ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
FEBRUARY 2016 I’M FREE, TAKE ME
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DIRCKSEY
what’s on
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Do you have a cool event coming up? Let us know and we’ll try our best to include it in the next calendar: k.turpin@ecuguild.org.au
FEBRUARY - MARCH MONDAY
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THURSDAY 11
FRIDAY 12
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SUNDAY 14 Valentine’s Day
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Joondalup O’Day
Mount Lawley O’Day
Bunbury O’Day
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WoodStock at ECU
Segue Safari EP Launch
Contributor Night ML (FREE )
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Writers Deadline
14 Artists Deadline
Public Holiday (No Class WOO) Art by Michael Inouye
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Contributors: Andrew Douglas Calli Graham Lalliëtte Janse van Vuuren Veronica Lowe Zoë Sturcke Artists: River Daesin Michael Inouye Oliver Logan Bridget Neilson Hannah Schultz Hana Lee Smith Spencer Sturcke
Editor: Kitty Turpin k.turpin@ecuguild.org
Music Editor: Mae Anthony music.dircksey@gmail.com
Advertising: Tom Reynolds t.reynolds@ecuguild.org.au (08) 9370 6609
Films Editor: Sarah Stopforth film.dircksey@gmail.com Art & Literature Editor: Rhys Tarling art.dircksey@gmail.com
Special Thanks To: Cover: Hana Lee Smith Logo: Sella Winadi Don’t forget: Mon 22nd Feb 5PM Contributors Night ML Building 10.307
The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Dircksey Editor(s), sub-‐editors/ section-editors, Edith Cowan University or the Edith Cowan University Student Guild. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Dircksey articles and other information are up-to-date and as accurate as possible, as of the time of publication– but no responsibility can or will be taken by the abovementioned entities if an issue of Dircksey has any errors or omissions contained herein.
Online print just got better.
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CONTENTS REGULARS
ARTS & LITERATURE
3 Calendar 6 Editorial 8 Clubs Directory
17 18 19 22
FEATURES 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 16
Why Dircksey Dear First Year Me Uni Life Tips with Veronica Lowe Too Many Ants on Campus Valentine’s Day with Dircksey Fresh Outta High School Fresh Outta Life Rites of Passage Not So Fresh Fresher
Indie Comic Spotlight: Lost at Sea A Glass of Fresh Water Summer Spray Book Reviews
MUSIC 23 25 26
Opera: Why Not? Up & Coming: Segue Safari Music Reviews
FILM 27 29
The Graduates: Where Are They Now? Film Reviews
Art by River Dasein, tattooing at the Ink Garage, Como facebook.com/arcadiandreamsillustration arcadian-dreams.net
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
PRESIDENT’S NOTE As we didn’t recieve the Guild President’s report, you can write your own below:
EDITOR’S NOTE Firstly I’d like to welcome you all to the first edition of Dircksey for 2016. We’re back for our second year and ready to kick arse at this student magazine thing. I’m honoured for this opportunity to be editor and I’m excited for what’s in store for Dircksey. I’m also excited for the pretty new Dircksey office (a.k.a the ex store room) located in the Mount Lawley Guild office in Building 12. The Dircksey team is eagerly awaiting the first students to hang out with us in our fresh new room. Which leads me to introducing my three section editors: Mae (Music), Sarah (Film) and Rhys (Art and Literature), who have kept me sane in the past 2 months it has taken to get this issue to you. The first edition is all about freshmen year, fresh starts and what’s fresh. It’s the perfect topic to welcome the new students on campus (hello, come to our office, we will be your friends) and the fresh look for Dircksey. Our new favourite adjective in the office is “fresh”. I’m getting to the point in the editor’s note where the word “fresh” doesn’t make sense anymore. We’ve tried something different with Dircksey this year. I think you’ll find that the tone in the new Dircksey is a bit more laid back, a bit more chilled, maybe we’re cooler than being cool (ice cold)! I want Dircksey to be fun to read, but to also write for and be a part of. We’ve already gone out on a group outing to the Titanic Exhibition and we’ll be doing more things like that over the year, as a regular “Dircksey Goes…” I hope you can find the time to come along and hang out with your fellow students.
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DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Why Dircksey? by Mae Anthony About Our Lady Edith Edith Dircksey Brown, OBE, (b. 2 August 1861 - 9 June 1932) was born into a respected family in Glengarry, near Geraldton. With a rare middle name passed on from her mother, she was born to Kenneth Brown and Mary Eliza Dircksey Brown (née Wittenoom). When she was seven, her mother died from complications during childbirth, her father later remarried, and she was sent to boarding school in Perth. She faced hardships in her childhood that she was forced to overcome. One of the most significant was around the time of her father’s hanging for the murder of his second wife. She moved to the suburb of Guildford in Perth, the political centre of Perth of the time, and here she attended school under the direction of Canon Sweeting, who was an influential part of her gaining values in the importance of education. She went on to live in West Perth, and at times Cottesloe, with her husband James Cowan of whom was brother to the Cowan sisters who ran the boarding school she attended in Perth as a child. At age 60, Edith Cowan was the first woman elected into parliament. In her career she was an important advocator for education, women’s rights and children’s welfare. She was involved in strategic plans to decrease issues related to the poor, under-educated, migrant community, health centres and the elderly. She was one of the founding members of the Karrakatta Club, founded in 1894,
which became a prominent movement that aimed to instill a valued place for women in Australian society. As a result of this, Edith was one of the most well known women in the first three decades of the 20th Century. Edith Cowan was a prominent figure in developing and changing education reforms, and particularly in the establishment of various legislations that ensured the safety of women and children, such as the Guidance of Infants Act (1922), introducing the notion that women should have the legal right to share their husband’s income in the form of entitlement, and the passing of the Women’s Legal Status Bill (1923) which opened an array of professions, including ones relating to legal, to women. Her work was a testament to her strength and acts of kindness and bravery. Many things we consider basic rights in our current Australian society were the direct result of her actions. The first teaching colleges formed in Western Australia, The Claremont Teaching Colleges, set the foundation for what was to become Edith Cowan University. The university itself was established in 1991 and named after her, being the only Australian university to be named after a woman. It was around this time that her image was placed on the new set of $50 notes in the memory of her contribution to society and unique parliamentary status.
So, What is Dircksey Magazine? Dircksey is Edith Cowan University’s independent student magazine, written by students for students. Founded in 2015, from the ashes of GSM magazine, we are a baby publication compared to our brothers and sisters: Grok, Metior and Pelican. However, we’re the cooler sibling that plays vinyl, goes out on weekends and wouldn’t be caught dead listening to Taylor Swift’s 1989 (pew pew). Our goal is to simply exist, and continue to do so, to allow students to publish their sub par articles. We’re not an “Edith”, nor are we a Cowan, we are Dircksey and far from being an enigma. We are a name you can’t pronounce. Frankly we’re barely even a word. Run by an easy-going team of four, come visit us in our ex-storeroom office (#aesthetic) located in Building 12 conveniently placed next to the Tav on the Mount Lawley campus, and immerse yourself in the good tav music seeping through the walls. You may as well be in the Tav itself. FEATURE / 7
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
WASTV ECU WASTV ECU is an annex of the state non-profit organisation WASTV Inc. WASTV ECU host film training events and film for the students and clubs of ECU. facebook.com/wastvecu
Clubs @ ECU For more clubs visit the Guild website: ecuguild.org.au/clubs.html
Western Australian Student Paramedics Western Australian Student Paramedics – W.A.S.P. is the representative student body for all Ambulance and Paramedic students in Western Australia. facebook.com/ WesternAustralianStudentParamedics wastudentparamedics.com
ECU Buddhist Youth Club ECU Buddhist Youth Club events are held weekly throughout the academic year, which includes meditation, movie screening, temple tour and others. facebook.com/ecubyc
POWA Anime Club POWA is an Anime Club based at ECU Joondalup and is open to both students and the public. We aim to link like minded individuals and also broaden the exposure to different types of Japanese animation. Join us every Sunday at ECU Joondalup’s 7.101 from 2:30pm onwards for six different series, and a chance to win an awesome door prize! Plus, your first time is FREE, otherwise it’s $3 for entry. We also host many other events such as Laser Tag, Picnics, Cosplay competitions, LAN parties and much more. Fully fledged members also have access to our exclusive Library, discounts with some of our sponsors, discounts at some events, and much more! facebook.com/POWAClubAU powaclub.com
Network Teach Network Teach is Australia’s leading & largest organisation to support aspiring teachers. facebook.com/networkteach networkteach.com 8
ECU Quidditch Club The ECU Quidditch Club is an amateur sports team based at the ECU Joondalup campus. ECU Quidditch is an easy way to make friends and be part of a team enjoying exercise in the traditional Hogwarts manner. Our team, the Centaurs, is always looking for new people to participate, whether you’re interested in playing competitively or as a hobby athletic ability is a plus, not a requirement! facebook.com/pages. ECUquidditch waquidditch.com
Japanese Studies Society JSS encourages our members in both Japanese language and cultural activities. We have a variety of activities that range from weekly student meetings, that help current students with their Japanese studies and anyone else who wishes to join us, movie nights, bowling and quiz nights! facebook.com/ecujss
DIRCKSEY
Dear First Year Me
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
By Lalliëtte Janse van Vuuren
Uni isn’t easy, but everyone has been telling you that, so it’s not new. I’d like to tell you a few things that no one has told you yet. Uni is basically about the four S’s. The first S is for study. Do your reading (don’t just buy the textbook). Stop procrastinating and make study buddies. You came to uni to do your degree, so do it! The next one took me some time to figure out how to do. Socialise. The Guild throws parties, go to them and have fun! Join a club. There’s one for almost every interest. You’ll meet some pretty strange and awesome people. Some will be doing the same course and some will be doing different courses, either way you will learn a lot from them and they will be a very valuable resource. The university has a ton of services, doctors, counsellors and on-campus businesses such as cafes, the Co-op, hairdressers, and an optometrist. The counsellors are great during
crunch time, so please make use of them. Find out who your advisors are because they’re there to make life at uni easier. Lastly, I would like to tell you about my favourite S. Scavenge. This touches on all of the other S’s. Scavenge for cheap things, tastefully. Those study buddies will have textbooks you can buy cheaply. Sign up to the Scoopon’s and Catch of the Day’s junk mail, they will have great offers (for girls night out, among other things). These things I say to you might seem a bit silly and you may ignore them anyway but there they are. I wish I had known these earlier, so use them well. Uni is what you make of it, so remember to be silly, have fun, and most of all, enjoy yourself. Regards, Older You
Uni Life Tips with Veronica Lowe
So, you’ve been accepted into Uni and you’re wondering what to do next? Here are some handy tips:
1 Attend as many events as you
can, believe us, they’re actually worth attending. Not only do you often get free food (win) but also you get a chance to engage in something other than the monotony of studying or mentally preparing to study. Who knows, you might just find your favourite sport (*cough* quidditch), a social cause you care about, an awesome robot club or something that floats your boat. And if you can’t find something, get a group of mates together and set about starting your own club. It’s definitely a great way to get something you like to campus.
2 Read everything clearly. Get to know how the referencing guide works, how the units will impact on your off-time and how you’ll get to uni in time for class. Preparation gets you ahead, even if it is five minutes of study then that’s five more minutes less to spend next time.
3 Talk to people. People at uni are
generally friendly, even lecturers. Strike up a conversation, whether it’s the old “do you like cheese?” or “did you find your way around campus yet?”; it will be appreciated. If words aren’t your strong point, food usually helps win people over (seriously, one girl gave me chocolate in first year and we’ve been friends ever since) or share an interesting talent you have (singing The Circle of Life totally counts). The people you come to meet will likely be in future classes or at events. They’re not so scary after you say hello. They might just land you with a copy of notes when you’ve missed a lesson or you might find a study buddy or a friend to make sense of the strangeness that is uni.
4 You can save money. Instead of
buying the latest textbook, there will be a second-hand edition on gumtree or you can borrow books from the library. Instead of buying food all the time, eat your own lunch and snacks. There’s always a water fountain nearby so you’ll save yourself a heap if you carry your own bottle. Get your $5 worth of free printing (there’s a link you can activate this on the ECU online portal each semester). Use this how you will, whether it’s printing off syllabus documents or printing out a large image of your face to scare people. The money you save can add up.
5 Gather your supplies and go!
Remember why you’re attending uni, however, this doesn’t mean you can’t attend all the parties you can handle. A good balance between work and fun is the key!
FEATURE / 9
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Too Many Ants on Campus
Art by Oliver Logan
By Kitty Turpin If there’s one thing in this world that I hate, it’s ants. I understand ants are very important to the Earth. Did you know by creating their nests they create a pathway between oxygen, soil and plant roots? They also do great things like clean up decaying beetles and food. That’s cool. What’s not cool about ants is that they also consume anything that stands in their way, for example any of your body parts that come into contact with their environment. ECU Mount Lawley campus has an ant problem. In my first year attending ECU I regularly made the mistake of sitting on the grassed areas between building 16 and 17. It’s a beautiful area on campus, with large shady trees and, in spring, the cherry blossom tree is in full bloom. It screams “ENJOY YOUR LUNCH ON ME”. The only let down of this area is the ants! I could not sit for longer than 5 minutes without getting nipped. Within 10 minutes I had ants investigating my bag and my lunch. Just recently, I sat on a benche between building 10 and the car park and I had 2 or 3 little critters crawling up my pant leg, their nest only a glance away and swarming with healthy ant activity. These places are the worst hit on campus. Others to note are the grassed areas close to the GP in Building 8, the area on the Aroma Café side of the WAAPA building and outside of the Spectrum Project space. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that all paved areas on campus are risky, with a good chance
10 / FEATURE
of spotting the enemy, and grassed areas are riskier, with zero chance of spotting the enemy. If you avoid sitting in any such places, you should be fine. And it’s not too hard to avoid sitting in these plagued zones. There are many seated spaces available on campus, especially in regions of high ant populations. The best places to sit are outside of what used to be Aroma café, outside Central Café, and in front of the library. Keep your feet off of the pavement to be safe. However, this problem is unacceptable. It shouldn’t be up to the students to find safe zones on campus. ECU warns students of their rising bee population, with signs adorning the bushes outside of the Visual Arts Building in spring (“Warning: Bees”). They also take the initiative, with Mount Lawley High, to drug pigeons as a way to keep their population down, but no noticeable action has been taken on the ants. Coming from a family that religiously slaughters any beetle, bug, fly, and ant that comes within our perimeter, arriving in this ant hole of a place was a culture shock. I’m not asking ECU to kill these creatures. Like I’ve said, ants are essential to the well being of the environment. I’d be happy with warnings, like ECU provide for the bees. I think students are entitled to at least that.
you suck
-
Don CA
CU GO Valentine’ s Day with Dircksey NEVER Y A AW Useful Valentine’s Day Tips That Are Useful by Rhys Tarling
Valentine’s Day is approaching, so you know what that means: find a date or await the cool embrace of a lonely death. There isn’t much of a ‘dating culture’ in Perth as such, but let’s pretend for the sake of hypothetical situations (and me getting paid to write a thing) that you’re interested in a couple of ideas for a successful Valentine’s Day date. How do you get a date, though? Damned if I know, but it seems to be a thing that kind of happens to us all, like a bad hair day or case of crabs. This is strictly for people who secured a ‘Yes,’ or the more likely, Well-Shit-I-Got-No-Other-Plans-AndYou’re-Not-A-Total-Troll Shrug.
Hell No
ur ugly
pieces, the entirety of your personality, at a wall and praying to Jesus, Allah, and Buddha that something sticks.
in ur dreams
This one’s for folks who are feeling a little bold and have been on a few dates already. Reserve a table at a super fancy restaurant. For dinner, of course. This will lure your date into a particular sense of security – the kind of security where they’re sure you won’t bombard them with invasive and obnoxious questions. The next step is to bombard them with invasive and obnoxious questions. Ex-lovers, religion, politics, favourite Beatle – anything that is a button and hot, mash it like a madman. The answers aren’t so important as their reactions are – if they react with grace to your awfulness and still stick around, you can be sure they’ll be able to, and probably want to, handle the hot mess that is you. Or maybe they just really like the food. Who knows! Dating is goofy and complicated.
ew
Let’s assume this one is for a first date. Naturally, the best idea for a first date is to see a movie. Movies are perfect for such an occasion – every time you or your date open their mouth and say things it’s another opportunity to demonstrate your ignorance or bad sense of humour and/or breath, so why not let the screen speak while you two sit passively for two hours and learn virtually nothing about each other. Also, February is the prime dumping ground for beige flicks, so you and your date are likely to leave the theatre feeling not terribly rattled, or much of anything. Sidebar, it’s a normal thing to not feel much of anything on a first date, you’ll be far too busy throwing mangled
u wish
Kitty Tries Tinder
CU NEVER
by Kitty Turpin
If you have a smart phone you’ve probably tried the ‘dating’ app Tinder. For those who haven’t tried it, Tinder is a location-based dating app that uses your Facebook profile to sign you up. It facilitates conversations between people who ‘like’ each other. By swiping left or right, you decide mainly based on their picture, whether you like or dislike the person. It’s basically a ‘hot or not’ app. If you match with a person, you’re able to communicate through the app. For purely a Valentine’s experiment, I decided to try Tinder for the first time. Armed with a great quote to use as my description (some people are afraid of dogs but I’m afraid of the opposite of dogs, the absence of dogs - dogless space), I got my swiping finger ready to like some pictures. Tinder allows you to change the distance and age range of the profiles suggested to you. Naturally, as a 20 year old, I put the age range between 18-25 and got swiping.
Don’t CALL
gross
If these two ideas are a bust and your date leaves, it’s nothing to feel sad about. The odds will always be in your favour; look at all the people copulating and overpopulating the earth – alcohol and crippling insecurity can’t be holding them together, right? Right.
in ur dreams
My first match and message came through after around 10 minutes. “Do you fuck on the first date?” To be honest, I swiped right (“liked”) this man because he
ew
GO AWAY
you suck
had a dog in his picture. From previous dating site experience, and the experience of being a woman, I am used to this treatment from men (unfortunately). I learnt after this match to be less generous with whom I swiped right for.
A lot of the profiles I was being suggested were of “athletic men”. They’d have around 4-6 pictures, usually one of them playing their favourite sport or at the gym, most of the time, both kinds of photos. In their bio they’d say things like “I like being active” or “I like gym” or “I love snowboarding”. How do people in Perth like snowboarding? Great! Cause I can totally use that information to my advantage and just invite you to go snowboarding with me in the heart of Perth City.
Hell No
I haven’t found many profiles interesting. After 18 hours, I still swipe right for the occasional pretty dog with a not so pretty man. This morning I was suggested a profile with a photo of a guy holding a dead shark in the ocean, like some Neanderthal. Haven’t agreed to any dates yet. Not sure how long I will last on this thing. Good app to waste time and have some laughs though!
u wish
ur ugly
FEATURE / 11
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Fresh Outta High School: A No-gap-year Student’s Perspective By Kitty Turpin
University wasn’t a huge leap for me. In fact, it was approximately 150 steps away from high school, with a 3-4 month transition period. I was one of those ‘freshies’ who didn’t take a gap year and came straight from school to university. The plan was that integration into university life would be easier while I still remembered how to write an essay and had good assignment ethics. The truth is, I probably could have taken a gap year and still have been as prepared for university as I was. However, everything I had been prepped for was a lie.
in the same time it would have taken me to complete high school, but my parents insisted the experience of all the trash at high school would serve me better.
Trudging through 5 out of 6 subjects I hated was the worst part of my education. I knew from early on what I wanted to study, which was art and photography. Being obligated to go to classes that meant nothing to me made me hate high school. I begged my parents to let me dropout and attend Central TAFE in Year 10, to study photography. At the time, Central offered a three-year course to get an Advanced Diploma in Photography, which was a direct pathway to a Bachelor in Creative Industries at ECU. This seemed a logical step, completing a Diploma
same amount of stress of juggling subjects that I had in high school. Completing 4 units is a breeze compared to 6 intensive units they expect you to complete for a WACE.
12 / FEATURE
The course I’m studying, a Bachelor in Creative Industries, is nothing like what my high school teachers said university would be like. I have no exams, the most I’ve been expected to write in an essay is 500 words, and my above average ATAR meant nothing when the only W.A. university I wanted to go to had other ways to get into the course without it. I haven’t experienced the
Does anyone remember Moodle and how much of a joke it was? If your school didn’t get to experience the wonders of Moodle, it is a learning platform much like our Blackboard, but home grown in Perth and now used widely within W.A schools. Moodle was probably the only real university program I had in high school. Teachers,
much like lecturers, have lots of different ways they utilise these websites, for example, not using them at all. Perhaps I am being too harsh. At least 80% of my lecturers and tutors have used Blackboard in a manner that has benefited me greatly. From being able to catch up on lectures, if I didn’t make it on time or didn’t feel like it, to accessing important documents, like unit outlines and assignment guides, that mysteriously went missing after first class. Looking past the crazy amount of downtime and problems this site has, it’s a serious uni essential.
friendships I made in high school. Remember parties and the underage drinking you used to do? Well drinking’s not so fun anymore when your system can’t take the strain, and a quiet drink at the Tav before class is the only thing you can afford to do with a “campus buddy”, if you have any at all. It feels like everyone is here just to get through their next class and go home, with no need or want to commit to anything that will complicate that.
Social interactions with students were another woe in my high school life. There was too much drama and immaturity in my year group. Now there is not enough drama. You simply don’t get to see people enough to have any! I miss the tight knit student community of high school. I’m coming into my third year of university and have only made a few friends that are in my classes. I can barely count the number of friends on my fingers. I hardly see these people outside of ECU grounds. They’re more of a “campus buddy” compared to the
they’re due, and how much you can stress over one thing before you have a mental breakdown. Sometimes I wish I had taken a break from it all and had that gap year. Would I have even decided to continue tertiary education if I did? I don’t think I would have had the discipline if I had tasted freedom. Overall, I’m happy with my decisions. I mean, you can’t really turn back time and change it, right?
School wasn’t all bad. It definitely taught me essential skills like finishing assignments the night
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Fresh Outta Life: A Mature-age Student’s Perspective By Zoë Sturcke
It was an idea I had toyed with for sometime - what if I went to university to do a science degree? It was a scary prospect but I had a thirst to learn and wanted to advance my career while young-ish. I had to consider so many things – the financial burden of a student loan, balancing family, work and study and the petrifying reality of writing an essay after such a long time. I needed a push. My tippingpoint came in the form of my son’s high school career day. He couldn’t attend so I collected some pamphlets for him instead.
Surprisingly, I came home with university brochures for me too. This spurred me on to make ‘the call’ to Edith Cowan University (ECU) the very next day, which changed my life. My background as an Enrolled nurse (originally trained in the 80s) made me eligible for Recognised Prior Learning. My current nursing skills were recognised and five units were removed from the twenty-four I needed to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. At least my experience counted for something; I
was disappointed I wasn’t given the full eight units allocated to recently trained Enrolled nurses. I conceded that ECU could not compare what I had learnt in nursing school with a university subject so I resigned myself to the fact that I would need to work hard to prove that I knew my stuff. Science had always been a favourite subject of mine so I was quietly confident I could achieve what was required. I wasn’t quite prepared for the steep learning curve and sheer volume of information we were given to learn that first semester.
Art by Spencer Sturcke My family was supportive of my decision, though initially a little shocked I had enrolled so swiftly. My juggling act began immediately, balancing out my various commitments. I was thankful I had the foresight to do the course part-time. There were so many distractions I had to deal with like setting time aside to study. Gone were my café catch-ups with girlfriends unless they fitted into the schedule. My busy life had suddenly become so much busier. As reality set in I remember at one point physically
pinching myself and thinking, “wow, I’m really at uni!” I was now a bonafide student. It was an exciting moment to dwell on. My journey to become a registered nurse had come full circle from years ago. Back then I could have gone straight from school to university, having sat the tertiary entrance exams and gained a place at the Western Australian College of Advanced Education (the old name for ECU). At the time the decision was easy though – I got paid to go to nursing school. Challenging times From the moment I started I was challenged by the everso-crippling self-doubt that I’m sure many mature age students face. Could I retain information? Could I finish this degree? How would I cope with the stress? Initially I felt overwhelmed and bombarded with information but soon found my own way of processing everything – writing lots of notes! Technical challenges with Blackboard were top of my list to overcome. Information technology (IT) took some time to get used to, especially tasks like timed on-line quizzes or Word Publisher assignments. My computer knowledge was basic at best but this was something totally out of my comfort zone. My school era of IT had been the slide projector, photocopier and telex machine. The tech staff from the e-Lab and my less techno challenged colleagues were my saviours. Time management was another challenge which, to be honest, I still struggle with at times because I’m not naturally
organised, but that’s okay, because I’ve worked out my own way of getting work done. Copious quantities of green tea helps! Other challenges included weighing up whether to buy expensive textbooks (how much do I need them?), becoming pedantic about the APA referencing system and learning how to research. Fortunately, my workplace was very supportive of my choice to complete a degree. I have had to use all my leave to attend practical placements and feel exhausted most of the time. Despite these pressures, I love what I do and am committed to finishing what I started. The graduation podium seems so much closer now I’m in my third year. At ECU, mature age students make up 52% of the student body in both undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts and can be defined as any student over the age of 25 . Many of us have different experiences in life bringing us to a point where we want to seek further knowledge and there are several pathways open to becoming a student including enabling or bridging courses. My advice is to jump in and live your dream.
FEATURE / 13
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Rites of Passage
By Calli Graham
There are many milestones to adulthood along this winding road we call life. Most of us are still well and truly a child once we’ve finished school and hit our college years. This is evident through our innate desire to party and take full advantage of our newfound freedom. Personally, I avoided taking any responsibility for a long time post high-school. From the ages of 17 to 25 I moved from job to job and began numerous degrees in the search for what I really wanted to do. My fondest memories are the friendships I forged, the festivals I attended, and the house parties I hosted. I can honestly say I made full use of the last few years of my youth. There are a few rites of passage that I believe were the catalysts required to get my shit together. As they say, words don’t teach, experience does. Here are my Top 3 ‘Rites of Passage’ and what I learnt. Unless you live under a rock you will go through these at some point, whether it be whilst still in school or much later on in life.
The first big trip overseas There’s something about being stuck outside your comfort zone and having to fend for yourself that really ingrains on your independence levels. I am a firm believer that going overseas changes you for the better. Everyone should do their big trip sooner rather than later, whether it be Europe, South-East Asia or America. Experiencing different foods, culture and languages, and navigating a foreign country will do wonders for your outlook on life. I didn’t do this until I was 27, something I would now recommend should be done by the age of 21. I travelled to Europe for five weeks with two girlfriends. I was scared. I had a fear of unknown currency, different languages, not knowing how to get around, and my own personal safety. TIPS 1. Travel with someone who has been to the destination before. They can act as “tour guide” or book a tour. Contiki and Topdeck take the guesswork out of getting around. 2. Get tips on where you’re going from friends and family who have already been there. You will always encounter little challenges that the guide books don’t write about. 3. Familiarise yourself with “Hello” and “Thankyou” for each country you visit. Download the Google Translate app. It will come in handy when you leave big cities. 4. Always arrive at the airport early. You don’t know what the queues could be like. 5. Check your visa requirements before you depart. Also check how long your visa lasts. 6. Most international airports have Wi-Fi so connect when you land, check where you’re going next on Google Maps, and let your family know you’re OK! 7. Buy a local SIM card. It will allow you to navigate around and still be able to use those beloved apps.
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Moving into your own place Moving out of the parental unit and in to your very own space will throw you in the deep end of independence. There is no one around to keep the fridge stocked and clean up, and no default ‘taxi driver’ for that night out on the town with friends. I have entered the houses of friends in their early 20s to a sight that would make grandma roll over in her grave. The “leave every dirty dish on the sink until its needed” situation. The overgrown, under-watered garden. The pile of rubbish so deep that a rodent could’ve died in there and you wouldn’t even know about it. The key to moving out of the safety net of home is to be organised. Here’s what I’ve learnt from living with five different groups of friends over the years: TIPS 1. Just like a group assignment at uni, if there isn’t communication between housemates, one person does all the work. Have a chat about chores when you decide to move in. 2. Have respect for cupboard and fridge space. Keep to your own shelf and don’t take over the place with your cereal boxes or the newest range from T2. 3. Be neat and tidy in communal areas, especially the kitchen. The best policy to have is whoever uses the dish washes it straight away. 4. Don’t buy any more than three days’ worth of fresh fruit or vegetables because they WILL go off. 5. It’s OK to use someone else’s’ toothpaste, toilet paper, or milk. Just make sure you pull your weight and buy the next lot. 6. It helps to go shopping once a week as a group. 7. Respect your housemates. If someone is trying to study, take your friends out for the night. If someone works nightshift, don’t bang and crash when you are making breakfast. Don’t hog the TV, you can always watch Netflix on your iPad instead. 8. If something goes wrong and you break or damage your housemate’s items, send them a text immediately. Honesty is the best policy and it could save your friendship. 9. The same goes for late rent – be up front if you need a few more days from the landlord to avoid an eviction notice (which will be issued only after a week).
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Your first real job There’s a difference between a job and a career. If it’s paying for your boozy weekends and new clothes, it’s a job. If you have passion for it, you’ve studied in the field, or you see a future climbing up the corporate ladder, it’s a career. However, it is possible for a job to develop into a career. I remember when I landed my first real job. I had been hopping between hospitality jobs for the few years following high school. Cafes, bars, restaurants. At 21 I decided I was sick of being on my feet and landed a job working for BankWest in their Customer Help Centre. Enter the world of 9am starts and after work drinks on Fridays. Actually having to work to KPIs and being constantly watched and given feedback by my superiors. Despite suddenly enjoying the freedom of having weekends to myself, and a steady income, I didn’t transition well. I struggled to adjust to getting up ‘early’ every day. I rolled out of bed at 8.30am, leaving ten minutes to put my face on and run to the bus stop. I didn’t adjust my lack of dietary concern. Sitting on my arse 5 days a week instead of running around on my feet led to a weight gain of 10kg over the first three months. After the first few months of training I got bored fast. I was used to dealing with people face to face every day, and now I was staring at a screen, viewing the same conversation over and over. My morale dropped quickly. It wasn’t until a new manager pulled me aside one day, a year into the role, and had a chat to me, that things started to turn around. She had been observing my strengths and weaknesses, and worked with me to turn that job into a career. I am happy to say that the reason I’m in my third year of a Business degree, at ECU, is because of the moment I began to take that job seriously.
TIPS 1. Your boss can make or break the job. If you love the work but you don’t get along with your boss, you will grow to resent the workplace. If you don’t enjoy the work but you have a supportive boss who strives to get the best out of you, you can grow to love what you do. 2. The team is just as important. It’s essential that you fit in with the people you work with. Sometimes you may start a job and you don’t mesh well with others. That’s OK. Every work place has a different culture and you need to find the right fit for you. 3. It’s up to you to discover your own strengths and interests. Make an effort to capitalise on your natural abilities. Seek knowledge and mentoring in the areas you would like to develop. 4. Bullies exist in the work place. The difference is now you know who you are and you can choose who you associate with. They can only target victims who fall for their manipulative behaviour. Separate yourself from anyone who treats others in a disrespectful way, and speak up if you notice any of this behaviour. 5. Remember that you are not tied to one profession or one employer. If you have an entrepreneurial bone in your body, follow your inspiration. You could be the next social media socialite or internet billionaire.
So how do you know if you have taken the step from youth to adult? Well, only you can answer that question. All I can say is you will just know. Life experience is what carves our passions, values, and sense of self. When you look back you will find that what’s really important are the lessons you learnt and people who forged a permanent place in your heart. Next time you encounter one of life’s inevitable emotional rollercoasters, look at it for what it is: a character building exercise which will deliver growth, clarity, and appreciation for who you are and the purpose you give yourself.
Me in Rome
FEATURE / 15
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Not So Fresh Fresher
Art by Hannah Schultz
By Andrew Douglas Coming to ECU was a challenging and unique experience for me on a number of levels. It was my first experience at this particular university and it was my first experience as a post-graduate student - one who had weathered the academic storms of a bachelor degree to try and scale the heights of a master’s degree.
Previously when I studied at uni, there were no PCs and no internet or mobile phone apps. To ‘cut and paste’ a document meant literally that, with the aid of glue and scissors. Hitherto all my assignments had been done on hardcopy, physically marked, and handed back to me. In fact, I was such a dinosaur that I did not own a PC until I enrolled at ECU! It took a while but with the aid of the library staff and later the S.O.A.R. centre volunteers, I mastered the basics. Despite how difficult it was for me to get used to the IT world, I could appreciate its one big benefit for the student: 16 / FEATURE
information on virtually any topic was instantly available from the internet. Sitting in the computer rooms, I learnt not to bemoan my existence as I soon realised there were many students at this campus who might not even possess their own PC. Having overcome my IT difficulties, there was one other significant issue for me to deal with. Since I was a post-grad student doing a research degree, there were only scheduled meetings with my supervisor(s); there was no other class contact, no lectures or other formal contact with other students. It was a new experience for me to attend university without ever having to go to a class with my peers. Consequently, it was easy to feel socially isolated on a new university campus. Initially, it was an unusual experience: attending university regularly but never actually meeting or associating with any other students. If you are
generally shy and perceive yourself to be significantly older than most of the students on campus, it can be difficult to get to know other students. Without being in regular classes, it is difficult to form any bonds. Halfway through my degree this social isolation changed thanks to the efforts of a few fellow mature age students who set up the MASN (Mature Aged Student Network). Suddenly I had a small support network of students, all of who were doing a variety of courses ranging from diplomas to PhDs. It was like having an instant group of friends on campus and brought various advantages; not only did I have people to call on when I had IT issues, I also got to learn more about the social activities on campus like exhibitions and talks. I looked forward to our weekly coffee meets in the cafeteria as it was good not only to discuss academic or enrolment issues but also just to chat and catch up. Although, initially, it was
a rather small group, there was such diversity among the members that it was always a pleasure to meet up and discuss all manner of things. This diversity extended beyond individual courses and degrees to individual backgrounds and unique life experiences. As with my previous degrees, I made a few contacts and friendships that would extend beyond my time as a student. Such friendships are a vital part of university life: like the degrees and diplomas we gain, these friendships bring various benefits. For me, this student interaction was the ‘finishing touch’ to the rewarding experience of being a post-grad student at ECU. Remember all you new former students, there is more to life at university than academic study. If this mature age, post-grad can have a rewarding experience at ECU, so can all of you!
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Indie Comic Spotlight:
Lost at Sea – The Aimlessness of Adolescence By Rhys Tarling Released in 2003, Lost At Sea is a graphic novel written by Canadian cartoonist and writer Bryan Lee O’Malley (of Scott Pilgrim fame). It’s a coming of age story about shy 18 year old Raleigh, who is convinced that her mother placed her soul inside of a cat when she was 14. Reeling from a recent breakup, she begins to suffer an existential crisis and hitches a ride with three fellow classmates she barely knows – who are embarking on a road trip across California. Being 18 is a strange time: you’ve been in the world long enough to have a healthy amount of cynicism and scepticism about it, but it’s difficult to coherently put these feelings into action because you lack a certain kind of experience of the world outside of familiar classmates, and set recesses and lunch times. There’s an amount of aimlessness and incompleteness necessary to wallow in before
trading hilariously crude verbal barbs or randomly erupting into a profanity laced tirades, most likely in an effort to stave off boredom. Graphic novelist Brian Michael Bendis recently answered a question concerning how to effectively write a main character who suffers, he responds with “Humour. Don’t just do one note, or one emotion, or one tone. Juxtapose the scenes, tones, feelings, characters. But dear god don’t belittle the character’s struggles with gags.” It’s a tricky balancing act and a testament to O’Malley’s talent that he pulls it off in his first graphic novel. The lack of a specific setting and sense of place serves the core theme of this comic – feeling incomplete and lost, being stuck on a seemingly endless parade of in between kind of places, such as gas stations, open roads, and cheap motels.
“There is no comic book industry. There is the superhero industry, and the rest of us out here alone” – Bryan Lee O’Malley you gain a clear direction. Put simply, you’re in between places, and this graphic novel captures that perspective with painful clarity: “What a weird set of memories to have. What a stupid bunch of garbage in my head, completely inapplicable to the current situation, to the rest of my life, to anything that might happen except turning around and heading backwards through time.” The novel uses the narrative device of stream of consciousness, more often used by literary figures such Sylvia Plath and James Joyce than by graphic novelist. The stream of consciousness style is used to brilliant effect – much of the text consists of the inner monologues of Raleigh; what she thinks about herself, the people around her, her past, and it’s clear that she’s an articulate, thoughtful and intelligent person – but when other characters directly engage her in conversation she’s a limp noodle of inarticulate statements, or phrasing obvious statements as a question. In fact, Raleigh spends much of the novel in a state of paralysis and indecision, her intelligence and thoughtfulness isn’t something that can serve her yet due to her inexperience, and so it only tortures her by hacking away at any kernel of certainty she has about reality. It’s interesting to note the gap between Raleigh’s melodramatic poetry fuelled interior monologues, and her three new friends’
And then there’re the cats, who play an important symbolic role in the narrative. Cats seem to be drawn to Raleigh (whether they be real or imaginary), and she is convinced her soul is in a cat. What’s with all the cats? Marie Louise von Franz, a Jungian psychologist, writes that “cats are often seen in dreams by women…who are too doggishly attached.” In this case, Raleigh is attached to the spectre of her ex-boyfriend and her troubled past. Raleigh supposition that her mother placed her soul in a cat is a way to cocoon herself from properly confronting the realities of her sadness – if she has no soul then she must be separate from people who have souls, and thus cementing a certain comfortable numbness that comes with keeping people at a distance. A convoluted conclusion to reach, but in that limbo of aimlessness, O’Malley captures a truth that is not spelled out to the reader; Raleigh spends too much time in her own head. Who hasn’t, particularly in that somewhat formless period between childhood and adulthood? Lost at Sea is a strange, confronting and ultimately hopeful story if you’ve ever been 18 and confused.
ARTS & LITERATURE / 17
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
A Glass of Fresh Water
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
By Art Vandelay, (Architect)
The father unlocked the door to the kitchen. It was early in the morning, his boy was still asleep, and so it was the perfect time to create fresh water. His kitchen was an ordinary one in every conceivable way; pans and wooden spoons hung above the stove, pictures of hand drawn oven mitts adorned the walls, the day’s first rays of sunshine bathed the polished sink. The father gazed out the kitchen window. By now he was almost used to being greeted by the site of the wreckage. The destroyed jet fighters and great swaths of military machines blended in seamlessly with the city rubble, as it was all man made, after all. But the other mess...giant, dark red and purple slimy things strewn amongst the ordinary ruins; as if a primary coulored fever dream brazenly splattered across the dreary reality of a common human disaster. The father shook his head. It was useless to dwell on things that were far beyond his understanding of reality. He and his boy need a fresh glass of water. That was an undeniable fact, planetary invasion and destruction or not. He placed the plastic bottle under the tap and turned the knob. A viscous violet coloured fluid flowed from the faucet and steadily filled the bottle. With the bottle in hand, the father unlocked another door that led to the basement. The basement remained desolate and dim. Some boxes filled with his wife’s clothes occupied a lonely, dusty corner. The box containing the little creature was located at the centre of the room. He flicked the light on and it illuminated the elfin creature inside the glass box. The rest of the basement remained shrouded in darkness. The little creature was roughly human looking - bipedal, a head, body, and four limbs. The infinitesimal creature heralded from an ocean of galaxies and celestial beings that had transcended human comprehension of beauty, and so it could best be described as a human shaped fountain of incandescence. The father had found it difficult to grasp that such an angelic creature was one of millions who were responsible for the end of the world as he knew it. He grabbed the hose-like apparatus connected to the box, and placed it inside the plastic bottle filled with thick alien fluid. He gritted his teeth and pressed the small button on the box. The little creature paced around its glass cage. Its glow flickered as its pace became quicker, more agitated. It clawed at its own face and let loose a silent scream. Its glow and beauty completely faded, and so was reduced to a howling, desperate little beast heard by no one. It hopelessly pounded its hands against the glass in a fit of violent protestation, as if something intangible and essential was ruthlessly wrung out with no more ceremony than that of a wet cloth. Its gaping mouth, a small portal to infinity, reminded the father of Edvard Munch’s The Scream. The father watched it writhe in agony. Each time he inflicted pain on the creature, he recalled holding his ruined wife as the world crumbled around him. Draining the creature wasn’t merely a necessary ritual to purify the violet ooze – the act also temporarily healed his heart that was marred by grief and hate; he needed to face the boy each morning with eyes that were as fresh and clear as the glasses of water. The father tore his gaze away from the glass and checked the bottle. The viscous violet fluid had transformed into fresh water. The intense pain that consumed the little creature had purified the toxic substance. The father immediately disconnected the apparatus and pressed the button; these creatures were not different from human beings in that they had a threshold for pain. Unlike human beings, anything past that threshold and they withered and crumpled into dust, as the father discovered from his first captive. The creature collapsed. Its glow and beauty would return, but for a while it would lay immobile, ugly, and unutterably violated. The father, holding two glasses of fresh water, locked the kitchen door behind him. The father gently shook his sleeping boy awake and handed him a glass of fresh water. The boy, understanding the scarcity and value but not the price, of fresh water, took three small sips. The father took one medium sized gulp. Violence, death, and starvation loomed over their heads every day, and so it was important they begin each day enjoying a glass of fresh water together. The boy asked the father why the door to the kitchen was always locked. The boy asked the same question every morning, and the father gave the same answer every morning – Because I love you, the father replied.
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DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Summer Spray Bridget Neilson is a second year photomedia student and Perth photographer who specialises in music photography. Bridget discovered, whilst on road trips with her family, that a camera was always in her hand. Her passion grew from there. Combining her love of music with photography, she started photographing gigs and festivals. Bridget also loves portraiture and landscapes, which led her to taking the photos featured. Summer Spray is a refreshing photo set, showcasing the best sight that Perth has to offer - the beaches on a summer evening.
Are you an artist and want your art featured in Dircksey? Email us at: art.dircksey@gmail.com ARTS & LITERATURE / 19
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
BOOK REVIEWS Catcher In The Rye J.D Salinger, 1951
It’s almost impossible to review The Catcher in the Rye without acknowledging its enormous cultural impact. This was the novel Mark Chapman – the man who shot and killed John Lennon – was repeatedly reading aloud at the crime scene until he was arrested. It’s the main influence of countless films, songs, and novels. It’s almost comical to consider its legacy before remembering it’s just a story about a confused and insolent 17 year old boy dicking around New York City for a few days. Most of the novel’s power derives from the main character, Holden Caulfield. Readers are either immediately utterly repelled by this mopey, self absorbed brat, or enchanted by the coolest, funniest, and sexiest version of your own angsty and alienated self – your milage may vary. For a novel aimed at teenagers in 1951, it has aged remarkably well. The texture may be a little softer than you’d think considering all of the controversy surrounding the novel (“damn”s, “hell”s, and two “fuck”s is about as harsh as the language gets) and the colloquial slang occasionally gives away its decade, but the off beat rhythm feels just quintessentially teenager. Also, perhaps not unrelated, this novel, for all the analysis, and all the bile and praise thrown its way, doesn’t get enough credit for being as funny as it is. The Catcher in the Rye is a polarising work of fiction. Put aside the scores of mixed opinions and its legacy if you’re approaching this work for the first time, and instead be open to recalling what it felt like to be on the cusp of 18 years old – and then be glad you’re not. Rhys Tarling
Looking for Alaska
Starter For Ten
John Green, 2005
Green’s first published book is considered a classic teenage love story, for its stereotypical teenage characters and themes. Miles Halter, an unpopular teenage boy, leaves the comfort of his mum’s home, for a fresh start, living in a boarding school where he meets his first real friends. He gets nicknamed “Pudge”, because he’s skinny, and meets the title’s namesake, Alaska, who he instantly falls in love with. Alaska is your stereotypical “I am a 30 year old man writing a teenage girl” creation. She is a vulnerable–but-tough nut that plays hard to get. She is obviously depressed, which fuels her cryptic personality and makes the Holden Caulfield of the book (Miles) utterly bewitched by her. They do stupid teenage things like smoking, drinking and driving while drunk. The heavy part of the book comes with the second half, where it turns into a Looking For a Way Out of Grief featuring Miles Halter and friends, by John Green. After the success of Looking for Alaska, Green has continued to write books in this vein, often exploring how teenagers deal with loss and grief, which are incredibly ‘deep’ subjects for his shallow writing. His fixation with these ideas is often at the cost of writing a decent plot line. The blurb on the back exclaims “this novel will stay with you forever”, and it surely has, for all the wrong reasons. Kitty Turpin 22 / ARTS & LITERATURE
David Nichollis,
Starter for 10 is the debut novel of English Screenwriter and former actor, David Nicholls. The plot follows Brian Jackson, a first year university student with an ambition – to make it onto the hit television quiz show “University Challenge.” Brian tentatively attempts to romance a fellow first year student, the beautiful Alice Harbinson, but he may have more in common with abrasive and Marxist law student Rebecca Epstein. Brian is by turns intelligent, woefully inexperienced, self conscious yet utterly not self aware, and irredeemably naïve. He’s a dexterous creation of a character who will have the reader both cringing at his ridiculousness and cheering at his somewhat backward attempts ‘To Be Better.’ The story is set in a 1985 Britain, and is naturally drenched in issues concerning the social classes, but is universal in its themes. Despite the rom com/screwball comedy vibe, this novel aims for a certain ruthless psychological realism. Most people who have been through, or are going through, their first year of university can find something about Brian to relate to. Starter for 10 is a wonderful and honest debut by a novelist who has only gotten better with his work. Rhys Tarling
Read a book lately? Send us your review: art.dircksey@gmail.com
DIRCKSEY
Opera: Why Not? By Mae Anthony
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
I sat down with Katherine Goyder and Louis Hurley, WAAPA Classical Vocal graduates and creators and editors of The O Word to talk about their blog and where they think Opera can take us.
What is the O-Word and how does it work? KG: The O-word is a blog that posts weekly to bi-weekly about anything opera-related that we think the world needs to know. We post every Sunday, and sometimes during the week. Recently we have come up with a few themes. One theme is called Vocal Voyages, where we talk to a Perth or Australian performer who is training overseas. It’s great because it gives us the chance to share things that singers, especially undergrads, don’t know about. It also lets other people know what Australian musicians are doing. LH: We hope to express that we have the same experiences as everyone in the hope to abolish the snooty vibes people associate with Opera. The aim of the blog is to get the ‘O word’ out there and to introduce and educate people about the art form. KG: We hope to guide people who don’t understand how to get into it. People think that with classical music that once you’ve heard one thing you’ve heard it all, but it’s not the case! I think people have to think about it in terms of genres like you do with films. It is important to understand that when you watch an opera that knowing its type is essential. You’re not going to see La Boheme to see a comedy, and you’re also going to be listening to a full-piece orchestra and it’s going to be dramatic and upsetting; but when you see Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, you’re going to be introduced to older style instruments and it’s going to be funny and relatable. LH: You’re not going to go to a movie and not enjoy it and say “I don’t like all movies”. So people shouldn’t do it with opera. It’s important to know, that we don’t want to be patronising and we don’t want to claim that Opera is the ‘best’. KG: Oh definitely not. We don’t want to claim Opera is the ‘best’ or anything, we just want to give it the go it deserves.
When did you guys come up with this and what inspired it? LH: I’d say it was a combination of events, one of them was during the opera that we were involved in, which was WAAPA’s showing of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The other event was our attendance at a brunch put on by Opera Lovers with Brad Cohen, who is a highly respected conductor and the current (recently appointed) artistic director of WA Opera. He talked about how Opera seems to be dying out and how we really need to be creating some kind of revolution. KG: He was talking about how if you put the word ‘opera’ in the title of a show it is likely to sell less. We were sitting there thinking ‘wow, that’s a thing?’ LH: As if opera has become a toxic word or something. KG: One night I went to see an opera, and there were some people in front of me who had clearly never been to an opera before and it was evident that they weren’t willing to give it a chance. You have to keep an open mind. We came up with the idea [of the blog] during October, but we didn’t get things going until the end of recital season, so the blog wasn’t live until late November (2015). LH: Deciding on the name was difficult. Kate came up with all these terrible puns. KG: Like Opera-tunity, Getting Bizet, Blopera. Louis even came up with Opera-Winfrey. We knew after listening to Brad Cohen that it was going to be called the ‘O Word’ because it’s mysterious and intriguing.
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ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
How many writers do you have for the blog and what are they up to? KG: Louis and I like to think of us as writers and editors. We also have Ry Charleston (who completed his grad-dip in 2015) and Emma Ashton (who completed her bachelor in 2015). All of our writers thus far have been classical singers. We don’t want this to remain the case as we’d like to have other people who are involved in opera write for us. We don’t have an ‘exact’ number of writers, we want to see it expand. We’d like to have variation in what we are producing. LH: For example, we’d love to do something like ‘The Day in the Life of a Pit Musician.’ We also hope to talk to people who are working all over the world whenever possible. What is it like contacting people in your industry around Perth to talk about Opera? KG: Everyone is very approachable and happy to share their experiences with us. Our slogan for The O Word is “amateur writers, passionate musicians”. I explain to people that I am not a writer (well by trade anyway) but I am a singer at WAAPA, and when I contact people their response is always warm and cooperative. LH: Everyone is easy to get in contact with and willing to help. There’s also the WAAPA lecturers who are so inspiring and keen to get involved in things. They have much wisdom to share and it surprises me that people don’t take advantage of the assets that WAAPA offers.
“
Don’t experiment sexually, Experiment theatrically
”
KG: Just talking to the teachers at WAAPA, listening to the experiences they’ve lived, and hearing all these stories. It’s comforting to find that they have all been through what you’re going through. What is the most exciting part of running this blog for you? LH: Hearing what people have to say. You might never have thought of a certain angle or way of looking at things, and you can use it to help yourself and each other. It’s cemented what I have known all along about wanting to do music professionally. KG: My favourite thing so far is the way it has created a strong foundation for me into the opera and classical world and what I do. And not only has it helped me understand my opinions better, but also the opinions of others. There are some things we can’t say at our age and with our limited experience through the work we do. We don’t have the technique and the capability to fully show everything we would like to our audience just yet, because it takes years to develop. The O Word gives me a chance to show the world why I’m doing this, which is overwhelming for me.
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Opera is a great art-form that has existed for hundreds of years but why do you think we need it now? LH: When I tell people what I do and why I do it, I talk about how music is such a huge expression of emotion. Opera is high-stakes singing, emotion and drama and it needs to continue to be supported in society because it’s unique. It’s used in advertising, and everyone knows what opera is and I think if something is so heavily involved in public collective conscious then they should give it a chance. KG: It’s cheaper to go to the opera than it is to go to the footy. I don’t think Opera is more important than any other art-form, but what shows you history better than music? We have architecture, letters and other artefacts from history that have shown us so much about the world, but Opera has reflected upon change in society, culture, and the physical world. What you learn from Opera, that you can’t learn from architecture and paintings, is how similar people of history were to us. Do you think there are any benefits of opera for university students in particular? LH: I think that people should go for it because now is the time to be open-minded. Don’t experiment sexually, experiment theatrically. KG: I’d love it if people would message our Facebook page asking about a show and what to expect. So say someone messages in saying “I’m going to see La Bohème tonight, what should I expect?” We would reply with something like “It’s not going to be happy, but at the same time there’s going to be lots of drugs, lots of alcohol, and lots of sex, someone’s going to fall in love and it’s going to be a wild show.” LH: It is the job of the educated to tell people these things and to do it gladly. We would love it if people would do this. Opera is just sex, death and politics. So why not check it out? Go to the website, or their facebook, to find out more: theowordblog.com facebook.com/theoword
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
UP & COMING: SEGUE SAFARI
Words by Mae Anthony I got to catch up with the 70s pop revival band, Segue Safari. They have been working in the Perth music scene since the beginning of 2015 as a second incarnation of front man Jeremy Segal’s previous musical project. Segue Safari draws influence from John Lennon’s solo work and, particu-larly, from the late David Bowie. Band members include Jeremy Segal on lead-vocals and guitar, Daniel Zeljko on guitar and synth, Sam Blitvich on bass and vocals, and Jacob Sartori on drums and vocals.
Why ‘Segue Safari’? JSe: The name was inspired by my experience going on a Segway Safari whilst on holiday with my family in South Africa a few years prior to the construction of the initial band project. Changing the spelling of Segway to ‘Segue’ was my friend (Tom) Freeman’s idea, who’s another local musician. SB: We tend to hear many humorous, yet understandable, mispronunciations of the name. Who writes for the band? JSe: I tend to write the chords melody and lyrics of each song. The band helps piece it together and arrange it. I feel rather hopeless when it comes to being able to hear how the whole thing will sound so this is where these guys come in. They make it sound like something. How would you describe your involvement in the Perth Music Scene? JSe: I like to think that we’re there. SB: We’re finding now that we’re starting to get some recognition. There is a ‘before’ period where people seem to sit outside of the ‘Perth Music Scene’ where they’re not what’s considered ‘hip’ and ‘happening’ yet. It takes time to get yourself noticed. JSa: There is definitely a hip factor to it. SB: Once you’re inside the ‘hip circle’ then The Bird will give you a show and you are in the Perth Music Scene. JSe: Playing at community events, such as the WAM Festival and RTR’s Distant Murmurs event, has been really affirming of what we’re doing in Perth.
DZ: The EP launch is booked for the 27 February at 459. JSe: Our sound has changed from the previous one. That was a totally different band with more of a 60s psychedelic-rock sound. This EP is more lo-fi due to us recording it ourselves…using a really bad laptop. SB: With really good mics! JSe: I think we are starting to see some evolution in our new songs. Not the ones on the EP we’re about to put out, Have you got any exciting gigs or but ones we are working on for the next highlights planned this year? EP. JSe: We had RTR Distant Murmurs JSa: They’re not different but they have Festival (January 16th) and we have an a distinct sound. EP launch coming up soon. We were on SB: The EP that we’re about to put out RTR recently. It’s early in the year, but represents the step before where we these are probably our biggest ones so are right now, and how things have far. developed. SB: We start recording for another EP soon, potentially within the next Short/long-term Band goals? month. A Bunbury gig would be JSe: We’d love to play In the Pines at amazing. Something like the Prince some point. of Wales in Bunbury would be a good JSa: We’re really keen to do this next EP experience. and then maybe do an album. We’ve got a lot to shoot for. You have been working on an EP! JSe: It would be cool to do a tour over How long for and when will it be east, if we had the money, the right released? Do you feel it represents a connections and booked shows with certain type of evolution? bands doing similar stuff. That would SB: Jeremy started recording for the EP be a real achievement. just before we started playing together. JSe: We were playing around with Catch the band at 459 Bar on February things before we started as a band and 27th for their EP Launch. recorded one track that made it onto the Friends EP. We started recording Find them on facebook at: other tracks before I went to Europe, facebook.com/seguesafari back in June (2015) and the first thing I did when I got home was start mixing. Roughly how many gigs do you do a year? JSe: Roughly a gig a fortnight, depending on what’s happening. There was nothing happening when I went away for two months. SB: We didn’t tell him but we kept playing. Everyone liked us more without Jez. Daniel sang. JSe: Oh yes I’ve heard him sing, he has a delicious, angelic voice.
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DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Friends
MUSIC REVIEWS
Segue Safari, 2016
The previous incarnation of Segue Safari, a 60s-style psychedelic rock band, have transformed their sound with a 70s-Pop twist. The tracks from their new EP, “Friends”, are covered with dreamy tones and smooth vocal lines. The EP opens with the title track “Friends” that has a familiar feeling to it in its psychedelic riffs and vocals. Tracks “Easy Target” and “Coming Out Of Space” make you want to groove like there’s no tomorrow. Lead singer Jeremy Segal’s voice is beyond his years and his writing is outstanding and bursting with fresh ideas. It has an earthy, raw sound: an intimate sound, with a sharp contrast that becomes spacious due to the use of effects. The EP comes out on February 27 with a launch at Bar 459 with bands John Martyr’s Ghost, Salary, and Mung Dahl. Mae Anthony
Blackstar
David Bowie, 2016
David Bowie’s 25th and final album, Blackstar, was released on January 8, 2016: Bowie’s 69th Birthday and two days before his unexpected death. It contains 7 tracks, and is available on CD, Vinyl and Digital Download. The lengthy first track “Blackstar” is not easy-listening, through there are moments throughout this album that are classic Bowie-isms in terms of the fusion of multiple styles. They are emotive and poetic. In his truest form, Bowie was a storyteller. “Lazarus” is a beautiful track, which reaches its climax in a gorgeous, expressive sax solo. There were things in this album that I absolutely loved, and others that I couldn’t quite grasp. There is a dark cloud hovering over the album and listening to it post Bowie’s death is a very powerful thing. Mae Anthony
The Love Below André 3000, 2003
I don’t generally take kindly to men asking for a huge ass being one of the features they desire in a woman, and that is exactly what The Love Below is. Don’t get me wrong, some of Andre 3000’s songs are catchy. We all know hits like “Hey Ya” and “Roses”, but the rest of the album is questionable. I had to check I was still listening to “The Love Below” when Norah Jones features on the song “Take off Your Cool”, which felt like an unlikely duet and was a rather soft acoustic song that could have done with a bit more. Other than these, this album was incredibly hard to listen to, being a woman with strong social ethics. Perhaps Andre 3000’s chances in finding a woman would be greater if he didn’t talk about their asses so much. Kitty Turpin
So Fresh Hits of Spring Compilation, 2015
Who knew this was still going? It’s essentially fresh, but for how long? There are tracks on it that seem to have passed under the radar and it makes you wonder what the point is behind the whole ‘fresh’ concept. The idea of “So Fresh” has been consistent since its beginning in 2000, but its content has changed substantially with the stand-still that mainstream music-industry has evidently reached. To be brutally honest, it all sounds the same: the sound effects and especially the voices. The popular music industry is churning out is the same thing over and over. 40 years ago when an album was released people who responded profoundly to that album would add it to their collection. Will people have the So Fresh CD, or online download, in their collection when their 40, with a family and playing it in their house? I hope not. Mae Anthony 26 / MUSIC
Have an EP, CD or Single coming out? Send it to us at: music.dircksey@gmail.com
DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
The Graduates: Where Are They Now Words by Sarah Stopforth Hoa Xuande and Brittany Morel are two of WAAPA’s brightest newcomers. Recipients of Best Actor and Best Actress at the 2015 West Australian Screen Academy Awards for their performances in To The End (Director: Jeremy Thomson), I asked them to come into the Dircksey office to talk about their first year at WAAPA, and what’s next for them.
How would you describe your first year at WAAPA? BM: Intense, amazing, and eye opening. Everything gets thrown at you. HX: First year was my least favourite out of the three. I struggled in first year because there’s so much to deal with. You don’t get to do plays because they’re like “you don’t know anything, we’re going to hammer all this technique into you.” I struggled not being from Perth. It was difficult [the transition] then living with eighteen different people… BM: We had so much time, like forty-five hours a week with everyone [the students]. HX: New course, new life, new place, new people. It was tough, but we got through. BM: It was amazing because everything was new. I came out of school and one year at a different university. It was nice to have everyone in the same place, wanting to do what you wanted to do. When did you start acting? BM: The first play I ever did was in year eight. That was the first time where I was like, “Oh, I really like this.” I didn’t actually enjoy drama until year eleven. I had some massive personalities in my class and I was like “Oh no, I mustn’t be good because I don’t want to be huge, and out there.” HX: Yes, we call them “Musical Theatre.” [laughs] BM: Then it came to year eleven and I was like, “Actually I love this.” Ever since then, it’s what I do. HX: I came to acting quite late. I didn’t do drama at school. I was involved in a school play, but it was because they needed ‘an Asian’ and I was that. It was fine. I loved doing it. After school, I worked in a bar, and other stuff, to try and figure out what I wanted to do. I hung around people who were artsy, creatives who were writing short films, and actors and just sort of fell into it. I decided that this was something I was interested in. Then I auditioned for WAAPA, and here I am.
When did you know you wanted a career in acting? BM: It was during year eleven at school. I was like, “I don’t think anything would make me happier than just being able to act for a living.” That was it. I couldn’t think of anything else. HX: You know when you watch movies and you’re like “That would be really fun to do”. There were lots of different moments like that for me. Because I’m a bit older, putting myself through three years of university, again, was a hectic decision to make. I decided to look up WAAPA and was like, “I’m going to move on in life and train again for three years”. Over your 3 years at WAAPA, what were your career ambitions? BM: Mine changed throughout the three years. In first year I came in with the idea that I loved theatre. As we went along, I thought, with film you get to be on many different locations and around many different people. That’s when I decided, for the long run, I want to experience more film. HX: I can’t speak for everyone who wants to be an actor, but I think that a lot of people who want to become actors have grown up watching TV or film or been exposed to YouTube. Watching this stuff on screen, you decide you want to become an actor. I can only speak for myself, but that’s how I wanted to be an actor. I remember watching Requiem for a Dream. That was the moment I decided. Ellen Burstein plays this mother and she’s heartbreaking. You watch that and it’s like “How are you doing that?!” I want to be able to do that. I want to become a great actor in order to tell those kinds of stories, to be able to affect people! It definitely affected me.
To The End (Jeremy Thomson, 2015)
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DIRCKSEY
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
How did you find working together on To The End? Was this your first experience acting together? HX: To The End was the first time that we got to intimately work together and have a deeper connection. It was an intimate film. BM: Which I think is wonderful in third year. When you’ve had the two years experience to have history [together]. HX: [To The End] was a short film that was produced by the WA Screen Academy. Their students collaborate, write, direct and produce films and then they get us to act in them. To The End is a love story. BM: It’s a teenage relationship with someone who decides they need to go away for a job and how they deal with it. HX: They produced six short films last year. This was the ‘drama’ of the six. What is your best advice for first year acting students? HX: Don’t be a dickhead. Don’t be arrogant. Don’t come in and think you know everything. They’ll shut you down and it will be a hard three years. WAAPA is a small bubble in the bigger picture. BM: Have fun and don’t take it too seriously. It’s university! It’s time to PLAY.
What were your goals upon starting your degree at WAAPA? HX: Coming to WAAPA was one of the goals. BM: Getting into WAAPA was a massive [goal]. HX: Just doing plays or films and doing the best you can for each of them was a goal that I’m proud of completing. Now we’ve got a network of seventeen actors that we can talk to all the time. Another goal was getting representation. BM: That was a big one for me. I was reserved in high school. I wanted to see how much I could open up as an actor and how far we could actually go with acting, which I think has been reached, on and off, in different things. What are you goals now? HX: I’m going to grab my first Oscar next year. It’s happening, [laughs] I’ll beat Leo [DiCaprio] to it. In the meantime, I’ll just fill it out with other stuff. Do you have any ambitions internationally? Any particular country you’d like to work in? BM: I would love to work in Europe doing period pieces, like Downton Abbey. HX: For me, I would love to establish a profile in Australia. BM: Yeah, I agree, starting out here. HX: When I think overseas, I’m aiming more towards the States. I know a lot of people say that, but for me I actually
To The End (Jeremy Thomson, 2015) How did you get into Black Swan Theatre Company? BM: We did an audition for the bridging company. HX: It’s a new Black Swan initiative to keep Western Australian actors in Perth. With showcase at WAAPA, we end up in Sydney. Then graduates stay there. The initiative is an attempt to keep WA talent in WA. The bridging company tries to bridge trained actors into professional theatre, so they don’t have to fly elsewhere to find work. Then emerging directors, writers and producers collaborate with emerging artists and actors, at a state level, through Black Swan. Hopefully this goes well and continues, so there are always opportunities for WA talent to stay. It’s great that Black Swan is doing something about it. What have you been working on? BM: We have been working on our Black Swan show! We had three weeks after finishing [WAAPA showcase] before coming back to Perth. It was good to jump straight back in and work with people that we’ve been working with for three years.
28 / FILM
feel that’s where a lot of my opportunities would come from. That’s where I’m steering course. It’s probably going to take me a year or so. You have to develop your base first before you can go elsewhere. States is where I have my… SS: Eye on the horizon! HX: Yeah, that’s where it is. You can see Hoa and Brittany performing with the Black Swan Theatre Company. To see what’s on, go to: bsstc.com.au
DIRCKSEY
FILM REVIEWS
ISSUE 1: FRESHERS
Dazed & Confused
Boyhood
Writer/director Richard Linklater’s brilliant cult classic created one of Matthew McConaughey’s most famous catch phrases, “alright, alright, alright”. This story chronicles the last day of school in a Texan town in May of 1976, and is not simply a ‘stoner comedy’ but a story as old as time not to take life too seriously. Named after the Led Zeppelin song of the same name, Dazed and Confused has left a considerable mark on the world. Even Quentin Tarantino himself called it the tenth best film of all time. The best thing, I feel, after watching this film, is that stereotypes still exist, such as the American high school stereotypes of jocks, nerds, stoner dudes, popular girls, freshmen. This movie shows how such stereotypes not only co-exist, but they mingle, and the characters come to respect their differences and form friendships despite them. So, as McConaughey would also say, “Just keep livin’. L-I-V-I-N.”
I will never forget the first time I watched this movie at the Nova Cinema on Lygon Street, Melbourne. When I heard that Coldplay song and saw those clouds, I knew in my gut that this was going to be a special one. The film follows the growth of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and, for me, is a cinematic masterpiece. It was filmed over twelve years, something rarely done, if not ever. Shot entirely on 35mm film, in order for the film to look consistent, it makes for a beautiful aesthetic. It won Best Picture Drama at the Golden Globes and was nominated for six Academy Awards. More films like this need to be made, and it does not surprise that Richard Linklater was the one to make it. If you were born in the early to mid 90s this film will remind you of everything that made your childhood what it was (especailly the soundtrack!) and might even change your perspective on life thus far. I know it did for me.
Sarah Stopforth
Sarah Stopforth
Carnal Knowledge
Grease
Carnal Knowledge stars the ever-so-charming Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel (Yes, of Simon & Garfunkel). It was directed and produced by Mike Nichols (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf [1966], The Graduate [1967], Closer [2004]) - huge fan. This film was frustrating. It essentially documents the sexual relationships of two best friends, from losing their virginities in college to marriage. My main frustration with this film was that the women here only serve one purpose: sex. This doesn’t change throughout the course of the film, which left me very dissatisfied with the plotline. The only thing that made me persevere was Jack Nicholson’s tremendous performance.
I was one of those people who had never seen the cult classic film, Grease. Now I have and I don’t regret it, mostly because John Travolta is a massive babe. The only thing that I liked about this movie was Travolta and the music. I’m not big on musicals, but I could see myself singing along if I watched this movie again. What disappointed me, after the years of hype, was the plot line. It literally follows two high school students romantic endevours, perpetuates American high school stereotypes and chucks in random events that are obvious filler that don’t aid the storyline. I honestly cannot understand how it is the “celebrated icon” that it is today.
Sarah Stopforth
Kitty Turpin
Richard Linklater, 1993
Mike Nichols, 1971
Richard Linklater, 2014
Randal Kleiser, 1978
Watched a movie recently? Send us your thoughts at: film.dircksey@gmail.com
FILM / 29
LIVING AWAY FROM HOME? FOUR VIDEOS TO HELP YOU LEARN ABOUT SEXUAL HEALTH IN AUSTRALIA
HEALTH SERVICE COSTS
DISCUSSING STIs
BE
IMPORTANCE OF SAFE SEX
SAFE S TAY
WELL
Watch the videos healthywa.wa.gov.au/internationalstudents
SEX AND THE LAW
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