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Poem of the Day: Shipwreck in Haven by Keith Waldrop

Erica
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Transcendental Studies by Keith Waldrop was honored with the 2009 National Book Award in Poetry. Below is one of my favorite excerpts from the first poem in his collection.

 

Excerpt from Shipwreck in Haven

 

Need not end. Indeed, nothing. Step

out. Grist for wits. Shadow of your

shell. Stand there.

 

No other ground.  No

other. And the world concerns you every-

where, but do not identify with it.

 

Let light onto us. Flowers through the

gate, flowers skimming

the wall. A carpet of petal.

 

Treasures below the earth. Neither in

this world nor another, guarding.

Nothing but fade and flourish.

 

 

 

Infographic: What could a charity do with your mani-pedi?

missCarrie
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3 Things for Calgary

Qiwifruit
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3 Things for Calgary

On Oct 21, Mayor Nenshi launched the Three Things for Calgary initiative, urging all Calgarians to take on three things, big or small, that would benefit their neighbours, community and city. After all, to make a community into a better place, we as citizens have to do our part. To that end this is my three things that I would like to do as a contributing member of my community.

1. Give my neighbour a gift on the holidays.

Since my neighbour moved in, every year she would bring us gifts on Christmas and souvenirs when she comes back from travelling. This year I want to repay the favour and give them something in return.

2. Shovel the sidewalk for my neighbours.

Many times during the winter, myself or my parents would walk outside prepared to shovel the sidewalk and find it already done, which is always a pleasant surprise. My parents have repaid the favour many times but I’ve never done it myself so next chance I get I’ll be shoving the sidewalk for my neighbour.

3. Make presents for children in the hospital.

At my school, Henry Wise Wood, I’m part of a club called Creativity in Action. We are essentially an art club but we also wanted to do things that expanded beyond just drawing and crafts. We have embarked on a project to create handmade presents for the Children at the Alberta Children’s Hospital for the Christmas season to brighten up their holiday season and show that people care and support them.

I really look forward to being an active participant in my city. It really makes you feel like you’ve done something and that you’ve made a difference in your community when you actually start to contribute to a cause greater than yourself, and there’s no feeling quite like the feeling of achievement. So, without sounding too preachy, I urge you all to participate in this initiative.

Video of the Day: Academy Award-Winning Movie Trailer

missCarrie
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[youtube WAG9Xn5bJwQ]

A very general compilation of how to create an awesome trailer for an Academy Award-winning movie! Enjoy.

Veteran’s Week: How will you remember?

vicky
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With Remembrance Day on the horizon, Canadians are sporting poppies – as they do every year. However, there are many more ways to be active in remembering than you might think. In fact, this year Veterans Affairs Canada would like to see Canadians remembering the sacrifices made by our troops in many ways.

Apart from pinning a poppy over your heart and attending the local commemorative ceremonies (at your school or elsewhere), you can:

  • write on the Veterans Affairs Canada Facebook Page and share how you remember
  • change your Facebook profile picture to a poppy and update your status about the importance of remembering
  • blog or tweet about the importance of remembering to you
  • use videos and images from the Veterans Affairs Canada website to create a mashup, virtual scrapbook, or fan page to share through social networking sites, and even YouTube!

Veteran’s Week is an important time for Canadians to not only reflect on history, but to pay respects and sincerely thank our service men and women for all that they have done for our country. Without them, we would not see peace in Canada, or in other parts of the world. By wearing a poppy or Facebooking about what remembrance means to you, you’re not just remembering. You’re recognizing, appreciating, and honouring the contributions of those veterans who are lost, and those who are alive.

For more information on how you can remember this Nov 11, visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website.

Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto: An Album Review

Bill
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The much anticipated Mylo Xyloto album from Coldplay arrived on Oct 24, 2011. As a lifelong fan of Coldplay, it’s without a doubt that I’ve listened to the album on repeat for the past while, definitely long enough to be opinionated about it. I could just say I love it and call it a day, but that wouldn’t be very interesting at all. So here it is, my Mylo Xyloto review.

The album greatly differs from its predecessor, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.  Viva la Vida paints a symphonic burst of sound and enthralls your body with rhythm and life, whereas Mylo Xyloto wakes your ears up from their slumber with a transcendental surge of fresh air and brings forth a feeling of innocence and all the while captivating your senses.

Using a style similar to the style of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós, Coldplay incorporates instrumental tracks with lyrical tracks and unify them in a deliberate manner, to make the listener aware of the sounds as well as the feelings that arise from the album.  The album intimately entices feelings, creating an illusion of awakening to a world filled with colour and bliss.

The singles “Paradise” and “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” truly deliver when it comes to portraying Coldplay’s roots; sounding cheerful and affectionate as well as innocent. In other words, they are simple songs that aren’t necessarily flashy and made for mainstream pop-culture. The essence of Coldplay is maintained throughout the album and overall it makes for a very down-to-earth yet hopeful record.

Songs such as “Hurts Like Heaven,” “Charlie Brown” and “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” all show the cheeriness found in Coldplay, while songs like “Us Against The World,” “U.F.O.” and “Up In Flames” contrast and show the more acoustic side of Coldplay.  Furthermore, the instrumentals “Mylo Xyloto,” “M.M.I.X.” and “A Hopeful Transmission” unify the entire album with breaks for the listener to regain awareness of the sound after being mesmerised by the emotions. On top of it all, the one song that ties the entire album together is the song that features none other than Rihanna. It’s called “Princess of China” and the collaboration of the two music-superpowers truly sets the album way over the top with a perfect story-line of music.

The album, to me, is meant to be listened as a whole.  While every song performs great individually, the heightened mood and emotional ride taken when listening to the entire record at one time can only be described as “enchanting.” Personally, I feel as though I’m awakening as the the album plays. Going from a dream state to one of being distraught and unaware of my whereabouts in the precise moment of waking up, yet still feeling serene and safe as I would in the comforts of my own bed. Then, transitioning into a mindset of inspiration and feeling alive, I’ve fully awakened my senses and found the motivation to get out of bed and conquer the day.

Okay, I guess I’m a bit very opinionated about Coldplay, and I may have created high expectations of the album for new listeners.  But take my word, you won’t be disappointed, especially if you try and listen to it in the same perspective I have.

Head over to iTunes to get the album for yourself!

A Day of Silence

Sarah
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I lived in Angola, Africa for four years. I know first-hand that there are so many issues in the world that many of us in North America could not even imagine. Children should have choices, freedom and the ability to choose their own life path. Every bit can make a difference. Western Canada High School’s Youth in Action club is taking part in the Vow of Silence to spread awareness.

The Vow of Silence is a fundraiser that was started by Free the Children in order to raise awareness towards the neglect of the basic human rights of children in who are exploited and silenced. The vow is a 24-hour worldwide annual event where money is raised to support those children whose rights are neglected. Participants in the vow raise awareness for this cause through 24 hours of complete silence as they unite and support those who have no say or voice due to exploitation and poverty. The event happens this year on Nov 30 so sign up for this great cause!

Participants who take part in this 24 hour vow raise money through pledges. The money goes towards supporting Free the Children’s projects in countries of poverty, exploitation and disease. To sign up online individually or as a group click here.

Did you know:

  • 215 million children are child labour workers
  • One in three children are suffering from illnesses up to 160 days each year in developing countries

Photo of the Day: It’s a whole lot of Marios

Richard
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Must have ate the wrong mushrooms. (image via. Engadget)

No it’s not some publicity stunt, or a bunch of fans trying to find Princess Peach. This is Nintendo’s way of getting the hype out for their first Mario 3DS title release, Super Mario 3D land.

Blogging About Blogs – Hyperbole and a Half

sarena
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Being a blogger, I often enjoy reading what other creative writers/illustrators put on the internet for the world to see. One of my favourite blogs is called ‘Hyperbole and a Half’.  The blogger (Allie) writes about supposedly mundane occurrences in her life that she makes into hilarious cartoons.  The awful stick figure pictures accompanied by terrible colouring and the bad language (*disclaimer) honestly adds to the humour of her posts.  If you have not heard of “Hyperbole and a Half” check it out here!

One of my favourite posts entitled “The Alot is Better Than You at Everything” is about a fantasy creature dubbed the “Alot.” This cute, furry creature is invented in Allie’s subconscious to combat the sadness felt when experiencing the gramatically incorrect use of the words “a lot.”  Allie’s strategy involves picturing the Alot in different situations every time someone uses the word incorrectly.  Here a a few examples that made me laugh (all credit goes to Hyperbole and a Half).

 

Dhruv’s 3 Things for Calgary

dhruv
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Calgary, is known for its lively citizens and vibrant culture, but like all cities, it also needs improvement. Mayor Nenshi’s latest plan on increasing the interaction between Calgarians is meant to unite us even more than we already are. It is meant to make people think of Calgary as one big community rather than several communities living beside each other. But, like all things there has to be a starting point where we can join to make our city better in terms of friendliness and helpfulness.

Some ways that an individual could contribute to his/her community and help make it better is by:

1. Helping the houses near yours by helping them perform their daily chores and help take some trouble off their hands. Examples of this would be to: mow their lawn, help them with their groceries, help them clean their garage and help them clear the leaves from their front yard/backyard.

2. Raise awareness about the events that go on in the community centre or, in my case, the elementary school. These sort of locations usually host charity events, voting areas and community meetings that are very important for people of the community.

3. Organize more events that help make the community better, like community clean ups.

Overall, I think that every community should be active in its involvement towards the welfare of its city. These are some methods that I thought were and still are effective. What are some ways you make your community better?

Top 10 Youth Central Volunteers: October 2011

jen
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Youth Central's Youth Are Awesome volunteers

Here is the list of the Youth Central volunteers for the highest number of hours in October 2011. Great work guys!

Belal Uddin – 51.75 hours

Kevin Yoo – 41.25 hours

David Hall – 23.75 hours

Nancy Truong – 18.5 hours

Curtis Chat – 18.25 hours

Jessica Yee – 18 hours

Danielle Yao – 17 hours

Sam Sawchuk – 16.75 hours

Richard Chen – 16.75 hours

Sohaib Panwala – 16 hours

A poppy to remember

arielle
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What does it mean to wear a poppy if you have never seen a battlefield or lost someone to war? As Remembrance Day fast approaches us, I have begun sporting the famed red flower and reflecting upon this commemoration.

During the moment of silence, I genuinely take the time to reflect upon the sacrifices soldiers have made throughout history. Nonetheless, the memorial is a somewhat foreign concept for me to grasp, seeing as I have never really experienced any hardship or witnessed a war firsthand. It seems like I have the easy life compared to the suffering others go through every day or have gone through. In the second grade, I remember a classmate whose father was soon to be sent overseas to the conflict in the Middle East. Instead of playing at recess, she would sit by herself and sob (despite my futile efforts to cheer her up), fearsome of what would become of her father overseas. My own mother was a witness of the Vietnam War, her journey to refuge in Canada a result of the dangers of war. She has told me memories of friends left behind because they did not have money to leave Vietnam and of the overall bloodiness of it all.

My reflection continued in my English class when we started reading the Canadian novel The Wars by Timothy Findley. The story chronicles the experience of a soldier, Robert Ross, during World War I and all the aspects that come along with it. As Findley describes the inefficient nature of trench warfare and the stinging of chlorine on the battlefield, for a second, I was fooled into believing that I was an eye witness of the war. In passages about grieving family members, I felt like I too had lost a loved one to the evils of war. Through his novel, Findley made me more knowledgeable on the War that would end all wars, the reason that we honor Remembrance Day at all.

In my eyes, those elderly men who sit with a cardboard box of poppies and a donation tin every November are living history. Their wrinkles betray their age as a true sign of their experience in war. A red poppy is more than acknowledgement of those who have fallen honorably for their country. What is sometimes ignored is the other after-effects of war such as the post-traumatic stress and the psychologically damaged state of mind as well as physical state of many soldiers who survive. After witnessing who-knows-what on a battlefield, the transition back to civilian life is a difficult one, not to mention severe injuries makes for a challenge that some are not ready or capable to face.

For me, wearing a red poppy is a symbol of respect and an oath to never forget. The donations collected go to funding for veterans such as scooters, food and shelter and more as listed on http://www.poppyfund.ca/.

With utmost respect, I salute our honorable veterans and those enlisted in our military that courageously defend. One can only dream that such a thing as war will one day be considered obsolete.

Street Art: What are you stepping on?

E
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Here is some really amazing street art by artists Kurt Wenner and Edgar Muller.

3 Things for Calgary: Incorporating the Community + Life

missCarrie
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Calgary is buzzing about Mayor Nenshi’s new campaign called 3 Things for Calgary. It is basically 3 things that you can do to make your street, neighbourhood and city a better place; and Calgary definitely needs some improvements. You don’t necessarily have to go out and start a campaign or anything, but it can be as small as shoveling your neighbour’s side walk. Here are my ideas to for incorporating my life and community!

1. Get to know your neighbors

I know it’s a very small thing and it might just be your nerves getting in the way, but if you ever pass by them on your way to or out of your house, say hello to them! It makes living in your house a lot nicer, because your home isn’t just a shelter to live in. It’s a place where you can feel safe and have fun. I’m not telling you to go to a stranger’s house and randomly strike up a conversation, but if you happen to see them, a small conversation or a greeting surprisingly brightens up a person’s day. Or a smile–but don’t give them a creepy “I’ve totally been staring at you for the last five minutes, now I’m deciding what to do” kind of smile.

My parents took the initiative to say hi to my neighbour and he’s been so nice to us! We shared a very old fence in our backyard and both decided that getting a new one would be good. We split the bill and now we have a beautiful fence where we can feel proud of! I know it may sound silly, but nice gestures are so heart-warming and for me, they make my neighbourhood a better place to live in.

2. Start something exciting on a social networking site

Okay, now this one might sound ridiculous. How could creating an event on Facebook ever help the community? Well, recently a few people started an Audio Mob in Calgary; it simply started on Facebook (or at least I heard it from FB) and grew into a huge thing that managed to get into Metro! This event was a lot of fun and brought people from other communities into this one big family-friendly event. And who doesn’t love those? Plus it was free! All it required was a listening device where you can download files on; most people own at least one of these devices. If you’re too shy or poor to advertise around the city or neighborhood, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and all those types of sites will definitely help you get your event/ideas out there.

When I was in high school, a couple kids started heart-warming events based on popular events like “Put love on her arms” and “Wear purple to oppose homophobia” and it really got the word out there. If you’ve got a couple of Facebook friends (er, acquaintances) who have 500+ friends (especially if they’re mostly schoolmates) and love inviting people to events, then you’ve got your advertiser!

3. Volunteer at your community centre

…Or volunteer anywhere! If you feel like killing some time or meeting new people, volunteering is a fantastic way to do that! I’ve learned a lot about my own city and its issues (homelessness being one of the main ones), and getting to volunteer places has opened my eyes to the problems of Calgary Transit. If that doesn’t give me inspiration to help my community, I don’t want what does! Also, volunteering at your community center allows you to see the amazing events that happens every month or so. Some of these events you’d have to pay for, so volunteering definitely helps the organization as well as allows you to know some of the people who live in the community! I’ve met some fantastic people and it also increases your network (which is important when leaving University and trying to find a job).

Youth Central is always accepting new volunteers as well as Volunteer Calgary. There’s also a whole bunch of organizations to look out for; World Vision, Salvation Army, Mustard Seed, Dream Center, Drop-In Centre, United Way… and the list goes on. Sometimes even offices need volunteers! And this is definitely a great resume booster as well as valuable experience. SO! What are you waiting for?

Post or comment your ideas on how to improve life in Calgary! For more information, visit the Facebook page or follow them on Twitter!

Website of the Day: The Quiet Place

MJ
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Sometimes, there are so many things running through our heads. Sometimes we want to get away from it all and focus on ourselves. We tend to forget the importance of achieving a balance in life. There’s too much work and not enough play. There’s too much stress and not enough relaxation. I’ve only recently discovered with site and now I’d like to share it with you. Trust me, it’s only about two minutes. But it can make quite a difference.

Click here to escape.

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