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What is Common Magic?

Richard Lee-Thai
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Common Magic

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“It’s always the chance word, unthinking 
gesture that unlocks the face before you. 
Reveals the intricate countries 
deep within the eyes. The hidden 
lives, like sudden miracles, 
that breathe there.“

From the poem Common Magic by Bronwen Wallace. (Full text can be found here)

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When you hear the word magic what do you think of?

For me, an image of a man dressed in a fancy tuxedo waving around a wand and pulling white rabbits out of his top hat pops to mind. At least that’s what I initially thought as I read Common Magic in English class. However, I quickly understood that there was none of the mystery and grandeur that we usually associate with “magic.” Instead, the poem took the reader along a journey throughout a city, examining and analyzing its inhabitants. What’s so magical about that?

The magic comes realizing that common, everyday individuals all have a unique story to tell. In other words, it’s discovering the magic within the mundane. I’ve written about Humans of New York before, but I always find myself being drawn back like a magnet. It’s just such a compelling concept to interview strangers, share it with the public, and see how people can relate to their stories. In this seemingly chaotic and random world, it is magical to realize that there are invisible threads that tie us all together.

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We will only be able to physically see the world from our eyes, but that’s okay. It’s such a mind-boggling thing to realize that every single individual you encounter is going through a life as vivid as your own. The person you see peering wistfully out the window of the C-Train, they might be thinking of their significant other. Maybe the student you see walking languidly down the hallway is having troubles at home. In any case, it makes you wonder how we all live in our own little universe, but that we still coexist in this collective place we call civilization.

You are unlikely to see wildlife in a forest while driving in a car, it is only when you explore on foot that you understand the wealth and abundance it holds. Similarly, you have to escape the unrelenting routine of life and just stop. Stop to examine the environment around you. When you do, you start to notice things that you normally ignore. It is feeling the gentle breeze rustle your clothing and glide along your face. It is seeing a bird streak across the brilliant blue sky. It is smelling the earthy scent in the air after the spring rain. It’s not just with nature either, it’s with humans too.

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Humans are like onions. You have to peel back the many layers in order to get to the core of who someone is. While you can learn a lot from passively observing the body language of others, it’s exciting to get to know a person on a deeper level. That’s why interviews are one of my favorite pieces of writing to read. It’s like cracking open a nice book and seeing all the complex beauty that lay in its pages. Questions such as: Who inspires you? What are you passionate about? How have you overcome the difficulties in your life? These allow the reader to get a sense of what this person is like even if they’ve never met.

On a related note, this was my first year being on the Youth of Distinction Awards (YODA) committee and I was surprised to hear the many stories that came in. Although I cannot disclose details, I certainly felt a rollercoaster of emotions as we went through the nominations. There were tales of hope in the face of tragedy, of giving time to those less fortunate, of spearheading initiatives and bringing about change within their community, and much more. The lasting impression that it left on me is that everyone has their own struggles, dreams and the ability to reach their true potential.

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I have been fascinated with sparklers ever since I was a kid. You may have noticed that I used sparklers to portray the idea of common magic. The way they crackle and explode like a mini firework in your hand, it’s mesmerizing. It shows how you don’t need to fall down a rabbit hole or venture into a magical wardrobe, when there is magic all around us waiting to be found.

I would like to leave off with a quote from Roald Dahl:

cf2b314d6fd7eaee205b5e47bbb155eeDFTBA! (Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!)

Youth of YYC: Hawley, 18

Wentao
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YouthofYYC54

“I deal with clinical anxiety, so I have a fear of just being on stage. If there’s not a direct path for me to get out of, I start panicking on stage, but it’s slowly getting better. Just that when I perform though, the notes just come to me.”

– Hawley, 18

6 Exchange Trips to Satisfy Your Wanderlust

Nikki Negre
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Late last spring I found myself in desperate need for some change. Although the school year was ending soon, I was feeling depleted. It was then I decided to be the pilot of my own life and make some changes. I signed up for more projects with Youth Central, attempted to find myself a stable hobby, and started applying for jobs. I had never even thought of applying for an exchange trip until a friend of mine informed me of the opportunity. A colleague of hers at the U of C was the Calgary Coordinator for the YMCA Summer Work Exchange Program and she was in need of more applicants. This specific exchanges gives youth the ages of 16 and 17 the opportunity to live and work in Quebec for 6 weeks while their exchange twin does the same in their city. Without thoroughly thinking about it, I applied for the program. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Just when I felt as if nothing was going for me, I was accepted into a program where I would be employed and living in a province where I could put into practice the verb conjugations I have acquired from 4 years of french immersion.

"be the pilot of your own life"
“be the pilot of your own life”

In truth, it was an incredible experience. I have yet to dedicate a single blog post to honor my trip but for now I’ll share with you the gist of it. I boarded the train (shout out to Via Rail Canada, taking the train to Quebec gave us the chance to checkout beautiful scenery) and realized only then, that I was jumping off of a diving board and not knowing how high up I was (if you catch my drift). Despite the fact that I started the summer off not knowing anyone, I got to meet the most eccentric and down to earth people from all over Canada. My host family was welcoming, as well as patient and understanding when it came to my mediocre French language abilities. I was afraid of everything imaginable at the beginning of the summer. It was the first time I was away from my family for more than a weekend but by the second week of August when I was back at home, the post-Quebec depression hit hard.

Exchange trips give you the opportunity to become acquainted with a new corner of the world as you meet stirring individuals. They offer education that cannot be obtained solely in a classroom. If you are interested in participating in an exchange, below are some opportunities for you to do so. NTS: It is near the end of application season for most exchange trips.

If you have gone on an exchange trip, have any questions that I may be able to answer or want to share more exchange trip opportunities, contact me! I would love to hear your story.

 

Operation GroundsWell – Backpacking With a Purpose
Operation Groundswell Click the link to find out about their mission, programs and gloabal impact. If you want to volunteer abroad, this is for you!

 

Canada World Youth
Youth can change the world! Canada World Youth offers a variety of programs in over 20 countries of the world that give youth the opportunity to make an impact.

 

YMCA Summer Work Exchange Program
Whether or not you know how to speak french, with the YMCA Summer Work Exchange Program you can work at non-profit organizations in Quebec for 6 weeks. Coming back home with almost $2,000.

 

Habitats for Humanity
click Habitats Southern AB for volunteer opportunities near by and Habitats for more information on the opportunity to travel and help provide safe, decent and affordable housing.

 

Destination Clic
Destination Clic is a program for youth in grades 8 and 9! the program offers you 3 weeks in Quebec to indulge in the french culture and make memories.

 

National Student Commonwealth Forum
If you are interested in going to Canada’s beautiful capital for a week to participate in a model Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) check out the NSCF

 

If these exchange programs are not to your fancy, check out more opportunities
HERE and HERE

Not all who wander are lost.
À Tantôt

Types of people in High School

Shruti Tangirala
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There are many different people in high school who fill the hallways with a wondrous variety of personalities. However, these unique people fall into a number of distinct categories, because of shared traits. Let me break down these categories for you:

1. Perfect All-Rounder

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Now this person is a perfectionist, and they are Mr/Mrs Perfect! They top their classes, are part of many extracurricular activities, go to many classes that are not part of school, and even manage to spend time with their friends! These kind of people are the masters and they can even intimidate others with their amazing abilities. However, they are amazing people who one would want to get to know more about, and are also an inspiration to the rest of us! We aspire to be like these people!

2. The Confused Soul

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I’m pretty sure that many of us out there can relate to The Confused Soul. The Confused Soul is a person who…is confused. All. The. Time. They are confused about their future. They are confused about what is going on with their studies. They are confused about what is going on in their classes. They are even confused about what they are doing! I myself can relate to this person very well, mostly because I’m confused about my future. However, this is nothing to worry about! No matter how many times you get a panic attack about your future, never forget that in the end, everything always works out.

3. The Junior-High High Schoolers

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This one mostly applies to girls. Now these are the people who still care about the latest gossip, talk behind the backs of people who are not ‘wearing the latest clothes’, and all they think about is boys! Now I’m sure that we all do these things sometimes, but these people are stuck in their junior high phase. They are often labelled as annoying and mean and lower the self-esteem of people around them.

4. The Pessimist

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Now the pessimist is the person who has given up on everything and refuses to study or even try in their classes. They still have bright plans for their future, but they refuse to work for those plans academically. They don’t have any motivation to work. These people set goals for themselves, but they can never get started on working for those goals. Eventually, they just don’t care about anything anymore.

5. The Optimist

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This person manages to find the good in everything that happens to them. For example, if they get a lower mark than expected in a test, they decide to work harder the next time. This trait is a great one to have, because no matter what happens, they are always ready to fight back with a smile. Everyone loves these kind of people because they always bring up everybody’s spirits and are great at making people feel better.

Weekly Pinterest Top 10 (#8)

Ailin Li
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Pinterest #8

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Let all the kingdom rejoice, for spring break is upon us! And we all know what that means. Staying cooped up in your house on the internet for a whole week! Actually, that doesn’t sound too different from my life when I’m not on spring break… Whether or not you have a life, you certainly have time to check out the cool posts from this week’s Pinterest roundup. For all the previous posts in this series, you can visit the links provided: Weekly Pinterest Top 10 #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, and #7.

{Art}

art

The art world is wonderful. The optical illusion world is awesome. When you combine these two worlds, you get an explosion between amazing and astronomically cool. It’s delightful when the talented people of the world decide to get together and use their talents for the benefit of us all. Check out the original post for more awesome 3D chalk art.

{Beauty}

beauty

I love it when I find beauty tips that include regular, and easy to find, products that many people may have just laying around their house. I can attest that the vaseline and double-product tips do really work. Many of my friends have tried the egg DIYs and can report that those are minimally effective. I have to try out the coconut oil and apple cider vinegar ones, and if those go well then I may have to report back on the topic.

{Decor}

decor

Mason jars are my ultimate decorating go-to. If I could, I would use mason jars for everything (but I don’t recommend it because that could start to look weird). The full article shows you 137 ways you can alter a mason jar to fit all of your everyday needs. If you do decide to take on any of these projects, I suggest hitting up the thrift store instead of getting new mason jars (as those are pretty expensive, and the DIY isn’t even worth it at that point).

{Fashion}

fashion

If nothing else, I am a stickler for nomenclature. It gets on my nerves when people don’t call things by their correct name, and I am always wary of making that same mistake. This helpful little infographic will make you seem super handbag-savvy the next time you go hunting for a new bag. (Or it might make you seem pretentious. It all depends on how you use your powers of knowledge.)

{Food}

food

Many people love to drink coffee and boast about their coffee drinking endeavours, and thus stay as far away as possible from tea. I happen to find tea wonderful, and for good reason. You might even be a teaholic. No matter where you fall on the tea-loving spectrum, the health benefits of these wonderful herbs and roots are undeniable. The next time you’re feeling out of whack, just brew yourself a steaming good cup of tea and relax.

{Hair}

hair

Girls who can’t grow their hair out long constantly dream of having long hair, but they don’t realize just how much work goes into maintaining it. Most of the time, us long-haired folk just let it all down and can’t be bothered to do anything more. These braids are easy to do and beautiful (and will also give the illusion that you put effort into your hair that morning). You could try these styles even if you don’t have long hair, but if you do have long hair you can play around with them a bit more.

{Laugh}

laugh

Jennifer Lawrence is indisputably one of the best people on this planet, and she is in the running for queen of the Internet. Her quirky personality and sarcastic sense of humour allows her to fit in perfectly with us misfits. I don’t personally ship Katniss and Peeta (sorry, guys), but these two make amazing friends in real life. Josh Hutcherson’s reactions to her story in this picture are equally as entertaining as the tale itself.

{Live}

live

I’ve seen many quotes before contemplating our time as a currency, but this one puts it into the simplest terms. Too often, we waste our time doing meaningless activities (don’t worry, I’m guilty too). Sometimes, we live as if we won’t ever die. But I bet that none of us live as if our bank account is never going to run out. We budget our money, spend it on what’s important, and use it to make us and other’s happy. That’s how we should be using our time, too.

{Love}

love

There are some people on the internet who delve way too far into trivial matters, but I very much appreciate them for their hobby. In art and entertainment, many nuances are often overlooked simply because the general public does not actively seek the information pertaining to that topic. And so, when a gem like this analysis of the “social dynamics of medieval fairies” pops up, you can’t help but appreciate it.

{Nails}

nails

Having painted nails is great, but who honestly has the patience or time to do these intricate designs for themselves? Nail wraps can come in handy for those days when you want to have cool nails but don’t want to put any effort into painting them. (And let’s be honest, you couldn’t even paint your nails satisfactorily if you tried.) The full post pits nail wraps from these five brands against one another to see which ones are worth your time.

Hopefully you were able to find something in this post that made you laugh, inspired you, or just wasted a good few minutes of your time!

FTC: This is not a sponsored post, and all opinions are completely genuine. ♥

5 uses for Vaseline you didn’t know existed

Mavis Li
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The well-known jar of petroleum jelly that everyone is familiar with. Probably, you have one sitting on a shelf somewhere in your house. Beyond being an effective moisturizer for dry skin, Vaseline has a number of other uses. Here are just 5 of them:

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1. Eyelash enhancer

Going for a no-makeup look, but you can still make your lashes look dark, thick, and glossy. Apply a small dab of Vaseline and smooth it over your eyelashes. Also, if you apply a bit on your eyelashes every night, it will help keep them healthy and might even help them grow longer – urban myth?

2. Lip balm

Suffering from cracked lips? Try applying a dab of Vaseline over your lips (or any dry patches of skin) overnight.

3. Perfume prep

Rub a little Vaseline onto the inside of your wrists and any other pulse points. Moisturized skin will help to retain the scents of perfume.

4. Makeup remover

Vaseline is perfect as an inexpensive, gentle makeup remover. Massage onto your face and eyes, using circles. Wipe off with and rinse your face with warm water and a cleanser.

5. Eyebrow shaper

With your ring finger, smooth a light coat of Vaseline to your eyebrows after shaping them. It will keep your brows in perfect place for the day.

More tips? Check out: Allure and ChristinaLoves

The future of concerts is now: Perfume at SXSW 2015

Carol Zhang
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Produced by the acclaimed Dentsu creative director Kaoru Sugano, Japanese girl group Perfume’s performance last week at SXSW 2015 was nothing short of mind boggling. Featuring complex visual projections and synchronisation of military precision, the massive production team of the SXSW performance created a dizzying, seamless audiovisual treat with the help of enormous technical production talent from Daito Manabe. Somehow, they manage to make an audience in a very small room feel as if they are floating through outer space.

Among the “tricks” Manabe utilised in order to build this performance was an elaborate projection mapping system projecting visuals onto both the stage itself and translucent screens set in front of the trio. Motion capture on both the singers and the cameras made it possible for the projections to be calibrated and adjusted in real time.

The rest of the techniques used to make this intricate performance as spectacular as it was remains a mystery, but Sugano and Manabe have undisputedly produced a work that is a million miles beyond what we have ever seen before.

 

Hillhurst Sunnyside Youth Food Council – Calling All Youth!

Talia Santarossa
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Do you love food? Would you like to get involved with a group that could help you to further your passion for urban farming, culinary arts, and everything food?

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I recently had the pleasure of talking to Katie Husted, who is spearheading a new program for youth ages 13-18: The Hillhurst Sunnyside Youth Food Council. This program aims to not only get youth involved, but to allow them to learn about, work with and and explore… you guessed it, food! This program has great potential to become a real success in the community and I strongly suggest that you check it out if you’re looking for an exciting extracurricular opportunity. Here’s what Katie had to say…

Q: So, first things first; what’s the program about?

A: Well, the program, it’s brand new. We’ve never run anything like this before. In the past, I’ve been doing kids’ programming with 4-7 year olds. There’s an out-of-school care program run by the community association where I work, and so we’ve partnered with them. But one of the objectives of the kids’ program was to incorporate some activism into what we were getting the kids to do and we just found that it was just a little bit too tricky to meet that objective with kids that age. We thought it might be interesting to try working with some older kids, so that’s why we’ve shifted and the program is for 13-18 year olds and it’s all about food, which I know is a vast topic, but that’s kind of the point of it. I’d like there to be some gardening involved, cooking and like I said, food advocacy. The idea is that we’d meet once a week as a group and learn about some food related issue, whether it be something like urban farming or the local food movement. And when I say learn about, I imagine that we could do fun things like go visit an urban farm together or even have a farmer come visit us and talk about what they’re doing. We could get involved with the Farmer’s Market that happens every weekend at the HSCA (Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association), things like that, and then turn what we’ve learned as a group into some kind of public project. For example, if there are some painters in the group, we could maybe paint a mural in the neighbourhood or if there are members interested in film or photography we could film the progress of a garden that we grow over the summer and turn it into a video. Things like that.

Q: Where would the group meetings and programming take place?

A: We would meet at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association and that’s between 10th and 14th St, just up from Kensington on 5th Ave. NW, right by Riley Park.

Q: Because it is the Hillhurst Sunnyside Youth Food Council, would people living outside of the area still be eligible to join?

A: Yes, the Community Association does have to first cater to members of the community, but it’s not exclusive at all.

Q: Are there any other specific programs that you’d like to run as sort of “satellites” of the program, like cooking classes and things like that? And by that I mean have the HSYFC as sort of the central focus but have some subcommittees, if you will?

A: Yes, it’s definitely a possibility. Because this is such a new program and we’ve never run it before, a lot is up in the air and I’d like it to be very much led by the youth involved. I’d like them to have the freedom to run with their interests. If that means forming subcommittees to work on different projects, that could definitely happen. We could have a gardening committee, a cooking committee, a research committee and then collaborate.

Q: At this point, how much interest has been shown in the program? I don’t know how much outreach you’ve done up until now, so I’m interested to know how it’s coming so far.

A: I have been promoting it. I haven’t gotten anyone applying yet, but I’ve been doing some presentations at Queen Elizabeth High School, distributing posters and promoting through our social media and through the networks that the community association has, so I’ve been getting a lot of good feedback from people that I’m talking to about it, but as of yet, I have no applicants. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m not effectively communicating the program to them or if it’s just something that only a small group would be interested in. I’m still working on finding my group, so that’s why I’m sure that Youth Are Awesome can help out!

Q: What would you say to anyone who is considering joining?

A: I would say that there’s huge potential in this program for them to explore their own interests and make it what they want it to be, which I think for this age group is really important. I think come teenage years, kids don’t really want to be restrained and really want to be given a lot of freedom to make something into what they want it to be. For their own sake, I think it’s important to give them creative control. We all eat, right, so I want this group to have the freedom to approach food and food issues in the way that makes it meaningful and interesting to them.

Q: Finally, just a general question; at this point, do you have a day of the week picked out for meetings?

A: We do. I have Tuesdays at 4:00 PM picked out, which means that kids can come directly from school to the community association. Meetings will last anywhere from 1-2 hours, I’m expecting. I’m not going to put a firm time frame on it because the meetings will happen as they do.

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So there you have it! If you have any further questions regarding the program or if you’d like to join, feel free to check out the info page or to contact Katie directly at katie@hillhurstsunnyside.org or at 403 283-0554 ext. 247.

3 activities to look forward to this summer

Obayd
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As we all know, summer is approaching, and sooner or later there will be a variety of activities that we can all take part in. Here are my top 3 activities that most outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy this summer!

1. Camping

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Most outdoorsmen love the summer because it offers great camping conditions. You can enjoy camping anywhere across Alberta, especially Banff! Banff offers several great sites. If you’re not much of a tents person, there are hostels spread throughout the province too that you can stay in with your friends. One hostel I would highly recommend staying in is Mosquito Creek. You can read more about it in my previous blog. While camping in the summer, you can hike across trails that suit your ability. You can experience many new things, and view amazing sites, which is one of the most rewarding parts about it. You can also indulge in activities such as fishing, canoeing and kayaking while camping as well.

2. Mountain Biking

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Considering we live in Canada, summer doesn’t last very long. Most mountain bikers are thrilled for this years mountain biking season so they can shred up the trails! In Alberta, one of the best places to mountain bike includes COP, which offers a variety of different trails, both downhill and regular. In B.C, some good places to mountain bike include Fernie and Kicking Horse. Mountain biking is one of the most intense, thrilling, and amazing activities. It is a great workout for your body, its extremely fun, and the views are amazing, especially in the mountains. If you’re looking to get some physical activity, try mountain biking at any of the resorts I had mentioned, but remember to stay safe!

3. Soccer

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Soccer is a fun sport that billions of people across the world enjoy playing today! All you really need is a good quality soccer ball, a net, and you’re good to go! Soccer is especially fun in the summer because you have access to freshly cut grass and high quality fields. Its also a great way to spend your free time. Whether you’re playing competitively for a team, or on a local field with some friends, soccer can be enjoyed by all ages!

Youth of YYC: Tatiana, 17

Wentao
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YouthofYYC55

“I wish people were more open minded and didn’t judge others just because of what they like to do or their views in life. We’re all different, and although there’s no need to agree with everything other people say, it’s good to at least try to understand them. I believe that people should be able to do what makes them happy without being afraid of others judging them.”

– Tatiana, 17

If you’ve got a brain, you can get sick #HeadstrongYYC

Julia
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Sometimes, I like to imagine a world where mental health can be talked about as freely as the weather, or say, physical health. That’s the thought I had when I opened up on Facebook about some of my mental illness struggles, and that’s the thought I had all day on Monday, March 16, as I gathered with 250 other youth, teachers, counsellors, and leaders at the Youth Mental Health Opening Minds Summit, hosted at the University of Calgary’s MacEwan Hall.

The event was put on by CMHA Calgary and MHCC, and we were blessed with Mike Morrison (of Mike’s Bloggity Blog) as the host for the day!

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After introductions by CMHA Calgary and MHCC representatives, and a video about the initial Headstrong conference in Ontario back in the fall, Sheldon Kennedy came on stage to the podium. He shared his story of how sexual abuse as a young hockey player led him into mental chaos. In fact, he said that people have been talking about their mental health, but in a different way… By that he meant alcohol, skipping school, cutting, isolation, and suicide. It was quite unnerving to hear that throughout stays in prison, 3 locked mental hospitals, and 8 long-term treatment centres, he was never asked “what’s happened to you?”. He left us with the message of “There is hope” and “We’re better together”.

A breakout session posed each of the four groups with the question: What are some of the words society uses to describe those with mental illness? Answers, of course, included “over-dramatic”, “freak”, and “dangerous”. The next question? How do those words make us feel? Alone, broken, lost, hurt, rejected… in summary, not fun stuff. Then came the fact: 1 in 5 develop mental illness. So, we were finally asked What are the words society SHOULD use? These words were the meaningful ones: human, unique, hopefully, strong, survivor, treatable, hurting, inspired, brave. It was a bit difficult to hear the speaker who shared her story to our breakout group, but luckily, after “nutrition break” (which included DELICIOUS smoothies), we heard from all four speakers.

Brett Rothery, Kaitlin Hrudey, Paige, and Dheny started by summarizing their stories of mental illness, and then acted as a four-person panel that answered questions from both Mike Morrison and everyone attending. Some questions included:

  • How do you cope? Brett said he relies on humour, Deny said she looks to social support (i.e. friends), Paige said she helps others, and Kaitlin says she talks to her family and her psychologist.
  • How can teachers be helpful? In Brett’s response, he highlighted the importance of teachers having connections with their students, rather than their role simply being “turn to pg. 34”.
  • Peer pressure? Kaitlin’s response said it plain and simple: be yourself. Brett proposed the idea that “not succumbing to peer pressure is cooler than being cool”.
  • Should I feel guilty about being a “burden” by asking for help? Paige said that services/people wouldn’t be listening to you if they didn’t genuinely want to help you.

Kaitlin’s parents were in attendance, and someone asked them how they suggest parents help their struggling child. Kelly Hrudey‘s response? Listen. Pay attention. The signs are there.

The moment of the day that I actually was most moved by was when Brett Rothery came over at the start of lunch and talked personally to me and the other three from my school (two peers and our counsellor). We talked about the difference between sadness and clinical depression, and the effect of “coming out” with your mental health story. Both Brett and I had similar experiences in that sharing our stories with people around us was met with a positive, supportive response.

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Queen Elizabeth students started the afternoon with accounts of the fall Headstrong conference in Ontario, and one student shared her struggles with mental illness, suicide of a loved one, and bullying. We were given an opportunity to ask them questions, and some profound responses included “It’s an illness. It is not something you choose” (re: what needs to be taught about mental illness) and their answer regarding the biggest barrier in taking action? Time (a.k.a. school).

Brett Rothery, the Grade 12 Crescent Heights student known to many as “the kid who did that thing on Twitter”, talked about how brainstorming back in the fall turned into the #CHHSLetsTalk campaign, which raised $23,000 for CMHA through 5 cents per tweet. Yet Brett made it clear that the money was the cherry on top. The biggest success was opening the dialogue about mental health. Social media today has the capability to reach far and fast. As Brett said, “[social media] doesn’t just have to be cat videos”.

The day ended with another round of breakout groups, where we brainstormed answers to the
questions “How has stigma stopped us from partnering for change?” and then “What steps can we take to ‘partner for change’ and build a community of acceptance and inclusion at school?”.

With that, my words for you are: Let’s be the ones to end stigma. Let’s be the ones to make mental health a conversation. Let’s realize: if you’ve got a brain, you can get sick. So now I ask you: what can YOU do to stand up for mental health?

 

I don’t mean to self-promote, but…. check out my twitter @JuliaPorsche where you’ll find my accounts from throughout the day! Also check out the day’s hashtag, #headstrongYYC on twitter.

Never Been to Me: How to Reconnect with Yourself

Kandace Peroramas
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My family and I know our way around our karaoke machine like the back of our hands. But, no matter how many times we flip through the song book or click through the different artists, we always find ourselves singing the same songs. Part of the reason is because we’ve mastered the songs and we can count on getting a high score. The other reason is our personal connection to the song and to the story it tells. I’ve Never Been to Me by Charlene is one song in particular that my mom and aunt always love to sing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhQWND9jKDA

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The song is about a woman who has been immersed in luxuries all her life. She is married and well-traveled, but not truly happy. The places she has been are merely places she runs off to to get away from her life. Even with the desirable lifestyle, she is lonely during her desperate search for true freedom. The singer, Charlene, sings as if she is directly communicating her story to the listeners. In contrast to her soothing voice, she is warning us to not have the same regrets she did. If we are to live our lives “the right way”, the actions we take and decisions we make must be done so in our own volition.

Knowing the stresses school, friends, family, relationships, and extracurricular activities can have on us, we can relate to this song immensely. We are often so caught up in the whirlwind of due dates, fights, wins, and losses that we forget to breathe. This is dangerous as it could lead to many sleepless nights and lack of concentration and dedication to the things and people we love.

“I’ve no doubt you dream about the things you’ll never do.”

In order to be one with ourselves, it is best to make realistic goals and stick to them. Although there is no problem with dreaming big, going that route too often could set very high expectations that constantly make us struggle. When this happens, we will become frustrated and it will negatively affect how we think about ourselves and how we act towards others.  Start small as these are easier to branch out from.

“I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free.”

There are definitely days where the comfort of our friends, family or own bed won’t help us be at peace. On these occasions, we need a place to go to that will quiet our restless minds, even for just a little while. I suggest visiting The Quiet Place or The Dawn Room to fill that void that is longing for serenity. Even dedicating 5 minutes to yourself will make a world of a difference. So get your earphones, plug them to your computer or phone, and don’t be afraid. Know that It Will Be Okay.

“I never knew I’d be bitter from the sweet.”

Even with our hobbies, passions, and firm mindsets, it gets difficult to maintain a happy-go-lucky relationship with them. Our dedication to what we do is so powerful that it can negatively consume us. As a result, they are no longer hobbies, passions or mindsets. They are obsessions.

The things we love to do should be done simply because we love to do them.

Our favorite pastimes should give us the freedom of freedom. It should take a heavy weight off our shoulders. If it is taking an after-school nap, listening to music, drinking tea, going for a walk or doing yoga that keeps you happy, maintain it!

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With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is easy to lose who we are amidst our work and responsibilities. But no matter how busy and hectic our lives get, there will always be time to dedicate to ourselves. With the right amount of work and play, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.

“This is what you must be like. Grow wherever life puts you down.” – Ben Okri

Best wishes,

Kandace  🙂

My top 5 most listened to songs {March 11-18}

Thalia
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Most of my most played music is pretty relaxed this week. The songs below feature Hozier, Keaton Henson, Ibeyi, Daughter, and Lotte Kestner.

 

1. Arsonist’s Lullaby by Hozier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnt2aHn0waA

I originally heard this song on Teen Wolf I then shortly became obsessed with it. Join me on my obsession.

 

 

2. Lying to You by Keaton Henson

I had to listen to this song a couple of times to really get the story it was telling. It was probably because I wasn’t listening in the first place because the message is pretty clear. Such a lovely song by a really talented musician. His whole album ‘Birthdays‘ is a gift.

 

 

3. River by Ibeyi

Side note: Naomi Diaz (left) has a really good set of lungs. I’m just amazed at how she was able to hold her breath for that long. I tried it and I failed. Kodoos to her.

I was actually just minding my own business one day and out of nowhere I find myself getting really into the beat of the song playing in the background.

I went out of my way to find who they were and I’m glad I did. Their style of music isn’t one I’m accustomed to but that doesn’t make it any less great. If you like this song you should also listen to every other song they’ve released.

 

 

4. Smother by Daughter

All of their songs are so laid back and full of heart. I found this band on one of my random YouTube music escapades and the first song I heard from this band was called Youth. It seems to be pretty popular now a days. If you haven’t heard it, check it out!

 

 

5. Halo by Lotte Kestner (COVER)

I found this gem on a playlist on Spotify dedicated to acoustic covers of popular songs. It was a flashback moment when I started hearing the Halo lyrics originally by Beyoncé . I really enjoy hearing this version of the song and find it really relaxing to listen to.

Artist feature: Bearcubs

Carol Zhang
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Take a moment out of your day and close your eyes to one of Bearcubs’ dreamlike singles. Based in London, England, this producer has over the past few months released some very impressive work and has recently followed it up with his March 18th reveal of Paper Walls.

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A tightly produced, intricately layered downtempo piece, Paper Walls impresses with its maintenance of a long, elegant series of melodic lines. Especially effective was the persistence of forward motion throughout. Not much breathing room is allowed for the music to go stale, and new ideas are consistently presented before the previous one has finished. However, this was done tastefully enough that the piece remained sounding controlled and very measured in its execution. Paper Walls is simultaneously calming and rejuvenating, pensive and soulful.

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The use of asymmetrical, disjointed rhythms in Touch is evocative of the phasing techniques of Steve Reich. The recurring rhythmic ostinato propels a hypnotic, chant-like melody through a skillfully constructed maze of harmonies. The entire piece dodges around any identifiable tonal centre and sustains nearly constant dissonances, yet remains extremely satisfying to listen to.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/159252933″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true”/]

Let Go features some very interesting percussion and sounds. Again using many irregular rhythms, Let Go’s abrupt pauses and droning microtonalities give it a feeling of buoyancy and weightlessness. A melody, if even present, is very difficult to discern; rather, a collection of fragmented motives carry the piece through their many transformations and clever manipulation. Despite relatively little change in intensity, Let Go is still engaging and an excellent example of modern minimalistic music.

The Paper Walls single will be released on 20th April, 2015 and can now be ordered over the iTunes Store.

How to Draw Faces

Jasmine
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Want to know how to draw the most difficult part of the human? Through this video, one can collect a few tips on how to draw faces.

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