April Road Trip #1

As part of my Easter break I headed southwest of Moose Jaw towards Swift Current on a ghost town photo shoot. On the first day I followed highway 363. Here are some of the highlights:

Old Wives - There is not much left in Old Wives save for a couple houses, a collapsed barn, a few sheds, and a wooden quonset.

Courval - has what once was a beautiful Roman Catholic Church. Built in 1928 the church is in relatively sound shape considering it has been dormant since 1981. A bird happened to perch itself on the cross of the church while I was there. My novice bird identification skills tell me that it is a shorebird. I thought maybe a sandpiper or dowitcher. Besides the church, Courval has an abandoned house, business, and a few sheds.

Coderre - still has a fair number of residents. Hidden in brushes is an old United Church moved in from St. Boswell's in 1939 and built in 1925. It closed in 1990.

Shamrock - is still home to a few families. In the school yard is an old wooden swing set and water pump. Downtown Shamrock consists of a few closed businesses. However the RM office and a Co-op are still in operation.
Kelstern - There is very little left of Kelstern. A house and the red garage are all that are standing today.

St. Boswells - A commemorative sign marks the site of St. Boswells. An abandoned old house, sidewalks, and water pump are all that remain. It was a booming town of 300 in the 1920s. By the 1960s the last business had closed.

Bateman - Just southeast of St. Boswells is Bateman. The old brick United Church still stands out remarkable for its age. Construction began in 1919 and was completed in 1926. Although no masses are held the church is still used for weddings and funerals. Bateman's red brick school was demolished in 2008. There are a few empty houses, a Lutheran church, a rink, and a couple old shops left standing in the hamlet. The yellow and white house is on the Bateman grid from highway 19.

Hodgeville - Despite the desolate picture of the garage, Hodgeville is actually a town of some 200 people. It was the only building I photographed in that town.

Hallonquist - was the next stop on my trip. It consists of a neglected church, school, sheds, hall, and an old barn.

Neidpath - I loved visiting Neidpath. It was my favourite place to photograph. When you descend into the valley of the hamlet from the south (highway 363) you get a great view of the elevators and town site. Neidpath is most famous for its two remaining elevators. There is also a church moved into town in 1954, a community hall, a couple houses, foundations, and sheds.

McMahon - was the last ghost town on my trip towards Swift Current. It has a school, three closed businesses on main street, and a house. There looks to be a Co-op still in operation and maybe a farm shop or two. McMahon's three elevators were demolished in 1985, 1996, and 1997.

Fauna of Saskatchewan 4

White-tailed deer
Odocoileus virginianus

Location: northeast of Craven




Interesting facts:

-White-tailed deer can leap as high as 10 feet and as far as 30 feet in a single bound.
- Deer are territorial and will starve themselves rather than leave their territory to search for food.
- These deer are very good swimmers.
- In optimal conditions deer populations can double annually.

Country Roads

Last weekend I headed out on a photo trip west of the city. My travels took me north of Pense towards Lumsden then south to Pasqua. Here are a few of my favorites:

Travel Series #2 - San Francisco

My second travel series takes us to San Francisco, California. The city has numerous attractions which appeal to me. First is Pier 39 - a tourist wharf with restaurants, street performances, and the Aquarium of the Bay where you can see over 20,000 aquatic animals. Some of them you are allowed to touch. Chinatown is another must see for me. It offers vistors stunning architecture, shopping, Chinese festivals, food, games, dancing, and painting.

Third on my list is the Golden Gate Bridge. With its stunning design and susceptibility to fog it is a great landmark to photograph. I would also tour the infamous Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz presents tourists with history and mystery. In addition it is a haven for several species of nesting birds. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, home to over 26,000 works of art, also makes my must visit list.

These are just a few of the attractions San Francisco has to offer. Parks, cable car rides, bus and boat tours, and the San Francisco Zoo would be included in my itinerary.

"Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience"

I was first introduced to the ideas of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi last year while reading a magazine article on happiness. I finally read his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Flow "is the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter." The process itself provides enjoyment. Csikszentmihalyi developed a theory on the optimal experience based on the concept of flow. He argues that there are several requirements needed to create an optimal experience: it must be challenging and require skill, involve a great deal of focus, provide clear goals and feedback, initiate a loss of self-consciousness, and transform time.

Csikzsentmihalyi goes on to explain that since the optimal experience depends on the capacity to control what occurs in our consciousness we all have the ability to achieve flow and therefore create happiness at anytime. "Attention is our most important tool in the task of improving the quality of experience" because it determines what appears in our consciousness. He labels attention psychic energy and explains that "we create ourselves by how we invest this energy." Any information that enters our consciousness will be interpreted and evaluated. If it conflicts with our intentions it will create psychic entropy or disorder in our consciousness - i.e: fear, anxiety, anger, or jealousy. If it reinforces our aims order is maintained and psychic energy is not wasted because there is "no threat for the self to defend against."

In his research on the conditions of flow, Csikszentmihalyi found that every flow experience "provided a sense of discovery...and pushed the person to higher levels of performance. It transformed the self by making it more complex." This growth of the self is the key to flow. The following diagram demonstrates this process. When you learn a new sport or activity you will engage in flow because the challenge matches your novice skill level (A1). If you keep practicing and introduce new challenges you will maintain flow (A4). However when we aren't challenged we become bored (A2) and when we don't practice to develop skills new challenges will create anxiety (A3). Notice that A1 and A4 are both flow, yet are quite different because A4 is a more complex experience as it involves greater challenges and skills.

We can create flow in any experience in any aspect of our lives. There are literally thousands of opportunities to expand ourselves physically, mentally, at work, with family or friends, and when we are alone. The formula for flow is constant. Any experience can be transformed at will because it is the result of our channeled attention. The irony is that despite the astounding number of opportunities within our reach, "most of us go on being bored and vaguely frustrated." New challenges are avoided and inner discipline suffers.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience is well written and researched by Csikszentmihalyi and his staff. The concept of flow is relatively simple but can be applied to every facet of our lives. I thoroughly enjoyed Flow. As a result, I highly recommended that you read this book. I look forward to reading more books by Csikszentmihalyi.

"Amnesty International After 50 Years: Looking Back and Looking Forward"

On March 4th, nearly a hundred people came out to hear Secretary-General of Amnesty International Canada, Alex Neve, discuss the past and future of the movement. Neve began in 1961 where Peter Benenson sat on a bench in London reading that two Portuguese citizens had been jailed for giving a toast to freedom. Beyond rage, Benenson decided that there must be a way to bring our voices together and channel our anger to make a difference. This idea began as a short appeal but soon launched into a worldwide movement.

"Do we celebrate this anniversary?" asked Neve. When we look at all that has gone wrong how can we celebrate? From ethnic cleansing in Rwanda and Yugoslavia, militant dictatorship in Chile, Apartheid in South Africa, and the effects of the Cold War it clearly has been a long, hard half century of human rights suffering.

In the fiftieth anniversary there is a lot to to hang our heads in shame and grieve. But there is also a great deal to celebrate. Human rights has come a long way since Benenson's time:

• There is "an impressive machinery of human rights instruments" - global webs of treaties, codes, tribunals, and conventions in place to protect individuals and groups.
  
• Three of the past five United Nations High Commissioners for Human Rights have been women.
  
• The establishment of the International Criminal Court in 2002
  
• Dozens of African countries have been freed from colonial rule and the end of Apartheid in South Africa.
  
• Democratization of former dictatorial countries - Chile, Philippines, Portugal...
  
• An estimated 44,000 individuals have been freed from prison and/or torture worldwide.
  

Nonetheless, Neve argued that the "most glorious human rights achievement" in the last fifty years has been the mobilization of millions of people lobbying, organizing, and fighting for the rights of all. There are currently 2.8 - 3 million Amnesty members globally.

Neve then delved into Canada's role in all of this. Canada has an enviable human rights record which is a source of our pride. Our nation has shown tremendous leadership from John Humphrey who drafted the UN Declaration on Human Rights, to Louise Arbour a former UN Commissioner for Human Rights, to Lester B. Pearson who won the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize for arranging the UN Emergency Force to settle the Suez Canal Crisis.

Recently, however, Canada has been coming up short in several areas. The failure to protect Omar Khadr, women's rights, Aboriginal rights (see Shameful Chapter in Canadian History - September 2009), our refusal to recognize water as a human right, the mishandling of Afghan prisoners, Canada's pro-Israel approach to the crisis in Egypt, and the inadequancy of regulating the conduct of Canadian businesses abroad.

So today we stand at a crossroads in a world much better and much different that Benenson's. We are often reminded that human rights are fragile and "it is crucial that we stand ready to act." There are still many issues that require our energy and attention. Just remember "Your voice matters."

Fauna of Saskatchewan 3

Cabbage White Butterfly
Pieris rapae


Location: Wascana March








Interesting facts:

- Among the first butterfly to appear in the spring.
- White butterflies are not eaten by predators because of their bad taste.
- White butterflies prefer mustards as their food plants. They find plants in the mustard family with the help of chemicals and colours.
- These butterflies bask in the sun in a unique position. They orient their wings toward the sun at an angle so that rays are reflected off their white wings and onto their darker bodies.

More Montessori Stories

Last year I promised more funny stories about daily life in a Montessori classroom. Here are a few of my favourites so far this year:

Only a few days into the school year Casra (3.5), a new student in our class, offered Ella (4) a tissue as she came into the classroom crying.

On Finn's 3rd birthday in October he handed out his birthday cupcakes and ask in his quiet, raspy little voice, "Would you like a cupcake?" to each child, as per the birthday routine.

Riana (4) loves to be the first to eat snack. She will come up to the teachers and ask if snack is ready yet. Occasionally the teachers would give her a hard time saying, "No" or "No snack today" to which she would reply "You 'a trickin' me!" with her Romanian accent.

One morning Issy (5) was discussing with Winston (4.5) who he worked with in class. When Issy mentioned that he worked with Daniel (3.5) Winston abruptly said "But that was an accident!" Further inquiry revealed what he really meant - that he had helped clean up a puzzle map Daniel had dropped.

After Agribition Jaxon (5) was excited because he had participated in the sheep riding event. When I asked him how long he stayed on for he answered, "Until I fell off."

One day in the fall I was helping students with a craft at a table near the snack area. The teacher had made snack which included a plate full of cookies of which the children were to eat only one. A few minutes later the teacher came back to find half the cookies gone. She suspected Ava (3) the youngest and newest child in the class. However, Ella (4) added her two cents, "Well Mr. Nathan was near the snack table too," insinuating I had eaten the cookies.

A few other memorable moments are Sameer (3.5) knocking over the fish tank, Aurora's (4.5) random hugs, Jaxon labelling all his work "Jaxon 5" (as he had just turned 5 in November), and CJ (3.5) singing and counting at various times throughout the day.

New Year's Resolutions 2011

Last year I worked out three times a week, paid off half my student loan, travelled to Saskatoon, Duck Mountain, Calgary, posted 28 blogs, wrote 38 letters for Amnesty, and bought a newer car. (see New Year's Resolutions - January 2010)

Owing to this success I have decided to post my goals for the New Year:

Spend less time with technology - less TV and computer time

Involve myself in creative hobbies such as drawing, painting,

photography, cooking, and yoga.

Eat healthier

Pay off my student loan

Spend more time outside

Incorporate more cardio activity - walking, badminton,

biking, catch, kayaking

Christmas Shopping

When I buy Christmas presents I keep the following quotation in mind: "Approach gift shopping as an opportunity to honour the people you really love." I enjoy attempting to buy the perfect gift for the people on my list. The item may or may not be on their Christmas list but it is something I know that they will love it. This is the challenge of my holiday shopping.

As we get older Christmas becomes less about getting and more about giving. I count down to the big day, but this is for the excitement of seeing others open my gifts to them. I watch anxiously as they unwrap their gifts to see if I was correct in my gift selection. I hope I am accurate this year!

Merry Christmas!!

Human Rights Day - Part 2

In just fifteen minutes I can save a life, release a prisoner of conscience, or reverse a government policy. This is the power of letter writing. I will validate this by providing some information on the letters I have written this past year.

I wrote ten letters during the 2009 Write-a-thon and four resulted in action:

In Nepal, workers and clients at the Women’s Rehabilitation Centre were encountering abuse and violence for their work in supporting women victims of violence. They now have an improved relationship with police and better police response as a result of pressure from last year’s Write-a-thon.

In Greece, the Minister of Citizen Protection of the Hellenic Republic promised a swift, impartial investigation into the assault on Konstantina Kouneva, a trade union secretary.

In the Ukraine, Belarusian opposition activist, Igor Koktysh was released and sent home after being detained for two and a half years.

Kareem Amer was released from prison in Egypt just weeks ago. He had been jailed for criticizing the president’s religious views on his blog.

Of the 28 letters I wrote this year three resulted in action: the release of Abdollah Sadoughi in Iran, the release of six doctors in Sudan, and President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso committing to lifting all financial barriers to emergency obstetric care and access to family planning, as part of a strategy to fight maternal mortality in the country. In addition, Yusak Pakage was released from prison in Indonesia, a case from the 2005 Write-a-thon.

This represents only the cases I have undertaken. Dozens of others prisoners have been released this year, countries have taken steps toward abolition of the death penalty, and governments have improved human rights because of the pressure created by thousands of other AI members worldwide.

My success rate usually averages around 15%. However, during Write-a-thons this increases to 30 or even 40 percent. The power of the pen!!

Please take time to write a letter. Cases and letter writing tips can be found here.

Human Rights Day - Part 1

December 10^th is a celebration of the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International commemorates this occasion by engaging in an annual Write-a-thon. Amnesty members take action to stop the abuse of human rights outlined in the declaration, by appealing to governments (and others) for these violations to cease. We campaign to free prisoners of conscience, abolish the death penalty, protect refugees, and to end political killings, "disappearances", and torture.

Tens of thousands of people from over fifty countries take part in this event. In 2009, participants sent 730,000 letters and online signatures to stop human rights abuses.

On Friday, December 10th the Regina Amnesty International Community Group is hosting a Write-a-thon evening at the Cathedral Neighbourhood Centre - 2900 13th Avenue - beginning at 7pm. We invite you to listen to free local musicians Ink Road, Devon Floyd, Regan Hinchliffe, and the Local Onlyz and write a letter or two for those in need. We look forward to seeing you there!

Regina Amnesty International Community Group 91 website

Regina AI Write-a-thon event Facebook page

AI Canada Write for Rights website

98th Grey Cup

Nearly one year ago I predicted that the 2010 Grey Cup would feature the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Montreal Alouettes. On Sunday that prediction came to fruition.

Let’s see how the teams match up statistically. Riders QB, Darian Durant finished the regular season with a 61% completion rate, 25 touchdowns and 22 interceptions; virtually the same as last season. Anthony Calvillo had a 68% completion rate, threw thirty-two touchdowns and a league low seven interceptions. Montreal is first in the league with 315.3 average yards passing a game with Saskatchewan right behind them at 313.6. Montreal was sixth in average rush yards a game - 103.6 and Saskatchewan fifth in rush yards per game at 106.8.

On defense, Saskatchewan let up an average of 261.8 yards passing a game (3^rd best) and a horrific rush defense average of 137.4 yards a game – worst in the league. Montreal was seventh and first respectively in those categories - 291.4 passing and 96.6 rushing. In the turnover battle Montreal was +18 in giveaway/takeaways (best in the league) while the Riders were fifth with -6.

Montreal is not as dominating a team as they were last year. Nevertheless the Riders still need to strategize against a determined Montreal team:

First, Saskatchewan should implement a double running back threat the way Calgary has established this season with Reynolds and Cornish. As Hugh Charles is still on the injured list; Stu Foord or Neal Hughes should be brought in every third running play (or so) to add a different running style, mess with Montreal’s defense, and to rest Cates.

Secondly, the Riders must continue to improve on their run defense. They held Burris to just one yard rushing and the rest of the team to 85. Against the Alouettes, Saskatchewan will have to keep Avon Cobourne similarly contained.

Mentality. One of the reasons I love this team is because of the way they work as a team. They are no hot shots just individuals focusing on a win for their team. Like last Grey Cup, Durant’s attitude and leadership will help settle himself and his team; allowing them to complete plays with confidence (see History in the Making – November 2009). Regarding the upset last year, Coach Miller shared some wise words “Revenge…[is] a very poor motivator…We would much rather think about what lies ahead of us and what we need to do as opposed to what happened to us.”

Sharp play calling. Coaching staff must take advantage of Durant’s mobility. He finished the season first in pass (5,542) and rush yards (618) amongst all quarterbacks. Initially, plays should be short ten, fifteen yard passes mixed with rushing plays (by RBs and QB) to allow Durant to warm up and get into rhythm. Afterwards the playbook should be open. Quarterback draw plays, screen plays, long bombs, double reverses will exploit Durant’s ability and keep Montreal anxious.

Go Riders!! Bring home the Cup!!

Game prediction: Saskatchewan 31 Montreal 27

Buy Nothing Day - November 26th

Once again I will be participating in Buy Nothing Day, the annual event where you don't purchase a thing for an entire day. For me the concept of BND brings out your willpower. It is about taking time and reflecting on your consuming ways. Buying provides us with pleasure but pleasure is temporary.

Please join me on November 26th and help save our planet.

Remembrance Review

In honour of Remembrance Day I am reviewing Michael Jones' Leningrad: State of Siege. The 872-day blockade of Leningrad during World War Two had been on my "to-read" list for a while so I was quite excited.

Jones begins by setting up the siege, how the German war machine was able to march rapidly through unsuspecting and unprepared USSR. The Wehrmacht was professional and possessed highly experienced generals, and the attacking advantage. High morale and Nazi race propaganda against the Slavic Communists aided their aggressive thrust toward Leningrad.

The Red Army on the other hand was nearly the complete opposite. The Soviets had little effective leadership thanks to Stalin's purges. The army was disorganized, ill-prepared, poorly trained, and lacked any form of coordination. The commander of the Soviet North-Western Front was incompetent and only in position due to his loyalty to Stalin.

By September 1941 Leningrad's nightmare had begun. Jones incorporates information from archives, interviews, and diaries to describe in detail the ravenous, frigid, distressed, and disheartened daily life of the citizens. Over the next six months the people of Leningrad experimented with alternative food sources: domestic animals, joiner's glue, wallpaper paste, and leather belts. In addition decreasing bread rations, frequent bombing raids, and gang activity wreaked havoc on the citizens. By January there was no running water, heat, or electricity. During these appalling conditions thousands of people died each day. Corpses accumulated in the streets and cannibalism became more common. In February a new threat emerged in the city - a dysentery epidemic.

First-hand accounts of life during the siege reveal how people survived such horrific circumstances. Thousands wrote journals as an outlet and to document their situation. Others developed a daily routine which kept them preoccupied. Citizens also sustained hope through music, a desire to help others, poetry, simple physical exercises, or devotion to loved ones or the city. The warming weather and the improving efficiency of the "Road of Life" in the spring of 1942 also contributed to the health and hope of citizens.

I felt that the author lingered on certain issues and events longer than others. The first six months of the siege takes up half the book while the last twenty-two months are wrapped up in under seventy pages. I understand Jones wanted to illustrate the worst of the siege and the extent of human suffering but it makes the book repetitive in some chapters. I believe the abundance of quotes were unnecessary or at times irrelevant.

Nevertheless, Leningrad: State of Siege, provides the reader with great context to the siege, a concise overview of the blockade, and a new appreciation for life. I'm sure there are more extensive and superior books on the subject, but I still found this book worth reading.

Birthday Blog!

WOW! The big 3-0! Time sure flies by. In honour of my thirtieth birthday I have compiled a list of thirty quotations. These proverbs represent and summarize what I have learned in those thirty years:

"Man is the artificer of his own happiness." - Henry David Thoreau

"To venture causes anxiety; not to venture is to lose oneself." - Soren Kierkegaard

"The only way to have a friend is to be one." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Never underestimate your capacity for change." - Nathaniel Branden

"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows." - Japanese proverb

"You can do hard." - Bo Lozoff

"Put your hands up high 'cause you never know how long ya gonna live 'til you die." - Michael Franti and Spearhead

"Love each other or perish." - W.H. Auden

"Invest in experiences, not just objects."

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos." - Thich Nhat Hanh

"The wisest mind has something yet to learn." - George Santayana

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." - e.e. cummings

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit and reign yourself to the influences of each." - Henry David Thoreau

"Respect yourself and others with respect you." - Confucius

"A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug." - Patricia Neal

"All major religious traditions carry basically the same message; that is love, compassion, forgiveness. The important thing is they should be part of our daily lives." - Dalai Lama

"We belong to the whole world, living not for ourselves but for others." - Mother Teresa

"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time." - Anne Freud

"The secret of success is to experience unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings every single day." - Christopher Hansard

"Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour." - William Cowper

"Wilderness...is a spiritual necessity, an anecdote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium." - Sigurd Olson

"Knowledge is learning something every day. Wisdom is letting go of something every day." - Zen proverb

"Give yourself time to consider what you most want to contribute to the world."

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." - Mother Teresa

"Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot." - Hausa people of Nigeria

"He who knows he has enough is rich." - Lao-Tzu

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." - Anne Frank

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." - Buddha

"Goodness is the only investment that never fails." - Henry David Thoreau

A Small Piece of Advice

I recently read in a magazine a brief but powerful suggestion. Every day at supper time or before bedtime reflect on one thing that made you smile during your day. It maybe the cute baby you seen in the store, being helped by a stranger, a typo in the newspaper, or the seeing the sunrise on your way to work.

I love this idea because it inspires us to perceive and evaluate our day in a positive light. Furthermore, as the author explains, "it [forces us] to immediately appreciate" our lives as they are today. This advice becomes even more powerful if you share your answers amongst family, friends, or coworkers. It is a great conversation starter, is an opportunity for laughter, decreases negativity and creates joy, and is a way of learning more about ourselves and the people around us.

Fauna of Saskatchewan 2

Western Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta bellii

Location: Wascana Marsh




Interesting facts:

- Painted turtles can only swallow their food in the water.
- Have an extreme tolerance for cold temperatures - they can survive without oxygen for up to five months at 3 degrees Celsius.
- Can live up to forty years in the wild
- The probability of a painted turtle surviving from egg to one year is at most nineteen percent.

Stolen Sisters - October 4th Vigil

On October 4th, 2004 Amnesty International Canada released "Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada". The report inspects four factors which have contributed to an intensified risk of violence against Indigenous women in our cities:

1) social, economical, and political agents which have pushed Indigenous women into precarious situations such as prostitution, poverty, and homelessness
2) the failure of police to protect Indigenous women
3) the exploitation on the vulnerability of these Indigenous women
4) violence motivated by racism or belief that perpetrators will evade the law due to societal disregard to the welfare and safety of Indigenous women

Today over 582 Aboriginal women are missing or have been murdered since the 1970s in Canada.

Since the report was released every October 4th has become a day to commemorate the lives of murdered and missing Indigenous women and to bring awareness to this national tragedy. This year more than seventy communities across Canada are holding vigils. Please join the Sisters in Spirit initiative, the Native Women's Association of Canada, and Amnesty International Group 91 this October 4th and show your support. The event begins at the CBC Galleria at 4pm with art, painting, drumming, chili and bannock, and information tables. The candlelight vigil down Broad Street with start at 6:30pm.