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.
In my experience, moving away from your friends and family can be hard, especially when you’ve lived somewhere for what seems like forever. But not all is lost! Try to think positively, think about your new school and a chance to make new friends. Think not about going, but about coming. And try to remember that it’s not the end of the world. When you actually get there, you’ll have a new room and a new house, and you’ll be given a chance to start from scratch.
As a consolation for the move, try to convince your parents to buy you some new clothing, or if you’re not into clothes, decorations for your room or locker or whatever it is you’re into.
Since it’s a new school no one knows who you are, so act a little more confident. Try to be confident when you arrive; if you’re confident in yourself, it is easy for you make new friends.
Last but certainly not least, remember that you’re amazing no matter what anyone says about you. There will always be someone who doesn’t like you, but you have the power to ignore them and just hang out with the people who like you and accept you for whoever it is you are.
What a fancy and mysterious term! But you know, you probably know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever had Sea-Monkeys as pets.
Cryptobiosis is a state that certain organisms go into where all metabolic procedures stop. This prevents reproduction, repair, development or any type of growth. An organism in this state can practically live indefinitely until the environment conditions are suitable to thrive. At such a point, the organism will return to its happy little metabolizing self and get on its way.
This is such a fascinating topic–just think of all the possibilities! It’s like opening up a door to a prehistoric era of organisms and if we can recreate their prime habitat, we could be spawning creatures from the past!! đ [oh the things that get nerds’ hearts racing. :P]
Back to the topic of Sea-Monkeys, these commonly-known little guys are an excellent example of cryptobiosis. Artemia salina, also known as the brine shrimp or by its brand name “Sea-Monkey” are a species which can be found in the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana (fancy!). They survive the dry season through cryptobiosis when the water of the pans evaporates, leaving basically a dry landscape. This preservation mechanism is what allows the species to keep going.
Did you ever wonder how Sea-Monkeys work as a child? Well now you know. You’re welcome đ
P.S. I never had Sea-Monkeys growing up, but my Grade 12 art class currently has some as class pets x] Happy metabolizing!
First off, I would like to say that this is a pretty good movie. It is a little creepy in some scenes but nothing too bad. This movie is based on this orphan named Esther. Â She seems to be a cute and innocent child that loves to draw pictures. But most of the pictures she draws are of death.
So two excited parents adopt Esther. But the mother had a bad feeling in her gut about adopting this orphan. The parents bring cute little Esther to their big and very accommodating home with their two wonderful kids. But the thing is, the younger girl is deaf.
After Esther arrives, strange things start to happen. Ankles of nice kids break at school, their tree house catches on fire. That kind of stuff. Then when the Nun came for the monthly “check up” – well lets just say on her second visit, there was no second visit. Esther learned sign language and told the little girl to kill people, and she also put the little girl into very high harms way.
This movie is mostly a suspense movie. There is also a huge twist in the movie at the end that is very unexpected. Overall, this is a good movie that might make you say “whoa” a few times, but nothing that will make you jump out of your seat. Make sure to check it out!
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer of exponential talent, composing many operas, oratorios and concertos. Handelâs works are most famously attributed to his use of word painting, a technique used in music to have the melody mimic the literal meaning of the lyrics. Handelâs Messiah interprets the Christian view of the Messiah, or Jesus the Christ, divided into three parts, covering the prophecies concerning the birth, miracles, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, with Messiahâs end piece illustrating Jesusâ victory over death and sin. It was definitely a treat to hear the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus and soloists performing the entire work. It is an extremely popular piece in Britain, with qualities that elevate the piece to enduring popularity, evoking the emotional of serenity and joy, with inspirational richness, and its wonderful word painting.
To get an early start to the Christmas spirit and mood, WeiJia, a fellow blogger, and I could not think of a better way but to hear a cheery and wonderful live performance of Handelâs Messiah by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Chorus and several talented soloists. Filling the back of the stage usually occupied by the wind instruments, were filled with the grand body of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, blending their incredible and full sound with the wonderful music created by the string instruments of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Trumpets occasionally made heralding appearances in Handelâs Messiah, and the superb soloists singing the arias, made for a truly magnificent and overwhelming experience.
Il Giardino: “The Ultimate in Italian Food and Fun,” 344 – 17 Ave S.W. I was fortunate enough to receive a gift certificate to write a restaurant spotlight. I took my parents, who were very excited. I’m glad I took them, since my dad is quite the cuisine connoisseur and his enthusiasm for the restaurant was an impressive indicator of its quality.
Appetizer
We ordered the Calamari al Giardino- crispy fried with bell peppers, banana peppers, onions and lemon. Served with zesty tomato sauce on the side. It was delicious! With a tender and wholesome, full-body taste, it was cooked just right. The sauce complimented the calamari extremely well: tangy, rich, but not overpowering.
My cuisine connoisseur father’s opinion? “5/5 stars!”
Entrees We got a complimentary salad/soup and some bruschetta with each entree. The bruschetta was amazing, I found myself wanting to ask for the recipe. My dad order the Scaloppine Milanese- breaded veal served Milanese style. He was very impressed, again, and gave it a 9.5/10, saying that the vegetables were “crispy, not overdone,” and the meat “tender and succulent.”
I ordered the Linguine Mediterranea- mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp and sea scallops in red or white wine sauce. My family eats a lot of seafood, so I was ready to judge the quality of the fish, expecting the taste of packaged shrimp, but I was delighted to find the taste exquisite – the shrimp was juicy and fresh, the mussels were full of flavour, everything was up to my standards. The linguine itself added to the seafood supreme dish beautifully.
My mother ordered the Linguine con Salmone- Salmon in zesty white wine cream sauce. She is very sensitive to richness, and had to get part of it to go, but when I ate some of the left overs, I thought it was some of the best pasta I had ever eaten. I preferred the rich, creamy flavour and will likely order that the next time my family dines at Il Giardino.
Location
Right on 17th Ave and at the edge of downtown, it’s an ideal spot for an after-shopping dinner. In fact, it’s great for any special occasion. Its decor is fitting and classy, and, at this time of year, pleasantly festive. There are ornamental candles on each table for ambiance and tasteful, thematic music plays at a nice volume during your dinner. The dining area is roomy, bright, open, and warm.
The restaurant also features a beautiful patio I intend to return for this summer. Other diners we bumped into by chance said the patio was their favourite feature, in fact.
Friendly Establishment
Without knowing I was spotlighting his restaurant, the owner, Mike Ciccaglione, came by to introduce himself. He shook our hands and welcomed us to the restaurant graciously. We introduced ourselves, and, when he found out I was writing about his restaurant, he humbly said, “We’re not perfect, we make mistakes, but we do our best.” Mike spoke graciously of the restaurant business, his experiences in business and his opinion of the city and its community. He offered us complimentary desert (Tiramisu) cooked by his wife, and we accepted enthusiastically. It was fantastic, I’ll definitely be ordering that next time. As Mr. Ciccaglione returned to business, my father and I agreed that that was how to run a successful, friendly business.
All in all…
My family loved it, it was reasonable priced for a wonderful dining experience. The food was quality, the establishment was friendly, and the restaurant itself is a part of the community. We look forward to dining there again.
Il Giardino… Call to make reservations: 403-541-0088
Being Korean, this is an issue that holds great importance to me. My mother still resides in South Korea. To catch you up, on Nov. 23, North Korea shot missiles toward South Korea. Specifically, Yoenpyeong island. They shot at least 200 missiles. South Korea also shot 80 missiles as a counterattack. Â Because of this artillery fire, South Korea had at least ten injured and four deaths. South Korean civilians who live in Yoenpyeong were sent to a shelter. This shocking news reminds me of the Korean War and it even makes me worried about my mom and relatives who still live in South Korea. My mom said that everyone is afraid of the war.
After I saw the news about North Korea attacking South Korea, I was very surprised and realized that Korea is still under the threathen of the war. After the Korean War ended in a truce, Korea got separated into North and South. They were proclaimed as a separated and independent countries. Over the last fifty years, they have tried to become one country and South Korea especially tried to help North Korea a lot in terms of finance and communication with other countries. But most of people I know in South Korea tell me that there is not going to be another war in Korean territory, because every country has their eyes on North Korea and I believe that North Korea knows how much negative impact there will be on themselves if they embark on war. In my opinion, I think that North Korea tries to threathen other countries by attacking South Korea. In North Korea, Jung-eun Kim (who is the third son of Jung-il Kim) was appointed as the next leader recently becuase of Jung-il Kim’s illness and age. Therefore, I think Jung-il Kim wanted to see his son’s strong leadership skills before he actually gives his authority to him. Other than the reasons that I have said, there are many assumptions why North Korea attacked South Korea suddenly. Hopefully, North Korea and South Korea can solve their problem in peaceful way.
This is the video which outlines the damages South Korea got from North Korean artillery.
WeiJia and I will be able to have the great chance to see the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus and several soloists perform Handel’s Messiah in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. To ignite some Christmas spirit with song, here’s a uplifting video featuring the Chorus Niagara performing Handel’s Messiah, randomflash mob style, in a food court with an unsuspecting audience!
Alaska is covered with snow and ice shields, and also excluded from the large territory in the United States. Its boundless wilderness has attracted countless adventurersâ desire. “Into The Wild” describes a young teen who wanted to give his soul to Alaska.
In 1992, inside an abandoned bus at Alaska, people found a decomposed body. The investigation confirmed that the dead man’s full name Christopher Johnson McCandless, who was born in a wealthy family. After his graduation in 1990, his family lost contact with him. Christopher was longing for a return to natural primitive life, especially in Alaska. He wanted to conquer the Seven Wonders of the wonderful work of nature. So he changed his name, burned his cash, gave up his car and most of his properties and began to pursue his dream. Christopher tried to go beyond the human physical experience. However, due to food shortages, Christopherâs trip to Alaska was the end of his adventure. After this news hit America, the country was shocked. People had all kinds of views. Some admired his courage; some thought that Christopher wasn’t prepared enough, as he went hastily into Alaska alone.
Personally, I support Christopher’s actions and views. Although he died, he accomplished his goals in life â to live alone in the wild for over a month. And as the book said, if he returned to his parent alive, he would be called a hero! In any case, his story will go down in history and will remind people of the desire to return to nature.
But why does a rich kid give up everything to go into the Alaskan wilderness? Some people say that because he felt too good about himself. Some stated that his hatred of society and civilization lead to his wish to get away from it. Later, Christopherâs diary told that he also felt lonely during his trip. He wrote that when he left Alaska, he would get married. I think the reason why Christopher was overconfident was because of his family. His father was a U.S. aerospace engineer.
âInto The Wildâ describes not only the desire of human freedom, the dream of the noble spirit of the wild, but also to some extent, the vulnerability of people and exposes the sin of human nature. At the same time, it also brought to us some touching moments and reflections for us to think about.
This is the picture Christopher took of himself when he was in Alaska
This Saturday concluded my second time writing the SAT Reasoning Test. Recalling the hours used to practice essay writing, to read passages and to solve math problems brings a sense of wasteful nostalgia. Yet after all the countless hours of labour and pain, it is difficult not to reflect and complain.
A picture of the dreadful SAT exam. Courtesy of EPrep.
The purpose of writing the SATs was to gain admission into American universities. In applications for undergraduate and graduate studies, SAT scores are crucial requirements for successful admissions. I am no exception. My intent streams from a desire to attain admission.
The SAT Reasoning Tests are composed of ten sections. The first section is made up of a 25 minute session to write an essay based on a prompt. The next six sections are all 25 minutes long. Out of these seven sections, two are on reading, one is on writing and two are about mathematics. Furthermore, one other section is on reading, writing and mathematics and is a practice section for future tests. Furthermore, the next two sections (eight and nine) are on reading and mathematics and are both 20 minutes. Finally, the last section is a 10 minute writing section testing grammar. Meanwhile, the SAT Subject Tests are only 60 minutes tests on the subject concerned.
The overall stretch of the SAT Reasoning Test including breaks is over four hours in length. The duration of three subject tests also approaches three hours and thirty minutes. The tests are really mental marathons in which the test writers are tested on both endurance and ability. So far, I have probably done at least eight SAT Reasoning Tests and 12 SAT Subject Tests, both including practice versions. Generally, the ordeal has been a compilation of suffering that might not even be rewarded. Even if I am admitted, the staggering costs of tuition may negate any rewards gained from the SAT tests.
Nonetheless, the journey has come to an end. I can finally wave goodbye to the SATs. Sometimes I question my own decision to tackle such an undertaking. I frighten myself with the prospect of being denying admission and with the idea of so much wasted time. Overall, the process was painful and tedious, but I can see the light at the tunnel. I believe that hard work will be rewarded and compensated for.
ThinkGeek has everything you’re looking for, whether what you’re looking for is a Harry Potter Wand/TV remote or a set of t-shirts that you can play musical instruments on, they have it all.
Here are just a few of their hilarious and also helpful t-shirts:
You read my t-shirt. That’s enough social interaction for one day
A great quote from Darth Vader himself
This shirt actually tells you if there’s unsecured wireless networks around!
Aside from clothing, there are many gadgets to choose from too, and many, many accessories for these gadgets!
And on top of that, there’s even an entire section for little kids! I don’t know about you but I’m sure if I was a kid I would love something like an official packet of spitballs or a Make Your Own Balloon Dinosaurs kit!
Would you believe they even have food?
Unicorn Meat! (You know you want it)
The ice cream that Astronauts eat!
Who wouldn’t want bacon flavoured popcorn?!
If you didn’t see anything you liked here, go to the site and you’ll find much more! (I’m pretty sure you at least saw one thing you wanted though.)
Samuel de Champlain was a wonderful draughtsman, cartographer, ethnologist, soldier, diplomat, geographer, chronicler, explorer, and French navigator. He was nicknamed the Father of New France and he just may have been related to King Henry IIII. But do you know what Champlain really was? He was an investor. Most of the important things he has done he has done for money or some form of pay. Even in the personal aspect; when he got married in 1603 he received $150,000 and became a member of the elite.
In the same year Champlain agreed to build a trading company that sent goods (most probably, fur) to France.
In the summer of 1609, Champlain built alliances with the Algonquin, Etchemin, Wendat(called Huron by French) and Montagnis tribes. He sided with them in a fight against the Haudenosaunee that year. This fired up a conflict which lasted at least a hundred years more.
So why would he do this if he knew it would cause insecurity between all these tribes? The only excuse would be business and trade-related issues. The Wendat and the other tribes agreed to send his country furs through the trade.
Say what you’d like, but there is no way of denying that Samuel de Champlain was one of the greatest businessmen of his time.
