http://www.guatemala-times.com/news/guatemala/2545--guatemala-little-headway-against-rampant-malnutrition.html
According to this article, 49.3% of children under 5 in Guatemala are malnourished.
This is the highest rate in Latin America, and one of the highest in the world.
Thousands die every year because they can't get enough to eat. And we complain about the amount of food available in the USA and Canada... I was listening to the CBC the other day. The guest that was speaking was addressing the problems of food shortages, the agricultural industry and how to combat world hunger. One thing that he said completely shocked me: 30% of food in North America is wasted. It never gets eaten. In the USA, the rates can be as high as 50%.
Imagine this: you have a garden. Everything grew wonderfully and it is harvest time. For every tomato you pick, you throw one out. For every potato harvested, one is discarded. They are both healthy, both nutritious, but this is the reality in the USA. There is too much food. No one cares about food or how much they waste. The old adage of "think of the children starving in Africa" (or Guatemala for that matter) apparently isn't very effective. Yet the rates of obesity in the USA are insane. The United States of America: the biggest wasters and the biggest eaters. What does this say for the rest of the world? They waste much less but also eat much less. Ironic.
Let us be thankful about what we have, and wherever possible buy fair trade. It may be more expensive, but are we really eating all that we buy, anyway? So it works two ways: you spend the same, eat less, thereby probably being healthier in this society, and you are supporting someone who needs that fair wage so that he can eat a nutritious meal and also not waste it.
Of course life is much more complicated than that, but I think it is a fairly simple principle. ALWAYS support fair trade whenever possible, including local items. Recently people have been complaining about the huge gaps of income between people in the USA (those who argue it in Canada know nothing about the system: Just under 50% of the tax-paying population made over $50,000 in 2008, 4% over $100,000, and only .4% over $250,000. Clearly the 1-99% ration does not work here. Or maybe they all want to make $175,000 and think that's fair (which would do what to make it more even with the rest of the world?)
Anyway, if over 24 million Canadians are working enough to make $25,000 a year and pay taxes. The world average according to this website: http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2007/10/07/average_earnings_worldwide/ is $7,000 a year (which only 19% of countries actually attain). The world median was $1,700. *cough* So despite rising food and housing prices (which are always on the rise and a constant complaint no matter what year or era) in Canada, the majority of us still make a buttload more money than the average world citizen. Also, if you complain about housing prices, I invite you to live in the Lower Mainland, especially Vancouver. My husband and I were considering buying a house until we realized that we could never afford one in this area. A condo, maybe, but I have 2 horses, 2 cats, a dog, a bunny, and a garden. I am quite happy renting, though I do hope to buy one day, it may have to be in Mexico.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Greed vs. Greed?
Before I start: http://www.thebloggess.com/2011/10/missing-2/ Comic relief :)
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about the whole capitalism vs. socialism debate. With this Occupy Wall Street movement happening, which honestly I haven't read much about, I'm getting tired of the greedy attitude of everyone involved. The socialists are just as "greedy" as the capitalists.
By the way, I despise putting people and ideas into boxes, labelling them or what have you. Life is too complicated to make such black and white presuppositions, but sometimes it is necessary.
The current trend to view capitalism is such: capitalists are greedy individuals who care nothing about people or the environment. They usually come in the form of corporations that care about nothing except for the bottom line. Life would be better without capitalism. Without capitalism there would be much more equality, everyone would be happy, and no one would go without.
The current trend on socialism is this: socialism fights for the equality of all people. No one is unique, we all should live the same with the same rights, and access to all the same things. No one should ever go without, and no basic necessities denied. A beautiful ideology.
At least, those are the opinions that I have noticed trending through articles, posts on FB, comments to articles, movements, etc. etc.
I saw this quote on Facebook back in early September:
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about the whole capitalism vs. socialism debate. With this Occupy Wall Street movement happening, which honestly I haven't read much about, I'm getting tired of the greedy attitude of everyone involved. The socialists are just as "greedy" as the capitalists.
By the way, I despise putting people and ideas into boxes, labelling them or what have you. Life is too complicated to make such black and white presuppositions, but sometimes it is necessary.
The current trend to view capitalism is such: capitalists are greedy individuals who care nothing about people or the environment. They usually come in the form of corporations that care about nothing except for the bottom line. Life would be better without capitalism. Without capitalism there would be much more equality, everyone would be happy, and no one would go without.
The current trend on socialism is this: socialism fights for the equality of all people. No one is unique, we all should live the same with the same rights, and access to all the same things. No one should ever go without, and no basic necessities denied. A beautiful ideology.
At least, those are the opinions that I have noticed trending through articles, posts on FB, comments to articles, movements, etc. etc.
I saw this quote on Facebook back in early September:
I thought this was so sad and going in the completely wrong direction. Acknowledging and accepting our poverties is not going to automatically establish community. Each one of us is unique and has something unique to offer the world. No one can please everyone. It is not possible. Why? Because we each have our unique tastes, desires, likes and dislikes. Just like why the quote above disturbs me but fascinates another person. There is nothing wrong with this. It should be embraced and enjoyed. Differences should be celebrated and not forced into one amorphous object.
Perhaps I am biased from my Linguistics background, where we were taught to embrace and respect different cultures and languages. Every language has something to offer, every language has something unique that is not repeated elsewhere. When we lose a language, we lose a lot. This battle to become egalitarian, to make everyone the same, to have us all live in the same type of housing, to be making all the same type of money; it doesn't make sense to me. I compare it to the world slowly being globalized. If not kept in check, we will soon succumb to speaking one language, practicing one culture. We will not remember that there were other ways of doing things. This may be convenient, and "nice", but in my opinion, the worst way to go. In Vancouver, they are pushing to have us all take transit, all live in small apartments, have high density etc. etc. I cannot live like this. I have a whole slew of animals. How could I fit 3 horses, and dog, 2 cats and a rabbit in an apartment? I need a truck to drive the trailer to go horse riding anywhere (because people are nutso on the roads), yet gas prices tell me to f*** off because I should "be taking transit" (15 cent gas tax for transit that is not accessible + 2 cent carbon tax per litre). My lifestyle is considered taboo. My god, I want to live in a house with acreage? Cursed be me! We are all different! We don't all want the exact same things. Let me be and I'll let you be. That is why higher taxes don't work. If you are concerned about medical care, then donate your extra money for that! Just because something interests you does not mean it interests me, just as I wouldn't expect higher taxes to build more equestrian trails throughout the area (though this would be awesome). If we have more access to our money, then we can put it wherever we want it, whether it be charities overseas, charities at home, hobbies, business, or even your greedy old self. No problem for me. Just let me live my life how I want to live it.
Why did I title this blog greed vs. greed? It is because the socialists are just as greedy as the capitalists are, if not more. The capitalists are always aiming higher, sometimes sacrificing people and the environment to make ends meet or to cut costs. The socialists, on the other hand, see what the wealthy have and say: "That's not fair. No one should have that much money at the expense of other people." But in their minds they are thinking "If I can't have that, then no one else should." Granted, I'm sure there are some who truly are bent in the way of social equilibrium. Their lives are dedicated to helping the less fortunate. But honestly, which one of us would not want a raise at work? Or better yet, who would hate to win the lottery? Which one of us would despise a million-dollar-a-year salary? The even bigger question is: if this did happen, what would we do with the money?
Because honestly, the average person in the world lives on less than $10 a day. We in North America (excluding Mexico) are in the top 10% of the world. For those of us not making a whole lot of money, what are we doing with the $20,000 that we do make? How much of that money are we using to support those less fortunate than we? Do we really need internet? Do we really need cable tv? Do we really need computers? Do we really need cell phones? Do we really need cars? Do we really need new clothes? Do we really need to live in nice houses? Do we really need to go to Starbucks every day? Do we really need all that? Most people don't, so why have these become the new "necessities"?
What I figure is this: For those who are complaining about the top 1%, recognize that you are in the top 10%. Whatever you would have the wealthier do, you should do too, because you are much wealthier than the average person in the world.
I most likely will never be rich, but I have nothing against those who are. The wealthy are the patrons of the arts. They are the ones who are able to donate huge amounts of money to keep many charities going. They are the ones who can pay for high quality items that keep artisans and artists in business. They are the supporters of research. A couple of years ago when there wasn't enough money to continue with The Celebration of Light in Vancouver, Scotiabank was able to donate over a million dollars so that this free event that entertains thousands of people could still be put on. This can be seen as frivolous spending, but that is exactly my point. So many enjoyable things would go down the tube if there weren't people with excessive amounts of money. Life would become monotonous, egalitarian, bland. This may be great for some people, but it does not suit me at all.
I think this is a basic principle: if I work hard and am smart about it, I want to be rewarded as such. If I grow a garden and spend a lot of time on it, then I expect to get out about as much as I put into it. The same is with money. If I plant my garden and don't water it, why should I expect anything to grow? If something does grow, then I am fortunate, but I cannot expect food to appear from nowhere if I don't even plant! Yet this is what others want. They either don't want to work, or they buy things that they can't afford. This life that most of us in North America live is extremely privileged. It is not a right. Medical care is not a right, though we are very blessed to have it. In Canada, because it is basically "free". In the USA, because it is generally top-notch care. In Mexico, because there is the option of both.
I need to stop now, because I could go on forever. I will probably write on this again because most aspects of society really bother me. Here is a quick video that a friend sent me asking some questions about the Occupy Wall Street thing: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/Lang_&_O%27Leary_Exchange/1308689786/ID=2149202610
P.S.
My political philosophy leans mostly towards libertarianism, but this does not mean I am socially dead. I volunteer often and give a significant amount of money (compared to what I make) to what I deem worthy causes.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Job Hunting
Once again I am on the hunt for a job. I have just given notice for my current job, so will be out of an income after 2 weeks. This sucks. Why am I quitting? Let's just say it's on the list of the jobs that I don't have enough patience/willpower to keep going.
Here is a list of jobs that I have done that I will not be pursuing a career in anytime soon:
1. Hostessing: I have a semi-phobia of phones, and I'm not very good at the balancing act.
2. Waitressing: I'm somewhat hard of hearing and speak too softly. People don't understand me most of the time, especially in a busy restaurant. When I get embarrassed from speaking too softly, I speak even more softly. Positive feedback. The biology definition, not colloquial.
3. Bird caretaker: as much as I love the birds (and I really do), I started to have nightmares about trying to resuscitate the dead chicks that we feed the birds. I knew then it was time to quit.
4. Work with children: as much as I love children, I can't work with them. They are exhausting!
5. Home support worker: I don't like the 24-hour shifts, and being a servant to someone's every whim, especially when it comes to personal matters.
6. Tutor: though I still work as a tutor, I realize that a lot of the people that need tutors need them because they don't have the motivation to learn on their own. They also don't want to learn with a tutor, and often resent me being there trying to teach them.
7. Teacher: I did my TESL practicum and despised it. Although I know I could suck it up and get the job done, I won't be having a good time, and the students probably won't either.
8. Office Work: again with the phones. Also I feel the pressure to interact positively with the clients. I'm not a big people person, so this is extra difficult.
9. Kitchen Staff: I volunteered in a commercial kitchen for awhile. Not my cup of tea. I need windows!
10. Dealing with mentally unhealthy people: I tried it. I did my best. It is not for me.
Here is a list of what I think I like:
1. Acting/performing: I don't care if it's background work or an actual role. I love it!
2. Animals: I love taking care of animals, especially horses, so long as it doesn't involve the cutting up animals for food.
3. Making things: I have done a bit of manufacturing and actually enjoyed it. The problem with this is that the place where I worked didn't have enough hours for me.
4. Critiquing: I love tearing things apart in the pursuit of perfection. This brings me on to the next one.
5. Editing/proofreading: I love figuring out ways to make things sound better, if I have the time for it. I also find spelling and obvious grammatical errors all of the time in books. I often circle these and ponder sending a list to the editor. I read a lot anyway, so this would be a good career. Maybe.
6. Traveling: I really enjoy seeing new places and experiencing new things.
7. Writing: I do enjoy writing, but none of what I write is good enough for anything monetary, and I'm too impatient to write a novel. I attempted and got through 5 pages.
8. Research: MAYBE. Depends on what kind of research. If it's hands-on, collaborative research that deals with relevant issues, I might actually enjoy it. Ethnography would fit lovingly in here.
9. Learning languages: if I could get paid to learn languages, I would be in heaven.
10. Community development: this is more of a dream, I don't know if I would even enjoy it, but I would like to go into small, distressed communities and help them re-find themselves, revitalize their language and culture, and start a creative process of economic development that would hopefully benefit both the individuals and the entire community.
So I have a little bit to work with. Not sure if I'll find anything suitable from the second list on Craigslist. Tee hee! We'll see though.
Here is a list of jobs that I have done that I will not be pursuing a career in anytime soon:
1. Hostessing: I have a semi-phobia of phones, and I'm not very good at the balancing act.
2. Waitressing: I'm somewhat hard of hearing and speak too softly. People don't understand me most of the time, especially in a busy restaurant. When I get embarrassed from speaking too softly, I speak even more softly. Positive feedback. The biology definition, not colloquial.
3. Bird caretaker: as much as I love the birds (and I really do), I started to have nightmares about trying to resuscitate the dead chicks that we feed the birds. I knew then it was time to quit.
4. Work with children: as much as I love children, I can't work with them. They are exhausting!
5. Home support worker: I don't like the 24-hour shifts, and being a servant to someone's every whim, especially when it comes to personal matters.
6. Tutor: though I still work as a tutor, I realize that a lot of the people that need tutors need them because they don't have the motivation to learn on their own. They also don't want to learn with a tutor, and often resent me being there trying to teach them.
7. Teacher: I did my TESL practicum and despised it. Although I know I could suck it up and get the job done, I won't be having a good time, and the students probably won't either.
8. Office Work: again with the phones. Also I feel the pressure to interact positively with the clients. I'm not a big people person, so this is extra difficult.
9. Kitchen Staff: I volunteered in a commercial kitchen for awhile. Not my cup of tea. I need windows!
10. Dealing with mentally unhealthy people: I tried it. I did my best. It is not for me.
Here is a list of what I think I like:
1. Acting/performing: I don't care if it's background work or an actual role. I love it!
2. Animals: I love taking care of animals, especially horses, so long as it doesn't involve the cutting up animals for food.
3. Making things: I have done a bit of manufacturing and actually enjoyed it. The problem with this is that the place where I worked didn't have enough hours for me.
4. Critiquing: I love tearing things apart in the pursuit of perfection. This brings me on to the next one.
5. Editing/proofreading: I love figuring out ways to make things sound better, if I have the time for it. I also find spelling and obvious grammatical errors all of the time in books. I often circle these and ponder sending a list to the editor. I read a lot anyway, so this would be a good career. Maybe.
6. Traveling: I really enjoy seeing new places and experiencing new things.
7. Writing: I do enjoy writing, but none of what I write is good enough for anything monetary, and I'm too impatient to write a novel. I attempted and got through 5 pages.
8. Research: MAYBE. Depends on what kind of research. If it's hands-on, collaborative research that deals with relevant issues, I might actually enjoy it. Ethnography would fit lovingly in here.
9. Learning languages: if I could get paid to learn languages, I would be in heaven.
10. Community development: this is more of a dream, I don't know if I would even enjoy it, but I would like to go into small, distressed communities and help them re-find themselves, revitalize their language and culture, and start a creative process of economic development that would hopefully benefit both the individuals and the entire community.
So I have a little bit to work with. Not sure if I'll find anything suitable from the second list on Craigslist. Tee hee! We'll see though.
 |
| Pickle and Kita spooning |
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Baby Bunnies :(
The blackberries are delicious right now. It was a late harvest, but they are now juicy and sweet. I decided to pick a bucket full when I got home from work today. I set out with my bucket, happy as a clam, listening to music, my dog running around joyously. That was until she sniffed out some baby bunnies.
I had never heard a bunny scream until that moment.
My husband had warned me that a couple of months ago our dog, Kita, found and ate a few baby bunnies. He was able to rescue one, but the others were goners. "One-bite snacks" as he said.
I suppose this notion was in the back of my mind when I heard the scream. I turned and there was my dog, tail wagging, staring at the ground. I told her off and rushed toward the sound. I saw the thing on the ground and couldn't tell what it was. At first I thought it was a rat, and if it were, I would have nothing to do with it. It didn't take much longer for me to realize it was a bunny. I quickly swooped it up so my curious dog wouldn't bother it anymore. It immediately calmed down, but I noticed a bite mark in its side with dried blood. The mark was too small to be my dog's, the blood to dry to be fresh, but I didn't know for sure, so I went and sat down with it cuddled against my stomach. Then I heard another scream. There was another one! I swooped up that one as well as I noticed a third crawl off somewhere. by the time I was able to grab the third, I couldn't find him. I looked all around for him without any luck. I cuddled them both to me and wondered what I should do. I looked at their injuries: the second one appeared to have a few holes in his head, one eye swollen shut, and a broken foot. I pondered the following:
1. Could I keep them and nurse them back to health?
~ but how old are they? are they old enough not to eat milk?
~ can I take them somewhere? where to take them?
~ should I find their nest and put them back?
I looked for things online. Most sites said DO NOT TRY TO REHABILITATE THEM YOURSELF. But I didn't know where I could bring them. I thought maybe I could put them back in their nest and they would heal on their own. But their wounds were pretty deep. The first one had a hole on his side that revealed something white, probably an intestine?
I started looking again for the nest, and found it. It was in rough shape, so I decided to try and build a new one and leave them there for the mom. As I was building the new nest, I saw the third one. I checked to see if it was breathing, but it wasn't. I picked him up and put him on a rock to see if I could tell how he died. He had blood on him, but not the puncture marks like the other ones did. I thought: If only I had gotten him first! He may not have died! Then I saw a white maggot-like thing crawl from out of his side and then crawl back in. Even if I had gotten to him first, and he didn't die, it wouldn't have been long until he did.
I eventually found a place called Critter Care Wildlife Society, and brought them the bunnies. The wounds were at least a day old, the person there told me, and it looked like cat bites. It was a relief to know that it wasn't my dog that had gotten them. If it weren't for Kita, I wouldn't have found them, and they surely would have died there. They may still die, but at least they have a better chance at survival now than before.
You may be thinking: So what? They're just bunnies. Bunnies reproduce at a rapid rate. If you wouldn't have found them they would have died anyway, so why rescue them? Besides that, they're wild and won't last long before they're eaten by a coyote anyway.
But I couldn't do that. My heart would never let me. I can only hope that they recover and grow up into big, healthy bunnies.
I had never heard a bunny scream until that moment.
My husband had warned me that a couple of months ago our dog, Kita, found and ate a few baby bunnies. He was able to rescue one, but the others were goners. "One-bite snacks" as he said.
I suppose this notion was in the back of my mind when I heard the scream. I turned and there was my dog, tail wagging, staring at the ground. I told her off and rushed toward the sound. I saw the thing on the ground and couldn't tell what it was. At first I thought it was a rat, and if it were, I would have nothing to do with it. It didn't take much longer for me to realize it was a bunny. I quickly swooped it up so my curious dog wouldn't bother it anymore. It immediately calmed down, but I noticed a bite mark in its side with dried blood. The mark was too small to be my dog's, the blood to dry to be fresh, but I didn't know for sure, so I went and sat down with it cuddled against my stomach. Then I heard another scream. There was another one! I swooped up that one as well as I noticed a third crawl off somewhere. by the time I was able to grab the third, I couldn't find him. I looked all around for him without any luck. I cuddled them both to me and wondered what I should do. I looked at their injuries: the second one appeared to have a few holes in his head, one eye swollen shut, and a broken foot. I pondered the following:
1. Could I keep them and nurse them back to health?
~ but how old are they? are they old enough not to eat milk?
~ can I take them somewhere? where to take them?
~ should I find their nest and put them back?
I looked for things online. Most sites said DO NOT TRY TO REHABILITATE THEM YOURSELF. But I didn't know where I could bring them. I thought maybe I could put them back in their nest and they would heal on their own. But their wounds were pretty deep. The first one had a hole on his side that revealed something white, probably an intestine?
I started looking again for the nest, and found it. It was in rough shape, so I decided to try and build a new one and leave them there for the mom. As I was building the new nest, I saw the third one. I checked to see if it was breathing, but it wasn't. I picked him up and put him on a rock to see if I could tell how he died. He had blood on him, but not the puncture marks like the other ones did. I thought: If only I had gotten him first! He may not have died! Then I saw a white maggot-like thing crawl from out of his side and then crawl back in. Even if I had gotten to him first, and he didn't die, it wouldn't have been long until he did.
I eventually found a place called Critter Care Wildlife Society, and brought them the bunnies. The wounds were at least a day old, the person there told me, and it looked like cat bites. It was a relief to know that it wasn't my dog that had gotten them. If it weren't for Kita, I wouldn't have found them, and they surely would have died there. They may still die, but at least they have a better chance at survival now than before.
You may be thinking: So what? They're just bunnies. Bunnies reproduce at a rapid rate. If you wouldn't have found them they would have died anyway, so why rescue them? Besides that, they're wild and won't last long before they're eaten by a coyote anyway.
 |
| #2 (horizontal) I have less hope for this little one, but he was still struggling to live. He liked to hide his head in my fingers. |
 |
| #1 I have much hope for this one. Clean the wound and a little sew job and this guy should be on his way. He was so cute, he would nuzzle me. |
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Spoiled Unions, Spoiled People
Most Canadians know about the postal strike that is currently happening. This is just another occasion to let my blood boil about this age of entitlement in which we currently reside.From what I've read, the issues are mostly work safety (see picture at left), and a reduction of wage for new employees (thereby not affecting any of the current employees). You may be thinking that this is a reduction from an already low wage to minimum wage. You are wrong! It is a reduction from $24 an hour to $17.50! Can you believe it? That is for new employees. I don't know anyone who started making that kind of money when they were first hired. I say get rid of the union and let them hire those of us who would be delighted to make $17.50 an hour and deliver mail in "dangerous" situations. (That dangling mailbox my cut off my hand!)
The fact is, delivering mail is not a difficult job and shouldn't be rewarded as such. The guys who built your house don't make that much. Those poor people fighting for justice don't make nearly as much! Those people harvesting your food don't make even half as much. Why is the post so special? Oh yeah, UNION.
Weren't unions supposed to protect people from being taken advantage of? Well now they just switched roles. They have nothing better to do than see exactly how much money and benefits they can get for nothing. It's ridiculous beyond belief. With this current age of technology (and not to mention the future), the postal system is going to continue to decline and just won't have the capability to support these bogus paycheques for people driving around stuffing paper in mailboxes. If they don't smarten up, they'll lose their jobs anyway. Who knows! They might get stuck making minimum wage somewhere else. (Which until last month was exactly 1/3 of their starting wage).
The thing that pisses me off most, though, is the actual injustice that is thriving in the world, and yet we focus on the most trivial things. There are approximately 9-27 million current SLAVES in the world. There are hundreds of thousands of children being abducted and forced to act as soldiers, killing their own families and friends. There are the drug wars absolutely tearing apart Latin America. There is rampant starvation, exploitation and abuse of MILLIONS worldwide, and yet the people who deliver mail in Canada are whining because crooked mailboxes are "dangerous" (inconvenient), and they want a wage increase. It makes me sick.
But I guess they're not all bad. A Canada Post worker commented:
"Well it looks like the strike is still going ahead. I hope they all lose their jobs in the union. A lot of the workers don't want to strike. It is time these gastapos were dissolved in necessity occupations. No one in the public sector should have to be the kicking dog victim of these greedy individuals who gouge the small businesses. I have no sympathy for any of them. Quit your job if you aren't satisfied. This is communism."
Then again, that group only had 18 members...
DOWN WITH THE AGE OF ENTITLEMENT. LET US OPEN OUR EYES TO THE REAL PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD.
Monday, May 30, 2011
#167 Savage Run
I went to the library book sale quite a few years ago. At the end of the day they had a great deal: all you can carry for $1. I loaded up my arms with bags and boxes and ended up with 55 books of all sorts. There was only an hour until closing, so I didn't get a chance to actually examine the books and see if they were worth reading. This was a moment when I really did judge a book by its cover (or no cover, for that matter, as what happened with one), grabbing anything that looked at least somewhat appealing. This book was one of those.
I must admit I was quite surprised by it. It's one of the dozen or so books that are left from that sale that I still haven't read. I kept avoiding it ironically enough because of the cover. It was the thinnest of the lot of books, so that is why it got picked up this time. Right from the get-go, I was pretty well into it.
The storyline is quite gruesome: the war between the extreme environmentalists and well-off ranchers has gotten out of hand and has led to the embarrassing but untraceable murders of the biggest players on the side of the environmentalists. This book is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Quite a few scenes are too descriptive for my taste and left me rather nauseous. A poor game warden, who is just trying to do his job right, gets caught in the middle of it and ends up being the hero of the day. Box throws in a few twists and turns that you could almost see coming, but are still surprising and not entirely predictable. I enjoyed this book despite its horrific descriptions and give it a total of 7.5/10
I must admit I was quite surprised by it. It's one of the dozen or so books that are left from that sale that I still haven't read. I kept avoiding it ironically enough because of the cover. It was the thinnest of the lot of books, so that is why it got picked up this time. Right from the get-go, I was pretty well into it.
The storyline is quite gruesome: the war between the extreme environmentalists and well-off ranchers has gotten out of hand and has led to the embarrassing but untraceable murders of the biggest players on the side of the environmentalists. This book is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Quite a few scenes are too descriptive for my taste and left me rather nauseous. A poor game warden, who is just trying to do his job right, gets caught in the middle of it and ends up being the hero of the day. Box throws in a few twists and turns that you could almost see coming, but are still surprising and not entirely predictable. I enjoyed this book despite its horrific descriptions and give it a total of 7.5/10
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Math 10
I have briefly considered going into the Animal Health Technician program, which requires Math 11 and Chem 11, two courses I do not have. I decided to do a little updating through TRU, and ordered a Math 10 course, since I haven't studied math in 8 years, I thought it would be smarter to do the level below rather than jump into Math 11.
I went to a private school. There must be something completely wacky between the public and private school systems! What I am studying now is the equivalent of what I learned in grade 5-7, not grade 10! What I was doing in grade 10 was much more complicated and difficult (or at least so I thought at the time). Like the Math 11 Essentials course I took while in High School (instead of Math 11), I don't even need to read the instructions and I get close to 100% on all of the exercises. No, I do not use a calculator. If this is the precursor to Math 11, I should have no problems when I start that course. Hopefully the chemistry course is just as easy. Yay for upgrading and keeping my brain semi-sharp.
I went to a private school. There must be something completely wacky between the public and private school systems! What I am studying now is the equivalent of what I learned in grade 5-7, not grade 10! What I was doing in grade 10 was much more complicated and difficult (or at least so I thought at the time). Like the Math 11 Essentials course I took while in High School (instead of Math 11), I don't even need to read the instructions and I get close to 100% on all of the exercises. No, I do not use a calculator. If this is the precursor to Math 11, I should have no problems when I start that course. Hopefully the chemistry course is just as easy. Yay for upgrading and keeping my brain semi-sharp.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
#166 The Cloud Pavilion
Is there any way to accurately express my disappointment in this book?
I bought this book at Chapters because it was on sale ($4.99) and because it had a Japanese cover. I have a friend who is obsessed with everything Japanese, so I thought I would read it, and if it was decent enough, give it to her to read.
Now perhaps I am just a little stuck up when it comes to writing skills, but I found Rowland's style extremely choppy; so much so that I almost got a headache every time I read the book. The storyline was OK, but I often questioned the characters and their actions. If they were so smart, why were they making stupid decisions? I felt that if they had asked just one more question, the whole thing would have been solved almost immediately. It also seemed that Rowland pulled back the characters' intelligence because she wasn't capable of thinking of a more sophisticated plot line.
All in all, I give it about a 3/10. It wasn't awful enough to not finish it, but I would never recommend it to anyone who prefers a reading level higher than grade 6.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Dreams or Something Like Them
Today I participated in my first ever vaulting show. It was a schooling show, so we all got ribbons, but it was a tremendous amount of fun. It reminded me that I really want to do something with my own horses.
Problem is: I need a trainer who is willing to work with 2 very different horses (personality wise), and me.
A trainer a couple years ago had me in Western Pleasure, which gave me severe back problems ( I assume it's due to needing to sit directly straight up in all gaits, which was jarring my spinal column and had me in tears during some lessons). On top of that, they HATED my mare. I am IN LOVE with my mare. I remember thinking one day: my mare treats me so poorly, but I still love her. I could never get rid of her. If I did, a piece of me would disappear.
The next trainer I had was severely against ME. She liked my mare, her husband HATED my gelding (told me I should send him up to the Yukon to be a pack horse), and neither of them liked me. After a couple months of putting up with her telling me that everything is my fault, I quit. I couldn't handle it, and clearly things weren't working out. (Once, when my horse's head was facing the wrong way, it was "my" fault. She told me the loosen the rein that was already loose. I told her so, but she started yelling at me. I got so mad I threw down the rein, and asked her "DO YOU BELIEVE ME NOW?" but she ignored me.)
So the thing is, I need someone who is willing to work with me in my horses in an encouraging way. No, we're not perfect, but we're willing to learn. I'm desperate to learn. I want to earn more participation ribbons ;).
Problem is: I need a trainer who is willing to work with 2 very different horses (personality wise), and me.
A trainer a couple years ago had me in Western Pleasure, which gave me severe back problems ( I assume it's due to needing to sit directly straight up in all gaits, which was jarring my spinal column and had me in tears during some lessons). On top of that, they HATED my mare. I am IN LOVE with my mare. I remember thinking one day: my mare treats me so poorly, but I still love her. I could never get rid of her. If I did, a piece of me would disappear.
The next trainer I had was severely against ME. She liked my mare, her husband HATED my gelding (told me I should send him up to the Yukon to be a pack horse), and neither of them liked me. After a couple months of putting up with her telling me that everything is my fault, I quit. I couldn't handle it, and clearly things weren't working out. (Once, when my horse's head was facing the wrong way, it was "my" fault. She told me the loosen the rein that was already loose. I told her so, but she started yelling at me. I got so mad I threw down the rein, and asked her "DO YOU BELIEVE ME NOW?" but she ignored me.)
So the thing is, I need someone who is willing to work with me in my horses in an encouraging way. No, we're not perfect, but we're willing to learn. I'm desperate to learn. I want to earn more participation ribbons ;).
Friday, May 13, 2011
#165 Surprised by Joy
Just a little background as to why the number 165: Growing up I was always told that I read a lot. I was called a bookworm, and everyone who knew me told other people that I always had a nose in my book. This was most likely true until I reached the age of 12, and my new friends didn’t like reading. They thought people who read were tres uncool. I didn’t quit reading altogether, but my habit did slow down quite a bit. By the time I started to fall out with those friends, I decided to get back into reading. On March 13 2002, I decided to keep track of just how many books I’ve read. 165 is the number since that date.
It’s kind of embarrassing that in just over nine years I’ve only read 165 books. That averages out to 18.3 books a year, or 1.5 per month. I suppose this is more than the average person, but not for a bookworm. I blame the lack of numbers on university. The thousands of pages I read were never counted towards this record. I only count books that I’ve read pretty well cover to cover.
This most recent one, Surprised by Joy (C.S. Lewis) was given to me by a friend on my birthday. She hoped that I would also be surprised by Joy as C.S. Lewis had been.
I read through the book with an open mind. I very rarely don’t finish a book that I’ve started (unless it’s for school), but I have to admit I was bored practically to tears through most of it. He warns readers in the first chapter if we don’t like how/where it’s going, we should put it down now. I felt an obligation to continue, and so pushed on through it. It took me two months to read, and I finished 7 books in the meantime.
I think the big difference between Lewis and me is that Lewis wanted to be an atheist, and purposefully, almost rebelliously, abandoned theism. I, on the other hand, wanted so badly to be a theist, but was “surprised by reality” that steadily led me down the path to agnosticism. Our stories are almost complete opposites, and I therefore cannot relate to his circumstance and discovery of Joy. (Though Joy, in the end, is not what is most important).
I would recommend this book to people who are Christians and would like to see the path that an atheist took to Christianity. It might also satisfy some curiosity of the atheist who wants to understand how an atheist could turn theist. For those of us who were theists turned atheist/agnostic, the book is irrelevant, disappointing even. I was definitely not surprised by joy during this book.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Job Search
So finally, after going to U on and off for 5 years, I have finally graduated. And the drumroll questions is: "What now?" It is an unfortunate question that seems to plague the majority of graduates, and often tempts them to run back to school instead of facing "real life".
I, on the other hand, embraced the school-free life with open arms... for a total of almost 2 weeks.
Yes, unfortunately I succumbed to my usual past-time of signing up for classes that I will later regret. Hopefully this time, however, since I have no pressure of actually graduating, I can enjoy these moments and drink the nourishment that learning provides for my brain.
For those who are interested: I am taking Math 10 and Abnormal Psychology by correspondence. I haven't started yet, as I am waiting for the courses to actually arrive, but I'm pretty stoked to learn more.
Oh great. HAHAHA. I just read the e-mail that they sent me, that I have to ORDER the course materials first. I thought it was automatic with course registration, but apparently not. Dumbasses... Oh! And the course materials cost more than the courses themselves! I guess I'm the dumbass now. *shakes fist at self for choosing print (expensive) instead of web (free) versions!*
As for job hunting...
Here are the options of my future that I have so far mapped out:
1. Quebec
Although I haven't received confirmation of an interview yet, I had an interview last year and was waitlisted. I'm sure I'll receive an interview this year, and I noticed they were receiving applications much later than the deadline, so I'm assuming that they have extra positions that need to be filled.
Pros:
- learn French
- make decent money part-time
- travel
Cons:
- moving my entire household: husband, horses, dog, cat, & now bunny
- giving up everything I've recently established here: 2 volunteering places, vaulting, dance, background work, & tutoring.
It seems the cons outweigh the pros, but I really want to learn French.
2. Mexico Logistics Officer
This is a job I just applied for. It's a good wage, includes variety, and has benefits after 3 months. I'm not sure exactly where it's located, but I'm willing to travel for it.
Pros:
- practice Spanish on a daily basis
- awesome on resume
- make good money, get benefits covered
- keep established life for a little while longer
Cons:
- don't learn French
- may be a long commute
- might not get hired
3. Animal Health Technician
This would require me going back to school full time. This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but if the previous two fall through. Why not? Downside: I would have to upgrade my highschool math.
Pros:
- learn to be a vet assistant
- save money in the future
- almost guaranteed job after graduation
- only 2 years
Cons:
- 2 more years of SCHOOL!
- have to upgrade math
- sucky commute every day
- no job = no money!
4. Be lazy
I think that explains it all.
Pros:
- continue with the life I have set out for me
Cons:
- I'm a continual planner, so there's no way this could last for long
- no job = no money!
So, my non-existent audience, what do you suggest?
I, on the other hand, embraced the school-free life with open arms... for a total of almost 2 weeks.
Yes, unfortunately I succumbed to my usual past-time of signing up for classes that I will later regret. Hopefully this time, however, since I have no pressure of actually graduating, I can enjoy these moments and drink the nourishment that learning provides for my brain.
For those who are interested: I am taking Math 10 and Abnormal Psychology by correspondence. I haven't started yet, as I am waiting for the courses to actually arrive, but I'm pretty stoked to learn more.
Oh great. HAHAHA. I just read the e-mail that they sent me, that I have to ORDER the course materials first. I thought it was automatic with course registration, but apparently not. Dumbasses... Oh! And the course materials cost more than the courses themselves! I guess I'm the dumbass now. *shakes fist at self for choosing print (expensive) instead of web (free) versions!*
As for job hunting...
Here are the options of my future that I have so far mapped out:
1. Quebec
Although I haven't received confirmation of an interview yet, I had an interview last year and was waitlisted. I'm sure I'll receive an interview this year, and I noticed they were receiving applications much later than the deadline, so I'm assuming that they have extra positions that need to be filled.
Pros:
- learn French
- make decent money part-time
- travel
Cons:
- moving my entire household: husband, horses, dog, cat, & now bunny
- giving up everything I've recently established here: 2 volunteering places, vaulting, dance, background work, & tutoring.
It seems the cons outweigh the pros, but I really want to learn French.
2. Mexico Logistics Officer
This is a job I just applied for. It's a good wage, includes variety, and has benefits after 3 months. I'm not sure exactly where it's located, but I'm willing to travel for it.
Pros:
- practice Spanish on a daily basis
- awesome on resume
- make good money, get benefits covered
- keep established life for a little while longer
Cons:
- don't learn French
- may be a long commute
- might not get hired
3. Animal Health Technician
This would require me going back to school full time. This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but if the previous two fall through. Why not? Downside: I would have to upgrade my highschool math.
Pros:
- learn to be a vet assistant
- save money in the future
- almost guaranteed job after graduation
- only 2 years
Cons:
- 2 more years of SCHOOL!
- have to upgrade math
- sucky commute every day
- no job = no money!
4. Be lazy
I think that explains it all.
Pros:
- continue with the life I have set out for me
Cons:
- I'm a continual planner, so there's no way this could last for long
- no job = no money!
So, my non-existent audience, what do you suggest?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Your Highness? My foot.
I just wanted to say "WHAT THE HELL?"
I went to the theatre tonight with my husband, a guy from his work and that guy's girlfriend.
We opted to see Your Highness because it fit our schedules best. We were 4 of maybe 10 people in that showing, which thank goodness at least got us comfortable seats.
But the movie.... seriously? I caught myself texting people, checking Facebook, and searching for things on imdb.com. I didn't laugh once during the entire movie. I wasn't even remotely entertained. It was one of the very few movies I could have walked out of without a second thought. Usually, even during terrible movies, I want to stick through it to see what happens in the end. This one was so utterly predictable, drab and vulgar that I was not in the least curious as to what I would miss if I walked out.
I stayed because it would have been rude to leave my companions behind. At least it was cheap night and I got my popcorn.
I know many people enjoy that kind of movie, but I find them appalling, degrading, and an absolute waste of money and talent.
IT was more entertaining than this one.
I went to the theatre tonight with my husband, a guy from his work and that guy's girlfriend.
We opted to see Your Highness because it fit our schedules best. We were 4 of maybe 10 people in that showing, which thank goodness at least got us comfortable seats.
But the movie.... seriously? I caught myself texting people, checking Facebook, and searching for things on imdb.com. I didn't laugh once during the entire movie. I wasn't even remotely entertained. It was one of the very few movies I could have walked out of without a second thought. Usually, even during terrible movies, I want to stick through it to see what happens in the end. This one was so utterly predictable, drab and vulgar that I was not in the least curious as to what I would miss if I walked out.
I stayed because it would have been rude to leave my companions behind. At least it was cheap night and I got my popcorn.
I know many people enjoy that kind of movie, but I find them appalling, degrading, and an absolute waste of money and talent.
IT was more entertaining than this one.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sunny Days
The past few days it's been sunny. It's cold in the early afternoon, but as the day progresses it becomes bearable. I have been loving this weather, the sun not setting until at least 5:30. That's the way it should be. There is ample time in the afternoons to work outside and get things done before the sun gallivants off into the distance, mocking me. I have a strange little quirk that has been in my possession since I was a child. Sunsets make me mournful. They bring out of me a longing that practically drives me insane. This only lasts for the half hour or so that it takes for the sun to disappear. Then the night comes in, and I'm in a different world.
But I like to think I've been productive the past few days. On Monday I babysat a friend's daughter for 6 hours. The more I babysit, the less I want kids. I don't mind them, but I like them going home to their parents. I don't want to get stuck with a needy creature 24/7/52/18+. I can't imagine. I don't want to imagine.
I also made Mexican meatballs on Monday. They are from a recipe that my sister-in-law sent me. they are quite tasty, and my husband is quite joyful every time I make Mexican food. Earlier that day I started to remove the brambles from the trees and the barn.
Yesterday I cleaned out one of the gutters on the barn. It was absolutely, horribly clogged. It took me over an hour just to clean that one part. I then finished cleaning the rest of the brambles that were attached to the barn and trees. After hours of work I finally got them all out except for the roots. The roots are ginormous. I took an axe to them, but could only get off small chunks. The larger of the two is about 6"x4", to give some sort of perspective. Maybe I'll take a picture and post it.
Today I cleaned the other accessible gutters of the barn. These ones stunk unbelievably. I had to use my hands because I don't have a tool and the hose didn't reach. I've washed my hands many times and the smell still won't leave. I also started to clean up the insulation from the shed that I have been trying to demolish for many months. I cleaned it out of my garden first, then grabbed a few chunks and filled up 3 bags. I then commenced to hack at the blackberry bushes and filled my yellow bucket with them. I finally removed the broken, blue container that the previous tenants left. It was filled with dishes and pots. I threw out the pots because they shattered when I lifted them, but I have no idea what to do with the dishes. Who knows how long they've been there, and they've been covered in mud and rotting things so that there were prickles growing out of them! I've left them in the yard for now, but that's not a permanent location.
I also have been doing quite a bit of reading for school. I wondered where all my time went last week, and I realized that it was because I was finishing reading Don't Sleep There Are Snakes. It was a delightful read, and even though I didn't label it "school reading", it will definitely help me with my final paper. He brought up many relevant points.
I have not done physical labour for so long, I am lazy to go to ballet tonight. I will still go, because that is what I need to do, but I am quite tired! Going to ballet requires an extra hour of driving. But I have already paid for the class, and I know I enjoy it while I'm there (despite looking fat in my leggings and tank-top).
But I like to think I've been productive the past few days. On Monday I babysat a friend's daughter for 6 hours. The more I babysit, the less I want kids. I don't mind them, but I like them going home to their parents. I don't want to get stuck with a needy creature 24/7/52/18+. I can't imagine. I don't want to imagine.
I also made Mexican meatballs on Monday. They are from a recipe that my sister-in-law sent me. they are quite tasty, and my husband is quite joyful every time I make Mexican food. Earlier that day I started to remove the brambles from the trees and the barn.
Yesterday I cleaned out one of the gutters on the barn. It was absolutely, horribly clogged. It took me over an hour just to clean that one part. I then finished cleaning the rest of the brambles that were attached to the barn and trees. After hours of work I finally got them all out except for the roots. The roots are ginormous. I took an axe to them, but could only get off small chunks. The larger of the two is about 6"x4", to give some sort of perspective. Maybe I'll take a picture and post it.
Today I cleaned the other accessible gutters of the barn. These ones stunk unbelievably. I had to use my hands because I don't have a tool and the hose didn't reach. I've washed my hands many times and the smell still won't leave. I also started to clean up the insulation from the shed that I have been trying to demolish for many months. I cleaned it out of my garden first, then grabbed a few chunks and filled up 3 bags. I then commenced to hack at the blackberry bushes and filled my yellow bucket with them. I finally removed the broken, blue container that the previous tenants left. It was filled with dishes and pots. I threw out the pots because they shattered when I lifted them, but I have no idea what to do with the dishes. Who knows how long they've been there, and they've been covered in mud and rotting things so that there were prickles growing out of them! I've left them in the yard for now, but that's not a permanent location.
I also have been doing quite a bit of reading for school. I wondered where all my time went last week, and I realized that it was because I was finishing reading Don't Sleep There Are Snakes. It was a delightful read, and even though I didn't label it "school reading", it will definitely help me with my final paper. He brought up many relevant points.
I have not done physical labour for so long, I am lazy to go to ballet tonight. I will still go, because that is what I need to do, but I am quite tired! Going to ballet requires an extra hour of driving. But I have already paid for the class, and I know I enjoy it while I'm there (despite looking fat in my leggings and tank-top).
Friday, January 28, 2011
Endangered Languages
A friend of mine posted an article on FB about a language from northern Greenland that was at risk of being endangered because of climate change and the fact that they were being forced to move further south, therefore exposing them to "modern" life. One of the responses to the article was by a guy who obviously knew nothing of the subject, but was very adamant about his opinion that it is better for them to stop speaking their language, to stop their cultural practices, and update themselves with the rest of the world. It made me quite upset because it is this kind of attitude that has caused so many problems with indigenous people everywhere, when approached by colonizers or simply those that want to take over their land. A linguist responded to him with reasons that neatly summed it up for a lay person to understand.
Here is a more indepth conversation on the topic by a linguist who spent more than 30 years in the Amazon, studying the Pirahã people. The culture and language of this group is so fascinating and different that puts into many questions what people have thought about science, language, thought, reality etc. This group has no numbers, no system of counting, no myths, no fiction, no stories from beyond immediate experience, has no terms for colours, and only very basic kinship terms. From the scientific perspective, according to Daniel Everett, they were keeping as pets the very same animals that scientists thought had been extinct for more than fifty years.
I am about halfway through his book "Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes", and I'm only 1/7th through the video, but this is an important topic and I wish to share the video with anyone who happens to read my blog. Hopefully, someone like the person who incorrectly assumed that it was best for all people to be like everyone else, can watch this and open his mind a bit.
http://fora.tv/2009/03/20/Daniel_Everett_Endangered_Languages_and_Lost_Knowledge
Here is a more indepth conversation on the topic by a linguist who spent more than 30 years in the Amazon, studying the Pirahã people. The culture and language of this group is so fascinating and different that puts into many questions what people have thought about science, language, thought, reality etc. This group has no numbers, no system of counting, no myths, no fiction, no stories from beyond immediate experience, has no terms for colours, and only very basic kinship terms. From the scientific perspective, according to Daniel Everett, they were keeping as pets the very same animals that scientists thought had been extinct for more than fifty years.
I am about halfway through his book "Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes", and I'm only 1/7th through the video, but this is an important topic and I wish to share the video with anyone who happens to read my blog. Hopefully, someone like the person who incorrectly assumed that it was best for all people to be like everyone else, can watch this and open his mind a bit.
http://fora.tv/2009/03/20/Daniel_Everett_Endangered_Languages_and_Lost_Knowledge
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
DTES... & Hobbies!
This past Monday I went to a documentary night at my school, and yet another film about the DTES was played. I think it portrays even more clearly the issues of this area and releases some interesting facts. It is called "Streets of Plenty", and despite the angry comments that it has received on Youtube, I would highly recommend it. I have noticed that most people will talk shit on the internet just because they can. They may know nothing about the issue, but they are violent about their opinion. It irritates me, but trying to educate them does no good. They are hiding behind the walls of their computer screens. They can be, say, do, whatever they want with no consequences.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6-1oo-b3Ds is the link to the first part of seven.
On a more cheery note, I participated in my third ballet class tonight. I had a lot of fun. According to my teacher, I should have been put into dance when I was younger because I have a natural flexibility and apparently I can move my leg and foot in a way (with no effort) that neither she or another student in my class can. They said I could become a prima ballerina. I said I was too old, but my teacher said this was not the case.
Years ago I was quite upset at life because of all the missed opportunities, bad decisions, and failed efforts in the areas of extra-curricular activities. I was quite upset, especially because of my lack of horse lessons (something I was passionate about growing up), and as an example I said "To become a great ballerina, you need to start young. You can't start ballet as an adult an expect to succeed". Everyone agreed with me.
But this news that both my teacher and another girl in my class said that I could become a prima ballerina goes against my original proposition, and they certainly must know more than I do. I hope that they were not joking. I have consistently looking in my life for something that I really enjoy. I have been looking for something that I am naturally good at, that I can afford, that I can practice without exceptional equipment, and that will lead to performances.
I tried singing and guitar. Though I wrote quite a few songs, my voice kept getting weaker and singing became a strain. It no longer brought me joy, but sadness because I could see my ability getting smaller. I tried to join a local choir, but nothing came of it, and my hands are very small, so guitar wasn't working out for me so much. Not to mention that after only a few minutes of playing, my wrists would ache, burn and cramp up. I had to leave this hobby behind. (But luckily my husband sings and plays guitar to make up for it :) )
I tried getting back into horse riding when I was 16. I finally convinced my dad to get me a horse, but good horses cost a lot of money, so I got a cheap horse. My horse was not only cheap, but very green. In fact, before I got her, no one had ever ridden her before. We sent her to these cowboys (who eventually became my friends) and they trained her. I brought her home, but I didn't have a saddle or a bridle (which are also very expensive)! So I couldn't ride her when she came home. I begged my dad to buy me a saddle and finally he bought me the cheapest one, which ended up not fitting her. When I rode her, the saddle would slide back on her back, and no matter how tight I pulled the girth, the saddle would slip. I hadn't had proper riding lessons in years, so this was not a good deal. Plus, being a green rider on a green horse with bad equipment without a decent place to ride, made the whole thing a nightmare. Winter rolled along and daylight hours shrunk, leaving no time to ride. Springtime rolled around and we found out she was pregnant! This is why I have two horses.
I went for a ride in the summer in a park. It was difficult to do this because I was (at the time) not capable of driving the truck with the trailer, and my dad usually needed the truck for work, so arranging times was difficult, and he didn't want to wait 2 hours for me to ride my horse around the park. So on one of these rare occasions while I was riding, my horse, Dancer, refused to move. I tried every trick I knew, but I couldn't get her to budge. Finally, another horse and rider came and that convinced her to put her feet in motion. I finally made it back and I was so frustrated with everything. I was frustrated with my horse for not being obedient, and I was frustrated with myself for not knowing enough. It was time to send her to a trainer. When it came the time that I was able to wean my colt. I sent Dancer to a barn to get trained with the intention of us both getting trained at once. I was told this was not to be.
I was immediately started on lessons twice a week on a much better-behaved horse in the style of Western Pleasure. I was told I had a natural talent, and within 2 or 3 years I could be showing. I missed my horse, despite her bad traits, and I wasn't allowed to ride her. When I was doing the lessons, I began to have serious back problems, and my doctor told me I needed to stop riding. I rode the whole summer before with no problems, so I had to contribute the ultimate factor to that style of riding. There wasn't anything else in my life that could possibly be harmful to my back.
I eventually quit those lessons because they became too stressful and too painful. All I wanted was to ride my own horse. I eventually started lessons once a week on my own horse for a little while before I took her home. I had wonderful fun during these lessons despite the terribleness of both my and my horse's skills. I realized that when I ride, I need to ride for my own pleasure now, and not for anything else. Western Pleasure is not western pleasure in my books.
Later in life, I tried lessons again so that I could do barrel racing, but my teacher wouldn't teach us to barrel race because we couldn't go in a straight line. I agreed to lessons so that we could go in a straight line. But after many lessons and no sign of improvement, I lost sight of my hope to barrel race and I quit. It was much too expensive, anyway. I also tried going to a thing called cowplay. I had loads of fun at this as well, but it doesn't continue in the summer, and I never heard from them again in the fall. Hopefully I can start this again soon, both Dancer and I really enjoy cowplay. I took Kaden (her son) once, and he was terrified of the cows, but much better behaved. Dancer likes to bite the cows, but she doesn't know how to go where I need her to go.
So this brings me to dance. I have always enjoyed dancing. I was in ballet and tap as a very young child, but was pulled out for some reason. My mother's recollection of it differs greatly from mine. I remember quitting ballet because I wasn't learning anything, and I was told that I wouldn't learn anything (mainly pointe) until I was 9. That was 5 years away at the time, and I didn't see the point in waiting. My mom would say differently.
But dancing itself, I greatly enjoyed. I would always dance by myself. No one would ever see me dance. When I finally did dance in front of my friends when I was 14, I was made fun of. I never wanted to dance in front of anyone. But dancing helped me feel alive. It was how I dealt with too much emotion. I never, ever, thought that I should actually join a class. The only dance I saw was hip-hop, which I'm not that interested in, and lyrical/jazz, which I think just looks silly. I didn't think about joining ballet again.
Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what made me determined to go in ballet again. In the fall of 2009, I considered taking belly dancing, but that didn't work out in my schedule. I think it has to do with two reasons. The first is that when I dance by myself, I notice that my moves are often ballet-like. I thought that I should take this tendency and become trained in it. Besides, those who do ballet are extremely strong and fit and capable of doing amazing things. I want to be strong, fit and capable of doing amazing things without having to go to the gym. The second reason is because of my rebellious nature. I have this rebellious nature in me that likes to take on challenges and prove the other person, statistic, etc. wrong. I may not follow through with it, but I often will find a challenge where someone says "no" and I say "just you wait".
Perhaps, and I may be totally wrong in saying this because I really do lack commitment in most of my engagements, I will become that prima ballerina. If I have that potential, I want to take a hold of it and take myself to the next level. I can prove myself wrong by saying "You can start ballet as an adult and succeed. Your past really doesn't have to determine your future. It will affect you, but you can start over now. Now marks the beginning of a new decision. You can either succumb to the pain and disappointment of the past, or you can rebel and take the challenge. You can succeed in that challenge."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6-1oo-b3Ds is the link to the first part of seven.
On a more cheery note, I participated in my third ballet class tonight. I had a lot of fun. According to my teacher, I should have been put into dance when I was younger because I have a natural flexibility and apparently I can move my leg and foot in a way (with no effort) that neither she or another student in my class can. They said I could become a prima ballerina. I said I was too old, but my teacher said this was not the case.
Years ago I was quite upset at life because of all the missed opportunities, bad decisions, and failed efforts in the areas of extra-curricular activities. I was quite upset, especially because of my lack of horse lessons (something I was passionate about growing up), and as an example I said "To become a great ballerina, you need to start young. You can't start ballet as an adult an expect to succeed". Everyone agreed with me.
But this news that both my teacher and another girl in my class said that I could become a prima ballerina goes against my original proposition, and they certainly must know more than I do. I hope that they were not joking. I have consistently looking in my life for something that I really enjoy. I have been looking for something that I am naturally good at, that I can afford, that I can practice without exceptional equipment, and that will lead to performances.
I tried singing and guitar. Though I wrote quite a few songs, my voice kept getting weaker and singing became a strain. It no longer brought me joy, but sadness because I could see my ability getting smaller. I tried to join a local choir, but nothing came of it, and my hands are very small, so guitar wasn't working out for me so much. Not to mention that after only a few minutes of playing, my wrists would ache, burn and cramp up. I had to leave this hobby behind. (But luckily my husband sings and plays guitar to make up for it :) )
I tried getting back into horse riding when I was 16. I finally convinced my dad to get me a horse, but good horses cost a lot of money, so I got a cheap horse. My horse was not only cheap, but very green. In fact, before I got her, no one had ever ridden her before. We sent her to these cowboys (who eventually became my friends) and they trained her. I brought her home, but I didn't have a saddle or a bridle (which are also very expensive)! So I couldn't ride her when she came home. I begged my dad to buy me a saddle and finally he bought me the cheapest one, which ended up not fitting her. When I rode her, the saddle would slide back on her back, and no matter how tight I pulled the girth, the saddle would slip. I hadn't had proper riding lessons in years, so this was not a good deal. Plus, being a green rider on a green horse with bad equipment without a decent place to ride, made the whole thing a nightmare. Winter rolled along and daylight hours shrunk, leaving no time to ride. Springtime rolled around and we found out she was pregnant! This is why I have two horses.
I went for a ride in the summer in a park. It was difficult to do this because I was (at the time) not capable of driving the truck with the trailer, and my dad usually needed the truck for work, so arranging times was difficult, and he didn't want to wait 2 hours for me to ride my horse around the park. So on one of these rare occasions while I was riding, my horse, Dancer, refused to move. I tried every trick I knew, but I couldn't get her to budge. Finally, another horse and rider came and that convinced her to put her feet in motion. I finally made it back and I was so frustrated with everything. I was frustrated with my horse for not being obedient, and I was frustrated with myself for not knowing enough. It was time to send her to a trainer. When it came the time that I was able to wean my colt. I sent Dancer to a barn to get trained with the intention of us both getting trained at once. I was told this was not to be.
I was immediately started on lessons twice a week on a much better-behaved horse in the style of Western Pleasure. I was told I had a natural talent, and within 2 or 3 years I could be showing. I missed my horse, despite her bad traits, and I wasn't allowed to ride her. When I was doing the lessons, I began to have serious back problems, and my doctor told me I needed to stop riding. I rode the whole summer before with no problems, so I had to contribute the ultimate factor to that style of riding. There wasn't anything else in my life that could possibly be harmful to my back.
I eventually quit those lessons because they became too stressful and too painful. All I wanted was to ride my own horse. I eventually started lessons once a week on my own horse for a little while before I took her home. I had wonderful fun during these lessons despite the terribleness of both my and my horse's skills. I realized that when I ride, I need to ride for my own pleasure now, and not for anything else. Western Pleasure is not western pleasure in my books.
Later in life, I tried lessons again so that I could do barrel racing, but my teacher wouldn't teach us to barrel race because we couldn't go in a straight line. I agreed to lessons so that we could go in a straight line. But after many lessons and no sign of improvement, I lost sight of my hope to barrel race and I quit. It was much too expensive, anyway. I also tried going to a thing called cowplay. I had loads of fun at this as well, but it doesn't continue in the summer, and I never heard from them again in the fall. Hopefully I can start this again soon, both Dancer and I really enjoy cowplay. I took Kaden (her son) once, and he was terrified of the cows, but much better behaved. Dancer likes to bite the cows, but she doesn't know how to go where I need her to go.
So this brings me to dance. I have always enjoyed dancing. I was in ballet and tap as a very young child, but was pulled out for some reason. My mother's recollection of it differs greatly from mine. I remember quitting ballet because I wasn't learning anything, and I was told that I wouldn't learn anything (mainly pointe) until I was 9. That was 5 years away at the time, and I didn't see the point in waiting. My mom would say differently.
But dancing itself, I greatly enjoyed. I would always dance by myself. No one would ever see me dance. When I finally did dance in front of my friends when I was 14, I was made fun of. I never wanted to dance in front of anyone. But dancing helped me feel alive. It was how I dealt with too much emotion. I never, ever, thought that I should actually join a class. The only dance I saw was hip-hop, which I'm not that interested in, and lyrical/jazz, which I think just looks silly. I didn't think about joining ballet again.
Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what made me determined to go in ballet again. In the fall of 2009, I considered taking belly dancing, but that didn't work out in my schedule. I think it has to do with two reasons. The first is that when I dance by myself, I notice that my moves are often ballet-like. I thought that I should take this tendency and become trained in it. Besides, those who do ballet are extremely strong and fit and capable of doing amazing things. I want to be strong, fit and capable of doing amazing things without having to go to the gym. The second reason is because of my rebellious nature. I have this rebellious nature in me that likes to take on challenges and prove the other person, statistic, etc. wrong. I may not follow through with it, but I often will find a challenge where someone says "no" and I say "just you wait".
Perhaps, and I may be totally wrong in saying this because I really do lack commitment in most of my engagements, I will become that prima ballerina. If I have that potential, I want to take a hold of it and take myself to the next level. I can prove myself wrong by saying "You can start ballet as an adult and succeed. Your past really doesn't have to determine your future. It will affect you, but you can start over now. Now marks the beginning of a new decision. You can either succumb to the pain and disappointment of the past, or you can rebel and take the challenge. You can succeed in that challenge."
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Drugs
In response to my blog yesterday please watch "Through a Blue Lens"
Here is a link for the video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTH1rbTeqyg
Here is a link for the video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTH1rbTeqyg
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Bland
I had been wanting to write in my blog today, but my internet was poo. Now that it is working, I can't remember what I wanted to write about.
I went to the DTES this morning with my husband, my friend, and her friend. We served hot chocolate to the homeless and not-so-well-off people who showed up.
When it comes to poverty, I think in ways of getting people out of it. I do not think it is best to throw things at impoverished individuals so that we can feel good about the good deeds we have done. If we really care about these individuals, we should give them the skills and opportunities to get themselves out of poverty. For example, a micro-loan in Peru could get an entire family out of poverty by giving them the means to do so, and it also gives them determination because they have the responsibility to pay the loaner back. I have heard of people doing this, and over 90% of micro-loans are paid back, and those who used the loan find themselves in a more encouraging situation. I am very much for fair trade and ethical buying. I do not think it is good to enslave people so that I can buy a $5 t-shirt. But this is a different kind of poverty.
The kind of poverty I saw today is a "fat" poverty. It is a selfish poverty because it needn't be that way. I am somewhat embarrassed of my views of the Canadian impoverished and "impoverished" because I have seen people work their asses off and make in a day what I usually make in an hour. They work hard and struggle to put food on the table and a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs. Our impoverished? When they receive new donations, they sell them. There is such an abundance of food, that if someone knows how to work the system, he can eat 11 times a day. He is free from taxes and yet everything is provided for him. He doesn't have to work and yet he receives a cheque twice a month.
I understand that there are reasons why these people flock to the streets: addictions, mental illness, family troubles, abuse, cycle of poverty etc. and these are all very important and very serious things. Of course they must be dealt with, but it is hard for me, because of who I am, to feel very much for them. I feel more for the person who struggles to live but is restrained by society, than for the person that loses themselves and is sustained by society. Because of my irritation towards the latter class of people, I must expose myself to them more often. With exposure (combined with an open mind) comes understanding, and understanding produces friendship, or at least gets rid of ill-feelings.
It's not that I despise these people, because I don't. I just don't get how they can live the way they do, with teeth rotting out of their mouths, without bathing, throwing garbage on the ground, and not cleaning up after themselves (this is not everyone, but this is some of what I saw today). But then again, I do not understand my own husband who often doesn't clean up after himself, or shut a closet door after he opens it etc. etc. Anyway, I believe that I must expose myself to things that I am not comfortable with. I need to stretch and grow myself. I will not die an old, ignorant woman, who lived only with what pleased her. To what great purpose my learning will serve, only time will tell. Perhaps I will fade away like a small, old star, that no one ever really noticed among the billions in the night sky. Perhaps I will grow into a red giant and supernova, creating a great spectacle in the sky for many to see. Whatever the case, I must always do my best with the few cycles around the sun I have been given. Even if it all amounts to nothing, time will always know I tried.
Image retrieved from: http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/space/supernova/supernova_3.jpg
I went to the DTES this morning with my husband, my friend, and her friend. We served hot chocolate to the homeless and not-so-well-off people who showed up.
When it comes to poverty, I think in ways of getting people out of it. I do not think it is best to throw things at impoverished individuals so that we can feel good about the good deeds we have done. If we really care about these individuals, we should give them the skills and opportunities to get themselves out of poverty. For example, a micro-loan in Peru could get an entire family out of poverty by giving them the means to do so, and it also gives them determination because they have the responsibility to pay the loaner back. I have heard of people doing this, and over 90% of micro-loans are paid back, and those who used the loan find themselves in a more encouraging situation. I am very much for fair trade and ethical buying. I do not think it is good to enslave people so that I can buy a $5 t-shirt. But this is a different kind of poverty.
The kind of poverty I saw today is a "fat" poverty. It is a selfish poverty because it needn't be that way. I am somewhat embarrassed of my views of the Canadian impoverished and "impoverished" because I have seen people work their asses off and make in a day what I usually make in an hour. They work hard and struggle to put food on the table and a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs. Our impoverished? When they receive new donations, they sell them. There is such an abundance of food, that if someone knows how to work the system, he can eat 11 times a day. He is free from taxes and yet everything is provided for him. He doesn't have to work and yet he receives a cheque twice a month.
I understand that there are reasons why these people flock to the streets: addictions, mental illness, family troubles, abuse, cycle of poverty etc. and these are all very important and very serious things. Of course they must be dealt with, but it is hard for me, because of who I am, to feel very much for them. I feel more for the person who struggles to live but is restrained by society, than for the person that loses themselves and is sustained by society. Because of my irritation towards the latter class of people, I must expose myself to them more often. With exposure (combined with an open mind) comes understanding, and understanding produces friendship, or at least gets rid of ill-feelings.
It's not that I despise these people, because I don't. I just don't get how they can live the way they do, with teeth rotting out of their mouths, without bathing, throwing garbage on the ground, and not cleaning up after themselves (this is not everyone, but this is some of what I saw today). But then again, I do not understand my own husband who often doesn't clean up after himself, or shut a closet door after he opens it etc. etc. Anyway, I believe that I must expose myself to things that I am not comfortable with. I need to stretch and grow myself. I will not die an old, ignorant woman, who lived only with what pleased her. To what great purpose my learning will serve, only time will tell. Perhaps I will fade away like a small, old star, that no one ever really noticed among the billions in the night sky. Perhaps I will grow into a red giant and supernova, creating a great spectacle in the sky for many to see. Whatever the case, I must always do my best with the few cycles around the sun I have been given. Even if it all amounts to nothing, time will always know I tried.
Image retrieved from: http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/space/supernova/supernova_3.jpg
Friday, January 14, 2011
Faith
Life is all about faith, whether we wish it to be or not. Most of the "facts" that we "know" we have not experienced firsthand, and therefore we have faith in the source to relay to us the truth. We have faith in them, that they are not trying to trick us, that they're not trying to make fools of us. It is because of this trust, this faith, that many crimes happen. Yet it is not possible to live without faith. If we were to trust nothing, not even what our own sense tell us, how can we do anything? If we go back to Descartes' brain in a vat idea, what we see, what we touch, what we experience might not even be true. But in order to live, we must have the faith that it is true. Faith in what is seen, faith in what is not seen.
This whole idea of truth has become a tricky topic for me in the past while. When I read something, especially in the news, how do I know that it is true? Even an article that was once written about me had 9 falsities in it. I have heard it time and again of people that have been in situations that were documented by the news, and the truth has been stretched, twisted or even ignored! So why read the news if I know that most of it cannot be trusted? I watched a video once about "slavery in Canada". The producer had the idea that what was written in our history books was not entirely the truth. They wrote a story that they wanted to be true, and now that is what we believe. We had faith in the authors that they were telling us the truth, and according to this person, it isn't truth at all.
I have also been noticing that science is not truth either. Science is still full of mysteries, and experiments are manipulated to find the answers the experimenter is looking for. Science cannot study something that we are still not fully aware of. Even in the social sciences, people study and spend their life researching something. They pour their whole lives into something, and yet no one can agree on it. What seems like obvious truth to one is heresy to another. Maybe this is why people are religious. It is not so big of a step to believe something totally unbelievable when we do it every day. Who is to say that it is true that anything we know is true? Truth is relative. Truth changes over time. If I say on May 20 "I am going to study at UBC this fall". It is true at the time. I have chosen my courses, paid my fees etc. August roles around and I find that my finances can't support such a costly tuition, so I switch to UFV. My statement on May 20 is no longer true, but it was true at the time. Truth is not infinite.
Why believe anything? Because it is necessary. Without faith we cannot live. We could not trust the food we eat, the air we breathe, the things we see, the things we hear, that the chair we are sitting on is real and will continue to support us.
This whole idea of truth has become a tricky topic for me in the past while. When I read something, especially in the news, how do I know that it is true? Even an article that was once written about me had 9 falsities in it. I have heard it time and again of people that have been in situations that were documented by the news, and the truth has been stretched, twisted or even ignored! So why read the news if I know that most of it cannot be trusted? I watched a video once about "slavery in Canada". The producer had the idea that what was written in our history books was not entirely the truth. They wrote a story that they wanted to be true, and now that is what we believe. We had faith in the authors that they were telling us the truth, and according to this person, it isn't truth at all.
I have also been noticing that science is not truth either. Science is still full of mysteries, and experiments are manipulated to find the answers the experimenter is looking for. Science cannot study something that we are still not fully aware of. Even in the social sciences, people study and spend their life researching something. They pour their whole lives into something, and yet no one can agree on it. What seems like obvious truth to one is heresy to another. Maybe this is why people are religious. It is not so big of a step to believe something totally unbelievable when we do it every day. Who is to say that it is true that anything we know is true? Truth is relative. Truth changes over time. If I say on May 20 "I am going to study at UBC this fall". It is true at the time. I have chosen my courses, paid my fees etc. August roles around and I find that my finances can't support such a costly tuition, so I switch to UFV. My statement on May 20 is no longer true, but it was true at the time. Truth is not infinite.
Why believe anything? Because it is necessary. Without faith we cannot live. We could not trust the food we eat, the air we breathe, the things we see, the things we hear, that the chair we are sitting on is real and will continue to support us.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Of Tea and Private Ryan
I went to Tim Horton's today with my mug from home. I brought this with the intention of avoiding needless waste of one of the paper cups. I ordered my steeped tea, making it clear that I wanted it in my mug. The girl at the counter grabbed a paper cup and started to make my tea.
"I wanted that in my mug," I told her.
"I know. I have to make it in this first because we're not allowed to stir mugs from home."
"I know, but you're supposed to use a straw," I retorted (at the Tim Hortons that I worked at 4 years ago, and all the others that I have seen use a straw instead of the spoon to stir the contents of mugs from home). I took my mug back and told her not to bother as there was no point in using my mug if she was just going to use and dispose of the paper cup anyway.
Before this incident, I spent most of the day PAing for my brother's friends' rendition of Saving Private Ryan in 60 seconds. It is part of a competition for Virign 95.3 in Vancouver where contestants have to re-make their favourite movie in 1 minute. Another group of my friends did a pretty good job of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but I have a feeling that this one will take the cake. Not only did I work on it, but the amount of time, effort, and people involved in this one is too amazing not to win. There are explosions, awesome costumes and stunt men. They have one more day of filming, then to edit and finally will be submitted.
The website is: http://vancouver.virginradio.ca/VideoChannel/FakeFilmFestival/Channel.aspx
Willy Wonka can currently be viewed. I have my fingers crossed that Saving Private Ryan will be finished by next week, as I am beyond excited to see it! Check out Willy Wonka now, and be sure to return to watch Saving Private Ryan!
"I wanted that in my mug," I told her.
"I know. I have to make it in this first because we're not allowed to stir mugs from home."
"I know, but you're supposed to use a straw," I retorted (at the Tim Hortons that I worked at 4 years ago, and all the others that I have seen use a straw instead of the spoon to stir the contents of mugs from home). I took my mug back and told her not to bother as there was no point in using my mug if she was just going to use and dispose of the paper cup anyway.
Before this incident, I spent most of the day PAing for my brother's friends' rendition of Saving Private Ryan in 60 seconds. It is part of a competition for Virign 95.3 in Vancouver where contestants have to re-make their favourite movie in 1 minute. Another group of my friends did a pretty good job of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but I have a feeling that this one will take the cake. Not only did I work on it, but the amount of time, effort, and people involved in this one is too amazing not to win. There are explosions, awesome costumes and stunt men. They have one more day of filming, then to edit and finally will be submitted.
The website is: http://vancouver.virginradio.ca/VideoChannel/FakeFilmFestival/Channel.aspx
Willy Wonka can currently be viewed. I have my fingers crossed that Saving Private Ryan will be finished by next week, as I am beyond excited to see it! Check out Willy Wonka now, and be sure to return to watch Saving Private Ryan!
Friday, January 7, 2011
A New Life
I can't believe I've already been married for more than 6 months. Perhaps this is not such a big deal for the average person, but for me it is. Time is slipping away so quickly. Six months have already passed since my wedding! How many more days until my body completely falls apart? How many more days until I am dead?
It is interesting to me how the perception of time changes when one gets older. Time has always been a frustrating concept for me, even more so after briefly studying relativity in a university astronomy class just over a year ago. Is time real? What makes our bodies age and molecules degrade over time? These are questions I continue to ponder on occasion, but I need the time to sit down and study it. I need time to think it over and full comprehend it. I haven't yet been able to find that time. I have been consumed for the past 5 years in my studies at university. Though I despise the whole system, I somehow found myself trapped in it. Though I do not regret how it has opened my mind and has taught me so many things, the way that it is set up is torturous to me, and I will be glad to be done with it.
My non-academic readings lately have been about human trafficking. Strangely enough, it has been within the past 6 months that my interest in this area has been perked, and I have brought myself to read the following books so far:
On the Side of the Angels: Dr. Joseph D'Souza
Invisible Chains: Benjamin Perrin
Ending Slavery: Kevin Bales
Not For Sale: David Batstone
The Natashas: Victor Malarek
I must admit that I am quite overwhelmed by the whole thing. I have been reading articles, studies and other things on top of these books. The first one I read was overtly religious, but I didn't know that when I read it. I read it anyway, and only found it slightly practical. Invisible Chains was great because it deals with the problem specifically in my own country, Canada. Ending Slavery was quite a to deal with. It is a very thick book crammed with facts, statistics, stories and ideas. For a detailed understanding of modern-day slavery, I would recommend this one. Not For Sale was a much easier read considering that I had read Ending Slavery just before it. The stories in it are quite brutal, but it is formatted in a reader-friendly way. I am on the conclusion of The Natashas right now. It makes me so mad at the corruption that is happening in the world, and the lust of women and money that fuels it. I wish I could do something, but I feel so powerless. I have been trying to volunteer for some agencies in my area, but this has been an uphill process. It is such an old concept, but new to be battling slavery in these days, and there isn't much structure in Canada with which one could place himself. It won't stop me from trying, but it is quite defeating knowing that these rapes, murders, and horrific crimes are happening every day and I am doing nothing to stop it because I don't know how.
The first thing that I decided to do is educate myself on the issue, because the worst thing to do is to go in fighting while remaining ignorant. In one of my linguistics classes this past semester we were given an anecdotal story at the beginning of class:
Somewhere on an island, way out in the middle of the ocean, there was a monkey. The monkey was a happy monkey, eating his bananas, climbing trees, and spending his days soaking in the rays of the sun. One day a storm came. The wind was howling and it was raining really hard. The waves in the ocean were large and rough. He noticed a fish swimming against the current. It was having quite a difficult time getting anywhere. The monkey climbed a tree and went out on a branch and scooped the fish up into his hand. He quickly put the fish on dry land, cheering that he had saved the fish. The fish squirmed around in a panic, but because the monkey didn't understand the fish, he thought the fish was wiggling in delight. Soon the fish was quiet. The monkey thought he had gone to sleep, resting after the difficult battle against the waves a few minutes earlier.
The best of intentions can have disastrous results if one walks into a situation in ignorance. There is so much to learn before action is taken. Though this may seem ridiculous because so many bad things are happening RIGHT NOW, action should be taken immediately, and things figured out along the way. As history has taught, this approach actually does more damage than good. Yes, sometimes immediate action does need to take place, but if possible, it is best to understand and then do the work rather than think that one knows enough and make things worse.
It is interesting to me how the perception of time changes when one gets older. Time has always been a frustrating concept for me, even more so after briefly studying relativity in a university astronomy class just over a year ago. Is time real? What makes our bodies age and molecules degrade over time? These are questions I continue to ponder on occasion, but I need the time to sit down and study it. I need time to think it over and full comprehend it. I haven't yet been able to find that time. I have been consumed for the past 5 years in my studies at university. Though I despise the whole system, I somehow found myself trapped in it. Though I do not regret how it has opened my mind and has taught me so many things, the way that it is set up is torturous to me, and I will be glad to be done with it.
My non-academic readings lately have been about human trafficking. Strangely enough, it has been within the past 6 months that my interest in this area has been perked, and I have brought myself to read the following books so far:
On the Side of the Angels: Dr. Joseph D'Souza
Invisible Chains: Benjamin Perrin
Ending Slavery: Kevin Bales
Not For Sale: David Batstone
The Natashas: Victor Malarek
I must admit that I am quite overwhelmed by the whole thing. I have been reading articles, studies and other things on top of these books. The first one I read was overtly religious, but I didn't know that when I read it. I read it anyway, and only found it slightly practical. Invisible Chains was great because it deals with the problem specifically in my own country, Canada. Ending Slavery was quite a to deal with. It is a very thick book crammed with facts, statistics, stories and ideas. For a detailed understanding of modern-day slavery, I would recommend this one. Not For Sale was a much easier read considering that I had read Ending Slavery just before it. The stories in it are quite brutal, but it is formatted in a reader-friendly way. I am on the conclusion of The Natashas right now. It makes me so mad at the corruption that is happening in the world, and the lust of women and money that fuels it. I wish I could do something, but I feel so powerless. I have been trying to volunteer for some agencies in my area, but this has been an uphill process. It is such an old concept, but new to be battling slavery in these days, and there isn't much structure in Canada with which one could place himself. It won't stop me from trying, but it is quite defeating knowing that these rapes, murders, and horrific crimes are happening every day and I am doing nothing to stop it because I don't know how.
The first thing that I decided to do is educate myself on the issue, because the worst thing to do is to go in fighting while remaining ignorant. In one of my linguistics classes this past semester we were given an anecdotal story at the beginning of class:
Somewhere on an island, way out in the middle of the ocean, there was a monkey. The monkey was a happy monkey, eating his bananas, climbing trees, and spending his days soaking in the rays of the sun. One day a storm came. The wind was howling and it was raining really hard. The waves in the ocean were large and rough. He noticed a fish swimming against the current. It was having quite a difficult time getting anywhere. The monkey climbed a tree and went out on a branch and scooped the fish up into his hand. He quickly put the fish on dry land, cheering that he had saved the fish. The fish squirmed around in a panic, but because the monkey didn't understand the fish, he thought the fish was wiggling in delight. Soon the fish was quiet. The monkey thought he had gone to sleep, resting after the difficult battle against the waves a few minutes earlier.
The best of intentions can have disastrous results if one walks into a situation in ignorance. There is so much to learn before action is taken. Though this may seem ridiculous because so many bad things are happening RIGHT NOW, action should be taken immediately, and things figured out along the way. As history has taught, this approach actually does more damage than good. Yes, sometimes immediate action does need to take place, but if possible, it is best to understand and then do the work rather than think that one knows enough and make things worse.
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