Author: fernandt

News, Events, and Happenings on the Marinette Campus

The Driftwood is our student-centered e-newsletter for the Marinette campus. We’ll bring you tips for navigating life as an on-campus or online student, as well as entertainment suggestions.

• Northern Lights: Submissions Wanted! 
• Gamers’ Choice: Top-Rated Games
• Analog Games: Get-Together Games
• Music Reviews: All That Jazz
• Movie Recs: A Top Pick for Movie Night
• Podcast Picks: Spooktacular Podcasts
• Recommended Reads 1: Dark Academia
• Recommended Reads 2: A Dark Manga
• Recommended Reads 3: Our Librarian Recommends…. 
• Horror Hovel: Horrifying Anime
• The Trash Vortex: Food-Based Stories
• Local Favorites: Antique Shops
• Outdoor Fun: Ice Skating at Marinette REC Center
• Gear Up Your Garden: Bell Peppers
• Ultimate Hobbies 1: Birdhouse Building
• Ultimate Hobbies 2: Needle Felting
• Self-Care Corner: Music to Study By
• Faculty Profiles: Professor Rebecca Stone Thornberry, Theater
• Featured Poetry: “Soft” and “You”

The Driftwood is published by UWGB’s ENG 224: Practicum in Literary Publishing class.

Analog Games Editor: Ariel Rutten
Book Reviews Editor: Syd Morgan
Gardening Editor: Grace Desotell
Hobbies Editor: Grace Desotell
Horror Editor: Kana Coonce
Local Favorites Editor & Photographer: Kayu Brooks
Movies Editor: Jasmine Puls
Music Editor: Andrew Wiegman
Outdoors Editor: Syd Morgan
Podcasts Editor: Emma Krueger
Profiles Editor: Aidann Woodcock
School Tips Editor: Ariel Rutten
Trash Vortex Editor: Kana Coonce

Driftwood Advisor: Tracy Fernandez Rysavy

Interested in being on the Driftwood staff? Enroll in ENG 224: Practicum in Literary Publishing, available every spring.

Questions or News Items? Contact The Driftwood‘s advisor, Tracy Fernandez Rysavy.

News, Events, and Happenings on the Marinette Campus

The Driftwood is our student-centered e-newsletter for the Marinette campus. We’ll bring you tips for navigating life as an on-campus or online student, as well as entertainment suggestions.

• Campus News
• Northern Lights: Submissions Wanted! 
• Gamers’ Choice: Monster Roadtrip
• Analog Games: Golf and Garbage
• Music Reviews: Indie Rock Picks
• Movie Recs: Romantic Dramas
• Podcast Picks: D&D-Related Podcasts
• Recommended Reads: Romantic Reads
• Horror Hovel: Grave Encounters (Ghostly Romances)
• The Trash Vortex: Terrible Rom-Coms
• Local Favorites: Tasty Burger Diners
• Outdoor Fun: Winter Fun in Nearby National Parks
• Gear Up Your Garden: Strawberries
• Ultimate Hobbies: Cross-Stitching
• School Tips: The Eternal Struggle Against Procrastination
• Self-Care Corner: Aromatherapy for Stress Relief
• Faculty Profiles: Professor Mark Klemp, Chemistry
• Featured Poetry: “Dismal Days at the Church in Auver-Sur-Oise”

The Driftwood is published by UWGB’s ENG 224: Practicum in Literary Publishing class.

Analog Games Editor: Ariel Rutten
Book Reviews Editor: Syd Morgan
Gaming Editor: Henri Lepak
Gardening Editor: Grace Desotell
Hobbies Editor: Grace Desotell
Horror Editor: Kana Coonce
Local Favorites Editor & Photographer: Kayu Brooks
Movies Editor: Henri Lepak
Music Editor: Andrew Wiegman
Outdoors Editor: Syd Morgan
Podcasts Editor: Emma Krueger
Profiles Editor: Aidann Woodcock
School Tips Editor: Ariel Rutten
Trash Vortex Editor: Kana Coonce

Driftwood Advisor: Tracy Fernandez Rysavy

Interested in being on the Driftwood staff? Enroll in ENG 224: Practicum in Literary Publishing, available every spring.

Questions or News Items? Contact The Driftwood‘s advisor, Tracy Fernandez Rysavy.

Wondering what all the fuss is about Global Game Jam? Or maybe you’re wondering what in the world it is? We’ve got you! Global Game Jam (GGJ) is a worldwide event where people collaborate to create original video and analog games in community. And you can participate right here in Green Bay. The event starts Monday, January 30th with a “Theme Reveal” kickoff on the UWGB campus, where you can get the scoop from organizers and gaming experts, so you’re ready to participate when the weekend-long create-a-thon starts on February 3rd and runs through the 5th. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for a detailed listing of the GGJ events in Green Bay.) 

The UWGB English department “Creatives” talked to Professor Kris Purzycki, who is co-organizing the event, to find out more about what attendees can expect at both the theme reveal and the Global Game Jam weekend itself. 

UWGB Creatives: We’d love to know a bit more about how Global Game Jam works. The event on the 30th is where the Global Game Jam people announce this year’s theme, and then from Feb. 3-5, participants will have 48 hours on site to create a game with everyone else. Is that correct?

Professor Kris Purzycki: To accommodate international participants, the GGJ organizers spread the event across the entire week. Monday’s event is actually the official start of the Jam. We’re just using it as a chance to gather beforehand and maybe start firing up our creative engines. We have a Discord server where ideas can be exchanged [throughout the week], maybe even teams start forming. At the actual Jam, which will be held at the Urban Hub in downtown Green Bay, we’ll start at 5 p.m. [on February 3rd] with a brief overview before turning everyone loose. From that point, everyone has 48 hours to create an original game. At about 3 or 4 p.m. on Sunday, we’ll stop and check out what everyone has made.

UWGB Creatives: What happens at the actual Jam at the Urban Hub? Does the whole gathering work together? Or do people splinter off in their own little groups? Or do they get assigned groups?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: People are welcome to join up with a team, but there’s no requirement or assigned group. One of the amazing qualities of the jam is the collaborative, interdisciplinary spirit of the weekend. How often do artists, programmers, musicians, engineers, and writers get to work together this way?

UWGB Creatives: What if there’s a lone ranger running around feeling shy and self-conscious? Will someone help them find a place?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: Absolutely! At some point, everyone pitches an idea for a game (if they have one) and also states their interests and skills. But I would say that there’s no reason to feel self-conscious—it’s a wonderful group of folks who are welcoming (heck, they welcomed me!) and accommodating.

UWGB Creatives: What kinds of software do people use to create video games? Twine? Fancier software?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: Twine is an excellent tool—I’m actually surprised we didn’t have more Twine works last year, now that you mention it…. Many of us (myself included) used bitsy, a simple game creation tool. There are certainly those that use more professional tools like Unity, Unreal, and Godot, but you can use whatever you prefer. More importantly, however, you don’t even need to create a computer game! We had a board game as well as a role-playing game last year.

UWGB Creatives: Is there any help for people who want to make a video game but aren’t able to code one? Or can people just come to contribute ideas and leave the programming or Twine-ing to others?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: Absolutely. If someone is, say, a creative writer and wants to contribute to a team creating a videogame, there are plenty of ways to do so: script writing, dialog, plot.

I will say that one of challenges we as organizers have tried to work through is the perception that the Game Jam is only for computer games.

UWGB Creatives: (Right. So just a reminder, dear readers, you can come and create a board or role-playing game, etc.) Have you ever done this before? What was your experience like?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: I have! This is my third time—the first was at UW-Milwaukee where we used Minecraft to create a “story” of sorts. One of the first things I did when I moved to Green Bay was to see if there was a Global Game Jam site in town. That’s how I found out [Green Bay GGJ co-organizer] Ben [Geisler of Roar Studios Inc.] had organized one for several years.

UWGB Creatives: Why should people come to the theme reveal? What can they look forward to?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: Since this is the first year we’ve had a separate reveal event, we’re hoping that this reveal will give everyone a chance to start batting around some ideas. More importantly, we wanted to give everyone a chance to see what the Jam is about, ask questions, and see if it’s something they want to participate in.

UWGB Creatives: What is the 48 hours like where people create the games? Do they take breaks or is it just an all-nighter with naps?

Prof. Kris Purzycki: Folks are free to work as they see fit. Most people head home for the evening, but there are always people who work through the night. Either Ben or I will be there both nights to help out in any way. We provide plenty of food, snacks, and beverages to keep people fuelled.

UWGB Creatives: Thank you! Do you plan to have any options for people who can’t be at the theme reveal in person? I’m thinking about students at the location campuses who might find it difficult to come to Green Bay on a weeknight. 

Prof. Kris Purzycki: We will be streaming each event over the Center for Games and Interactive Media’s Twitch channel.

UWGB Creatives: Is there anything else you want people to know about GGJ? 

Prof. Kris Purzycki: One more thing: we’re planning to include games in the UWGB Academic Excellence Symposium [which showcases the best in student research and creativity], too! In part to prepare for this, we’re holding a recap session at the library, 2-3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10 to give students a chance to brag and show off their work.

————-

Here’s an overview of the Green Bay GGJ events: 

Monday, Jan. 30th (3-5 p.m.): The Global Game Jam Theme Reveal will take place on Monday, Jan. 30th at 5:30 p.m. in UWGB’s Christie Theatre in the Student Union. Hear from event co-organizers and gaming experts, learn what this year’s theme is, and have your questions answered. If you can’t make it in person, this event will also be streamed on Twitch. 

Jan. 30 – Feb. 2nd: Throughout the week, participants can brainstorm ideas and find small groups to work with through the Green Bay GGJ Discord server.

Friday, Feb. 3 – Sunday, Feb. 5: Starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, come to the Urban Hub in Green Bay to start working on a digital or analog game. The event will wrap up on Sunday roughly at 3-4 p.m. If you can’t make it in person, this event will also be streamed on Twitch. 

Friday, Feb. 10th (2-3 p.m.): Check out the completed digital and tabletop games from this year’s Green Bay Global Game Jam at our Recap Session in the Breakthrough Studio on the third floor of UWGB’s Cofrin Library. 

Questions? Email Green Bay GGJ event co-organizers Prof. Kris Purzycki (purzyckk@uwgb.edu) or Ben Geisler of Roar Studios Inc. (bgeisler@roarstudios.com).

• Green Bay GGJ Discord server (GGJ brainstorming): https://discord.gg/ZF4bCV2N
• UWGB Center for Games and Interactive Media Twitch channel (streaming all events): https://www.twitch.tv/gggreenbay?sr=a/
• Global Game Jam website: https://globalgamejam.org/ 

April 28, 2022

Serial Story: Noah’s Dream Journal #6

March 2, 3:38 PM

My therapist was surprised to hear I had another dream. He must’ve thought I couldn’t have dreams anymore after a few months. Hell, that’s what I thought. He asked me everything that happened to see if there was anything linking it to the last one, anything new that could mean something, basically anything he could derive meaning from.

I told him everything that I had written in the journal, and he too was puzzled at the return of Doc. He tried his best to figure out what Doc meant when he said that I was “cured,” but he had nothing. He tried his best to come up with some optimistic meaning like, “Perhaps you’re cured of these night terrors. You shouldn’t be seeing him any time soon.” I hope so.

As much as I’m terrified to see what the night has waiting for me, I want to have another normal dream again. I miss the nights when I didn’t have to fear where I would wake up the next day, or even if I would wake up. I wanted to feel safe again. Maybe that’s what the Doc meant.

To be continued…

Click these links to read previous entries: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. 

—Jake Puestow, Serial Fiction 

April 13, 2022

Humanizing Our Professors:
Tracy Fernandez Rysavy
English Literature, Creative Writing, and Women’s and Gender Studies Departments: Marinette Campus

A little-known secret around campus is that our professors were once students. Nervous, confused, and probably as hungry as we all are while sitting through lectures, here are their first experiences as professors and what tips they have to offer for students taking their courses.

It rings true that new experiences cause nearly everyone to feel butterflies of uncertainty. It happened no differently for Professor Rysavy. She’d been teaching in many forms before becoming a professor at UWGB, including piano at the age of twelve and, in later years, writing at NWTC in Green Bay. She recalls that the second time teaching a course always went better; the first is a time for trying new things and seeing what worked best. For example, she initially tried to break her habit of being informal and humorous—it didn’t last very long, and I can say it definitely adds to the classroom to have such a light-hearted instructor.

Additionally, Ms. R says that classes are “much more effective when everyone feels they can be themselves,” her included. After all, everyone has a unique experience to offer a classroom, and she’s had the opportunity to learn as much from her students as she hopes they learn from her. The professor wants students who enter her courses to know that they don’t have to be worried or fearful that their answers won’t be “correct.” We come into literature courses fearing the worst. It’s time we remember that our own analyzing of stories counts, too. Our perspectives have much to offer, and usually we can’t go back in time to speak with the author about how they meant the story to be understood anyway. Support your ideas with plenty of evidence, whether they sound crazy to you or not, and let Ms. R have it! And if you ever find yourself struggling on assignments and appearing to class, don’t be afraid to talk to her or send her—and all of your instructors—an email with your concerns. Most of the time, the professors of UWGB will understand your situation and be willing to work with you to the best of their abilities. Remember, you’re paying for this education, she says, and they can’t help you if you don’t speak up for yourself.

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 with
Professor Tracy Fernandez Rysavy in the Recharge Lounge. 

March 31, 2022

Free Books in the Little Free Library

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.) 

The Marinette campus Little Free Library is now officially registered with the Little Free Library (LFL) nonprofit, thanks to a small donation from Troy Rysavy (Professor Rysavy’s brother). As a result, it’s now on the worldwide map of Little Free Libraries, and you’ll now see an official LFL sign on the front with our registration ID.

March 31, 2022

Must-Watch Musicals 

It’s officially spring, and what better way to welcome the promise of sunnier days than with music and dancing? We leave you with some of our favorite musicals that will surely put you in that bright, spring mood!

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.

—Shannon Ribich, Movies Editor

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.

—Tracy Fernandez Rysavy, Driftwood Advisor

March 31, 2022

Around the World: Latin America

Despite being right below the Southern US border, most people in this country may not know much about the cultures of South and Central America outside of cuisine and negative internet comments. Much like anything, if you look just a little deeper into it, there’s so much more than meets the eye and you wouldn’t want to turn back. These countries have created many wonderful, exhilarating films worth anybody’s time, and here are a few of them:

Black Orpheus (1959)
A retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus & Eurydice set in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, Orpheus makes his endeavor to bring back his love, Eurydice, from the dead. From the first frame to the last, this film is packed with energy that heightens every scene, with not a dull moment in sight. With the colorful arrays in the carnival and the delightful bossa nova soundtrack, this is one that I could never tire of watching. Now streaming on HBO Max.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Ophelia, a little girl traveling with her pregnant mother in WW2 Spain, is tempted to a world of magic and fantasy while fearing her violent, fascist stepfather. A love letter and analysis of old European fairy tales, this film carries with it a strange beauty in its wonder and brutality. It may not be one to watch on date night, but that gives no excuse not to see one of the most (pun intended) magical films ever made. Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.