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Soulful sounds bring musical production to life

Don't let depression get you down

Career Development gives students direction

Music Reviews...
Manson's sophomore effort
Anticrist Superstar crucifies


Soulful sounds bring musical production to life
Perrin Avent
Staff Writer

Now you could talk about the Lord, preach about the Lord, or do what the Black Student Association Gospel choir does best and sing about the Lord. Sunday evening at Farthing Auditorium, the soulful choir did just that.

Rev. Cornelius Young’s choir wanted everyone in attendance that night to know that not one member was afraid to say "Tell Heaven I’m Coming."

"Tell Heaven I’m Coming" was a beautifully directed musical play, bringing together the multi- talented BSA choir members who brought the joyful musical to the stage.

Award winning playwright, Theron McConneyhead wrote, produced and directed the play, while the musical genius of Rev. Young blended in the inspirational songs that you could carry home with you long after the last curtain call.

The life of the portrayed working class family was not always at it’s best, especially around the Christmas holidays. However, the play showed how with the love of the Lord, family support and friends, all you have to do is "hold on" to make things better.

The laughter through the tears and the joy through the sorrow became the emotions transferred from the characters to the audience. You could almost feel the pain the family faced during their hardships and were always grateful to laugh during their times of triumph.

The spotlight certainly shined on the actors and actresses who combined theatrical talents and soulful voices to bring their characters to life.

The cooperation put into the play showed as the members, whether a main character, background singer or stage director, each added a spark to the play to make it glow.

"We were very pleased with the play," said Student Director, Fernando G. Little of Charlotte. "We felt like the play gave us an opportunity to display the true meaning of Christmas, and if we were able to convey that message then we are pleased. The choir worked very hard."

It shows. With their voices, the choir expressed messages of love and hope. And if just one note sung is an inspiration for a ear that hears it, they need to sing on.

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Don't let depression get you down
Sandra Isley
Reporter

Most people believe that the Great Depression occurred in the 1920s, but the great depression is the one that ends in suicide.

As part of Women’s Awareness Week, Christie Graves and Charlotte Gaines from the Wellness Peer Education program came to Belk Hall to speak about depression.

Depression can be brought on by cognitive distortions, which is when we think negative thoughts about ourselves.

An example of this is should statements such as, ‘I should study for three hours.’ Gaines said, "If you don’t feel like it, you shouldn’t because you won’t be punished for it." Then she adds jokingly, "Unless you haven’t studied at all."

Another way we abuse ourselves is that we say things to ourselves that we would not say to others. The key to feeling better about yourself is not to treat yourself with less respect and dignity than you would others.

Depression is a serious illness because it may lead to suicide. The saddest death of all is when a person decides to take their own life, so look for the signs and symptoms of depression.

  1. Lack of interest in their favorite activities
  2. Disturbance of sleep
  3. Disturbance of appetite
  4. Feeling sad and down, crying a lot, irritable
  5. Suicidal idealization

There are five parts of suicide idealization.

  1. Idealization - They are thinking about killing themselves
  2. Psychosomatic retardation - Their movements and speech become slow
  3. Plan - They already know how it will be carried out
  4. Means - They have the necessary equipment needed to carry it out
  5. Intent - They intend to carry it out

If a person shows these symptoms and answers yes to the five parts of suicidal idealization - intervene. Talk to the person and let them know that tomorrow can only get better.

Depression is like any other illness. It can be cured or it can be fatal. Just remember two things: We all make mistakes. Learn from them, keep them in proper perspective and move on. Also, you deserve to be happy, so why put it off any longer? CELEBRATE YOURSELF!!!

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Career Development gives students direction
Carol Clayton
Reporter

"What do I do with my life? What should I major in?" Many of us ask ourselves these questions every day. Now is the time we all feel the pressure to know which paths we are going to take, and plan accordingly.

For those of you who are stressed about these issues and more, you need not fear. Peer Career has the answer.

Peer Career, a program jointly sponsored by the Career Development Center and Psychological Services Center, is located on the second floor of the Student Union next to the Gold Room. The center exists to help students decide the directions they want to take in their lives.

If you’re a senior, it may have taken you four years to finally find that direction, or you may still be searching. Peer Career is here to help you find the answer.

"Peer Career emphasizes that having direction in your life is important and we’re here to help you get that direction," said Director Jennie Cassidy, Ph.D. "We have tests, software instruments, reference materials and other resources," she said.

"If you just want to talk with us, that’s great too. What makes our program unique compared to any other career development program in the state is the fact that our counselors are students," said Cassidy. "We have 10 student counselors and are always recruiting new students."

The North Carolina Career Development Association (NCCDA) has designated November as Career Development Month; a special time to focus attention on career development.

"To emphasize Career Development Month, we had a ‘Lucy Booth’ where students paid a nickel to get advice," said Cassidy. "Hopefully, the people who participated will visit Peer Career and complete the evaluation process."

"Students don’t realize the services we offer could easily cost $300 after they graduate," she said. "Now is the time to take advantage of career counseling opportunities."

"We surveyed freshmen in 1996 and found that 82 percent were unsure about their career choices. My goal would be reached if every student who is unsure would visit the center in order to find more information and sort out their values," Cassidy said.

Similar to Peer Career is the Career Development Center, located on the third floor of the new administrative building. This valuable program helps students in their job searches.

"The ideal situation would be for students to go to Peer Career, figure out what they want to do, and visit our center for further implementation of these plans," said Director David Ball, Ph.D.

"We are very excited about the new technology center we are starting in January. This system will allow students to access job opportunity information and send their resumes to prospective employers via the internet," said Ball.

According to Ball, the center will house 11 computers and provide workshops on how to use the new program.

As you can see, you don’t have to face the tough task of deciding your future alone. Now is the time to take advantage of the free services offered you.

For more information on Peer Career, contact Jennie Cassidy at 262-2029. To learn more about the new services offered through Career Development, Call David Ball at 262-2105.

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Music Review...

Marilyn Manson - Anticrist Superstar

Elysian Fields - Bleed Your Cedar

Corrosion of Conformity - Wiseblood

John Parish / Polly Jean Harvey - Dance Hall at Louse Point

Hobex - Payback EP


Manson's sophomore effort Antichrist Superstar crucifies
Marilyn Manson - Anticrist Superstar (Nothing/Interscope)

In my haste to listen to this much anticipated follow-up to Manson’s debut LP, something happened to me that I didn’t expect: Marilyn Manson shocked me. Not in their typical gory, scare-tactic fashion, but musically.

This album is not as bad as I expected it to be. The band’s music was overshadowed by their formidable shock rock image on Portrait of an American Family and the EP, Smells Like Children, and rightfully so. Manson was not quite there on these two releases. The music was uneven. The image was too much.

On Antichrist Superstar, they seem to have found a happy medium between being over-the-top and under-the-table. They can still manage to unsettle the average rock listener with their look. They also slip you that little bit of darkness that you know you’re not supposed to have, but want anyway.

This album benefits from Trent Reznor’s accomplished musicianship and production presence. Remember that this is Manson’s band, though. Reznor doesn’t run the show by any stretch of the imagination. Manson manages to cope with the departure of Daisy Berkowitz with the help of Reznor and fellow n.i.n.-ers, Danny Lohner, Sean Beavan and Chris Vrenna.

Seldom will you hear sounds as dense as those on "The Beautiful People" and "Angel with the Scabbed Wings." "1996" may surprise you with its electronic punk feel. Hell, the whole thing may surprise you. Marilyn Manson has finally arrived in a big way with this ominous concept album.

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Elysian Fields - Bleed Your Cedar (Radioactive)

After hearing their first EP, I was expecting a lot from Elysian Fields. The EP was a somber slab of vocals and ambient-feeling music, as opposed to this album’s guitar driven rock.

They manage to keep that dark, emotive mood throughout Bleed..., with tracks such as "Off or Out" and "Parachute" striking a particular nerve. Not bad for a debut.

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Corrosion of Conformity - Wiseblood (Columbia)

Is metal dead? Does it matter to these Raleigh-based headbangers? Probably not. C.O.C. have managed to mix trashy, Sabbath-esque rhythms with bluesy leads (and vocals) into an interesting formula that keeps them out of the gutters, for now.

The top cuts on this slab o’ metal include "King of the Rotten," the Pantera-ish "Goodbye Windows" (maybe that time in Down had an effect on Pepper Keenan), "Man or Ash," the super thrashy "Fuel" and the epic "Bottom Feeder."

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John Parish / Polly Jean Harvey - Dance Hall at Louse Point (Island)

P.J. Harvey has a beautiful voice. She usually writes beautiful lyrics as well. Usually.

Dance Hall... reveals some lyrical limitations (not to mention musical ones) that, although obvious, don’t make the album totally unlistenable. Just mostly unlistenable.

You think you’re getting somewhere with tracks like "Heela" and the title track, but to no avail. This one is for fans only. Not a very viable release from the usually incredible Ms. Harvey.

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Hobex - Payback EP (Phrex)

Aww, yeah. We’re slippin’ back to the seventies for a little groovin’ and movin’, baby.

Seriously, former Dillon Fence frontman Greg Humphreys’ new project definitely outweighs his old band (at least in this writer’s opinion).

Packing it full of grooves and soul is what Hobex is apparently about. Unfortunately, it comes out sounding more like Bread than Marvin Gaye.

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updated:November 14, 1996
E-mail The Appalachian Online at theapp@conrad.appstate.edu