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.
Really, it’s quite bad. My family doesn’t ever eat pasta at home. When we do, it’s one recipe: pasta salad. We cook up some dried pasta, toss it in olive oil and and balsamic vinegar, with veggies and cheese. My mom detests tomato sauce, and isn’t willing to make the other types of pasta sauces for fear of it being too time-consuming.
The only pasta I every eat… Greek pasta salad (source)
Don’t get me wrong; my mom makes really delicious food for us every day. But one day, suddenly, all I wanted was some spaghetti bolognese or fettuccine alfredo.
So, I took matter into my own hands. I bought some dried Banza Chickpea Pasta Rotini from the grocery store, looked up some recipes for tomato sauce, and got to it. (I also made an alfredo sauce during this craving period, the recipe is in my previous post!)
A lot of the tomato sauce recipes I found called for sauteed onions or celery, with a plethora of spices that I did not have, and had to be cooked on the stovetop for close to an hour. They were also always in large portions.
Although I’m sure they would have all been delicious: NO THANK YOU. I am far too lazy to saute onions and wait an hour for my sauce. As well, I didn’t want to make a large portion, as I would be the only one eating the sauce at my house.
So, I used bits and pieces from various tomato/marinara/pizza/pasta sauce recipes, and threw them all together to make the easiest version of the recipe I could. After making and heating the sauce, I poured it all over my chickpea rotini pasta, threw in some leftover cauliflower, shrimp, and bell peppers, and indulged. It was a total shot-in-the-dark attempt, but it worked out pretty well.
I swear it looked better in real life…
The craving was satisfied.
The recipe below is my adaptation of the internet’s tomato sauce recipes. It uses ingredients that I had in my home, and took me less than 5 minutes from start to ready-to-serve.
The best part is, it tastes just like restaurant tomato sauce, but it’s 100% au naturel. In addition, the main ingredient is fresh tomatoes, making this sauce very healthy, high in vitamins and fibre. It is so quick and tasty, I will never be buying jarred tomato sauce again.
This recipe is for a single-serve, and requires a blender. After boiling, it makes about a cup of tomato sauce; just enough for one person’s serving of pasta. The thickness of the sauce can be manipulated depending on how long you boil the sauce before serving. For use on a pizza, boil on low heat for about 5 minutes longer, to remove more water from the sauce (pizza sauce should have less water so the pizza doesn’t get soggy).
Nom nom nom! Savoury goodness
5 MINUTE TOMATO SAUCE
Prep Time: 3 min Cook Time: 2 mins Total Time: 5 mins
SERVINGS: 1 SERVING SERVING SIZE: about 1 CUP
CATEGORY: SAUCE
CUISINE: ITALIAN
CALORIES: 60 KCAL
A quick, easy, single serve tomato sauce that can be served in just 5 minutes, using ingredients you probably have in your fridge. After prep, make sure to heat before serving.
INGREDIENTS – 2 large ripe tomatoes* – 3/4 tsp dried basil – 3/4 tsp dried oregano – 1/4 tsp dried rosemary – 1 clove garlic – salt and pepper, to taste – 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional)**
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add all ingredients into a blender or food processor. 2. Blend until mostly smooth; mixture should remain a little chunky. 3. Remove from blender, and store in sealed container. For best results, let sauce sit for a couple hours to let flavors blend. 4. To serve, heat sauce in a saucepan until boiling, and add salt and pepper to taste. For use on a pizza, boil for about 5 minutes longer on low heat, to remove excess water.
Serve immediately on top of your favorite pasta, or spread over prepared pizza dough.
RECIPE NOTES This sauce makes enough to coat about 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta, or two 8-inch pizzas.
*Fresh tomatoes may be substituted with 1/4 cup tomato paste + 1 cup water **Adding the olive oil makes the sauce much richer, but is not necessary. I did not add olive oil the first two times I made this sauce, and it turned out fine.
5 MINUTE TOMATO SAUCE NUTRITION FACTS Amount Per Serving (1 CUP) (no olive oil) Calories 60 Total Fat 0.9g Saturated Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 13mg Total Carbohydrates 12.4g Dietary Fibre 4.2g Sugar 6.6g Protein 2.6g
If you have any suggestion or improvements to the recipe, comment below! I would love to see your creations
As an extremely shy person, I have had to find alternative ways to express myself so people can better understand and I can also get to understand my own self as well through the process. In grade 9, you could say I finally got to bloom. At my school’s winter concert in December 2015, I asked if I could do a solo performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” And I got to do it, without any instrumentation. Long story short, People loved it.
The second time I performed on stage was with poetry. My English teacher gave us a unique opportunity to express ourselves on stage, reading our own written poems between her band’s pieces. The theme was the moon. So I and a couple of my friends couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass by. After creating one big poem consisting of different stanzas made by each individual was a failure, we then decided to make each of our own poems relating to the poem. We were to perform in the University of Calgary’s Carnegie Hall.
My poem was called “My Moon, My Battery.” It was basically a poem about sleepless nights of existential crises, with the moon as my witness but also as a symbol of hope for the future. I wasn’t really proud of my poem. To me it just did not hold up to a high standard.
The day we performed was a great day with my great friends, and by the end of our performance it got even greater. After the entire show was finished, a woman from the audience walked up to me and said she loved my poem. She wondered if she could take a picture of my poem and read it to her yoga class. She then asked who was the writer of this poem. She didn’t realize these poems were our very own. Then she was even more impressed. After taking the picture of my little que card with entire poem written in. Then she handed me her necklace as a gift! It is a string necklace with silver beads. It remains as one of the most beautiful moments in my life, and a quite self-empowering one. It was a day I learned that you never know whose heart you’ll touch when you give them a piece of yourself. This is a lesson I have to keep reminding myself as a shy person: your voice always matters to someone, so don’t ever hold back.
Then when I got to high school last year, I signed up for the school speech club, that holds tournaments in categories including Solo and Duet Acting, Original Oratory, and Prose and Poetry Interpretation. Obviously, I chose poetry. Then I spent a week writing my own awesome poem. After finishing, I found out that the poem had to be a published work. My heart was crushed.
I still do poetry interpretation, as a different way of becoming a confident person, of learning to make better eye contact, and I still express myself a little bit by explaining the significance of the poem I choose to read, as well as meeting my fellow competitors who are just as passionate about Spoken Word poetry. But it’s not the same as when you have your own piece to pour your heart out on, and create a more deeper connection with the audience.
Anxiety is never easy to get rid of. Just because I have performed a couple times on stage does not mean I don’t worry about what the audience will think about me. Just because I choose to perform on stage does not mean I am not shy. I definitely am shy, but through performing on stage, to people with no strings attached, I don’t have too much pressure on myself. Plus, there is a general understanding in support among your audience, since a lot of them would never imagine themselves being on stage; it does take some courage after all.
So far, only Calgary’s café koi holds open-mic events for people of all ages to participate in, and the Shelf-life bookstore holds poetry slams for youth as well, both free of charge. But I wish there were more open mic venues for youth at different locations, not just downtown, and I wish more people my age did Spoken Word.
To the people who say that poetry is dead, think again. Poetry is not only not dead, it has evolved into something much more meaningful. In the past, poetry was only made to satisfy the senses, purely for imagery, and sometimes have a vague message about life and depict emotion without naming an emotion. Now it has become a hallmark for voicing the issues that plague our world today, filled with emotion for things that matter, not made to necessarily please. Poetry has become a performing art. Button Poetry is a popular organization that aims to expand and promote poetry as a performance and a path of self-expression. In its YouTube channel exists numerous spoken word performances worth watching. The performances that tug at my heart strings the most is Rudy Francisco, whose poems are authentic, dealing with topics ranging from self-discovery to love to domestic violence to racism. His wonderful wordplay remains powerful in all of his performances. And he is only one of the most fantastic spoken words poet out there, such as Sarah Kay, Phil Kaye, Jasmine Mans, and many, many more.
And now, it’s only growing to have even more issues get voiced such as mental illness, bullying and oppression of one’s identity in terms of sexuality, religion, and race. Spoken Word is a powerful form of self-expression, a doorway for people who feel alone in how they feel to a room full of people who have felt exactly the same as they do. A lot of my friends and people I have met in speech tournaments know a lot of spoken word poets from poetry slams posted on YouTube, and a lot of them look up to them, including my favorite Rudy Francisco, as well as Prince EA, whose poem “Dear Future Generations.” And “Can We Autocorrect Humanity?” are quite well known.
All in all, I just wish, because of its power, Spoken Word is encouraged and promoted more in Calgary. More venues of this particular form of self-expression for youth means more venues for confidence among youth, a chance for people my age to discover themselves as well as the world they live in, a chance for youth to get motivated to raise awareness on things that matter, to encourage positive change for our society, just by their voice.
I have decided to share with the world my “I am,” poem that I have created earlier this year. Although it may not be clear, this poem reveals my wishes, fears, goals, and intentions in life.
I am fire I wonder when my embers will smoulder I hear the whispers of dark grey smoke I see the blazing excitement of life I want to spark the universe with happiness I am fire
I fee the need to be a ball of radian energy I touch the world with a burning passion I worry that i will diminsih into ashes I cry when I cause others to hiss in pain I am fire
I understand that I may inflame the emotions of others I say words that may ignite warmth in hearts I dream to char the Earth I try to torch the darkness of night I hope that I will not spread hostility I am fire
On March 14, 1979, Judy Chicago’s art instillation, “The Dinner Party,” was opened at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. That instillation pushed feminist art to the limelight, changing the lives of women, and forever defining Chicago as a legend. Now, “The Dinner Party” is permanently installed in the Brooklyn Museum, but the life of Chicago’s art has experienced intense criticism rooted in patriarchal discrimination and sexism. In the recent documentary, “Feminists: What Were They Thinking,” women photographed by Cynthia MacAdams, a photographer who was recognizing a definitive change in women and began photographing them in the 70’s, explained there relationship to feminism. Chicago emerged as a clear voice for women, and an important example of the dire necessity for true anti-sexism in art.
…I got sick to death of trying to “act like a man,” “paint like a man,” you know, not be myself as a woman… of course, [feminist literature was] speaking to everything I’m feeling… I was getting really pissed off by being told that I couldn’t be a women and an artist too. I was watching the men get moved along on the choo-choo train of success and everything. Every single instance of moving forward… I wouldn’t sell anything. You couldn’t really talk at that time about sexism, but I decided to start speaking out.
“Judy Chicago,” photographed by Cynthia MacAdams, 1976.
Judith Sylvia Cohen was born on July 20, 1939, began drawing at age three, and was immediately recognized for her talent by her preschool teacher. Her mom enrolled her in Saturday art classes at the Chicago Art Institute. Five days before her 14th birthday, Chicago’s father, Arthur Cohen, died of complications during surgery. In her interview for the documentary “Feminists: What Were They Thinking,” Chicago explains that,
For a women of my generation I had a very unusual experience, which was I was really fathered.
Arthur’s death was devastating for Chicago, and she took refuge in her art.
Arthur Cohen, Chicago’s Father.
Chicago enrolled at UCLA, where she majored in art and minored in humanities. Here, her professor of Intellectual History of Europe stated that women have made no contributions to history, inspiring Chicago to prove him wrong, and ultimately, leading to “The Dinner Party.” Tragedy struck again, when before the age of 24, in 1963, she was widowed after her husband, Jerry Gerowitz, died in an automobile accident. Again, Chicago found solace in her art. After earning her master’s degree in sculpting and painting from UCLA, Chicago enrolled as the only women in a 250 people auto-body class to experiment with spray painting. The year of 1965 began with Chicago’s minimalist work. “Rainbow Pickett” was featured in New York’s Jewish Museum for the “Primary Structures” show. Chicago was one of the few women being recognized for their minimalist work at the showing, and “Rainbow Pickett” was featured in the Time Magazine’s review.
Rainbow Picket, 1965 (recreated 2004).
Chicago also attended a boating school in Long Beach to learn how to work with fibreglass. There, she created “10 Part Cylinder” in 1967 for the “Sculptures of the Sixties” exhibition for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She was one of only five women included in the exhibition. From 1968 to 1974, Chicago continued to experiment with different mediums. Working with flares and fireworks, Chicago enlisted her friends to travel across Southern California and release coloured smoke in an attempt to feminize the surrounding environment in a project called “Atmospheres.”
Multi-Colour Atmosphere, 1970.
During this time, Judy Chicago legally changed her name from Gerowitz to Chicago. She officially announced this in an ad for her first solo show at Cal State Fullerton.
Judy Gerowitz hereby divests herself of all names imposed upon her through male social dominance and freely chooses her own name: Judy Chicago.
In the spring of 1970, Chicago joined the faculty at Fresno State College to teach a women’s only art program. A radical idea at the time, Chicago encouraged students to express their experience as women through their art, involving the use of traditionally male dominated tools and mediums. In 1971, Chicago wrote,
I want to begin to establish regular contact with the growth of the first Feminist Art ever attempted.
She renamed the course “Feminist Art Program,” eventually leading to the establishment of “Womanhouse.”
One of Chicago’s most prominent works of feminist art was the establishment of “Womanhouse.” From January 30 to February 28, 1972, along with Miriam Schapiro, a co-founder of Cal State’s “Feminist Art Program,” Chicago renovated house 553 Mariposa Avenue in Hollywood with 21 women. For three months, the women repaired the house, along with adding their own revolutionary installations. “Womanhouse” was the first openly female centred art instillation, attracting 10 000 people in the month it was open.
Miriam Schapiro and Judy Chicago in front of Womanhouse.
The Works of Womanhouse:
Linen Closet, Sandy OrgelThe Kitchen, Robin WeltschEggs to Breasts, Vicki HodgettsMenstruation Bathroom, Judy ChicagoBridal Staircase, Kathy HuberlandThe Nursery, Shawnee WollenmanRed Moon Room, Mira SchorNightmare Bathroom, Robin SchiffLipstick Bathroom, Camille GreyLea’s Room, Karen LeCoqNecco Wafer, Christine Rush
In 1973, after “Womanhouse,” America’s sexual revolution was in full swing. Chicago delved into her art exploring the female expression with works like “Through the Flower,” “Heaven is for White Men Only,” and “Let It All Hang Out.” She also began writing “Through the Flower: My Struggle as a Female Artist.”
Heaven is for White Men Only, 1973.
As a part of the “Sculpture in the City” project in Oakland, Chicago created “A Butterfly for Oakland,” made out of 200 sunset coloured road flares. Burning for 17 minutes, it began the year of the early beginnings of “The Dinner Party” (1974), one of the most iconic and unfortunately controversial pieces of feminist, contemporary art.
The Dinner Party:
“The Diner Party” is a triangle shaped table with 39 place settings, evoking the acute feeling of a distinguished gathering. Each plate contains a glowing centre with wings, petals, and flames, expressing variations of the vulva. With each place setting, is a runner, embroidered with elaborate designs and names of woman of accomplishment who are unfortunately, mostly unfamiliar. There are 999 names of heroic women, many of which have been ignored in history lessons. “The Dinner Party” opened on March 14, 1979 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It was an immediate sensation, pointing towards Chicago’s skillful, traditional work, along with her theatrical and inherently feminist style. The instillation is now permanently installed in the Brooklyn Museum. Chicago spent years of creating and organizing, utilizing 5 years and a 400 person volunteer force to complete the project. Her intention for the project was to rededicate the history of Western civilization to the women who are consistently left out. The intention of the size the instillation was to making something so large, that the history of women could never be erased.
From the beginning, you know, I was determined — it needed to be permanently housed, because if it hadn’t been, it would have simply reiterated the story of erasure it recounts. It just — I had no idea it was going to take this long.
In the first three months of the original San Francisco showing, 100 000 people attended. Chicago received praise from women who said she changed their lives with the installation. However, colleagues and politicians claimed it was a crude piece of political rhetoric. The Los Angeles Times called it,
a lumbering mishmash of sleaze and cheese.
Shocked, Chicago felt rejected and retreated to her studio, $30 000 in debt. “The Dinner Party” was dismantled and boxed up. For the next two decades, the installation was ignored by art institutions, with the exception of the Brooklyn Museum, which showcased it in 1980, prompting more ridicule. The project coordinator, Diane Gelon, firmly believed in the project, and through alternative showings, “The Dinner Party” was reinstated into art history, along with the revolutionary women showcased through the piece. In 2002, it was reacquired by the Brooklyn Museum.
Call it what you will: kitsch, pornography, artifact, feminist propaganda or a major work of 20th-century art… It doesn’t make much difference. ‘The Dinner Party’ … is important.
The party is both a deep dive into history, from a true matriarchal standpoint, but also a piece that showed Chicago’s evolution. A writer for The New York Times believes that if the installation was created in 2018,
It would have penetrated the culture so deeply that it would have been impossible to reject.
Yet, it was still able to accomplish that. The work is humorous, frank, and sincere. It asks: what would the world look like if women held power? A question still being asked today. Chicago elegantly described the value of her work,
Look, you know, before I get interested in somebody, they have to have a long, sustained career. Because that’s what real art grows out of. Not the ‘make-it’ dream, not bursts of youthful ingenuity, not critical acclaim — just continuing, no matter the circumstances, to make art. ‘That,’
she said,
is what I admire.
The Dinner Party, 1979Judy Chicago
The Dinner Party
After “The Dinner Party,” Chicago continued her career as a feminist artist, releasing “Through the Flower: My Struggle as a Woman Artist” in 1975, she returned to teaching, and continued to create. In 2010, Chicago worked with art historian Frances Borzello to create “Face to Face: Frida Kahlo,” a handpicked collection of Kahlo’s work that speaks to the female experience. The work of Chicago continued to be appreciated and showed, giving a voice to a constantly oppressed female voice, and giving a voice to the resilience of Chicago herself. To celebrate her 75th birthday, Chicago explored her early feminist imagery and created “A Butterfly for Brooklyn,” in 2014.
From 2007 to 2013, Chicago worked on the diverse series “Heads Up.” It includes watercolours, sketches, two-dimensional painted glass, and three-dimensional cast glass and ceramic heads.
Heads Up, 2014
Judy Chicago’s 1983 “Earth Birth” from her “Birth Project,” was featured in Salon 94’s Frieze New York booth in 2016.
Earth Birth, 1983
Most recently, in one of the most landmark years for feminism, Judy Chicago was named Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018.
It is ironic that after all these years, where I was once critiqued I am now being lauded. My goal has been to make a contribution to a more equitable world through art and I am honoured and thrilled that my work is being recognized now by TIME. I am grateful to all those who have supported me on this long and challenging journey.
Even since her early works, Chicago undeniably made her mark as a feminist, talented artist, and an earnest voice in modern art, creating undeniable strides towards equality both in art, and in North American society as a whole. She is and will be the Godmother of feminist art.
I was first introduced to Judy Chicago in the documentary “Feminists: What Were They Thinking?” I was immediately struck by her unconventional fashion and attention-grabbing energy. After hearing a little bit about her experience with “The Dinner Party,” I researched her more. In my personal opinion, she is the most creative, relevant, diverse, and earnest artist of the more modern day. I found her assertive and forward art completely infatuating, and her work is still as relevant and necessary as it ever was. I strongly believe it will survive the test of time. With 2018’s strong continuation of the #MeToo movement, the internet asked the same questions that Judy Chicago did decade’s ago: what would the world look like if women were empowered? Chicago’s and the world’s response to the question is utter beauty. Chicago’s ability to go from minimalism, to blowing up fireworks, to mixing traditional art with modern rhetoric is unparalleled and is the magic, survival, and resilience that is Judy Chicago. I’m extremely excited to see what Judy Chicago does this year. Even after decades of art, Chicago is continuing to work and bring attention to some of her old pieces that got lost when she was pushed to the sidelines due to the femininity of her work. Above all, what I admire most about Judy Chicago is her unapologetic personality and experience that clearly shines through in everything she does. I think this image portrays that directness and uniqueness the best… to me, she immediately stands out, and for that audacity I’m extremely thankful.
Artists gathered for a portrait at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1968 (if you can’t find her, Chicago is seated in the foreground with pink tights).
I like to think that I am well versed in meme culture. Especially considering that I live my life online, I sure hope that I have learned *something*. Below are some of the my favourite meme formats that I’ve seen this month. Enjoy.
Well yes, but actually no
Elon Musk
Surreal
Mars Rover
“The Expert”
American Oil
Wait that’s Illegal
Skyrim Skill Tree
Jimmy Fallon’s Sense of Humour
Shaggy
@oddballtoday
The Bee movie is still relevant?
Phone Battery
Enjoy Responsibly. Now go back to doing your work.
Fettuccine Alfredo is one of my all-time favorite foods: rich, creamy, and a total calorie bomb. As a kid, it was my go-to pasta order (yes, even more than mac and cheese).
Traditional Alfredo sauce is a simple cream sauce, made from butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Most versions we eat today also contain garlic, salt, pepper.
Alfredo sauces are generally very high in calories and fat (re: butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese). As I’ve become more health-concious, I’ve realized that my favorite fettuccine alfredo is definitely not something I could (or should) be eating everyday… a highly disappointing truth.
However, the other day, I made a revolutionary discovery. As I was eating some Garlic and Herbs Laughing Cow Cheese smeared on a bagel, I was suddenly reminded of the chicken penne alfredo I had the night before. Lightbulb! What if I could turn this spread (which is, relatively healthy) into a sauce? And so, the next day for lunch, I made a makeshift version of an alfredo sauce using Laughing Cow Cream Cheese, milk, and some salt mixed together in a mug, and poured it all over my favorite Banza Chickpea Pasta Rotini. I threw in some sauteed spinach and leftover rotisserie chicken at the end.
The result? A totally legit tasting, high protein alfredo pasta that received rave reviews from my parents, aunt and uncle.
This was attempt #2 with the Notfredo sauce! (I never grabbed pictures of attempt #1) This one was shirataki fettuccine with spinach, chicken breast, and mushroom
This recipe is far from a traditional alfredo sauce in terms of effort, nutrition, but not in flavor. I call this the Notfredo Sauce, because it is creamy, flavorful, and tastes just like the real thing, but with half the calories, and far better nutrition. It has only 2 ingredients, comes together in less than 5 minutes, and is made with minimal effort, using only a microwave (I found the serving size to be too small to bother using the stove top, but you’re welcome to try). The thickness of the sauce can be manipulated depending on how much milk you add, and it works in any recipe calling for alfredo sauce. This recipe is for a single-serve, but it can be doubled easily. Just remember to up the microwave times accordingly.
All mixed together! Just enough sauce to coat everything.
5 MINUTE NOTFREDO SAUCE
Prep Time: 3 min Cook Time: 2 mins Total Time: 5 mins
SERVINGS: 1 SERVING SERVING SIZE: 1/2 CUP
CATEGORY: SAUCE
CUISINE: ITALIAN
CALORIES: 100 KCAL
This easy, high protein alfredo sauce calls for just 2 ingredients and comes together in just 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and veggies for a balanced, satisfying meal.
INGREDIENTS – 3 wedges Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese* – 1/4 cup skim milk** – salt and pepper, to taste (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add the Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese and milk (and herbs, if applicable) to a large mug. 2. Place in microwave for 15-20 seconds on HIGH (or until cheese is slightly melted). 3. Whisk mixture with fork until cheese is slightly combined; place in microwave for additional 15-20 seconds on HIGH. 4. Whisk mixture again until cheese has fully combined and sauce is smooth and creamy. 5. Add salt and pepper to taste
Serve immediately, on top of your favorite pasta.
RECIPE NOTES This sauce makes enough to coat about 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta.
*Laughing Cow Lite Swiss Cream Cheese may also be used, but the ingredients are modified as follows:
– 3 wedges Laughing Cow Lite Cream Cheese – 1/4 cup skim milk – 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder – 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley – salt and pepper, to taste (optional)
**Milk with higher fat content may be used as well
NOTFREDO SAUCE NUTRITION FACTS
Amount Per Serving Calories 100
Total Fat 4.5g Saturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 16mg Sodium 450mg Total Carbohydrates 7g Sugar 5g Protein 9g
Vitamin A 9.3% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 23% Iron 0.1% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
And there you have it: a simple, high-protein, lower-fat Alfredo sauce, made with only 2 ingredients that you might already have in your fridge. Paired with a high-protein/high-fiber pasta (such as Banza), and some veggies, this alfredo sauce make a balanced, healthy meal that won’t pile on the calories.
Craving satisfied
Enjoy!
If you try out the recipe, I would love to see any suggestions/improvements in the comments!
The Calgary Food Bank is a program that donates food to families in need, and/or individuals facing a crisis. There are two main roles to be played in the Food Bank, the volunteer, and the client.
The Volunteer- This role is obviously the employees. Except, they aren’t getting paid. The board of staff is mostly made of volunteers. Each volunteer has different positions and shifts, just like an everyday job.
The Client- This role is played by the customers. They were the cause of Calgary Food Bank. Each client is expected to arrive at the designated time. If they arrive earlier, all they can do is wait. If they arrive later, they may have to return tomorrow, depending on how late they are.
My Volunteer Experience
My first position was Distribution. Distribution is the designated area to pack food into the crates and interact with the clients. It truly is awesome. Although, at first I had no idea what was going on and I just nodded whenever someone spoke to me. Business was fast! Crates were flying past me and I had to run down the aisle to catch up. At times the clients would ask me to switch something, which is completely fine. When I eventually caught on, it was easy. Take the food, place it in the crates, give a smile. Simple! That’s what I thought, until I placed a container of cupcakes into a clients crate, he responded with “Thanks for volunteering.” Quirky, anti-social me, wasn’t expecting someone to respond, so can you guess what I did? I removed the cupcakes and put some apple cinnamon tarts instead. He looked at me like I was crazy, therefore I leaned in. He then repeated what he said and I nervously laughed. Embarrassing.
Although, the exact date of her death is not definitely known; Anne Frank and her sister Margot Frank were spared immediate death in the Auschwitz gas chambers. Instead, they were sent to Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp in Northern Germany where they died from Typhus sometime in late February or early March of 1945, just weeks before British forces liberated the camp. Around the same time their bodies were thrown into a mass grave, 73 years later, we remember their heroic story.
One of
the most widely known victims of World War ll was a Jewish girl named Annelies Marie Frank. Hiding out in the Secret Annex, as
she faced Nazi hatred and the daily threat of being captured, Anne described some of her
innermost thoughts and
feelings in a diary. This simple, life-affirming act created a book that
brought a small light to a world darkened by war and genocide.
Unfortunately, the prejudice and hatred that produced the Holocaust have not disappeared from the world today. While they made not be as widespread or well reported on as during World War ll, the effects of battles continue to touch the lives of thousands everyday. From the Kashmir Conflict, to the Somalia Civil War to the Yemini Crisis to the Mexican Drug War; innocent civilians are being killed and injured.
Sadly, Canada is not immune, these global trends. Close to home, I have seen acts of discrimination. Just two weeks ago, a hate-filled letter was delivered to the Markaz Ul Islam mosque in Edmonton urging the mosque to “close down their fake worship house or leave and accept Jesus as the one true God.” It tells Muslims that they are guests in Canada and warns them not to overstay their welcome.
This is
merely wrong. I believe, just as Anne Frank did seventy years ago, that every
one of us should have the right to dream, work, learn, play and live in peace.
As
despairing as all of this may seem, I think we must not dwell in unhappiness
over these incidents. Living our lives in fear and hiding from the world
produces the exact type of division that those promoting hate are aiming for.
In my opinion, it is only by going out, talking with, learning about, caring
for, and loving those around us that we will be able to change this world for
the better.
I have
read the story of Anne Frank several times, and every time I do so, I am
inspired. Not only do I see the true power of those heart-wrenching words, but
I am also reminded of all the love and hope out there even during the hardest
times. Most importantly, her heroic writing motivates me to use my talents and
interests to make a difference in my own community.
Anne Frank once wrote, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Let us all work together to create the kinder and fairer world of which Anne dreamed.
Sometimes I discover underground artists whose music I enjoy and deserve much more attention. Having done quite a bit of that, I wanted to share some of the lesser known artists who I have discovered.
Jasmine van den Bogaerde known as Birdy is an English singer who is not very well known but is featured on the soundtracks of movies such as The Hunger Games, The Fault in our Stars & Disney’s Brave. Maintaining a small celebrity presence, Birdy has released several songs. She won the Open Mic UK competition and has been producing music ever since age 12. Some of her more popular songs are Skinny Love, People Help the People and Let It All Go. Her style is uniquely her own but is most similar to those of Adele, Lana Del Rey and Lorde.
A British-Japanese pop singer, Rina Sawayama creates bright and glittery songs that are surprisingly exploratory and robust themes. In “Cyber Stockholm Syndrome” lyrics like
“Came here on my own Party on my phone Came here on my own But I start to feel alone”
explore a girl’s connection to her phone and contrasts these themes with fun and upbeat music. Rina has been met with critical acclaim and her music has resembled “90’s R&B and shimmery pop. Despite this, you won’t find typical “girly” and pink bubble themes in her lyrics. In fact, you’ll find buried in the fun pop songs much more. Whether it’s exploring her sexuality in “Cherry” (she recently came out as bisexual), her virtual fantasy “Tunnel Vision” or her own battle with anxiety, Rina tackles them with an unexpected rawness and honestly in her powerful lyrics.
MARINA
https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=863943
Formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, Marina has released three albums since 2010 in her signature alternative pop fashion. A Welsh singer and songwriter, Marina never had any formal musical experience but has been able to create music that does not fit into a single genre. While some tracks have incorporated indie pop and new wave styles, others have had electropop influences. Despite the frequent transitions in styles, Marina’s music often carries themes of analysis of human behaviour and introspection. Some of her most well-known songs include “Primadona” and “Baby” in collaboration with Luis Fonsi and Clean Bandit. With very unique vocal capabilities, she has been compared to several talented artists such as Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga despite frequently wanting to be classified as herself.
So there you have it, three singers whose music you should check out who you may not have known about before. Check back soon for more commentary on music and the music industry!
This past weekend was one of the most exciting weekends of the year for NBA fans; All-Star weekend! If you’ve never watched, it’s basically a three-night event containing a rookie’s game, a skills challenge, a 3 point contest, a dunk contest and finally, the All-Star game–featuring the best/most popular players in the NBA.
Held in Charlotte this year, the 2019 All-Star Weekend was pretty dope, what with all the new rookies and the team LeBron vs. team Giannis showdown. In case you didn’t catch it, don’t worry, I’ll highlight what I think were the best parts of it. I’ll include every event for full coverage.
Rising-Stars Challenge (Rookie Game)
I’m not going to lie, the rising stars game was nothing too special, but they’re rookies after all, so it’s okay. Sticking with the team World against team USA style, team USA brought home the win with Kyle Kuzma as MVP. A simple highlights video can sum it all up.
However, like all games, it’s the players that make it all the better and I’d like to give the spotlight to Luka Doncic (like he doesn’t have enough of it) because him Mic’d Up is absolutely hilarious.
I mean, Luka’s already on his way to becoming an NBA favourite, this video is just here to remind you why.
Skills Challenge
This year’s skills challenge featured a somewhat unlikely winner. Although most were betting on Luka Doncic or Trae Young, it was Jayson Tatum who came out on top with a half-court shot! Mind you, HE’S ONLY 20!!!!!!
3-Point Contest
Because it was located in Charlotte, NC., hometown of Stephen and Seth Curry, we got to see the brothers compete with each other in the 3-point contest for the first time! Although Joe Harris from the Nets ended up as the champ, it was nonetheless quite a show. (Times below*)
https://youtu.be/igNZXVh3-Z4
* 1:01 (Seth), 4:03 (Steph), 7:16 (Steph)
Dunk Contest
I’m afraid after the 2016 dunk contest with Gordon and LaVine, the bar has been set high for this event. Though not nearly as spectacular, it still was not too bad with Hamidou Diallo taking home the W. In my opinion, the best two dunks were Diallo’s over Shaq and Dennis Smith Jr.’s over J. Cole. (Times below*)
*4:16 (J.Cole), 5:27 (Shaq)
All-Star Game
The 2019 NBA All-Star game was lead by its two captains: LeBron James of team LeBron and Giannis Antetokounmpo of team Giannis. It was actually a good game with Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki as special roster additions as it’s their last dance ;(
Team LeBron won in the end after coming back from a 20 point deficit, which was a big oof for those rooting for team Giannis (aka me), but here are some of my favourite moments of that night.
Standardized testing is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent manner. It’s a test where everyone is given the same test which is scored the same way. One example where standardized tests can be most commonly found is at school. There are advantages and disadvantages about everything and standardized tests are not an exception.
Most standardized tests usually have stems like organizing information or able to analyze images. If a student does worse in one stem than another then it would be easier to practice that one stem more.
It can help schools evaluate progress by seeing if a certain grade or class is doing better than it was at the start of the year. They could see what led to the improved performance and trace it back. By doing this, schools can implement what they did into the curriculum for future students.
Pro: 3. Training For Exams
Exams are most often than not multiple choice tests and this helps them train for it. Getting prepared and accustomed to the style of test taking makes students ready for exams.
Teachers can have conflicting opinions and so taking standardized tests can eliminate any bias there might be. Each question has a definite answer and a rationale behind it.
Pro: 5. Easier To Mark
Instead of dealing with multiple pieces of paper needing to have every question marked, a gradecam just has to be scanned. The computers don’t have glitches and make it a much faster ordeal. Even taking a standardized test online is easier than a written test.
Filling in a gradecam sheet for an hour or two for a multiple choice test isn’t fun and people who do not excel at written tests cannot perform at their best. Projects are usually not something used to measure if a student understands a certain topic and this causes the creative mind-sets to deplete.
The pressure that is linked with test scores promote cheating among the students and it makes no one learn in the long run. In the U.S, teachers were caught changing their students’ marks because they were worried about low scores.
Con: 3. Passing Not Learning
This mindset is quite common is a school environment as students are more focused on passing a test or class than learning any information. Passing classes have become a priority for numerous students and the averages that come with it.
Con: 4. Assuming Everyone Has The Same Learning Background
The standardized tests assume that everyone taking it has the same learning background and that is not accurate at all. Some people might not have learned some things and when it shows up on the test all the student can do is guess. Studying more won’t change a thing due to the different teaching styles teachers have and the curriculum could be different for different schools or classes.
Con: 5. Lack Of Confidence
Students can be knowledgeable about certain topics but they might not be as skilled when taking a test. It can be hard when a student does not get the mark the like and it can impact their emotional well being greatly.
Source: Click on the word source underneath the image
Maria stood by her barre skillfully rotating through first position to fifth position, every movement of her body performed perfectly like a well oiled machine. However, her movements were anything but robotic, even the smallest motions were so fluid, it seemed like water was flowing through her body. She had been a ballerina her whole life, Maria lived and breathed dance. To Maria, dance was just as important as any one of her basic necessities, that’s why when she moved into a new town the first thing she did was find an organization to dance with. She was overwhelmed with joy when The Crown, a dance company she had auditioned for accepted her. She was especially excited because they would be producing the iconic Swan Lake dance for their Spring festival. And of course she would play the lead role of Swan Queen, the perfect lead for the perfect dance. All she needed to do was audition better than the other girls, and the role was hers.
As Maria was practicing her turns, a group of girls approached to her, Maria observed a blonde with two lackeys behind her. The blond girl in the front, who introduced herself as Samanta, was undeniably beautiful, and to complement her face, a perfect physique. “You’re Maria right? Why don’t I drive you home? Get to know you a bit, show you around town.”
Maria could see straight through Samantha, she knew that Samantha, didn’t care about getting to know her, nor did she care about showing her around. Maria knew all Samanta cared about was getting to know the competition, she wanted to size her up. But, despite this, Maria still graciously accepted, “Sure! I’d love to!” After all, that’s the way she was raised, the one thing she held higher than ballet, was principal, she always had to do the right thing.
As Maria and two other girls shuffled into the back of Samantha’s car, one of the girls asked, “so Maria, I hear you’re thinking about auditioning for the lead?” The girl’s tone was less inquizitive, and more, “there is no way you could ever beat Samantha,” however, Maria decided to ignore the obvious mockery, and simply express her interest in the role. “Well auditions are tomorrow so you better be ready.” The girl looked towards Samantha to make sure she was not paying attention to their conversation, and with a hushed tone, “besides, Samantha practically already has the role, cause she and the director… you know.” Maria looked down at the girl’s hands and noticed she was awkwardly mushing them together.
The car came to a sudden stop, “Maria this is where you live right?”
Maria looked around, “um, actually I think I’m a couple blocks down.”
Samantha looked back at her, “can I let you off here? We actually need to go in the other direction.”
Maria grabbed her large duffel, “I guess that’s alright. Thanks for the ride.” She hopped out of the car, and slowly trudged home as she watched the car speed away into the horizon.
“Ok everyone, auditions for Swan Queen will now begin, please sit in the chairs behind me while you wait for your turn.” Maria took a look around and found a seat in between two other girls. She watched as Samantha walked onto the stage and began her routine, throughout her dance Maria could notice countless errors, sometimes her toe wasn’t pointed, others she made the wrong move, but at the end the director still cheered, “bravo Samantha that was amazing!” Maria watched Samantha grab a seat next to the director and start rubbing his arm. “Next we will have Jessica.”
Maria watched countless dancers do their routines, she knew none were as good as her, she had been training for this moment her whole entire life. However, after each one finished, without fail, Maria would whisper some form of motivational message to make them feel better. Finally it was her turn, she walked onto the stage and began her routine. Every step she took was perfectly calculated, every turn with just the right amount of force. Her toes perfectly pointed as they should have been, every leap, jump, or hop started gracefully and ended the same way, a truly flawless audition. Just as she finished, she could see the director with a smile on his face, but his smile wasn’t for her, Samantha had his arm pushed against her chest, and his hand stroking her leg. “Get a room,” Maria thought, as she smiled and walked off the stage.
Maria walked into the ballet studio the next day with a confident strut, she knew she had the role, some girls, after her performance, even informed her that her dance moved them to tears. She walked up to a crowd of people staring at a bulletin board with the results posted on it, once the crowd started to thin, she was able to see her name, and to the right of it, “Swan Queen.” She was overwhelmed with joy, but at that moment a girl moved her head and revealed the word, “Understudy,” beside Maria’s title.
Understudy!? Her flawless audition earned her to role of understudy!? It was at that moment she realized that the director didn’t care about his dancers, he cared about himself. He was not fit to be in that position of power, and just like that all of Maria’s joy turned to pure, unfiltered rage. She stormed through the studio looking for the director. She at least wanted to get an explanation for why she was understudy, to Samantha of all people as well.
Maria’s march of anger brought her to an empty dressing room, where a bunch of other girl’s duffel bags were lying around. She noticed Samantha’s bag in the corner, and beside it, her slippers. She walked to the bag and picked up the slippers, she was about to throw them to the side, when suddenly, a switch in her mind flipped. At that moment she felt some tension grow inside her. She dug through Samantha’s bag and found an apple shaped perfume bottle, she was done waiting for things to happen, it was her turn to make them happen. Maria poured the perfume down the sink. She smashed the bottle on a wooden bench. She swept the shards of glass into her hand. She dropped the shards into Samantha’s slippers.
Maria rushed out of the room just before Samantha entered, she noticed some blood start to drip from her hands, some blood spilt for this cause was blood she was happy to lose. As she entered the bathroom, she heard a devilish shriek come from the dressing room; she knew the role was hers. She cleaned her hands of the blood, revealing deep cuts that would be replaced with scars. As she left, she shoved the unbroken top of the perfume bottle into her duffle; a tombstone for Maria, but a birth certificate for the Swan Queen.
Based on George Orwell’s 1984, this is a video game that puts the player in the role of an investigator with access to futuristic surveillance systems with the goal of preventing a terrorist plot. With time being extremely limited, the player is forced to make difficult decisions often with very little information. The decisions that the player makes will have huge implications on the story. This is a very good game for those who enjoy analyzing, knowing their decisions will have a real impact on the outcome of the story.
This is also a game that will pose many philosophical, and moral questions to the player. With not enough information to make a judgment on, and the terrorist attack minutes away, how will the player decide who is innocent and who is guilty? How will the player choose when the only information that is available to them, is their race, ideology, and a few bits of out of context information pulled from the internet? This game encourages the player to question their own prejudices.
Personally, I found this game to be very enlightening. It helped me become more mindful about how I make my decisions, and the prejudices that I hold. I would recommend this game to anyone. It shines a spotlight on questions about internet surveillance, something we all are impacted by in the age of internet. On top of the important issues that this game addresses, this game has a 92% positive rating on steam! Everyone loves this game!
Art Tatum (born October 13, 1909 in Toledo, Ohio) is known for his technical virtuosity as a jazz pianist and for his skill in improvisation.
Visually impaired from a young age, Tatum began to learn the piano at age 13. He received some training from the Toledo School of Music, but he was mainly self-taught, learning by listening to recordings. In 1929 to 1930, he had a radio show, and at 19 years old he played with singer John Hendricks at a local jazz club, Toledo’s Waiters and Bellman’s Club. Some popular jazz musicians such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong noticed the young musician there, surprised with Tatum’s skill.
In 1932, Tatum and singer Adelaide Hall travelled to New York City where he made his recording debut. In 1933, he made his first solo recordings which introduced his major talent to the public. “Tea for Two” and “Tiger Rag” are included in these recordings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxadblDT6zI
Tea for Two
Tiger Rag
Tatum was known for his ability to play rapid lines with both hands and for his harmonic genius, sometimes improvising new chord progressions put in only one or two measures. His rearrangement of standards and pop songs influenced other musicians to do the same. His ideas and reflexes that created his innovations made him musically ahead of his time.
Over the Rainbow
Humoresque
In the 1930s, Tatum played in Cleveland, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and England. In 1939, when saxophonist Charlie Parker moved to New York City, Parker worked as a dishwasher where Tatum played in order to listen to him regularly. In 1943, Tatum founded a trio with guitarist Tiny Grimes and bassist Slam Stewart. Tatum often returned to playing in a trio, with guitarist Everett Barksdale after Grimes left in 1944.
Art Tatum was a significant musician who influenced other jazz pianists such as Oscar Peterson. He greatly affected the music that came after him, shaping generations of musicians.
