Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth.
YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them.
Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.
Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.
One down, one more to go! At least for this school year. Now I know all of our mentalities going into semester two. “I’m going to do better than last semester!” “I’m going to work harder and get better grades”
Quite frankly, what I’ve realized is that each new semester is treated like a whole new year in terms of all of the goals and resolutions we expect ourselves to follow. Now hopefully, with this new semester, we all hold onto these goals and follow through with them. So here are some tips to help you through our next cycle of homework, exams, quizzes, presentations, and not to mention another round of finals for the grand finale.
Be realistic with your goals
Step one: Don’t overdo it with your goals! That doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, it just sets a realistic standard for yourself. Nonetheless, don’t stop there. If you reach that goal, keep going. Don’t make the initial goal far out of reach because it might just seem like too much and you’ll end up less motivated. Make sure you don’t just reflect on your goals but you make a plan to achieve them.
Now that you have your goals, write them down and tape them down where you know you’ll see them often
This is just as important as making your goals. Write some down on a post-it and stick them on your mirror, your binder, your notebooks, really anywhere that you’ll be able to see it daily. This makes sure you’re constantly reminded and given some extra motivation. Sure it might sound silly, but it can really affect the way you go about your day at school.
Pay a little bit more attention in class by taking more notes
We all know it’s true. After the first few days back and we start getting less and less sleep, there’s not as much incentive to actually sit in class for 80 minutes. Try bringing out your notebook right away when you get into class and jot down some notes here and there. If you find yourself dozing off, make sure to bring a snack for class, this way you have something else to focus on. Don’t spend 80 minutes of your life in a classroom with nothing written down to prove it. This will also make studying a lot better because all the information is already there, your future self will thank you.
Up your organizational skills with bullet journals
Bullet journals aren’t just something you see on Tumblr! It’s helped immensely with my planning and time management skills. Not to mention, it’s a really fun creative way to get organized. If you don’t see yourself as an artistic person and therefore decide not to try bullet journaling, you’re missing out. Bullet journals are 100% tailored the way you want them to be because you’re the designer. They don’t have to be artistic, they can be completely simple. The idea of a bullet journal isn’t for it to just be aesthetically pleasing, but to actually help the person with their planning and goals! Give it a shot and you might actually really like it!
Get ahead when you have the chance
Again, your future self will thank you for this. When you’re given a project that’s said to be due in a month. Get it started. No matter how small the project is. Even with small homework questions or even just a worksheet. Things pile up quickly, way too quickly. Get it out of the way and get ready for another load, because you will for sure get one soon enough.
Make way for friends
Don’t go through this semester confined in your room writing essays, finishing IA’s and labs. Make sure you have time for fun. It’s not good for our brain to just be in a loop of homework. Your happiness is just as valuable than whatever piece of schoolwork you’re trying to get done. So get out of the house at least once a week and let yourself get loose. You deserve it.
Apple’s HomePod is the tech giants attempt to cement themselves into the smart home speaker market. Prior to the HomePod, companies such as Google and Amazon have released products such as the Google Home and Google Home Mini, as well as Amazon releasing the Amazon Echo. Apple’s late entrance into the smart home market shows the Cupertino based company’s plan to diversify its products range, whilst deepening the Apple ecosystem for its consumers.
Its new HomePod is a brand new smart speaker, which aims to make a plethora of the features from Apple’s ecosystem more accessible by voice. However its most heavily branded feature is its ability to bring music and integrate it with a high-quality speaker with Siri. The Homepod features a high excursion woofer and a custom amplifier. It also features Apple’s A8 chip which was also the chip which was most notably used by Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 plus.
The Apple HomePod utilizes Siri to navigate music, and integrates it into its design with a glowing light positioned on the top of the device. Siri gives the listener a variety of options to control their music and control a bunch of other features. Apple also aims to integrate the HomePod with its HomeKit platform, helping the HomePod give control over areas such as lighting, thermostats, etc.
The Homepod releases in the U.S.A on February 9th 2018; however a specific date has not been announced for Canada. Until then, many excited customers will wait to see if Apple’s newest product is going to be a game changer or just another product.
Nearing the end of January, Amazon opened its “go” store to the public. The project from Amazon aimed to introduce a completely new shopping experience, which eliminated the traditional cashier payment method by swapping it for a cashier-less, walk in walk out experience. The store opened in Seattle and was quickly met with long lineups upon its opening to the public.
The “Go store” features a plethora of ready-made meals and other common items you would find in a grocery store. However, it does not offer certain items as they are hard to track, such as fresh produce.
The store features a large number of cameras installed in the ceiling which aim to track the individuals who are shopping while tracking which products they pick up and put back, the cameras are also used in combination with sensors in the shelves, all these technological aspects track and keep track of what you pick up and walk out of the store with . Ultimately the cameras follow the individuals and the products they take as they walk out of the front door, they then charge their Amazon account.
The ambition from Amazon with its new project is clear, however, the success of this new ambition is anything but clear.
The Edgemont Youth Press is a group of youth who are passionate about writing and getting involved in their community. Our group is responsible for publishing monthly pieces for the community newsletter. This newsletter, the Inside Edge, is delivered to more than 6,000 households, apartments, and businesses within the Edgemont Community every month. The writing covers a broad range of topics from interviews with community businesses to issues our youth feel are important to creative writing all in an effort to connect ourselves to the greater community.
This group started back in 2014 as the Youth Reporters exclusively reporting on community businesses but since then has greatly expanded. Along with the name change, the Youth Press has broadened our areas of writing to create an environment where everyone is given the opportunity to make their voice heard. Some previously written topics have included feminism, the importance of community, and the Beyond 4 Walls Conference. Click here to browse recent newsletters for which we have created content.
We welcome anyone from grade seven up who either live in the Edgemont Community or attend one of the community’s designated schools. Not only do we provide a supportive environment for youth to enhance their writing skills, but also a welcoming and diverse group in which many memories and friendships are created. Additionally, by joining our little group, you would become a volunteer for the Edgemont Community.
After a little down period, we are planning to restart our monthly articles in the community newsletter in Spring 2018. As we reestablish this club, we are also very open to new suggestions, ideas and plans. Nothing is set in stone. We hope to move forward, with the aim to build community through giving youth a platform of expression.
So if you or anyone may be interested, please shoot us a note at edgemontyouthpress@gmail.com! We would love to invite you out to our first introductory & brainstorming meeting at the Edgemont Community Association on February 13th from 5:30 – 6:30pm.
I’ve been watching movies and TV shows for a long time now. Long enough to identify which ones are garbage and which are not. But one thing that has bothered me the most, is that the ABSOLUTE BEST films and shows (in my opinion) are coincidentally the most unpopular ones. It’s such a shame that these titles don’t have the recognition they deserve! They are life-changing, heart-breaking and all-in-all inexplicably amazing in every aspect. It’s time to justify their lack of attention and make them known!
BONNIE & CLYDE (2013)
Let’s just take a moment to appreciate this movie poster. Clyde and Bonnie. Bonnie and Clyde. Unquestionably one of the most iconic couples in history. This two-part miniseries (or three-hour-long movie if you watch on Netflix) follows the lives of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, from their first meeting to their last. Car chases and shootouts, all taking place in the dirty 30’s just to make it even greater. Watching this has evoked all sorts of feelings. This entire miniseries had been an emotional roller coaster, taking me on a ride and showcasing the rise and fall of the infamous Bonnie & Clyde. This picture says it all. Two people, madly in love, committing crimes along the way. Does it really get any better than this? I think this has got to be the best Bonnie & Clyde film of all time. The way the actors portray the roles of the two, it’s like they’ve become the actual characters. At times I felt like I was watching lost tapes of the real Bonnie and Clyde in action! Trailer
X COMPANY (2017)
I say this at least twice on a daily basis, but EVERYBODY GO WATCH X COMPANY, A.K.A. THE BEST SHOW KNOWN TO MAN. It pains me greatly knowing that probably only me and 4 other people have watched this show. It’s actually the most incredible thing that exists on earth, I’m just saying. This show could easily beat any other show on the face of the planet. 5 allied spies in occupied Europe during WW2? Tell me that it’s not the greatest thing you’ve ever heard. I would defend this show to the death without hesitation. Espionage, secrecy, drama, romance, kicking some Nazi butt. What more could you ask for? The plot never has a dull moment and trust me, this is the kind of show you’d pull all nighters for. Trailer
HANDSOME DEVIL (2016)
Handsome Devil is the cutest LGBTQ movie I’ve ever seen. It’s set in an all-boys, rugby-obsessed boarding school. Ned (right) is the only boy at his school who despises rugby, and just his luck, Conor (left), a rugby star has been assigned as Ned’s new roommate. But there was something different about Conor, something he wasn’t ready to admit to himself, much less the rest of the world. It’s a beautiful story about coming out and the fight against homophobia. It’ll make you cry and laugh at the same time. I highly recommend you watch this underrated movie. Trailer
OUR WORLD WAR (2014)
LIFE. CHANGING. I initially watched this three-part British miniseries on an airplane, which was a horrible idea because I nearly flooded the plane with my tears. I think I’ve cried more in these three episodes than I have my whole life. Let this be a warning, you’re going to need at least one whole box of tissues if you plan on watching. This BBC WW1 drama is so underrated it makes me angry. No shade, but this deserves twice as many views than the trashy shows on Netflix’s home page. It tells three different stories of the first world war, as told by people who lived it. This miniseries is nothing short of astonishing. From the trenches to the fields, the battlefront to the home front, it shows the tragedy and reality that was the great war. Trailer
UNDER SANDET [LAND OF MINE] (2016)
This German movie left me in a pool of tears. No joke. Don’t let the fact that it’s a foreign movie scare you from watching. It’s based on the true story of how after the second world war, leftover German prisoners of war were forced to stay and defuse landmines. It’ll make you feel so many emotions, by the time you’re finished you won’t even know what hit you. Plot twists are literally everywhere, and nothing goes the way you think it’s going to. It’s such a spectacular movie and deserves all the attention in the world. Trailer
These days, I rarely get receipts shorter than a 30cm ruler for purchasing a bag of chips at just about any store. It’s totally absurd so I wanted to find out why do stores did this.
Before researching this shower thought, I wanted to list out a few of my own reasons for why receipts are, what seems like, longer than my research papers I write for school.
1. For people to collect and turn into a mummy costume for Halloween. (Or in the holiday spirit, turn into scarves and keep warm.)
2. To be used to make origami stars.
3. Turn into DIY birthday party streamers.
My list could probably go on (it actually did but I’ll spare you from my ridiculous answers), but you can tell that I was completely stumped with coming up with anything reasonable. It’s just that typically I don’t see people casually reading their receipts any time after their purchase, or any time at all for that matter. And so I googled “why are receipts so long?”
My top 3 were Search Results:
– Why Store Receipts from CVS, Kmart, Target Are So Long | Money
– CVS receipts are so long they’ve become a meme … – Business Insider
– Why CVS Receipts Are So Long – Business Insider
For anyone who may not know what CVS is, it’s essentially an American drugstore, similar to Shopper’s Drug Mart, Rexall, or London Drugs. After reading these first few articles, I found out that CVS is (now, was) notorious for printing long receipts. If you thought any of our Canadian receipts were incredibly long, well you’re in for a treat. The lengths of CVS receipts is almost forgivable because they’re so long, it’s funny. This, of course, blew up across the Internet. Another google search of images of CVS receipts showed that my guesses weren’t too far off from what other customers were doing with their really really long receipts.
Boiling down the Why:
Some sources say that the long receipts from CVS were intentional. Having their receipts blowup on social media could have been a clever tactic to make customers out of curious people. Was it a marketing strategy? It makes sense because Starbucks is known for something similar. Their notorious reputation for misspelling names is purposely meant to get customers to share pictures of their drinks on social media.
Or…the strategy involves sending customers away with question marks bobbing above their heads and hoping that the customers will share their experience.
Fun fact! Starbucks recently spelled my name as “Lusie”. (I’d put a picture but I drank my mint mocha before I remembered a picture would be cool)
So long, long receipt!
As of May 2016, CVS implemented a digital receipt system where “Customers [could] have the opportunity to opt-out of receiving paper receipts for all in-store purchases when completing their transactions in the front of the store. Once the one-time process is completed, customers will receive receipts digitally, along with their coupons and rewards, each time they shop at CVS Pharmacy.” [x]
Just like VCRs, will we witness the elimination of receipts in the near future? While they still exist, lets celebrate the memories that receipts have brought to humanity up until this point.
I hope you enjoyed my scoop on long receipts and learned something new! Now, ttfn while I go make my next Halloween costume.
Coachella has inspired a lot. Whether its musicians at the beginning of their careers or questionable fashion trends, the size and scope of the festival has continually influenced music lovers all over the world, year after year. This includes Richie Colosimo and Aaron Mook. Together, they make up Pittsburgh, Pa’s “Flower Crown“. The duo have been busy making music since 2016, and just released their debut album “GLOW” back in October. I reached out to them a few weeks ago to chat about how they met, the music scene in Pittsburgh, the making of “GLOW” and what 2018 has in store for them. I knew I was in store for a good time when they sent me promo photos of them eating wings, and signed off with “hope all is gravy on your end”, so if you’re not yet convinced of their genius, keep reading to learn about Richie and Aaron and the magic they make.
YAA: How did you guys meet? When did you guys form the band?
Richie: Aaron and I met at a Halloween show (I was Bob from Bob’s Burgers – crucial info) in Erie, Pa in the fall of 2015. In early 2016, Aaron came on a few tours with another band I’m in and we started kicking around the idea of starting a side project. We eventually started tracking demos in the summer/fall of 2016.
YAA: Where did the name “Flower Crown” come from?
Aaron: In college, my roommate and I threw an annual Coachella party where we’d put a live stream up on the TV. Either Richie or I made a joke about how many flower crowns there were in one of the crowds, and at that point we already had a few demos and knew the sound we were going for, so we thought the name would be fitting. We liked how tongue-in-cheek it was.
YAA: What’s the music scene in Pittsburgh like?
Richie: While I’m fairly new to Pittsburgh, I got a glimpse into the DIY scene while passing through with my other band Frame and Mantle in 2015-16. Since the time I’ve been here, I’ve seen so many seriously good artists coming up and some very hardworking promoters, volunteers, and labels that are making the scene here really, really good. Through it’s ups and downs, the Pittsburgh music scene has always been strong and I think it’s getting much stronger as of late.
YAA: How would you describe your music to somebody who’s never heard it before?
Aaron: I try to explain genres like “shoegaze” and “dream-pop” to my family members and coworkers all the time. Those are the genre tags we usually fall under, but for people who aren’t familiar, I’d probably just describe it as dreamy pop music. We write pop songs, but we try to turn them into something special with the textures and tones we use.
YAA: In terms of all your songs, what’s your favorite lyric and why?
Richie: Aaron and I are pretty inexperienced with writing lyrics, so I don’t know if we have anything lyrically that we’re confident enough to say is our best. However, the entire song “Lady of the Lake” is about lying in a hammock, so between the song and the lyrics, it puts me immediately back in a hammock on Presque Isle. Out of all the places the album takes me, that might be my favorite.
YAA: Your debut album “GLOW” was released back in October. Now that it’s out, how do you feel?
Aaron: Honestly, GLOW is a little bit darker than it leads on, or at least some of the circumstances around it were, so it feels good to have some of those songs off our chests. Production wound up being a little rushed — “Pls” was the last song we did vocals on and we literally had minutes left to finish it — and we liked the record, but we didn’t really know if other people would, especially after sitting on it for a few months while it was being mixed and mastered. It’s just a lot different than our EP, simultaneously a lot poppier and a lot weirder. So the positive response we’ve seen surrounding the album has been surprising and overwhelming, to say the least. I keep saying that if people like this record, we can make sure that they love the next one.
YAA: What artists had the most influence in terms of your sound on “GLOW”?
Richie: During the writing process, I was listening to the new DIIV record that had came out in ’16, plus Real Estate and Beach Fossils’ records from ’17, even some atmospheric black metal as sound influences. It’s easy to write something that gets lost in those bands respective genres so I didn’t want to stick to any certain formula. I just know the direction I wanted to head and I wanted to make something fresh that I would enjoy listening to.
YAA: How long did the album take to finish and where did you guys record it?
Richie: I started tracking demos in the fall of 2016 and by early 2017, we had enough to start recording a full-length album. We did a bulk of the recording at my “home studio” in Pittsburgh, but actually finished and mixed the album at Aaron’s house in Warren, Pa.
YAA: Did you guys run into any roadblocks during the production of the LP? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them?
Aaron: I think the biggest issues we experienced during production were simply time-related. I spent a week in Pittsburgh working on the demos with Richie, but we weren’t in great places in our personal lives at the time, so we didn’t get much accomplished aside from writing “Bloodshade.” We scrapped a lot of the vocal ideas from those sessions and waited until we were in a better place to record, which was the right decision. Richie is also more of a perfectionist when it comes to recording, which is great considering I’m kind of the opposite. I remember doing vocal takes for “Bloodshade” over and over and having to step away and get some air so I could convince myself I was a capable vocalist. Recording can be frustrating, but patience and understanding is key.
YAA: Is there anything people should know about the new album or even your music in general?
Aaron: GLOW is a cool record and we’re very proud of it. But the next one’s going to be even better.
YAA: If you could support any artist/band on tour, who would it be and where would you tour?
Aaron: That’s a great question. I think we’d fit great on a bill with Beach Fossils, especially if we branch out a little more with this next album. As far as where we’d tour, this probably isn’t a typical answer, but I’d want to do the festival circuit and watch our name come full circle.
Richie: I think it would be fun to tour with Wavves. We’d probably be booed off stage, but I feel like they would be fun to party with.
YAA: If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what song would it be and why?
Aaron: “Dramamine” by Modest Mouse immediately comes to mind. It’s probably my favorite song by my favorite band, maybe my favorite song period, and that repetitive, plodding guitar part would be fitting for some kind of Groundhog Day scenario.
Richie: “Dopesmoker” by Sleep. Sometimes a riff is so good you just want to hear it for the rest of your life.
YAA: What’s next for you guys?
Richie: I recorded and released three records in 2017 and I have three LPs to record in 2018, so hopefully sleep at some point.
YAA: Any parting words of wisdom?
Aaron: This wisdom is recently acquired and untested, but for me, 2018 is about being myself and accomplishing as much as I can while I’m young. I recently had the epiphany that you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t start somewhere, so make a list of the things you want to achieve and the steps you need to take to get there. For me, it’s a podcast, a film script, and LP2.
Richie: Keep doing what you’re passionate about no matter how much time you can allocate to it and surround yourself with people who will support you along the way.
Huge thanks to Richie and Aaron for talking to me! Don’t forget to follow them on social media and definitely give them a listen to see what you’re missing out on!
The diverse group of people came out to advocate for a range of issues including women’s rights, migration reform, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, freedom of religion and more.
I was incredibly honoured to be one of the speakers at the 2018 Calgary Women’s March performing an original slam poem. I have to admit that the days leading up the March were filled with nervousness. I had attended the March the previous year, incredibly inspired to see so many come together in an effort to bring about change. Yet, I knew again there would be thousands of attendees out there listening. I had participated in debate and public speaking competitions numerous times before, but by no doubt had ever addressed a crowd this large. What if I made a mistake? What if they didn’t like my poetry? On the morning of the event, as I stood in the brisk cold for my sound check, unsure of how far from the mic I should be or how loud I should speak, I still wasn’t too sure what I was doing.
Courtesy of Women’s March Canada – Calgary FB page
Over the next the couple hours as I met fellow speakers, volunteers and marchers, I was overwhelmed with support. It was evident that the vast majority of people where there to stand in solidarity with their neighbours and inspire action. Special shout out to my fellow two youth speakers – Jane (age 14) an LGBTQ activist, and Leanne (age 11) an Indigenous poet whom I got to know for their true sincerity and braveness.
When the time came to preform, the reason some of my anxiety evaporated and I was able to enjoy myself was because I felt the audience was engaged. As a speaker, the sense that my message of looking past our external differences was getting across, encouraged me to want to continue. Which leads into my belief that Women’s Marches all over the world have been effective in promoting human rights and bringing us together in common humanity.
Women’s Marches have been instrumental in uniting millions across oceans and national boundaries. Initiatives such as these will be and will continue to be powerful and progressive forces in promoting the equity, respect, and understanding that our world so direly needs right now.
Those who were impacted by these marches were not only the people who came out, but also those who wanted to make a difference, and watched from home. In a time where our world seems to be falling apart, and where many individuals have felt alone, these marches offer hope, and inspire them to take action. They foster a sense of togetherness and inclusiveness. When you are connected to others that are passionate about the same types of issues, you can move mountains.
Additionally, these marches have generated awareness among legislators, policy-makers, and leaders about the issues that affect ordinary people. Sure, we can all try and do our individual part by writing letters or having meetings to express our views, but there is no substitute for strong, peaceful public expressions.
Speaking of peaceful public protests, among the millions of people who came out for the first and second Women’s March, there was not one incident of violence recorded. Watching millions of people in every corner of the world peacefully stand together on issues and policies, sends a strong and clear message to our leaders.
North Carolina – CNN News
Most importantly, Women’s Marches have been a means of raising public awareness and stirring others to think and reflect on how these concerns affect us all. Pictures and stories have been all over the media. It has sure been hard to miss them. No matter what your views, people all over the world heard about and talked about these events.
All of these are absolutely essential for the progress of any democratic society. Without such initiatives, as Martin Luther King warned, we fall into a world where “few care, and fewer still act.” And that is a world I believe none of us would want to live in.
Courtesy of Jody MacPherson
Personally, all I can say is that as a speaker, a 14 year old Muslim female of a minority, the inspiration this event provided was like none other. Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to all those that organized, volunteered, and came to out to these Marches. Thank you for empowering voices and motivating change!
Image Sources: Featured (courtesy of Jon Yee), 1/2/3/4
I’m sure at some point, we’ve all had the urge to write our own book. But for most of us, trying to actually start that process usually puts a damper on that aspiration. However, meet the girl who’s braved this daunting task.
This is Yi Nuo, a grade 11 student at Sir Winston Churchill High School. Between conquering partial IB, maintaining her own blog (here!), being a flautist, and keeping the Instagram aesthetic alive, she has published her own book! Clocking in at over 150 pages, and over 90 poems, it is a legitimate, published book. Whoa.
(courtesy of Yi Nuo)
Fun little backstory for everyone: I’ve actually known (/known of) Yi Nuo since I was in grade four. Throw it back to elementary days, and you will find both of us at Hillhurst, me, an awkward 10-year-old, playing Temple Run, and admiring the super cool sixth graders, which is where Yi Nuo comes in. Admittedly, I was way too shy, and quite frankly, lame to actually talk to her, or any of the sixth graders. But luckily, I was quite the advanced internet sleuth and followed her Instagram. About five years later of mutual appreciation, I saw her post about how she had written a book. Finally given an excuse to meet her, I recently had the chance to sit down with the author herself to talk a little bit about the book “this peculiar trait of being human (and other euphemisms for love)“, and purchased a copy for myself! Captivating, and genuine, it was fantastic to meet a real-life author, and fellow student to talk about her unique endeavour. Here’s some of her insight:
Although Yi Nuo dabbled in poetry for quite some time before, her passion was really sparked when she joined her school’s slam poetry team last spring and went to a provincial tournament. Drawing inspiration from reading, and listening to other poets, and poems (her favourite being “Here”, written by Aman K Batra!), she continued to write, and compile little poems here and there. And then in summer 2017, she decided to check an item off her bucket list, and put them into a book!
(courtesy of Yi Nuo)
poetry and prose for aching hearts and hungry souls. this peculiar trait of being human (and other euphemisms for love) explores love, friendship, insecurity, beauty, identity, and purpose. a profound and raw confession is housed in each page. it is a journal of fears and passions alike; vulnerable, stirring, and empowering. a collection that needs no voice to speak volumes.
With the help of advice columns and self-publishing, she was able to get it published through CreateSpace. It was a bit of a walk in the dark, but she figured out how to do everything by herself. Being a visual artist as well, the illustrations accompanying poems are all original, cover photo included.
Everything in the book except for the barcode is done by me
While dealing with the stresses of high school, Yi Nuo sees poetry in particular as a creative outlet, being able to let out streams of consciousness, and make them into something productive.
You can really turn your negative emotions into a form of art. So even when you’re not having the best day, you’re able to look back and say : “Well at least I got a good poem out of it.” And then when you emerge from the other side, you get to relive what you were feeling, and reflect.
a little sneak peak (courtesy of Yi Nuo)
But apart from being a creative channel, through poetry, Yi Nuo’s also been able to explore, and develop her own style, playing with stylistic choices, capitalization, and different spacing. But further from visual aspects, she’s seen her poetry grow from a very personal expression that only she would understand, to incorporate very universal themes.
Even so, her poetry is so unique in that she writes for a demographic that isn’t often addressed. In response to the adults who brush off work penned by younger individuals, she says: “Maybe I can’t write poetry that’s for adults, or people who don’t share my life experiences. But I can express the experiences of people my own age. And a lot of the people who buy my book are people I know, who tell me that it really strikes a chord with them because they can relate to what I’m talking about.”
(courtesy of Yi Nuo)
Perhaps even more impressive to me was Yi Nuo’s blog, which she has run by herself successfully for quite some time now. When asked about how she continues to find inspiration, she told me : “What I really try to do is find inspiration everywhere, whether it’s watching poetry, reading books, blog posts, or drawing from people who matter to me, and exploring their stories. Never stop looking for inspiration. And have trust that it will always come back to you”
Surprisingly enough, although publishing a novel with a publication house is a major life goal, Yi Nuo’s also interested in the business side of things, specifically marketing: appealing, and relating to audiences. So as a little challenge, I asked for her best impromptu sales pitch for her book:
“this peculiar trait of being human and other euphemisms for love is an exploration of one person’s take on life. Although I haven’t been on this earth for a very long time, I like to think that I have learned a couple things here and there, but certainly have a lot of questions about life, and love. So if you want to read about my experiences, share some questions with me, or just read something that explores that, and opens up new questions for you, have a look!”
Artificial intelligence permeates our everyday lives: present in our smartphone and computer “assistants”, orchestrating search engine suggestions, and dominating the scene of the NY Stock Exchange that quietly turns the cogs of the economy, the development of AI has undoubtedly revolutionized the modern world. The neural networks provide an increasingly capable and consistent alternative to the human mind in many major fields – production industries, data processing, and especially logical endeavors like chess or GO.
The rate at which AI developments have been made is astounding. The first electronic computer was built not even a century ago – a mere sliver on the timeline of human history – and yet, the application of electricity to simplify human lives has led to one of the most significant changes in the way we approach the world. CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk has warned that artificial intelligence would eventually surpass and endanger the human capability, providing a tool for certain groups to exponentially consolidate power over the majority of people.
Elon Musk at The Summit 2013 (Credit to Dan Taylor @ Heisenberg Media)
I don’t want to really scare you, but it was alarming how many people I talked to who are highly placed people in AI who have retreats that are sort of ‘bug out’ houses, to which they could flee if it all hits the fan.
—James Barrat, speaker and documentary filmmaker
Perhaps the most straightforward way for this to occur is the replacement of workers by automation. Many critics predict the eventual domination of industry – especially manual labor – by robots, whose physical abilities can easily exceed that of a person’s. (There are already statistics for how likely jobs are to be replaced by automation, like here.) In June 2016, CBC reported that 42% of Canadian employment was at risk for this.
Will our children and grandchildren end up like this?
Historically, jobs have been threatened whenever labor-saving technological breakthroughs were made, such as the steam engine or automatic irrigation. In the years following the Industrial Revolution, textile workers especially suffered from being unable to adapt quickly to the invention of the spinning jenny.
It doesn’t stop there, though: even skilled and highly technical jobs may face a crisis as machines that can “learn” improve to the world’s standards. Machine progress is described in a trend called “Moore’s Law”, which roughly states that the number of transistors in a circuit doubles every 2 years – and transistors will get faster as well in addition to being able to cram more inside a given space:
Moore’s Law demonstrated in CPU Giant Intel
Where we would usually derive from history to predict the future, we are almost helpless now: something that could challenge human intelligence on our own planet has never emerged in the past. The benefits of developing AI, for now, seem to outweigh the negatives in our technologically driven world.
But fewer and fewer people know exactly how anything works, and most use computers without a thought for the circuitry inside, at the mercy of occasional system crashes or the whims of hackers. What happens when machines fully surpass our comprehension, and can perform astronomical tasks beyond our wildest dreams? This case, if any, is one where only time will tell.
At first glance, Calgary’s rock trio The Static Shift (made up of Mitchell Brady (Guitar / Vocals), Keone Friesen (Bass / Harmonica), and Isaiah Stonehouse (Drums / Background Vocals)) are decidedly different than most acts in today’s music scene. Dressed in retro garments that reflect their sound, The Static Shift are an embodiment of their love of rock n’ roll and are nothing less than spectacular. Since bursting onto the local music scene 5 years ago, the guys have made a name for themselves here in the city and regularly play gigs at local venues, all the while inspiring their peers and playing their hearts out for people of all ages and backgrounds. The three young musicians have yet to turn 20 years old but they already have 2 albums, a gig at LA’s Whiskey A Go Go, several awards and an appearance on a new CTV reality show under their belts, among other impressive achievements. I approached them recently to talk about CTV’s “The Launch”, their music, being young musicians in Calgary and everything in between and they were gracious enough to accept. So without further ado, keep on reading and be sure to watch them on “The Launch” which airs on January 24th at 8pm MST on CTV!
YAA: How did you guys meet and when did you guys form the band?
The Static Shift: “Mitchell and Keone met when they were 12, at a rock band camp here in Calgary. About 6 months after that, Keone messaged Mitchell on Facebook asking if he wanted to create a band together. They played together for a few years, going through multiple members, before finding Isaiah. Isaiah moved to Calgary in late 2012 when he was 14, and after only a few weeks of living in the city, ran into a paper ad on the wall of Axe Music (a local music shop here in Calgary) that read “14 year old boys looking for drummer”. The rest really is history, and we’ve been playing together for 5 years now!”
YAA: Where does the name “The Static Shift” come from?
TSS: “Before our first full length album came out, we actually went by the name “Stone of Nowhere”, a name thought of by a previous band member a few years back. People simply could never remember the name, so we knew we had to change it before we released our first full album. After many months of name ideas, we finally decided to settle it one afternoon at The Ship & Anchor, a restaurant here in Calgary on 17th Ave. Us three, and our dads, rated each name idea out of 5 using a deck of cards. It came down to three names, The Static Shift being one of them. It was only after deciding on The Static Shift that we realized how contradictory the name is. Static, being something that stays put, and Shift, being something that is always moving. We originally were drawn to it simply because of its uniqueness, and it reminded us of the retro image we are always trying to show, while still having a modern twist. Sadly, there’s no secret meaning behind this band name like there is with some.”
Mitchell Brady
YAA: What did you guys grow up listening to?
TSS: “We really did grow up listening to all sorts of music. Some major influences being, The Beatles (of course), Led Zeppelin, Super Tramp, and the Allman Brothers. Our parents introduced us to some of these artists, but many of them we found ourselves, through lots of exploring and digging around. There really are so many artists we could name.”
YAA: Who are your favorite fellow Calgarian musicians?
TSS: “There are some GREAT local bands here in Calgary, many who we’ve had the pleasure to play with. Some of our favourites include Crooked Spies, Amy Bishop, Timeboy, Free the Cynics, Fever Feel (who now reside in Victoria), and 10 Minute Detour.”
YAA: You released your debut album “Windsor Street” in 2014 and followed it up with your sophomore album “Common Bliss” last year. What did you learn after releasing the first record that you synthesized into your second record?
TSS: “I think one of the biggest things we learned between making the two records was to be more relaxed in the studio. Although we all still love Windsor Street, there were certainly some stressful moments in the studio, where we felt like we couldn’t “nail” a certain part. It was only when we learned to start treating recording more like we were still practicing in Keone’s basement that we put out the product we wanted.”
Isaiah Stonehouse
YAA: What’s your favourite song of yours to play live?
TSS: “This was a tough one, and we all have varying opinions!”
Keone – Elephant in the Room
Mitch – My Love
Isaiah – Somethin’ Else (a yet to be recorded song!)
YAA: When you guys started playing shows, you weren’t quite the age of majority here. Did you find the opportunities available to you guys were hindered by your age? If yes, how did you overcome this obstacle?
TSS: “We would say yes, there were certainly some opportunities hindered by our age. We were able to work around it, though. When we were 15, with the help of our dads, we were able to build a “mobile stage” that we drove around the city in, which allowed us to set up and play wherever we liked. We won’t lie, there were a few encounters with the police and by laws and what not, but it was totally worth it for us. At the same time though, venues like The Blues Can, The Ironwood, The New Black, and Ship & Anchor were extremely supportive in letting us play all age shows, and we can’t thank them enough for believing in us.”
YAA: What’s your favourite venue to play in Calgary?
TSS: “The Ship & Anchor. They have been so supportive of us over the years, and playing shows there is simply a blast. It is always packed. Not only that, but they are one of the few places in Calgary that will actually clear the floor, to allow fans to come right up to the stage. We highly recommend it.”
YAA: Recently you’ve started hosting youth jams at The Blues Can. What inspired you guys to do that?
TSS: “I think for us, it comes back to this idea of giving back. 5 years ago, places like The Blues Can were so open to letting us come in and play, and now it’s our turn to continue this. Also, we just love playing, and jamming for that matter. But really, that’s how we started. We want to give back, like others did to us when we were young. We really do want to lead the charge in providing more opportunities for young musicians to play here in Calgary.”
YAA: Do you think there’s enough opportunities for musicians under the age of 18 in Calgary and if not, what do you think the city of Calgary can do to improve the scene?
TSS: “No, absolutely not. We are making progress, but there needs to be more all age venues, and different bar licenses allowing minors to play later. We believe the city should invest some dollars into providing a few more venues like The New Black, which was forced to shut its doors a few years ago. As well, there needs to be a more accepting culture towards young musicians. They are more talented than you think, and really, they are the future!”
Keone Friesen
YAA: You guys are slated to host a youth workshop and play a show in Golden, BC next month. What can youth expect to learn at your workshop?
TSS: “There are so many things we’d love to teach next month at the workshop in Golden. I think ultimately, a message we want to get across is that as a young musician, IT IS POSSIBLE to pursue a career in music. It does take hard work, commitment, and willingness to practice your craft, though. If you are willing to do these things, the opportunities WILL come, just like they have for us. Things like how to develop a practice schedule, stage presence, and how to convey yourself as an artist are also things we have learned over the years that we would love to pass on.”
YAA: You guys are participants on the inaugural season of CTV’s The Launch. Describe the moment you guys found out you guys were gonna be on the show.
TSS: “Yes, we are!!! The whole experience really has been a blast. When we first found out we were for sure going to be on the show, we were actually about to play a gig at Broken City here in Calgary with Apollo Suns (a fantastic band out of Winnipeg, check them out!). As you can imagine, playing at Broken City that night was all the more exciting, knowing all that was to come.”
YAA: What was it like working with Dann Huff and Nikki Sixx?
TSS: “Absolutely amazing, really. It was such an honour just to bounce ideas and notions off of them. They both have been through so much, and know everything there is to know about the music industry. Furthermore, they know what it takes to create a hit song, let alone launch a career. We cannot wait for everyone to see us with them on The Launch!”
YAA: What’s your favourite part about the show’s concept?
TSS: “We loved that it was a completely different take on the classic music TV show. While it is still a reality show, it isn’t always focused on the drama. Rather, the music itself takes centre stage, and that was the most exciting part about it for us.”
YAA: When can people watch your episode?
TSS: “January 24th (Wednesday), 8pm mountain time (9pm everywhere else), on CTV!”
YAA: How would you guys describe your music to somebody who’s never heard it before?
TSS: “Loud. Hah! There are many ways we could describe our music. One of our favourites is, “a classic rock and roll sound, with a modern twist”. Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers are certainly influences, but we are inspired by many modern bands as well. And not just rock bands, but all types of artists! We would name them all, but we could fill an entire book with artists that have inspired us.”
YAA: If you could play a festival with 5 other acts (from the past or present, dead or alive) who would you guys pick and why?
TSS: “Wow, great question. Honestly, our answer would change everyday. If we had to pick 5 for today, we’d go with the Allman Brothers, David Bowie, Mac Demarco, Alabama Shakes, and Tame Impala.”
YAA: Any words of encouragement for fellow aspiring musicians?
TSS: “Don’t be afraid to be yourself, have fun, and don’t take yourself too seriously!”
YAA: And finally, any parting words?
TSS: “Long live good music and rock n’ roll! Thank you for reaching out to us, this was a pleasure.”
Huge thanks to Mitchell, Keone and Isaiah for chatting with me. If you’re 18 or older, you can catch them at their next gig this Saturday at Mikey’s on 12 avenue. Tickets are 10$ and the show starts at 9:00pm. For more information click here.
Wanna stay in touch with them? Check out their social media!
Whether it’s the last week of your first semester or you’ve already entered exam break, we are all experiencing end-of-the-semester woes— the weather is erratic and cold, long hours are spent sifting through your heap of textbooks and notes (or putting off that work to do anything else BUT THAT), and after all of those painstaking exams, you’re left in the face of a whole new semester. But admittedly, all of this free time — albeit usually spent studying — to focus on exams can be a lifesaver. As we brace ourselves for the next week and a half, let’s look at it from both sides:
STRUGGLE: The scheduling of your exams is less than optimal.
Whether you have 3 exams back-to-back, or your exam is on the last day of break and you have one day to unwind before being thrown into the second semester (hello, fellow Physics 30 diploma test-takers!), your personal final exam schedule isn’t ideal— but then again, what IS the ideal exam schedule?
THE PERK: You’re either ripping the band-aid, or being gifted more time to prepare.
With exams in close proximity, there isn’t time to fall out of that hard-wired study mode— and just like that, you’ve got all of your exams out of the way, with hopefully several days to recover before the second semester! On the other hand, having spaced-out exams means that studying thoroughly for each subject won’t be so overwhelming. You can make better use of your resources, whether that’s a teacher’s tutorial time or going through those practice exams.
But the STRUGGLE: the whole studying process.
The questions of “how?” and “where to start?” come flooding in as you bring up all of your semester’s worth of material. You only have so much time until the exam, and you have to allot this time to practicing problems, reviewing course material, reading through the textbook, creating study guides… but it’s hard to determine what the most effective process is, and you begin to question if you’re actually retaining any of the information your eyes gloss over in the textbook.
THE PERK: Exam break is a time dedicated to figuring this process, and there are ways to optimize your studying.
Imagine juggling regular school with preparing for final exams; it makes our current reality seem a little more fortunate. No one has a perfect formula for studying to get a great mark on the exam, and understanding the material requires reading, practising, and focusing.Avoid the extreme ends of studying, whether it’s ignoring your studying until the day before the exam, or staying up until 3 AM every single night to drill concepts into your brain. Stick to the previous studying methods that you used throughout the semester: they’re tried and true.
STRUGGLE: You want to hang out with your friends with this free time, but you feel a moral obligation to focus on the task at hand.
Winter break was just a few weeks ago, but it feels like it’s been ages— or you/your friends weren’t available to spend time together during that period. It’s so tempting to use one of your free weekdays to organize a gathering with friends, and the potential burnout from studying doesn’t help.
THE PERK: Your friends are in the same situation, so you can use this time to be productive and enjoy yourself, or to just unwind and give yourself a breather.
It’s not healthy to constantly remain focused on one task, especially for studying. Giving yourself breaks is important, and that friend gathering might be the one thing to help you feel ready to pick up your textbook again. Alternatively, it might be necessary to give yourself a change in study environment; although it’s not always the most productive, friend study groups can be effective in making the studying process a little more enjoyable, filling in possible gaps in your knowledge, and finding a collective to share your exam struggles with.
STRUGGLE: The exam. Need I say more?
A whole blog post could probably be dedicated to the pains of the exam environment. That feeling of dread when you read the first question of the test. Believing every question is designed to trick you. Suddenly blanking out on a question. Trying to reason your way to the answer of a knowledge-based question when it’s a nearly lost cause. The pressure of a timed environment. The constant sniffling reverberating off the walls because it’s cold season. That one student in front of you who won’t stop tapping their pencil on the desk.
PERK: Once you’re done, it’s done. Congratulations, a course has been completed and you can move on!
Alright, it may be hard to look at test-taking from an optimistic perspective. But in the grand scheme of things, this final exam will take up a couple of hours maximum and you can rejoice about finishing the course afterwards. In fact, some people prefer writing exams as a final culmination of a course rather than something else like a massive final project. Furthermore, despite its other potential implications, the security of having double time to take the exam is reassuring. And lastly, for some of our grade 12 students, this exam might mark the last time you have to open a textbook pertaining to that one course that was… less than enjoyable, to say the least. Don’t get unnecessarily hung up on a single exam: push through and move on!
STRUGGLE: The second semester is on the horizon.
You’ve barely recuperated from the first semester, and four brand new courses are waiting to start once exam break is over. With everything that is happening right now, thinking about what is ABOUT to happen just adds to the stress!
THE PERK: The second semester is on the horizon!
Like a true optimist, think about the opportunities and the clean slate that you’re given for the second semester. For my fellow grade 12s, this is the culminating final semester of high school— the last six months to top off three years of hard work. Maybe you have a spare block this semester or you have your favourite course/teacher in your schedule; nevertheless, the second semester has yet to happen so it’s a good time to reorganize and keep the highs of last semester while fixing the lows.
For thousands of years, mankind has stared up into the heavens and seen the stars. Now the dream of reaching them has never been closer. To say that we should halt our operations here, when we have so much more potential, would be preposterous. The space program has achieved things that we had never seen before, and will continue to do so. In under no circumstances is the space program a waste of public funds, as it helps serve society in a different way, just not the same way medical sciences do.
In the past, space exploration had multiple positive side effects, namely the inventions that spurred for its research. If we never had the dream of going beyond our atmosphere and exploring the universe, we would have never invented satellite television, nor would we have memory foam pillows. These inventions were all byproducts from the research done when the great “Space Race” between the Soviet Union and USA was at its peak. Centuries before, the greatest frontier was the oceans for people like Christopher Columbus and now outer space is that vast ocean waiting to be explored.
Only about 0.5% of the US federal budget goes to NASA, and about 19% of it goes to military spending. So if you really want to better serve humanity, cut the military’s massive annual spending of 523.9 billion dollars. Lately, the talk of colonization of Mars is a new challenge, as it may potentially be a habitable planet, just like Earth. If someday in the future we could live on Mars, it would be a potential solution to many of the problems here on earth, like overpopulation and climate change, something that is much more important than military.
With the space program’s constant ability to dazzle us, we can expect tremendous things in the future. Some examples already include the aforementioned colonization of mars, or the James Webb telescope. SpaceX has already managed to land a rocket upright, so we can only imagine what is in store for us. Constant innovation and exploration is what defines human beings, and it is these advancements in technology and ideas, that makes our society so much better. We can expect a continuous stream of technologies and breakthroughs that will help not only in our endeavors in space, but back at home on Earth as well.
So no, we should never stop exploring, innovating, and learning. Perhaps the greatest achievement the space program has done of all, is the fact that it provides students with opportunities such as the United Space School, and gives them a light at the end of the tunnel to look for. Thousands of kids look up to the stars like our ancestors did, but this time, it is quite possible that they can reach it. Programs like these, allow kids like ourselves to dream of “slipping the surly bonds of earth, to touch the face of god”.
When I tell people about feminism or show any passion about the topic in the slightest, I get glares all the time. Too many people have come to misunderstand what feminism stands for and refuse to learn more about it unless it’s in a funny meme (in which case, it still manages to convey a grand total of nothing but stigmas towards feminism) . I don’t think feminism should be such a controversial topic in the first place. From being an “angry feminist” or just being seen as whiny, the idea of feminism has become a laughing matter when it shouldn’t be. I’ve decided to use this post to talk more about what feminism is, and what it isn’t.
Common misconceptions of Feminism
Only females can be feminists, it’s in the name! : Just because the name is feminism does not mean men aren’t allowed to be feminists! In fact, males who are feminists are not as rare as you may think. It’s all about understanding what feminism truly is. It’s not a club that your only allowed to join if and only if your female.
Feminism is about raising females above males. It’s all about making females the dominant gender : NO. Feminism is truly about equality. It’s about bringing up the oppressed.
Feminists only start arguments: The angry feminist meme can assure you that this is something people tend to think. Sometimes people get defensive but it’s also important to further feminism through educating people.
Feminists don’t care about men: This only is thought because some think that feminism is about disregarding men and #girl power. Nevertheless it still is about empowering females but that doesn’t mean that we hate men all of a sudden. Go back to example one and two, feminism is for anyone who believes in equality.
Feminists only fight for white cis straight women: Feminism is about all women.
Somewhere in the history of feminism these misconceptions came up and started arising controversy around the idea. So what exactly is feminism? Why does it matter?
Feminism strives to make masculinity and femininity equal. The most common question I tend to get is Well if it’s about equality, why is it called feminism? Why not call it equalism?
The idea of calling it feminism is to bring up the oppressed. In which, in this case is femininity and females. Calling it equalism would suggest that the pedestal men are sitting on be lowered to where women stand. That’s not what feminists are asking for. We want to bring up females to where men already are. Hence, gender equality.
And finally, if it’s not supporting all women, (from poc, trans women, sex workers, lgbtq+ women, etc) in other words, if it’s not intersectional, it’s not feminism.
Step one: Don’t overdo it with your goals! That doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, it just sets a realistic standard for yourself. Nonetheless, don’t stop there. If you reach that goal, keep going. Don’t make the initial goal far out of reach because it might just seem like too much and you’ll end up less motivated. Make sure you don’t just reflect on your goals but you make a plan to achieve them.
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We welcome anyone from grade seven up who either live in the Edgemont Community or attend one of the community’s designated schools. Not only do we provide a supportive environment for youth to enhance their writing skills, but also a welcoming and diverse group in which many memories and friendships are created. Additionally, by joining our little group, you would become a volunteer for the Edgemont Community.
YAA: How did you guys meet? When did you guys form the band?
