We have the power to choose

For the past two days, I've been catching up with the Harry Potter movies with my brother. Initially, I thought I'd read the books but soon to realize that there's a huge stack of books pending to be read on my bookshelf already. I don't know if I am the only one that thinks so but the HP movies provide life lessons - lessons on courage, love, strength, ambition, fear, friendships, perseverance and most importantly choices.

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

I believe that our choices define us and the ability to have such a huge power to impact ourselves is pretty awesome. Most people have made numerous choices throughout their lifetimes - even a simple choice between what flavour of ice cream to buy (not such a simple choice for many of us) and tougher choices, such as, what university to go to or the choice of letting go or holding on. Soon these choices which we've been making throughout our lives end up shaping the person we turn out to be. Sure, we might make mistakes but to realize our mistakes and make a choice of learning from them and moving on is a choice that defines as well.

In the worst of times, we might be depressed, heart-broken, unhappy, confused... but happiness is a choice as well! We can choose what affects us. Obviously, this isn't as easy as it sounds and takes a lot of downturns to realize it but it is possible. We have the ability to choose what hurts us and what makes us happy.

We can choose to let go. We don't have to let negative experiences define us. We can make choices that shape us to be the person we aspire to be.

DFTBA

Last December, Google Chrome introduced a browser extension called Chrome for a Cause. By installing the extension, Chrome kept track of the number of tabs you opened throughout the day, and as the clock struck 12, you got to choose what you wanted to donate the day's tabs towards. Google had pre-selected 5 charities: The Nature Conservancy, charity: water, Un Techo para mi País, Doctors Without Borders, and Room to Read.

It was a week-long initiative, and at the end of the week, the numbers were in. On behalf of the global Chrome community, Google made $1 million in donations as follows:

• Planting 245 278 trees in the endangered Atlantic Forest
• Providing 11 610 people in developing nations with clean water by building freshwater wells
• Developing 11 208 square feet of shelter by volunteers for impoverished families in Latin America
• Administering 106 934 meningitis vaccinations to combat outbreaks in Africa
• Publishing 142 518 books by local talents that would be donated to schools and libraries across Asia and Africa

Another initiative along the same lines as the Chrome extension is Freerice.com. Freerice provides a domain were you can tweak up on various subjects from vocabulary to geography to art while you donate grains of rice. Last year alone, 13 198 863 280 grains of rice were donated through the United Nations World Food Program to underdeveloped nations or to areas suffering from damage caused by natural disasters, like the recent earthquakes in Japan.

This shows that making a difference in the world need not be complicated or overly ambitious. Sometimes, even something as small as opening a tab- something you would have done regardless- could be impactful. Chrome for a Cause and Freerice highlights what can be achieved if we all get together and do our bit to help out. Let us all work towards making the world a better place.

In the words of the vlogbrothers, don't forget to be awesome (dftba)!

My better half

I've recently realized that the biggest flaw in my life used to be the way I perceived certain situations.

But over the past year so much has changed in my life --emotionally, mentally, and physically.

I'd like to thank one person for changing it for the better ...my better half.

We're such opposites.

No matter what happens in my life and which friend walks out of it

... I've got my number 1 fan always standing right next to me --mature, warm-hearted, funny, loving & whose priority is always me.

Someone who never ceases to remind me that I'm his "Miss. Perfect" and that I'm the one who gives him butterflies and sweet dreams of even a more sweeter future together.

Love.

Take Away Shows

Imagine strolling down the busy streets of London or visiting the majestic Arc de Triomphe in Paris and bumping into your favourite musical act performing in the open air. You just might bump into Arcade Fire singing Neon Bible, cramped up in a Parisian elevator or Florence and the Machine singing My Boy while unwinding at a scenic London park. Youtube channels watchlistentell and LaBlogotheque organize take away shows in London and Paris, respectively. What is a take away show you, you ask? It is when a band or a musical artist take to the streets or perform their numbers in a rather unusual setting. They take the acts away from the stage and into a restaurant kitchen or out and about. They feature anyone and anyone from rather popular artists like Bon Iver or Phoenix to the lesser known but equally talented ones from around the world, like Don't Blame Mexico or Guillemots. If you are a fan of quality, relatively underrated music, then these channels are just for you. It is quite something to view the artists when they are calm, relaxed, and just having fun. So kick back, relax, and let the music take over.


http://www.youtube.com/user/watchlistentell

http://www.youtube.com/user/LaBlogotheque

Two keys to a healthy, balanced life

Running and writing.

Why?

• they teach us about patience. about syncing the high speeds our minds think at and at actual speed life moves at and thus, can be experienced.
• they teach us to link the 3 dimensions of time: past, present and future. Writing means thinking about events, experiences and ideas form the past and figuring out how we want to express them now for future use. When running, you eventually reach a state that you concentrate less on the activity itself and start thinking with an increased heart rate. Your mental and physical body experience stress and you get to observe how you think and react during stress. 
• And most importantly, they remind us things don't have to be perfect. Every time we run or write, we have a vision for how it's gonna go and rarely do things turn out like that. When we run or write, we come face to face with uncertainty and living in the moment (two sides of the same coin to me).

The Faces of a Teenager

What do you get when you put together a relatively inexperienced  17 year-old boy, a camera, and a 365 project? Sheer brilliance. All of Alex's pictures radiate talent and passion. Click on the pictures for more of his self-portraits.

...

Funny how even the most mediocre of moments can transform into enchanted times in the flashback of your memories.

Harper...Again?

I am usually not a fan of partisan political bashing, but this election campaign, I feel compelled to speak up. It has been less than two weeks since the campaign began, and Stephen Harper has already got me asking...are you kidding me? Let's look at some of the more questionable decisions Harper has made recently.

From the very start, Harper declared that he will only be taking a maximum of five questions at each of his stops around Canada. So you're attending his rally but the 5 members of the press already asked questions? Too bad for you.

Speaking of attending rallies, if you wish to do so then you have to sign up prior to the event. That all seems alright until you come to realize that all of the sign up sheets get screened ahead of time. Screened for what, you ask? Criminal records? Nope. Just the usuals, like whether you are curious about other parties or even interested in saving the world. So far, the conservative volunteers have ejected people from the rallies for reasons such as posting a picture on Facebook posing with Ignatieff, wearing a t-shirt promoting alternative energy, and even for promoting the usage of reusable water bottles around campus. Are these people not going to vote, come May 2? Are they any less entitled to taking part in the Canadian democratic process? If Harper's wanting to convert his minority into a majority this time, would these not be the exact people that would help him do so?

All of the parties have their own Youtube accounts. All of them allow for viewer comments, except for the Conservatives. They tell us we matter. The people of Canada matter. They are running for us. Why is it, then, that our voices are being suppressed and our word not being heard? Are they seriously that afraid of critique? You'd think after multiple bouts of their minority leadership, they would be used to the critics and be able to implement it positively.

Well, maybe he doesn't have to listen. After, he did change "The Government of Canada" to "The Harper Government".

Stephen Harper says that there are only two true contenders, the Conservatives and the Liberals, and that is the only debate that matters. He brought up the idea of a debate between just the two leaders, and then when Ignatieff agreed to it, Harper said that he will only participate in the debates that had already been scheduled by the media and none others. Rick Mercer has offered to host such a debate, so I guess we shall wait and watch what excuse Harper comes up with this time.

Speaking of inconsistencies, when Paul Martin was in power, Stephen Harper had approached the other parties in the minority (Duceppe and Layton) to form a coalition to bring down the Liberal government. Both the other leaders have confirmed, this but Harper maintains that he did no such thing, and that if Ignatieff were to form a coalition with the other two then the world might just end.

All this is just what has cropped up in the past couple of weeks. Let us not forget the several counts of contempt that caused the parliament to dissolve, the billion dollar security at the summits, the lost UN Security Council bid, the elimination of an emissions control goal, the mounting federal deficit, the lack of confidence in his governance in parliament, the multiple prorogations, and the fact that this is the 4th federal election Canada has seen in 7 years.

Is this really the man we want to hand a majority to? Come May 2, make your voice count!


Edit 04/07: Seems like some big names like Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene would agree with me:

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/971204--party-favours-election-ephemera?bn=1