Noreen Mae Ritsema

Reflecting our collective fears

Halloween is a time of year that is surrounded by darkness, fear and celebration. Witches, ghosts, bats and vampires are all popular images that symbolize…


Aspiring to intoxication

There is perhaps no better way to legally distort reality than with alcohol. For some — OK, for many — it is the social lubricant…



Shaping up

The ads are everywhere, buy the new Sketchers Shape-ups and you can “get in shape without setting foot in a gym.” Yes, advertisements claim that…



Know thy artist

With many questions about legitimacy and safety still lingering in the tattoo world, professional tattoo artist Andrew Triebel of Triebel Tattoos — working out of…


Tattoos as permanent reminders

Tattoos are at once permanent and a constant reminder of impermanence. When we choose to get inked, it is undying passion and value that permeates…




Strippers in suburbia

When the hook from this classic Ol’ Dirty Bastard song started playing and Roxy Roller unenthusiastically chewed gum and pranced around the dance floor topless,…