Bonjour Qwee-beck?

I now have permission to not go to school on Oct. 7th, so we can go to Qwee-beck. That should be fun. I am looking forward to going, very much so. It will take 5-8 hours to get there. Maybe we can even peruse Mon-reAL. cool.
St. Joseph's Oratory, Montreal Botanical Garden, the Subway there (oCooloCool!)
The St. Lawrence River at Lac Saint-Pierre; an ocean mammel summer hang-out, and through downtown Montreal in Lachine, where it becomes quite rapide! We could also go on a cruise, go shopping downtown, or view some of the many art galleries there.

There's even a "Festival de la canneberge" (Oct 5-9) in Villeroy. We can visit some of the cafés, restaurants, and art galleries of Trois-Rivières, which is in the Lanaudière region, just North East of Montreal. There are many hiking trails there just at the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Lots of water fowl, and picnicing space too.

There is also the Canadian Centre for Architecture;
"The CCA's dynamic and provocative exhibition program addresses themes that are of interest to a broad and varied public. Focusing on the CCA collection, exhibitions engage fundamental issues like the nature of the city, the relationship of architecture to landscape, the interplay between architecture, art, science, and the media, and its impact on political, social, and economic conditions. Exhibitions and related publications draw out contemporary issues inherent in historical debates and invite new critical inquiry on these fundamental themes."

Of course, that's all very vague so far, but if I do a little research each week, I might even know a thing or two about our neighbouring province!

America the Poor

On this day of prayer, I did pray. I am also writing a blog on this article; entitled "Why I won't open my wallet for Katrina" by Susan G. Cole of NOW magazine. "Why wouldn't I extend some help to these victems of deep poverty and America's history of slavery?" Some of Susan's friends ask her. In times of such trial, the affected city/state/area looks just as bad as any poverty stricken tsunami stricken part of the world. Those people there are suffering tremendously. And I have every faith that America the rich will be able to care for it's own people. America the kind and gentle and caring, America the "we have such generous purses from the abundance of money we have, and we are very willing to share them with our own people".

America has called soldiers back from places around the world to help out on home soil. "WalMart President Sam Walton has already pledged $23 million to the effort, more than twice as much as the Clinton/Bush team generated for Tsunami refugees." As Susan says, "keep it coming guys, we know the dough is there."

This reaction has, in part, to do with every country being able to take care of itself. Even if every country can't take care of itself, one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world definit-the-hell-ly can. I believe that each country has the ability to recognize discrimination within its own walls, and put forth an effort to solve these problems, and show its true kindness and humanity in the face of a disaster. I just think America is too self-absorbed to believe it can open its wallet to really help anyone, including itself, unless it gets a huge tax break.

Susan is right. Nature can't be planned. Look back into history and check out what nature can do to things. It just sweeps right on through eliminating everything in its path. Its mercilessness can also teach us lessons if we are willing to hear them; look around you, think and act locally when the call comes, and you will earn brownie points where ever you are going next in life.

David Mack's Kabuki

Now I am going to discuss David Mack and his work with Kabuki with you. Volume four in his seven volume series is entitled Skin Deep. After reading its description on his website I have a feeling I haven’t read the entire volume, but I do have a snippet of it, and even before I read his bio, which proves him to be a very creative storyteller, I was in awe. This was over a year ago, maybe even two. Now it’s my turn. Back to my “Beginnings” blog, I have done an incredible amount of research since, both on the topic of the content of my book, and how to create and present a story in such a way that it captivates my audience. I like well-designed books, and picture books besides. I want reading to be an interactive experience, with several layers of information and discussion. That’s what makes me want to pick up a book and read it.

In order to design a book -- if you play both the role of author and designer -- you need to consider not only the existence of your characters or topic, but the book itself as a sentient being. For me personally, David Mack’s work, or the sample I have of it, would be one of my best practice case studies. There are others, but this is the example I have currently chosen.

This is a very interesting story. On the first spread, there are only 64 words in the conventional comic book font. Some writing looks like it was written using the left hand suggesting a child’s mind at work. Some writing is done in a much more mature hand, like Akemi’s “letter”, and some “writing” is very visually oriented, like doodling.
There are so many levels of information in this story; symbols, visuals, words, and the design layout itself, that are repeated and re-used.
The grid system is sometimes seamless between reality and Akemi’s diary and cartoons. Sometimes the grid system is used to reveal things; it acts as a logical classifying system with strict vertical and horizontal lines as Akemi talks about the doctor classifying and deconstructing her. It is also used to portray progression; shadow puppets, a conversation, an origami creation. On one page, the grid system is used as a plane for conversation; a 2D representation of an abstract phenomena that can only occur in the spaces of the 3D world. Here, time is separated into tiny squares with faces and speech/thought bubbles. On another spread, the subject; the dream of the dancers, is drawn in the background, behind the conversation, taking over as the writer engulfs you in the dream, and eventually the conversation becomes invisible.
On yet another level, further in the background, the story unfolds, oblivious to the characters who are telling the story. There is no narration. The story is up to the readers to figure out, and so it left me with a puzzle of how to put together the pieces.
That’s one inspiration for how I want to build my story. It won’t be as fascinating as David’s but his style is pretty incredible!

The Power of Touch

I was discussing touch today. I don't know exactly how the topic of it came up, and I do know that for some people it is a painful topic. For others, it is a wonderful topic. Yet for more, at a conscious level, it's neither here nor there.

I went and did mini-research on the topic, and came across Sandra Blanton's paper to satisfy the requirements of her doctorate degree in Philosophy. It is well-written, and brings up some interesting points. And that was just in the beginning.

Did you know that for a 150lb (73-ish kg) person there is 20ft square of skin? Here's a quote:
"Skin is the most important organ in the sense of touch. Through the skin we differentiate warmth, cold, pain and touch. A touch, a kiss and an embrace causes friction to produce electric currents which are transmitted to the brain by millions of nerve endings of the skin. On our skin are produced major electrical storms in the electricity of love (daSilva, 1984).
...
Why the need for touch? There is a need for positive solutions for countering the effects of the growing depersonalization of our times. To all of us with bodies, in an increasingly disembodied world, we need a passionate reminder that touch is essential to health and happiness. We need documentation that the terrain of our touch-starved culture gives concrete suggestions on how to be more in touch with ourselves, and therefore with others. Survival is based on our receiving affection. Only then can we develop, love, survive and thrive. Learning about our need for touch could bring unusual insight and wisdom to understanding the nature of human ... love ... Can we agree that touch is not just for lovers? What is the comparison between sensual touching and healing touch? Why does bonding matter to human babies who are born helpless? This is an area which requires more investigation in order to answer our need for conducting this Meta analysis."

And so she continues to unfold her study.
So I start thinking; touch has seemed to be a more "feminine" thing. Y/N?
Can you make a list of the kinds of touch physical you are aware of between humans, and the range of emotions they represent?
I guess so.
I could go on forever, but here are a few:

Touching fingertips, fingers, brushing a hand or arm ...
Mother/Daughter hug or kiss
Son/Mother hug
Son/Father hug
A comforting embrace for someone going through an emotionally difficult time
Giving a hug in greeting/parting
Giving an Italian, English, or "Eskimo" kiss
Fighting for the ball in soccer, rugby, football, etc
Scrimmage in front of the net in hockey
The victory pile-on in any sport
Contact martial arts
Boxing
Fists-only bar fights
Fully sober fist fights

The list is endless, but above is an example of how touch can exhibit a range of emotions, and each example makes the situation "memorable", as in, whether good or bad, you remember the situation better based on that touch.
Touch can be a stand-alone phenomena, but often it is also surrounded by other issues, such as respect. How do you handle touch as a subject. If someone touches you, or reminisces on times when contact has been made, how do you react? Or does touch stand as a private language on its own, requiring no interpretation? I think touch is a confusing and personal enough topic that it is extremely beneficial to bridge the topic of touch in communication verbally, as well as just in silence. That doesn't mean talk to your bestest friend about why you hug "hi", but to invest in building a strong bond or relationship with those you are in contact with, for the purpose of bringing that relationship of touch to a higher level, all-round. This goes for bf/gf, to Mother/Daughter, to Husband/Wife, to sports relationships. Each relationship needs to include a communication level that goes above the physical level. Look around your world. How does touch affect you?

Angkor Falls

My book design research marches ever onward, and the story, I hope, continues to weave itself together, under the guidance of my pen. Since my brain is tuned onto the Cambodian channel, this article caught my eye. It is about the fall of Angkor Wat, and why it fell. However, the article is very short, so I am left with everal questions, including; "It fell? Oh! When?!?!"

Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire way back when (9th to 16th centuries) fell in the 16th century. In it's place, or should I say, surrounding Angkor is now Cambodia, the capital of which is Phnom Penh. Archaeologists are now attempting to reconstruct that city, not in actuality, but through satellite images. How big was Angkor? Why did it fall? How big is it now? How big were / are its temples? What are its current and past population?

To answer one of the questions, archaeologists believe Angkor fell because it deforested the north in order to accomodate rice farming, and because of this deforestation, soil erosion wore away at the land's ability to support the crop. Also, their extensive irrigation system, designed to store the water during the rainy season for the dry season, may have become too extensive and complicated, to the point where irrigation was no longer possible ...(?) I don't understand that, and the article in the Discover magazine is quite short, but still very interesting.

I do know a bit about their irrigation system, and their rainy season. I would like to tie this in with my research, and my knowledge of Buddhism's Lent. More to come on that later.

Sharia, Unacceptable in Ontario

Sharia, or Shariat Law is Islamic rule. It is practiced in countries like Pakistan and Afganistan, where State and Religion are together. In Ontario, it was officially declared today that State and Religion will continue to remain separate. It made the front page of the Toronto Star.

That makes today a day to celebrate. Many people have come to Ontario from places like Pakistan from their freedom from fundamentalist Islam and the Sharia Law, so to allow it to be used here at any level as a form of acceptable governance would be to say to those people: our government is not the democratic place you moved to, but it aspires to be a fundamentalist Islamic state; a place that accepts the Sharia Law.

If Ontario accepted the Sharia Law, then two things may take place; if a woman, child, or even "lower status" man is punished under that law, our government may not be able to punish those who executed that "justice". This may be part of the problem in countries like Pakistan, where people are fighting to separate State and Religion.

Thank God McGuinty has refused to let this law be accepted in Ontario! And I hope that the people who live here and oppose it are never killed by Islamic Fundamentalists for our beliefs. This is not your province; this is our province. We have the ability to protect our citizens, and keep all of us safe from phsyical harm. There are many people here who desire to raise the standards of living in this province for everyone who lives here, and make this a province of equality. We also all have to deal with being able to adopt here. No one culture can have an absolute rule, because we all must work together. There are many different cultures here in Ontario, and no one fundamentalist group will be allowed to sway the law in such a way that puts in peril the lives of others who live here.

I am glad that today that decision was made, and I am sure many people who left Pakistan to embrace a culture and a government that are distinctly separate from Religion and Religious Law are equally glad. Today is a day from us to celebrate the protection our government has afforded us.

Analyse That!

I think I remember seeing an article or two in a Business Week or WIRED magazine somewhere about Anger Management. Too bad I didn't stop to read them thoroughly. Those kind of articles also tend to discuss anger management around the workplace, and how happy many people are with their bosses. There's also a funky website where you get to rate your boss, and other elements of your workplace, and you get these little icons that show you your average facial expression, from "yeah!", to "meh!", to "blecky-yucky!" I wish I could remember the URL! NEway, the point is that there are many cases in Canada where people are OK where they are working, but something is making them stuck in whatever position or situation even though they are angry. For me personally, I sometimes feel intimidated there. Sometimes I feel as though it's some sort of fraternity where I am the only honest worker (and cleaning lady). Now, I know that's not a blanket statement; there are a couple good guys and women there, but sometimes the slackers and fluffbrains piss me off.

There is a magazine article that I DID read in a women's health magazine, that, although not the same business oriented viewpoint on the topic, is still worth noting. The specific article; Go Ahead, Get Mad was written by Dorothy Foltz-Gray, who is a freelancer who writes primarily about health issues. Some links in that google search (click on her name) bring up other articles that look at anger tendancies and ways to manage our anger. It was also interesting to find out that those who suppress their anger seem to suffer the same kind of affects, and from the same health conditions, as those who express it in engraged outbursts. Okay, that can be me on both sides of the coin. So, back to Foltz-Gray, who looks at women specifically, she addresses those of us who are spitfires, and those who would rather flight then fight, and ways of expressing that anger in a productive manner.

"Aiding us in all this subterfuge is confusion about anger itself. "Many women think anger is a bad thing, and if they are angry, something is wrong with them," says psychiatrist Jean Baker Miller, MD, director of the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at the Stone Center in Wellesley, MA, where she researches women and anger. "But anger is an emotional reaction indicating that something is wrong and that something needs to be done." " Good point. The "wrong" isn't to go hand-in-hand with blame. Not your boss, and especially not you. Do not internalize that anger, like so many women tend to do so they do not need to deal with the situation. That makes you what she calls and internalizer. Possible become more of an objectifier.

Put the situation out where you, and everyone, can see it: into words. Objectify it like a picture you study in art class, or a bottle of Sprite. Suggest a general solution involving everyone, what you can contribute to it, and what they can contribute to the situation as well. Let them know that you have been disrespected, and that you have a right to be respected. Make sure you also treat others with respect. Sometimes, you may have to deal with someone else who has a temper at work, but you need to remember that they are not in control of your actions. Also, if you are able to learn how to control AND EXPRESS your anger productively, AND maintain your respect and morals at work, then you have every right if the situation gets out of hand to go to higher levels to get the respect you deserve. EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, DESERVES RESPECT. We have all gotten angry, and some of us have a temper that we've used sometimes, so that is reason to give people some room for human error and anger expression of their own, but everyone has an equal right to demand AND RECEIVE respect.

On a last note, back to staying stuck, if you find that you are staying stuck in an "abusive" situation at work, and you have tried everything that you possibly know, including googling stuff like "getting out of abusive work situations", or phoning the police or a help line, (they won't arrest you or anyone else just for phoning them to ask for advice and help) then leave that situation. You are in control of your own destiny, and can find a better one!

NEway, cheers, and remember, read these articles and google stuff, and get out there to express your anger productively! :D

Curves

I go to a now family, used-to-be women's gym. The addition of men was disappointing. But that's not what I'm here for. Right now, I want to discuss health. Health is not just something you are, or have, but something you need to work for, and maintain your entire life. It's an attitude, a state of mind, and a life-long goal. I am blessed to be surrounded by an abundance of people who "practice" health. My Mother, for one, has gone to the gym for years now. She has always had weights and a rowing machine in the house; every house we ever lived in. I remember using that rowing machine since I was little. She used to take my sister and I out on walks every day, little did I know then, that we were walking to the University I would one day attend, and then back home. Every day ... 6:30am-ish, with a banana before-hand and a bowl of porridge afterwards. And we are a healthy family in terms of eating habits. More carrots and zuchini and pasta (Atkins be damned) through the years than burgers, that's for sure! And sports; baseball, sports camp for years, girls' hockey for at least 1/2 a decade, skating, skiing, walking, now gym memberships ... sigh. The adventure is on-going, and supplemented by extensive reading and healthy recipes.

There are also those I know who have quit things or changed the way they are to regain health. I know - and commend - several young women, peers, actually, who have had the strength to quit smoking, either on their own, or through the support of their peers, and one extremely beautiful woman who has lost significant weight through changing her eating patterns, joining weight watchers and Curves, going to her doctor and a nutritionist, etc. This woman is incredible. I love the way she has learned to love herself.

There is one thing, however, that continues to bother me. The affects of smaller things, like picking your lips, biting your nails, picking at cuticles, etc. These, albeit bad habits in and of themselves, are possibly signs of health that are less examined in this society, where physical health is being emphasized. In most cases, this is wonderful! In some cases, could it be more a sign of work better, achieve moremoremore, than an active approach of treat your body with love and respect, for it is the vessel that carries your soul? I don't know. My Mother, I would say, has learned to love her body, and learn to listen to it, but she had a horrible problem with her nails when she was younger. With my sister, it was biting her nails for a decade; me, my cuticles. Nervousness? Anxiety? Lack of confidence?

How does one lose the weight of such problems, and regain their outlook on a healthy life?

McLuhan?

I thought Massive Change was cool. Until I started talking to my Dad about it afterwards. We discussed our opinions on such public displays and their idealist mis-information on the future, and how no-one's opinion seemed to actually have been changed towards technology based on the "clear-box" votes on such issues as genetic engineering afterwards.

Now I am leery of the McLuhan Festival. Will it actually affect change, or impart realistic information? I don't know. Are there any days that will really be worthwhile attending? I don't know. Personally, I am a tad disappointed about all this trend and hype to do with "all things design" at the moment.

I might be interested in "Home Day" and "School Day". But where is Religion Day? Senior's Day? (Dis)Abilities Day? The event has been created to look at technology and culture. McLuhan was all about the relationship between media and society.

But I'm more sure that relationship is what it's supposed to be. The media, technology, (pop) culture, and society are sorely lacking today in the in-depth connections and relations that things such as spirituality, a lack of greed, and a genuine desire to help humans across the board - not just the trendy humans - promotes. If I go, I beleive it will be with a skeptic's ear. I am waiting to hear what I want to hear; a certain willingness to reach out and help other humans, not just what others may want to hear; "look at what we can do to design the world with our cool new gadgets! Aren't we so cool! We will save the world with our stuff!"

Productivity of a Day of Prayer

Oh yes, Bush. Proclaim a day of prayer on September 16th, as you are now the Pope, and God besides. This will definitely touch every one of the lives of those affected by the flood. It may bring some bloated bodies back to life, and reform the structural integrity of the buildings there. Is it true that the citizen's prayers were not answered by you while you were on vacation? Is it true that the FBI went in earlier on to rescue genetics research from one of the universities there, and they did nothing to rescue the people? Is it true that your inactions towards these citizens could be the snowflake that starts the avalanche of the next civil war?,

I have nothing against prayer. On September 16th, I will say one; that the ones who have not cared for others during their lifetime are judged with justice in the next, or even in this one. That those who have died because of your inactions did not endure much pain, that those who continue to survive find that there are people God has blessed in America, with the abilities that you do not have; to care about their fellow human beings.