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.
By random chance, I happened to come across this video called “Top Ten Single Digit Numbers.” At first, I was a little confused, but the video is about exactly what the title says. Two fun little puppets discuss which numbers are the best from 0-9. Possibly the worst top 10 list ever? Maybe. But it’s hilarious to watch Glove and Boots duke it out to find the Number One number. (Fair warning, if you click on the video, I suggest not having the sound on too loud. Just saying.) You can click here to watch more top ten lists by these two gut-busting puppets.
I recently watched Ender’s Game in theatres. And while I loved it, I maintain that the book was better, and here’s why:
Ender’s Game movie poster
While the movie stayed very true to the book, it lacked a lot of detail. There were a lot more subplots in the book that were missing in the movie. The film also lacked a lot of details regarding Ender’s age and his abilities in battle strategy. Although his age was never actually mentioned in the movie, he was six in the book when he was first sent to Battle School. He graduates into a Battle School army at the age of six, when protocol calls for only eight year olds to be part of armies. Ender proved to be a true threat to the older kids in Battle School and sat at the top of the ranks in shooting accuracy and his game’s win-lose ratio, which was not mentioned in the movie.
At the age of 10, Ender is promoted to commander of his own army. This was not mentioned in the movie, but as commander of his army, Ender fought in zero gravity battles every day for four weeks, and won every single game. Because of this he lost many friends. In the movie they also changes a detail about Bean, one of the main characters. In the books, Bean was only six when Ender was ten, whereas in the movie, Bean is Ender’s age.
Ender is graduated to Command School when he is still 10 years old, even though students are supposed to be 16 before they are promoted. I would tell you the rest of the plot, but that would probably spoil the entire movie/book for you.
In the movie, although it was never clarified, I think Ender was the same age throughout the entire film. Whereas in the books, he starts as a six-year-old and ends as a 23-year-old.
Ender’s Game book cover
In the film, a subplot involving Valentine and Peter, Ender’s siblings, was removed. I was surprisingly okay with that, because a lot the details in the books were not vital.
All in all, the Ender’s Game movie adaptation was very well done. It was a little lacking on detail, however, the book was so jam packed with information that the movie would have made no sense had they managed to have all the information in the film. In the book, Ender’s entire life would change in a page, his entire group of friends and his enemies being different in each chapter. A lot of that was missing from the movie, but the detail that was missing was not particularly vital to the overall plot.
One thing that movie completely lacked was character development. Especially within Ender’s emotions. Ender was a very complex character in the book, even as a six year old. He experiences a lot of feelings of unhappiness and self loathing, a lot of those emotions stemming from the torment of his psychopathic older brother Peter. Throughout the series, the books opens up about how unhappy Ender is to be in Battle School, not wanting to be a pawn in war. And how he doesn’t want to be a killer, and how he doesn’t want to harm anyone. In the book there was also a lot of development in Ender’s sister, Valentine, which was missing in the movie.
Finally I would like to say that I loved the book Ender’s Game, and I was really happy with how the movie was done. The movie was successful in conveying the plot of the book. It was fast-paced and intense, and followed the plot of the book well enough. I’m not sure how easy the movie was to follow had you not read the book, but I thought it was a very well done adaptation.
Volunteering opens up our mind to new ideas and concepts, and develops new skills. You are able to interact and cooperate with different people, and create bonds. Volunteering allows you to gain experience, which you can use in real life situations. In some cases, it’s the joy of nurturing and supporting the elders, or teaching little kids how to count. Whatever the case, volunteering is an excellent way to grow as an individual, spend your time, and have fun. So why do we volunteer? It could be to meet new people, gain experience, dedicate your time to others, give back to the community, and last but not least the hours. Oh yes, the hours. Let’s be honest here, that’s why we’re all here. Or is it?
When I first walked into Youth Central, I was all about the hours. It was like winning the lottery just thinking about getting them. It was the most gratifying moment I had ever envisioned. I didn’t care about gaining skills, or meeting people. I was after those hours like a malnourished lion hunting downs its prey. One day, everything had changed. I signed up for my first activity at East Village to help seniors. I was desperate to see those hours fixed into my portfolio.
Throughout the experience, I actually had a great time. The seniors were a blast to work with. We played pool, chess, and even the Wii. Never in my life had I seen two people getting so revved up over beating me at my own game. They were laughing and having a great time. It felt good to help them and teach them how to do things. For once, I could see the true joy of volunteering. I realized how good it feels to help others, and support them along the way. My intention had completely altered. Initially, I was after the hours. Now I am actually passionate about what I do, and I enjoy volunteering. It’s a great way to spend your free time. With Youth Are Awesome, I look forward to writing each and every blog.
So next time you’re out to volunteer, don’t just chase after the hours. Change your intention. Know that you’re doing it for the benefit of others and yourself. Remember, don’t just do it for yourself, do it for the joy of doing it.
Recently, Paul Salopek, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and member of National Geographic, decided to go on a trek around the globe that will last seven years. His mission? Trace the path of evolution and the way people have migrated to other parts of the planet starting in central Africa. He has named this trek his ‘Out of Eden Walk‘, and is currently 11 months in. When asked for his reasoning, Salopek replied,
“I hope to repair certain important connections burned through by artificial speed, by inattentiveness. I walk, as everyone does, to see what lies ahead. I walk to remember.“
With a thirst for knowledge and burning determination, Paul has experienced loneliness and hunger, but wonder and discovery just as the peoples who first roamed those lands did too. (View this article on Huffington Post.)
Many have called Paul crazy or insane, as this 21,000 mile walk is completely voluntary on his part. Although, it is a completely valid adventure. The human thirst for understanding the unknown and discovery is what led us to marvelous technologies and infrastructure. Had the first people not ventured out of their caves to explore what was beyond their walls, we would have never had civilization.
Somewhere along the way, this adventure was halted. We introduced religion and societal rules to dictate what we should believe in and what we shouldn’t even think about. For years and years, those who have dared think outside the box and want to know more were rewarded by being stoned or tried and executed. Recently, people have been trying to rekindle this spirit. Without younger generations taking an interest in discovering, we will never have the chance to achieve a cure for cancer or discover the millions of unidentified species on our planet.
When was the last time you satisfied your hunger for knowledge or satiated your burning curiosity? There is no such thing as asking too many questions. Questioning everything is how we make progress. Don’t accept what’s given to you, discover the answer for yourself. Although you don’t have to go on a seven year walk around the globe, the first step is out your front door. After that, the distance you travel is only limited by your own imagination.
It’s nearly Christmas, and we all know that means Christmas parties. I don’t know about you but ever since I can remember, I have been doing a classroom secret Santa. I absolutely love giving presents out to people because I love to make people smile and show I care. I always try to make sure the gift is perfect for whom I am giving it to. However, sometimes it’s hard to do gift exchanges because you may get someone you don’t know so well. Skip the boring old gift card and try some of these ideas that I have made for you.
For those who do not know, Secret Santa is where you draw a name at random from a group of people and buy them a gift. However no body knows who you’ve gotten until the day everyone exchanges gifts! Image source: (www.mikespokerleague.com)
Someone you don’t know that well
Girl: Makeup, hair accessories, jewellery or beauty Products
Guy: Candy (you can never go wrong with that), a cool hat, earphones/headphones, phone cases
Sporty person
If you know their favorite team or player; get them a team personalized accessory such as a watch or hat.
If you don’t know their team: Fancy water bottles, workout clothes, cool shoelaces, soccer ball, basketball, birdies.
Artsy person
Watercolors/pastel sets, canvases (you can never have too many), a journal, tickets to a school drama production, stationary, tea mugs.
Music lover
Headphones/earphones, band t-shirts (if you know who they like), guitar picks, guitar straps, drum sticks, music bag.
Inner Geek
Novelties from their fandom, such as coffee mugs, shirts, bobble heads and more. Comic books, styluses for DS, fan books, documentaries, movie tickets.
image source: www.onepagelove.com
Here’s a few tips on getting the best response out of your gifts:
– Try giving them small, silly gifts each week leading up to the event and end with a final larger gift.
– Keep it anonymous while giving them the gift, that way it is more mysterious and and fun because they’ll never know who gave it to them.
– Have fun with the presentation, wrap it in old comics from newspapers, add a bow, wrap it really nice, it will make the gift seem more personalized.
Most importantly, have fun giving rather than receiving. That’s what Christmas is about, right?
Last weekend, one of the most anticipated movies of the year was released: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the movie adaption of the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Having read the book series and enjoying the second book the most, I was very expectant that the movie would be a solid film. My expectations were not disappointed.
Onto the review. WARNING: Partial spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.
Catching Fire pretty much starts off where The Hunger Games ended, where after the games Katniss and Peeta live in the victor’s village of district 12, preparing for their victory tour. What I like about this film is how there is more of an impending sense of danger and a heightened threat of rebellion. This is because what Katniss and Peeta did to win the games angered the president of the capitol, President Snow. As a result, everyone Katniss loves is threatened, so she and Peeta must act as if what they did was really because they were in love with each other. Not only that, but you can clearly see the mental toll the games had on Katniss, which just makes this movie all the more poignant when they have to go back into the area.
Perhaps it is because of the change in directors, but the pacing of this film was considerably better, not to mention the fact that it followed the book quite accurately only leaving out a few parts. Good pacing and script writing lets the background characters who didn’t get much spotlight in the hunger games to be developed on more here, such as Gale and his love for Katniss, and Primrose, Katniss’ sister. Even the primary antagonist, President Snow, is developed a bit more, and the scenes he appears in always add some background into the film.
The acting in this movie was exceptional. You’re pretty much invested in the movie emotionally all the way through because the actors playing their parts are so immersed in their role that you can clearly see the effort they put into their character. Newcomer Jena Malone as fierce and feisty Johanna Mason acts exactly like I imagined she would in the book, and I especially loved her for the comedic parts she was in. Even Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair, Lynn Cohen as Mags and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee acted out their parts quite well and were very close to how I imagined them.
The main tributes in the 75th Hunger Games from left to right: Finnick Odair, Mags, Johanna Mason, Enobaria, Brutus, Wiress, Beetee, Cashmere, Gloss, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.
I felt that the developing love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale was really well portrayed by the actors. You could see and sense the romantic tension between the three of them, especially when Gale is whipped by a peacekeeper and Katniss watches over his recovery. At first I wasn’t sure the Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were a good match as Katniss and Peeta in the movie, but they outdid themselves this time. They really became the characters and showed exactly what their movie counterparts were feeling over the course of the movie. Jennifer Lawrence has now become the iconic face for Katniss Everdeen, and she’s amazing at being her.
From left to right: Peeta, Katniss and Gale in their Capitol shots.
The setting of the movie is amazingly accurate and goes along with the descriptions of the book. I especially loved the arena for the 75th Hunger Games because it’s exactly how I pictured it, and is really well made.
A shot of the arena for the 75th Hunger Games.
The cliff-hanger ending the movie leaves the viewers with was perfect, even though in the book it was dropped more like a bomb (see what I did there, Hunger Games readers) eagerly waiting for the next movie.
For all its good points, I find very little fault with this movie. My only peeve is the fact that I feel like Katniss as a character bothers me a little with her indecisiveness between Gale and Peeta, because she clearly was affecting the both of them with the way she was acting. I don’t mean that the love triangle was bad, though, I was just irritated a little by the fact that because Katniss doesn’t really know who she really loves, she hurts both Gale and Peeta in the process.
Overall this movie gets a 5 out of 5 because of its amazing acting, plot, character development and everything in general. The final film of the trilogy, Mockingjay, is set to be released in two parts like Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows and Breaking Dawn were. Mockingjay part 1 is set to be released next year in November, with the final part releasing a year after.
Illusions trick us into perceiving something differently than it actually exists, so what we see does not correspond to physical reality. Hence, the word illusion comes from the Latin verb illudere meaning, “to mock.” Some illusions show us one thing in a picture, while someone else sees something entirely different in the same picture. Overall illusions are also quite interesting and super fun to look at. Illusions are also very fascinating and teach us about the visual perception we have as well as the limits of it. Below are some illusions that you will enjoy.
There are several ways we can profit from playing sports and being active daily. This includes psychological and physical benefits. Being active amplifies your physical characteristics. You are able to develop new skills, increase your strength and stamina. Being active leads to a more enjoyable life. It’s a great way to get exercise and have fun. Some of the psychological benefits include building leadership and teamwork skills. The more you participate in sports, the more confidence you will gain. From personal experience, I feel that physical activity relieves your mind from any anxiety or stress. Rather than turning to video games as an alternative, you are able to learn and grow as an individual while participating in sports. It is crucial for us to stay active, as it promotes a healthier lifestyle. Taking part in sports is a fundamental part of life, since it always keeps you engaged. Many of us these days are so focused with schoolwork (I’m not saying it’s a bad thing); we don’t realize that physical activity is a critical part of our living. In order to initiate a better lifestyle, we must participate in these activities. This point cannot be emphasized enough.
So what skills can we gain while playing sports, and what advantages do we have over others? There is more social interaction involved. People who are involved in different after school activities tend to stay away from drugs, smoking, and alcohol. A hidden study has shown that people who participate in physical activity have a lower chance of dropping out of school. Their receive high marks, and are able to maintain them throughout the year. There are also many career advantages. Sports teach you how to work together and be a part of the team. Many leaders and head executives of top corporations participated in sports while they were younger.
What are some of the personal benefits I receive from playing sports? To be honest, I don’t have any video games at all. Whenever I have nothing to do, I actually want to turn to sports as an alternative. I also tend to stay more focused an alive at school. Sports can relieve any physical or mental pain. I feel that participating in sports is a great way to have fun. So whether its hockey or badminton, remember that getting active is the key to a healthier lifestyle.
Santa Claus greets parade attendees in the Montreal Santa Claus Parade. MONTREAL GAZETTE.
The season of giving slowly creeps it’s festive cheer around the city. The streets and malls don the signature red and green that comes with the season of the Yuletide. Bells are being rung, Christmas music being played, and the glass stars are being placed on top of overly decorated conifers to light up the night with a jolly Noël. Calgary slowly dresses herself in her annual Christmas garb. Yet something lacks from this Prairie city from truly celebrating the holiday season. Something being denied from our streets to draw all our excitement for the holidays to commence. The Santa Claus Parade.
Yes the Santa Claus Parade, the one day where old man himself, takes time off from listening to the desperate pleas and selfish desires of children in malls. It’s a day where Santa spends a couple of hours sitting on a float, bringing joy and wonder to the parade well wishers. This annual festival has become a rite of passage for many North American cities. From New York to Vancouver, this parade has become a staple for many. It’s a celebration that officially signifies the return of Santa Claus to usher in the new Christmas season.
Ms Claus waves to adoring fans during the Toronto Santa Claus Parade. TORONTO SUN
It somewhat saddens many Calgarians that every major Canadian city hosts a Santa Claus Parade–except Calgary. Personally, it brings me envy to watch Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade grace the street of Yonge and Dundas. As I watch all the glee and excitement on my television of all the jolly festive cheer taking place on Torontonian streets, my heart slowly dies in the inside from Christmas envy.
Last time I believe Calgary had a Santa Claus parade was back in 2006. A time where cell phones were used for phone calls and the Blackberry ruled the world. After seven years of silence, no further developments to the future revival of this festivity to celebrate the jolly old fat man in red. The planning of such an event requires a year in advance. The committees for Montreal, New York, and Toronto’s Santa Claus parades are enormous and take up months in planning for everything to be perfect.
Young children are at awe to the magic that comes every year during the Toronto Santa Claus Parade. TORONTO SUN
The Santa Claus parade brought back memories for me as the signalling of the holiday season. It was a time when bells ran through the streets and elves danced in red and green tights. It was a magical and wondrous event through the eyes of my four year old self. There was a certain mysticism surrounding Santa Claus during the parade, being the main attraction upon his grand vessel of a float. It instilled a Christmas spirit inside me to this day. Now all Calgarian children have to look for is to see a simple mall Santa dressed in basic Christmas garb. Nothing instils a Christmas spirit in a young child’s life than a nappy display of Santa’s Northern Workshop and a Christmas Mall Elf who looks far too old and big to be an eccentric, magical creature.
The Santa Claus Parade is a magical event that has become traditions for many families. To be honest, besides Pride and the Stampede Parade, Calgary clearly lacks in the parade department. Calgary isn’t what most would consider a very festive city. Besides a week of Stampede extravaganza, no elaborate or festive event truly graces the streets of Calgary. That is why Calgary needs the Santa Claus Parade back.
Santa Claus spreading his Christmas cheer for the ho-ho-holidays in the Montreal Santa Claus Parade. MONTREAL GAZETTE
As citizens of this great Prairie city, are we just going to stand idle as the rest of nation continues to have their Santa Claus festivities take place in their respective municipalities. If this does not anger you enough Calgary, Edmonton and Airdrie have their own Santa Claus Parades. Oh heck, even an unknown Albertan municipality of Olds hosts their own Santa Claus parade. This is a disgrace Calgary. We deserve to be on the same level with the likes of Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto. We need a Santa Claus parade not just for the festiveness of it, but also to say to these major Canadian cities that we have one. No longer shall we Calgarians allow this city to deny us of our festive cheer.
I dream of a day where we no longer have to face this tyranny against the holiday season. I have a dream, where a Santa Claus parade will once again return to its former glory, and grace the streets of this magnificent city. The reindeer will return, the bells will once again ring with thrill, Santa Claus will rise again.
When I get bored, I often find myself Googling random things to pass time or to temporarily entertain myself. A little while ago, I looked up “things to do when you’re bored.” After scrolling through a few sites and not finding anything even relatively interesting, I stumbled upon “474 Things to Do When You’re Bored.” I started reading through them and found that most were rather bizarre, to say the least. These are my top 10.
10. Embarrass yourself
Gee, because I actually need to try.
From www.funnyjunk.com
9. Play the piano with mittens on
Being a pianist, I actually tried this and gave up from frustration five minutes later.
8. Sharpen your sleeping skills
Best practiced between between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 10 a.m.
7. Watch a watch until it stops
If you have a lot of time at your disposal.
6. Develop hearing problems
Just go to a Justin Bieber concert. Either you’ll get hearing problems or wish you had.
5. Make a list of your favorite fungi
Ok, agaricus bisporus, tuber melanosporum…
4. Bend a florescent light
I’m not completely sure if I could justify the risk of mercury poisoning on this one.
3. Give your goldfish a perm
Wait, where did I put my home perm kit?
2. Defend your neighbourhood from roving Mongol hordes
Fine, but if Genghis Khan shows up, I’m out.
1. Raise professional certified racing turnips
Pfft, yeah, turnip racing is pretty legit.
Of course there were plenty I haven’t mentioned so you should totally check out the site at http://www.cs.earlham.edu/~jimg/reading/bored.html. It’s nothing too special, but it’s totally worth a laugh.
Thanks to AudreyNicsik, this week I will be doing the nostalgia tag. I’ve included some of my old favourites from when I was younger that I was completely obsessed with back in the day, that bring back that exciting feeling of nostalgia.
1) The GameBoy Advanced SP
Remember this little guy? After the original GameBoy Advance, but before the D.S came along with all its extra features, I would spend hours on end in front of this GameBoy, trying to beat the latest Pokemon or Mario game.
2) Blockbuster Video
Arguing with your parents about what movies to rent that weekend for what seemed like hours, begging them to rent you a console and some video games, drooling over the heaps of candy surrounding the checkout and returning the DVDs a day late, just to come back next weekend and do it all over again. Ah, what a magical place Blockbuster Video was.
3) The Water Ring Game
We all had one, even if we didn’t like jotting up, then gently falling to the bottom. Personally, I could never get all the hoops into the basket, but I sure tried. Pushing the buttons for countless minutes, mesmerized by all the little hoops… so fun.
4) The Emperor’s New School
“Kronk! Pull the lever!”
This beloved Disney cartoon was my absolute favourite show on the Family Channel right up until it went off air. With its hilarious characters and witty jokes, no wonder there are so many of this show all over the internet. I will forever remember it as the cartoon with the funniest dialogue.
If you like science, teamwork, web designing, or even just an experience to change your life, you should join FIRST. FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. In their words, their “mission is to show students of every age that science, technology, and problem-solving are not only fun and rewarding, but are proven paths to successful careers and a bright future for us all. Founder Dean Kamen invites you to get behind FIRST, too.”1 FIRST has three main programs.
The program that strikes me the most is the FIRST Robotics Competition, and they are still recruiting members! Kickoff is Jan. 4, 2014, so sign up as soon as possible. They are looking for people with different skills like Project Management, Marketing, Sales, CAD, Programming, designing, and more.
To learn more about this program, watch this video:
I think that where a particular band/singer/artist/acapella group is based should, and never does, have an impact on whether or not you enjoy their music. Even so, I’m pleasantly surprised when I find someone I’ve been listening to is from Canada, and thus this post is for five Canadian bands/artists that I’ve been following recently. If anything, this post is more one born of coincidence than of purpose.
That being said, if I need another, more justifiable, overreaching theme, I do find the vocals of each absolutely lovely.
Because yes, Canadian music is wonderful too. But not exclusively.
It was only recently that their first full-length album, Set Fire, came out. I haven’t really had a chance to listen much to it, but the main vocalist’s distinctive voice is easily recognizable. Oh, and their debut album is also still available for free download.
Artist, animator and musician, Calgarian van Gaalen created all the artwork for his albums. He also has some interesting animated music videos floating around.
I first heard of Groenland from a poster advertising their visit to Calgary (which I was rather tempted to steal). Based in Montreal, but singing in English, the music they produce is classy and self-described as “indie pop.”
The first time I heard this Calgary-based group was at a volunteer project at Fort Calgary. For me, listening to music live is always a sure way to fall in love with a particular artist. I am also usually rather fond of folk music in all its infinite variations.
Just recently this past year Ohbijou, from Toronto, announced their “indefinite hiatus” (with the announcement main vocalist Casey Mecija posted an insightful and illuminating post on the “impossibilities of satisfying multicultural ideals in Canada” derived from her own experiences as a musician). While disappointing news, Ohbijou has left behind a wealth of work and music.
For starters, if you are a Youth Central volunteer, there are already tons of Christmas-related projects, so it’s close. Here’s a nice timelapse video to jump-start the festive spirit.
My YAA colleagues have already brainstormed their Christmas blog post ideas, so go check ’em blog posts out once they get published. 😀
