Happy Weekend Cyberspace!
I've elected to start a new tradition here at The Critical Stranger - The Saturday Share, From now on on Saturdays, I am going to send you to some of the blogs that I follow. Hopefully you can get a little more insight from a different perspective than I can give...and after all, it's always the more the merrier!
This week, I'm actually going to refer you to two blog posts, both authored by my good friend and fellow PR student John. Both of these posts relate his experience with the eviction of Occupy NS on 11/11/11. Please enjoy.
Remembrance Day - The Deception
Remembrance Day - The Eviction
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, thoughts, comments and suggestions (John likes 'em too!) are encouraged and appreciated!
Saturday 31 March 2012
Friday 30 March 2012
The Role Model Model
Hey there Cyberspace.
I'm not gonna lie to you...I have to cheat today. I'm helping a friend move in about fifteen minutes, so not much time to write. So I'm gonna go ahead and share with you an assignment I wrote in class. It sounds a little cocky, sure, but it really jives with my theme of being yourself. I hope you enjoy.
I'm not gonna lie to you...I have to cheat today. I'm helping a friend move in about fifteen minutes, so not much time to write. So I'm gonna go ahead and share with you an assignment I wrote in class. It sounds a little cocky, sure, but it really jives with my theme of being yourself. I hope you enjoy.
If I could be
anyone in the world, alive or dead, I would most definitely choose myself. I
feel as though this should be everyone’s answer. I understand that there are
and have been lots of amazing people throughout history and in present times. I
understand that there are a great many inspirational stories. I understand that
everyone has role models. I also understand, however, that role models,
inspirational stories and amazing people are all brought about by conviction.
If these same people had been too afraid to be themselves, to stand for what
they believe in, to conquer all obstacles in their way, their stories would not
exist. I want to write my own story.
To this point, I feel as though my
life has been fairly run of the mill. My parents divorced when I was five. I
had my fair share of small successes and what seemed at the time to be huge
defeats. I’ve made and lost countless friends. I attended university for one
year. I worked at several different crappy jobs during high school. It all sounds
pretty bland.
Having said that, the more I think about it, the more
extraordinary I become. I attended three different schools in Grade 4. I’ve
worked in kitchens. I’ve helped build houses. I’ve cleaned toilets. I’ve lived
in apartments, houses, rented rooms and 8 man tents. I’ve been to a war zone.
I’ve been around the world. I’ve made the best of my mistakes, learning from
every single one.
Through it all, there were times when I felt as though I
should give up. For example, when I was seventeen I got my girlfriend, Johannah
pregnant. Her parents banned me from their house and forbade her seeing me. My
drama teacher pulled Johannah aside and told her that I would never amount to
anything. Our school’s health nurse told us that we needed to have the pregnancy
aborted. My daughter is now seven and lives with Johannah and I in an apartment
in Halifax.
When I look back at who I’ve been and who I’ve become, I can
only smile. Sure, there were hard times. But there were also great times. As I
write this, I think of everyone else. Most people are just like me; they think
they are pretty boring. They think they are no different than anybody else.
They think they are not extraordinary.
Bollocks, I say.
There are closed doors and pitfalls everywhere in life. While
hindsight may be 20/20, the future always remains unknown. That’s what makes
each and every individual heroic. The strength to knock those doors down…the
power to pick yourself up after you fall, that’s where true greatness hides. It
takes courage to wake up everyday and face the day, to face the unknown. It
takes bravery to go out into the world and say “This is me. This is who I am.”
Sure, we all have role models. We all have ideas that we’ve
adopted from someone else. But we bring our own experience to each idea. We
have chosen to believe the things we believe, and that by itself is an act of
bravery. I feel like everybody should worry less about how they are seen by
everyone else, and live for themselves. I’ve reached this conclusion, and I
strive to live it every day. That’s why I would never want to be anyone else. I
want to be the person that I want to be…and that’s exactly what I am.
Thursday 29 March 2012
Age of Technology
Good day Cyberspace.
I read something this morning that disturbed me. It really threw me for a loop...this article about a wireless braking system for bicycles.
The first thing that popped into my mind was why? Bicycles are great because they don't require fuel, they are relatively cheap and they are purely mechanical. If something breaks on a bicycle, it can be fixed with a little know-how (and of course the right materials) in a few hours - no matter what it is that goes wrong.
My opinion on this is simple - it isn't broken, so why try to fix it? I don't want to rely on a wireless signal to apply my brakes...especially not when it's battery operated. This seems absolutely ludicrous to me. Not only is there the problem of batteries dying, but what happens if something interferes with the wireless signal? You could be pedaling along and have your brakes suddenly seize up your wheels...or worse yet, you may need to stop and have your brakes fail completely. Granted, I'd much rather have this happen on a bike than in a car...but I'd rather not have it happen at all.
Reading about this got me thinking about other technologies and how the technological age has evolved. I think that we've gone about it in the wrong way pretty much across the board. It's great that we have the capability to have the internet in our pocket...but do we really need it? Shouldn't someone have stood up at some point and said "Wait a second...instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars to produce a tablet (which is essentially a smart phone without a phone), wouldn't it be more beneficial to develop a new hydroponic irrigation method that will allow crops to grow in the desert?" or "Hey, I know...let's put our money toward actually finding a cure for AIDS, MS, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, etc." (Notice that I didn't put Cancer. We already have a cure for most types, but nobody can patent it, nobody can profit from it, so why produce it?) It seems like these things would have been a much more constructive way to spend our time and money - but I'm willing to bet profit margins were more important and now technology is well...the new gold mine.
The other red flag that immediately was raised to me by reading this 'wireless bike brake' article was our ever-increasing reliance on computers. I'm not shocked by this, it's been a growing trend as long I've been on the planet. Now we even have cars that park themselves, soon to be followed by cars that drive themselves. I think again, we're going the wrong direction. A computer will never have the same processing capacity as the human brain...it's great that it will be able to judge the distance between the car in front and behind while watching the lines on the road...but would it be able to detect a log sliding off the back of a transport in front of you and swerve out of the way?
I'm beginning to ramble, so I think it's time to wrap this up...believe me, I could go on all day.
I don't want a bike with wireless brakes. I don't want a car that drives itself. I don't want a computer to think for me. Instead of making things more complicated, shouldn't we be trying to make things simpler? I think so, it could just be me. I'll leave you with this video, which pretty much sums up everything I'm trying to say.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
I read something this morning that disturbed me. It really threw me for a loop...this article about a wireless braking system for bicycles.
The first thing that popped into my mind was why? Bicycles are great because they don't require fuel, they are relatively cheap and they are purely mechanical. If something breaks on a bicycle, it can be fixed with a little know-how (and of course the right materials) in a few hours - no matter what it is that goes wrong.
My opinion on this is simple - it isn't broken, so why try to fix it? I don't want to rely on a wireless signal to apply my brakes...especially not when it's battery operated. This seems absolutely ludicrous to me. Not only is there the problem of batteries dying, but what happens if something interferes with the wireless signal? You could be pedaling along and have your brakes suddenly seize up your wheels...or worse yet, you may need to stop and have your brakes fail completely. Granted, I'd much rather have this happen on a bike than in a car...but I'd rather not have it happen at all.
Reading about this got me thinking about other technologies and how the technological age has evolved. I think that we've gone about it in the wrong way pretty much across the board. It's great that we have the capability to have the internet in our pocket...but do we really need it? Shouldn't someone have stood up at some point and said "Wait a second...instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars to produce a tablet (which is essentially a smart phone without a phone), wouldn't it be more beneficial to develop a new hydroponic irrigation method that will allow crops to grow in the desert?" or "Hey, I know...let's put our money toward actually finding a cure for AIDS, MS, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, etc." (Notice that I didn't put Cancer. We already have a cure for most types, but nobody can patent it, nobody can profit from it, so why produce it?) It seems like these things would have been a much more constructive way to spend our time and money - but I'm willing to bet profit margins were more important and now technology is well...the new gold mine.
The other red flag that immediately was raised to me by reading this 'wireless bike brake' article was our ever-increasing reliance on computers. I'm not shocked by this, it's been a growing trend as long I've been on the planet. Now we even have cars that park themselves, soon to be followed by cars that drive themselves. I think again, we're going the wrong direction. A computer will never have the same processing capacity as the human brain...it's great that it will be able to judge the distance between the car in front and behind while watching the lines on the road...but would it be able to detect a log sliding off the back of a transport in front of you and swerve out of the way?
I'm beginning to ramble, so I think it's time to wrap this up...believe me, I could go on all day.
I don't want a bike with wireless brakes. I don't want a car that drives itself. I don't want a computer to think for me. Instead of making things more complicated, shouldn't we be trying to make things simpler? I think so, it could just be me. I'll leave you with this video, which pretty much sums up everything I'm trying to say.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Our Superhero Society
Ola Cyberspace,
I just found out that they are re-making the Spiderman movies. Already. I watched the preview and quite frankly it looks like it's going to be terrible. I don't really care either way, I'm not a huge Spiderman fan (even though I still think he takes Batman in a fight) or much of a fan of most superhero movies. But that's now...when I was young, I loved pretty much every hero story I heard. I think everyone did, judging by the success of the plethora of superhero movies that have been released over the past decade or so.
Why? Why do we have this fascination with heroes? Why do we flock to see a person in a disguise beatin' up bad guys? I have a couple of reasons.
The first of my theories is this: We all want to be revered. Everyone wants some affirmation for their accomplishments. Being praised in the public eye is the apex of affirmation. Imagine how it would feel to have a parade or group celebration in your honour, as is seen in many superhero stories. This goes hand-in-hand with my second point - most of us want to be celebrities. I'm absolutely shocked at the obsession our modern society has with celebrity (I'll save that for another blog) and how even the most heinous acts can be condoned simply because of status.
Another plausible explanation for the success of superhero 'stuff' is that it allows the character in the story to choose their own identity. I think that this is huge. While everyone does get a chance to choose who they are, I feel as though most feel as though they don't have that choice. The social norms of our families are probably the biggest influence on our personality growing up - I think most of us try to fit whatever mold our parents and families want us to fit. I'm sure that you, as I have in the past, have allowed an opportunity to pass you by because you thought it may disappoint your friends or family. Who wouldn't want to put on a mask or suit (for all you heroes AND villains out there) and become someone else...it's an escape - and often in the stories, a mostly consequence free escape - from the constraints of everyday life and society.
The final reason (saving this for a different blog, so this is extremely abbreviated) is that we've been bred in our society to believe that doing good for others is the ultimate retribution for our wrongdoings. (I bet you really want to read my blog about that right about now, eh...all in good time...)
Evidence of our superhero mentality is absolutely everywhere. How many times have you witnessed a bar fight? Two people trying to show their superiority over one another by ruthlessly beating each other is only each one trying to up their status and change everyone's opinion of them. Why is Halloween so much fun for so many people, especially adults? Because we are free to choose our identity and costume ourselves accordingly. Why do people have thousands of Facebook friends? They are trying to attain that celebrity status.
All of these things combine to form what Hollywood is now blatantly taking advantage of - a society filled with wannabe heroes. That's all well and good, but when will I see Hollywood make a movie about a scientist who develops a type of renewable agriculture that would allow every mouth on the planet to be fed? That's a true superhero. Let's get rid of our Hollywood connotation.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
I just found out that they are re-making the Spiderman movies. Already. I watched the preview and quite frankly it looks like it's going to be terrible. I don't really care either way, I'm not a huge Spiderman fan (even though I still think he takes Batman in a fight) or much of a fan of most superhero movies. But that's now...when I was young, I loved pretty much every hero story I heard. I think everyone did, judging by the success of the plethora of superhero movies that have been released over the past decade or so.
Why? Why do we have this fascination with heroes? Why do we flock to see a person in a disguise beatin' up bad guys? I have a couple of reasons.
The first of my theories is this: We all want to be revered. Everyone wants some affirmation for their accomplishments. Being praised in the public eye is the apex of affirmation. Imagine how it would feel to have a parade or group celebration in your honour, as is seen in many superhero stories. This goes hand-in-hand with my second point - most of us want to be celebrities. I'm absolutely shocked at the obsession our modern society has with celebrity (I'll save that for another blog) and how even the most heinous acts can be condoned simply because of status.
Another plausible explanation for the success of superhero 'stuff' is that it allows the character in the story to choose their own identity. I think that this is huge. While everyone does get a chance to choose who they are, I feel as though most feel as though they don't have that choice. The social norms of our families are probably the biggest influence on our personality growing up - I think most of us try to fit whatever mold our parents and families want us to fit. I'm sure that you, as I have in the past, have allowed an opportunity to pass you by because you thought it may disappoint your friends or family. Who wouldn't want to put on a mask or suit (for all you heroes AND villains out there) and become someone else...it's an escape - and often in the stories, a mostly consequence free escape - from the constraints of everyday life and society.
The final reason (saving this for a different blog, so this is extremely abbreviated) is that we've been bred in our society to believe that doing good for others is the ultimate retribution for our wrongdoings. (I bet you really want to read my blog about that right about now, eh...all in good time...)
Evidence of our superhero mentality is absolutely everywhere. How many times have you witnessed a bar fight? Two people trying to show their superiority over one another by ruthlessly beating each other is only each one trying to up their status and change everyone's opinion of them. Why is Halloween so much fun for so many people, especially adults? Because we are free to choose our identity and costume ourselves accordingly. Why do people have thousands of Facebook friends? They are trying to attain that celebrity status.
All of these things combine to form what Hollywood is now blatantly taking advantage of - a society filled with wannabe heroes. That's all well and good, but when will I see Hollywood make a movie about a scientist who develops a type of renewable agriculture that would allow every mouth on the planet to be fed? That's a true superhero. Let's get rid of our Hollywood connotation.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Rampant Racism
Greetings Cyberspace.
Today, I'd like to get into a bit of a touchy issue. As you probably have heard by now, there was an Iraqi woman beaten to death in California last Wednesday. She was beaten and left in her home for her fourteen year old daughter to stumble upon when she came home. There was a note next to her unconscious body, the contents of which boils down to "Go back to your own country." You can read more about it here.
This woman's death was completely senseless. Aside from the fact that this particular attack happened on American soil, to me this is just a repeat of the recent US soldier killing Afghan civilians in their homes. Along with the incident involving US soldiers urinating on the Qu'ran (imagine the fallout if a group of Afghans would have been caught pissing on the Bible), there are a few burning questions in my mind.
The first question is why the increase in apparent racism toward the Muslim community exists. The obvious answer is to point to the 9/11 'terror attacks.' But that was over a decade ago. These past couple of months have by far been the worst as far as openly racist acts by Americans against Muslims, so I feel that the 9/11 argument is invalid, although the fallout may be responsible.
What else could cause this rash outbreak of violence? Perhaps it's as simple as Muslims being shown constantly as aggressive and violent in the media since the events of 9/11. I mean let's just take a look at Hollywood in the past ten years...The Kingdom, The Hurt Locker, World Trade Centre, Charlie Wilson's War and The Kite Runner immediately come to mind as movies that depict Muslims as such. These were all blockbuster movies. Also, how many times have you heard the words 'terror suspect' on the evening news? And how often is this 'suspect' of Muslim faith? This is definitely a contributing factor in the ever-increasing non-tolerance.
The final thing I want to talk about is frustration. I think that this is biggest reason for seeing these despicable acts of violence and hatred. American soldiers in Afghanistan must be frustrated with the fact they've been told over and over again that they will be pulling out of the country; especially with something like 75% of the population of their own country calling for them to leave. They are probably battle-fatigued and tired of this useless war. But this is still no excuse.
I'm sure that frustration played a role in the terrible beating of Shaima Alawadi as well. After a war has been waged for so long, eventually even the invaders become confused of the reason they invaded in the first place. With the number of American and NATO forces killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, I'm sure that there are some who feel that it is the fault of those countries that those forces were there in the first place. Kind of like an abusive relationship - "You make me hit you; I wouldn't have to beat you if you would just act right." Especially if the person/people perpetuating the cycle and carrying out these hate crimes have lost someone close - it seems almost instinctual as humans to cause harm to those who have caused harm to us. Again...this is no excuse. If anyone should be blamed, it should be the American government and mass media, as this seems to have been their goal all along.
After all, I've said it before, I'll say it again; you CANNOT kill an idea with a weapon, be it a bomb, a fist or a gun. In fact, by invading someone's country and shooting/bombing everybody, both militant and civilian, you are not winning hearts and minds - you are breeding more discontent. Especially when the invaders are trying to force their own culture, ideas and religion on you. I'm not saying that women don't deserve rights, or that children shouldn't go to school - I'm saying that there are MUCH better ways to effect change than through extreme violence, humiliation, disrespect and murder.
May Shaima Alawadi rest in peace...I apologize to your suffering family for our disgusting society.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.
Today, I'd like to get into a bit of a touchy issue. As you probably have heard by now, there was an Iraqi woman beaten to death in California last Wednesday. She was beaten and left in her home for her fourteen year old daughter to stumble upon when she came home. There was a note next to her unconscious body, the contents of which boils down to "Go back to your own country." You can read more about it here.
This woman's death was completely senseless. Aside from the fact that this particular attack happened on American soil, to me this is just a repeat of the recent US soldier killing Afghan civilians in their homes. Along with the incident involving US soldiers urinating on the Qu'ran (imagine the fallout if a group of Afghans would have been caught pissing on the Bible), there are a few burning questions in my mind.
The first question is why the increase in apparent racism toward the Muslim community exists. The obvious answer is to point to the 9/11 'terror attacks.' But that was over a decade ago. These past couple of months have by far been the worst as far as openly racist acts by Americans against Muslims, so I feel that the 9/11 argument is invalid, although the fallout may be responsible.
What else could cause this rash outbreak of violence? Perhaps it's as simple as Muslims being shown constantly as aggressive and violent in the media since the events of 9/11. I mean let's just take a look at Hollywood in the past ten years...The Kingdom, The Hurt Locker, World Trade Centre, Charlie Wilson's War and The Kite Runner immediately come to mind as movies that depict Muslims as such. These were all blockbuster movies. Also, how many times have you heard the words 'terror suspect' on the evening news? And how often is this 'suspect' of Muslim faith? This is definitely a contributing factor in the ever-increasing non-tolerance.
The final thing I want to talk about is frustration. I think that this is biggest reason for seeing these despicable acts of violence and hatred. American soldiers in Afghanistan must be frustrated with the fact they've been told over and over again that they will be pulling out of the country; especially with something like 75% of the population of their own country calling for them to leave. They are probably battle-fatigued and tired of this useless war. But this is still no excuse.
I'm sure that frustration played a role in the terrible beating of Shaima Alawadi as well. After a war has been waged for so long, eventually even the invaders become confused of the reason they invaded in the first place. With the number of American and NATO forces killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, I'm sure that there are some who feel that it is the fault of those countries that those forces were there in the first place. Kind of like an abusive relationship - "You make me hit you; I wouldn't have to beat you if you would just act right." Especially if the person/people perpetuating the cycle and carrying out these hate crimes have lost someone close - it seems almost instinctual as humans to cause harm to those who have caused harm to us. Again...this is no excuse. If anyone should be blamed, it should be the American government and mass media, as this seems to have been their goal all along.
After all, I've said it before, I'll say it again; you CANNOT kill an idea with a weapon, be it a bomb, a fist or a gun. In fact, by invading someone's country and shooting/bombing everybody, both militant and civilian, you are not winning hearts and minds - you are breeding more discontent. Especially when the invaders are trying to force their own culture, ideas and religion on you. I'm not saying that women don't deserve rights, or that children shouldn't go to school - I'm saying that there are MUCH better ways to effect change than through extreme violence, humiliation, disrespect and murder.
May Shaima Alawadi rest in peace...I apologize to your suffering family for our disgusting society.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.
Monday 26 March 2012
Dreaming in Poetry
Top o' the Morning Cyberspace.
Today I find myself rather pensive and subdued. I don't know why, but I've decided to write a poem today. While I know that there are countless structured forms of poetry, free verse has been my favourite. Today, I'm going to write a poem about a recurring dream I have. I hope I can convey the emotion I'm trying to.
I walk; the sun watches
I run; the sun chases me
I sit; I am blinded by the sun
Murmurs
Unintelligible words surround me
I am paralyzed
Drums in the fog; my resolve has forsaken me
Clouds now; the sun is gone
Cold; damp - there is no oasis
Wrong place, wrong time
Fear
I must leave
Feet swinging; voices, the voices in the fog
Just go - keep moving
The drums beat faster
My footsteps have no echo
I have been swallowed by the mist
I smell blood; it tastes like sorrow
Burning legs; burning lungs
I must escape
I can't escape
Exhaustion; I gasp for air
There is no air
Only ether
Voices and drums are getting louder
No breath to scream
My lungs are filled with water
Hands and knees; no hope left
Drums; voices; drums; voices
Is this my end?
Silence
I am surrounded
Hands all over me; I am powerless
I have lost
No sound; no voices
I look; out of focus
Eventually I see
Bodies everywhere
Animated, yet lifeless
No faces; only twisted screams
I see my hands; reaching
I want to touch
I need to touch that face
A gentle caress; it is cold
It is smooth
Hot hands on my face
I hit; my face stings
I claw; my face bleeds
All is clear
I am the scream
Wow...apparently my dreams are pretty messed up. Thanks for reading!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are welcome!
Today I find myself rather pensive and subdued. I don't know why, but I've decided to write a poem today. While I know that there are countless structured forms of poetry, free verse has been my favourite. Today, I'm going to write a poem about a recurring dream I have. I hope I can convey the emotion I'm trying to.
I walk; the sun watches
I run; the sun chases me
I sit; I am blinded by the sun
Murmurs
Unintelligible words surround me
I am paralyzed
Drums in the fog; my resolve has forsaken me
Clouds now; the sun is gone
Cold; damp - there is no oasis
Wrong place, wrong time
Fear
I must leave
Feet swinging; voices, the voices in the fog
Just go - keep moving
The drums beat faster
My footsteps have no echo
I have been swallowed by the mist
I smell blood; it tastes like sorrow
Burning legs; burning lungs
I must escape
I can't escape
Exhaustion; I gasp for air
There is no air
Only ether
Voices and drums are getting louder
No breath to scream
My lungs are filled with water
Hands and knees; no hope left
Drums; voices; drums; voices
Is this my end?
Silence
I am surrounded
Hands all over me; I am powerless
I have lost
No sound; no voices
I look; out of focus
Eventually I see
Bodies everywhere
Animated, yet lifeless
No faces; only twisted screams
I see my hands; reaching
I want to touch
I need to touch that face
A gentle caress; it is cold
It is smooth
Hot hands on my face
I hit; my face stings
I claw; my face bleeds
All is clear
I am the scream
Wow...apparently my dreams are pretty messed up. Thanks for reading!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are welcome!
Sunday 25 March 2012
Sunday Storytime #2
The Waitress
He watched her pour the coffee. The steam rose from the lip of the customer's cup to meet the sunlight streaming through the window. She moved to the next table. He loved the way her fingers trembled as she wrote the orders down. This was just one of the idiosyncrasies he had noticed about her. She seemed nervous.
His toast and jam was finished. She turned and looked his way...looked directly into his eyes...directly into his soul. The stained five dollar bill he pulled from his pocket fell to the floor. As he bent to pick it up he heard an angel's voice.
"Do you need some help with that, sir?"
He grunted an affirmation and walked out of the diner.
***
Her hand hit the snooze button alarmingly hard. She rolled back into her covers and buried her face in the pillow.
***
His change cup was nearly full. He'd never seen so many generous people. He had already lined the inside of his sock with several dollar bills. The cold winter air seemed a little warmer as he turned his face up to the sun. This was a great day.
***
"Shut up!" She swung her hand toward the bedside table. The shriek of the alarm stopped. 'Thank God,' she thought. She rolled over for one last cat nap before starting her day.
***
"You look awfully cold, sir." He was shocked...usually men dressed in expensive business suits walked right past him without even acknowledging his existence.
"Here...let me buy you a coffee." He watched the suit pull a crumpled bill from his pocket and deposit it in his cup. This really was a great day.
***
Her feet hit the floor. The blankets followed. She shuffled toward the bathroom, turned on the faucet and stepped into the tub. The hot water felt incredible running through her hair and over her face. She turned her face up to the shower head and rinsed her mouth before stepping out of the shower. 'I hope work isn't busy today,' she thought, reaching for a towel.
***
She walked up to his table, already knowing what he was going to order. She had never seen him before, but there was something...
"Toast and jam, sir?" she smiled, writing as she spoke.
His eyes met hers, sending a vicious chill up her spine. She could feel him watching her as she made her rounds. She was used to being stared at, but this time was different...this time was uncomfortable. She didn't want to look at him. She couldn't stop herself. Her head turned...her eyes found his table...found his eyes.
Her legs seemed to move on their own as she walked toward him, coffee pot in hand. She watched as he slid out of the booth. His hand trembled as he pulled a crumpled bill from his pocket...he dropped it.
"Do you need some help with that, sir?" She didn't understand what he said, but he was gone before she could ask for clarification. He looked familiar somehow.
She picked up the stained five dollar bill, looking through the window from where she stood. She watched the back of his jacket move into the street. Her legs were moving again, much faster this time. Her arm reached out before her and flung the door open.
She watched the truck come screaming around the corner...it swerved, but it was too late. There was a dull thud among the screeching tires and breaking glass - it was the grill of the truck hitting his body. His shoes flew through the air...a few dollar bills floated to the pavement.
She knew he was dead...but she also knew he was supposed to die. It was ok.
She turned and walked back into the diner, wondering who she would dream of that night.
END
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comment and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
He watched her pour the coffee. The steam rose from the lip of the customer's cup to meet the sunlight streaming through the window. She moved to the next table. He loved the way her fingers trembled as she wrote the orders down. This was just one of the idiosyncrasies he had noticed about her. She seemed nervous.
His toast and jam was finished. She turned and looked his way...looked directly into his eyes...directly into his soul. The stained five dollar bill he pulled from his pocket fell to the floor. As he bent to pick it up he heard an angel's voice.
"Do you need some help with that, sir?"
He grunted an affirmation and walked out of the diner.
***
Her hand hit the snooze button alarmingly hard. She rolled back into her covers and buried her face in the pillow.
***
His change cup was nearly full. He'd never seen so many generous people. He had already lined the inside of his sock with several dollar bills. The cold winter air seemed a little warmer as he turned his face up to the sun. This was a great day.
***
"Shut up!" She swung her hand toward the bedside table. The shriek of the alarm stopped. 'Thank God,' she thought. She rolled over for one last cat nap before starting her day.
***
"You look awfully cold, sir." He was shocked...usually men dressed in expensive business suits walked right past him without even acknowledging his existence.
"Here...let me buy you a coffee." He watched the suit pull a crumpled bill from his pocket and deposit it in his cup. This really was a great day.
***
Her feet hit the floor. The blankets followed. She shuffled toward the bathroom, turned on the faucet and stepped into the tub. The hot water felt incredible running through her hair and over her face. She turned her face up to the shower head and rinsed her mouth before stepping out of the shower. 'I hope work isn't busy today,' she thought, reaching for a towel.
***
She walked up to his table, already knowing what he was going to order. She had never seen him before, but there was something...
"Toast and jam, sir?" she smiled, writing as she spoke.
His eyes met hers, sending a vicious chill up her spine. She could feel him watching her as she made her rounds. She was used to being stared at, but this time was different...this time was uncomfortable. She didn't want to look at him. She couldn't stop herself. Her head turned...her eyes found his table...found his eyes.
Her legs seemed to move on their own as she walked toward him, coffee pot in hand. She watched as he slid out of the booth. His hand trembled as he pulled a crumpled bill from his pocket...he dropped it.
"Do you need some help with that, sir?" She didn't understand what he said, but he was gone before she could ask for clarification. He looked familiar somehow.
She picked up the stained five dollar bill, looking through the window from where she stood. She watched the back of his jacket move into the street. Her legs were moving again, much faster this time. Her arm reached out before her and flung the door open.
She watched the truck come screaming around the corner...it swerved, but it was too late. There was a dull thud among the screeching tires and breaking glass - it was the grill of the truck hitting his body. His shoes flew through the air...a few dollar bills floated to the pavement.
She knew he was dead...but she also knew he was supposed to die. It was ok.
She turned and walked back into the diner, wondering who she would dream of that night.
END
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comment and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Saturday 24 March 2012
Saturday - 'Sun'Day
Aloha Cyberspace (I'm beginning to run out of English ways to say hello...and I don't want to use all of them right away), it's another beautiful day on a beautiful rock hurling at unimaginable speeds through the blackness of space. The sun is shining, the birds are singing...I guess what I'm trying to say is this will be short - I wanna go outside!
In light of this, I've decided to write about why it is that people are generally happier when it's nice outside.
As a kid, I loved to play outside. Running around playing tag, throwing a baseball around, playing ball hockey, or even playing manhunt at night in the dark....these are some of the best memories I have. Thinking of these times right now while I'm writing I can't help but smile. I loved to hear my mom come into the room and say "Go outside and get the stink blown off ya," or my dad grabbing the hockey stick and saying "Let's go shoot around."
There's a few reasons (ignoring the obvious, such as sitting in traffic for twice the amount of time on an especially rainy day) I would give for the fondness of these memories and the way the weather seems to affect everyone on a daily basis.
The first has to do with pressure. I think for the most part most of us know that 'Low-pressure systems' bring the storm clouds and 'High pressure systems' bring us those beautiful days at the beach. As I understand it, the difference between the two is literally high and low...clouds are made of water vapour and when they start to become saturated (unable to hold more water vapour) they begin to sink lower in the sky. As they are also more dense, pressure begins to build below them, similar to a bicycle pump as the plunger moves down the cylinder (except not confined in a tube). Obviously when people are 'under pressure' literally, we are more likely to be on edge.
Another reason, and this is mostly opinion added to logic, is that our sun, Sol, has literally given us life. Without the sun's energy, we would have no light, no heat, no water, and there's a very good chance the very elements that make up our being may not be available on the planet. The plants use photosynthesis to harvest the sun's energy, and animals eat the plants. Very basic science. I think that somewhere within the very essence of our consciousness, we recognize this fact and are predisposed to wanting a connection with the source - we all want to remember where we came from. Even plants do it.
Also, being out in the sun just feels great. Everyone's happier and as much as we don't like to admit it, there is definitely some truth to the idea of group consciousness. But that's another blog.
So get out there, rehash some of those childhood games, connect with your family and connect with the source. It's the ultimate 'Soul Food' (see what I did there?) - so fill up!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!
In light of this, I've decided to write about why it is that people are generally happier when it's nice outside.
As a kid, I loved to play outside. Running around playing tag, throwing a baseball around, playing ball hockey, or even playing manhunt at night in the dark....these are some of the best memories I have. Thinking of these times right now while I'm writing I can't help but smile. I loved to hear my mom come into the room and say "Go outside and get the stink blown off ya," or my dad grabbing the hockey stick and saying "Let's go shoot around."
There's a few reasons (ignoring the obvious, such as sitting in traffic for twice the amount of time on an especially rainy day) I would give for the fondness of these memories and the way the weather seems to affect everyone on a daily basis.
The first has to do with pressure. I think for the most part most of us know that 'Low-pressure systems' bring the storm clouds and 'High pressure systems' bring us those beautiful days at the beach. As I understand it, the difference between the two is literally high and low...clouds are made of water vapour and when they start to become saturated (unable to hold more water vapour) they begin to sink lower in the sky. As they are also more dense, pressure begins to build below them, similar to a bicycle pump as the plunger moves down the cylinder (except not confined in a tube). Obviously when people are 'under pressure' literally, we are more likely to be on edge.
Another reason, and this is mostly opinion added to logic, is that our sun, Sol, has literally given us life. Without the sun's energy, we would have no light, no heat, no water, and there's a very good chance the very elements that make up our being may not be available on the planet. The plants use photosynthesis to harvest the sun's energy, and animals eat the plants. Very basic science. I think that somewhere within the very essence of our consciousness, we recognize this fact and are predisposed to wanting a connection with the source - we all want to remember where we came from. Even plants do it.
Also, being out in the sun just feels great. Everyone's happier and as much as we don't like to admit it, there is definitely some truth to the idea of group consciousness. But that's another blog.
So get out there, rehash some of those childhood games, connect with your family and connect with the source. It's the ultimate 'Soul Food' (see what I did there?) - so fill up!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!
Friday 23 March 2012
Individually Speaking
Good Morning Cyberspace.
I absolutely love a good TV show. One of my favourites, Mad Men, about ad men in the 1960s, has its season 5 premier episode this weekend. If you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it.
Advertising is absolutely everywhere in our modern world. There's no getting away from it. One of the things that's been a repetitive in advertising for as long I can remember is the theme of individualism. Show who you really are through the things you own. I have some problems with this.
What shows your individuality? To me, there has to be something that sets us apart in order to be individuals. Maybe it is just the clothes you wear, the hairstyle you choose that day or the tattoo on your ankle you're so quick to show off. But to me, wearing a t-shirt that's been mass-produced and marketed across the county, continent or globe doesn't really show how you are unique. Walking into a tattoo parlour and spending an hour looking through the same books that everyone has looked through...that tattoo doesn't really have the effect you want - I've seen it before.
Originality is hard to find in today's society. I mean, look at the music industry. Music used to be an expression of self. Songs were written from the heart (or from wherever the last hit of acid took the songwriter) and had meaning. Modern mainstream has become nothing but image and computerized instruments and voices. Most of the most popular artists don't write their own songs. And most of the songs on the radio sound pretty much like a carbon copy of the one before. Art is another thing that has suffered - my daughter went on a class trip to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia a couple of months ago and one of the exhibits was literally a pile of pennies. If a pile of pennies is worthy of being called art, then this blog is a damn masterpiece.
I think that part of the problem lies in a lack of confidence. Every magazine or movie tells us that if we look and act a certain way, everyone will accept us. In my experience, most people are afraid to be themselves. They are afraid of how they may look in the eyes of others. But why do we want to be accepted by everyone else? I know that all of my ideas may not be popular...I know that I may not fit in everywhere I go. I'm perfectly OK with that. I've surrounded myself with people who share my ideals, people who will express their own opinion even if it doesn't coincide with mine, people who aren't afraid of getting judged. If we are individuals, then shouldn't we be encouraged to express our own ideas?
So I ask you this Cyberspace - has the idea of individuality been used to bring out all of our inner consumers? Have the advertising firms been so successful in their 'act this way, be this way, live this way' type of campaigns that we do exactly the same thing as the next person and somehow think that sets us apart? Have they convinced us that in order to survive in modern society, we MUST be accepted by everyone else - accepted as a part of the group, with these small purchasable differences the only way to set us apart?
I'm not convinced. I can wear exactly the same shirt as 50000 other people and still stand out because I'm not afraid to speak my opinion. I'm not afraid to share my idea and have it rejected by everyone who hears it. I am myself, only myself and I only want to be myself.
So if you want to show me that you're an individual - don't go buy neon shoes and dye your hair pink...speak your mind and express your opinion. Nobody else will ever be able to express your beliefs - just be you.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!
I absolutely love a good TV show. One of my favourites, Mad Men, about ad men in the 1960s, has its season 5 premier episode this weekend. If you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it.
Advertising is absolutely everywhere in our modern world. There's no getting away from it. One of the things that's been a repetitive in advertising for as long I can remember is the theme of individualism. Show who you really are through the things you own. I have some problems with this.
What shows your individuality? To me, there has to be something that sets us apart in order to be individuals. Maybe it is just the clothes you wear, the hairstyle you choose that day or the tattoo on your ankle you're so quick to show off. But to me, wearing a t-shirt that's been mass-produced and marketed across the county, continent or globe doesn't really show how you are unique. Walking into a tattoo parlour and spending an hour looking through the same books that everyone has looked through...that tattoo doesn't really have the effect you want - I've seen it before.
Originality is hard to find in today's society. I mean, look at the music industry. Music used to be an expression of self. Songs were written from the heart (or from wherever the last hit of acid took the songwriter) and had meaning. Modern mainstream has become nothing but image and computerized instruments and voices. Most of the most popular artists don't write their own songs. And most of the songs on the radio sound pretty much like a carbon copy of the one before. Art is another thing that has suffered - my daughter went on a class trip to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia a couple of months ago and one of the exhibits was literally a pile of pennies. If a pile of pennies is worthy of being called art, then this blog is a damn masterpiece.
I think that part of the problem lies in a lack of confidence. Every magazine or movie tells us that if we look and act a certain way, everyone will accept us. In my experience, most people are afraid to be themselves. They are afraid of how they may look in the eyes of others. But why do we want to be accepted by everyone else? I know that all of my ideas may not be popular...I know that I may not fit in everywhere I go. I'm perfectly OK with that. I've surrounded myself with people who share my ideals, people who will express their own opinion even if it doesn't coincide with mine, people who aren't afraid of getting judged. If we are individuals, then shouldn't we be encouraged to express our own ideas?
So I ask you this Cyberspace - has the idea of individuality been used to bring out all of our inner consumers? Have the advertising firms been so successful in their 'act this way, be this way, live this way' type of campaigns that we do exactly the same thing as the next person and somehow think that sets us apart? Have they convinced us that in order to survive in modern society, we MUST be accepted by everyone else - accepted as a part of the group, with these small purchasable differences the only way to set us apart?
I'm not convinced. I can wear exactly the same shirt as 50000 other people and still stand out because I'm not afraid to speak my opinion. I'm not afraid to share my idea and have it rejected by everyone who hears it. I am myself, only myself and I only want to be myself.
So if you want to show me that you're an individual - don't go buy neon shoes and dye your hair pink...speak your mind and express your opinion. Nobody else will ever be able to express your beliefs - just be you.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!
Thursday 22 March 2012
Lovers and Enemies
Good Morrow Cyberspace.
I'm a little upset. Without getting into specifics, let's just say that someone close to me may be going through a tough time right now. This person may have just found out that their significant other had been sleeping with someone else for somewhere between six months and a year. So I'm going to go ahead and write a theoretical letter to each party involved. We'll call these folks Steve and Mallory.
Steve,
The first thing I have to say is how can you do that to someone? How can you come home to your family, sit and eat dinner with them...kiss the kids good night...get into the same bed as the person you know would be devastated if they were ever to find out about your secret? It must take a form of malicious will that I just don't have.
I can understand that relationships come to an end. I can understand the want to move on. I can understand the need to break routine. What I can't understand is the decision to go ahead and sleep with someone else when you are already committed. If you're having some of the aforementioned feelings, talk about it or leave. Don't keep a false facade. This is a form of emotional battery. I hope that someday you experience a fraction of the emotional turmoil you've caused. I hope your guilt breaks your spirit. I hope you come crawling for forgiveness.
Am I mad at you? Let's put it this way...you don't want to see me. You've betrayed some of the most important people in my life...you've betrayed me. Most importantly, you've betrayed yourself. You have no integrity...you have no dignity. I'm ashamed to say I know you. You are a coward.
There's a lot more I'd like to say to you...but you are not worth the time. Don't say hello if you see me on the street. Forget that we've ever met.
Enjoy the mirror asshole.
Mallory,
There's not much I can say in this situation. There's nothing I can do to make it better. There's no justification for what's been done to you. I know that you are an emotional supernova right now. All will get better with time.
You have to know that you are wonderful. You are a great person through and through. You've always been there for me - and I know for a fact there are many others who would say the same. You have a compassion inside of you that most people don't. The idea that someone could do this to you, of all people, just shows the state of our society. 'If they're too nice, walk all over 'em.'
You also have to know that he's not worth it. Anyone who can lead you on for so long was obviously never worth it. Don't feel guilty - you never could have known how things would go. Remember the good times, forget about the bad...but don't forget the lessons you are learning right now.
I know it sounds like bullshit. It probably feels like you are being sucked into a black hole. But there are always sunbeams to lead the way out. You have children who love you...you have a family that is closer than most...and you deserve it.
You will get through this. You're one of the strongest people I know. Not only that, but you WILL come out a better person. You WILL ride this wave - but you will not wash up on shore...you will land on your feet (I'm willing to bet running) and keep on.
I Love You
Just a little piece of my mind, thanks for reading my rant!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, comments, thoughts and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!
I'm a little upset. Without getting into specifics, let's just say that someone close to me may be going through a tough time right now. This person may have just found out that their significant other had been sleeping with someone else for somewhere between six months and a year. So I'm going to go ahead and write a theoretical letter to each party involved. We'll call these folks Steve and Mallory.
Steve,
The first thing I have to say is how can you do that to someone? How can you come home to your family, sit and eat dinner with them...kiss the kids good night...get into the same bed as the person you know would be devastated if they were ever to find out about your secret? It must take a form of malicious will that I just don't have.
I can understand that relationships come to an end. I can understand the want to move on. I can understand the need to break routine. What I can't understand is the decision to go ahead and sleep with someone else when you are already committed. If you're having some of the aforementioned feelings, talk about it or leave. Don't keep a false facade. This is a form of emotional battery. I hope that someday you experience a fraction of the emotional turmoil you've caused. I hope your guilt breaks your spirit. I hope you come crawling for forgiveness.
Am I mad at you? Let's put it this way...you don't want to see me. You've betrayed some of the most important people in my life...you've betrayed me. Most importantly, you've betrayed yourself. You have no integrity...you have no dignity. I'm ashamed to say I know you. You are a coward.
There's a lot more I'd like to say to you...but you are not worth the time. Don't say hello if you see me on the street. Forget that we've ever met.
Enjoy the mirror asshole.
Mallory,
There's not much I can say in this situation. There's nothing I can do to make it better. There's no justification for what's been done to you. I know that you are an emotional supernova right now. All will get better with time.
You have to know that you are wonderful. You are a great person through and through. You've always been there for me - and I know for a fact there are many others who would say the same. You have a compassion inside of you that most people don't. The idea that someone could do this to you, of all people, just shows the state of our society. 'If they're too nice, walk all over 'em.'
You also have to know that he's not worth it. Anyone who can lead you on for so long was obviously never worth it. Don't feel guilty - you never could have known how things would go. Remember the good times, forget about the bad...but don't forget the lessons you are learning right now.
I know it sounds like bullshit. It probably feels like you are being sucked into a black hole. But there are always sunbeams to lead the way out. You have children who love you...you have a family that is closer than most...and you deserve it.
You will get through this. You're one of the strongest people I know. Not only that, but you WILL come out a better person. You WILL ride this wave - but you will not wash up on shore...you will land on your feet (I'm willing to bet running) and keep on.
I Love You
Just a little piece of my mind, thanks for reading my rant!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, comments, thoughts and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!
Wednesday 21 March 2012
Our Right to Education
What's up Cyberspace? I read an article today on cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/opinion/rice-klein-education/index.html?hpt=hp_bn6) about how education keeps America safe. I live in Canada, but we still have the same problem...post secondary education seems to mean much less than it used to.
When I was a kid, I was given the idea that in order to be successful, I would have to attend university. All real professionals had degrees and people who had just a high school diploma were left in the dust. And from what I hear, that's actually the way it was.
So I attended university. I was planning on being an English teacher, continuing to take classes at night until I got my doctorate and graduating to a professor. Sounded like a great plan. But then I hit a few speed bumps, not the least of which being my 'Intro to Philosophy' course, also known as 'Critical Thinking.' At the time, I thought it was a great idea...how could you really have an education if you couldn't think properly? The problem is that I applied that critical thinking to my education.
The warning bells went off. I was trapped inside one of the greatest logical fallacies (to that point in time, anyway) I had ever encountered. Here I was, putting myself into debt...not the I.O.U. type of debt, but the 'if you don't give me my money I will garnish your wages' type of debt. And for what? By this point, I knew several people who had graduated from a post-secondary institution...and one out of the six of those people had a job. It wasn't even in the same field his degree was in.
I remembered a banner that was on the wall in my Grade 3 classroom. It has always stuck with me and it seemed extremely appropriate for this situation. It simply said "There is a better way - find it." I started to think about a different way to educate the population.
First of all, a lot of the problem (almost all of it) stems from the fact that universities and colleges are run as a business - they work for profit. Why does a school have to make money? Sure, there are expenses. But don't most of these same expenses apply to public schools? Then I thought about the public school system and how most of the students who attend public school take it for granted.
I arrived at what seemed to me to be a happy medium. A performance-based public scholarship available to all students. When a student graduates high school, the process remains the same. However, publicly funded scholarships are awarded to all students attending post secondary institutions. These scholarships should be based on academic performance (for example a 90-100% grade avg garners a full ride...an 80-89% gets 90% of your schooling paid for, etc.) out of high school, with a review of their performance after each semester.
This way, a student like myself who is dedicated and strives to do well would be rewarded. A student who just wants to go to school and party would be forced to pay to attend the institution. I don't think that it makes sense to be forced to take 4 steps back before even having the chance to take one step forward. Our population would theoretically be more educated, and that educated population would have a much easier time getting ahead once they go forth into the work force.
There would obviously be many logistical changes that would have to be made to the current system, but in the end I think it's a much better system than the one in place now. In my case, I would probably be teaching an English class right now, getting ready to be taught more tonight.
If the Western World is the 'land of opportunity,' then let's give our population an opportunity. A right to education...a right to follow your heart...a right to make your dreams come true.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, comments, thoughts and suggestions encouraged and welcome!!!
When I was a kid, I was given the idea that in order to be successful, I would have to attend university. All real professionals had degrees and people who had just a high school diploma were left in the dust. And from what I hear, that's actually the way it was.
So I attended university. I was planning on being an English teacher, continuing to take classes at night until I got my doctorate and graduating to a professor. Sounded like a great plan. But then I hit a few speed bumps, not the least of which being my 'Intro to Philosophy' course, also known as 'Critical Thinking.' At the time, I thought it was a great idea...how could you really have an education if you couldn't think properly? The problem is that I applied that critical thinking to my education.
The warning bells went off. I was trapped inside one of the greatest logical fallacies (to that point in time, anyway) I had ever encountered. Here I was, putting myself into debt...not the I.O.U. type of debt, but the 'if you don't give me my money I will garnish your wages' type of debt. And for what? By this point, I knew several people who had graduated from a post-secondary institution...and one out of the six of those people had a job. It wasn't even in the same field his degree was in.
I remembered a banner that was on the wall in my Grade 3 classroom. It has always stuck with me and it seemed extremely appropriate for this situation. It simply said "There is a better way - find it." I started to think about a different way to educate the population.
First of all, a lot of the problem (almost all of it) stems from the fact that universities and colleges are run as a business - they work for profit. Why does a school have to make money? Sure, there are expenses. But don't most of these same expenses apply to public schools? Then I thought about the public school system and how most of the students who attend public school take it for granted.
I arrived at what seemed to me to be a happy medium. A performance-based public scholarship available to all students. When a student graduates high school, the process remains the same. However, publicly funded scholarships are awarded to all students attending post secondary institutions. These scholarships should be based on academic performance (for example a 90-100% grade avg garners a full ride...an 80-89% gets 90% of your schooling paid for, etc.) out of high school, with a review of their performance after each semester.
This way, a student like myself who is dedicated and strives to do well would be rewarded. A student who just wants to go to school and party would be forced to pay to attend the institution. I don't think that it makes sense to be forced to take 4 steps back before even having the chance to take one step forward. Our population would theoretically be more educated, and that educated population would have a much easier time getting ahead once they go forth into the work force.
There would obviously be many logistical changes that would have to be made to the current system, but in the end I think it's a much better system than the one in place now. In my case, I would probably be teaching an English class right now, getting ready to be taught more tonight.
If the Western World is the 'land of opportunity,' then let's give our population an opportunity. A right to education...a right to follow your heart...a right to make your dreams come true.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, comments, thoughts and suggestions encouraged and welcome!!!
Tuesday 20 March 2012
That Old Couch
Salutations Cyberspace. It's gorgeous out...has old man winter finally blown his last breath? We can only hope, although the winter was shockingly mild and there was hardly any fun fluffy stuff. 'Cuz I'm sure you haven't heard enough about the weather by now.
Today I want to talk about fear. When I googled 'top 10 fears', I found a lot of different results. A lot of the results showed up over and over - snakes, spiders, the dark, thunderstorms, heights, public speaking, etc. I was shocked to find that death only showed up on a few of the lists that I looked at.
What is it that scares us about death? It's the giant question that comes with it. What happens when we die? I have no definite answer...nobody does. A lot of us find solace in religion or some set of beliefs. Most of these tell us that life goes on...even after life is over. An answer that may be slightly illogical, but is widely accepted nonetheless.
It is a scary prospect. I mean, who knows what to expect? Then again, who knows what to expect when they fall asleep? Any night's dream could be a nightmare. Yet we still get out of bed in the morning, not knowing what will happen. It could be the worst day you've ever had...but you didn't know that before you threw off the sheets and rolled off of your mattress.
I'd say that to a certain extent we're all at least a little apprehensive when it comes to things we're not familiar with. Would you jump into a natural pool of crystal clear water on a hot summer's day? I would. But would you be so quick to hop in and beat the heat if the water was murky? I would probably not. I don't know what's in there! Ever felt nervous before going somewhere new? Anxious before meeting someone new?
My question is this - why do we fear the unknown? I've come to discover that the unknown is the reason I get out of bed everyday. I want to see what's going to happen. Every day brings nothing but new experiences. And isn't experience the spice of life? Good, bad or ugly...everything I've been through has led me to right here, right now...to the me that I am today. I can't live in the past. I can't live in the future. I can only live right now. And I want right now to be an exciting time. I want to learn something new about myself, about my surroundings, about...well...anything.
So go ahead and get off that old couch. Sit on the floor. Sit on the kitchen counter. Sit on the coffee table. Make yourself uncomfortable and see what happens. Talk to a stranger. Give someone your seat on the bus. Every path is different and exciting in its own way...so why travel the same one every single day? Curiousity (another 'ou' instance - I also don't use oxford commas...I'm only beginning to realize what a language rebel I really am) may have killed the cat, but it turned me into the person I am today. Do something different. Enjoy it. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, thoughts, comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged! Thanks for stopping by.
Today I want to talk about fear. When I googled 'top 10 fears', I found a lot of different results. A lot of the results showed up over and over - snakes, spiders, the dark, thunderstorms, heights, public speaking, etc. I was shocked to find that death only showed up on a few of the lists that I looked at.
What is it that scares us about death? It's the giant question that comes with it. What happens when we die? I have no definite answer...nobody does. A lot of us find solace in religion or some set of beliefs. Most of these tell us that life goes on...even after life is over. An answer that may be slightly illogical, but is widely accepted nonetheless.
It is a scary prospect. I mean, who knows what to expect? Then again, who knows what to expect when they fall asleep? Any night's dream could be a nightmare. Yet we still get out of bed in the morning, not knowing what will happen. It could be the worst day you've ever had...but you didn't know that before you threw off the sheets and rolled off of your mattress.
I'd say that to a certain extent we're all at least a little apprehensive when it comes to things we're not familiar with. Would you jump into a natural pool of crystal clear water on a hot summer's day? I would. But would you be so quick to hop in and beat the heat if the water was murky? I would probably not. I don't know what's in there! Ever felt nervous before going somewhere new? Anxious before meeting someone new?
My question is this - why do we fear the unknown? I've come to discover that the unknown is the reason I get out of bed everyday. I want to see what's going to happen. Every day brings nothing but new experiences. And isn't experience the spice of life? Good, bad or ugly...everything I've been through has led me to right here, right now...to the me that I am today. I can't live in the past. I can't live in the future. I can only live right now. And I want right now to be an exciting time. I want to learn something new about myself, about my surroundings, about...well...anything.
So go ahead and get off that old couch. Sit on the floor. Sit on the kitchen counter. Sit on the coffee table. Make yourself uncomfortable and see what happens. Talk to a stranger. Give someone your seat on the bus. Every path is different and exciting in its own way...so why travel the same one every single day? Curiousity (another 'ou' instance - I also don't use oxford commas...I'm only beginning to realize what a language rebel I really am) may have killed the cat, but it turned me into the person I am today. Do something different. Enjoy it. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, thoughts, comments and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged! Thanks for stopping by.
Monday 19 March 2012
Locked Doors
Hello Cyberspace. I hope you all had a great St Patrick's day weekend, mine went very well. Today I'd like to relate something a little more personal.
I know that there are many people in this world struggling to make it through every day. Everybody has their individual stresses, grievances and complaints. It's to be expected in a society that measures your worth by your wallet. There are, however, many reasons to keep moving forward...to keep beating on those closed doors.
In my early twenties, I was having a tough time facing the dawn of each day. I was broke, living paycheck to paycheck (with no guaranteed hours). I was living in a rented room of an apartment. I was eating because of the efforts of the local Food Bank. My "roommates" had severe substance abuse problems, with both legal and illegal drugs. I had no extra money to support my daughter (let's call her 'Anne'; thank God for her mother and her family) and I was just barely supporting myself.
I'm a very self-critical person and being in a situation like this gave me all kinds of reasons to hate myself. Every morning I would roll out of bed, put on my old beat-up work boots and head for the bathroom. I remember brushing my teeth facing the opposite direction of the sink so I wouldn't have to look at my own face in the mirror. Every time I met my reflection, he would berate me - "You should have stayed in school dumbass."..."Do you really think you're ever going to amount to anything? Dream on."..."How long is it going to be before you start smoking crack like the people you live with?"..."Of course your girlfriend left you, would you want a bum like you around?"..."'Anne' would be much better off if you just died." That last one was always the worst to take. I came to find out that it was the best thing anyone could have said to me.
I had a daughter...I was at least partially responsible for the well being of another life. And I was failing at that responsibility. I knew I had to make a change. If I didn't I would be trapped in an ever-evolving cage of self-pity and self-resentment. Not to mention the fact that I was neck-deep in debt. Something had to give and it damn sure wasn't going to be me.
During this time, my aunt, who had gone to Kandahar to work as civilian offering support to the Canadian Forces, was home on leave. We've always been close and she could tell that I was struggling. She suggested I apply to go away as well. Long story short, (someday I'll write my experiences there) I went overseas. I was there for almost a year and half.
There was one thought that kept me motivated the whole time I was gone...the same thought that convinced me to apply in the first place. 'Anne' loved me. She didn't care how much money I had, how much debt I had to crawl out of...she loved me for me (a lesson I'm sure she learned from her mother, but that's another story)...and I had to learn to love me for me. If I couldn't love myself, then how could I ever truly love anyone else? How could I be of value to this little girl if even I didn't believe I had value?
Now, less than two years since coming back to Canada, I live with 'Anne'. Her mother and I are back together, I'm in school again and for the first time I can remember I'm truly happy. I'm still fairly broke, but we make ends meet. Life is good. I wake up everyday to two of the most beautiful people on the planet.
I guess what I'm trying to say is no matter how dire the situation seems there's always a way out. The key lies within you...it will open every door you want it to. I know it's the most cliche thing I could write, but you can literally do anything. I had to go around the world to find my key, even though it was buried right here at home. I'm sure you can find yours.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
I know that there are many people in this world struggling to make it through every day. Everybody has their individual stresses, grievances and complaints. It's to be expected in a society that measures your worth by your wallet. There are, however, many reasons to keep moving forward...to keep beating on those closed doors.
In my early twenties, I was having a tough time facing the dawn of each day. I was broke, living paycheck to paycheck (with no guaranteed hours). I was living in a rented room of an apartment. I was eating because of the efforts of the local Food Bank. My "roommates" had severe substance abuse problems, with both legal and illegal drugs. I had no extra money to support my daughter (let's call her 'Anne'; thank God for her mother and her family) and I was just barely supporting myself.
I'm a very self-critical person and being in a situation like this gave me all kinds of reasons to hate myself. Every morning I would roll out of bed, put on my old beat-up work boots and head for the bathroom. I remember brushing my teeth facing the opposite direction of the sink so I wouldn't have to look at my own face in the mirror. Every time I met my reflection, he would berate me - "You should have stayed in school dumbass."..."Do you really think you're ever going to amount to anything? Dream on."..."How long is it going to be before you start smoking crack like the people you live with?"..."Of course your girlfriend left you, would you want a bum like you around?"..."'Anne' would be much better off if you just died." That last one was always the worst to take. I came to find out that it was the best thing anyone could have said to me.
I had a daughter...I was at least partially responsible for the well being of another life. And I was failing at that responsibility. I knew I had to make a change. If I didn't I would be trapped in an ever-evolving cage of self-pity and self-resentment. Not to mention the fact that I was neck-deep in debt. Something had to give and it damn sure wasn't going to be me.
During this time, my aunt, who had gone to Kandahar to work as civilian offering support to the Canadian Forces, was home on leave. We've always been close and she could tell that I was struggling. She suggested I apply to go away as well. Long story short, (someday I'll write my experiences there) I went overseas. I was there for almost a year and half.
There was one thought that kept me motivated the whole time I was gone...the same thought that convinced me to apply in the first place. 'Anne' loved me. She didn't care how much money I had, how much debt I had to crawl out of...she loved me for me (a lesson I'm sure she learned from her mother, but that's another story)...and I had to learn to love me for me. If I couldn't love myself, then how could I ever truly love anyone else? How could I be of value to this little girl if even I didn't believe I had value?
Now, less than two years since coming back to Canada, I live with 'Anne'. Her mother and I are back together, I'm in school again and for the first time I can remember I'm truly happy. I'm still fairly broke, but we make ends meet. Life is good. I wake up everyday to two of the most beautiful people on the planet.
I guess what I'm trying to say is no matter how dire the situation seems there's always a way out. The key lies within you...it will open every door you want it to. I know it's the most cliche thing I could write, but you can literally do anything. I had to go around the world to find my key, even though it was buried right here at home. I'm sure you can find yours.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always, thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Sunday 18 March 2012
Sunday Storytime - #1
Good morning Cyberspace. It's Sunday and I've decided that every week I'm going to turn my Sunday blog into story time. I'm using the term 'story' very loosely, as I plan to write posts about dreams I've had, experiential pieces and of course the occasional actual short story. Today's post is an experiential one that I wrote a while ago...I actually used it for my writing sample to get into school. I hope you like it. As always, comments, thoughts and suggestions are encouraged and welcome!
The Plunge
I stand at the
edge of a precipice. The jagged boulders below are merely pebbles to my eye. I
turn and look at the path I’ve traveled to get here. The sun blinds me.
Vultures circle overhead as though they sense that there’s about to be a meal.
I envision the
fall; the helplessness; the exhilaration. I imagine the impact, the crunch of
my bones as they shatter against the unforgiving earth. In my mind’s eye I see
the buzzards swooping down, jealously attacking the fresh meat. I cautiously
peer over the edge, vertigo turning my stomach. Shimmering waves of heat give
the view a surrealistic feel. I taste the air. It is dry. I imagine my mouth
being packed full of sand.
The thought of
those I’ve left behind haunts my being, guilt filling my soul completely. I am
alone. Alone. Something inside of me twitches and my resolve falters, if only
for an instant. I wonder if there is such a thing as destiny. The idea of fate
rolls around inside my head for a few moments, until it is stilled by another thought.
Everything that has happened, every moment of my life has been dictated by my
conscious mind. Even as an infant,
though I do not feign to remember that time of my life, the decision to cry, to
squirm, to smile; all have been decisions. I begin to reflect upon my many
moments of indecision, and I realize that even not choosing is a choice.
My thoughts are
interrupted by the impatient calls of the beasts of burden soaring overhead.
“Hurry up” they seem to say. In what could have only been a fraction of a
second, although it seems as if an eternity has passed, my thoughts cease. My
mind is clear, and I finally feel at peace. For the first time in my life,
complete silence from the voice of my mind. I have already made this decision.
My right foot lifts
itself and swings out into the void. The angle quickly sharpens and suddenly I
am free. The ground below reaches up toward me, eager for our meeting. I feel the
air rushing over my features, the gentle hiss of the breeze turning to a
giant’s roar in my ears. Somehow the sound relaxes me. Gravity becomes my ally,
pulling me as the wind seems to try to force me back to the lip of the chasm. I
sink faster. The pebbles have turned to rocks, soon to become boulders. I am
completely calm. I spread my arms and feel the wind rush between my fingers. I
experience a rush of euphoria as I pull my lips back in what must seem like a
grotesque mockery of excitement. It is my last smile. I close my eyes and slip
into the safety of the dark. Everything is comforting now; the blackness I see,
the forces at work on my body, the silence inside my head. I do not regret my
decision. It is perfect.
*BLACK*
Saturday 17 March 2012
911 - Emergency Service or Entertainment Source?
Good day Cyberspace. I hope you are doing well...and I really hope that the topic of this blog is not one you'll ever have to deal with.
Yesterday in Florida, there were seven 911 call tapes released to the public. Each one related to the shooting of a 17 year old teen last month. This is not the first time I've heard of emergency tapes being released and I'm sure it won't be the last. I think it's disgusting.
The first question that popped into my mind (of course) was why are 911 tapes released? It seems like a gross invasion of privacy to me. Especially when, as in this instance, someone loses their life. I personally don't want to hear anyone's frantic last moments...and I definitely don't want anyone to be privy to mine.
The article on cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/17/justice/florida-teen-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t3) states that "The teen's parents broke down when they heard the recordings detailing the last moments of his life..."
No shit.
Can you imagine listening to a phone call, hearing your child screaming for his or her life in the background? Listening to another phone call and hearing his/her desperate pleas for help...followed by another, then another...seven times. Seven slightly different versions of your son's (in this case) death? Forced to relive the most painful possible experience...why put the family through that? It's been less than a month since their child was taken from them, the most precious gift that exists. It is absolutely ridiculous.
If I were involved in an emergency situation and had to call 911, the last thing I would ever want is for that tape to be heard by anyone I know...let alone the entire population. I liken the release of a 911 call to the release of a diary to the public. These things are both extremely personal and should be kept private under any and all circumstances. I'm sure there are things about you, as there are things about me, that you don't want to share with everyone. I don't want everyone to see or hear me at my most vulnerable time. If I do choose to share it with you, be it out of emotional need or physical necessity, I would want you to keep it in confidence. It's just a respectful thing to do...isn't it?
Granted, I don't know the criteria for a tape actually being released to the public, but there is no instance I can think of where this would prove beneficial. Even at the furthest reaches of my imagination (and it's a go-go-gadget arm's length at least) I can't understand the logic behind these actions. If it's a voice identification thing and you want to ask the public for help, which is the most plausible answer I can come up with, release a snippet of the voice in question and silence the background noise. If I can do it with Cool Edit Pro on my computer right now, then every police department in Canada and the US can sure as hell do it.
So the conclusion that I've drawn is that the release of 911 tapes occurs solely for dramatic effect. It's a make-news gimmick that flies in the face of any right to privacy we may have. It's disrespectful to the dead and hurtful to those touched by tragedy. It is absolutely sickening and as far as I'm concerned it should be banned...period.
Peace and love
The Critical Stranger
As always your thoughts and comments are encouraged and appreciated.
Yesterday in Florida, there were seven 911 call tapes released to the public. Each one related to the shooting of a 17 year old teen last month. This is not the first time I've heard of emergency tapes being released and I'm sure it won't be the last. I think it's disgusting.
The first question that popped into my mind (of course) was why are 911 tapes released? It seems like a gross invasion of privacy to me. Especially when, as in this instance, someone loses their life. I personally don't want to hear anyone's frantic last moments...and I definitely don't want anyone to be privy to mine.
The article on cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/17/justice/florida-teen-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t3) states that "The teen's parents broke down when they heard the recordings detailing the last moments of his life..."
No shit.
Can you imagine listening to a phone call, hearing your child screaming for his or her life in the background? Listening to another phone call and hearing his/her desperate pleas for help...followed by another, then another...seven times. Seven slightly different versions of your son's (in this case) death? Forced to relive the most painful possible experience...why put the family through that? It's been less than a month since their child was taken from them, the most precious gift that exists. It is absolutely ridiculous.
If I were involved in an emergency situation and had to call 911, the last thing I would ever want is for that tape to be heard by anyone I know...let alone the entire population. I liken the release of a 911 call to the release of a diary to the public. These things are both extremely personal and should be kept private under any and all circumstances. I'm sure there are things about you, as there are things about me, that you don't want to share with everyone. I don't want everyone to see or hear me at my most vulnerable time. If I do choose to share it with you, be it out of emotional need or physical necessity, I would want you to keep it in confidence. It's just a respectful thing to do...isn't it?
Granted, I don't know the criteria for a tape actually being released to the public, but there is no instance I can think of where this would prove beneficial. Even at the furthest reaches of my imagination (and it's a go-go-gadget arm's length at least) I can't understand the logic behind these actions. If it's a voice identification thing and you want to ask the public for help, which is the most plausible answer I can come up with, release a snippet of the voice in question and silence the background noise. If I can do it with Cool Edit Pro on my computer right now, then every police department in Canada and the US can sure as hell do it.
So the conclusion that I've drawn is that the release of 911 tapes occurs solely for dramatic effect. It's a make-news gimmick that flies in the face of any right to privacy we may have. It's disrespectful to the dead and hurtful to those touched by tragedy. It is absolutely sickening and as far as I'm concerned it should be banned...period.
Peace and love
The Critical Stranger
As always your thoughts and comments are encouraged and appreciated.
Friday 16 March 2012
Breaking the Rules of Engagement
Hello again Cyberspace. I've been reading lots of stories in the news recently pertaining to war criminals - especially about Joseph Kony (obviously) and more recently, an as yet unnamed American soldier.
I'm not going to get into the Joseph Kony debate at this point in time. Yes, he's a bad person.
What I really want to talk about is this anonymous soldier in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan. I'm only going by what I've read online, but here's what I've gleaned from the story so far. This soldier (let's call him Jim) apparently left his base, went out into a nearby village and starting going house-to-house ruthlessly gunning down civilians. Three women, four men and nine children were killed, according to Afghan authorities and witnesses. 'Jim' allegedly returned to his base and turned himself in. Amidst much public outcry in Afghanistan, the US Military has flown 'Jim' out of the country to Kuwait.
As I delve deeper into the story, some very disturbing facts begin to come to light. This was 'Jim's' first tour in Afghanistan, but he had already completed three tours of duty in Iraq. In 2010, while deployed, he suffered "a traumatic brain injury" in a motor vehicle accident. So what the hell was he doing in Kandahar?
The Afghan population and officials want him to be tried in Afghan court, which sounds like a reasonable request to me, but American military policy states that all members charged with 'wrongdoing' will be dealt with within the American military justice system. I personally think that he should charged by the ICC*.
I don't know what will happen with this story, but I feel as though the whole truth will never be known. There are reports from Afghan officials and witnesses claiming that up to 20 US soldiers were involved in the massacre. The Americans haven't even confirmed the number of dead...four days later.
All that I'm asking for is justice. Are there not 'Invisible Children' in Afghanistan as well? Why won't the world unite to persecute 'Jim'? Is it because he's a decorated American soldier? Because the children who will never have a chance to live their lives were most likely Muslim? Is it because he was injured in a previous tour of duty and should never have been there in the first place?
It's impossible to kill an idea with a gun....its impossible to fight fire with fire.What logic says we should try to fight terror with terror?
Until tomorrow,
The Critical Stranger
*The ICC is a tribunal that was formed in 2002 to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The US has measures set in place to prevent prosecution of members of its military by this court - you can read more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_International_Criminal_Court#American_Service_Members_Protection_Act
I'm not going to get into the Joseph Kony debate at this point in time. Yes, he's a bad person.
What I really want to talk about is this anonymous soldier in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan. I'm only going by what I've read online, but here's what I've gleaned from the story so far. This soldier (let's call him Jim) apparently left his base, went out into a nearby village and starting going house-to-house ruthlessly gunning down civilians. Three women, four men and nine children were killed, according to Afghan authorities and witnesses. 'Jim' allegedly returned to his base and turned himself in. Amidst much public outcry in Afghanistan, the US Military has flown 'Jim' out of the country to Kuwait.
As I delve deeper into the story, some very disturbing facts begin to come to light. This was 'Jim's' first tour in Afghanistan, but he had already completed three tours of duty in Iraq. In 2010, while deployed, he suffered "a traumatic brain injury" in a motor vehicle accident. So what the hell was he doing in Kandahar?
The Afghan population and officials want him to be tried in Afghan court, which sounds like a reasonable request to me, but American military policy states that all members charged with 'wrongdoing' will be dealt with within the American military justice system. I personally think that he should charged by the ICC*.
I don't know what will happen with this story, but I feel as though the whole truth will never be known. There are reports from Afghan officials and witnesses claiming that up to 20 US soldiers were involved in the massacre. The Americans haven't even confirmed the number of dead...four days later.
All that I'm asking for is justice. Are there not 'Invisible Children' in Afghanistan as well? Why won't the world unite to persecute 'Jim'? Is it because he's a decorated American soldier? Because the children who will never have a chance to live their lives were most likely Muslim? Is it because he was injured in a previous tour of duty and should never have been there in the first place?
It's impossible to kill an idea with a gun....its impossible to fight fire with fire.What logic says we should try to fight terror with terror?
Until tomorrow,
The Critical Stranger
*The ICC is a tribunal that was formed in 2002 to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The US has measures set in place to prevent prosecution of members of its military by this court - you can read more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_International_Criminal_Court#American_Service_Members_Protection_Act
Thursday 15 March 2012
Who Is This Guy?
Hello Cyberspace. You are probably asking 'Who Is This Guy?' This is a question I've asked every time I've looked in the mirror for years. The short answer - I'm Brandon, a PR student living in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The long answer begins with a quote from something I wrote in high school. "If you don't know who you've been, you can't know who you are."
I am the sum of my experiences. My parents were divorced when I was young...I lived with my father. I started working when I was 15...my first job was at a hotel in the small village of Alma in Fundy National Park. After high school, it was only a year before I graduated to a university dropout. I became a father about a month after my 18th birthday. I've lived in what was essentially a crack house...I've lived in an eight man tent in a war zone. I have no regrets.
I am a small piece of everyone who's ever touched my life. I've been fortunate enough to see essentially all walks of life in the people I've met. There's no denying the influence of the music I've listened to, the shows I've watched, the movies I've seen over and over again. I specifically remember taking an online personality test in Grade 11 to see which celebrity I was most like. I was absolutely elated when the Internet told me I was akin to Will Smith in Fresh Prince.
I've always asked questions. My favourite (and yes, I do spell words like favourite and neighbour with an 'ou' - that's the way I was taught and the way I will continue to write - fight the power!) ones are why and how. Why do we exist? How did we get here? Why is central banking allowed to govern the world? How did the universe form? Why is gravity an undisputed theory with no equal and opposite accounted for? How do war criminals like George W. Bush get to walk around freely, yet one little video starts a 'Kony2012' typhoon of uproar? Why do people think ideas can be killed with weapons? How can a government concerned with the welfare of its people possibly justify post-secondary education being run as a business instead of a public service? Why and how...two of my favourite words in the English language.
So Cyberspace...that's a little bit about me. I have lots of questions and lots of theories. I hope you want to read them...I encourage any comments or suggestions...but mostly I hope to encourage you to be more critical.
The Critical Stranger
The long answer begins with a quote from something I wrote in high school. "If you don't know who you've been, you can't know who you are."
I am the sum of my experiences. My parents were divorced when I was young...I lived with my father. I started working when I was 15...my first job was at a hotel in the small village of Alma in Fundy National Park. After high school, it was only a year before I graduated to a university dropout. I became a father about a month after my 18th birthday. I've lived in what was essentially a crack house...I've lived in an eight man tent in a war zone. I have no regrets.
I am a small piece of everyone who's ever touched my life. I've been fortunate enough to see essentially all walks of life in the people I've met. There's no denying the influence of the music I've listened to, the shows I've watched, the movies I've seen over and over again. I specifically remember taking an online personality test in Grade 11 to see which celebrity I was most like. I was absolutely elated when the Internet told me I was akin to Will Smith in Fresh Prince.
I've always asked questions. My favourite (and yes, I do spell words like favourite and neighbour with an 'ou' - that's the way I was taught and the way I will continue to write - fight the power!) ones are why and how. Why do we exist? How did we get here? Why is central banking allowed to govern the world? How did the universe form? Why is gravity an undisputed theory with no equal and opposite accounted for? How do war criminals like George W. Bush get to walk around freely, yet one little video starts a 'Kony2012' typhoon of uproar? Why do people think ideas can be killed with weapons? How can a government concerned with the welfare of its people possibly justify post-secondary education being run as a business instead of a public service? Why and how...two of my favourite words in the English language.
So Cyberspace...that's a little bit about me. I have lots of questions and lots of theories. I hope you want to read them...I encourage any comments or suggestions...but mostly I hope to encourage you to be more critical.
The Critical Stranger
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