Writer's Blog

A Final Farewell!

2007-08-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Just today, as I was reminscing about all I've done this summer, I thought to myself "hoooly cow! Time flew right by! Has it really been a year already?!"

Today is my last day at Douglas College and, as you can probably tell, I'm having a pretty hard time accepting it; it feels like I started school just yesterday. During my time at Douglas, I learned quite a bit about myself. I discovered my interests (Philosophy, English, Teaching), acquired some valuable life long lessons, and even made future plans. To me, school is so much more than an "educational facility"; it's a way to find yourself. Thus, I'm excited to continue school, move on to the next chapter in my life, and discover what lies ahead of me.

Tutoring was also a very rewarding experience. I got to meet so many awesome people, help students out, and really make a difference in people's lives. There's something so fulfilling about knowing that you've helped someone out; I think it's what we, as humas, aim for in life.

I wish you all the best of luck in the future and leave you with this:

"Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value" -Albert Einstein

Take care! :)

The Keys to a Successful Interview

2007-08-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of http://www.acetheinterview.com/images/timemachine.gif

Why is it the word "interview" can always leave people shaking in their boots? For some reason, when interview time rolls around the corner, many of us find ourselves in this situation. For me, personally, such a feeling usually seems to go away halfway through the interview; still, I always wished there were ways to cure my anxiety beforehand. Fortunately, I came across a website that outlines how to better prepare yourself so that an interview will run along smoothly. Here were some of the helpful tips that were offered:

1. Be prepared and confident
2. Write down and practice possible interview questions beforehand
3. Don't talk too much
4. Be enthusiastic and positive
5. Make eye contact
6. Dress to impress (and to make you feel confident!)
7. Bring up a weakness [this helps you set a goal for yourself]
8. Don't be afraid to ask the employer questions
9. Show you are listening attentively
10. Face the feedback [you may hear upsetting feedback from your interviewer, but just use this positively and take note of what you can do differently next time]

There were other tips as well, but I found these ones the most important. For more tips on how to succeed in job interviews, please visit http://www.interviewtips.org/job-interview-tips/job-interview-tips-1.html

One of the things I liked most about this website was the fact that they also included what not to do during an interview. Here's what they had to say:

1. Don't give a weak handshake [this tells the employer that you are uninterested or lack confidence]
2. Don't talk negatively about past employers
3. Don't use 'verbal ticks' such as "umm," "like," and "you know"
4. Don't ask about vacation time, benefits, or salary during the first interview

Overall, I think the keys to a successful interview are summed up in 'to do' tip number one: be prepared and confident. If you're prepared, the employer will see your organizational skills and abilities to work diligently; if you're confident, he or she will see that you are not afraid of a challenge and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Together, I believe these two ingredients can create a recipe for employment!

What do you usually do [or try not to do] during an interview?

May the Summer Begin!

2007-08-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Wednesday August 1st) was probably one of the most exhilarating days of my life. Yep, you guessed it. It was the last day of summer classes!

Ironically, I don't regret taking summer courses. Whenever I told people I was in school for the summer, they just looked at me and said, "Are you serious?" However, I think going to school in the summer was a pretty wise idea for several reasons:

1) I would have been pretty bored if I wasn't in school. All my friends were working full time, so I wouldn't have gotten a chance to hang out with them anyway.

2) I'm all caught up now. Going to school gave me the chance to keep up with my 30 credit-per-year plans so I can graduate on time.

3) I feel like I accomplished something. Even some of my friends admitted they couldn't wait to go back to school in the fall; they were all getting bored and feeling "purposeless."

4) It will be easier to get back into "school mode" in the fall. If I were playing and working all summer, it would be pretty difficult to give that up and start school again.

5) I met some pretty interesting people along the way. I made new friends and we all got through the semester together.

Of course, a part of me wishes I could work full-time all summer and save up some of that so-called "money" I've been hearing so much about. On the other hand, someone once said to me, "You have your whole life to work, don't worry so much about that right now." I guess you can't really put a price on education, can you?

picture courtesy of http://www.gothamgazette.com/graphics/fc.2003.07.28.big.jpg

School Sweet School

2007-07-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/images/boystudy.gif

Just last night as I was making dinner, a lady called from the School Board and asked if she could survey me. I normally don't do phone surveys, but since it was for educational purposes, I reconsidered. As she was asking me questions, I began to really think about my answers. She started asking me whether I thought high school gave me a better idea of what I wanted as a career and if it provided me with "lifelong skills." I agreed with the lifelong skills tidbit, but not so much the former.

When she asked why, I told her that many of the subjects I discovered I was interested in, such as Philosophy and Archaeology, are not offered in high school. I understand that there are perfectly legitimate reasons for this (there is a shortage of teachers, too much money will be spent on wages, etc.), but I feel that schools are capable of further helping students plan out their career paths. So far, I've spent one year trying to figure out my career plans and yet, I'm still not sure what I want. Indeed, one of the main purposes of post-secondary is to show students their options; however, I believe that highschools can do more to help minimize the time students spend planning out their career paths.

Here are some of my recommendations:

1. Provide a better variety of classes. Usually, high schools only offer one or two classes per field. They should aim to provide a better selection of classes so students may discover their interests more easily.

2. Encourage seminars. Many colleges and universities send representatives to high schools to persuade students to apply to their institutes. I think these post-secondary institutions should also provoke professors and students of various departments to travel to highschools to explain the fields they are in and what kinds of things they teach/learn.

3. Instigate a better work experience program. At my high school, I had no idea what was available to me in terms of work placement opportunities. I think teachers should create a questionnaire of some sort that determines a student's interests and matches them with an appropriate work place that corresponds.

Do you think these could work? What are your recommendations?

Lions & Tigers & Ligers -Oh My!

2007-07-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I've been hearing fascinating information about animals recently. First, I heard about that frozen mammoth (the one I was talking about in the post before this), then my Philosophy teacher was telling my class about apes and how a team of scientists are now fighting for "ape" rights. Apparently, these scientists believe that apes have the same capabilities as humans because they, too, can communicate with other apes and humans. They also believe they have the same capacities for emotions. Thus, the scientists are trying to pursuade others into believing that apes can actually fit into our everyday society as do humans. My teacher told us there was a video about this; once I find out what it's called, I'll let you know!

photo courtesy of http://animalradio.com/Liger.321.jpg

I already found the ape thing pretty interesting, then, just now, I heard about a new species of animals called 'ligers.' Ligers are the offspring of a lion and a tiger (as shown in the above picture). This was a total suprise to me; I've never heard about them before! So, of course, I let my curiosity get the best of me and decided to do some research. As it turns out, there's another species of animals that a lion and a tiger can produce: a tigon! According to Wikipedia, when a male lion and a female tiger mate, they breed ligers; when a female lion and a male tiger mate, they breed tigons. Pretty cool, eh?

p.s. I hope you like the colour scheme! ;)

Mammoth Alert!

2007-07-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I read one of the coolest articles ever and, amazingly, it had nothing to do with protesters or celebrities re-entering rehabilitation facilities. Instead, it unfolded a story about the discovery of a frozen baby mammoth in Northern Siberia. The mammoth was said to be only 6 months old when he died, but the carcass is apparently between 10,000 and 40,000 years old! Sure, discoveries like these are made quite frequently, but how often is an ancient animal found almost completely intact? Hardly ever. Apparently the the body was kept in immaculate condition due to the protective shields of permafrost. However, although the mammoth's "trunk and eyes [are] virtually intact and [there's] even some fur remaining," the mammoth was missing two things: his ear and his tail (which were most likely "bitten off" by another animal). According to scientists, this discovery will help researchers understand the climage change over the past centuries. The baby mammoth is currently being shipped over to Japan for further studies.

Picture courtesy of http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/07/frozen-baby-mammoth-headed-to-japan/

Isn't that absolutely fascinating? I always found issues like that astounding, especially when it comes to dinosaurs. Lucky for me, I'm taking a course about dinosaurs next semester (I can't wait!). Maybe one day they'll uncover the body of a dinosaur; one can only hope!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288975,00.html

Transit Etiquette

2007-07-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Usually I'm not the one to complain or get annoyed easily, but lately I've been noticely a lack of courtesy and respect from passengers using public transit. Just this morning I encountered a very hostile young man (probably in his late 20's or early 30's) on the skytrain while commuting to work. I'm not exactly sure what happened to make him uneasy, but let me tell you, he was not a happy camper. I think it was because he and another fellow (probably in his mid 40's) had previously argued about who took who's seat. At least, I think that's what they were fighting about. But anyways, the two men parted and took a seat in different areas; the other fellow sat in the middle and Hostile Man sat in the far end of the skytrain, just across from me. Suddenly, Hostile Man began ranting and raving to himself for a good 10 minutes, using vulgar, obscene, and highly inappropriate language. Now don't get me wrong, swearing I can handle, but I've never heard someone publicly rant as atrociously as Hostile Man.

As I looked around the skytrain, I noticed all the passengers tense up in discomfort. Finally, Hostile Man's stop was next, so he got up (still ranting) and waited by the doors. Then (this is the fun part), he decided to use me as his catharsis pole. Next thing I know, Hostile Man is rudely directing his offensive murmurs towards me; he even started making personal attacks, commenting on my "Little Miss Trouble" t-shirt and reciting things I never want to be repeated again. So what did I do, you may ask? Nothing. What could I do?

So, you see, I direct my point to all you choleric crazies out there: When taking public transit, please have some respect for the people around you.

Mind you, I'm not just talking about unbecoming verbal manners, I'm talking about physical manners too. Here are a few courtesy guidelines that I think would make the transit environment better if followed:

1) Remove your backpack. No one likes to get getting knocked over by a backpack when someone turns around.

2) Give up your seats to the elderly. This one is just common courtesy; it's simply a matter of respecting your elders. Plus, don't you feel bad when senior citizens who can barely walk come onto the skytrain and there's no seats available for them? (That's right, I'm using the guilt trip!)

3) Don't talk so loud on your cell. Let's face it; sometimes we really really really need to talk on the phone. That's fine, but remember that there's other people around you who really don't want to hear about how Amanda's in a dilemma because she can't find her red pumps.

4) Don't take up too seats unless you absolutely have to. Does your jacket really need its own chair? Didn't think so.

5) Watch where you're going. We all have places to be and things to do, but rushing will only get you to wherever you want to go a few seconds sooner and anger the people around you.

Thanks for listening to me vent; I found this very soothing. And I didn't mean to sound cold or mean or anything like that; I just have a dream that the world could be a happy place for everyone!

It's in You to Give

2007-07-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

In a recent poll, 52% of Canadians said that, in the past, they or a family member have needed blood for medical reasons. It is estimated that nearly every minute someone in Canada is in need of a blood donation. The graph to the right shows how many units of blood are needed for various surgeries. Keep in mind that blood donors are allowed to give a maximum of half a litre of blood when donating and that one unit (as displayed in the graph) is only equal to a cup (450 mL).

Photo courtesy of http://www.bloodservices.ca/

I, myself, have not yet donated. However, I do plan to attend one of the blood drives this week. So how did I get into this, you may ask? Actually, it was the simple word-of-mouth phenomena that encouraged me to donate blood. My friend had been doing it for a few years now, and when she told me about the statistics, I couldn't just say "oh, that's too bad" and do nothing about it. I couldn't just let it go if I knew I could help. I think that's one of the biggest problems in today's society: so many people claim they would help if they knew how. Well, now you know, so there's no excuse!

However, there are certain rules and regulations for donating blood; they don't accept just anyone. In order to be eligible, you must:

be atleast 110 lbs
be between 17 and 71 years old
pass a hemoglobin test that determines whether your blood has enough iron
pass a screening test comprised of a series of health-related questions

They will not accept applicants who

have had dental treatment (fillings, extractions, cleaning, restoration, etc.)
have a cold, flu or sore throat at the time they donate
have any recent body piercings or tattoos

For more information on the guidelines and how you can go about donating, please visit http://www.bloodservices.ca/ .

Sure, a needle may be scary, but such fear is nothing compared to what patients and their families feel when they are told there is not enough donated blood available to perform their operations. Plus, knowing that you've helped save a life is probably one the most satisfying feelings you can get. There's no better time to get involved and give back to the community than RIGHT NOW!

Time's Up!

2007-06-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of www.sctechsystem.com/tctc/Math110/Test%20T3.gif

"Okay guys, bags and books away. I don't want to see anything on your desk other than a pen and pencil."

Since I studied throughout the week and spent all day Sunday with my nose in my books, I wasn't too nervous about my Philosophy test (worth 30% of my mark, may I add!). Instead, I casually flipped over the test and took a look at the questions.

"This isn't too bad," I thought. "I remember studying all this."

However, what I didn't realize was how fast time flies when you're concentrating. As it turns out, I spent too much time focusing on the short answer questions and struggled to finish the essay questions on time. Although my teacher pre-warned us to "spend only a couple minutes" on each short answer question, I didn't feel I could do just that. Instead, I felt I had to throughly explain each of my answers and, for me, doing so meant writing a paragraph for each question. I failed to consider that the short answer questions were only worth 2 marks each and the essay questions were worth 10. Luckily, I finished in the knick of time. However, I felt I could have managed my time a lot better. So afterwards, I came up with strategies on how to prevent situations like this:

1) Read over the entire test before you begin. This will help you understand what types of questions you will be answering and which ones you should spend the most time on. Also, since you've taken a look at the questions, ideas/answers may pop into mind as you write the test.

2) Make notes on the side of each question. Not only will it help you remember what you want to say, it will also help you to organize your thoughts and come up with more ideas.

3) Move on. If you don't understand a question or just don't know the answer, skip it. Come back to it later when you have time, for the time you waste looking at a question you don't know the answer to could be time spent answering a question you do know.

If you'd like to read more about test-taking strategies, you can refer to the following Douglas College online handout: http://www.douglas.bc.ca/services/learning-centre/pdf/rs/RS7_31_Essay_Exam_Taking_Strategy.pdf

What test-taking strategies do you use?

Think Before You Drink

2007-06-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of http://www.ballwin.mo.us/police_info.html)

Just yesterday I found out someone I knew got into a serious, life threatening accident. He wasn't a good friend of mine, but we went to the same parties and knew the same people, so I saw him around often. He was only 17 years old and went out to celebrate the last day of 11th grade with his friends at Barnet Beach late Tuesday night. It was raining that night and he had been drinking. On top of that, he was riding his motorcycle on the Barnet highway to get back home.

Somehow, he lost control of his motorcycle and sped off the highway, crashing to ground. The police later found him unconscious in a nearby bush. Soon after he was put on life support in the intensive-care unit at Royal Columbian Hospital and was to have numerous surgeries. Unfortunately, he passed away this afternoon.

For the full story please go to: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=090eb19d-ef5c-4f99-aa90-245d6ab0d53a .

My question is, how many more accidents will it take for people to stop drinking and driving?

For some reason, some have the mindset that they are 'invincible' and 'good drivers' when they're drunk. Some even claim they drink and drive because they "don't want to pay for a cab." I don't know about you, but I'd pay any amount to save a life.

Statistics show that vehicle accidents are the No. 1 killer of youth aged 13 to 21. If we know this, why don't we stop it? Do we really want to be a part of this statistic?

A few months ago, another two of my friends got into a car accident while intoxicated. Afterwards, they were in debt by $30,000 and managed to walk away from the accident with only a broken arm and some cuts. If you saw the pictures of the accident, the fact that they survived would have seemed like a miracle.

Luckily, they learned from this horrific experience. Now, they are both extremely cautious drivers and make sure they have a safe ride home if they're drinking. However, it shouldn't take a car accident for people to realize the dangers of drinking and driving. We should be carefully planning out our trips and organizing safe rides home or sleeping over if we aren't completely sober.

And contrary to the popular belief, this could happen to you if you're not careful. So please, be a responsible driver and consider your own safety and the safety of others on the road.

-Rest in Peace Elliott Harty-

What a Wonder-ful World

2007-06-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder which countries get the most visitors each year? According to statistics, France is the most popular destination in the world, raking in a whopping 76.7 million visitors a year! Several other countries follow close behind:

2) Spain - 51.7 million visitors
3) U.S. - 41.9 million visitors
4) Italy - 39.8 million visitors
5) China - 36.8 million visitors

(statistics derived from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Most-Popular-Travel-Destinations-In-The-World&id=140398)

(picture courtesy of http://www.visitingdc.com/images/eiffel-tower-picture.jpg)

Now, I'm sure those places are nice and everything -and believe me, I'd love to see them- but right now, I've got my eyes set on good 'ole "Ελλάδα," better known as "Greece."

A few days ago, I came across a program that allows you to study AND live in Greece for an entire semester. Can you imagine going to Athens and Olympia, and visiting Aristotle's birthplace in Stageira, then going to the beautiful beaches and eating Souvlaki and -okay, I think you get the picture.

Ever since I started my Philosophy course (Values & Contemporary Issues), I've been practically obsessed with the subject -yeah, I know, I'm a philosophy nerd. I just love how it relates to aspects that affect your everyday life: decision-making, morals and values. It really makes you think, too. My teacher always gives our class scenarios that make me wonder "Hmm... What would I do in that situation?" Pretty soon, I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself thinking "What would Aristotle do?" As embarassing as it is, I think I could actually see it happening!

But anyhow, back to the studying abroad program....

Apparently, there are three courses we would be required to attend while in Greece:

History 306-4: Reading Byzantium: Elements of History in Text
Humanities 385-4: The Presence of the Past: Greek Literature & Culture
History 307-4 ST: The World of Homer: Tradition & History

Sounds pretty interesting, doesn't it?

Have you ever studied abroad? If not, where would you like to go?

Soy Trouble

2007-05-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Ever since I diagnosed myself as "lactose intolerant" four years ago, I've been trying to include soy into my diet as much as possible. Soy milk is the best way to go because you can use it for practically anything that requires milk: cereal, sauces, coffee etc. And if you're not a fan of regular soy milk, you can try out vanilla or chocolate (although I'm not really a big fan of them). When I first tried soy milk, I'll admit, I really really really didn't like it. I think this is because I was told it tastes like cow's milk when, in actuality, It tastes nothing like it. However, now I'd prefer soy milk over cow's milk anyday! If you find you just can't seem to get into the habit of drinking soy milk, you can also try eating soybeans, tofu, or soy yogurt.

Studies show that having 25 grams of soy protein in your diet can reduce your cholesterol level and even prevent heart disease. It can also help protect you against breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer, osteoporosis, and kidney disease. Nowadays, many people choose soy milk over cow's milk, even if they aren't allergic. This is because, compared to cow's milk, soy milk has no lactose or synthetic hormones and contains only vegetable proteins. Thus, it's also an excellent alternative for vegetarians.

However, after reading an article about the dangers of soy, I'm beginning to get a bit skeptical.

Apparently soy:

-contains phytic acid which stops your body from absorbing calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc
-contains aluminum (who would have thought!) which may jeopardize your nervous system and kidneys
-contains phytoestrogens which may potentially cause infertility and promote breast cancer
-increases the body's requirement for Vitamin B12 analogs and Vitamin D

[to read more about the disadvantages of soy, go to: http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/03summary.htm ]

So, right now, I'm torn between the two! I'm not really sure which side to believe, but I'd like to believe soy is beneficial because I really don't want to stop drinking it. Without my soy, I'd be lost!

And now, for your enjoyment, some interesting facts on soy:

1) Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.

2) A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.

3)Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.

Who would have ever thought that soy would be this effective!

Are you a soy supporter?

Dazed and Confused

2007-05-24T13:51:00.001-07:00

Yup. I've done it again. Just when I thought I had all the answers I find myself back at square one.

-Oh, you're probably wondering what I'm talking about, aren't you?

Well, just the other day I officially broke a world record: it has now been the 1,254th time I've changed my mind about my career path. Over the years I've patiently deliberated about what I want to do with my life and, over time, came up with a few answers: Marketing, Criminology, Dental Hygiene, Teaching, Journalism, Editing, Psychology, Media Arts, Acting -you get the idea.

You'd think that after all this contemplating I'd be frustrated and annoyed, right? Amazingly, I'm actually the complete opposite. That's right; I'm happy I've changed my mind so many times. I figure if I find out what I want as a career afterwards, I won't be a happy camper. I know of many people who went to school, got their degrees, and started their jobs. Sounds peachy, doesn't it? Well, it definitely would have been if it wasn't for the fact that they really didn't like their jobs and decided to go back to school. This is why I'm glad I'm doing the hair-pulling, teeth-grinding decision making now. I'm okay with making mistakes, but that seems like too much schooling to me!

So, what have I decided this time? I'm thinking something along the lines of Philosophy and teaching. I discovered that Philosophy is something I really enjoy, and that teaching isn't as scary as I thought it was. Tutoring has definitely given me a new perspective on the education field. I've learned so much and feel eager to learn more. It's amazing how satisfying it is to help people.

Not only am I deciding what I want career-wise, I'm coming to terms with what I want to do with my life in general. I know that I want to travel sometime during the 4 years I'm working towards my degree. I think this would be the perfect time to do it because I want to start career-hunting right after I'm done school and, if I do that, I may not have the time to travel. Some places I'd absolutely love to see are Australia, Egypt, and India. I'm really set on visiting the rainforests, pyramids, temples and different forms of architecture. Gosh, I'm getting all excited just by talking about it!

Those are all the plans I came up with so far, but I'm sure I'll come back with some more to talk about sometime soon!

What are your life goals?

Back Attack

2007-05-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, either I'm suffering from an unrecalled back injury or, simply put, I'm just getting old (If the latter is the case, then I won't be looking forward to my birthday next week!) Fortunately, I'm pretty sure Arthritis is out of the question for a 19 year old. Whatever the case may be, I hope the pain decides to take a vacation sometime soon!

Although I'm not exactly sure what is causing my back to rebel, I have a feeling it has something to do with the way I sleep. Either that, or I spend too much time huddled over my keyboard on MSN Messenger. However, MayoClinic.com insists that, for many cases, the causes for back pain are not obvious. They also claim that four out of five adults suffer from back pain at least once in their lives -yikes!

Apparently, certain conditions may cause back pain as well:

Herniated Disk - when disk material presses on a nerve.
Sciatica- when a herniated disk impinges on the sciatic nerve causing sharp, shooting pain through the buttocks and back of the leg.
Spinal Stenosis - when the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots narrows due to arthritis and bone overgrowth. This can press or pinch a nerve.
Spondylosis - a type of arthritis affecting the spine. It is due to the degenerative changes in the spine that often come with aging.
Spondylolisthesis - when one vertebra in the spinal column slips forward over another.

There are also the more serious cases:

Cauda equina syndrome - a serious neurological problem causing weakness in the legs, numbness in the "saddle" or groin area, and loss of bowel or bladder control.
Cancer in the spine - A tumor on the spine can press on a nerve causing back pain.
Infection of the spine - If a feer and a tender, warm area accompany back pain, the cause could be an infection.
Injury - Damage to the bones, ligaments, or muscles of the back can cause severe pain.

Luckily, one can do many things to prevent such injuries: exercise, build muscle strength and flexibility, quit smoking, maintain a healthy weight, stand smart, lift smart, sleep smart and sit smart. (You can read more about back pain prevention at http://mayoclinic.com/health/back-pain/DS00171/DSECTION=6 )

Taking care of your back is probably the most important thing you can do. Remember, you've only got one spine, so take care of it!

For more information on back pain/ injuries, please visit http://mayoclinic.com/health/back-pain/DS00171

School's IN for the Summer

2007-05-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome back!

You know, I really thought going to school in the summer would be a complete disaster. However, this is my first summer going to school and, it turns out, I actually like it a lot better than taking classes in the Fall or Winter! I think it's because the summer sun makes everyone so relaxed -even if you are in school. Or maybe it's because I really like the classes I'm taking (Psychology, Philosophy & Communications). Or it could be because I know there's an alternative for all us pasties who are staying indoors for a good fraction of the summer: sunless tanning lotion.

Although I'm currently enjoying school (nope, not even exaggerating!), I know my view will soon change directions. After all, I'm not Wonder Woman; I get tempted to put down the books and lie in the sun like a potato every once in a while too, you know! This is why I've decided to make a written schedule for myself. Usually, I have a bad habit of thinking I have a supernaturally brilliant memory and, thus, attempt to organize and store my entire schedule in my head. However, I now realize that I'm just a wee bit more forgetful (okay, a LOT more!) than I had originally thought. So, not only will this schedule of mine keep me motivated, it will help me to remember my 'to do' list more easily.

I know there are so many of you out there who are thinking, "umm big deal, I write up a schedule all the time in my AGENDA PLANNER." And yes, you're right; It ISN'T a hard thing to do. Well, for most of us anyways. I tend to use my planner at the beginning of the semester then slowly drift away from it; so, for me, using a planner is kind of tough to keep up with. However, I know this is a skill I'll use when I'm older and it's something I'll have to develop sooner or later... so I might as well start sooner, don't you think?

What do you do to stay organized and focused?

Summer is Quietly Approaching!

2007-04-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

Since the school semester is finally coming to an end, I've decided to write you all a farewell blog entry. Not to worry, I'll be back after a few weeks of lazing around in the beautiful sunshine!

A few hours ago I wrote my LAST exam for one of the courses I was taking. It was probably the biggest relief of my life considering I wasn't too fond of the subject. Mind you, I was proud of myself for sticking to it and not quitting midway. Now, I have to prepare for upcoming finals :S Thankfully, I lucked out. My last final is on April 18th; everyone else I know has exams until the next week after that. Unfortunately, I guess that means all my friends will be hermitting when I'm wanting to go to the beach :(

However, after my few weeks of doing absolutely nothing are up, I probably won't even have much time to think about the beach anymore. Summer is supposed to mean going to the beach everyday and eating ice cream 24/7 right? It was only a few days ago I realized that this 'fact' is no longer in effect and has indeed been left behind with childhood. This summer is my first summer being an actual adult; between work and school, I'll be busy 5 days a week. Conversely, I don't look at this as a bad thing. I remember being 16 years old and doing the same old things everyday in the summer: eating, going to the beach and tanning. With all this repetition, I ended up getting extremely bored. Thus, working and going to school merely gives me something to do.

Aside from this working and schooling business, I'm hoping to travel in the summer as well. I get the biggest thrill from leaving town and exploring different cities. Eventually, I want to travel to Egypt, Asia and Africa and backpack around Europe. My family is from Italy and, ironically, I still haven't been there yet! Hopefully I'll be able to go to their hometowns sometime soon and meet all the famous Pasquales and Marias I've heard so much about!

Well, that's it for now. I hope you all have a terrific summer!

Until next time,

Alyssa :)

Kangaroo Shoes?

2007-04-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

Apparently kangaroos play a bigger role in our lives than we thought. Kangaroo skin is said to be used for bags, purses, wallets, jackets, shoes and even sporting goods. Autralia, the mastermind behind kangaroo skinning, exports approximately 3 million kangaroo skins (a value of $17 million dollars) to Europe and the U.S. each year and collects about $200 million dollars in profits-imagine that! Buying and selling kangaroo products is legal in every American state except California, who has also banned crocodile, ocelot, and polar bear products. What is even more suprising, is that the most popular footwear brands (even the ones I wear!) use kangaroo skins: Adidas, Nike and Puma. Adidas was even sued by Vegetarians International Voices for Animals in 2003 for importing kangaroo-skinned shoes into California.

And, believe it or not, kangaroos are even found in our FOOD! Russia, for example, uses kangaroo meat in their sausages because it is leaner and cheaper than beef. Even our pets eat the Australian animal; kangaroos are often used for cat and dog foods.

Did you know kangaroos are this common? Will you continue to support the skinning of kangaroos by buying kangaroo-based products?

Sources say that even David Beckham has opposed the killing of innocent kangaroos and has stopped wearing Adidas cleats to show his disapproval.

For more information on this topic, go to: http://www.slate.com/id/2162857/?nav=navoa

Guitar Lesson #1

2007-04-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

As you all know, my first guitar lesson was last Thursday. How did it go? Pretty darn well. Can't really say if I'm a natural quite yet though; I only learned how to tune my guitar so far. However, I'm really really really glad we're taking baby steps in this class. I was so worried that everyone was going to be miles ahead of me, but it turned out we were all on the same page. On top of that, the teacher is really nice too. It's easy to see he has a passion for playing the guitar, and this makes the class even more enjoyable.

During the first few minutes of class, we went down the line and explained why we wanted to start playing the guitar. Here's pretty much how it went:

Guy #1: "Well, I pretty much just want to play the guitar because it looks cool. Plus, I'll finally
know how to do something!"

Girl #2: "My two favourite songs are played by guitar. This was pretty much my inspiration to
play, and I'm really interested in learning other songs as well."

Girl #3: "I got this guitar as a present 3 years ago; its been sitting in my closet ever since. I
figured it would only be fair to take it out for a test drive instead of letting it lay around
collecting dust."

I was actually surprised by some of these answers! And yes, I know what you're probably wondering: "What was Alyssa's reason for playing the guitar?"

I've pretty much always wanted to play an instrument, but never got further than playing the recorder in grade 3. I'm also very passionate about music; I sing, dance and writing songs practically everyday. Then, when I went to Montreal about a month ago, I met a girl who played the guitar, sung and wrote her own songs. She even sang Lauryn Hill's version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." It was at this very instant that a little light bulb went on in my head. I can do this, I thought. Plus, I couldn't think of a single thing that was holding me back. Time goes by fast, so might as well do what we want while we still can!

Usually, I lose motivation and give up quite easily. But, after a month, I was still really eager to play the guitar. I had tried to sign up for lessons about a week after my trip, but the class was full so I was put on the waiting list. Wasn't meant to be, I thought. Then, about a week ago, I got a call saying that someone had dropped the class! I'm a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, and I definitely think this was a sign to join the class. So, I did. :)

One thing I learned after high school was to take chances. I suddenly had an epiphany that time was going by so fast and I had to make the best of life. I remember seeing a little 7th grader walking down the street in his "Class of '07" shirt and thinking to myself, "No way, it's been 6 years since I graduated elementary school? It seems like it was just yesterday!" Ever since my high school graduation I've been planning out my priorities for the next few years: school, travelling, and music. I figure I don't have much to lose and, on top of this, I'm the type of person that gets driven nuts when I don't take chances and end up spending the rest of my years wondering what could have been.

So, for now, I'll leave you with this:

Carpe Diem! (Seize the day!)

Music to My Ears :-)

2007-03-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

I have some very exciting news! I'm not sure if you remember, but a while back, I mentioned how I wanted to take guitar lessons. Ever since then, I've been trying to teach myself some chords. However, I only got as far as learning 3 notes. I figured this was enough of a reason for me to swallow my pride and sign up for lessons... so I did! My first class is on Thursday and I'm just a wee bit nervous (but oh so excited)!

Thinking about playing the guitar brought my attention to a very important issue: I haven't written a blog entry about music yet! :-O Having said this, here it goes...

Way way waaaay back in the day I used to be a huge fan of Sharon, Lois, and Bram. Remember them? They were the ones who sang "Peanut Butter and Jelly." I can't imagine how much I must have driven my parents up a wall just listening to this song! I think I still might have their cassette! Then there was also that occasional Barney song -but I won't get into that (I'd rather spare myself the embarassment!)

Shortly after that, when I was about eight-ish, I started developing an obsession with Bryan Adams. I remember I even got the chance to meet his parents; they were so sweet! His mom even gave me a book about him (I'm surprised I didn't frame it). Then, a few short years later, I became one of those pathetic preteens who bought those ridiculous platform shoes and knew every word to every Spicegirls song. I even got a Scary Spice barbie for Christmas (I still have it :-D). Ironically, they were even a part of the saddest day of my childhood life: the day the Spicegirls concert sold out. After that, I convinced myself that I was going to camp outside of GM Place and wait for them to come out of the arena. Mom and Dad, however, didn't seem too impressed with this idea.

In high school, I became that girl who thought she was so cool because she listened to Rap and R&B and knew all the lyrics to each and every song. I think I even tried to have a rap battle once (won't get into that one either).

However, things began to change once I got a job at HMV in grade 11. I was forced to listen to different types of music and, eventually, discovered my love for all types of music! I realized that I enjoy listening to each genre of music at different times: if I was upset, I'd listen to Punk; if I was happy, I'd listen to Rock; if I was sad, I'd listen to R&B; if I was energetic, I'd listen to Rap. Usually, this seemed to do the trick. After all, a man once said, "Music is what feelings sound like."

Now, I still listen to all sorts of music. However, my absolute favourite artist of all time is Lauryn Hill. I've never listened to an album and loved all the songs before until I listened to "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Her voice is so smooth and unique, and the fact that she sings with so much soul definitely sets her aside from other artists. She's been due for another album for quite some time now, but unfortunately complications with her record label have put this project on hiatus. Although, she is featured on latest Joss Stone album "Introducing." I'll have to take a listen to that!

To Read or Not to Read

2007-03-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true; I admit it. I actually like to read! Although, I haven't read a really good book in quite some time now, mainly because I've been so consumed with textbooks lately. If you're looking for a good book to read, Oprah seems to be a reputable source to rely on. One year, she dubbed Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina as the best book choice of the year. After that show aired, I went out and bought a copy (I'm such a sucker! But it's not my fault! Oprah's a good advertiser :P). Now, I haven't exactly gotten the chance to read it yet (Don't frown upon me! That book is THICK) , but I hear it's an awesome book. Below are Oprah's top 9 suggestions for books to read this summer:

1) White Oleander by Janet Fitch

"White Oleander is an unforgettable story of mothers and daughters, burgeoning sexuality, the redemptive powers of art, and the unstoppable force of the emergent self. Written with exquisite beauty and grace, this is a compelling debut by an author poised to join the ranks of today's most gifted novelists. "

2) The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

"The Poisonwood Bible tells the story of an evangelical Baptist minister who takes his wife, four daughters and his mission from a small town in Georgia to the Belgian Congo in 1959. It is a move that will have unspeakable tragic consequences for the Price family as they confront the unstoppable forces of nature, hubris, and history."

3) I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb

"Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins Dominick and Thomas are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities. From childhood, Dominick, fights for both separation and wholeness—and ultimately self-protection—in a house of fear and mystery. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself and the sins of his ancestors—a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily's Mount Etna."

4) Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

"Where the Heart Is puts a human face on the look-alike trailer parks and malls of America's small towns. It will make you believe in the strength of friendship, the goodness of down-to-earth people, and the healing power of love. And it will make you laugh and cry...every step of the way."

5) She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

"She's Come Undone is a deeply affecting, often hilarious novel that centers around one of the most extraordinary characters in recent American fiction: wisecracking, ever-vulnerable Dolores Price, whose life we follow through her fortieth year. When we first meet Dolores in 1956, she is four years old, innocently unaware that the delivery of a television set will launch her tumultuous personal odyssey. "

6) Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

"Moving from Cape Breton Island to the bleak landscape of World War I and the emerging jazz scene in New York City, this epic tale tells the story of four unforgettable sisters. This is a story of inescapable family bonds, of terrible secrets, of miracles, murder, passion and forbidden love."

7) We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates

"The Mulvaneys are blessed by all that makes life sweet—a hardworking father, a loving mother, three fine sons and a bright, pretty daughter. They are confident in their love for each other and their position in the rural community of Mt. Ephraim, New York. But something happens on Valentine's Day, 1976: an incident that is hushed up in the town and never spoken of in the Mulvaney home. "

8) Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir

"Stolen Lives is a shocking true story of resilience in the face of extreme deprivation and of the courage and humor with which one family faced their tormented fate."

9) Cane River by Lalita Tademy

"This is history never before told. Lalita Tademy brings to life four vivid and remarkable generations of African-American women from her family's past, beginning in slavery, sweeping through the Civil War, and into the pre-Civil Rights South."

And for those of you who haven't checked out the Douglas book sale in the concourse at the New Westminster campus, I strongly urge you to go! They have some awesome books at reasonable prices. Might as well start stocking up now, I know I will!

http://www.oprah.com/obc/summer/obc_summer_main.jhtml

The Cold: for Better or for Worse?

2007-03-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

It's pretty much a common rule to stay home from school when you're feeling utterly and miserably sick, but, sometimes, people abuse this rule a little too much. I, too, am guilty of such a crime. When I was little, I remember I would always use any teeny tiny signs of being sick as an excuse to stay home. But I find I don't tend to use the whole, "my nose is runny" speech anymore. Now, I find that those signs are actually an advantage.

The average person might say that "being ill affects one's ability to concentrate and work hard." This may be true, but in my case, I find it does the exact opposite. When I'm 'suffering' from a cold or minor sickness of some sort, it actually helps me focus. It's almost as if the fact that being sick is a drawback serves as a motivation for me; since I know I have a disadvantage, I'm willing to try harder. Although, if I'm REALLY sick, I tend to have a motivation to sleep [but I've never fallen asleep in class... ever, I swear! ;) ].

It's been almost two weeks that I've been sick, and quite frankly, I'm getting a little annoyed! Sure, it helps me out in school and everything, but this little bug is just refusing to check out! Fortunately, my symptoms seem to be gradually disappearing, so maybe I won't be sick for much longer (hopefully!) . And what's worse, I can't even turn to my regular dosage of chocolate for comfort since I gave it up for lent. Although, I'm rather proud of myself for not touching the stuff!

p.s. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Gas Prices: Maybe We're Not Paying So Much Here in Canada

2007-03-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

You're cruisin' halfway down to Granville Island when you suddenly realize that you've run out of gas. You pull over to the nearest Petro Canada gas station to find yourself rolling your eyes at the latest gas price 102.9 . What you don't realize is, gas prices have just shot up within only a couple of weeks in the United States. So, maybe we're not the ones who have it that bad after all.

In the past month, gasoline prices shot up 33 cents per gallon in the U.S. and are said to be climbing even higher in the next few weeks. However, California takes the crown in this competition, having the highest fuel rates in the country. The district has prices set to a whopping $3.09 a gallon; San Francisco, in particular, has its prices hiked up to $3.25. It was only a month ago that the average price of gasoline per gallon was set at $2.21, whereas yesterday, the prices were raised to $2.54 . Because of the sudden price increase, even small car owners are getting frustrated because it used to cost only "$30 for a little car." Minivan salesmen are feeling the pressure as well, for no one wants to buy an automobile that guzzles gas like there's no tomorrow.

(Information gathered from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031200869.html?nav=rss_business )

If any of you Vancouverites are interested in our city's gasoline prices, the most recent report is as follows: (**Note** These prices are in effect as of today, Tuesday March 13th)

Lowest Regular Gas Prices

*98.4* - Petro Canada [David & Johnson (W/ Citi Petro M/C Discount)]

*99.4* - Costco [Ottawa & Nicola Lougheed]

*100.9* - Tempo [Broadway & Renfrew]

Highest Regular Gas Prices

*110.9* - Mohawk[Fraser Highway & 158 St], Esso [Grandview Hwy & Rupert, Broadway
& Nanaimo, King George & 104], Chevron [Renfrew & Grandview Hwy, King
George & 128th St, King George & 102, King George Hwy & 102nd Ave], Shell
[108 & 135A St], Husky [108th & 132 st]

Final thought:

You see, this is where the electric car would come in handy. If they were still around, we wouldn't have to worry about gas prices, would we? I say "BRING BACK BATTERIES!"

Yoga: What's the Big Fuss About?

2007-03-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Everytime I bring up exercise in a conversation, Yoga always seems to pop up one way or another. I've always wanted to do Yoga, but I just "haven't gotten around to it yet," I guess you could say. I hear it's one of the best things you could do for your body and it can drastically help reduce stress. With school, work, homework and extra curricular activities to juggle, I'm thinking Yoga may just do the trick!

For those of you who are interested, here's some background information about the exercise:

Yoga first originated in India and was primarily a source of Hindu philosophy. Many use Yoga as a form of alternative medicine which focuses on relaxation and meditation; those who practice the activity are dubbed yogi, yogin (masculine) and yogini (feminine) [<-- I love the sound of that!]. There are many ancient Hindu scriptures that outline the basis of Yoga: the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and several others. Since the 'Bhagavad Gita' was written (somewhere between 500 and 50 BCE), Yoga has been categorized under 4 main classes: Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga. The word 'Yoga' itself comes from the Proto - Indo - European word 'yugam' which means to "join" or "unite." Some of the effects of Yoga are said to include stress reduction, circulation and flexibility. Pretty cool, eh?

So why is Yoga so popular then? My guess is because almost all diseases are stress-related; therefore, practicing Yoga may prevent sickenesses and help heal one spiritually and, in the long run, physically. One of the things I love about this idea is the fact that its a type of relaxation therapy that doesn't involve prescription drugs. Most of the time I hesistate to take prescription drugs, mainy because someone once told me that they "fix one thing but hurt another." I'm not 100% sure about how true this is, but I don't want to take any chances!

Are you a regular yogin/yogini?

TV Show for Geico Cavemen?

2007-03-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

Apparently, the cavemen on the Geico commercials are coming out with their own show! The sitcom is said to follow the cavemen as they "struggle with prejudice on a daily basis [and] strive to live the lives of normal thirty-somethings in 2007 Atlanta." The idea has conjured many skeptics who think the show has limited or no potential to succeed. I, myself, highly doubt the show will be a hit. Sure, it might be funny or entertaining the first couple shows, but I can definitely see the idea getting old fast. Although, I'm kind of looking forward to it (I can't help that I'm curious!) Do you plan to watch the show?

**Follow this link to view one of the Geico commercials http://youtube.com/watch?v=kVVSmnnqfvc **

Another issue I want to bring up is celebrity lenience. Recently, Naomi Campbell was sentenced to FIVE DAYS of community service and anger management classes after she hit her housekeeper with her cell phone. Personally, I think Campbell is not being treated fairly at all. If a regular person was put in her shoes, the consequences for his/her actions would have been way more severe. I also think that five days of cleaning floors in a municipal warehouse isn't going to justify her behaviour (Although, a supermodel washing floors is kind of an interesting sight!) On the other hand, the anger management courses are definitely a plus, assuming they will be beneficial. Hopefully everything will work out for the best!

Click on the following link for the full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6425581.stm .

Are celebrities let off the hook too easily?

A Series of Unfortunate Airport Events

2007-03-06T14:33:00.000-08:00

This weekend I packed up my bags and boarded a plane to the beautiful city of Montreal. Ironically enough, one of my friends was on the same plane as me! My flight took a stop in Toronto first, then headed to Montreal, and it seemed as though I brought the snow everywhere I went. When I left Vancouver, it was snowing; when I arrived in Toronto, it was snowing; and only a couple hours after I landed in Montreal (yup, you guessed it), it started snowing! I wouldn't have minded the weather as much if only I brought some boots. But no, I wasn't that lucky!

The trip, altogether, was amazing though. I stayed with my friend in her dorm at McGill University; even now I still fail to understand how anyone gets any work done around there! The constant music-blasting and yelling people make it nearly impossible to concentrate. On the other hand, I guess everyone is pretty much used to it by now. My friend was an awesome tour guide; she had every minute of everyday planned out. We did a little shopping, a little movie-watching, a little clubbing and a LOT of eating! She took me to Indian, Thai, and Mexican restaurants -all of which were incredible. I met some pretty amazing people at her residence, too. One guy there was a phenomenal basketball player, one girl was a crazy dancer, and another girl sung and played the guitar beautifully. All of this talent had me so inspired! It also reminded me of my aspirations to play the guitar, and now I'm thinking about taking guitar lessons!

Eventually, like all trips, it had to come to an end. However, I was very appreciative of the fact that we did so much during such a short trip. But I think saying goodbye was probably the hardest part. It's not easy when a close friend moves away and you don't get to see them as much, not to mention I was addicted to such an amazing city! So I squished everything into my suitcase and caught a cab to the airport. This, my friends, is where the fun begins.

As soon as I got the the Montreal Trudeau Airport, I knew there was going to be trouble. The snowstorm that came a few days prior had all the flights out of Montreal delayed. The fact that I went standby didn't help either. I went to the gate of the flight I was supposed to catch and realized the excessive bombardment of people waiting to get on. So, I asked the attendant at the gate if there was any chance of me getting on, and she told me that the flight was completely booked. I got re-listed on the next flight out which was a half hour wait. Again, I went up to the counter and asked an airline employee whether I would have any chance at all of making the flight. He told me "there are 100 people waiting to get on and you're near the bottom of the list. And if you don't make it on tonight, you have no chance making it tomorrow morning, either. Those flights look even worse. But you could always stick around and see what happens." GREAT.

Shortly after he announced that the plane was boarding, he began calling names to assign seats. After calling a long list of at least 50 names, he gave up. "Okay, let's just make this easier for everyone," he said. "How many of you are there?" He did a head count of 6 and gave us each seats on the last flight of the night. I couldn't believe it.

You'd think this would be the end, but no. Unfortunately, this flight only stopped in Toronto, and the next flight out to Vancouver from there left at 7 the next morning. I landed in Toronto at around 11:30 pm and began making calls to figure out what I should do from there (my phone bill is going to be a heavy one this month!). I decided it would be best to throw an all nighter at the airport rather than get picked up by my cousin who lived only a half hour away. First off, it would have been a major inconvenience. Second, by the time I got picked up, went to his house, slept, woke up, got ready, and drove back to the airport, it wouldn't have been worth it. So I decided to join the rest of the slumbering passengers in the 24-hour area.

The next morning, I waited to get called to board the 7 o'clock flight but, surprise-surprise, I didn't make it on. Once again, I got re-listed and made it onto the next flight that headed out at 8:30 am. Finally, I was on my way home!

If there's two things I've learned from this entire experience, they would have to be:

1) People can do amazing things if they follow their dreams; wasted talent never got anyone anywhere.

2) Persistence DOES work! If I hadn't stuck around, I would still be in Montreal and probably wouldn't have made it home until Friday. (Although, that wouldn't have been all that bad!)

P.S. If you haven't been to Montreal, I strongly urge you to check it out one day!

Teacher Attacked Over Ipod?

2007-02-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

I know this post is only supposed to be about the fatalities of Ipods, but I'm going to have to talk about the Oscars first (Sorry, I can't help myself!). Generally, I find award ceremonies boring. I figure you can always just find out who won after rather than suffer through a long, yawn-worthy, boredom provoking show. Same thing, right? Well, I guess the only exception would be the 2002 awards show where Halle Berry had a meltdown during her acceptance speech for Best Actress. THAT my friends, was definitely worthwhile. (Here's a video to refresh your memory: http://youtube.com/watch?v=AJca67gYFEY )

I can't say I was too surprised with the winners. Oprah was absolutely raving about Forest Whittaker's performance in "The Last King of Scotland" and Jennifer Hudson's role in "Dreamgirls," and, truth be told, Oprah is usually right. Although I didn't particularly like "Dreamgirls" (there was singing every 5 minutes), I do think the acting should be acknowledged. I'll admit, I was very skeptical about former American Idol Jennifer Hudson's approach as an actress, but she literally blew me away, especially since it was her first time appearing in a film.

OKAY, back to music mishaps.

As I was reading articles on http://www.kiwibox.com , I came across a story involving a student attacking a teacher. Apparently, a 60-year-old math teacher in a Philadelphia high school was assaulted by two high school students after he confiscated an Ipod in class. The teacher ended up suffering from a broken neck and large gash on his face.

Honestly, I never thought people could become this barbaric, especially when it is a universally known fact that using music devices are prohibited during class. Not only that, the teacher was 60 years old! Mind you, the story makes the incident seem more violent than it actually was. Apparently the students 'pushed' the teacher in the hallway. I'm guessing they didn't know that the outcome would be so disastrous, but they should have still had some sort of respect. Kids these days. So I beg of you, please don't take the phrase "fight for your music" so literally. (For more on this story please visit http://cbs11tv.com/education/local_story_055133713.html )

On a much happier note, I also came across a story about a 15 month old girl who found $1,300 in a book! Apparently the child's babysitter bought the 25 cent book in a thrift store earlier that day. Talk about lucky! Now she can go on a shopping spree of Barbies and playdough! I'm so jealous!

That's it for now y'all!

TOODLES

Who Killed the Electric Car?

2007-02-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking: it must be Colonel Mustard in the library with a wrench! Close, but not quite.

So, who did it? Who extinguished what could have been a major asset to society?

The answer: oil companies, the automobile industry, the government, the California Air Resource Board (C.A.R.B.) and even us, the consumers!

* * *

Q: I don't really remember the electric car. When were they first on the market?

A: You may be surprised to know that the electric car was actually invented way back in 1834 by Thomas Davenport. Then, in 1930, the production of electric cars came to a halt shortly after Ford introducted gas-fuelled automobiles. Thirty-seven years after this, the Electric Auto Association was formed in hopes to resurrect the electric car from the grave. In 1996, General Motors launched a whole new electric car line and made them available for consumers to lease. In 2000, the vice-chairman of General Motors declared that all electric cars were to be converted into gasoline powered ones because "there [was] no particular need" to continue building battery operated cars.

Q: I don't get it. Wouldn't electric cars drastically eliminate polution? Why would anyone want to take them away?

A: In the United States, oil companies sell nearly 3 billion gallons of gasoline each week. If electric cars were to dominate the automobile industry, oil companies would flourish. Car companies would suffer as well, for they make most of their money by fixing and replacing engine parts.

Q: Well if these cars were so amazing, how did consumers contribute to their disappearance? Wouldn't everyone want to buy one?

A: You'd think so, wouldn't you? In actuality, consumers were not strongly persuaded to purchase electric cars. This was mainly due to lack of awareness and the fact that the cars were limited in availability. Also, back then, gas prices weren't as ridiculous as they are now.

Q: Are there any electric cars out there still?How can I help with the whole pollution thing?

A: Electric cars haven't been completely killed off. Some cars, such as Hybrids, are partially operated by battery. There are actually a few ways we can help eliminate pollution: plant a tree (they help clean the air), combine trips with your car, unpack any extra weight from your vehicle (this may reduce fuel usage by 1%!), and many others! For more tips on how to reduce emissions visit http://www.greenercars.com/drivinggreen.html .

* * *

FINAL THOUGHT

I think it's deceiving how the media claims that there are no strong solutions for pollution when, in fact, someone has already thought of one. I also think it's a shame that people are so unaware of issues such as these and are too consumed with money and power to help solve such a serious problem. Fortunately, now you know and, believe it or not, knowing does make a difference. After all, "knowledge is power." We, as today's generation, have the power to change the future. :)

More information regarding "Who Killed the Electric Car," may be found at http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/electric.html .

Wikipedia Banned from American College?

2007-02-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Middlebury College in Virginia has banned students from using the famous informational website 'Wikipedia,' claiming "Wikipedia is not an acceptable citation, even though it may lead one to a citable source."

I completely agree with this movement considering the information on the website isn't properly edited. Wikipedia allows random speculators to change the information without having the data confirmed by a second opinion. This most definitely puts students at risk for accumulating the wrong information. However, I can't say that I'm completely against it. After all, I've used it a few times myself! Even though I have used the website before, I've never used the information for project research for school (honestly!). I think the website does help people to get the jist of an idea, but the details in the articles, on the other hand, are very misleading. At first, I didn't know that the articles were vulnerable to incorrect editing, so I used the website to look up information that would feed my curiosity. As soon as I found out that the website was not such a good source after all, I stopped taking the information so seriously. So this is my warning to you: be careful!

(For those of you who haven't visited the website and are curious as to what I'm babbling about, the website is http://www.wikipedia.org)

Do you use Wikipedia?

(Information provided by http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070213/ap_on_fe_st/wikipedia_ban%3B_ylt%3DApzVgnEPOOWeWes.joDihpeek3Qf )

Smartest Boy in India?

2007-02-14T09:08:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, Oprah had an interesting topic for her show: "Amazing Kids." Now, the topic itself doesn't seem too intriguing, but the guests who came on the show most definitely were! There was one child in particular who caught my attention: Akrit Jaswal.

When Akrit was only 7 years old, he performed surgery on a girl around the same age as him! Not only that, this kid knew how to read when he was only 2 years old. A short while later he discovered he really liked reading Shakespeare and, amazingly enough, he actually understood it! On top of that, he was reading various medical textbooks that a college student would find difficult to read ! By age 5, Akrit started going to school and, a short while after this, he began teaching English and Math classes. Doctors around his neighbourhood began to notice his talent when he was only 6 years old and allowed him to observe surgeries. Apparently, this guy has an IQ of 146! (I wouldn't be surprised!)

Akrit is currently 13 years old and in his second year of college. He says that he wants to continue studying medicine and anatomy so that he may ease the pain of people around the world. Aww!

If you want to see video footage of Akrit, the following link has a clip of his interview on Oprah:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200702/tows_past_20070212.jhtml

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I also read another story about Dutch journalist Teun van de Keuken who asked to be incarcerated for eating chocolate! Apparently his whole plan was to make others aware of child labour issues in Ivory Coast (the home of the world's largest cocoa industry). Van de Keuken says "If I am found guilty of this crime, any chocolate consumer can be prosecuted after that. I hope that people would stop buying chocolate and thus hurt the sales of big corporations and make them do something about the problem."

You can find more on this story at http://kiwibox.com/today/respond.asp?n=17869&d=2%2F14%2F2007+1%3A36%3A27+PM&c=0

I tend to get most of my news from this site (http://www.kiwibox.com) because it posts interesting information you don't hear about on the news. Some of the stories are really fascinating! I would definitely recommend checking it out! :)

p.s. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE! <3

Studying Techniques

2007-02-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

So, what do you think about the new layout? I guess I just like to "think pink." :)

So today, I nearly scared myself half to death. I was carelessly flipping through the pages of my planner when I suddenly realized that my MIDTERMS ARE NEXT WEEK! Yikes, that came fast!

After I stopped hallucinating and regained sanity, I began to plan out how I was going to tackle the whole studying thing. As I planned out my studying schedule for the week, I came up with some pretty good tips:

1) First, I thought about the location. I know many people who always 'study' at home and get absolutely nothing done. I hear the same story over and over again: "I got distracted and ended up eating Doritos and watching 'Wedding Crashers.' " Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating. However, studying at home is definitely a major downfall. Since you're comfortable in your own space, it's easy for your eyes to wander off. The library is definitely a more fitting environment. On the other hand, not all libraries are suitable. All libraries have different seating plans, noise levels, and capacities. It's important to experiment with different libraries so that you may find one to your liking.

2) I also thought about time management. Some people say that they can study well at the last minute. This may be true, but they would probably study more efficiently if they studied a little at a time. I remember my Grade 12 Psychology teacher specifically telling my class that "cramming is pointless because it doesn't work!"

3) Eliminating small activities is also another important factor. It's easy to lose focus when you're running around making errands. However, not all activities should be cancelled. Going to the gym, for instance, is an awesome way to wake up and refresh your brain.

4) A studying technique I tend to overly abuse is note taking. Reading straight from the book never gets me anywhere. Instead, I read over the text, pick out the main ideas, and write them down in point form. Sometimes this can be rather time consuming but, in the end, it's all worth it!

5) Another way to improve your studying habits would be to get up and walk around while you are reading your notes. According to studies, walking around helps your brain get some exercise and keep focus. Pretty cool, eh?

These are only a few ways to help improve your study skills. There are definitely a whole lot more out there!

What studying techniques do you find helpful?

General Studies Underrated?

2007-02-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

"General studies? That sounds like a waste of time."

In my opinion, going into General Studies is probably the best thing someone could do if they are unsure about what they want to study. Sure, you could go into something you don't take that much of an interest in, let's say Criminology, and get a nice, fancy diploma "just to have." However, chances are, you probably won't even use it. Don't get me wrong, I think Criminology is an awesome field to get into if that's what you're interested in, but I strongly disagree with rushing into something you are not even sure you want.

"Oh, you don't know what you want to do? You should go into Arts or something and get a degree. At least this way you'll have something after a few years rather than just wasting your time in General Studies and getting nothing in the end."

Okay, I definitely know what some of you are thinking and, quite frankly, I was once in the same position as you. BUT, I can honestly say that general studies is a very beneficial choice for those who have interests in various fields. In the long run, it is very possible that you will be in general studies for quite some time, however, I don't look at this as a bad thing. Personally, I would rather take an extra year or two to discover myself and find a career that truly defines me. If I were to go into a random degree program just because I wasn't sure of what I wanted, I wouldn't be learning the things I am today.

I've learned that I like using my imagination and being creative. I found out that I really enjoy writing essays and poetry. I discovered I'm good at editing and coming up with innovative ideas.

After learning all these new things, I have finally decided the career I want to pursue: Journalism. AND, it only took me one semester to figure it out! Imagine what would have happened if I went into a degree program just for kicks. I would have probably ended up transferring into General Studies midway through anyways. That kind of sounds like a waste of time, don't you think?

First Tutoring Session

2007-01-30T16:14:00.000-08:00

As soon as I walked into the Learning Centre today I heard a voice tell me "Alyssa, you have a tutoring session booked. The student you will be helping is sitting right over there." I immediately became excited and a little nervous at the same time. I truly did not know what to expect because I knew that watching a tutoring session is completely different from experiencing it myself.

I quickly put my bag away and walked over to where the student was sitting. I introduced myself and we discussed what kind of help she was seeking. The student merely wanted to go over her essay and receive feedback. I think the student's willingness and eagerness to learn really motivated me to help her. I particularly liked the fact that the student started to identify her mistakes when I read the paper out loud. She would say "Oh, that doesn't make sense, does it?" and "I know what we could put instead." I think reading the paper to her really helped get her thoughts going. As the session continued, I found that she was starting to see the mistakes that I was seeing. Instead of reading her paper as a writer, she was reading it as a reader. I think this is ultimately the most significant strategy one could use. Toward the end of the session, I told her that if she is unsure of a sentence or paragraph, she should read it out loud. Chances are, if it sounds awkward, it probably is.

This experience was definitely a pleasant one and is something I would repeat in a heartbeat. At the end of the session, I felt relieved and proud at the same time. I felt that I had really helped the student out and that she learned new skills she could practice on her own. I was also very thankful that I got to help the student that I did because she was patient with me as well. I look forward to what the future has in store!

Cheers!

So Far So Good

2007-01-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

Today I was asked to write a blog about learning, which is actually something I don't reflect on very often. I kept asking myself "What am I going to write about?!" After all, this is my first blog entry and I do have to make a good impression. Then, after writing my first introductory e-mail to the rest of the online tutors, I finally got some insight as to what I wanted to write about.

Choices.

If there's one thing I've learned about this whole education thing, it's that choices really don't have to be all that difficult. All through high school people have told me to pick what I want to pursue as a career because I "can't do everything." However, I don't see much truth in that.

I think I can integrate all my threads of interest and make one big comfy sweater. In other words, my interests in music, psychology, media, and current affairs can be fused together through writing. Writing doesn't limit you to one topic or idea. Instead, it challenges you to probe for new and exciting issues that you feel passionate enough to either support or refute. I feel that this truly gives one a sense of his or her values and what he or she believes in. So truth be told, writing does not open a door, it opens many.

Now that I have my thinking cap on, I've come up with another issue to discuss.

Fear.

Upon my arrival at the Learning Centre I immediately felt a sense of hesitation. I felt like I was the 'new kid' and I had to do everything perfectly or else I would get frowned upon. There was no initial incident that provoked me to feel this way. In fact, I've never met a more welcoming bunch of people. Instead, it was a mental predisposition, the momentary thought that maybe I am getting myself involved with something I cannot physically do. Almost like the butterflies you get before you go onstage and perform a play: there's that one second of fear that makes you wonder if you will mess up or not.

Luckily, I snapped out of it quickly. I went over the training manual, did the activities in the booklet and even watched a couple of tutoring sessions. It wasn't until after the first tutoring session when I felt that little speck of fear begin to dwindle. I can do this, I thought to myself. Then when I was asked to write this blog I came to a conclusion: at the end of the day, I'm on the same page as everyone else. We're all here to teach, learn and discover new things. These three things are continuous; they never stop. Therefore, I can never be a step behind!

For someone who didn't know what to write about I sure had a lot to say, don't you think? ;)