Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye

On Saturday night at the Eccles Center in Park City, I went to a performance of spoken word, or poetry that is read out loud. The two performers of the night were Sarah Kay, a New Yorker, and Phil Kaye, a Californian. By the way, these two stellar poets are not related. They made sure that everyone knew that they were basically not related at all, they weren’t dating, and never were going to date each other. However, there are so many similarities between the two that they have learned not to freak out every time someone points out a new one. Here are just a few: Sarah has a brother named Philip, and Phil has a sister named Sarah. They went to the same lifeguard summer camp without either of them knowing the other was there. Both of their mothers were Japanese, and their fathers are Jewish. They went to the same freshmen talent show - where they met - and... Well, you get the idea.

Anyway, the performance was spectacular. The poems were clever, enjoyable, moving, and well-performed. Before most of the poems, they would give a little background information about themselves, mostly pertaining to what the poem was about. For example, prior to reciting a poem about his grandfather, Phil described his grandfather as a man with a long white beard, a head so bald you could eat sushi on it, and a very large stomach. "Like… boom."

One of the poems has even been turned into a book:

B by Sarah Kay

If I should have a daughter, instead of "Mom," she's going to call me "Point B," because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me.

And I'm going to paint solar systems on the backs of her hands so she has to learn the entire universe before she can say, "Oh, I know that like the back of my hand."

And she's going to learn that this life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach. But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air. There is hurt, here, that cannot be fixed by Band-Aids or poetry.

So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn't coming, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself, because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal. Believe me, I've tried. "And, baby," I'll tell her, "don't keep your nose up in the air like that. I know that trick; I've done it a million times. You're just smelling for smoke so you can follow the trail back to a burning house, so you can find the boy who lost everything in the fire to see if you can save him. Or else find the boy who lit the fire in the first place, to see if you can change him." But I know she will anyway, so instead I'll always keep an extra supply of chocolate and rain boots nearby, because there is no heartbreak that chocolate can't fix. Okay, there's a few that chocolate can't fix.

But that's what the rain boots are for, because rain will wash away everything, if you let it. I want her to look at the world through the underside of a glass-bottom boat, to look through a microscope at the galaxies that exist on the pinpoint of a human mind, because that's the way my mom taught me. That there'll be days like this.

(Singing) There'll be days like this, my momma said. When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters and bruises; when you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape; when your boots will fill with rain, and you'll be up to your knees in disappointment. And those are the very days you have all the more reason to say thank you.

Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away. You will put the wind in win some, lose some. You will put the star in starting over, and over. And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life. And yes, on a scale from one to over-trusting, I am pretty damn naive. But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.

"Baby," I'll tell her, "remember, your momma is a worrier, and your poppa is a warrior, and you are the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more." Remember that good things come in threes and so do bad things. Always apologize when you've done something wrong, but don't you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining. Your voice is small, but don't ever stop singing. And when they finally hand you heartache, when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street-corners of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother.

Wonder Woman: The Sex Symbol?

     Wonder Woman. A hero, role model and all around “good feminist.” But even though she represents the underrepresented gender in her universe, is she really helping girls image? Her most recent role in Batman vs. Superman didn't exactly speak highly for female attire. It seems as though our female representative has gone minimalist, because when fighting an semi-all powerful alien she was spotted wearing only a strapless leotard, knee-high boots and many golden bangles. Now, I’m by no means saying she didn't absolutely slay, but her co-heros, Batman and Superman, were dressed much more appropriately in full-body suits. Who's to say that her combat skills would be more effective if Wonder Woman would show less skin. Though maybe it's hopeless, comic history has shown that if you are a female superhero you're destined to save humanity in skin-tight leather or practically nothing at all.
   

     However, I know how the film industry operates and that Batman vs. Superman has aimed itself towards a certain demographic, men. That is a generalization, but let's be honest, this Blockbuster wasn't aimed towards empowered young women. So, since a "sexy" superhero is what these men wanted, thats what the costume designer gave them. Maybe it was just me, maybe I was just trying to find yet another thing wrong with this movie that was falling apart. But anyway, whether you're saving the world in a reliable costume or not just remember to wear something,

The Amazing Race Really Is Amazing!

The Amazing Race is a TV show that appears on CBS every Friday in September and February, at 8/7 Central. The Amazing Race begins with eleven teams of two (sometimes, a season will have a theme - in the past, there have been blind dates, social media stars, and plenty of other unique concepts!), racing all around the world for one million dollars. The eleven teams racing around the world collect clues and complete challenges that are relevant to the country that they are in.

First, the teams begin in the U.S. They travel to several different continents, never including Antarctica. At the beginning of each leg of the race, each team is given a clue that tells them which country or city they’re going to visit next. After catching the soonest plane to the given destination, they are given more clues that lead them through that leg, and so on. The clues may tell them where they’re going next, or may tell them they must complete a challenge. Sometimes, there is a choice between more than one challenge, allowing competitors to choose the one with which they're more comfortable. The challenges are always specific to each country, and help the contestants get an understanding of its culture, while still being extremely varied: some are easier for more adventurous people or daredevils, like bungee jumping, while others are activities that most people would consider gross, such as mud swimming. The last team to complete the challenges of each leg is eliminated.

This show gives teams the opportunity to experience something very different and go on a crazy adventure. There are also limitless opportunities to learn about the whole world. It tests the mental and physical strength of the participants, and their relationships with their partners. The Amazing Race is also entertaining to the viewers; when they watch average people traveling all around the world completing these challenges, they themselves may feel motivated to get off their couches and take risks - and it also has a blend of drama when the teams get in arguments or when teams plot against each other, which can be very entertaining. Viewers can vote for their favorite teams, see their favorite cities, and experience the relationships between the groups and partners.

Overall, The Amazing Race is a wonderful opportunity for Americans to get out and experience cultures, landmarks, and once-in-a-lifetime activities. This show is also educational, inspirational, and entertaining for the viewers. This show earns five stars.

Stay tuned for season 28 of The Amazing Race, which airs on February 12th, 2016 at 8/7 central on CBS! This season, social media stars will be competing for the million dollar prize!

Interested in being on the show? Auditions for the next season are happening right now, and all you have to do is make a video about yourself and submit it to http://www.theamazingracecasting.com/!

Article by Mia Rapella and Mackenna Doilney

Red Rock: A Review

Red Rock is a very popular restaurant in the Redstone area in Park City. This certain venue is called Red Rock Junction, named after its location in Park City’s Kimball Junction. It’s located directly across the street from the Redstone movie theater, so it’s an ideal place to eat following a movie. Red Rock restaurants are a small group of dining locations found only in multiple places in Utah. There are also many locations in Salt Lake, in addition to Park City. The menu includes a variety of food items from different backgrounds.

One of Red Rock’s most popular food items is the Red Rock Burger. This item is a burger with swiss cheese on top. The burger is placed inside a flat bread bun and topped with tomatoes and lettuce. On the side, customers can choose between carrot chips or french fries. The carrot chips are another popular item. Instead of “normal” carrot chips, the carrots are sliced into very thin chips that look like the equivalent of Lay’s Ruffles chips. In addition, another customer favorite is the chicken parmesan. This item is a piece of chicken topped with red sauce and parmesan cheese. Spaghetti and garlic bread are served on the side. Although the food at Red Rock is not the same as food that would be served at a five-star, top-notch restaurant, it’s definitely worth trying.

An additional pro concerning this restaurant is the helpful staff. It is obvious that the staff wants to make each customer’s experience the very best. They are never rude and usually are very cheerful.

When asked about Red Rock’s food and staff, Park City teen, Skylar Jackenthal, said, “One of my favorite foods at Red Rock is definitely the Red Rock Burger. And, whenever I go to Red Rock, the people working there are always willing to help and fix any problems.”

Red Rock Junction, as well as other Red Rock restaurants, are definitely places that should be visited and/or tried. There is so much more food than named in this article. Although the restaurant is often busy, there is a reason. It’ll be worth the wait.
This restaurant receives 4.5 out of 5 stars from the Treasure Mountain Junior High Park City Post.