boyd street magazine issue 2

8/13/2019 Boyd Street Magazine Issue 2

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Issue 2 • Vol. 13



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January 31, 2014 • Issue 2 • Volume 13

TECH ATTACK

The much-anticipated Steam Boxfrom Valve isn’t doing as well asanticipated. Chase explains thefactors that contribute to this let-downin this week’s “Tech Attack.”

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MUSICNeed Valentine’s Day plans? Wantto listen (and dance) to some sweet,sweet music? Go to the Opolis.Brainwasher is presenting somethingmighty awesome.

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ROMANCELove and lust are opposite ends ofthe spectrum ... right? Well, it’s notthat cut and dry, according to ourromance expert. Find out how toproperly balance the two l-words thisissue.

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ON THE CORNER I hope everyone is finally back into the swing of things at school and at work and in life ingeneral. It’s so hard to get back into focus-mode after a month-long holiday break. I can’tbelieve it’s already February!

This issue has got some great stuff for you. We have a lovely article on what to do forValentine’s Day in Norman, “Tech Attack” catches us up on Valve’s new Steam Box system,our romance guru talks about love versus lust and Mel shines the light on what the Opolis

is doing for Valentine’s Day.

So take a break from all the studying (which is what I’m assuming you’re doing since youare more than likely at a bar/restaurant reading this) and enjoy!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • Kelli Smith

ART DIRECTOR Kelli Smith

COPY EDITOR

Ashley Roy

PHOTOGRAPHY Mark DoescherKatrina Ward

CONTRIBUTORSAlexis Auckland

Chase CookMel Guapo

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Joe Wilhite

PUBLISHER Joe Wilhite

Boyd Street MagazineP.O. Box 721494

Norman, Oklahoma 73070

Copyright © Boyd Street Magazine

Phone: (405) 321-2400E-mail: [email protected]

Any articles, artwork or graphicscreated by Boyd Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property ofBoyd Street Magazine and cannotbe reproduced for any reason withoutpermission. Any opinions expressed in

Boyd Street are not necessarily that ofBoyd Street management.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIAboydstreet.com

BOYDSTREET MAGAZINE

ON THE CORNER Whether you’re single or part of a couple,Norman has plenty of places to shop inpreparation for Valentine’s Day -- andevents to attend to celebrate during the d ayof February 14 itself. Check ‘em out.

8

Kelli SmithEditor-in-Chief

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No Love for the Steam Box?Love is in the air with Valentine’s Day only a couple of weeks around the corner.People are pairing off, gamers are getting their loved ones boxes full of first-personshooters and RPGs, and maybe even a little bit of chocolate.

But the Steam Box, Valve’s new living-room-focused computer, seems to be awallflower. The boxes were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014 InLas Vegas. Fourteen different companies have crafted Steam Boxes, which are

merely computers that have been shaped to look good in your living room. Theylook like consoles, but act like computers, and Valve’s goal is to move PC gamersinto the living room and give living-room gamers a chance to play PC games. PCgames, unlike console games, have more customization options and they lookbetter.

So, if these Steam Boxes supposedly give console gamers and PC gamers moreoptions, why is the box sitting on the wal l, waiting for someone to ask it to dance?

Mostly because the Steam Boxes right now are pretty much PCs. There isn’tanything different about them than the PC I’m using to type up this stor y right now.I could take my desktop tower into the living room (it weighs about 15 pounds),plug it into the TV and be done with it. It would operate just like the Steam Box.The Steam Boxes are smaller and look more like consoles, so the only differenceis I would likely spend less kinetic energy moving the smaller box compared to mydesktop tower.

This is like dropping a square into a la ke. The Steam Box isn’t filling any gaps rightnow because there are already opportunities to move computers into the livingroom. So the box sinks into the already voluminous opportunity of media boxes,

like Roku, or the act of simply hooking up an HDMI cable to your TV and desktoptower.

What PC gaming really needs is a way to control delicate games, like Starcraft and Civilization, in your living room. These games don’t exist in the console spaceunless they receive face lifts to make them easier to play with a controller. Makinga smaller but just as powerful PC for the living room will help, but it isn’t going tocomplete Valve’s goal to take over the living room.

Instead, the Valve’s Steam controller and operating system are going to be the bestsolution to translate PC gaming to the l iving room’s bigger TVs and wider spaces.However, we don’t know much about those systems yet, except that the Steamcontroller seems to work well and the operating system can’t run all of Steam’sgames.

Until then, there are just a bunch of boxed up PCs you can buy at prices rangingfrom $500 to $2000. Instead you could just take your current computer and plugit into your living room. Until that isn’t an option, or until the Steam Box offerssomething desktops don’t, it will just have to remain a wallflower.

Chase Cook Tech Attack

Year 2013 was good to “rogue-lite” games.The rogue genre has video games that aren’tlike the persistent narrative-driven games wenormally play. Instead, each time you play thegame starts over and you try to get as far as you can in the dungeon or particular level.When you die, that’s it.

But, with “rogue-lite” games, there is a littlecarryover from every game you play –something like unlocking new characters orgetting new items for your next run-through.

Risk of Rain is a simple side-scrolling actiongame where you select a hero and battlethrough multiple stages and dungeons. Eachhero has different abilities, but you onlystart with the commando. You can unlockother heroes by completing the game oraccomplishing other tasks.

However, this game is hard, and every five toten minutes (based on the difficulty you select),it gets even harder. Gathering items andtools mitigates your ability to power throughenemies, but they will often overwhelm you.After you die, whatever you accomplished inthe game unlocks new items that will drop the

next time you play.The game is fun, but it takes a long time tounlock new characters and items. Playing withthe same hero, whose abilities don’t change,gets tiresome. Plus there are only a few levels,but they are well designed and the monstersare animated well.

The game takes some time to get into, but itonly costs $10 and still offers 10 to 20 hoursof gameplay if you’re willing to grind throughthe first hero.

Review:Risk of Rain

(out of 5)

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Very few days have the ab ility to elicit emotion like Valentine’s Day. Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is less thana month away and we’ve got some idea s to help you celebrate regardless of your relationship status.

If you’re in a relationship ...

Save yourself some panic and set a time to buy your Valentine a gift before the actual dayor else you might end up with the last box of broken heart candy. One great place to visit

for the lady in your life is Antique Garden. Skip the traditional roses route and surprise your sweetie with a bouquet of nail polish! Antique Garden has the best selection ofButter London Nail Lacquer that I’ve found in Norman. You can also ask the friendly salesassociates for some advice and they’ll guide you in the right direction.

Remember, chocolates are a must on the day of love. Let your special person know that youcare by skipping the grocery store chocolates and going straight for the good stuff. Over

at Unique Confections, you can hand-select and customize a boxof truffles ranging from a box of two to a box of 16. Each truffleis handmade and comes in unique flavors like espresso, whitechocolate cayenne, maple dark chocolate and dark chocolate with bacon three ways. Are there anymen you know that can refuse bacon?

Make reservations now for the Champagne & Roses event at Joy’s Tea Palace. This romantic eveningincludes a champagne dinner by Chef Ramona, roses, dancing, a lingerie show and karaoke from7-10 p.m. on February 14.

Another dinner option is Sergio’s Italian Bistro. Soft lighting sets the mood while jazzy hits from FrankSinatra and the like help to keep you in a romantic mindset. Sergio’s is rated on Urban Spoon as

one of the most romantic restaurants in Norman, and its reasonable cost will allow you to splurge onother Valentine-related things.

If you’re single ...

Celebrate Singles Awareness Day in style without feeding into the hoopla and getting all depressed. Whether it’s going to thespa, spending an extra hour at the gym, starting a new book or watching a movie, do something you want tonight. Remember,there’s no written rule saying you can’t treat yourself to some heart-shaped candy. You even have the benefit of waiting to b uyit on February 15 to save some money!

For couples and singles ...

Check out these upcoming Valentine’s Day-themed events that appeal to everyone.

• Firehouse Chocolate Festival | February 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. | 2801 Hwy 9 EThis annual event celebrates chocolate in al l forms with chocolate food and ar t activities.A 30-minute session is $25, and if you want to pay a bit extra, you’ll also walk out with 10-to-15samples of sweet treats.

• Second Friday Circuit of Art | February 14 from

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. | DowntownMake plans as a couple or gather up a group offriends and head to the Second Friday Circuit of Art.This citywide celebration features something newto see and hear ea ch month.

Jordan Attebury

Valentine’s Day in Norman

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I love you. I’m just not in love with you.

Ouchy-poo. This infamous, gut-fracturing line is the one nobody wants to hear, but it’s alsothe one most likely lurking somewhere in our relationships’ rocky-patched futures. Granted, you may never hear those exact words come out of the pursed lips of the person youadore, but I promise you that if you ever enter into a long-term relationship, one of you willfeel those words at some point in time.

The reason you’ll experience this change of heart is due to emotions not being static, justlike everything else in the world. Earth has s easons and so does the hear t. Your partnerwill fall in and out of love with you, and you with them because people change. Even ifboth of you are the most structured, repetitive creatures of habit, change is inevitable, evenif it’s only physical.

So, going with this notion that your lover that currently stares at you with those caring,Puss-in-Boots eyes won’t do so forever, you know your question is how to deal with it.

One way is by keeping in mind that there are plenty of loyal, considerate people in theworld who would never let a variation of emotions fool them into breaking a bond withtheir partner. They wouldn’t call it quits just because they didn’t feel so hot in the pantsfor their lover anymore, but instead they’d push through the hard times. Usually with truelove, there are wild flames of rekindled pas sion on the other side of barelyflickering embers.

The other, most important way to deal with lost love is by attempting to avoidthe dip in desire in the first place. This is how you do it.

According to specialists, when we decide we love someone, we are actuallynot only loving them, but also lusting after them. These two componentscomprise the warm and fuzzies we label simply as BEING IN LOVE. This is

how it works.

Love:• It’s about being nurtured and paid attention.• It’s honest, safe and reliable.• It’s what creates a deep connection.

Lust:• It’s about receiving a lack of attention you crave.• It wears a shroud of mystery and unpredictability.• It’s what makes you long for a deeper connection.

If you want your partner to not only love you, but to also be in love with you,then you need to be present and absent. To nail the nice love/lust balancethat makes the sparks fly while also providing a fluffy s afety blanket, don’tget in the rut of hanging out with your partner day in and out.

Don’t become conjoined twins. Don’t be at their beck and call.

This is harder said than done be cause, hopefully, your partner is your bestie.You prefer their company to anyone else’s, so spending all your free time

with them is instinctual. Still: Don’t do it. Force yourself to do things withoutthem to keep the mystery alive and allow them the opportunity to miss you.

Take nights with friends or get daring and take a whole vacation Han Solo.Start a hobby that leaves them puz zled, wondering what made you starta new endeavor. Do this, and you’ll have a better chance at avoiding thedreaded plummet of falling out of love.

Alexis Auckland

Love VS. Lust

Romance

LoveHave YouBaffled?

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5 cling-on, killer crush, fri end’sdisapproval, infamous commitmentphobe or any awkward love

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Brainwasher Presents: The First Annual Opolis Slow DanceLive Valentine’s Day Performance

Longest Happy Hour in Town!Everyday 4-9 PM

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Mel Guapo Music

The music of Brainwasher comes from an emotionally intense pla ce, and it only makes sense to perform it on a holiday suchas Valentine’s Day.

-Tommy McKenzie of Brainwasher

It’s easy to forget about our emotions when we’re all as smart as we all are. That’s why we have holidays like Valentine’sDay built into our schedules: to remind us of our feelings – and the forgetfulness is something we tend to suffer from asAmericans. So maybe this Valentine’s Day you want an experience that you can actually connect with? Well then, I’ve gotjust the experience for you: Brainwasher Presents: The First Annual Opolis Slow Dance , February 14 at Opolis on Crawfordbetween Main and Gray.

Brainwasher is the brainchild of local musicians Tommy McKenzie and Matt Duckworth. What initially began as a studioproject out of Pink Floor Studio recently took to the stage for the first time at The Womb Art Gallery in Oklahoma City. Likethe name suggests, the Brainwasher sound envelops the senses, over powering with a tidal wave of slow rolling emotion andsteady movement. When asked how they would describe their sound, both members made reference to the ‘90s televisionseries Twin Peaks.

Matt Duckworth described their live show as follows: “Feels a little bit wrong and feels a little bit right. More influenced bythe idea of situations that make your hair stand up a little bit or make you feel a bit nervous.”

What better way to feel on Valentine’s Day than that? Love is supposed to feel a little bit wrong and a l ittle bit right. Loveis supposed to challenge us and draw us towards something outside ourselves. Love dances on the edge of the rooftop,saying, “Believe in me, for I am the way, the truth, and the light.” And on the opposite side of love is Death, who also says,“Believe in me, for I am the way, the truth, and the light.” And both of them aren’t wrong, except that they can’t both belight.

But let’s be realistic. This year you were lucky to remember to book dinner reservations in advance, and you didn’t realizethat Valentine’s Day was on a weekend, whichmeans you’re not only entitled to make dinner p lans,but you’re also entitled to make after-dinner plans.Luckily for you, there’s Brainwasher Presents: TheFirst Annual Opolis Slow Dance .

Doors open at 9 p.m. with a $5 cover charge.There will be a special DJ set for cocktail hourbefore friends of Brainwasher—local musiciansperforming solo—will play whatever love songs oranti-love songs they believe capture the spirit of theValentine’s season. Later in the night Brainwasherwill crank up the party with a full set around 11:30p.m. and the bar will stay open until 2 a.m.

At the tail end of the interview with Tommy, I asked:“Is there anything else about the show you want meto include in the piece? And messages you would

like me to convey to my reader s?” He had this tosay:

Just come be lovely and romantic with somebody—or nobody—that’s fine.

And he is right.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

On the ScenTres Cantina y GrilleO’Connell’s

O’Connell’s Second Wind Poetry Slam O’Connell’s

Louie’s



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boyd street magazine issue 2

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