Bring On The Wrinkles!

    As a new fully grown adult, 18 years and 12 days old, I've got a lot on my plate. Like the seniors around me we're all feeling like, well, seniors. I've been half expecting for a member of the IRS to come and deliver me a mortage and I swear to God I have at least 6 grey hairs. One of the more immnent problems is the UNIVERSITY DECISION DUN DUN DUNNN. I mean it's no big deal, except wherever you apply decides your fate in life, ie. career, marriage, happiness, life expectancy... Yup. In all seriousness, I'm trying to be rational, but it's hard when every teenager with the same crisis is crammed into the same building 9-3 daily, bouncing our anxieties of each other. Often, the choice is between the benefits of staying home versus the adventure of going away. When it comes down to it, and undergradute degree doesnt vary very much so it's all about location location location. Other factors I've been looking into includes the gym facilities, the bar scene, whether or not sweatpants are considered cool, and if the residences require me to shower infornt of everystudent and prof I'll ever encounter. If I had any good advice on this topic I'd be taking it myself, sorry. However I will wish every one of my fellow grads the best of luck in their university or college or strip club of choice!

“For what it’s worth … it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.” - Eric Roth - Screenplay of the Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

My Grad Write-up

An ariel shot of Dalhousie, Halifax, my dream school for next year

Photo source: http://yorkshireoperaworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/halifax.jpg

No Homo(phobes)!

Slang, by definition, is popular language that is being used. Unfortunately, this often is developed from a hateful place, though it's circulation may be naive and simply part of a fad.
     "Don't be retarded", "I'd rather kill myself", "Why are you being such a girl about it?", "That's so gay"...
     Often, our common dialect becomes just another way to put down a minority, and for some reason it is simply accepted by the majority.
     I had a personal experience with this earlier in the week; a younger peer was participating in an event I was running through our school, I heard him ask his friend to stop being "so gay" and had to intervene. At first the boy felt that he was in the right and I was overreacting, he was "just joking around" and it "wasn't mean to anyone". This forced me to teach him a harsh life lesson, but I'm glad he learned it from me. I responded honestly, "I'm gay; when you use my sexuality as an insult amongst your friends, that hurts. What if someone less confident than myself heard that, someone who wasn't out, who was embarrasssed by their sexuality, how would they feel?" Obviously, this kid shrank to about three times his size, I am a well know senior, perhaps the first gay person he's had a confrontation with, and he just insulted me. Humbly he apologized and we were able to hug and move on.
      Some people can be much more ignorant and much less malleable, hence the continuous promotion of hate through slang. Yesterday, I found a website called NoHomophobes.com, it's purpose to keep track of hateful speech being circulated daily through the twittersphere, check it out!
      Remember to be kind for even the little things you say or do can change someone's life, for better or worse.

Photo source: Example poster from the ThinkB4YouSpeak.com website & campaign.

On My Bucket List - A Journey of 780km Begins With a Single Step

      My obsession with the Camino de Santiago began two summers ago when I saw Emilio Estevez's The Way in theatres; I wanted to experience the 780km trek known as the pilgrimage along side Martin Sheen, and you won't often hear me volunteering to spend time with Martin Sheen. Since seeing the movie, okay, alright, since seeing the movie 6 times, I've purchased several guidebooks and non-fiction works about the walk. I've truly become infatuated with the Santiago, as millions have before me for thousands of years now. Originally, the walk was completed as a holy pilgrimage, endured with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Nowadays, it is a popular "walking holiday" beginning in France and continuing through northern Spain, walkers carry only a bag-pack and reside in the spotted hostels; however, many people still find spiritual meaning in the walk. Personally, I am planning on taking a 'gap year' after I graduate high school and the camino is on my list of to-do's, as a young adult I hope to grow from the experience in my understanding of self whilst enjoying gorgeous landscapes and toning my calves.

Photo Source: http://www.frescotours.com/photos_camino_de_santiago_14june2008.asp

Another Reason To Love Swedish Fish

    Browsing a popular user generated news website, Reddit, I stumbled across an article about Sweden's new energy program (link posted below). The program converts household waste into energy for heating an electricity. Sounds like a perfect solution, what's the flaw? The only major problem so far is that the program is TOO successful. Sweden is now importing waste to eliminate, from else where in Europe, as they don't produce enough waste themselves. Their plan is to import from countries like Italy, Romania, or Bulgaria, as they have the largest landfill programs.
   Sweden has often been ranked as one of the happiest places to live; they've given the world, ABBA, Ikea, and now this! Well, I am quite a fan!

To learn more about their waste to energy program read the original article:
http://www.pri.org/stories/science/environment/swedes-import-trash-to-power-the-nation-10428.html
Photo source: Article - (Photo by Vattenfall via Flickr CC.)

Her Body - Her Rights

     It is impossible to turn on the news without being exposed to footage of the ongoing Indian rape protests. Many people, myself included, believe,"it's about god damn time". These protests sparked from the rape of a 23 year old woman by 7 men. The reaction was an uproar against 'rape culture': teaching women not to get raped instead of teaching men not to rape. The protesters are calling for serious repercussions  some even call for the death penalty, however the current legislation places a maximum 3 years of jail time on the attackers. This year in Dehli, India, there were over 900 reported cases of crimes against women, known as the "rape capital". What is clear from theses protests is that the people of Indian are taking a standing for women's rights and a stand against violence, demanding a change in how society and the law handles rape.

Photo source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2252169/India-rape-protests-Extraordinary-courage-rape-victim-lost-intestines-horrific-attack.html