom, along with my cur-rent English instructor, Mrs. Newman, have poured time and energy into me and continu-ously prove that everyday snippets can trans-late to the deepest verse virtues. They have

provided me opportunities to perform my works, and have provided grammatical moral critique. At this point in time, I have crafted and completed eight polished poems.

However, as an aspiring published writer and performer, I am constantly looking for venues to perform my work. Sadly, in this town, they exist few and far between. There are few open mic nights in town, and those that operate only host musical artists as opposed to performance poetry. The big venues such as the ECA are hard to schedule and highly expensive, and performing solo is hard without a grand repertoire of work. However, if one ven-tures just 30 minutes south, there lies a sea of possibilities.

Seeking out the chance to perform, I looked to Seattle. There are multiple performance poetry groups in Seattle, including a group I had the joy of wit-nessing perform at Bumbershoot: Youth Speaks Seattle. Each month they host an open mic night at ‘The Station’ coffee shop in Seattle, and have members of their organization perform with those of

“She taught me that every single human on this planet has a story worthy of being told -

worthy of being performed.”

the community. Boy, was I nervous - but it definitely paid off. People were snapping and hollering with me through my lines and I felt as though words were not coming from the page, but now hoisting themselves from my well within and basking in the lime light of life.

I was hooked.

The following weekend I returned. Youth Speaks also supports a group called Freshest Roots, which hosts an open mic night at The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center the first Friday evening of each month. This open mic night, I learned, was a combination of those found in Edmonds and Youth Speaks.

It showcased a wide gradient of performanc-es, from mellow singers to bombastic poets, even some dance numbers in-between. I felt as though my words, while still young to the night air, had found a place to call home. The weight of the world (maybe it was just my past) was finally lifted.

I only wish I had known a little earlier.

While Edmonds is beauteous in nature and grander in inspiration, the teal fountain that dwells at the heart of town lacks a micro-phone. Voices have become lose in the cover of the sea foam…but no longer. If you have that voice, that untold story, grasp it. Grasp it, and then turn to someone else and have them embrace it with you.

Turn to your English teacher for five minutes after class, have lunch with a good friend, or even a parent, and show them your voice. Let them help you. Then, broaden your horizons. Aside from the two environments which I have experienced personally, there are countless other open mic nights adver-tised in the Seattle Times and in coffee shop windows, ears waiting for your stories. The sky in Edmonds may be small, but this little town is not isolated - the possibilities are as numerous as the words you hold within. ◊

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edited and curated by malia mackey

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MUSICMEDITATIONMONASTERIESSEATTLE ’S GREGORIAN CHANT AND ITS POWER

BY JACK WHITE

Music, Meditation, and Monasteries: Seattle’s Gregorian Chant and It’s Powerby Jack White

Sitting on top of Capital Hill is a daunt-ing cathedral seen from all of Seattle. The stacks of bricks, concrete blocks, and large ornate win-dows in classic Euro-pean medieval style elude to the tradi-tional nature of this church. Yet through the heavy wooden doors and past the lobby hides the awe-inspiring power of the church. Enormous and strong, several elongated columns support the warm, wooden ceiling sev-eral stories above the ground. The cold stone floor, mazes of suspended chande-liers, and towering organ sitting behind the entrance all point towards a complexing altar.

This post-romantic era building sum-mons the imagina-tion of the behold-ers all by itself, but the warm air of the church contains an element more inspir-ing than the entire church. Voices of the compline choir de-liver rich harmonies that have lasted a mil-lennia. The chant isn’t

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necessarily religious, but the music that tran-scends the lyrics are something of a religion in itself.

Every Sunday night at 9:30 PM, Saint Mark’s Ca-thedral hosts a session of Gregorian Chant by their Compline Choir. Seattle’s classical radio station—KING FM, 98.1—broadcasts the music for those unable to attend, but the uniquely rich experience of the cathedral evokes a more transformative reaction to the music.

A Gregorian chant is medieval and renaissance era music, composed by monks in their monas-teries in Europe, but it was carried through to the modern era of music by venturesome com-posers. It utilizes a male choir to preach psalms and literature of the Bible without any rhythm or time. Using the word ”chant” to describe the music is extremely misdirecting—the deep and complex harmonic exposition of religion and passion extends far beyond the suggestion of a monotonous drone of Christianity. The voices and chords reach such interesting depths and bright climaxes that the entire sermon of the music seems more of a adventurous plot line to a movie than a simple dictation of the Bible via song.

Compline Choir itself is made up of talented singers who move perfectly through the songs in a unified and complementary nature. The incredible tone and dynamics that they use cre-ate a wide array of emotions that separate the genre from any other.

The Capital Hill community that congregates here dress casually and carry pillows in to lay back on the vast stone ground and enjoy the music, free from the formalities and restraints that the fashion and social norms of church usually enforce.

After 30 minutes of meditation, some of which is utilized by UW composers experimenting with the timbre of Gregorian Chant, the chant files out of the cathedral silently and their absence veils the church in silence for what appears to be minutes. This tranquility is shat-tered by the day’s announcements and events, read by an orator at the front. The end of his

recount of the itinerary summons a migration of the audience into a standing position and out the front wooden doors. This in turn allows a local organist to start playing their repertoire for anyone willing to stay. Vibrant and bellow-ing tones of the organ complacently enable a justified smile to take place on your face as you walk through the lobby and into the bustling parking lot.

Every time I go to the service, it is my tradition to take some friends, grab some pillows, and a couple of bucks for hot chocolate. The trip down to Capital Hill is sometimes the most enjoyable and inspiring part of my week, es-pecially as I sit behind a cup of hot chocolate from Dilettante—just down the road on Broad-way. Ask for a Hot Chocolate Breve—which is not on the menu—and ask for them to use the Ephemere chocolate. The hot chocolate is rich, creamy, and a great way to reflect on the Gre-gorian Chant.

If not for the music itself, Compline is worth the experience. The music is complex and in-triguing, even if just for the unique nature of it, and the harmonies are warm and inviting. Both the traditionalists who sit on the pews and the younger crowd embrace every comer to the church with a beaming smile and a genuine expression of friendliness.

It is not the religion, the lyrics, or the literal meaning of the music of Compline that makes it so special, but rather the meditative state reached when listening to such amazing music and laying on the floor of such a feat of archi-tecture that gives the Cathedral an enormous quality of redemption and power. ◊

“The incredible tone and dynamics they use create a wide array of emotions that separate the genre from any other.”

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half agony,only hope

L I A M M C D O N A L D

If I were to strip away all of your untended bandages,I would find enough hail cracked scars to replace all the keys on a piano

But I still wouldn’t be able to play a melody worthy of your humanity

If the world tried to dig you a grave, I would be there, My weary vessel wobbling and my hands equally caked in blood whilst try-

ing to rip away the ancient spade, despiteKnowing full well there is no grave big enough to cause any one to forget

you,Mentally or physically

If the gods were to attempt to find a hell worse than that which you are casually dealt,

They would develop a migraine Called the human condition

People have the incredible ability to rip each other apart and degrade fun-damental existence to where the

Four letters that describe who we are fall apart like ashes in a burning garden

I don’t want to see you die inside

I watch every day as words pock mark the leafy skin of birthThe halls sneer in the fragility of the silence and

Worry grows like new ivy…league, blood expectations and devitalizing at-titudes on worth

I listen to the ignorant hyenas that sneer with call of cold command whenyour forthright voice echoes delicately in amnesty

I watch every day as humans immerse themselves in the vulgarity of each other’s problems, entertained by the unconscious notion of fascination of

the abomination, the ideal lifestyle sketched out in such misery

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Why do they call for you? Why do I call to you?

You are a pearl lost in the gritty waves of the shore,Having risen above to reach out from the boiling abyss, your

hand clutches decomposing dream

I watch as we immerse ourselves in despair in order to be happy, to find something to pour time into

You simply put your feet in front of each other to move past the rumors that crawl from textbooks

Knowing, As if you could kill time without injuring eternity

You have put your life aside when your eyes ought to be glued the SATsyour energy could power the lights in every wayward soul

You stem from beauty when the cards you dealt are the kings of kings of anger and filth

Oh the walls come tumbling down in the city that we love, you areTricked and tumbled, writing to explain

forcing your eyes open under water, absorbing secrets like the tears I no lon-ger want to shed

I want you to get better

I am talking to you, me,And you

when I look at you,I wonder why bad things happen to good people and maybe it’s just because

You’ll always care

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Review: The Black Keys’ Turn Blueby Ostin Kurniawan

After 2010’s loose, Muddy Waters-esque Brothers and 2011’s venture into upbeat, sliding riffs in El Camino, 2014‘s Turn Blue is truly a combination of everything The Black Keys (Dan Aurenbach/Patrick Carney) have explored musically in their last twelve years on stage. Putting aside the punchiness and rigid beat-drivenness of their last couple of albums, The Black Keys’ eighth studio release, Turn Blue, co-produced by Brian Burton (a.k.a. Danger Mouse) brings their music back to its roots: unadulterated, brilliant blues rock.

With almost seven minutes of a fierce, feverish fury, Turn Blue opens with a record that most bands would save for their finale. Weight of Love combines the best of what The Black Keys do well: blues and rock - seamlessly fusing the raw-ness of the unrestrained electric guitar with the innocence of the acoustic guitar and the stabil-ity of the bass. Merged with Aurenbach’s rough crooning, you can’t help but believe him when he warns, “Don’t give yourself away / To the weight of love,”

Introduced in Brothers, Aurenbach’s seductive falsetto and his impeccable control over it fea-tures in In Time, a song that feels familiar but is unmistakably original. In fact, after listening to Brothers again, one hears an almost identical drum line in Tighten Up. With a harmonic style usually reserved for choral settings, infused with the dominating influence of the bassline and their defining minimalistic blues style, In Time is an interesting mix that doesn’t disappoint. Fever reminds you that they haven’t lost their touch with catchy, sing-along vocals - although with less of a grungy feel than in El Camino, it reminds you of engaging choruses from more indie-centric bands like Bombay Bicycle Club.

Though able to explore of all types of musical styles as shown in In Time and Fever (Fever is currently the most popular song on Turn Blue), when boiled down to its roots, Turn Blue is a return back to basics: blues rock. However, though spurred to the limelight with 2010’s hit song Tighten Up from Brothers, what the Akron-based duo has maintained over the years is their exploration of psychedelic rock. And they do it well.

When you define “psychedelic” using a dictionary, you’ll come across “relating to or denoting drugs (especially LSD) that produce hallucinations and ap-parent expansion of consciousness”. In many ways, that’s exactly what you imagine psychedelic rock to be: laid back, relaxed, and open to experimentation. A quintessential example is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon; but mix it up with a little blues rock and you get some of the most gripping songs in the en-tire album. Even the album cover reflects it - a trippy hurricane of blue and magenta.

In Bullet to the Brain (which appears to be an ode to his recent divorce to the mother of his five-year-old), you hear these stylistic features of psychedelic rock: slow, laid-back drum beats with emphasis on the high hat, sliding electric guitar downtunes, and carefree, smooth vocals. Meanwhile, featuring the instruments that the duo is so affectionately named after and merged with Carney’s ever-changing-yet-strangely-awesome drums, In Our Prime (my personal favorite) is a brilliant manifestation of this combination, with melancholic vocals throughout and wrapped up with a timeless Hendrix-esque solo.

However, that’s not to say Turn Blue is perfect. Wait-ing on Words is relatively uninspired and boring, and sometimes the songs feel too similar. Neverthe-less, with stylistic diversity and a departure from the grungy El Camino and Brothers, Turn Blue is a well executed, welcome return to basics. ◊

THE BLACK KEYSTURN BLUE

REVIEW

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REVIEW

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A N A M B I T I O U S L E A PINTERSTELLAR

it’s definitely worth it - Nolan makes worth-while use of the increased screen real estate and immersive sound system. While the film is definitely a visual spectacle, you might want to take into consideration its extreme length, coming in at nearly three hours – so if you’re the type that can’t watch too long of a movie, just finishing it might seem more of an accom-plishment than the extraterrestrial odyssey you were witnessing.

Interstellar is set during a time where the Earth is no longer a viable long-term solution

Interstellar: An Ambitious Leapby Sebastian Kurniawan

No Spoiler Review

Interstellar is an intergalactic epic that, at its core, is a story about the relationship between a father and daughter. It’s worth it to watch the movie in 70mm IMAX, the dying format that di-rector Christopher Nolan intended the movie to be viewed in. It’ll cost a pretty penny, but since Interstellar was shot almost exclusively in IMAX,

b y s e b a s t i a n k u r n i a w a n

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A N A M B I T I O U S L E A PINTERSTELLAR

for the human race, as dust has blanketed the face of the Earth and chokes what little crops the humans have left. Former NASA test pilot Cooper is chosen to lead a small crew into outer space to search for a habitable planet, leaving his daughter Murph behind. The evolution of their relationship before and throughout Coop-er’s cosmic travels is the emotional and plot-driving force of the film.

Christopher Nolan, the director of thematically resounding films such as The Prestige (2006) and Inception (2010), makes no exception when it comes to intergalactic space travel. Akin to his previous work, Interstellar is dark - after all, that’s what space is - but it grows on you as cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (Her, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) hurls you through the vast emptiness of space, through an endless star-scattered vacuum towards distant galaxies. Grandiose shots of planets, stars, and black-ness have never been emphasized on such a sense of scale and even among these beautiful renditions of space and alien planets, Hoytema still manages to ground the viewer with a sense of realism; shot perspectives are purposely limited, not giving the film a farfetched science-fiction type feel. The end result is astounding; making all the space travel seem completely plausible.

Although Interstellar is skillfully shot, the story itself falls flat in some regards; it’s just as com-plex as some of the theoretical physics behind it. The story itself rotates around the concept of relativity - that is, that time is perceived dif-ferently depending where you are - and it sure makes for some complex, gripping, and at times, confusing storytelling. Renowned physi-cist Kip Thorne, who acted as an advisor and executive producer to the film, strived to make it as scientifically sound as possible - the render of the black hole used in the film was accurate enough alone for Kip Thorne to write multiple scientific journals on it. The problem is, how-ever, that all this scientific knowledge is quickly placed upon the viewer in a matter of minutes, making it difficult for the audience to really grasp the concepts before they’re shown in practice. In some cases, it’s even hard to hear. Multiple times, sentences are drowned out either by the action going on or by composer Hans Zimmer’s monstrous major organ chords. Words are lost, leaving you yearning for a replay of the scene.

Nonetheless, Interstellar is still spectacular, powerful, and even breathtaking at points. Nolan’s ambitious leap into the void, while not perfect, is extremely admirable. His ability to weave together a touching tale about a father-daughter relationship that spans space and time is no easy feat, and for such a complex story, it’s done remarkably well. Of course, a good chunk of this has to be attributed to the phenomenal cast, who provided fantastic depth and realism to their character. Mat-thew McConaughey, who plays single father Cooper, delivers each line with purpose and emotion, and Anne Hathaway does the same playing NASA scientist Amelia Brand, although her character is inconsistent at times through no fault of her own. The film is powerful in that the emotions are raw - there are multiple close-up shots of Cooper and Brand openly

“His ability to weave to-gether a touching tale about a father-daughter relationship that spans space and time is no easy feat, and for such a com-plex story, it has done re-markably well.”weeping - emotions which were quite often reciprocated even more so by the audience.

Interstellar isn’t perfect, but it’s miles from bad. The fact that it was filmed without any use of green screen will definitely make it visu-ally outstanding for years to come. However, it’s the fact that Nolan was able to transform such complex scientific concepts into some-thing understandable, something relatable - the relationship between a young girl and her father, and the fact that he will not go gently into the void if it means he might not ever see her again – that makes this movie phenom-enal. ◊

8.5/10

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3 INDIE ARTISTS YOU SHOULDCHECK OUT

by Ostin Kurniawan

The VaccinesFitting in nicely with the Arctic Monkeys and The Killers in modern post-punk-rooted rock, The Vaccines provide a fresh, vocals-orientated rock experience. Comprised of Justin Young (vocals, guitar), Árni Hjörvar (bass), Freddie Cowan (guitar), and Pete Robertson (drums), The Vac-cines make you just want to sing along to their catchy (but nevertheless deep) lyrics and strum to their guitar solos. Their debut 2011 album, aptly named ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’ brings elements from artists all over, illustrating their ability in covering a multitude of styles (and surprisingly well, at that) - from The Ramones in ‘Nørgaard’ to The Strokes in the bass guitar-heavy ‘A Lack of Understanding’. With vocals as catchy and thrilling as can be found in ‘Post Break-up Sex’ and ‘All in White’, their songs will leave you breathless by the time they’ve ended.

TychoBased out of San Francisco, Tycho’s (Scott Hansen) latest album Awake is what you imagine the soundtrack of your solo road trip through the mountains and deserts to be - the melodic manifestations of the evolv-ing emotions one experiences when witnessing a sunset on the horizon, with your hands on the wheel. An instrumental fusion between Com Truise and Ulrich Schnauss, Tycho fuses both the acoustic and electric guitars, the Minimoog, and the basic drum kit into kaleidoscopic pat-terns that never repeat themselves, yet maintain an integral structure that flows smoothly from one song to the next. The transitions both between and within the tracks are polished and seamless, feeling more like the imperceptible gear shifts of an automatic Mercedes than the often harsh, obvious, manual shifts of an old hand-me-down. Awake, though rather short at just over 50 minutes, leaves you with a hanging with a satisfied, melancholic high - you’re just going to want more.

Metronomy If you’ve ever imagined what a combination of MGMT, The Naked and Famous, and 80s alt-rock, look no further. Based out of the UK and comprised of Joseph Mount (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Oscar Cash (key-boards, saxophone, vocals), Gbenga Adelekan (bass, vocals) and Anna Prior (drums, vocals), they combine crisp vocals, deep basslines, and rich choruses into a package that makes you want to relax and sing out loud. Metronomy’s appropriately-named 2011 album ‘The English Riviera’ illustrates its name, elucidating the vigor and uniqueness of a British summer, combining 80s alt rock with melodic vocals and subtle elec-tro influences. With an ever-changing mix of styles, moods, and male-female vocal balances, as displayed in ‘The Bay’ (my personal favorite), ‘The Look’ and ‘Corinne’, Metronomy never becomes monotonous; always dynamic and with a new sound up their sleeves. ◊

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write for evolv[u]. open for everybody.

learn more at evolvu.co/join

all those times

you’ve wanted to express

what you’ve thought about an experience

but you’ve never had a medium

to express it.

all those times

you’ve opened that notebook

and written something that you think is brilliant

and the world has never seen it.

this is for you.

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The Path to Tranquilityby Jacob Hudson

Life is the constant struggle to maintain bal-ance through all of our obligations in the lim-ited time of 24 hours a day. We have to main-tain and balance a social life, a job, health, and relationships. Within all of this chaos, we often seem to forget to take time for our-selves. It is extremely important not to forget the significance of taking time to unwind and enjoy the moment. The focus of this article is to give you the steps to find calm in this crazy world we live in.

The first thing you need to do is find an activ-ity that you genuinely enjoy doing. This may seem simple, but sometimes, it is the simple things that are more effective. Doing any activity for at least one hour a day or, if your schedule is extremely turbulent, once a week will give you something to look forward to every day and give you motivation to power through whatever it is you need to do before that activity.

You must understand why you are doing what you are doing. This may seem confus-ing but if you can figure out your reasoning for taking part in everything you do, you can set goals centered on what you are already doing. For example, if you are a student, then you must understand that you go to school because you want to get into college (hypothetically, this is just an example), and you want to get into college to get a stable job and the cycle just continues. By gaining a better understanding of your reasoning you can gain motivation to complete your difficult

tasks.

Sleep. I’m not talking about the health ben-efits. I’m talking about how sleeping clears your mind. A solid eight hours of sleep will provide you with a well-rested brain for the next day and you can pick up where you left off with a fresh perspective.

Additionally, it is important to appreciate the simple things in life. You should take, at the very least, around ten minutes a day to sit back, take a deep breath, and realize the blessing that life has. People should realize that even if they have a fairly basic life, it is still pretty great. First of all, you live on earth, a relatively tiny speck compared to the en-tire universe and it is beautiful. It has bright sunny days; cool evenings with stars in the sky, and almost endless combinations of food that people can shape to their specific taste buds.

Outside of earth in every direction, there are billions of miles worth of nothing, and that really puts things into perspective. You also get to have ideas, the things that make the world so amazing and the things that can im-prove the world. Not only do you get to have ideas, but you can interact with other people who have different ideas. You essentially can have almost unlimited amount of creativity. If you just appreciate the very basic things in life than you will realize how happy you can truly be and not be stressed.

I hope that these simple tips help you in liv-ing a more relaxed life. ◊

B Y J A C O B H U D S O N

T R A N Q U I L I T YTHE PATH TO

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34

the f i rststep to

t rue mediocri ty

SWEATPANTS:

society? The issue I plan to touch on is the consistent obsession with wearing sweats. Sweatpants mainly. A great man once said that the minute a person puts on sweats, he or she is claiming to the world, “I have given up”. That great man is Jerry Seinfeld. His paraphrased

Sweatpants: The First Step to True MediocrityAuthor Name Withheld

Today’s high school society is plagued with problems - and who better to act like an ex-pert on it than a member of that high school

35

views on the topic go as follows: I have given up, I have nothing to live for, and so I might as well be comfortable.

I don’t know if it is my cultural upbringing as the pride of the Middle East, but sweat-pants – at least for me - are like pajamas. They’re comfortable, but they are not meant to be worn outside of the house. Personally, I believe that this has stemmed from a rising belief that it should not matter what you look like. People consistently talk about ‘judgment’ and about how they will wear sweats and how they do not care about what people think. They’re wrong. You should care what people think, because in the end that is what life is all about. Everything in the world that you have to deal with involves other people; therefore a person’s opinion will always affect you. It will affect your life decisions, your daily routine, so why shouldn’t it affect how you dress?

Moving on from that, I don’t even understand why you would want to wear sweats in the first place. If your goal is comfort, pajamas are lighter, softer and much more comfort-able. And I really do not think that sweats are especially flattering for either gender so there really is no reason to wear them. The only exception for their use is for their origi-nal intended function: warming up before an athletic event. People who wear sweats at school, at work, anywhere in public really just look like they are lazy. Sweatpants are the universal symbol of laziness. I think that if a person has the power to control what people think of them, they should use that control to their advantage. Wearing regular clothes and being judged is something that is not in a person’s control. However, wearing sweats is an automatic depreciation in a person’s value and simply does not require judgment. The only judgment that comes with sweats is “This person is a lazy bum, they are not worth my time”. It’s as simple as that.

Of all the problems I have with sweatpants, the biggest problem I have with them by far is the fact that people seem to think they are easy to put on. If that is your claim, then I wish you the best as you descend from mediocrity to complete and utter crap. The difference in time that it would take to put on sweatpants, compared to jeans or chinos is roughly 5-7 seconds. If you are willing to sacrifice your

integrity as a human being and the entirety of your appearance simply to save 5-7 seconds then there really is no hope for you in terms of success in this world. The hierarchy of people in my opinion goes as follows, people who wear regular clothing, fifty feet of crap, people who wear sweats, fifty feet of more crap and then Bill O’Reilly.

Finally, if you are a male or female who is chas-ing a person of the opposite, or same gender, that consistently wears sweatpants, you are even more pathetic. The fact that you give time and are willing to follow someone who takes his or her own appearance as well as life so jokingly, then you are chasing mediocrity.

So, I ask you all, please take those extra few sec-onds, and actually care about your appearance. Think how much nicer a place the world would be if people wore sweats for their intended pur-pose instead of pure laziness. And finally, please take the first step towards the rest of your life and not the first step towards mediocrity. ◊

36

HOW TONOT DRESSL I K E AF * C K B O Y

by evan zhao

37

How to Not Dress Like a F*ckboyby Evan Zhao

f*ckboy |fuk’boi |(vulgar slang) referring to a person who can be con-sidered “weak”, “selfish poser”, and a “douchebag”

It’s pretty easy to spot a f*ckboy. Most often, he has those white Nike tube socks in yellowing Adi-das sandals, always wants to play 20 questions (with lots of “;) ;)” in his texts), and his Instagram photo captions sound like stuff pulled out of Jaden Smith’s Twitter feed. It’s not hard to be one or look like one.

It’s also not hard to not look like one. A typical casual fit - perhaps a pair of clean vans, jeans, and a basic crewneck sweater – provides no reason for critique. Some may claim that dress-ing simply looks ‘basic’, but I don’t believe being basic is necessarily a bad thing - it’s just a life-style choice. It shows that you aren’t a slob, but also that you don’t really care that much about dressing up, and that’s perfectly fine, as it is a sentiment shared by many respectable men and women. We live in Seattle, after all. It’s not that hard to find decent, cheap clothing.

Dressing simply isn’t the only way to avoid look-ing like one. Though our opinions may be varied over certain fashion styles (as with most direc-tions in fashion), there are many ways to dress - you can dress in sports attire, in formal wear, in street wear, Americana or maybe something different and completely you. My ideas on style are not yours, so I’m not going to suggest any-thing – but when you boil it back down to basics, you’re not going be judged by your choice of style as long as it embodies your personality and you don’t look like an outright slob.

Dress for yourself – and not what’s trending on Hypebeast. Sure, you might think the latest Air Jordan kicks are nice – but don’t drop two hundred dollars on kicks and complain when you pair them with generic cargo shorts and a baggy t-shirt and nobody notices it. Pair it with

some slim-fit denim dark, a plain crew-neck sweater and those kicks will compliment your style – and you’ll look better than the majority of men in the States and maybe even good enough for GQ.

Don’t be lazy – that’s what a f*ckboy would do. ◊

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CANON AT-150MM F/1.8 FD PRIME“I was pretty stoked when I found this at Value Village with a bag and flash for 30 bucks. Not bad. “

WAYFARER KNOCKOFFS“Asians can’t wear Aviators, so.”

MOTO X (2014)“Great phone, crappy selfie camera.”

WALLETUNKNOWN MANUFACTURER“my first non-Yashow (Beijing colloquial for “yeah it’s totally legit /s”) wallet. <3 “

a little bit voyeur-istic, very personal, and potentially very revealing -- everyday carry is a way to find out “what’s in their damn bag?”

in this issue: ostin kurniawan, evolvu[u] editor-in-chief. submit your own to contact@evolvu.co.

39

WAYFARER KNOCKOFFS“Asians can’t wear Aviators, so.”

ALTOIDS TIN w/ FIRST AID“I like the box.”

LEATHER NOTEBOOKNANLUOGUXIANG, BEIJING“a remnant of my China days. I don’t even carry around a pen so I don’t know why I carry it.”

DUNU DN-12 EARPHONES“sound-isolating with decent bassand good treble.”

JAWBONE UP24“$130 retail, $30 ebay. Guess which.”

TIMEX WEEKENDER“I love it but it ticks like a b*tch.”

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e[u]