VIU: Zombie Invasion Part III

We made a break for the library, taking the stairs that pass beside the Visual Arts building so the Zombies, should they aim to follow us, would have to take a longer wheel-chair ramp. As we passed Visual Arts we heard screams from within.

Riley suggested we check inside to see if anyone needed rescue, but as we approached the front doors, the large lower-floor windows came crashing open and three gurgling Zombies burst forth. I hit the closest one in the head with The Rhetorical Tradition, sending it reeling, and Riley low spin-kicked another, knocking it off its mouldering feet. We turned on our heels and fled down the steps and across to the Quad.

From our new vantage point we could see better the destruction laid waste to our beloved campus. Gardens were torn up, bodies lay strewn across picnic tables and benches, and a great commotion from the cafeteria told us that it was no use as a refuge.

Then Desiree cried out. She was pointing up the hill toward the Math/Chemistry building which was barely visible through the trees. There was an army of Zombies descending from the forest! When they reached the stairs, they were held up for a moment, but soon the began throwing themselves upon them, and tumbling down toward us.

"We must get higher," I said, pointing up to the roof of the library, "We should block off the exits as we go."

"I'll go down and block the bookstore entrance," Gareth said. "I'll meet you guys inside," and with that he was off. We marched into the library and blocked off the main doors with tables and chairs from Jumpin' Java.

[for the final chapter of our story visit Kaitlyn's blog.]

[Also, as Portal's Senior Poetry Editor this year, I want to mention that VIU's literary journal, Portal 2010, is being launched on April 6th in the Royal Arbutus Room from 2-5. There will also be snacks... Next week I will be writing on the event.]

The Lower Caf Adventure

I've been studying at VIU since 2006 – that's four years – and I've never been to the lower cafeteria! Recently, I started asking my classmates about it, but not many of them had been there either. I've heard rumors that their menu is much better than the upper cafeteria, and that it has Chinese food everyday, yet for us upper campus students, it seems just too far to travel between classes. The feeling I've gotten from some of my friends is that the lower caf is probably only patronized by trades and nursing students, so us upper-campus book-gremlins might not feel comfortable there. But university doesn't need a class system! It's time to kick that door down!

On Wednesday I made my first venture down to the lower caf. I took another creative writing student with me for support, but when we got there, we learnt that the place is only open from 11:30 to 1! It was just past 2, so we were out of luck. The gates were shut!

Not to be discouraged, I made my second attempt today. I couldn't find another student to go with me so I went on my own. They don't have a salad bar, but they really do have Chinese food! The place is a lot smaller, but much brighter than the upper cafeteria, and I got there around noon this time, so it was pretty full. Eventually I was able to find a table to myself, and I settled in with my Full House coffee and coconut prawns!

I was definitely the only guy in there who wasn't wearing work boots, but I didn't feel uncomfortable. Don't let all those stairs deter you. Make an adventure out of it. I recommend that all you upper-campus students who've never been down there give it a try!

VIU: Zombie Invasion Part II

[To see part 1 of this story, visit Kaitlyn's blog]

I was far too early for my Classical Rhetoric class this week, so I took the path through the woods behind the Physics building to enjoy the muffled silence of the trees. As I came to the Tamagawa garden, I heard a scream of intense panic from the English building up ahead.

Somehow I made it up the steps to the front door before I was paralyzed by the sight and smell of the mob of zombies crowding the foyer. They pushed and stepped over each other, trying to get into the student lounge, but I could see that the doors remained intact.

Once I had recovered from the initial shock, I felt a flood of rage that pounded in my ears like the noisy theatre students that share our building in afternoons. “That lounge is for encouraging communication between students!” I hollered.

Mustering up my humble supply of courage and brandishing my heavy Rhetoric textbook, I cut myself a swath through the mob of rotting and festering creatures, bashing them left and right with my weighty tome, smashing sculls and breaking bones.

Finally with all the zombies twitching on the floor around me, I rapped on the door with my blood-drenched textbook and called for the students to lift the barrier so I could lead them to safety. When they finally cleared the door I was greeted by a cadre of creative writing students brandishing found weapons such as baseball bats and tennis rackets. All of the executive members of the creative writing club were there (with the addition of myself) as well as fellow blogger Kaitlyn. She seemed to be the leader of the group so I spoke directly to her.

“We need to get outta here,” I said. “Zombies can’t climb stairs, so it shouldn’t be a problem for us to get away.”

“We should make our way to the least wheel-chair accessible building then,” she said.

“That would be the top floor of the library."

“Then to the library it is."

HMS Pinafore

Tonight I attended VIU Theatre Department's production of HMS Pinafore, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself! The production had a few difficulties, but the silliness that I expect from a Gilbert and Sullivan musical was all there.

While the set design was good but not extraordinary, the costumes ordered from Malabar Limited in Toronto were superb. The women's elabourate dresses heightened the play's visual impact with their sheer size, and the way their bustles bounced as the ladies danced added to the hilarity of one scene in particular.

The orchestral accompaniment was good, although the musicians themselves distracted me from the action of the play a couple of times with their giggling. I understand that a couple of the principal actors were recruited from the music department as well. I am not sure which these were, but I could take a guess from the stiff acting of one of the male leads. His tenor was brilliant, but sometimes he looked like he wasn't really comfortable being there.

As far as the vocals went, I was greatly impressed with the cast in general. Those long, rapid lines are difficult, but they were, for the most part, executed with clarity. I must say "for the most part" because Josephine tended to get lost among other voices in ensemble numbers. The girl really should have been miked. She had character and a sweet voice, but whenever she ventured into her upper register, she lost all volume and most enunciation.

All in all the production provided an evening of giddy laughter, and I would recommend it if you can tear yourselves away from your term papers. The show runs till Saturday.

The Cries of March

It certainly seems like it's getting down to crunch time, doesn't it? March is definitely one of my busiest months! I had made a New Year's resolution for myself not to write term papers all in one weekend like I did last semestre, but I know if I'm not on the right track. I've been trying to get some of the ground work covered, but it seems like I really need the pressure of a last minute all-nighter to get them done!

I've got a paper to write for Classical Rhetoric (ENGL 310), Studies in Elegies (ENGL 318), and a chapter to write for the novel writing class! (CREW 440) In the meantime I guess I'll just do a bunch of things that are totally unrelated!

1. Here's a review for you: Wolfman. I saw this film with my dad on Tuesday night, even though people have been saying terrible things about it. Before I saw it my thoughts were, "It has Anthony Hopkins and Benicio del Toro! How can it go wrong!?" After seeing it my thoughts are, "What did you expect? It's the Wolfman!" (It's the same as when Phantom of the Opera came out. We all knew the story. Did we expect them to re-invent the wheel?) The acting was good, the atmospheric art direction was great, but it wasn't really anything new.
2. I'm also reading In the Mountains of Madness, the great American horror classic by H.P. Lovecraft, finally. It took me forever to get around to it, and now I can't put it down! I was reminded about this short novel when I'd read that Guillermo del Toro has expressed interest in adapting it to film.
3. Next week I plan to attend Malaspina Theatre's production of HMS Pinafore with the English Student's Association. Maybe I'll be inspired to review it in my blog! Does that step on the Navigator's toes? Oh well!

Anyhow, these are three things that I'm into right now instead of term papers. Am I the only one off track? Share your thoughts!