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You are likely fortunate enough to have a holiday on Wednesday. If you are able, please take the opportunity to attend a Remembrance Day Ceremony near you. They often last no more than an hour. Here is a partial list of some of the ceremonies, but I know for a fact there are many more. Every municipality and city in Metro Vancouver has at least one, if not two cenotaphs, and each one will be hosting a ceremony. A simple Google search with your town’s name and “Remembrance Day 2009″ will likely result in information about your local service. If you are interested in joining me at one, please let me know.
Canada has given over 100,000 of its sons and daughters, including over 100 recently. Please attend.
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this elementary school choir on youtube, and I was smitten. I have finally got around to sharing the PS 22 Chorus with you here as I feel you should check them out. The balance part of the blog might ask: is this appropriate for an elementary school choir? You know what, this is just too cool, and look at the kids, they are having too much fun: this is appropriate!! I wish I sounded half as good, and am glad music brings these kids joy, it should. I couldn’t decide on a single song to share with you, I like these four below, each for a different reason. They have a host of many other songs on youtube, or simply check out their blog at: http://ps22chorus.blogspot.com/. Having trouble surviving while playing in the cold? Take this musical journey to the eye of the tiger and you’ll be running this town while living life. Which one is your favourite? Also: as a reminder, I try to keep the secondary pages (about, currently…) up to date even when I don’t post here, from time to time anyways, and now is one of those times.
BBC Wildlife Magazine and London’s Natural History Museum award annual wildlife photography awards. This year’s winner of the Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year award went to Jose Luis Rodriguez for his absolutely amazing shot of a wolf in flight – so to speak. I recommend you check out his photo and the other winners by going here: Leaping Wolf Snatches Photo Prize.It also explains the painstaking efforts that went into making this shot happen.
While I do give him credit for a well planned and well executed shot, he did have to rely upon a lot of technology. We are about balancing ideas out here, so maybe we should ask: as a result, can it be given the same credit as other wildlife shots?
Should Books for Asia be sending what we deem to be a good children’s book to a school in Thailand? It was a twitter post by Nicholas Kristof, a reporter for the NY Times, that put me on to this. Regular readers (all three of you) may wonder why I would ask such a silly question. I have written here before promoting fiction for children, and how a well written children’s story can be beneficial to us all. Books rank as one of the best possible material gifts one can give in my opinion. Further, literacy is a keystone to success within North American culture. Thus, I too wonder a bit at my question. Yet, what if we considered things a bit more deeply? Maybe you should watch the video first.
Some questions you might have asked: Is the happiness of these children dependent upon stories from North America? Do these children not dream already? In many ways these stories are nonsensical – what kind of ideas do they put into children’s heads? Why should your favourite book from a shortlist of five be the one that gets sent to this school? Shouldn’t the culture, community, and teacher select the book?
Just asking. The video is well put together. I kind of like nonsensical ideas sometimes. I am going to vote for a book. You’ll have to decide if you are. I like the song. Do you have the answers to these questions? My answers are just more questions. Except, I like books.
I smile, without melancholy, knowing the best is not even there. Instead, I have taken it with me. Hoping that we all do, and looking forward to the future. It is the memories, not the place, which are important.
Thanksgiving just might be my favourite holiday. This statement has been met with a few quizzical looks lately, but I am prepared to back it up. It is a celebration that combines tradition and flexibility. Friends and family gather or connect without the stress of gift giving or pressure of other holidays. It is of a secular nature, but can be recognized as important for any number of faiths. Most of all, it emphasizes something that is explicitly simple, yet overwhelmingly important: reflection on and expression of thanks. In other words, it has a sublime balance to it.
While it is important to be grateful throughout the year, this weekend’s holiday helps us draw attention to those things we are thankful for. Relationships, particularly family and friends, are consistently first on my list of things I am thankful for. Last year’s Thanksgiving post was focused on relationships, and a year later I am even more appreciative and fortunate to have people in my life that make me a better person. However, on this Thanksgiving I want to note that I am thankful for my health and physical condition. We often say we are glad to have good health, and wish good health on those we care about, but I find recently that I am rather humbled and extremely grateful to do so much that I probably take for granted. Without being healthy I would not have been able to visit so many of the places I have been to in this word. I would not have been able to engage in so many of the activities that bring me joy. Many of the relationships in my life are fostered by activities that would be impossible if I was not healthy. Finally, my day to day existence is completely easy due to my state of fitness. In short, I am extremely fortunate, and as a result, extremely thankful.
From this extends thanks to specific people. I am thankful to my parents who instilled within me a priority for health and fitness. I am thankful to my friends and family who inquire after my health and encourage me to take care of myself (yes, even though I am stubborn). I am thankful to those friends who I go on outdoor physical adventures with as they place safety and health above accomplishments, records, and summits.
On a specific note, I am thankful for everything I have been, and will be involved in this weekend: spending time with a number of close friends I care about, listening to live music, laughing with friends and family, being active outdoors with awesome people I care about, spending time with family, spending time with little buddies I care about, playing hockey, perhaps watching some film, enjoying a fantastic meal, and having the time to reflect and be thankful. What a great Thanksgiving, filled with so many things that bring me joy, and it’s mainly due to some of you who are reading. I don’t think I could ask for a better one.
I hope you get to spend time with people you care about this weekend.
The author is quite grateful and fortunate to live in the part of the world that he does, and finds it helps bring him balance. Perhaps this photo connects with that, perhaps it doesn’t. It is a happy time near where the author lives. Do you get balance out of where you live? Or do we create balance within the environment we live in? That’s all I got for now. I mentioned earlier things would be brief here for a while.
With the passing of the autumnal equinox and summer having officially come to an end a few days ago it’s time to recall some of the one liners of the preceding season. This follows the successful post of a year ago, and me not really feeling up to generating original content right now. So, from the past season of frivolity, camping, longer days, weddings, and travel comes the following collection of remarks. Please feel free to add your own in the comments. Gotta love the quotes of summer!
“First rule of Rainforest Club: don’t touch anything in the Rainforest.” – Rainforest club members.
“A very warm welcome and Buenos Dias to… <insert new person or place here>” – Daniel
“Don’t be that guy” “But somebody has to be that guy” “Okay, be that guy” – on the d-floor
“oooooooo, I hope we see a bear!” – E
“I thought it was a puma… turned out it was a tree mouse.” IR, in jest
“Perhaps you need a life coach” – B
“Stupid stove, stupid craigslist” – A…. “Alright, let’s not panic.” – IR
Many students across Canada will be taking time out of their school day later this week to participate in the Terry Fox School Run. You can be a part of this day as well. Please sponsor a child’s participation in this national event. Any donation or pledge is greatly appreciated, and will help younger Canadians realize that we all support Terry’s dream. It won’t be hard for you to get involved as the majority of students in this country are collecting money this week for cancer research. You must know a family member, a friend’s child, or a student in your neighbourhood who is participating. Every dollar counts, and it sets a fantastic example that this is a cause our children can expect support in, and should continually offer their support to, for as long as it is needed.
Are you kidding me? They’ve gone and mashed a bunch of my favourite things into 1 minute and 32 seconds:
An iconic children’s story;
ground-breaking film techniques;
Spike Jonez;
Wake Up by Arcade Fire;
key themes I write about, and in life, written in big scrawly letters;
cool editing;
and just some general wildness and mayhem as we find ourselves.
I really like all of these things, I really like this trailer, and I really hope this movie is pretty much the cat’s pajamas. Be hopeful, be adventurous, conquer fear, watch this trailer, Wake Up, and be… WILD! I will go see this. I think you should too.
… and in a related story. The upcoming Vancouver International Film Festival runs from October 1st to 16th. I am still searching for a film fest buddy. If you’re a local reader let me know if you’re interested in attending anything. We can choose together, (website here) or you can trust my judgment. It’s what S. always did Film fest – good times.
Which one is your favourite? Also: as a reminder, I try to keep the secondary pages (
