I have to admit that I am one of the many Calgarians that take part in (and enjoy) dressing up in country inspired attire. Dressing up in full cowgirl/boy gear definitely hits it's peak over the 10 days of Stampede. People of all ages take part in the spirit of the season-yes I am refering to Stampede season. Some call this the most wonderful time of the year. It is a time when everyone is in good spirits and regardless of their background pretends to be a cowboy/girl. It's like everyone is a kid again getting excited and putting on dress-up clothes. It's actually hilarious that the majority of the city has probably invested in a pair of cowboy boots ($100-$400) and yet 90 percent of us haven't stepped on to ranch in years! Stampede is a time of year to have fun and shout out Yee Haw whenever you please.
I love how Stampede brings Calgarians together. It is a great example of how an event can unite a community.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Be A Snow Angel???
I'm sure everyone has seen the signs that the City of Calgary released a few years back, they have the snowman with the shovel and promote helping your neighbor by shoveling their walk. Anyways if you haven't noticed them before I'm sure you will see them now that I have drawn your attention to them.
When I first saw these signs I couldn't help but think to myself, wow how many tax payers dollars were spent on this campaign. I was sceptical that they would have any impact on the public and therefore, I resented the city for spending tax money on something so rediculous.
Though after looking into this campaign I had a change of heart. I now think that this is a worthwhile initiative that is organized around bringing Calgarians together. The campaign encourages individuals to be neighborly through small acts of kindness. Snow Angels also focuses on helping senior citizens, which is a wonderful thing. The City of Calgary website points out that "Calgary's senior (+65) population in 2006 was 93,859 of whom an estimated 90% or 84,473 are living independently in the community." I would like to think that when my parents get older and are unable to shovel that some kind person might take the time to help them clear their walk.
So I have come to the conclusion that if this campaign is able to encourage even a few people to help their neighbors than it is money well spent.
ps. I fully plan on shoveling my neighbors walk if we get more snow....
When I first saw these signs I couldn't help but think to myself, wow how many tax payers dollars were spent on this campaign. I was sceptical that they would have any impact on the public and therefore, I resented the city for spending tax money on something so rediculous.
Though after looking into this campaign I had a change of heart. I now think that this is a worthwhile initiative that is organized around bringing Calgarians together. The campaign encourages individuals to be neighborly through small acts of kindness. Snow Angels also focuses on helping senior citizens, which is a wonderful thing. The City of Calgary website points out that "Calgary's senior (+65) population in 2006 was 93,859 of whom an estimated 90% or 84,473 are living independently in the community." I would like to think that when my parents get older and are unable to shovel that some kind person might take the time to help them clear their walk.
So I have come to the conclusion that if this campaign is able to encourage even a few people to help their neighbors than it is money well spent.
ps. I fully plan on shoveling my neighbors walk if we get more snow....
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed Martial arts is becoming increasingly more popular in today’s society. As a sport, MMA combines techniques involved in various disciplines including Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just to name a few. When combined to create a whole new sport, this phenomenon is relentless to say the least. I find that the combination of all these techniques makes for a sport driven by vulgar brutality. Sportsmanship seems to take a back seat to winning at any cost. In fact, kicking competitors when they’re down is encouraged. It is odd how when these separate disciplines are taught there is much greater focus on respect, sportsmanship, and controlled settings. I worry that the aggressive and unsportsmanlike trends of this sport might be passed on to the next generation. The fears that would come with mothering a child involved in this would be endless. I feel that this sport should not continue to be glorified for it’s shameless brutality. Instead, there should be more focus on technique and sportsmanship as is emphasized in other team sports.
Michael Phelps
I chose to blog about the media frenzy regarding Michael Phelps being photographed smoking marijuana. This photo cost Phelps millions of dollars in sponsorship and a lot of criticism. Although he lost sponsors, roughly half of his sponsors will stand by him through this storm. At first I didn’t think that what Phelps did was a big deal. I thought that because he is young and extremely famous he would be excused from his temporary lack in judgment. I then decided to discuss it with different groups of people. After considering different viewpoints, I came to understand the impact of his actions. As a role model, Phelps has to be aware that the public is always watching. He has to consider that like it or not children look up to him and the choices he make affect not only him but also those people he influences. Hopefully this amazing athlete will leave his poor judgment in the past and once again rain as not only an athletic superstar, but also a role model.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)