March 31, 2022
The Recharge Lounge
Do you remember when the Marinette campus had a bookstore? While we miss our campus store, that space has now become a lovely addition to campus culture—the Recharge Lounge. This pair of rooms, located to the right of Student Services as you enter the main building, features comfy couches, soft lighting, lava lamps, and a coffee maker. And if you peek around the doorway in the back, you’ll see another space with floor cushions and pillows if you need a quick power nap. The lounge is a quiet, soothing space to study or just relax in between classes. 
Katelyn Rusk and Payton Furmanski take a blended Zoom class withProfessor Tracy Fernandez Rysavy in the Recharge Lounge.
Don’t forget about our campus Little Free Library, located in the square in the center of campus. Constructed and painted by Marinette campus maintenance supervisor Ken Lesperance, this sweet little book box has free novels and nonfiction books for the taking. Take a book when you’d like one; leave a book when you have some extra to give away. (No boring textbooks or damaged books, please.) 
In the Heights is a vibrant musical set in the pan-Latino barrio of Washington Heights, Manhattan. Our main lead, Usnavi, runs his bodega—infamous for its delicious café con leche—while dreaming of the Dominican Republic. He loves Washington Heights, but his eyes are set on returning to the warm Caribbean nation of his ancestors. Usnavi is not the only one aspiring. His friends in the barrio are striving fashion designers, undocumented students with hopes, small business owners, and young people who carry their family’s dreams. The cast raps and sings about gentrification, identity, love, and so much more. Though rents are rising in Washington Heights, the movie’s optimism pours through its breakout song “Paciencia y Fe. Patience and Faith.” In the Heights celebrates, without shame, an American tomorrow that can still hold the promise of something better. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (creator of Hamilton), this movie will not disappoint in either entertainment or heart. Catch In the Heights on HBOmax.
Tick Tick…Boom! is a homage and celebration of Jonathan Larson, the late Broadway composer who wrote Rent. The movie, based on Larson’s autobiographical rock-monologue of the same name, follows an artist’s passion and anxiety as he “tries to make it” in New York City. Larson, whose looming 30th birthday haunts his waking hours, is busy with his musical’s first production. This could be his chance to be noticed by a Broadway producer with a big check who could change his life. Meanwhile, he has a girlfriend whose calls he hasn’t returned, he can’t pay his bills, and the country is being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. Tick Tick…Boom! has the elements of an engrossing memoir, but with all the charm and enchantment of a musical. If you didn’t know Jonathan Larson’s life before, you’ll be glad to experience it. And for all you theater nerds out there, this one’s for you. Stream Tick Tick…Boom! on Netflix.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga: Are you in the “I hate Will Ferrell” camp? I’m not, but I’ve talked to a lot of people who refuse to see Eurovision Song Contest because they can’t stand the former Saturday Night Live comedian’s movies. Tragically, these people are missing out on one of the funniest feel-good films released during the pandemic. Eurovision Song Contest tells the story of Fire Saga, an Icelandic singing duo made up of Lars (Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams), who perform regularly at a tavern in their hometown of Húsavik. While the two are busy satisfying bar patrons who hilariously demand that they sing a jaunty, slightly risqué tune called “Ja Ja Ding Dong” at least every other number, they dream of entering the Eurovision Song Contest. Like the soccer World Cup, America has largely ignored this American-Idol-style contest, despite its international popularity. It features singers and bands from across the European Union, the more outlandish, the better. While the residents of Húsavik have their doubts, Lars and Sigrit are determined to try for one of Iceland’s spots in the contest—especially since Sigrit feels that the elusive “Speorg note,” a gorgeous note that can only be sung when you’re being your truest self—is within her reach. Things go well during their first number in the opening rounds, until a hamster-wheel prop Lars is running in falls from its cables, sending him sprawling across the stage and nearly strangling Sigrit when it catches on her scarf. They’re the laughingstock of the EU, but then, a miracle happens…. Eurovision Song Contest:The Story of Fire Saga was just what I needed at the start of the pandemic—it made me laugh, it tugged my heartstrings, and it had me happily singing along on my couch. If you like your musicals with a side of ridiculousness, be sure to catch this fun little film. And I dare you not to join in when the contestants, featuring several real-life Eurovision favorites, launch into a group “Song-Along.” Now streaming on Netflix.
Black Orpheus (1959)
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
If you’re looking for one of those all-too-real but out-of-this-world kind of stories, then This Will Be Funny Later: A Memoir by Jenny Pentland is perfect for you. Newly published, it tells the story of Pentland growing up as the daughter of Roseanne Barr from the TV sitcom Roseanne, and all of the ugly truths that came with a family graced with fame in the 1980s. It’s laced with irony and dark humor throughout, explaining how she and her siblings struggled with body weight issues, bullies, crazy fans of their mother, mental institutions, and even parental divorce—very much opposite of the sitcom based loosely on their actual lives. Just when she thinks life is getting better, something else always goes awry. And yet somehow, she manages to make it through her insane life to become happily married and raising a family, though bumps in the road still happen.
My Brother, My Brother, and Me, often shortened to MBMBaM, is a comedy podcast where the three McElroy brothers answer listener questions with advice you should never follow. They also have several ongoing segments. When Yahoo Answers was still alive (RIP), the brothers would try to answer the many bizarre questions posed there and see what other people online said while trying to help their fellow Yahoo users. After the service was shut down, the McElroys resorted to looking at the strange and oddly specific articles on WikiHow during their “Wizard of the Cloud” segment. Justin, the eldest brother, has a long running bit called “Munch Squad,” where he discusses the wild world of branded food (think of things like when Planters Peanuts decided to kill off their mascot Mr. Peanut a few years back). There are several more segments that have come and gone over the course of the show’s almost 12-year run. Sometimes, they will have guests on the show, including other podcasters, comedians, and the occasional celebrity, like Lin-Manuel Miranda.
People who are not too knowledgeable about games may be confused about how someone would stress over games and all that goes on in them, but when you start to play XCOM: Enemy Unknown for yourself, you will see how entertaining it really is. Most engagements will leave you on the edge of your seat, whether you lose a soldier, or they survive to fight another day. In the case of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, every choice that you make can be the very last, whether the mission ends in victory or absolute defeat. You play as the “Commander” of an anti-alien military force fighting back the invading forces trying to take over Earth.
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century takes place in the year 2049 where we meet Zenon Carr, a spunky 13- year-old living in space. Life is good on the space station until she finds herself in trouble, and her parents send her to live on Earth. This is Zenon’s worst nightmare. She must mitigate a phobia-prone aunt and the savageness of middle school on planet Earth. If this isn’t enough of a crisis, Zenon soon discovers an evildoer plans to crash the space station. She must get back to space to save her home AND not miss her favorite pop group’s first space performance. The stakes are high, apparently. You won’t want to miss how the action unfolds. Available to stream on Disney+.
The kids of Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire are in a pickle. Adam and Chelsea Hansen, brother-sister duo, have plans for a fun evening, but they’re grounded. Adam can’t possibly miss his concert, and Chelsea finds her boyfriend too dreamy to bail on their date. As fate would have it, their mom has a date on that same night. It would all be perfect, except their little brother uncovers that mom’s date is really a vampire. The new mission of the night turns into saving Mom Hansen from the undead! Enter the vampire hunter. This movie is advertised as a horror-comedy; there’s not much spook, but plenty of laugh-worthy scenes in all its ridiculousness. Available to stream on Disney+.
When I began college, I was still struggling in high school. My grades dropped. Topics held no interest. I felt stressed out because I wasn’t going to understand the basic things that most others my age had learned already, leaving me in a feeling of hopelessness and low self-worth. However, as a college student I excelled. The difference? Self-confidence. Anything we do in life requires it, but many of us lack sufficient levels of it. How can we practice building our self-confidence in a way that it empowers and sticks with us, enabling us to be accomplished in our life goals?