Leonicka Valcius - Writer

Where I am on the Web

2011-09-05T10:40:00.000-04:00

I don't use this blog as much as I used to, but here are some other places to connect with me online:

Race/Ethnicity: ____________

2010-12-09T10:18:00.000-05:00

I hate filling that blank - or worse picking a label from a list. Always have and probably always will. When filling forms I usually leave it blank or chose "Prefer Not to Answer." When that option isn't available and I am told I must answer I tend to become quite ornery. I distinctly remember giving elementary school teachers headaches with my protest. "But I'm not African - American," I would complain. "I'm not even American!"

Many years and many forms later, I can finally articulate what bothered me about that question. I don't like to be boxed in. I don't want to be part of the statistics of how well or poorly x percent of black/ African - American / [insert vogue term used by the majority to Other minorities] perform on standardized tests. I don't want to be admitted to an institution so they can meet their quota or use me as their token. I had no interest in "reclaiming" a label originally used to marginalize me.

So, when faced with the same quandary as I created a profile on a dating website (You don't want to know... Well, maybe you do but I'm not telling :P ) I reacted as I always did: I left it blank. The choices were ridiculously limited anyhow and I didn't want to be filtered out any results if someone happened to refine their search by race.

Cue the paranoid insecure little girl inside my head. Among many other doubts I began having, I also was reconsidering my decision. Just because I am comfortable with interracial relationship doesn't the other person is. Though I rarely came across a profile that listed a particular race/ethnicity in the "What I look for in a partner" section it is likely the omission is due to a sense of political correctness. (One guy did include ethnicity in his laundry list of qualities a partner must have. He self-identified as Caucasian but was looking for "non-Caucasian women; preferably Middle Eastern or South Asian." It's not my place to judge but take from that what you will.) This is not a post-racist world.

I took the advice of my inner worrywart and of a close friend and added race to my profile. I am now listed under "black" - whatever that means. To be perfectly honest, I don't want any surprises and I don't want to be a surprise. Besides, if someone is filtering their results by race, I probably don't want them to find me anyway.

Watching What Happens

2010-09-25T11:28:00.000-04:00

I did not write a blog post about the season premiere of Being Erica because, truth be told, I found it a bit underwhelming. But, as I am not one to publicly bash my favorite show, I will wait until after the second episode to give a good critique.

So instead I turn to my favorite reality show. I watch way more reality TV than I would like to admit but since Top Chef is pretty respectable (it did win an Emmy after all) I don't mind talking about it.

I am very excited for Top Chef: All Stars. I think any fan who had been watching since the beginning (Remember that season? The one with the host who was not Padma?) always wondered what would happen if their favorite cheftestants went head to head. Now we will finally find out!

The official list is on bravotv.com so I won't rewrite it here. I do have my own list of the chefs I am most excited to see back.

From Season 1, I can't wait to see Tiffani back in the kitchen. She was bold, sometimes abrasive, and the inspiration of what I would argue is the most memorable Top Chef quote of all time: "I'm not your bitch, bitch!" She made it all the way to the finals and, as Tom Colicchio said, could have won. Maybe she she will prove once and for all that the original is still the best!

The return of Casey from Season 3 is also exciting. My heart broke when I watched the finale of her season because I felt she was just off her game that day. She had shown throughout her season that she is a phenomenal chef.

Season 4 had so many talented chef so it is not surprising that out of the four contestants they brought back I am excited to see three. Richard, Spike and Dale are very different chefs with very different personalities but there was never a time during the show that I doubt their passion and ability to put out delicious food. Sigh. Someone really needs to invent taste-o-vision. Or Top Chef needs to come to Toronto.

Fabio and Carla are returning from Season 5 and apart from being great in the kitchen they also had really fun personalities. Carla went all the way to the finale. There was some controversy, with some people blaming Casey (who was her sous chef) for the loss but I think that's nonsense. Carla had an off day and did not cook "her food." After learning that lesson I'm sure she'll be a force to be reckoned with.

I liked Jennifer from Season 6 because she was such a hard-core chef. She was clearly one of the forerunners from the beginning and I think she will do well in this new season.

And then of course there is Season 7's fan favorite. I really love Tiffany. She was fun and smiley and always brought her A game. I teared up just a tad when she got eliminated.

Top Chef: All Stars will premiere December 1st. I'll be watching. Will you?

Moving On

2010-09-11T20:06:00.000-04:00

I have not been updating this blog as much as I would like and that is going to change. I’m entering my fourth year of university and finally realize how close “real life” is. I reaffirmed my desire to be in the media industry. I have such a love and passion for the written word that I would never be happy if I settled for anything else.

Future posts will (for the most part) be editorial-like articles on topics that I find compelling. My goal is for them to be insightful and informative and that they will provide a taste of my writing style.
I have many other projects planned so stayed tuned for those as well.

Spot the differences

2010-02-01T12:41:00.001-05:00

Let's play a game. The title links to the article The Varsity published entitled "Do more than donate' The following is the the second draft of the artcile I wrote. Let's see if you can spot the differences.

***

I cannot pretend to be impartial. My heart grows heavy as news from Haiti filters in. The Haiti I heard about growing up, the Haiti of my parents' childhood was "La pearle de les Antilles.". The Haiti of today is much battered but still resilient. Every image compels me to do something, to take action, to get involved.

Luckily there is no shortage of response here at U of T. Following the quake, President David Naylor issued a statement and held an event in solidarity. UTSU, in conjunction with both the Scarborough and Mississauga campuses, has formed a coalition of student, faculty, and community members to launch a campaign in support of Haiti. Other student groups have hosted (and continue to host) smaller events that shed light on the crisis in Haiti.

One such event was "Haiti up against Neoliberalism." Hosted by the Women and Gender Studies Student Union on Wednesday January 27th, the event was an important part of the re-emerging discourse on Haiti. In an email, Savitri Persaud, Co-President of WGSSU, highlighted the many dimensions of Haiti's social and political history: "The events in Haiti are directly linked to the WGS curriculum because this interdisciplinary program asks its students to critically assess and engage with world issues, and to analyze them as issues that are apart of a much larger web of interlocking multiplicities, whose matrix is connected to matters not only concerning gender, but race, colonialism, imperialism, globalization, and poverty to name a few."

The event was part film screening, part discussion. First was "Aristide and the Endless Revolution", a film that examined the coups d'etat in 1991 and 2004 that removed Haiti's president, Jean Bertrand Aristide. The second film, "Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy" explored the experiences of a group of Haitian women and how neoliberal policies (what is known as the Washington Consensus) has affected them.

The heart of the event was the discussion facilitated by Dr. Rachel Gorman, a professor in the Women and Gender Studies program whose courses include WGS385: Gender and Neoliberalism. More than anything, the event was successful in creating a space for learning. Sitting on couches and pulled-up chairs, munching on pizza and other snacks, students were able to share their thoughts, insights, and knowledge surrounding the current events in Haiti, the many factors that precipitated it and and the implications it has for the future. More than anything however, they were able to ask their questions. The key here was that they were not experts, nor were they expected to be. The students genuinely wanted to learn more about a situation that affects everyone.

What was conspicuously absent from this event was a donation jar. When asked why, Persaud answered, "It was a conscious decision not to collect donations. ‘"Haiti up against Neoliberalism’" was intended to educate. Ultimately, the decision to donate is a personal one and our hope is that through awareness raising, people will make informed decisions about where to donate should they choose to do so."

The earthquake itself may be a natural disaster, but Haiti is going through a man-made catastrophe too. Understanding the underlying issues requires time, energy and a conscientious effort. Haiti's problems did not begin on January 12th 2010. They can be traced much further back to political instability, foreign occupation, unequal terms of trade, resource extraction, imperialism, colonialism, slavery and beyond. I challenge everyone to attend an event with depth—one that will reshape your conceptions of the country the ignorant so often write off as "the poorest in the Western Hemisphere." Such events are not hard to find, especially now. If your group or organization is not already planning something about Haiti, tell them to.

By no means do I frown upon donating money; Haiti needs as much money as the can get. But sometimes giving money is not enough. With collection jars popping up everywhere and the words "proceeds will help Haiti" appearing anywhere, it is easy to lose sight of what is at stake. A Sex and the City theme party does not help Haiti. Haiti has reached a tipping point. Whether this earthquake becomes an opportunity for Haiti to start fresh or a chance for the exploitation and strangulation to become more complete will depend not on how much cash is raised, but by how many people stand to defend Haiti and work to see her rise as the Pearl of the Antilles once more. L'union fait la force—In unity there is strength.

***

Needless to say I am unhappy. My next post will explain why.

The Many Faces of Janusz

2010-01-26T11:35:00.000-05:00

Writing this article really solidified why I like to write for Arts (and Entertainment): you don't have to be an expert to appreciate it.

I started this article before even going to the exhibit. Quite simply I wrote down the questions I had about the collection and made it my perogative to find the answers. My questions weren't elaborate. They were 'Who is this guy?' and 'Why should I go look at a bunch of pictures of him?'

Once I visited the exhibt, writing was easy. The last time I was so excited about an article for the Varsity was for my review of the ROM's Diamond Exhibit (also in this portfolio).

As always the title links to the article printed in the Varsity. But this time I'm giving a visual sneak peek:

Michael Merrill, Janusz in Bedlam, 1984, acrylic on canvas. Collection of Janusz Dukszta.

A survival guide to the new semester

2010-01-11T17:05:00.003-05:00

The latest article I got published. Just goes to show you that sarcasm can make any article fun - no matter how lame the topic. Many thanks to my friend Hope for proofreading, contributing and staying up with me as I finish :)

Do the Ten Commandments still matter?

2009-10-22T21:34:00.002-04:00

Today's lesson: Writing an opinion/comments article is not equivalent to writing whatever you want. It involved substantiating your arguments and at least in part engaging with the discourse that already surrounds the topic.

I don't think this article was entirely successful because it began as my using it as a platform and trying to be funny. As the editing process wore on the "funny" was stripped out of it and we're left with an article that, though satisfactory, does not address all facets of the issue.

But still it was a learning experience.

Spite the Power

2009-10-20T20:48:00.003-04:00

Hooray for more articles! This one was covering a talk by Reena Katz at the University of Toronto Art Centre. It was a learning experience for multiple reasons.

First, I had the opportunity to be exposed to a critical subject matter about which, I must admit, I was very ignorant. The talk got me thinking about the issue and willing to learn more about it. I am even considering reading Said's book in my spare time.

Second, the article was very difficult to write. I was out of my element. It wasn't a review so I couldn't simply give my opinion and the subject matter did not lend itself to witticisms. But with the help of the section editor, I think I wrote a decent piece.

As always the title links to the article.

Note 1: I didn't come up with the title. I only wish I were so clever!
Note 2: Someone commented on my article on the website! My article is spurring discussion! Woot!

This is our Jerry Springer moment

2009-09-30T13:17:00.006-04:00

You know that shocked emote? Not the jaw-dropped one, the bug-eyed one. Y'know... this one: O_O

That was my face throughout the entire play. Wait, no. That's not true. There was lots of this XD too.

I was shocked by how explicit and unabashed the play was as a whole. But what was even more surprising was how not offended I was. I mean the tag line was "Prepare to be offended all over again" and yet there I was LMAOing away not stopping to think "This is so wrong." Or worse. Maybe I did no it was wrong but simply didn't care. Jerry Springer: The Opera appealed to the train-wreck watcher in me that was so busy watching the disaster unfold that she never even wondered if anyone was hurt.

Perhaps that was the message of the play: to force ourselves to wonder what kind of people watch shows like Jerry Springer (or for that matter any of the reality shows on TV) day after day and yet still cling to this delusion that they are above it all.

The title links to the theatre review I wrote of Hart House's production of Jerry Springer: The Opera. Enjoy!

Season Preview: Being Erica

2009-09-24T14:51:00.003-04:00

This is my first article for the Varsity this year. I watched the season premier on Tuesday and was not at all disappointed. It really is great show. I encourage EVERYONE to watch it.

Superman must have been a contortionist...

2009-05-12T18:30:00.000-04:00

I spent the day working in a telephone booth. You know the ones: red, very British looking? Yeah, those. They look absolutely lovely from the outside. But from the inside... well, claustrophobic would be putting it lightly.

Granted I was outside most of the time, and it was actually two booths put together. But still. When I had to fill out my paperwork at the end of the day I was twisting and turning trying to find a comfortable position.

Which brings me to Superman. Didn't he used to change in these things? From unassuming Clark Kent to the amazing Superman? That's incredible! I mean he was what, six feet tall at the very least? I'm a measly 5' 5" and felt like a sardine in that thing! Was the Man of Steel more malleable than once presumed? He had to be. Only explanation for it. Superman: faster than a speeding bullet, more flexible than a bendy straw.

Lessons from UTSO

2009-05-09T08:37:00.005-04:00

This past school year I had the opportunity to work with the University of Toronto Sustainability Office as part of the work-study program. I am not studying anything directly related to the environment or sustainability so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned and and how germane the topics were.

I was part of the Outreach and Communication Team, which gave me insight into public relations on a smaller scale. Some of the tasks we accomplished include hosting an art show that communicated sustainability, improving the signage throughout the university to increase the office's visibility and most importantly completely changing the UTSO website.

I quickly learned how difficult it is to effectively market a message. It's not enough simply to be visible. One would like the audience to get the right message. We spent a lot of time looking at colors, font size, and word choice when designing the new signs.

I also learned that every mundane task is important. In preparation for the launch of the new website, I had the task of finding images to complete the site. I sifted through hundreds of University of Toronto photos and thousands of stock images. I had to find pictures that were the right size, had the right color palette, and once again, conveyed the right message. It was tedious work but in the end the website look much more polished and professional.

Another benefit to working at the Sustainability Office was I learned what kind of working environments I did not like. I realized that I am not comfortable working alone. I thrive off of team work and cooperation. I found the individualistic workplace stifling and found myself eagerly awaiting team meetings. I enjoyed discussing my work with my peers and brainstorming to come up with new ideas.

I enjoyed working at the Sustainability Office for the technical skills I learned, such as building a website, and for the exposure to a different side of the workplace. Ultimately I learned two lessons: green is the new black and cooperation is key.

Welcome! Bienvenue! Bienvenido!

2009-05-08T09:38:00.005-04:00

I had always known that speaking several languages was excellent for a resume. I did not however realize how invaluable it would be on the job.

I should have guessed as much. I currently work in the tourism industry in Toronto, one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Yet I was still surprised when I was required both French and Spanish on the same day.

The first was a man who tentativly approached the booth. As I began my sales pitch he shook his head and asked, "You speak French?" He beamed when I answered in French that I did. Apparently he had been in the city for a week and I was the first person who spoke French. I left Montreal when I was eight years old so my French is by no means perfect, but he was happy nonetheless.

I suppose in a small company word travels quickly. My manager had overheard me giving a customer the pickup time in Spanish. Next thing I knew a coworker led an entire family to me. He explained that they were visiting from Paraguay adn spoke little English. It was time for me to work my magic.

Once again my Spanish was less than stellar. I studied Spanish in highschool, but had not had to use it in over 2 years. It was better than nothing. The family seemed to understand everything I said and happily used our services.

In an increasingly globalized world, speaking different languages is an invaluable skill. Gone are the days where your native tongue was enough. I am glad I took the time to learn foreign languages and as I encounter different peoples, both at work and in the course of my daily life, I am eager to learn more.

Missing Erica

2009-04-28T09:04:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Wednesday and I have nothing to which I can look forward. She would come by every week to fill my heart with laughs and tears. But now she's gone. I miss her already.

Okay, maybe that's a tad overdramatic. But when "Being Erica" had it's season finale almost a month ago, I was left with an entertainment void that has been hard to fill. It's amazing how attached one can get to television.

This time last year, I was in South Florida preparing to move to the arctic tundra. My first priority was to catch up on pop culture. Though I would be a repatriated Canadian (I was born in Montreal, raised in Florida, and now lived in the Greater Toronto Area) I did not for a minute think I would be exempt from culture shock. So, I changed my homepage to cbc.ca and tried to learn Canadian culture by osmosis. It didn't work.

Flash forward to January. Walking through Union Station I was bombarded with the building's wall to wall "Being Erica" wraps. There was something unnerving about walking over the face of a smiling woman. Still I paid no attention. Until that fateful day when I accidentally clicked the sidebar ad for the show. Don't you hate that? You're on the internet trying to procrastinate and then some ad pops up and next thing you know you can't even remember what you were trying to do in the first place! Very annoying.

The ad brought me to the "Being Erica" website, which led me to the blog. It was hilarious. So I did the logical thing and watched the episodes that were online. Fabulous. From that day on I was hooked. I watched every episode as soon as I could both on TV and online. I would then immediately run to Erica's wall (because by this time of course, Erica was my Facebook friend) and leave comment. Then I would scurry over to the Facebook group dedicated to the show. It was great fun. Before I knew it, I had a favorite show in Canada.

That was invaluable. Prior to "Being Erica" I was scouring YouTube for episodes of my favorite American programs. I remember bawling because I missed the finale of "Top Chef Season 4." But now there was a show that was Canadian through and through: it was shot in Toronto with Canadian actors and was aired on CBC. That's as canuck as you can get with out picking up a hockey stick. There was a sense of community and exclusivity; I had the joy of both recognizing my city as the backdrop to the show and of knowing that for once Americans were clamoring to find a Canadian show. (A quick aside: I find it strange that ABC Family has picked up "Sophie" which was kind of lame in my opinion, while, as far as I know, no American stations have picked up "Being Erica.")

And then, all too soon, it was over. The show concluded with an emotionally charged cliff-hanger of a finale. Then nothing. The marketing team, who up to this point had been amazing on giving Erica presence off the show, cut the cord and left viewers desperate for more. The video blog that preceded the season was not resumed. Erica's Facebook page is not updated. And every Wednesday at 8:59 EDT I realize that there's nothing to watch.

Nicki BluIs

2009-04-14T20:45:00.000-04:00

I always try to make sure my online presence portrays exactly the image I want it to and thus I google myself on a regular basis. The latest time, though, I took it one step further. I googled the penname that I use on many websites. What I found was not shocking. There was nothing of which I was particularly ashamed. In fact I am quite proud of some of the pieces of fiction that are attached to that psuedonym.

But still, in my hyper-sensitive, workforce oriented frenzy, I began to wonder: What if potential employers found these things and linked them back to me? What if they weren't impressed with my poetry? What if they thought my writing was crude and distasteful? What if... they thought this was enough to disqualify me for a position?

I broke all ties with that penname. Every link that could connect "Leonicka Valcius" to "Nicki BluIs" was deleted. With that I breathed a sigh of relief and thought myself safe.

Then the pesky voice of doubt came back. Did I do the right thing? Should I hide such a major part of who I am? Do I want to work at a company that would discount a person's qualification over a trivial nonissue? Was I engaging in self-censorship?

We are living in an age where all our lives are open books. The lines between public and private are blurred beyond recognition. The places where we can "be ourselves" are getting smaller and smaller until we spend every other moment holding our tongues and looking over our shoulders because Big Brother is watching.

And what does he see? He sees that I am nineteen years old. That I am working very hard to forge my own path. He sees that I like to express my hopes, my dreams, and my feelings via the written word. He acknowledges that not all those words are polished and professional. Some are silly. Some are strange. Some are rude and defy the rules of etiquette and political correctness. But all are real. And none are out of the ordinary.

So I proudly present Nicki BluIs! Love her or hate her, she is here to stay.

BDE: Update 3

2009-03-31T21:34:00.001-04:00

Wow. I totally forgot about this. That should tell you the approximate success of my strategies.

That's not to say I haven't had my good days. But they certainly weren't best days. And they certainly didn't come as often as I would like. Strategy 1 failed. Saying hi to strangers is too hard. Strategy 2 failed because of sheer laziness.

Looking at what makes my good days good and my blah days blah, I've noticed that routine and monotony induces the "flatline" feeling. After awhile the days just run together and everything seems gray and dull. Conversely the happy days are marked by productivity and novelty.

Which leads me to Strategy 3: "Complete at least one task and/or do one new thing every day." Now I already know the "productivity" part of that strategy is going to fail; I'm a chronic procrastinator. (Yes, I know it's a terrible character trait. I'll fix it... later. :P) The novelty thing shouldn't be too difficult though. Especially with summer coming soon.

If you have any other tips and strategies or general words of encouragement, feel free to leave a comment. Ta ta for now!

Earth Hour

2009-03-28T22:34:00.003-04:00

At 8:30 pm I ran around the house and turned off all the lights. A year ago I wouldn't have done so - I don't think I even knew about Earth hour last year. But after working with my university's sustainability office I felt that I had an obligation to do what was right. So off the lights went.

It felt like the slowest hour of my life. It wasn't the darkness so much - days with shuttered windows during hurricane season had made me used to darkness. It was the inherent passivity of it all. I turned off the lights and thought to myself, "Okay. Now what?" Earth Day felt like a fun, hip thing to do but I wasn't really sure how it was helping the cause.

Raising awareness, maybe? That's always a worthwhile goal. But what exactly was Earth Hour trying to communicate? What were we, as a global community, being asked to think about? How did turning off the lights for an hour affect our collective attitudes about energy conservation? Do we really care? Or was this a gimmick? A quick and easy thing to do to stay part of the "green" trend? Or worse is it a sort of atonement? Turn off your lights for an hour and wipe away the guilt of a year's worth of wasteful practices?

Maybe I'm putting too much thought into it. Maybe if I had been rocking out at free concert in Nathan Phillips Square, the hour would have passed much faster and I would not have had the time to worry about silly things like the Earth.

BDE: Update 2

2009-03-08T21:52:00.000-04:00

So my two strategies were abysmal failures.

Strategy 1 failed because I got nervous and tongue-tied and instantly retreated into my private nooks like a baby turtle.

Strategy 2 almost succeeded! I packed my gym clothes, went to the building where the gym is, and then.... checked my email. Mistake. Checking my email inevitably leads to spending at least two hours online, by which time I had to catch the bus home.

I did however have good weekend! I was very busy but very productive so it was worthwhile.

As I have said before it isn't the weekend that's the problem. It's those five torturous days leading up to the weekend that continue to thwart me. But I shall prevail.

Strategies 1 and 2 are still go for next week. Wish me luck.

New Things

2009-03-04T15:43:00.000-05:00

I don't like 'em. New things, I mean. Why fix it if it ain't broke? Why get a new one if the old one works fine? These are words of wisdom folks, words to live by!

After I got the "Internet Explorer is not responding" message for the umpteenth time, I decided to take a big step and download Firefox. I know. I'm a rebel. :) So I click all the "accept" and "agree" and "install" and "run program" buttons and voila! I had a brand new, spic and span browser!

It was so pretty. It was sleek and modern and just felt right. At this point I am very proud of myself and my leap of faith. I went and told all my friends the good new (instant messaging rocks) and they welcomed me into the 21st century.

And then I tried to open a new tab. I had to go all the way to the file tab, and hit new tab. Huh. What a letdown. But when the resulting tab was so wonderful I let that little misstep go. Until I tried to access my bookmarks. I had been starring websites left and right but I couldn't find the list. I had to actually go to the bookmark tab hit "most visited" and choose from the drop down list. Ugh. What a drag. But the drop down menu was so efficient and well organized that I couldn't help but smile.

The smile quikly turned to a frown when I tried to watch a YouTube video. Oh injustice of all injustces! Firefox dared declare that my Flash Player or Adobe or Acrobat or whatever the young whippersnappers are calling it these days was outdated. So I followed the link to update. I updated the software three times and still I was slighted in my quest to watch silly videos!

Now there is probably a logical reason behind all of this. I do not pretend to know very much about technolgy or the interenet so it is very likely that a more astute person would have been able to fix it in two clicks of the mouse. But why would I go through all that trouble when good old Internet Explorer was waiting for me faithfully with a fully functional YouTube? That's right. I wouldn't.

So I'm back to IE and its ubiquitous bouts of non-responsiveness. And I have no intention of trying something new.

Best Day Ever: Update 1

2009-03-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

I have come to a conclusion. Weekends are easier to make best than weekdays. I know. Shocking. But! My pledge was to make "every day" the best day ever, not just "the days I can lounge around the house in my PJs with a bag of chips in one hand and the TV remote in the other." With the help of my BFFs I created new strategies to address this conundrum (ooo big word :D).

Strategy 1: Say Hi
My university has more people than some small cities. As such it is very easy to get the "alone in the crowd" feeling. Starting Monday, I am going to attempt to say hello to every person next to whom I sit. Sounds simple enough but I'm already getting butterflies in my belly. Hopefully I'll meet someone nice by doing this.

Strategy 2: Excersize!
I don't work out. I have a legitimate excuse really. I'm allergic to sweat. It's icky and gross and smells bad. Why would I willingly endure such torture? But desperate times call for desperate measures. So excersize I shall. To paraphrase the ever fabulous Elle Woods, excersize give you endorhpins; endorphins make you happy; and happy people just don't kill their husbands... or stare at a wall contemplating the futility of life :)

By weeks end I will have an update on how this worked out. Wish me luck!

Flatlining

2009-02-24T21:03:00.001-05:00

I am flatlining. No, it’s not cardiac arrest but it’s just as painful. “Flatlining” is the term my friends and I use to describe those blah moment; the moments where you're just kind of sitting there watching the world whiz by. The peaks and valleys of life – the little blips on the EKG – are gone. You’re just… there. Flatlining. Yup. That’s me.

So today I’ve come to a decision. I won’t let this “run its course.” I’m not going to “wait it out” or sit idly by as I go through this “phase.” I have decided to make an effort to – you're gonna love this – make every day the best day ever! It sounds ridiculous, I know. After all, life is so mundane. Expecting each day to be the very best day, is setting oneself up for failure. But hey, I’m already trudging along with my head down. It can’t possibly get any worse.

I’m not sure exactly how I’m going to do it. Maybe some days I’ll do something productive like finish my To Do list (ha! What a day that would be indeed!). Other days I may indulge myself with a treat (a poutine… or maybe ice-cream… or a poutine and ice-cream!). Or perhaps I will have a normal boring day and simply endure with a smile on my face. No matter how I do it, my goal is to never utter the words that have haunted me for the past few months: “Ugh. What a waste of a day.”

I’m going to try to update my progress on this blog. Any tips and tricks would be appreciated. But mostly I’d like encouragement… to make this the best day ever!

My President Is Black: A Reaction to this Historic Election

2008-11-06T14:14:00.005-05:00

My American History teacher in highschool had a banner in his classroom. On it was the picture of all the United States Presidents to date. At 11 pm, when CNN declared Barack Obama the President-Elect, all I could think was "Dear God! There is going to be a black man on that banner!"

No one was more surprised by this reaction than me. Throughout this nearly 2 year election cycle, I had prided myself in being able to cite the specific policy and ideological reasons why I supported Obama and not McCain. I had prided myself in not supporting him "just because he's black."

And yet, as Barack, Michelle, Sasha, and Malia gathered on that stage in Grant Park, and stood before the world as the new First Family, all I could think was "Dear God! There is going to be a black family in that White House!"

Some have commented that to much emphasis has been put on Obama's race. That is, if we really claim to be equal, then race shouldn't be an issue, good or bad. I suppose that is a valid point especially considering how carefully Obama avoided "playing the race card" during his campaign. But I think the reality of the situation is that equality has yet to be achieved in America or the rest of the world for that matter. It is only something to which we aspire.

So the reason there is so much elation, the reason there were people literally dancing in the street and hugging strangers is because we have made so much progress in such a short time. Less than 60 years ago, the Courts finally ruled in Brown V. Board of Education that seperate is not equal. And now the American people have elected a black man to the highest office. To pretend that this isn't a big deal is to ignore the entire struggle that made it possible.

Girl's Best Friend Visits the ROM

2008-11-03T15:06:00.008-05:00

I got another byline. Except there is no "WOOT" this time. Sure that's my name at the top, but that's not my article. At least not the way I wrote it.

My assingment was to cover the new exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum, The Nature of Diamonds, in 500 words. After going to media event I realized it was impossible. I had spent 2 hours at the exhibit and still had not seen everything. There was no way I could pack it all into 500 words. So I sent the editor an email proposing 4 smaller pieces: a quick brief on exhibit itself and 3 artist spotlights. This idea was shot down for space issue. Totally legitimate. As a compromise, the editor gave 1000 words.

I spent an entire weekend writing and proofing and editing and pulling my hair out to make it work. Finally I got down to a piece that was 998 words and that I was completly happy with. I emailed it as I was supposed to. Come Monday moring it wasn't published. That's fine. The deadline for Monday's issue is the Friday before; I had sent my piece Sunday. So I waited for the Thursday issue. There was none. I email the editor to ask what the deal is. After all I wasnt the only one waiting for this article to come out. Apparently they had taken that week off. But lucky for me, he had looked my article over and, although it had to be cut down for space, it was quite good. Again, no big deal. The paper has alot to cover so I understand.

So I wait. And on Monday when the paper finally hits the stands, I tear it open to see my name in print. And there it is. Stark against the gray of the newspaper, the byline is beautiful. But as I begin to read I don't recognize the words. Paniced, I turn on my laptop and cross reference my copy. I mean it had been a rough week. It's possible that I forgot what I wrote... But no. The differences between what I wrote and what was published were obvious. They did more then edit the length of my article. They completly stripped it of my voice. Without the byline I would not have recognized it as my own. And that hurts.

So as always you can click on the title of this post to read the latest published article that bears my name. Woot.

America Votes 2008 Debates

2008-10-06T17:48:00.003-04:00

I got published again! This time I got a full page complete with color graphics! Nothing can ruin this day! The two articles cover the US presidential debate and the US vice presidential debate. Once again, the title links to both. Thank you and enjoy.

My First Byline(s)

2008-10-01T14:53:00.003-04:00

Yay! My work has been printed in the September 2008 issue of The Varsity Magazine, a division of my university's campus newspaper. The two blurbs (they're not long enough to be called full fledge articles) appear on like the bottom of the seventh page but still! I am very proud of them! They are titled "In An Absolut World" and "A New Flagship for European Excellence" and discuss a lower drinking age and the European Institue of Innovation and Technology, respectively. The title links to both. Enjoy!

Why He's Number One

2008-08-10T00:01:00.006-04:00

[Spoiler Alert! In the following post I assumed you've already seen the movie!]

As The Dark Knight enters its fourth weekend on the big screen, one thing will still be certain: it will still be number one. And now I know why.

Plot: The plot was not the Dark Knight’s strong suit. It seemed both convoluted and condensed; too much was packed into too short a time (is it not a sign of the times when I call a movie with a 2 hour and 32 minute run time too short). It seemed to make sense in the beginning, Joker conspiring with the mob bosses and whatnot. But around the time the judge is killed, the plot started to unravel. The myriad of entangled alliances did not make it any easier for the audience to keep track of the many plot twists. And I’m still confused about Gordon’s resuscitation. But to be fair, the plot was far more substantial than any other summer blockbuster and by the time it did fall apart too many things had blown up for anyone to care. 3/5

Cinematography: Okay, as a disclaimer I must inform you that I am not an expert in the field. In fact, odds are I have no idea what I’m talkin’ ‘bout. But this film was for the layman as well so here goes. I thought they did a good job with the overall look of the film. There were enough light scenes to keep the audience from becoming overly depressed (I’m talking to you Harry Potter!), but enough dark scenes to let us know that this was still a Batman movie. The stunts were also quite spectacular. Batman’s fight scenes seemed well choreographed. I especially liked the scenes in Hong Kong. As for explosions, I think the demolition of the hospital was my favorite in terms of grandeur. The sets were all pretty amazing. But I was more enthralled by Batman and his gadgets. The Bat – pod was very cool as was the glider he used in Hong Kong. I can’t think of anything to reproach (probably because I’m not an expert) but I think I saw Christian Bale’s stuntguy get off the bike and walk into the warehouse (at the commissioner’s funeral). I could be wrong. 4/5

Acting: Maybe it’s because he’s an amazing actor or maybe it’s because I secretly want to have his children. Either way I could not get over how phenomenal Christian Bale was. I like the progression in Wayne’s character since Batman Begins. He was less the brooding rich boy and more the charismatic billionaire. This made the contrast between Bruce Wayne and Batman all the more striking. To be fair, I have to admit that the entire cast did a phenomenal job. Maggie Gyllenhaal added depth to Rachel’s character. I doubt Katie could’ve pulled off dying without screaming like a damsel in distress. (No offense to Mrs. Cruise.) Aaron Eckhart did a great job as Gotham’s district attorney. By the end of the movie I believed in Harvey Dent! This made his mental breakdown painful to watch. There is speculation that Two – Face might make an appearance in the next movie but in my (humble) opinion, it’s not necessary.

Of course, I can’t forget about Heath Ledger. I’d bet money that his performance alone was the reason a third of the audience came to see the movie. He didn’t disappoint. He transformed Joker from a disgruntled clown to a terrifying menace. It was the body language that did it. The little ticks, twitches, and mannerisms created a unique character whose personality could not be compartmentalized. This Joker was not crazy. He was deliberate in his actions and careful to anticipate the reactions of others. He was, as he put it, “an agent of chaos.” 5/5

When all is said and done all that matters is the audience perception. In 2007 you didn’t need a critic to tell you 300 was a good movie. All the people screaming, “THIS – IS – SPARTA!!” made it clear. So, I could tell you that I have given this movie a 5 out of 5. Or I could simply ask, “Why so serious?”

Re: Yay Internet!

2008-06-19T14:39:00.001-04:00

I just saw this while browsing and it made me laugh. This is exactly what I was talking about in my previous post. I must admit, I’m a “citizen” of at least three of those “countries.” LOL Enjoy!
www.xkcd.com/256

Yay Internet!

2008-06-18T22:50:00.003-04:00

This is my first post since I moved from South Florida to the Greater Toronto Area. (Honestly it’s my first post in quite awhile but that’s not the point.) I have so much to write about: the ordeal and culture shock of such a big move (Canadians really do say “eh”!), the implications of Barack Obama winning the Democratic nomination (¡Sí, se puede!), and the failure of U.S. immigration policy (Because deep down inside we all know the Mexican are not invading as Lou Dobbs would have us believe.). But all that is on that back burner. Tonight, I’d like to write about my new love affair with the Internet.

Yes, I, who clung to pen and paper like baby koalas cling to their mothers, am now the Internet’s number 1 fan. I know what you’re thinking: What took so long? I guess it can be attributed to various reasons. The major one is what is usually called (in media circles) the “digital divide.” Basically, it’s the dichotomy between those who use the Internet and those who don’t. I was formally staunchly place in the column. For me the Internet was a chore and tool – to be used only if a malicious teacher assigned a heinous research project. Also, I only had restricted access to the Internet. The only computer that had Internet access at my house was in my parents’ bedroom. I could only go online when it was convenient for them to be standing over my shoulder. You know that fable about the fox who, try as he may, couldn’t reach the grapes and subsequently decided they must be sour? Yeah. I was the fox. And the Internet was sour grapes.

So why the big change? Well, college happened. Laptops happened. Moving happened. All of these things in some way helped my inch toward the Internet. First, my so called “best friends” decided to abandon me to go pursue “higher education.” Yeah. Whatever. We tried calling each other, but when we each got our respective phone bills, the daily phone calls were cut short. This created a need for an alternate form of communication. Then my mother, as a graduation gift got me a laptop. My friends got so excited, thinking I would join them in the 21st century. But it didn’t happen. See the laptop came with strings. There was no wireless internet at my house rendering the laptop useless unless I was on campus or in library – which ultimately perpetuated my view of Internet as a chore and a tool (see above).

The final push over the edge came this summer after the aforementioned move. I now have wireless internet (yay me!) but my friends are exponentially further than they were before. Enter AIM. So simple. So powerful. In the three weeks since I’ve moved I’ve talked to my friends more often than in the 10 years that I’ve known them. The thousands of miles melt away the instant you receive the message. (Please forgive the pun. It will never happen again.) This completely redefines relationships. Friendships used to be shattered by the words, “I’m moving.” The “long – distance” relationship used to be the anathema of dating. But now the distances aren’t so long and the move is never that far away. The world has been shrunk to size of your buddy list and perhaps we’re better for it.

Goin' Green

2008-04-22T16:00:00.000-04:00

My mom went sale hunting this weekend. Without me mind you. I was lucky enough to stay home and watch hours upon hours of mind numbing TV. Fun. She did well and found plenty of discounts, clearances, and two for one deals. So she was in a generous mood. In honor of Earth day she decided to buy a reusable eco - friendly tote bag - you know to carry all the stuff she bought.

So she gets to the checkout line to pay for the bag (which was on sale :). The sales woman scans the bag, rings it up and - get this - puts it in a plastic bag! I could have died when my mother told me. It just goes to show you that no matter how many people try to do the right thing, there will always be an idiot who screws it up.

Happy Earth Day everybody

Pirating Ideas: Is No Thought Safe?

2008-04-14T14:41:00.009-04:00

I recently came across two articles on http://www.cbc.ca/ that really made me realize how tenuous copyrights can be.

The first article was about a lawsuit between George Lucas's company Lucasfilm Ltd. and a Mr. Andrew Ainsworth over the rights to the stromtrooper helmets. Apparently, Mr. Ainsworth, a prop designer who made the helmets for the 1977 Star Wars movie, has been selling replicas.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2008/04/08/stormtrooper-lucas.html

The second article was about another lawsuit. This one feature J.K. Rowling against a Mr. Steven Vander Ark. Mr. Vander Ark is planning to publish a book called Harry Potter Lexicon based on his website.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/04/14/potter-lawsuit-rowling.html

These situations are similar in several ways. Both feature billionaires against the average Joe, tempting the casual observer to side with the underdog. Both of these "average Joes" seem to be trying to cash in on someone else's success and, considering the size of the other party's pocketbook, who can really blame them?

What concerns me is this concept of intellectual property. That is, who owns the idea? I strongly doubt that Rowling and Lucas are suing for money. Perhaps I'm being over idealistic, but I think they are suing for the ability to say "It was my idea first."

Notice, Rowling had no problem with Mr. Vander Ark when he was just runnig a website. In the article, she admits to visiting and appreciating his website. She did not feel violated until he tried to make money of it.

Because of the vast popularity and wealth of the Star Wars franchise, it is easier to say that Lucas is suing Mr. Ainsworth out of greed. But it is also because of the ubiquity of Star Wars that Mr. Ainsworth can not credibly say he did not violate any copyright laws. I am sure Mr. Ainsworth has worked on plenty of other movie sets (if he is indeed a prop designeer by profession) but somehow I doubt he is making replicas of those props in his garage to sell online. Is it fair for him to take advantage of Star Wars' popularity simply because he had access to some forms?

At the end of the day, it comes down to pirating. pirating has become the pariah of the music industry and it is slowly extending to other forms of media as well. It is unfortunate because it may deter many talented people from publishing their work. Why share your masterpiece when some hack is just going to rip you off later?

It is also damaging to those who simply want to explore their creativity. There are dozens of websites devoted to fanfiction. These site allow fans to write their own story using characters from a show, movie, etcetera. These sites appeal to overzealous fanatics (that is typical Harry Potter or Star Wars fans) who want to see their favorite characters live beyond series. What happens when overcautious authors or filmmakers start targeting these well-meaning fans because some hack who wasn't so well-meaning set a dangerous precedent?

Mr. Ainsworth and Mr. Vander Ark would best serve themselves and their community if they would come up with there own ways to make money. If Mr. Ainsworth is such a creative prop designer he should start his own line of action figures or become a sci-fi costume designer. If Mr. Vander Ark is seriously pursuing a writing career, he could consider creating a mythical encyclopedia of his own, then developing a fantasy series besed on his entries. In both examples they would make alot more money and it would be their idea.

Say Auf Wiedersen to Runway?

2008-04-10T15:23:00.000-04:00

Now, I always take AOL news with a grain of salt but I was pretty distressed when I saw this article. Apparently, there is a good possibility that season 5 of Project Runway will move from BRAVO to the worst of all TV networks - Lifetime!

I know, I know, the horror is overwhelming. But it seems like the process is already underway. In my opinion, Lifetime had a good reason for trying to nab such a great show, but ultimately it will be a lose-lose situation for all parties involved.

BRAVO: Project Runway is a great show with a passionate fan base. Losing it would be akin to losing an arm - not fatal but really really painful. Not to mention the huge amount of advertising dollars that comes with Project Runway. TRESemme hair care, L'Oreal Paris makeup, Saturn, BLUEFLY.com, and ELLE magazine all poured money into making Project Runway a succes. Where is that money gonna go? Lifetime?

Lifetime: Sure they would be getting a great show to add to their line up. But the question remains: will the fans follow? I for one wouldn't watch Lifetime for anything. Also would Project Runway really improve their ratings? If people did tune in to Lifetime for Heidi's sake, they'd watch Project Runway and only Project Runway. Most likely they would use DVR to record it and skip the commercials - meaning that Lifetime advertisers would not reach a wider audience than they did before.

The Fans: After four succesful seasons on BRAVO, is it really necessary to move the show? BRAVO has a certain culture that the audience knows and loves. Lifetime has no culture. Or if it does, it is a dull bland culture that is about as enticing as cardboard flavored tofu. I could not imagine watching Project Runway and then seeing a commercial for Lifetime's next made-for-TV-movie about battered women. It just doesn't fit.

In other words no one would profit from this deal. Things should stay just the way they are: Project Runway continues to be one of the Top 5 shows on BRAVO and Lifetime continues to be a pathetic channel for pathetic women who have nothing better to do with their pathetic lives. That's just my opinion. But then again that's all that matters ;P

When One Door Closes . . .

2008-03-27T10:19:00.003-04:00

Unlike many people my age, I did not have what can be called an “online presence.” It’s hard to explain why, when my peers were posting videos online for the world to see, I was still had a hard time sending an email. Part of it was my old – fashioned perspective. Whatever happened to hiding a flashlight under the covers to finish a good book? What happened to developing elaborate codes so that the teacher could never decipher the notes you’ve been passing? The notebook replaced the good book and “txt msgs” replaced notes. Yet I, rebel that I am, refused to join my peers in the 21st century. Give me a pen and a pad of paper, I said, and I’ll be fine.

That mantra could only get me so far. The world was moving at light speed and I was left behind. So, with much prodding and cajoling, my friends dragged me – kicking and screaming – to wonderful worldwide web. With their help I set up my own email account, got a screen name and even began shopping online!

But the piece de resistance was my Facebook account. I loved my Facebook account. I finally understood the Internet (and for that matter the social networking) phenomenon. Of course my overly cautious side kicked in and I set all my privacy setting so high that I was practically the only one who could see my profile. But still I felt liberated. I customized my profile with a plethora of ridiculous applications and added all the friends I could think of. Scratch that. All the friends I wanted to think of. (Some people are best left forgotten.) I checked Facebook at least three times a week to make sure I stayed in the loop. Whose birthday is coming up? Who’s “In a relationship” with whom? Who needs a virtual hug? Finally I could be social butterfly from the comfort of my own home!

And just like that I had to cut the cord. In an embarrassing debacle that included my brother being a snitch, I was forced to delete my profile. This was no easy feat considering the nature of Facebook. Profiles are not deleted, only “deactivated.” If I were to sign in as usual I would find my profile just as I left it. So mine was the task of painstakingly deleting every piece of information on my profile. All the wall posts, all the applications, all the photos, all the friends – gone.

Broken and beaten I wandered aimlessly though cyberspace. Desperately I tried to find something – anything – to fill the void. It was in this way I stumbled upon blogging. Sure I had read and commented on countless blogs, but it never occurred to me to have my own. After all, I liked being the center of attention yet there was no guarantee any one would actually read my work. But I had to put my ego aside. It was either have a blog or have nothing – and nothing was not an option.

So here it is: my first blog. I’m blown away by how nervous I am. I hope you like it. Scratch that. You better like it!