I first fell in love at eleven years old
and felt the heartache down to my marrow.
Free-falling, unaware, drowning in bliss;
I didn’t see the noose till I was over the cliff.
The first day of school was when we met.
She liked Pulp Fiction, U2, and Johnny Depp.
In less than two months I was hypnotized—
she smelled like sugar and had such sad eyes.
We went on walks; she told me at the park
how she hated her body and showered in the dark.
Unaware of her beauty, she couldn’t see
how anyone could find her so lovely.
Her parents had split, her mom was ill and broke;
When her ...
The end of the semester is finally upon us. I’ve ditched the doom and gloom in favour of some upbeats for you to enjoy while finishing up the last of your assignments. Here’s a proper playlist to party to when finals are over:
Diplo ft. MØ - “Get it Right”
I love both Diplo and MØ; together, they can do no wrong. “Get it Right” is sure to be the next big hit playing in every club, just like MØ’s “Lean On.”
DJ Snake ft. Lauv - “A Different Way” (Noizu Remix)
Just when I thought I was getting sick of the original, Noizu released this remix. The drop is totally unexpected and ...
Let's get the shock factor out of the way: yes, I donated my $500 Anthropology Club Award to an organization that worked to reconstruct a small village in the Himalayas; a place I will likely never get to see.
I realize that giving away money when I’m a broke student might sound very stupid, but only at a superficial level, trust me. I've come to understand money takes so much space and importance in our lives that we've begun to cherish it as much as material possessions or friends. However, you can use money to an extent far beyond favours you can ask friends—to support something ...
I find myself asking more and more these days, “what would Socrates think of universities today?” Unfortunately, the answer seems to be less philosophical retort, more ‘rolling in his grave’.
The first universities were bastions of controversial thought and continued to be so for the next few millennia. Today, it seems rather than a bastion of objectivity, universities have become bastions of mindless groupthink. VIU is an extremely harsh environment to be a conservative, libertarian, or even a centrist. From professors openly bashing other political ideas in classes and professing ...
A vegan omelet doesn’t sound possible—but think again. Chickpea flour mixed with water creates a base that tastes surprisingly good, and is high in protein. It won’t taste exactly like the omelets you remember— nor will it have the same texture—but it’s a very tasty substitution.
Basic Ingredients
½ cup chickpea flour
½ cup water
¼ tsp salt* or to taste
oil
Optional Add-ins
sauteed onions
sauteed mushrooms
olives
pickled banana peppers
tomatoes
cilantro
daiya cheese or other vegan cheese
nutritional yeast
cumin
or whatever else you ...
The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump by Robert Sears
Sears takes Donald Trump’s tweets and transcripts and rearranges them into thoughtful and sensitive verse poems. This is a fun method of found poetry and I want to own a copy so very, very badly—everyone knows I want to own a copy!
2017-2018 Moleskine 18 Month Softcover Weekly XL Notebook Diary/Planner
This journal has changed my weekly planning game immensely. I love that it’s softcover so it lays flat while open on the table. Every week has a weekly calendar page on one side and a blank lined page on the other, which allows ...
The kettle whistled on the kitchen stove. Alice took the tea towel that was hanging on the handle of the oven door and wrapped it loosely around her hand. She lifted the steaming kettle from the ring. On her mug were a dozen or so cat-faces. They stared up at her as she dropped a single tea bag into the mug; Lapsung Sencha Jade Nirvana. She poured the water. Usually, she preferred plain black tea, but she had run out. It had been several days since she had been to the store. She wasn’t ready to face the world. This was her first taste of the “special” green tea, purchased from the tea ...
Each of the following films and TV shows examine the issues at the root of the intensely racist climate modern culture has inherited from the abuses and trials of its forefathers. Three extremely different time periods are covered, all dealing with different prejudices and violence against ethnic groups. If you’re open to broadening your view of historical events, though not without bias, any of these is a good place to start.
Mudbound, Feature Film, Netflix 2017, Directed by Dee Rees.
Set in the late 1930s and ’40s, Mudbound chronicles the stories of two families; one that owns ...
You may have noticed a lot of pictures of artsy planners floating around the internet lately. I’m here to tell you that this isn’t just your imagination, because the Bullet Journal trend has exploded recently. Bullet journaling, though unique for everyone, combines elements of a journal, sketchpad, and a planner with a bit of graphic design all rolled into one notebook. They are wholly creative, practical, and negate lugging around a bunch of notepads for different things. If you’re like me and thrive on organization, or just want to try your hand at journaling, this is for you. Some ...
For those who believe games aren’t just for children; these holiday-themed activities are perfect for get-togethers and small parties.
Guess How Many Ornaments on the Christmas Tree
This is a great icebreaker to use while waiting for guests to arrive. If you don’t have a Christmas tree, you can have people guess the number of candies in a bowl, or whatever strikes your fancy.
Gingerbread Decorating Contest
This is one of the most intensely competitive holiday games in existence. Even those who claim that they can’t draw/paint/decorate cookies enjoy this game (and often win). ...
Even in a time when Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell sold out in London and Hamilton broke out of Broadway to become a cultural sensation, it has been questioned whether theatre is still relevant. People these days spend a lot of time watching movies and television. The entertainment industry keeps pace with technology, yet theatre still exists.
No matter what medium, people become attached to characters and feel connected to them in some way. With live theatre, it’s not just watching the story but experiencing it, seeing the characters come alive right in front of you. Seeing something ...
These are like a spicy, chocolatey version of snickerdoodles; perfect for those who like their cookies with a bit of a bite.
Ingredients
½ cup vegan butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
¼ cup vegan milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (can be gluten-free)
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cayenne
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
pinch salt
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp cayenne
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 °C. Cream together vegan butter/margarine and 1 cup sugar. Mix in vegan milk and vanilla. Add next seven ...
The following are some methods I’ve found helpful for relieving my own stress. Since everyone is different, they may not all work for you, and that’s okay—but give ‘em a try.
Break Things into Steps
When a stressful event appears on my horizon I find it helpful to, if possible, break it into steps. I find this especially helpful for social events. Instead of concentrating on all the things I need to do to prepare, which can be overwhelming, I dissect it. On the day of the event, say, I would tell myself that all I need to do is to get out of the house by a certain time, and try to ...
The BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) Inquiry into Site C was long overdue. Its final report is based on an independent review of contradictory evidence, expert testimony, and public and First Nations’ input.
The inquiry process was completed on time and provides compelling information in support of cancelling this project.
We urge you to resist the temptation now to re-test the evidence in the court of public opinion, with lobbyists and the project proponent. The latter groups have already provided their input to the Commission, as have a range of experts and those opposed to the ...
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Was he pushed or did he jump?
Thus began the murder hunt.
Little Miss Muffet had been nearby.
They found traces of curds and whey,
Incy Wincy Spider had sat down beside her
and seen her going away.
Three blind mice had threatened Hump twice,
But it certainly wasn’t them.
They’d been up the clock with Dickory Doc,
Their alibi was a gem.
The Inquiry was stumped,
When it turned out Hump jumped,
In a fit of doom and gloom.
He’d never more kiss, with the women he missed.
’Cos his dish ran away with a spoon.
I was sweaty.
The sun pressed into my pale neck as I dragged my way to my friend’s house. As usual, I was overdressed, wearing multiple layers despite the heat. It was a habit I had indulged in for years. I was the kid in July wearing jeans, a t-shirt, a button-up, and possibly a cardigan. My shirt felt like it was melting across my shoulders as I trudged the clean sidewalks of quiet suburbia.
My small circle of St. Albert friends usually convened at Ryan Brodney’s house. His divorced mother had given him the entire basement, and it’d become a chamber of wasted youth. The walls ...
Complete the following list, then insert the answers into the paragraph below.
Adjective: _____________________
Adjective: _____________________
Noun: _____________________
Place name: _____________________
Word that starts with V: _____________________
Word that starts with I: _____________________
Word that starts with U: _____________________
Year number: _____________________
Person’s name: _____________________
Adjective: _____________________
Type of animal, plural: _____________________
Type of food, plural: _____________________
Adjective: ...
The VIU Mariners men’s hockey club has continued its inaugural season with some great play as of late. While closing out the month with an even record, there are reasons to be enthusiastic about the young club. Great performances from the likes of Gage Colpron, who was named the BCIHL Player of the Week, show a glimpse of the talent level this team has.
November was a rough start for the Mariners as they dropped a 4-3 game to the shot-heavy Trinity Western University Spartans on November 4. The following weekend the boys saw themselves get blown out by Simon Fraser University 8-1 at ...
Fish farming is a young industry on the BC coast. It started originally with ‘mom and pop’ run farms in the 1970s, to supplement the market demand. Since then, the industry has become a cornerstone of BC’s agricultural exports, but with that have come a lot of negative associations.
In regions along BC’s coast and Vancouver Island, activists and indigenous groups have protested the active use of fish farms in traditional waters. Protesters are concerned with what they perceive as a threat against wild salmon populations.
In 2007, a study published in Science Magazine predicted that ...
I love a good murder mystery, a chilling cold case, or an old-fashioned whodunit tale. With winter break on quick approach, what better way to fill all those habitually sleepless nights than with a brand new must listen list? In no particular ranking order, here is enjoyable ear candy for those in the crowd tired of Let it Go and It’s a Wonderful Life.
Alice Isn’t Dead - From the creators of Welcome to Nightvale, Alice Isn’t Dead is an audio diary of a truck driver travelling across America to find her wife. In her quest, she comes across a conspiracy far greater than her missing ...
Running on the treadmill at Vancouver Island University’s gym, listening to a playlist of old ’90s rap, “Shook Ones” by Mobb Deep begins playing. It triggers a landslide of memories. The day David Lacroix took a stand for me, a kid he barely knew, floods my mind and I have to decline my speed to think straight. The girl on the treadmill next to me glances over, then goes back to the video on her phone. A bead of sweat collides with my welling tear duct, stinging my eye as the two liquids mesh.
David Lacroix. I had only heard stories about him from the different crowds at Sequim ...
The twenty-six-year streak is over. For the first time in my life, I won’t be spending Christmas with my family.
I moved to Nanaimo from Regina in 2013, but I’ve always made the trip back home during the holidays. This Christmas, though, my parents and several of my five siblings will be vacationing in Jamaica.
The highlight of Christmas when I was younger was, of course, receiving presents. On Christmas Eve, I could never fall asleep at a reasonable time. I’d stay awake, squirming with anticipation, dreaming of Nintendo 64 games and Pokémon cards. My parents have a photo of my ...
On Wednesday, November 22, the Philosophers' Café held a public debate at the Nanaimo Regional Library. The topic was "How Far is Too Far" when deciding how to handle individual life and when to decide that a potentially life-saving procedure costs too much.
The topic was raised because of Valery Spiridonov, a 31-year-old man working as a software developer in Vladimir, Russia. Spiridonov has a rare disease called Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, a genetic disorder that affects muscles and kills motor neurons. Spiridonov was interested in being the first person to have their head ...
What impression do these shoes give? They are worn, they are old, they are torn, they have holes, they are covered in dirt. At first glance these shoes look like they have a sad story. Yet, these shoes belonged to someone. These shoes carry much more than the places they have been. These are the shoes that brought a student to Vancouver Island University. These shoes tell us a story.
As the Peer Support Navigator for Vancouver Island University’s Post-Care tuition waiver program, I first came across the student wearing these shoes in September 2017. They were seeking support to find ...
