Month: February 2024

February 9, 2024

Nicolas Cage Films

Almost everyone loves a good movie night. Getting all snuggled up under a blanket with some popcorn can be one of the best ways to spend a quiet night at home. If you are anything like me, you’re probably going for a double or even triple feature. When watching movies back to back, it can be fun to choose ones that fit into a specific theme, or as I like to do, movies that include a specific actor. For this edition of the Driftwood, we are focusing on the one and only Nicolas Cage. Appearing in more than 110 movies to date, Cage has a large range of selections for viewers to choose from. As an avid fan, here are two movies of his that I think are must-watches.

National Treasure

In this movie full of drama and adventure, Cage’s character Ben Gates is a historian and code breaker. He has spent his whole life searching for a treasure that is said to date back to the creation of the United States of America. He teams up with treasure hunter Ian Howe, and together they find a clue that points them toward their next step: stealing the Declaration of Independence. With the knowledge of this new clue, Howe betrays Ben with the hopes that he doesn’t have to share the treasure when he finds it. The two then race to the document and the next clue that will lead them to the find of a lifetime. Who will get to the Declaration first to get the next clue, and will the treasure ever be found? Available on Hulu and Disney+.

Willy’s Wonderland

If you are a fan of hilariously bad movies, this one’s for you. In this film (which is quite obviously a rip-off of Five Nights at Freddy’s), Nic Cage plays an unnamed man who finds himself with a flat tire in a small town with only one auto shop that can help him out. The mechanic at this shop offers him a deal: he will fix the car for free, but the man must spend the night cleaning an abandoned Chuck E. Cheese-inspired restaurant called Willy’s Wonderland. He accepts this offer and heads over to the restaurant. It doesn’t take long before he realizes the animatronic animals that perform at Willy’s are no ordinary robots; rather, they are vicious killing machines. On this same night, a group of teenagers who know the truth about the nature of Willy’s Wonderland decide to break in and burn the place down, ending the robots once and for all. Together, the man and teenagers fight against the robots and try to survive until the morning. Will they make it out alive, or will Willy the Weasel and his band get them all? (Please note that this film does contain violence.) Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, the Roku Channel, and Tubi. 

—Payton Rhyner, Movies Editor 

February 9, 2024

Fun Valentine’s Day Facts

• Valentine’s Day came from the ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia that went from February 13 – 15, which is thought to have honored the Roman fertility god Lupercus. Many rituals were performed throughout the festival, such as animal sacrifice and whipping women with strips of goat hide.
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• Red and white are the chosen colors of Valentine’s Day because they represent the blood sacrifice of the animals (red) and the milk used to cleanse the blood (white), from the festival of Lupercalia.
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• “Wearing your heart on your sleeve” means something different from the phrase’s original connotation. In the third century, Roman Emperor Claudius II didn’t want his soldiers weakened by romantic relationships, so they would draw a name of a woman at the festival Juno, who would be their partner for the year. Soldiers would then wear the name of the woman on the sleeve of their shirt to show their bond until a new woman was selected at the next festival.
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• Saint Valentine was beheaded on February 14, 270 A.D for performing marriages in secret. Even though marriage was against the law, he would still marry couples who were in love. After his imprisonment, Claudius told Valentine to renounce his faith or die. Valentine refused to reject Christianity and was sentenced to death by Claudius.
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• Based on discovered texts, there were three saints named Valentine who died or were executed on February 14th. The one celebrated on Valentine’s Day is St. Valentine of Rome.
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• An estimated six-million proposals happen annually on Valentine’s Day. Although the reasons that people want to get engaged on such a cliché day seem to vary, millions take the leap each year.
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• Within the weeks surrounding Valentine’s Day, there is an almost 40% increase in divorces. Many couples tend to wait until after the holidays to investigate what is needed for filing or to actually file for divorce because they don’t want to disappoint families. Some couples also seem to look at Valentine’s Day as a last chance to save their marriage.
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• Almost half of Americans (48%) feel that Valentine’s Day is an overrated holiday. Married couples and singles make up the majority of the group that feels this way.
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• Singles Awareness Day is celebrated on February 15th to rejoice in the love you have for yourself, your family, and your friends. The origins trace back to high-school student Dustin Barnes and a group of friends who in 2001 celebrated being single and their friendship, with discounted Valentine’s candy the day after the holiday. They called it Singles Awareness Day to ironically take advangage of the acronym SAD, which single people on Valentine’s Day were thought to be. Dustin carried on the tradition at college, even getting the copyright in 2005, and his made-up holiday has continued to grow.
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• On average one out of four Americans buy presents for their pets on Valentine’s Day. 27% of people buying Valentine gifts included their pet in the list of recipients. This increase is said to be linked to Valentine’s Day becoming less about couple love and more about celebrating all the love in your life.

February 9, 2024

February Horoscopes

Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Forget Valentine’s Day—keep in mind the 22nd. On this day, Venus and Mars, the planets of love, will align for the first time since March 2022. It’ll be a great time to renew and focus on your closest relationships, platonic or romantic.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Venus and Mars align on the 22nd, an aspect that both ignites passion and stirs drama, and can lead to breakthroughs and breakdowns in your closest relationships. This change allows you to view your romantic life in a new light. How will you move forward?

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
February is more about improving yourself than it is about developing relationships. The full moon in Virgo on the 24th emphasizes how much you’ve grown in your love and private life and how comfortable you are in your skin.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
You’ll spend a lot of this month thinking about love, but think more of the power dynamics in your relationships.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Think about what you need and want from a relationship and communicate. The new moon on February 9th will be a perfect opportunity to set intentions.

Virgo (August 23 – September 23)
While it’s simple to get carried away with fantasies this time of year, in 2024 your top priorities are making the right choices for you and your romantic life. Sometimes the most boring, or reliable, option is the best option.

Libra (September 23 – October 21)
The new moon in Aquarius on the 9th allows you to observe certain people with fresh eyes. Then, on the 22nd, the time will be right to confess to your crush and see where things go. There’s no better time than the present to pursue your person.

Scorpio (October 22 – November 20)
On the 22nd, love planets Venus and Mars will align for the first time since March 2022, providing an opportunity to reset your romantic life. You could get swept away by memories and find yourself reaching into the past for solace and comfort, so be cautious. DON’T TEXT YOUR EX!

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
If you meet a potential partner this month, be careful not to become obsessed with someone you don’t know.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Venus and Mars, the planets of love, spend the first part of the month in your sign, giving you the desire and motivation to pursue love!

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
This month, you’re receiving a lot of love and admiration from everyone!

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
On February 24, the full moon acts as a relationship check-in. If problems emerge, try to be realistic and practical rather than allowing your emotions to get the better of you. It will be easier to tell your truth as you take on your responsibilities on February 28, thanks to the clarifying Mercury and Saturn in your sign.

February 9, 2024

Write an Ae Freislighe Poem

February 9, 2024

Fun Linguistic Fact

Old Irish is the only language with a space between words that is not a blank. In the written form of Old Irish, spaces are also a line. 
The name of the written script is Ogham (the current spelling) or Ogam (the Old Irish spelling). Our oldest Ogam writings are from the 4th century on large stones that were likely grave headers. This script was in use until the 7th century. The Ogam alphabet looks like this (see graphic at right).

February 9, 2024

Useless knowledge we dug up this week.

10 Things I Hate About Life

You know beloved teen romcom classic 10 Things I Hate About You? You ever wish it had a sequel? No? Then you aren’t director Gil Junger. 10 Things I Hate About Life was intended to be a spiritual sequel to Junger’s aforementioned directorial debut. It’s a love story about a man and a woman who meet while attempting suicide, get to know each other, and find their reasons for living as they do. If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking, “This seems like an iffy idea for a romcom.” This project never saw the light of day, so we’ll never truly know, but you can still watch the preview made to lure investors on YouTube.This preview wasn’t too effective on the investors in question, it seems. The project was canned after lead actress Evan Rachel Wood stopped showing up to work, claiming that she had still not been paid the $300k she had been promised by producers. Producers responded by suing her for $30 million. As of 2021, this lawsuit has still not been resolved.

February 9, 2024

Stay on Task and Get Clean! 

This selection of YouTube videos was chosen to help readers stay motivated, learn tips and tricks of how to NOT procrastinate, and discover the best ways to stay clean throughout the long hours of the school day.

“How to Stop Procrastinating”
This video (pictured right) is for procrastinators, the people who can’t seem to focus or do anything. In this video, you’ll learn why you procrastinate and get tips on how to not procrastinate. As a procrastinator, I find this is a helpful video and a quite interesting one, too.

“How to Study After School when TIRED:
Study Tips, Energy Hacks, Study Motivation”
Staying motivated is a struggle for many students, and some professors, during this time of year when all you want to do is curl up on the couch or in bed and watch a show or read a book with a nice snack and warm drink. This video gives you tips and tricks on how to keep yourself motivated throughout the day and stay healthy!

“How to Stay Fresh and Clean All Day in School”
This is the video for the people who struggle with staying clean. It happens; it’s college and some people are more worried about assignments or video games rather than taking care of themselves. This video demonstrates how to take care of oneself in one’s daily life  This video has a lot of good hygiene tips for everyone to follow.

February 9, 2024

Good Advice

Our advice columnist answers your burning questions about navigating life as a college student.

Dear LIFE,

I don’t have enough money to pay for food until I get my next paycheck. What can I do? I don’t want to live off popcorn and packaged noodles!

—Hungry in the Frozen Tundra

—Carol Wilson, Advice Editor

February 9, 2024

The Foodie Finder: Fit Men Cook

Who has time to cook, let alone make it healthy? You do! It’s all about planning, pantry, and prep. Here at the Foodie Finder, we want to help connect you to healthy eating, valuable information, and great recipes by doing the searching for you. In this issue, we showcase  Fit Men Cook blogger and author Kevin Curry (pictured right) and his strategies for college students to save time and money while eating well. In his blog post, “48 College Meal Prep Ideas for College Students,” you’ll find the following:

• • • 9 Tips for Easy College Meal Prep
    • 10 Budgeting Tips for College Student Meal Prepping
    • 48 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snack Recipes

“Meal prepping is like that awesome friend who helps you out when you need it most. It saves you time, keeps your wallet happy, lets you eat healthier, and adds a dash of variety to your meals,” Curry writes. “It’s like a superpower that turns your humble dorm kitchen into a food paradise.”

Here’s one example of Curry’s delicious recipes to try, using a common college food staple. What would life be without ramen noodles? Kevin will show you how to elevate them by using brown rice & millet ramen noodles for a healthier option on his Beef and Broccoli Ramen Noodles recipe.