w 7* w S 4B - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 31, 2005 The Michigan Da BREAK TIME ART ACTIVITY HELPS RELIEVE STUDENT STRESS By Megan Jacobs Daily Arts Writer On Tuesday nights, the Michigan Union Underground is not just home to Subway and Wendy's. Nestled snugly between Magic Wok and the computer consoles is Arts Break, the crafty collaboration between Univer- sity Union Arts and Programs and a group of students who have glue and paint on the brain. Every Tuesday night from 7 to 11 p.m., Arts Break sets up shop. It has developed quite a following in the last five years of its existence; roughly 100 participants arrive each week. Completely funded by the University, students need bring little more than an arty attitude. The craft varies from week to week, as an e-mail goes out on Sun- day nights to tell frequent attendees what the upcoming project is, as well as suggestions for what students may want to bring, aside from the essen- tials such as paint, tissue paper, glit- ter, ribbon and decoupage. This past week, for example, as students prepared for coaster deco- rating, "we recommended that peo- ple print out pictures of their friends to decorate their projects with," said Program Assistant and LSA sopho- more Jessica Cristopher. This year alone, Arts Break has livened up living rooms around campus with innovative and clever crafts. One week, Arts Break pro- vided artists with vinyl records with a mirror in the center; students were encouraged to detail the vinyl with glitter or song lyrics. Other crafts have included puff painting T-shirts and bulletin boards. Pencil boxes "It's a good stress reliever, and it adds a little break from academic life." - Bill Couch LSA sophomore also rank high on the list of favor-. ites. Some projects are thematic and time-sensitive, such as the photo _.- v albums on the Tuesday before spring0 break. To welcome in spring in the upcoming weeks, Arts Break will be f ,... providing terra cotta pots to deco- ...... rate, complete with flower seeds to plant. Next week, the project will be peace flags. "It's a good stress reliever, and it adds a little break from academ- S. ic life," said LSA sophomore Bill. Couch as he detailed his project. Many participants agree thatf something is necessary to spice up what LSA sophomore Sarah Johnson called her "monotonous schedule." As a participant in the Big/Little Sibs program, Johnson thought this would be a fun time to show her LSA sophomore Ted Pixley and LSA JL nine-year-old Little Sib Mariana Tuesday night. Dicko a side of college life. To make each project a little more held supplies for specific projects," special, Cristopher and her co-assis- Cristopher said. The pair had scrap- tant, LSA sophomore Kate Long- booking stickers for scrapbook street, decided to try something week and will have buttons just different this year. for the terra pots in the upcoming "We always have the basics, but weeks. this is the first semester we have It may sound elementary, but art A guide to who's where, what's happening and why you need to be there.. Friday Murder in the Cathedral: Rude Mechanicals will present T.S. Eliot's play "Murder in the Cathe- dral," which centers on the death of Thomas Beckett in the Canter- bury Cathedral. The play begins at 8 p.m. at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. Tickets are $7 for the gen- eral public or $5 for students and are available at the Michigan Union Ticket Office. DJ Timmy D and DJ Blur at Necto: DJ Timmy D and DJ Blur will headline Necto's main room Friday night. Necto is located at 516 E. Liberty St. Doors open at 9 p.m. No cover before 10 p.m. After 10 p.m., $5 cover for 21 and over and $8 cover for all others. Bitch: Bitch, an activist musical performer best known for her dra- matic stage personality, will per- form tomorrow night at The Ark. The show begins 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 and are available at The Ark box office. Saturday Smokestack and Glowb: Michi- gan natives Smokestack, along with Glowb, will perform at the Blind Pig as part of their "Hash Bash Blow- out!" Doors open at 9:30 p.m. The 18+ show will cost $7 for ages 21 and over and $10 for all others The UMS Choral Union Annu- al Spring Concert: The Univer- sity Musical Society Choral Union will host its annual spring concert, conducted by Jerry Blackstone and featuring the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. The performance will begin at 8 p.m. at Hill Auditorium. Tickets are $10-$28 and are avail- able at MUTO. Gimble A Cappella Annual Con- cert: The Asian-interest a cappella grou'p hosts "Kopi Idol!" which will feature acting and songs from dif- ferent languages, including Japanese and Thai. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Modern Language Building Auditorium Four. Tickets are $5 presale, which are available through any Gimble member or $7 at the door. Poker and Open Mic Night: Arts Programs will host poker and Open Mic night, which will feature local bands and many other diverse performers from the Ann Arbor community. The event will begin at 7 p.m. in the Leonardo Room at Pierpont Commons. on North Cam- pus. Free. The Weekend List Sunday Curator's Talk: A Fine Likeness: Senior Curator of Western Art at the University of Michigan Museum of Art Carole McNamara will discuss portraiture and introduce visitors to the 18th and 19th century works cur- rently on display. The event will be hosted at the UMMA at 3 p.m. Free. Cancer Awareness Week Art Exhibit: As part of Cancer Awareness Week, Artist Gay Walker will pres- ent artwork that pertains to her battle against breast cancer along with stu- dent and community work that will be AMY AUMM/siy jnior Alissa Talley paint coasters at Arts Break in the Michigan Union can also be stress-reducing and mind- bending. "I learned origami here," said Agatha Clemens, an LSA senior who added that she would rather "do this instead of take credits." University Health Services, in their 101 list of was to alleviate stress and academic pressure, sug- gests relaxing with a colorful art project. The list also includes being with friends and listening to music, all on the agenda at Arts Break. Arts Break is also an ideal way to save on holidays and birthdays. "I usually give mine away as gifts to people," said Engineering junior Keri Nicholson. "Plus, it gives me something to do on Tuesdays." "It's usually not a successful Arts Break until you have paint or glitter on your hands or shirt somewhere," "It's usually not a successful Arts Break until you have paint or glitter DU BOIS Continued from page 8B advisor to get the class approved, as I was requesting it to fulfill two of my graduation requirements. I was a little nervous about making such requests. That is, until I met the advisor who would approve or deny my requests ... The gay, male advi- sor. Score! As soon as I walked into the office I felt an unspoken bond with this man - a connection that I thought I could build on more than a hetero- sexual male student could have. So I did. Again, I played the gay card. Damn right I did. And I got that shit approved. These are just micro-examples though. What about in the grand scheme of life? Are such benefits conferred by sexual orientation? Of course! Think about it. Professional work- places that champion diversity might find a gay applicant more attrac- tive than a straight one because he or she adds to an office dynamic. Celebrities, gay and straight alike, appeal to the gay community for continued endorsement (i.e., Ellen DeGeneres and Cher, respectively). Opportunities for such advantages, I believe, can be found (and exploited) throughout a homosexual's lifetime. I'm not suggesting that a homo- sexual excessively play upon the fact that he or she is gay - that he or she, instead of legitimately earning his or her college degree or career status, find gay loopholes that allow cheating the system. Let me proclaim this: Homosexuals don't need to play the gay card. But we can. And there are times that we should. Think about it: like all minorities, homosexuals get screwed in many aspects of life. We can't get married as simply (if at all) as heterosexuals. We get ridi- culed walking down the street - in Miami, Ann Arbor - there's poten- tial anywhere. We are presumed to have at least one STD and to con- sume drugs incessantly. Family relationships are often difficult or unmaintainable. All this being said, why shouldn't we take advantage of any oppor- tunity that our sexual orientation - that which in many cases robs us of equality - confers us such equality? Thus, I hereby advocate the use, not the abuse, of the ace -or should I say the "gayce" - up every homo- sexual's sleeve. Good luck, and play wisely. Steve hopes for future benefits granted to him and other homosexu- als based on their sexual orientation, including and especially free food in the Michigan Union Underground. If you are willing to offer such goodies, e-mail him at duboiss@umich.edu. AMY DR~UMM/Daily Engineering juniors Keri Nicholson and Carrie Rodak, along with LSA sophomore Danielle Hawkins, pick out paints used to make coasters at Arts Break.