Whether it be a card of love or hate, GoWild will show you how to make a card to show that special someone how you really feel this Valentine's Day

Remember Valentine's Day in third grade, when you and your classmates would meticulously decorate a tissue box with construction paper hearts, then walk around the classroom depositing your valentines into your friends' boxes? Remember how you turned your box over, looking for a card from your crush, only to come up empty-handed? Remember how they asked out your best friend three days later? [Read article]

Interviewing a celebrity can seem absurd. However, Chan Marshall of Cat Power is a different variety of celebrity. She shies away from recognition, isn't willing to let the industry make a miracle product out of her, and has been known to leave the stage in tears mid-song apologizing to her audiences. Why are fans so forgiving of a star who cannot seem to handle stardom?

Cat Power is releasing its fourth album, You Are Free, and loading up the van; Marshall will be smooth-talking her lyrics all over the country. [Read article]

Slowly, slowly, steady, steady. One drum ÷ the drum, called the o-daiko, that towers over many heads ÷ sounds, and suddenly other tiny drums chime in, all together for one purpose: to give the world a heartbeat.

This is the mission of Kodo, a Japanese performing company whose concerts depend on the music of the taiko, or Japanese drum, and their dynamic 20 or so performers. Kodo was founded in 1971 by Tagayasu Den, who wanted to attract more people to Sado Island (a sliver of land off the coast of Japan), where there was not much for youth to do. In 1981, the group broke free from Den and named itself "Kodo," which means "heartbeat" in Japanese and is a symbol that unites all peoples. [Read article]

Grade: A & A
Betancourt: Unfortunately for us, "Talk To Her" is the sort of film that shouldn't be talked about, but watched. Not that you'll necessarily like it, but nothing we say can really describe what it's like. [Read article]

My mom used to give me $20 for Valentine's Day decorations at Michael's. In second grade, shoeboxes were pimped-out, come-and-get-your-OshKosh B'Gosh-lovin'' mailboxes. My heart stickers had glitter on them. I refused the doilies and went straight to silk, the material of fancy lingerie. It used to be inclusive. Everyone received flattering notes that day, even the kid who used to drool blue because he sucked on the scented magic markers. We were taught that on that one day, we had to appreciate everyone. This lesson has melted like a Popsicle in the sun over the years. [Read article]

Grade: D
"Toni Morrison knockoff." Those were the words that crossed my mind upon reading the first paragraph of Olympia Vernon's novel "Eden." Like Morrison, Vernon's writing is packed with symbolism, metaphors and biblical allusions; unlike Morrison, Vernon's metaphors are too obvious while her language is intentionally (and maddeningly) vague. Most of her characters, including the main one, don't pack the emotional wallop they should, considering their miserable circumstances. [Read article]