What to make of 2006?

I am not a fan of long winded serenades to calander years gone by. It is better to view the world through fixed events rather than artificial things like calander years. Of course, that is not to say 31 December isn't a good excuse to leave the house and stay awake 'til late.

For some time now I've believed that much of what makes the world both a heaven and hell derives from recurring themes. Despite this, every generation seems eager to claim that the latest episode in human development will herald a new age or reflects some major shift. The Bush Presidency is a case in point. The criminal invasion of Iraq is not unprecedented (remember Vietnam... the conquest of the Philippines... and the Spanish-American war which was the United States's very first 'pre-emptive' war). Nor does the slight shift in the Republican balance of power in the American political system (the Democrats now control both houses of the American parliament) represent a major change in American power.

My prism is power, the media that spins this emperor's invisible clothes, and its effects on everyday life. Nothing much within this prism changed during 2006, although yes, it is true, some positive changes did occur. Perhaps the most significant positive development was the increase in popular consciousness of the greenhouse effect, thanks in large part to Al Gore's documentary An inconventient truth. The documentary succeeded where others (such as Fahrenheit 9/11) failed in that it did not insult the audience. Yes An inconvenient truth was a propaganda film. It propagated a certain way of thinking - that we need to radically change our energy consumption lest we end human life on the planet. But it did so basically by informing the viewer, trying to reduce the issues at play, and, in so doing, treated the viewing public as equals. It made us feel like we are a vital ingredient in the recipe for saving the planet. It told us that we are part of the problem and, also, part of the solution. That is a rare message in today's public landscape.

Progressive movements often make the mistake of telling us about injustice or other bad things in a manner that excludes. We are told endless tales of intrigue, greed, fanaticism and outright criminality as though we are but a captive audience who can but only watch and scream and then retire to our sofas or bedrooms. This is far from an inaccurate portrayal, but it is far from totally accurate. Nor is it particularly helpful. Arguably, such messages can do more harm than good. What is needed along with our messages is an emphasis on participation. Every bit does make a difference. Everyone does hold, in their tiny little hand, the seeds of growth and destruction. We, all of us, hold the destiny of humanity in our grasp.

All the best for 2007 one and all! May you meet your challenges with grace and courage and receive your just rewards.

The last post

I took over the Virtual Soapbox for my travels but I'd now rather see it return to it's original purpose - a place for myself and a few other angry young men to post occasionally re their reflections on the state of the world and whatnot.

I'll be in one place for awhile and I don't think blog entries about me shovelling snow and catching the #4 bus down Whyte Ave are particularly interesting.

over and out

MG

28

TWENTY EIGHT -
by Tim Rogers (of You Am I)
from the album 'What Rhymes With Cars And Girls'

A heaven's to Betsy now we're 28 and what is there to do?
We hardly even talk no more but to you I'll be true
Tell me that you feel the same even though I knew
Everything that you say right before it came from you
Art house movies and flat renovations
Newspaper politic and dinner reservations, oh
And Monday's a wine appreciation course
Talk about the drugs that you just wont touch no more

What a breeze just help me off my knees

Yeah, you met her during happy hour drinks and you kissed her on the cheek
You dreamt she sang like Sandy Denny and smoked like a malle tree
But now you're talking invitations and seating plans and marquees
It sounds real good in Italian but it scares to the teeth
And where're we gonna hide the keys

And you fold your arms behind your back like and old man
And you say you hate that guy but you sure understand him oh
And she's creasing at the mouth just like her old lady
Her sister's picking the names for the babies, oh

What a breeze just help me off my knees

do do do do

Now we're 28 and what is there to do?
We hardly even talk no more but to you I'll be true
To you I'll be true
To you I'll be true
To you I'll be true

Cut!

It's my birthday tomorrow. It's taken me exactly 28 years to finally stumble across a possible social use for myself. It seems I'm talented at extracting money from other people *if*, and only if, it's for bona fide good cause (I was fired from a sales job once because I just didn't care). I've been canvasing for UNICEF at Alberta university and I made a lot of money for them this week. My bright, bubbly supervisor kept trying to make me extravert more to pull people in but she eventually realised I can get people interested in my own way. It's challenging convincing people to part with their money for a cause that's purely in the abstract for them as privileged white westerners. I kinda like it though despite all the constant people contact. It's a good job for me right now while I spend time considering my next move and volunteering at the community radio station.

It's interesting comparing this job with the job i'm struggleing with for extra cash. - selling subscriptions to the local newspaper door to door. It's the perfect job for my musician housemate. He does this 3 hours per day and makes enough money to support his lifestyle and has plenty of time to do his music. It's commision-based but pays remarkably well. I find it tough. It's not as interesting as canvassing for UNICEF because there's not much you can say about a newspaper. Either people want it or they don't. I cringe when I hear the stock phrases 'sorry, I don't read', or 'sorry, I only read the Sun (i.e the crap tabliod rag).' It's also extraordinarily cold trudging the frozen streets at night. So cold infact that my supervior picked me up half-way through my shift last night and warmed me up in the van with a hot chocolate and heat pumped up 100%. Torwards the end I was having trouble spitting out my words 'cause my jaw was tightening up. I'm chalking this one up as character-building!

The good thing about a booming economy is not only the abundence of jobs but opportunties to do other cool things. I did something else I probably wouldn't have done back home - a 3 day acting course. I answered an ad in the paper for a course run by a veteran film director from California. I was skeptical at first and gingerly found a spot at the back of the room on friday night. Even a couple of hours in I was looking to ditch it because the guy came across as a typical hollywood smart-ass with cheesy politically-incorrect jokes flying about. My attitude completely changed over the course of the weekend though as we got into it. It turns out this guy is the only real film director who actually travels around and sussinctly teaches real practical acting skills for the camera.

So it was all highly technical. I've got a new appreciation for film and TV actors. It's bloody complicated memorising lines quickly and being in the exact spots on the floor at the exact time the camera passes over, *and* acting in a natural and non-wooden manner at the same time. Apparently even many experienced actors totally bomb out auditions because they read lines to the camera with very little expression. I had a really great time doing this. I'll probably never use these skills again but the lady who organised the course said I have 'natural comedic timing.'

MG

Halloween

Last night we celebrated Halloween with a get-together/cookup. People were surprised that Australians don't really do anything for Halloween. As my Dad is Canadian, I vaguely recall one year when I was a small child, dressing up to trick-or-treat at the house of one of his work colleagues. We knocked on the front door and our targets were perplexed to find two spooky looking kids and my Dad on their front porch jabbering on about candy. They had no idea what Halloween was!

It was a fantastic atmosphere last night. We carved pumpkins and cooked up a huge feast that pleased the punters. I chatted with some interesting people and had a really great time. I feel very at home here already. We had our first house group meeting this morning to sort out issues and establish systems. Our rent is ridiculously cheap and as long as we're not wasteing too much on food/utilities, everything should be fine.

I'm really keen to get working now. I had my training for Unicef yesterday. I was able to suss out the oranisation a bit more and a few of my concerns were alleviated. The organisation I'm working directly for is an umbrella group that fundraises for many different charaties. They began only a few years ago after some Greenpeace canvasers realised that too much money was being wasted through Greenpeace's direct fundraising methods. I was pleased to see that the philosophy of the organisation is strongly against 'hasseling' people for money. It is person-to-person work but not about a hard sell. I have further training this coming thursday and then start work proper on Monday. I'm trying to get some construction work too 'cause I'd like to work solidly all winter.

My goodness it's cold here. Staying warm is a logistical nightmare. I've realised I need to by a proper pair of winter boots. The gloves I bought are next to useless as well. My big coat is fantastic though as are my standard issue long johns. I have months of this ahead of me and it's only going to get colder. Well if my ancestors could do it, year in year out, I'm damn well going to stick it out.

MG

Snow Day

"Welcome to Canada", my housemate exclaimed yesterday morn as I emerged from my room. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the backyard was blanketed in a thick covering of snow. It's been snowing consistently for two days now and it's very cold and blustery outside. It's probably around -10 out there on this Sunday morning. It was interesting coming home last night from a party because somehow the moonlight reflecting off the snow makes the sky seem somewhat bright.

I'm settling in well to the group house. There are four of us - two guys and two girls. There's a musician, a draftsperson/yoga enthusiast, a bar worker from the USA and me, the lonesome traveller. It's such a lo-fi house with no TV, no microwave, acoustic guitars laying around and plenty of books. We seem to get along pretty well and the house is large enough for us all to be doing our own thing. We're eating well. There's no junk food in sight. It's a welcome respite from the dodgy Greyhound Bus diet I was on (I'll never forget how rotten I felt standing in line next to my sorry looking bus driver, at a roadhouse in Northern Indiana, USA, 'round 4:00am one morning, eyes glazed, staring at the menu.) My housemate made me his patented 'Best Thing in the World' this morning: eggs poached in his mom's special homemade tomato sauce.

I've accepted a job canvasing for one of the major charities. Its frontline work, approaching people in the streets with a clipboard, asking them to donate to a plan. I think i'm constitutionally incapable of sitting in an office 9-5 right now so this job is probably what I should be doing. I'll develop oral communcation skills that's for sure. It'll be good to actually live by my ideals for a change and actively participate in something instead of moaning in the abstract about the ills of the world. The lady who hired me was impressed with my resume and said I've got a good chance of moving up the organisation into some sort of coordinator or team leader role quite quickly if I apply myself. There are offices all over Canada so it could work perfectly for me because I'd like to head back east and perhaps settle in Toronto and pursue further study.

I kinda like the idea of 'fighting' for something. Being part of a team, in the trenches so to speak. I know there are all sorts of issues about how much of this raised money actually gets to the people who need it, but I'm not going to think too much about that and just do what I have to do. With the booming Alberta economy, surely the masses have piles of disposable income and can be gently convinced to divert some of it to foreign aid.

I'm also chatting to a fellow Aussie about doing some construction work (inside I hope!). Like most construction companies, his employer is desperate for people and I'm keen to learn some practical skills.

I'm really looking forward to earning an income again, no matter how modest it will be in the short term. I've got a third option for work. I'm tagging along with my housemate tonight as he sells subscriptions to the local newspaper door-to-door. I will try the job because I imagine it will be similar to the canvasing job I'll be doing for the charity. I'm going to have to develop these hassling people skills whether I like it or not. My housemate loves the job because he only works 3hrs per day and makes a surprising a amount of money and has the rest of the day to work on his music.

I really hope I can handle this sort of canvasing work. The extroversion required will be draining.

MG

Quote

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."
- Edgar Allan Poe