Gamut Issue 06 Part 3

Only in California, a Garden of Worlds: lifestyle

A trek through the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens Mai-Anh Ha

The theme for the three most beautiful gardens in Huntington is paradise, sanctuary for the escapist-inclined: the English (an umbrella term for the three gardens Shakespearean, Rose and Camellia, which segue into each other), Chinese and Japanese. Arbors connect the three English gardens and walking beneath them, I feel as if I’ve found the entrance to the Seelie courts and at the end will be the land of the fey where Queen Titania and King Oberon rule. The children darting between the legs of meandering adults serve to accentuate the otherworldly atmosphere: their laughter like song, the soles of their feet fleeing the ground. In the last arbor, wisterias hang from the canopy, plentiful and purple, sweet and welcoming, one more step to leaving reality and entering a fantastical realm. In the Chinese Garden of Flowing Fragrance, Liu Fang Yuan, which mimics the architecture and landscape of 17th century Suzhou instead of the fey, a different type of fairy dominates, not fickle, but cultured. In the pavilions, calligraphic messages accompany the beauty as a type of literary art against the backdrop of scholarly serenity. The mood of spiritual and mental liberation encourages the flight of the soul from pavilion to pavilion, robes trailing in the wind, fingers crooked down to accept a kiss from the catfish in the lotus pond, whose mouth is raised in obeisance. In contrast, the Japanese gardens emerge naturally from the hills as if they, like the bamboo, had taken seed and grown too. The landscape speaks of a quiet strength, Visitors can satisfy fantasies of being an English romantic composing poetry or a Chinese scholar voicing philosophy or a Japanese nobleman resting in seclusion from the world. man an equal to his surroundings rather than the master shaping life to his will. It hosts a karesansui, dry landscape Note, however, that a bad meal can spoil any mood of Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens garden, whose abstraction of the relationship between the calm or imagination. The two cafes boast not only exorbitant 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 land and water further heighten the sense of humility and prices, but tiny portions of already mediocre foods. Better to Hours: Mon-Fri, 12:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 10:30 a.m. to freedom. revel in the gardens with a homemade meal. 4:30 p.m.; Tues, closed.

The Spirit of the Artist

The annual Pink Parlour Festival gives female crafters a chance to shine. Alison Shawver

“Crafty women of the world, unite!” proclaim the organizers of the Pink Parlour Festival, encouraging female crafters to gather and showcase their wares. Held this year on Sunday, March 22 in Santa Anita, the annual Pink Parlour Festival is a collective of indie products that tilts the spotlight on lesser-known female crafters. Though the following products found at the Pink Parlour might not be as streamlined or cheap as mass-produced goods, they come with something more: the spirit of the artist. Cinnamon Roll Gang Dolls The CRG dolls are creepier than the Cabbage Patch Kids, with their warped eyes and sewnshut mouths. Each one, however, is fascinating and whimsical, almost psychedelic, lovingly sewn from various scraps. Some come in the form of what their crafter, Marcel DeJure, calls “mutant bags.” Those with a spooky demeanor will appreciate these unique dolls, available in pee-wee, midi and big at cinnamonrollgang.com for anywhere from $10 to $85, depending on size and material.

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Charcoal Designs Accessories Charcoal Designs offers a wide array of dark, edgy jewelry, perfect for the rocker looking for something a bit more unique than what’s propagated at Hot Topic. One necklace features a black-and-red skull-accented coffin that hangs from the end of a chunky black chain. One ring features vintage glass stone with a gold spiderweb imprint. Check out the website, charcoaldesigns.com, for skulls and hearts and general vintage-inspired madness that costs only a little more than jewelry from Claire’s. Serah’s Cupcake Soaps Those who are sick of boring, flowery soaps will love Serah’s adorable shea butter soaps. Shaped like cupcakes, each one comes in a mouthwatering flavor such as creamsicle, candy corn or red velvet, and leaves skin feeling fresh and clean. These tantalizing sweets come in small and large sizes, and are very affordable—one life-sized $12 soap could last one person a month or two. Find them at serahsonline.com.

Actual Cupcakes: Whatakaracter Creative Group Whatakaracter cupcakes boast perfectly moist bread bases as well as icing that is rich, sweet and buttery. Decorations may not be as flawless as those from the grocer, but are placed with obvious love. The best thing about these homemade cupcakes is that all proceeds help fund the owner’s son’s Student Ambassador trip to Australia. The absolutely delectable cupcakes can be custom-made for any occasion at whatakaracter.com; prices depend on customizations chosen. Hair Art to Die For For those with a penchant for the gothic or Victorian, the hair accessories at Hair Art to Die For are a dream. The pieces, “fascinators,” are elaborate substitutions for hats. Think of them as similar to bridal veils, but for the everyday. HATDF’s fascinators enchant: each one constructed from flowers, feathers, ribbons, netting and charms that will draw attention. Although pricey at $30 they make a very unique, very dark fashion statement.

Work it Out.

Yoga, originally intended as the art of self-realization and both mental and physical fitness, has come to be interpreted in a myriad of ways. One way, and concurrently the way that is most beneficial to students, is its use to relax the body and calm the mind. The outcome of such practice is not one that can be measured by traditional, calculative means. Rather, the use or yoga requires something students here seem to struggle with – letting go. With the constant stress of homework, tests, projects, it’s hard to find time to stop the daily rush and overstimulation of the brain to practice yoga. Myth dispelled: yoga does not take hours. There are some routines that are quick enough to do at the desk to de-stress while in the midst of working. Try some of these right now:

Yoga: The art of physical and mental self-realization.Priya Chakrabarti

Long stretches and deep breaths can calm the mind and relax the body.

1. After an intense timedwrite or DBQ, your wrists are cramping majorly and you’re freaking out because you won’t have enough time to finish. Put your arms out in front of you and turn them so that the backs of the palms face each other. Take one hand over the opposite, press the palms together and interlace the fingers. Brings the hands towards the chest and then away, so you’re basically turning your arms inside out. Hold it as long as you need while you collect your thoughts so you can go back to writing feverishly. 2. Butt pain. You all have it after sitting in class for

lifestyle

over an hour and so this is the point where you start to get fidgety. Instead, try this. Rotate so your legs aren’t stuck under the desk. Prop one foot over the other knee. Put one hand inside the triangle this creates and hold the thigh of the leg your foot is resting on. Hold the other side with your other hand and gently lift your leg off the ground. It is important to understand that all forms of yoga lead back to the same thing: complete conscious control of the body and mind through self-realization. Don’t panic. Even

the greatest yogi masters still have not achieved complete control but it is essential that you always keep in mind the ultimate goal. Such concentration is precisely why yoga holds the benefits that it does. When you concentrate on, say, your breathing, you endeavor to block out outside forces and for that moment in time, you are self-contained. It takes an extreme amount of will-power and determination to block out the things happening around you (thus the mental exercise). The knowledge that comes with concentration on the self, though, is the same knowledge that allows you to attain self-realization. The reason is this. Breathing, an involuntary process, usually goes unnoticed but in the moment of yoga when you’re concentrated on breathing, the process becomes totally voluntary. In that, you begin to realize how much work the mind does everyday just to keep you alive. Thus, you begin to realize all the components that make up who you are. The intricacy of yoga also dictates that no move only ever has one benefit. Focusing on your breathing and taking slow, deep inhalations also exercise your diaphragm and allows for greater lung capacity. Thus, it helps you spiritually, mentally, and physically. Find more quick de-stress tips and a video of how to do the moves described at http://www.sprig.com/videos/4yoga-moves-de-stress-your-desk. Go to www.yogajournal.com for more information.

How to Make Tonkatsu

Indulge yourself with the best of fatty Japanese food. Things Japan is known for: WWII, anime and Dance Dance Revolution. Food is an oft neglected category. To most of the American population, Japanese cuisine consists of sushi and sushi only. This is a travesty; arguably the most neglected category of Japanese food is that of meat, or in this case tonkatsu, fried pork cutlet. If you’re a red blooded American who likes his meat red and his arteries clogged, then here’s a cultural food you won’t regret. Prepare: Minced ginger 3 beaten eggs Half an inch thick slices of pork Flour Panko bread crumbs Salt Pepper Oil Procedure: 1. Salt and pepper the sliced pork on both sides. 2. Take the minced ginger and squeeze its juices onto the pork. This succeeds in removing the smell that pork tends to emanate whenever cooked, which is rarely pleasant. 3. Beat three eggs in a bowl until the mixture retains the consistency of molasses. Add a little salt. 4. Prepare a pan of flour. Spread the flour throughout the pan. 5. Prepare a pan of Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs. Distribute throughout the pan. You can obtain these set of bread crumbs at your nearest Asian grocery.

Grace Yoo

6. Take a pork slice and lay it on top of the flour on both sides so that the flour is distributed evenly. 7. Put the slice onto the beaten egg. Make sure both sides are coated thoroughly. The flour should help retain the egg mixture. 8. Put the slice onto the bread crumbs so that both sides are coated. 9. Put the slice onto another plate. Repeat steps 6 through 9 until all pork slices are used Tonkatsu is the Japanese equivalent to American country fried steak. up. 10. If the pork didn’t come frozen, freeze it. Frozen when the tonkatsu strips turn a golden brown color, it’s done meats fry better. Don’t ask me why. cooking. If you’re unsure, you can always check by cutting 11. Cook a pan of oil. A trick to know when your oil is the strip open and seeing for yourself. ready to fry is to drop a leftover breadcrumb into the pan. If 13. After cooking, let the strips of tonkatsu on a strainer the crumb floats to the top, your meat is ready to fry. in a dish so as to drain out all excess oil. 12. Pork has a tendency to be either undercooked or 14. Serve the tonkatsu with tonkatsu sauce (available overcooked. Therefore, it is a bit difficult to gauge whether at your nearest Asian supermarket), and a serving of the meat is all done or about to be burnt crisp. Generally, diced cabbage.

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a&e

A Different Breed of Human

A look into the bizarre world of Japanese rock Alison Shawver

new wave and blues. Staging, no matter The drummer thrashes about, how small the set, is always as eerie and piercings holding the stage lights vivid as the costumes, and singers belt like heartbeats. The guitarist strums out vocals with emotions that transcend wildly, torn skirt and pink pigtails any language barrier. bouncing to the heavy beat. The lead Any skepticism of these off-thesinger’s smoky eyes, entombed by wall artists is bound to fade once you inordinate amounts of eyeshadow, listen to a few tracks. Dir en grey’s pull aching hands towards a demonic growl. “Kodou,” for example, is perfect for But something separates this those who like powerful, piercing group from typical girl rockers: vocals that shift from quivering they’re men. When it comes to whispers to throat-rupturing screams. J-rock idol Miyavi, whose shows are Japanese rock bands, anything goes. It’s become almost imperative for ample with sensual theatrics, appeals J-rock musicians to dress in the to those with a taste for the wild and whimsical combination of drag, uninhibited; one of his best albums is cybergoth and Victorian fashions Miyaviuta, which perfectly captures known as “visual kei.” With their lax his unique blend of metal and blues. attitude toward what most in the U.S. Duo LM.C’s music is self-described as would see as bizarre, disciples of the “New Century Electrock,” and though J-rock scene are a different breed they’re lesser-known than J-rock giant of human. Other than the fact that Miyavi, but they put on an exhilarating J-rockers don’t bat an eye at drag, show, complete with lead singer Maya spewing water on his admirers. the feral, obsessive mannerisms of fans also add to J-rock’s strangeness. If the whimsy of J-rock has caught your interest, the best sources for JAnyone who considers himself an rock information are jrockrevolution. adventure-seeker would do well to attend a J-rock concert. com and jrockeventsusa.com. J-rock Miyavi, a revered idol in the J-rock world, boasts a distinctive style that combines blues and metal. He, like many other At any J-rock show, you’re J-rock musicians, takes it upon himself to be as eccentric and exciting as possible. Revolution has everything from bound to see some quirky characters. interviews to convention listings, while There are Harajuku emulators (not Gwen Stefani’s mangled their chosen J-rock musician, clawing for any chance to get J-rock Events always has the scoop on upcoming shows. Since Harajuku), adorned in complex costumes and sweltering close to them, honored to brush a hand or even be spat on. even the most well-known J-rockers touring the U.S. have a Lolita dresses; the anime cosplayers, suited up as characters Their screaming is incessant, but it adds an invigorating vibe to relatively small fanbase, concert tickets can be acquired for as like Vampire Knight’s Zero; and the usual packs of ignorable the already-chaotic scene. low as $10 to $30. At this price, there’s no reason not to take a hipsters. The eccentricity of these fans, however, goes beyond The musicians themselves are varied not only in their chance and indulge in something new, and whether you love their appearance. Some could be considered worshipers of dress, but in their experimentation with American styles like the show or hate it, you’ll never forget how chilling it was.

Book Review

Land ofCadillac theMan’sLost life on the Souls: streets

Priya Chakrabarti

No real names. Five boroughs. Countless sleeping spots. This is the life Cadillac Man has been living for six months—a time of pain, loss, heartache and a couple of good friends. And yet at the end of 268 pages, the reader doesn’t pity him. Not a typical commentary on the homeless, Cadillac Man portrays his life very simply. From severe beatings to multiple suicide attempts to his prostitute best friends Amber, Sweetheart and Chocolate Milk, Cadillac Man lets us see everything, leaving the reader free to interpret the incidents. The novel opens with a no-holds barred preface in which he tells readers his lack of grammatical skills is due to the fact that he is homeless, “not a Rhodes scholar.” The beauty of his language, however, is in its simplicity. His raw colloquial language gives color to his story, showing the beauty and culture of New York City life. Still, the language holds a power of its own, creating powerful imagery. Cadillac Man’s words make the homeless people we have seen, and perhaps disregarded, just that— people. Cadillac Man’s intended audience comes from a relative place of privilege and he assumes (whether

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he assumes correctly is up to your discretion) the reader has never truly taken the time to think of the homeless as men and women with lives and stories. That might explain the reason he insults the reader at every opportunity (“you [are] spoiled [expletive] rotten”). A journal of sorts, the speaker is the same as the author–Cadillac Man. He is fully aware this book is being read by someone, resulting in an unconventional style of writing that includes insults directed at the reader. Some would argue he has every right to be angry at “the rest of us” who don’t suffer the same fate he does. The way he chose to lead his life, however, was a conscious decision. A few chapters into the book, Cadillac Man explains that after losing three jobs in a row, he and his wife started fighting. Realizing his shallow wife only wanted a husband she could brag about, he just stopped coming home. He gave up and went to the streets, hoping to die. Consequently, the reader does not pity Cadillac Man. Many of the situations he portrays are truly tragic—instances where he’s severely, and unnecessarily, beaten, or where a

An autobiographical look into the lives of New York’s homeless

friend gets murdered by another homeless man who wants his coat. Those experiences are very real, and often very painful. His nonchalant depictions, however, don’t necessarily leave readers with a feeling of tragedy, but awareness of a people who want to be loved, to be saved from the Land of Lost of Souls.

Monsters vs Aliens; Pixar vs Dreamworks

the mixtape

Monsters vs. Aliens, although entertaining, exemplifies all the ways Dreamworks is not Pixar. Grace Yoo

once again why its films could never reach the heights of Disney’s Pixar. Pixar is renowned for its dedication to the story. The results are movies with unconventional premises that retain characters you can empathize with. Pixar produces films about a lovesick robot that holds in his hands the only hope to restoring an Earth made unlivable by mass consumerism, an overprotective father’s desperate search for his son in the great big ocean accompanied by a forgetful yet goodhearted companion, two enemies turned buddies, a cowboy string doll and a space ranger action Monsters vs. Aliens delivers exactly what it promises, a visual lark, but no more. figure who’s not aware that he’s a toy. On the day of her wedding, perky Susan gets struck by a These characters learn and grow like meteorite and absorbs a radioactive substance called quantonium real people, and thus, engage the audience. which grows her a half an inch short of fifty feet. Her wedding Dreamworks films rarely reach this height of emotional plans stalled, Susan is taken into a secret government holding development. At the most, they can develop a cute and lovable facility that houses other seeming dangerous but ultimately character, but ultimately caricatures. They go through generic plot misunderstood monsters. Thus, when a belligerent alien named sequences and come into generic self awareness, but nothing Galaxar rages into Earth to reclaim the quantonium substance, the that really pulls at your heartstrings. Take Monsters vs. Aliens; the United States government employs this motley group of monsters most Susan learns is that her husband is a selfish jerk and how to as their primary means of defense. Thus, Dreamworks delivers be comfortable with who she is, a vaguely feminist insight that’s exactly what is promised in the film’s title: Monsters Vs. Aliens—but hardly original. not much more. Unless Dreamworks puts story over laughs, the rivalry It’s not that it’s a bad film. In fact, the combination of the between these two animation giants are no contest. If you’re in state of the art 3D effects and hilarious sight gags makes it a more for a few good laughs, watch Monsters vs. Aliens. If you’re in for than passable film. It’s just that the film does not aspire to anything a richer, more emotional journey, save your money and watch more. And thus is the dilemma of Dreamworks animation. Pixar’s Up, coming out May 29th. Dreamworks, through Monsters Vs. Aliens, demonstrates

90A violin Minutes Worth of Beauty and piano concert at CSULF Mai-Anh Ha

At 7:30 p.m. California State University Fullerton glows with the blue light of dusk, the buildings looming against the sky like great squarish beasts. It’s almost beautiful. Why don’t more people do this? Visit a school, wander around till nighttime when the theaters and halls are lit with the sound and shine of a performance. If they haven’t, they should. We can’t be young forever and cash in on ticket discounts. At the violin concert by Ernest Salem with piano accompaniment by Alison Edwards, the usual $20 ticket is $15 for students. Reservation fees online add an additional $1.50 and two delivery methods are available, printing tickets at home at $1.75 and will call at $3.00, meaning the already-bought tickets can be picked up at the box office before the event. Reservations a week before guarantee my spot four Joseph Clayes III Performing Arts Center at California State University Fullerton rows from the stage. The acoustics of the hall mean that even one hosts concerts in its Meng Hall and plays, musicals in its Young Theatre. long note reverbrates through the air, into my skin, lodging itself Sonata No. 1 in A minor grabs me from my happy daze of soap into my heart and imagination. Professor of music Edward Salem opera romance and deposits me into a vat of dark chocolate. brings his bow to his violin and plays and I am lost, watching a Where Salem’s violin illustrated a story before, he now transports silent film in my head. The Sonata No. 1 in G minor composed me through a myriad of sensations: my mouth opens and I by Eugene Ysaye for solo violin could easily be called “Feelings breathe in the notes, sometimes I swim in chocolate, other times of an Adolescent Boy,” time and setting Renaissance Italy. In the I’m a coiling ribbon, each moment ephemeral, leaving me grasping first movement is “love at first sight,” in the second the fierce calm with a smile on my face. Salem’s performance lasts an hour and a and joy as his fingertips touch hers in a courtly dance, by the half, wherein he introduced Peter Ilych Tachaikovsky and Edvard third they’ve had their first misunderstanding, broken off their Grieg and made me an undying fan. engagement to the secret horror of both sides and then made up. When I leave Meng Hall, the goldenrod walls with swathes The fourth movement sidles off into the horizon of Disney fairy of overlapping cones and gigantic halves of octagonal pyramids tale endings. fanning out linger in my vision. Why don’t more people do this? The next piece, a composition by Robert Schumann, Violin $15 is too cheap for 90 minutes worth of beauty.

Full-length tracks can be found at http://8tracks.com/thegamut

A Breakdown In Chicago

Metermaids

Genre: Hip-Hop/Alternative Lyric: This is not a breakdown/ Come on!/ This is not a breakdown Description: An ethereal mashup of Sufjan Steven’s lush folky sound and Metermaids earnest hip-hop originals.

Everyone Feels Like You

Owen

Genre: Indie/Acoustic Lyric: If you’re not sure who you are, you’re not alone/ If you’re not sure what you want, you’re not alone/ If you’re not sure of life of love, you’re not alone Description: Gentle melodies and soft vocals with a message of shared pitfalls

Sometimes Words Are Too Slow

Spokes

Genre: Experimental Lyric: [Instrumental] Description: An invigorating progression of sound created by drums, violin and steady guitar strumming.

The Last Song Camera Obscura Genre: Indie Pop Lyric: My heart is no longer a friend of mine/ It wants to betray me most of the time Description: Guitar strumming accompanies lead singer Tracyanne Cambell’s light crooning in a song about unrequited love.

Can It Be

Murs

Genre: Electronic/Pop Lyric: Hey Boy/ Why you didn’t call me?/ I waited for days/ I can’t believe you didn’t call Description: Amid a background of bouncy beats, The Blow’s straightforward lyrics weave a tale of unsuccessful love.

No Pins Allowed

James Yuill

Genre: Folk/Electronica Lyric: Sharks that bite/ Struggle and fight/ Seem more likely to/ Come around tonight Description: A heavily synthesized, yet catchy, song.

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sports

Learning the Basics

Jenica Marilla sets out to conquer both school recordsJulie Nguyen Early in this season, junior Jenica Marilla proved herself to be a serious contender, leaping past Sophia Lee’s triple jump record and setting a new school record at 32 feet and four inches. A triple and long jumper since her freshmen year, Marilla never quite learned the fundamentals and basics of jumping until this year. With the help of the new coach, Mandy Prizio who concentrates on training the jumpers, Marilla has consistently shown progress in both her form and landing techniques. “She really focuses on core workouts and our jumping form,” Marilla said. “At first, I didn’t think her drills were helpful but now that I see improvements in my marks, her drills really do help with my form.” For practice, the jumpers begin with warm up laps and drills, such as Jenica Marilla continues to practice her jumps after already breaking the triple record earlier this season. high knees and striders, several meets, Marilla has placed first “Most jumpers shouldn’t go out followed by push-ups, superman directly practicing at the pit. Unlike previous years without in all of her jumps and qualified for and jump right away. A lot of the jumps, and pike jumps to get them conditioned and improve their a coach, the overall team has been all three of her events in the league kids never learned any fundamentals, but as the season progresses, they’ll jumping techniques, rather than improving consistently as well. For prelims on April 30.

focus more on just jumping itself,” track coach Chayne Chaldu said. After already proving herself in the triple jump, Marilla is now set on taking down the record in the long jump, set by Tina Oh three years ago. “I always try to beat everyone else at the meets,” Marilla said. “If I do, then I always try to beat my personal record.” Marilla’s best long jump is 15 feet and two inches, just trailing behind the record of 15 feet 8.5 inches. Last year, the girls were undefeated in league, and with Marilla continually placing first, she is pivotal to the team this year, already securing her individual spot in CIF. “Jenica has a legit chance to break the long jump record as long as she works hard,” Chaldu said. “and she can easily be league champion next year if she keeps focused.”

Baseball Continues to Dominate William Trinidad

Even with a reduced 11-man roster, the varsity baseball team continues to dominate its opponents, leading in the Academy League with an 8-3 record. Players were automatically placed on varsity, as there were not enough players to create a junior varsity. Any misgivings about the team’s capability, however, were shattered on April 7, when the Patriots crushed the Sage Hill Lightnings 16-5. “It was definitely different [to have such a lack of players], but the nucleus of guys we have on varsity is a talented group,” senior captain Cameron Bedard said. The varsity team began its season with a close 2-1 victory over the Lightnings and was served its first defeat in league by the school on April 6, losing 1-3. The next day, the team answered

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back and defeated the Lightnings, earning second place in Division VI baseball that week. “That week of practice, we focused and just got back down to earth,” senior captain Ryan Plunkett said. The Patriots are one of the two teams from the Academy League ranked in Division VI baseball by OCVarsity.com. The Capistrano Valley Christian Eagles, a team demolished twice by the varsity squad 15-4 and 12-1, are eighth place, while the Patriots are fourth. This high ranking has been possible despite only three upperclassmen: seniors Cameron Bedard and Ryan Plunkett, and junior Patrick Zajac. “I am thrilled to be back on the team and am determined to help bring a league title, maybe even a CIF title, to Oxford,” junior captain

Senior captain Cameron Bedard prepares to throw a pitch during the game against the Capistrano Valley Christian Eagles.

Patrick Zajac said. With only four league games remaining and against teams the Patriots have beaten before, the

team has a good chance of winning out and continuing to lead in the Academy League. “We’re still focusing on getting

the league championship, but we are excited for CIF at the same time,” Plunkett said.

sports

Swinging Past Rough Start Boys golf struggles to fill in the gap left by previous seniors

For junior Chirag Patel, golf has always been a passion, but despite his string of stellar performances and improved game this season, the boys varsity golf team has been struggling this season, posting a 2-8 record. “This year we are simply getting dominated by the other teams,” Patel said, “We are more relaxed and do not worry about our personal rankings among one another, causing us to lack motivation in the match.” Although there is little chance for the team to make it to CIF, Patel continues to put in his best effort into one of his favorite sports. “I just love to play the game [because] it is sort of a relaxing challenge,” Patel said, “There is no real sprinting or physical conditioning involved, yet is one of the most difficult sports because it’s an individual responsibility to do well.” At eleven, Patel began playing at the Heartwell Golf Course after a family friend suggested he should play. He has been on the school team since his freshman year. This season, Patel has stepped up his game, filling in for the seniors that led the team last year. “I have scored the best on our

Jessica Ayunani

team for all of the matches so far except a couple, Patel said, “Last year I struggled to get a 9 or 10 over and now I find it easy to get a 6 or 7 over. Also, this year I got a new personal record of a 4 over.” As for the rest of the team, however, p l a y i n g against better opponents has helped them elevate Captain Chirag Patel has dramatically improved, cutting his their game. stroke count by five. “We improve by playing with By the end of the season, Patel is experienced people,” junior striving to prove he has what it Shawn Chen said, “We had trouble takes by accomplishing a difficult [scoring] consistent[ly] at the feat. beginning of the season, but we’ve “I’m hoping to medal in a all improved [as] all of us [have match,” Patel said, “meaning that gotten] to play in the front with I have the best score out of both the good [opposing] players.” teams.”

New Crowd Makes a Splash A batch of new players look to redeem the swim team

With only five freshman in the boys varsity swim team this season, there was speculation about how the Patriots would do in league play after moving up to Division III. Despite elevated pressure and competition, the boys hold a 21 record, and the freshmen have already proved themselves as strong swimmers. “The guys have won one or two more meets than the girls, Wittman said, “So far the only team they’ve lost to in the league is Whitney.” The Patriots faced the Whitney Wildcats at the Cerritos Olympic Swim & Fitness Center on March 31, delivering some impressive performances.

Fantasy Baseball Rankings Min Lee

1) Albert Pujols: You know exactly what you’re getting with Pujols: 35+ HR, 110+ RBI and 100+ Runs. Money in the bank. 2) Hanley Ramirez: Off to an ordinary start, but he just put together an eight-game hitting streak with three multi-hit games. Still need him to steal more bases, though. 3) Chase Utley: After reassuring owners with a 33 HR season, Utley has come out of the gates swinging - he is batting .342 with 7 HR and 20 RBI so far. 4) Ryan Howard: Howard’s batting average is always a concern, but his big play ability makes him a worthy investment. Averaging 51 HR the last three seasons. 5) Miguel Cabrera: If the Tigers can jump-start their offense, the RBI’s and Runs will start rolling in. Cabrera has gone hitless in only four games. 6) Ryan Braun: Only 25 years old, and many people will agree we have yet to see the best from him. Hitting a cool .333 with 5 HR and 16 RBI. 7) Ian Kinsler: The usual dearth of talent at second base aside, Kinsler is on course to best his career year in 2008. 8) Carlos Beltran: Beltran’s only hitless game was back on April 16,

and since then, he has been on a tear, batting .451. His on-basepercentage is an otherworldly .490. 9) Adrian Gonzalez: Steady improvement every season, and 9 HR already this season. 10) Evan Longoria: Has 12 RBI in the last five games, and on pace to a 47 HR, 130 RBI, 110 Run season.

Allen Tran Freshman Kevin Privett placed first in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 23.10 and in the 200 meter freestyle with 2:00.19. Privett, sophomore Jonathan Okay, juniors Gabe Bergado, Simon Huang and Tae Min Son placed second in the medley relay. The freshmen were a strong asset in the meet, already possessing experience from middle school. “In Jr. High we [were the] district champs,” freshman Phillip Minott said, “so most of us got spots on varsity.” Because the team practices at the outdoor swim facility at Kennedy High School, the Cerritos facility was bit of a disadvantage for the Patriot

swimmers. “The [indoor] air quality is different,” Bergado said, “[It] hinders us because when I swim up it feels thick and harder to breathe.” After placing second in CIF last year, the Patriots have a lot of pressure to return this season. On the April 4 meet against the Paramount High School Pirates, Privett made CIF consideration time with a 50.8 in the 100 free and was one-hundredths of a second away from automatically qualifying for CIF in the 50 free with 22.75. “There are a lot of areas that need improvement,” Wittman said, “[but] hopefully Kevin Privett makes it.”

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