Reflecting on my recent High School epsiode reminded me of one crisp Winter day while I attended Marianopolis CEGEP in the late 1980s. At the time, I spent much of my day playing cards and ping pong with fellow students in the 'lounge', an area to hang out in between classes. Someone announced that a casual broomball game was starting, and we all threw on jackets and raced outside.
Although I enjoy watching Sports, I've never been particularly gifted with any athletic skills. I slid back and forth on the outdoor rink, away from the action but having fun. Suddenly, I was hit from behind by an opposing team-mate, crumpling to the rough ice in a startled heap.
Feeling a sour anger well up inside me, I regained my footing. To my own amazement, I found the energy to race up the ice and soon scored a couple of goals, which brought shouts of congratulations from my team mates; I even made a point of checking the dude who had hit me, and I'll never forget the surprise (and fear) in his eyes after our brutal collision.
After the game ended (I can't recall if our side won or not), I stumbled back inside, where I discovered a huge rip in the seat of my pants. I was extremely embarrassed, and slipped out of classes early that day. Still, my torn pants couldn't remove the sweet feeling of momentarily being considered an equal by some cool kids.
As someone who has always shied away (or felt intimidated, perhaps) from the 'in' crowd, my moment in the Winter sun is one I'll always remember.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Disco duck
As a young high school student, everyone in my class was asked by a teacher what their favorite type of music was.
Seated alphabetically, I was one of the last to respond. At the time, I hadn't listened to radio much, and was rather clueless about musical genres. 'Rock' was a popular answer, and I mulled over my response carefully. When it was my turn, and inspired by a Saturday Night Fever album my sister must've owned, I blurted out: 'disco'.
The classroom erupted in laughter, I turned several shades of red, and wished I could disappear under my desk. 'Disco Duck' quickly became my unofficial nick name. I wasn't really a huge fan of disco, I simply gave an answer I felt comfortable with, based on my limited knowledge of music. I don't mind ABBA or the Bee Gees today; as a matter of fact, I find many 'disco' tunes quite excellent.
I learned that day that a) kids can be cruel, and b) having a different opinion than the popular consensus leaves one open to ridicule. Although I regret the small humiliation I had to endure, I'll always be proud of the fact that I didn't follow the herd with my answer; one aspect of my personality that I respect is the fact that I have strong beliefs, and stick to them irregardless of popular opinion.
I hope my kids pick up on this and find the strength to follow their own convictions and life direction without feeling obliged to think or act like everyone else.
Seated alphabetically, I was one of the last to respond. At the time, I hadn't listened to radio much, and was rather clueless about musical genres. 'Rock' was a popular answer, and I mulled over my response carefully. When it was my turn, and inspired by a Saturday Night Fever album my sister must've owned, I blurted out: 'disco'.
The classroom erupted in laughter, I turned several shades of red, and wished I could disappear under my desk. 'Disco Duck' quickly became my unofficial nick name. I wasn't really a huge fan of disco, I simply gave an answer I felt comfortable with, based on my limited knowledge of music. I don't mind ABBA or the Bee Gees today; as a matter of fact, I find many 'disco' tunes quite excellent.
I learned that day that a) kids can be cruel, and b) having a different opinion than the popular consensus leaves one open to ridicule. Although I regret the small humiliation I had to endure, I'll always be proud of the fact that I didn't follow the herd with my answer; one aspect of my personality that I respect is the fact that I have strong beliefs, and stick to them irregardless of popular opinion.
I hope my kids pick up on this and find the strength to follow their own convictions and life direction without feeling obliged to think or act like everyone else.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Heaven on earth
I spent a lovely Saturday morning at Westmount park with my daughters, and I was struck with a powerful truth: kid's parks can be a microcosm of a perfect world.
I saw parents watching their little ones scamper around; kids played openly with one another, eager to meet new friends and explore the wonders of the park. Parents chatted about their kids, beaming with pride and love.
It was wonderful.
Today's world is dark and depressing, dominated by greed, violence, and intolerance of differing opinions. I wish a childlike sense of innocence and wonder could descend on humanity like a calming rain. Everything that adults consider 'important' is irrelevant to any child; they only want to play and be introduced to new ideas and people (regardless of age, race, or creed).
If we all acted more like kids, the world would certainly be a better place to live.
I saw parents watching their little ones scamper around; kids played openly with one another, eager to meet new friends and explore the wonders of the park. Parents chatted about their kids, beaming with pride and love.
It was wonderful.
Today's world is dark and depressing, dominated by greed, violence, and intolerance of differing opinions. I wish a childlike sense of innocence and wonder could descend on humanity like a calming rain. Everything that adults consider 'important' is irrelevant to any child; they only want to play and be introduced to new ideas and people (regardless of age, race, or creed).
If we all acted more like kids, the world would certainly be a better place to live.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Operators are standing by
Watching television these days involves suffering through countless commercials. As a kid, I didn't mind so much, because I was exposed to products and restaurants that were alien to me (the Mikes Pizza ads, for example, are lodged in my fading memory).
I accept that the world spins thanks to commerce, but ads have veered in a direction that bothers me: instead of presenting goods in an impartial fashion, consumers are told what they simply MUST buy. It's no longer about purchasing things one needs, it's about buying stuff in order to fit in, and be a part of the growing crowd of sheep chasing the latest gadget, cd, or weight-loss craze.
Alot of stuff that is portrayed as essential-to-own is simply overrated junk that breaks down quickly or becomes outdated within months. I understand the allure of owning a hot 'toy' (phone, car, dvd, etc), but rampant commercialism dismays me quite a bit, especially in light of a dwindling spiritual focus by society in general.
We're all told by media that we need to work hard to achieve a certain status, with physical objects as tangible proof of our success. I wish that more people would drown out that blaring and insistent message, and worry more about being good to one another, rather than finding a way to afford something they probably don't really need at all.
I accept that the world spins thanks to commerce, but ads have veered in a direction that bothers me: instead of presenting goods in an impartial fashion, consumers are told what they simply MUST buy. It's no longer about purchasing things one needs, it's about buying stuff in order to fit in, and be a part of the growing crowd of sheep chasing the latest gadget, cd, or weight-loss craze.
Alot of stuff that is portrayed as essential-to-own is simply overrated junk that breaks down quickly or becomes outdated within months. I understand the allure of owning a hot 'toy' (phone, car, dvd, etc), but rampant commercialism dismays me quite a bit, especially in light of a dwindling spiritual focus by society in general.
We're all told by media that we need to work hard to achieve a certain status, with physical objects as tangible proof of our success. I wish that more people would drown out that blaring and insistent message, and worry more about being good to one another, rather than finding a way to afford something they probably don't really need at all.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Leavin' on a jetplane
Having spent a lovely day last weekend in Ottawa, I reflected on some of the great cities I've visited in Canada: Quebec City, Kingston, Cornwall, Mississauga, Toronto and my absolute favorite, Vancouver.
1997 was a tumultuous year; I'd finished Illustration and Design at Dawson, clueless as to my next step. I ultimately decided to take a chance on a one year intensive traditional animation course at the budding VanArts, and with my lovely wife Isabelle, boarded a plane headed West.
I never figured to return to Montreal, which filled me with the nervous excitement of the unknown, and the bittersweet sadness of leaving everything familar behind. I spent the previous Spring strolling around NDG with a clunker black and white manual camera taking snapshots of my favorite spots around the city. I felt that these photos would act as fuel for my fond memories, and capture a shard of time with still, grey tones; I still have them in an album somewhere.
Vancouver was beautiful, with a completely different vibe than back East; folk were laid-back and constantly smiling (it seemed), oblivious to the cloudy skies and film productions bustling around them. Stanley park was a favorite haunt of ours, and our one bedroom apartment was quite charming, despite the expensive rent and lovely view of a cemetary across the street. I still miss the hum and crackle as buses zoomed by, and wonder how the Great Canadian Superstore and Province newspaper are faring these days.
We left only a year or so after our arrival (we decided to leave because work prospects seemed better back East, and we ended up missing family more than expected), and I find myself thinking of Vancouver often. Although I appreciate the city of my birth, in particular the neighbourhoods of my childhood and adolescence, I wonder if I'll eventually settle elsewhere within this amazing country.
Wherever I do, it'll be home, as long as I'm surrounded by the people I love!
1997 was a tumultuous year; I'd finished Illustration and Design at Dawson, clueless as to my next step. I ultimately decided to take a chance on a one year intensive traditional animation course at the budding VanArts, and with my lovely wife Isabelle, boarded a plane headed West.
I never figured to return to Montreal, which filled me with the nervous excitement of the unknown, and the bittersweet sadness of leaving everything familar behind. I spent the previous Spring strolling around NDG with a clunker black and white manual camera taking snapshots of my favorite spots around the city. I felt that these photos would act as fuel for my fond memories, and capture a shard of time with still, grey tones; I still have them in an album somewhere.
Vancouver was beautiful, with a completely different vibe than back East; folk were laid-back and constantly smiling (it seemed), oblivious to the cloudy skies and film productions bustling around them. Stanley park was a favorite haunt of ours, and our one bedroom apartment was quite charming, despite the expensive rent and lovely view of a cemetary across the street. I still miss the hum and crackle as buses zoomed by, and wonder how the Great Canadian Superstore and Province newspaper are faring these days.
We left only a year or so after our arrival (we decided to leave because work prospects seemed better back East, and we ended up missing family more than expected), and I find myself thinking of Vancouver often. Although I appreciate the city of my birth, in particular the neighbourhoods of my childhood and adolescence, I wonder if I'll eventually settle elsewhere within this amazing country.
Wherever I do, it'll be home, as long as I'm surrounded by the people I love!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Mushy cereal Saturday mornings
One of my fondest memories of childhood is watching television. We didn't have alot of channels back then (channels 6, 10, and 12 were pretty clear, while 22 was rather grainy depending on the rabbit ears) but there was plenty of cool stuff to occupy young minds.
Weekdays, I'd walk home from school for lunch, and catch the Flintstones with my sandwich. Saturday mornings were the treasure trove, with the NBC Fun Machine (although reception was pretty sad) and other American productions shown on CTV, and international productions on channel 2.
My absolute favorite was Goldorak; I loved the kinetic, wild action, even though I had no clue what was going on; a close second was the french translation of Battle of the Planets, mostly because of the flaming spaceship. Blue Falcon and Dynomutt were very cool, as well as the live action Batman episodes I'd occassionally catch. Scooby Doo was another favorite, since I've always enjoyed spooky stuff.
After school, I'd settle down to watch G.I. Joe and Transformers; again, I didn't really follow the plots, but admired the explosions and transforming robots. I find it interesting that these two properties still thrive today, showing that a strong concept can transcend its fad status to become a part of pop culture.
Kids programming today is extremely varied; genres have been sub-divided into their own channels, targeting different demographics. The stuff on the tube these days is flashy, desperate to be hip, and directed at short attention spans, a reflection of the audience. I'm sure that kids today enjoy whatever is shown on YTV, Teletoon, and the rest; I guess I appreciated programming more as a youth since there wasn't as much available. I doubt the quality was far superior to today's sophisticated 'toons, but I still find those old shows charming and appealling, and am grateful for my fond memories of them.
Weekdays, I'd walk home from school for lunch, and catch the Flintstones with my sandwich. Saturday mornings were the treasure trove, with the NBC Fun Machine (although reception was pretty sad) and other American productions shown on CTV, and international productions on channel 2.
My absolute favorite was Goldorak; I loved the kinetic, wild action, even though I had no clue what was going on; a close second was the french translation of Battle of the Planets, mostly because of the flaming spaceship. Blue Falcon and Dynomutt were very cool, as well as the live action Batman episodes I'd occassionally catch. Scooby Doo was another favorite, since I've always enjoyed spooky stuff.
After school, I'd settle down to watch G.I. Joe and Transformers; again, I didn't really follow the plots, but admired the explosions and transforming robots. I find it interesting that these two properties still thrive today, showing that a strong concept can transcend its fad status to become a part of pop culture.
Kids programming today is extremely varied; genres have been sub-divided into their own channels, targeting different demographics. The stuff on the tube these days is flashy, desperate to be hip, and directed at short attention spans, a reflection of the audience. I'm sure that kids today enjoy whatever is shown on YTV, Teletoon, and the rest; I guess I appreciated programming more as a youth since there wasn't as much available. I doubt the quality was far superior to today's sophisticated 'toons, but I still find those old shows charming and appealling, and am grateful for my fond memories of them.
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