Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Sitting on a Story

1. My Bench




The bench I decided to visit was dedicated to my grandmother. It is located at my cabin on Mayne Island, downtown outside the library. We decided to place her bench outside the library looking out onto active pass because she loved to be at the cabin and read. She was the one who designed the whole cabin and decorated it. She died before the cabin was finished, so it was a gift in memory of her and what she meant to this place. The bench is a thicker wood that is light brown with weather markings from the sun, it has large armrests and a large back and bottom to sit on; it is located under an overhang coming out from the library. Along the back of the bench there is a plaque reading “There is no Vessel like a Book to take us Lands away. In Memory of Lori Roberts With Love From Her Family.”




2. See, Feel, Think, Want




As I sit on the bench I am able to see the library behind me, the library is a light brown colour and is not very warn because it is brand new, one of the library’s windows is located right behind the bench and I am able to see 2 computers and rows of books in the back. Beside the bench there are 2 glass doors that are opened during the summer to let warm air in. The bench is bolted down on cement that also has engravings in it that are dedicated to different people. Ironically there is an engraving that is almost the same saying as my grandmother except one word is changed. The quote is right beside the bench. As I look forward I am able to see an open field, the grass is green and light brown, which has small brown and green shrubs surrounding it, and a large pine tree to the left side with a worn bench placed under it. As I look passed the field I can look onto active pass and then Galiano Island passed it. The ocean is a dark blue colour against the light blue sky and is not very clear. There are small motor boats and sail boats on it. As I sit there two ferries go by blowing their horns as they go through, the sound is very loud and rings in my ear. The sky is light blue with wispy clouds in it, and a few birds fly by. If I look a little down I am able to see the main land far in the distance, the mountains that make it up, they are a dark blue colour. A little to the right I am able to see the top of the “Springwater Lodge restaurant” it is a dirty white colour with a blue trim. There are cars parked along the street beside it, there is a red truck and a blue minivan. To my right I am able to see an opening in the shrubs big enough for a car to fit through, this is the opening to the park in town. Through the opening I am able to see the store and cars passing by. The store is a very old building; it is gray with some red at the top. As I sit looking out I can feel the cool bench under my body, the cold breeze coming off the ocean, the warm sunlight against my face and the smell of fresh air. I can hear the chattering of people busy in the small town and the passing of cars going in front of the library. As I sit here I am thinking about the beauty of nature and how simple but wonderful it is. I am also thinking about what I am going to do with the rest of the day, there are so many different things that I can do. I just want it to be summer, looking out onto the ocean makes me want to go to the beach and go swimming. I also want to be able to share this experience with everyone I know; it is just an amazing feeling to be able to enjoy nature so much. It is not like the city at all, you are not able to enjoy nature like this in the city. It makes me so happy just to sit here and do nothing.




3. Dedicated to me




If I had a bench dedicated to me I would also like it on Mayne Island. It wouldn’t be outside the library because I don’t really like to read books but I would want it outside the strip mall because it is a place where everyone just sits and enjoys their ice-cream, it is also a place where people come together and just talk. I've grown up coming to Mayne Island with my family and there are so many amazing memories here that I will never forget. My cabin is a family place, we go there for special vacations such as Easter, Thanksgiving and even Christmas once; my family is very important to me. I would also like it to be near my grandmother’s bench because she was very important to me, yet I wasn’t very old when she died. I still remember a lot about her. The inscription on my bench would read “the best things in life are worth waiting for” I don’t know why but I have always liked this quote and I have found it very true. I do believe that the best things in life are worth waiting for, and that one should not rush into things.




4. I dedicated a bench




If I were to dedicate a bench to someone it would be to my parents or sister. I would place the bench on Mayne Island along with my grandmother’s bench. It would go in the Japanese garden because every time we visit Mayne Island my parents love to go there. My grandmother also has a plaque in the garden along the fence. Mayne Island is very important to everyone in my family, and I know that my mother would like to have a bench beside her mother. It was a very difficult time for my whole family when my grandmother died. We spent weeks together just going to my granddad’s house and hanging out with my cousins. The inscription would read for my parents bench “You will always be in my heart, your daughter Lindsay.” I choose this quote because they will always be in my heart, and without them my life wouldn’t be the same. They are the best parents I could ever ask for. They are fun but fair and I can confide in them. If I got a bench for my sister, I to would also place it on Mayne Island, near the main dock. My sister loves to fish there for fun; it’s something she does every single time we go to Mayne. The inscription would read “Not only a sister but a best friend.” I choose these words because that is what she is to me. She is my sister yet I am able to tell her anything. When we were little she was the one person I wouldn’t get tired of playing with, and still now I can talk to her for hours and not worry about anything.




5. Journal




On my journey to the bench I first had to get to Mayne Island, I took the ferry with my parents, sister, granddad, aunt, uncle and cousins. It was only about an hour and a half long stopping at Galiano on the way. On the ride we played cards and got some lunch. When we arrived we went to the cabin and unpacked. We needed to go into town to get some food so I decided I would go and just look around at different shops. It was a beautiful day and wanted to go out also. We drove into town with everyone in our van. On the way we passed a few shops, the elementary school, the clinic, and the fire hall. Reaching town we passed city hall on the outside of town, as we made our way in we passed the gas station which had a movie rental attached to it on the left. On the right were a few houses and then a little clothing store. We parked outside the store and got out. As my parents when inside the store to get food my granddad, sister, uncle and cousins went down the dock. I decided that I was going to go sit on my grandmother bench and enjoy the day instead of going in the store or down on the dock. I walked through the opening of shrubs to get into the field that the bench looked on to. The field wasn’t that big and it didn’t take me that long to finally reach the bench. There was a little hill that I had to walk up to get to the bench but it wasn’t that bad. I read the plaque before I sat down and looked into the library. The library seemed to be open because people were inside reading. I sat down on the bench and just looked out onto the ocean.




6. Poem about my bench




Park Bench

Sitting on a park bench,
the fragrance of the grass
scents the fresh air.
It makes you look more closely
to everything that is there.
The beauty of the day,
white clouds, no black ones of dismay.
A breeze that bends
every leaf and petal to and fro.
Then there are the colours,
a multitude of green.
Everything assaults our senses,
every smell and flower there.
The sun is over my shoulder,
blue skies, and no clouds in sight.
As I sit here on a park bench
enjoying everything, I see.


David Harris

This poem relates to my bench because it is exactly how I feel when I sit on the bench on a beautiful day. You are able to enjoy the nature and its beauty in peace. You can smell the scent of fresh air, and see the beauty of nature around. You are able to see the different colours around even though they may not all be able trees. There are colours given by the trees but there is also colours coming from the ocean and town. You can feel the breeze coming off the ocean which moves the shrubs and trees back and forth. The sun on my face with a blue sky above me. This is a place where I can just enjoy everything with no worries, just like in this poem. This poem seems so lovely with nothing wrong, almost perfect, that is the exact way I feel when I am sitting there.

7. Connection to my poem

The poem connects to my personal philosophy of life by that you need to take the time just to enjoy what life holds for you. You can’t rush through life not taking the time to enjoy what is around you. Also that nature is a beautiful thing that people take for granted, it’s not everywhere when a person can look one way and see the mountains and another see the ocean with trees all around. I do take nature for granted sometimes but then when I read this poem or just sit and take a moment to enjoy it makes me feel happy that I am able to do that. Being outdoors on a wonderful day just makes me so happy, a feeling that I can’t get from anything else.

8. Purpose of a park

The purpose of a park is to allow for people to come and enjoy the nature and outdoors. Parks are places where children to adults can enjoy playing sports or on a play ground. They are able to interact with their friends or make new friends. It is also a place where people can come to walk and exercise. A park also gives a place for nature to grow and be left alone; it can be enjoyed by people of any age. Parks can be big, small, covered by trees, or an open field; there are so many different kinds of parks each with a different feeling to it. But mostly a park is to allow one to be able to do whatever they want outside and enjoy peacefulness of nature without the city around. When I am in a park I am able to be free and just hang out with my friends or family, I feel like I could sit there forever just looking at the beauty around me.


9. My poem

Graduation

Scary
Exciting
Nervous
All words that creep into my mind

I don’t
I won’t
I have to
Graduate

New experiences
New friends
New opportunities
All things that will appear

I don’t
I won’t
I have to
Graduate

Freedom
Choices
Disconnected
All effects that come with it

I don’t
I won’t
I have to
Graduate

Too late, times gone
Not yet, not ready
I can’t, I can
I have
GRADUATED

By: Lindsay van Leeuwen








Thursday, December 18, 2008

Shelter breaks out its cold weather beds

Bethany Lindsay, North Shore News
Published: December 17, 2008
As we can all tell it is freezing cold outside, but we have a house to go to and sleep in, now image you don’t have anywhere to go, there is snow on the ground and the temperature is below zero degrees Celsius. This is a hard time for people that are living on the streets, that is why The North Shore Housing Center has put up extra beds for people to sleep in. So far 39 people have taken advantage of these extra beds for the 5 days that it has been open. But there is enough beds for everyone if need be, there are 25 emergency beds in each shelter and 15 more at the North Shore Neighbourhood House. These houses will stay open as long as the temperature is below zero; there is snow on the ground and server wind warnings. The extra funding that is needed at these times comes from BC Housing and private donations. The number of nights the houses have stayed open have increased over the years and they hope it will increase this year if need be. I can’t even imagine what these people are going through, at these temperatures someone sleeping on the streets may never wake up. It is understandable why these people would drink so much, they want to keep warm and be numb from the pain they are going through. It is a great thing what these houses are doing and more funding should be put towards them. We don’t want someone dyeing because we can't donate a little of what we have when they have nothing.


Living in the snow

Mall Santa’s life is not so jolly

Sheri Levine, The Province
Published: December 18, 2008

Who hasn’t gone and sat on Santa’s lap and told him everything they want for Christmas? Well I know I have more than once I will have to admit. This aticle has interviewed three different mall Santas in the Toronto area and they all say that it can be a very tiring job. Long hours, and you have to deal with all the children naughty or nice. Santa’s job is to bring holiday spirit to everyone. Every time you go and see the big jolly guy you can remember hearing that screaming kid that doesn’t want to be there yet the parents want that picture so they won’t let them go; which Santa has to deal with. The Santa’s that were interviewed have been there for 50 years, 12 years and a newbie. These men have taken their own time to share the holiday spirit with everyone. They get dressed every day no matter what and go and enjoy their jobs. Santas are a very important job yet they are always looked passed because they are always there and expected to be there. Now that I am older I can appreciate everything that these men are doing and even the elves that help Santa. It is a very hard job to have not just physically but emotionally. Image you have to happy no matter what, you can’t have an off day, that it pretty difficul to do. Thank you to all the mall Santas out there, and Merry Chirstmas!


Santa and a screaming child


link to article

Some cough medicine overdoses deliberate: Report

Maggie Fox, Vancouver Sun
Published: December 18, 2008


In the United States it has been reported that a significant amount of children that have died from medicine overdose has been done on purpose. In these cases parents have given their children nonprescription medicine, or given medicine when it was not needed but there were some cases where they did not mean to hurt the child, they thought it was helping. U.S. Food and Drug Administration made the banning of over-the-counter medicine legal to children fewer than 4, but FDA is trying to up this ban to 12 year olds. I personally don’t believe the ban should be moved up to 12 year olds, when they are 12 they should know if they need medicine or not. The problem with this ban is that in some cases parents are giving their children the medicine to shut them up and this ban will not do anything. They can don’t determine how old the children are when an adult is buying it for them, they can also not stop the parent from giving their child medicine. It is said that most of the parents that are doing this have a history of child abuse, lower-income, and under educated. Still it is unbelievable that a parent will pour medicine down a childs throat just to shut them up. I don’t know how someone can think that is good for a child, or that it isn’t even life threatening. They are still drugs even if they are sold at stores; if they are used not properly they can be just as harmful as drugs on the street.


Cold Medicine

Classic silver for Royals

Andy Prest, North Shore News
Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2008


The HSBC Classic basketball tournament was held on December 4th till 8th where the Handsworth Royals finished in second behind Elgin Park a score of 68 - 66; Elgin Park being number one in the province now. Handsworths main player Young and Lee are in grade 11 but that doesn’t matter, they are both starters and leaders on the team. They have been with the team since grade 9. They are both also a part of the U-17 Provincial team. Yes the Royal are number one on the North Shore they have to watch out, Argyle is coming in close behind them being led by going to be SFU Clan member and also part of the Provincial team, Carla Wyman. All three of these players were all-stars at the tournament. Games between Argyle and Handsworth but become very popular and will be broadcasted live on the internet. The HSBC Classic tournament is also open to guy’s teams which our Sutherland Senior boys played in. The tournament also gives out scholarships to players, Andrew McGuiness was offered a scholarship presented by the Notaries Society of B.C, the Quinn Keast Memorial was also given to Chantelle Martin a player for the Gold Metal Girls team, Elgin Park. A comment that came from the coach of the Sutherland Secondary senior girl’s team was that Handsworth should be number one in the province they have more depth. Sutherlands senior girls have been struggling this year, it is hard for them because they are pretty much making a whole new team, There are only 3 seniors on the team this year and a Grade 11, Hailey Hebron, that played senior last year. Being the manager of the team and also a former player it is hard to see the team go on such a steep slope downwards, I know the team can do a lot better than they are showing right now.
Diana Lee

Crash victim’s recovery astounds

James Weldon, North Shore News
Published: December 10, 2008


Brandon Blasbalg, 18, a graduate from Sutherland Secondary school got in a horrible car crash on September 20 and is recovering faster than anyone imagined. Brandon was driving down Boundary Road and Marine Drive at 2 am when he fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of his car, crossed the meridian and hit an oncoming semi where he was thrown back and caught on flames. Lucky there was a police officer off duty traveling not too far behind him, she quickly grabbed her fire extinguisher and started to put out the flames, yet it was not enough. Another officer was going and collecting other fire extinguishers from nearby neighbours. A total of 10 extinguishers were used before the fire trucks arrived. Brandon was finally pulled out of his car by using the Jaws of Life. He served major burns to his head, arms and legs, and broken bones in his face, when arriving at Vancouver General hospital was put into metical indorsed coma. At first Brandon was thought to someone else, another ID was in the car and was recovered first but finally they figured out who he was and told Linda Shores, his mother. The first days at the hospital they were told that he might not make it, or that if he does he is going to be in a wheel chair and lose parts of his body that were severely injured. Brandon amazingly woke up from his coma. He was moved to the burn center in the hospital where he went through a lot of different procedures to help with the burns. He returned home on November 22, but still has to wear a full body suit. In the hospital Brandon was given many gifts from the community to make his life just a little bit easier, he was also fully supported through this whole thing from family and friends. This story is hard hitting to any teenager that knows Brandon, I am lucky to be one of those people. This story shows so much and how miracles can happen. Brandon went from almost going to die to being let out early from the hospital. "I just want kids to know that they're not invincible." This statement made my Linda Shores is true and is proven by Brandon’s accident he was just lucky enough to survive.

Brandon and Mother Linda

Link to article

Criminals help police recover toys stolen from Salvation Army

Darah Hansen, Vancouver Sun
Published: December 9, 2008
A huge turn around for these few criminals. Toys for the homeless and needy were stolen from the Salvation Army warehouse on Kingsway and Fraser Street. $25,000 of food, and toys were taken from the warehouse, but the police were tipped off of who these criminals might be by other criminals. I know its out there why would someone rat out someone like them, but it was said that criminals are even disturbed by this act. The police meet with these criminals and were able to follow their lead and recover 26 boxes of toys and meat, yet the meat had to be thrown out due to it could have gone bad or tampered with. Another 8 boxes were discovered later and the residences inside the house were arrested yet let go due to the house was a home to many people not just them. The Salvation Army was grateful of the return of the toys, yet before the return money was raised to take place for what had been stolen, they were able to raise $100,000 so far. The community came together, radio stations advertised it and donation came in, in great amounts. They are able to create all the hampers they wished to with the new money and goods that have come it, and any money left over will go to other programs the Salvation Army has. “The Salvation Army is also now considering purchasing a security system for its warehouse, Venables said.” Hearing about this break in was devastating, why would someone want to steal from people that have nothing; this might have been the only thing they get at Christmas. I am proud of this community and how everyone contributed to this cause even people who wouldn’t normally. It is a happy story to tell, I just hope that they are able to catch who ever did this and be punished greatly; who ever did this doesn’t deserve to be let down easily.

Stolen toys recovered

Link to article

Vancouver police examining YouTube video of racing cars

Vancouver Sun
Published: December 9, 2008


A YouTube video was discovered by a CBC reporter and tipped of the Vancouver police. The video was of two cars racing down highway 99 at speeds of 234 km/h. The video was clear enough to be able to see that the road conditions at that time were not great, the road was wet and it was dark out. The video shows that they came in vision of other cars on the road, and even stopped at a stop light, which could allow for pedestrians to be near. The video gave tips for who the drivers might be, and could be able to recognize through their voice. If the drivers were to be found they would be charged and get their licenses taken away. This was an unbelievable stupid thing to do, they didn’t just put their selves in danger but also the people around them. I can see why these drivers would want to put such a video on YouTube but do actually do the act is unthinkable. I can understand that yes they were probably teenage boys that just wanted to show off and have fun, but thinking of doing it on a wet cold night is just plain dumb. In those conditions it is easy to slip when you are going the legal speed but to go 3 times that speed the risk of slipping it a lot greater. Car accidents happen every day, and you can see how much pain can come from an accident at legal speeds image crashing at 234km/h those kind of speeds it is life threatening. So why would someone want to put their live on the line for a few minutes of fun?
Street Racing

Link to article


Friday, December 12, 2008

Indian Woman says she’s a mother at 70

The Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A 70 year old woman in New Delhi claims to have had her baby at the age of 70. A baby girl, the first child in the Devi family, was born on Nov 28, 2008 by a cesarean section. The baby girl was healthy and doing well after the birth. This was a miracle, with a woman at the age of 70 to even be possible of having a baby. The conceiving of the baby was not done natural by in the vitro fertilization treatment. The Devi family decided to try this method because they had been childless through their 55 years of marriage and wanted a baby. They had heard of a 58 year old gave birth to twins after this treatment, and decided it would be a good idea to try this as well seeing that it wouldn’t happen naturally. It was hard to tell if Rajo was the oldest woman to give birth because she didn’t have a birth certificate, but she told “the Associated Press” that she was around 70 and she husband was about 72. The oldest woman before her was a woman from Spain who delivered twin boys at the age of 66. The Devi family was very lucky to be able to have a child and it is a miracle that the baby didn’t have a metal problem and the Rajo didn’t suffer from the pregnancy. This story deserves to be told, even though it might not seem very important in today world; it is a special and amazing story. News is mostly about sad thing and to see such a happy article makes it stand out and want to be read. From a health point of view this is a story to be told, it gives hope to older families that still want to have a child and weren’t able to yet, it also gives another way the one can get pregnant if other options are not working for you.

Devi Family

Link to article

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Ontario government urged to ban flavoured cigarillos

The Canadian Press
Published: Thursday, November 27, 2008



In Ontario members of all Ontario political parties are trying to ban the selling of flavoured cigarillos to youth. Cigarillos are smaller versions of cigars, which are flavoured to appeal to youth. They come in 21 flavours, and are sold individually for $1 each. Cigarillos are exempt from the anti- smoking regulations because they are not wrapped in tobacco paper but are wrapped in tobacco leaves. Cigarillos are "deliberately designed and sold in a way to appeal to young people." says Canadian Cancer Society, which I believe it true. They make smoking seem not as bad for you by making them different flavours and make them seem okay to smoke. The number of cigarillos sold have drastically increased or the past few years. I believe in this banned, that it is a good thing. Youth shouldn’t be able to get smokes even if they are technically not cigarettes; there is a reason why the legal age is 19. They are not good for your health or even worse then regular cigarettes. Without the banning of cigarillos it allows for youth to start smoking legally which has a higher percent of youth becoming addicted and when they are legal will start and smoke cigarettes. The only purpose of cigarillos is to attract youth to start smoking and get them to be a client for life, which I believe shouldn’t be allowed to happen legally.

Comparing cigarillos to lip gloss

Link to article