It’s a perceived conundrum for teachers witness to the brightest in their class. On the one hand, the kid needs to be challenged and on the other the teacher could use his /her help. There are thoughts that fast tracking advancement through the grades chronologically would pose social development implications.
Toward the latter end of my mother’s teaching career she was assigned under achievers with behavioral issues and despite her spirited approach, the experience for her was disillusioning. There were students who had no business wasting the resources of the school system and despite rearing six of her own kids, she was faced with issues around behavior predominantly while attempting to execute a curriculum. Our liberal ways have led to the mediocrity in which you refer Colin. The lack of discipline in people’s lives is evident at every turn but if you call them out, you are the one who will be perceived as the villain. We become only the cumulated experience of our past without the developed mind of discernment developed through task and test.
You go “sledding” at church when you purchase a ticket to experience ethereal sounds from an obscure festival within a cathedral styled place of worship. A revitalized music scene has emerged from the sombreness of the pandemic. Musicians saddled in loneliness from their basements have powered up their skills and are now showcasing. It’s a stopover on Calgary for musicians looking for more of the lime light needing to build a fan base away from the clutter of social media.
On the eve of June 23rd, three acts took to the stage at Calgary’s downtown United Church. Opening was Laura Hickli. The sound man prepared for Laura alone but she brought five compatriots along thereby a delay ensued off the mark. Then it happened. The emotive Laura Hickli jolted us to attention with her intriguing physicality behind her keyboard. There was as much joy in consuming her translation from song to body as there was in interpreting the contrasting melodies. A pointed ballad completed a set filled with dreamy pop soundscapes colored with samples of shoegaze and slide guitar. It was delightfully different in theme with sledding at Sled Island.
Next up was Magella. This powerful singer from Montreal enraptured from the outset with her powerful voice. She introduced herself alone on stage and opened with the accompaniment of a loop. A drummer and guitarist settled in and took their place afterward to pay fill. Literally, these two musicians played accompaniment cognizant of the varying spectral of sound alone emanating from this singer who characterizes her sound as “diasporic blues”. Guitar solos were precise and laden with the charm of some jazz. The songs flowed pleasantly and the finale ensued with the drummer getting his chance to shine with an up tempo song fitting of high energy grunge. During her audience repartee, she made reference to “the project” as if this trio is temporary. Well….evident from last night, this outfit has synergy.
Closing out the night was “Spelling”. Again….the focal point of the ensemble was the singer. At only 32, Chrystia Cabral has her own Wikipedia page so let’s get that out of the way. Her album “Mazy Fly” released in 2019 was well received universally by music critics and her rise has been unorthodox. She has an unwavering voice complemented by a high energy band. The drummer is so tasteful with dynamics and the chordal sounds oftentimes circulate in the major scale thereby defying alternative trends.
The crowd was delightfully appreciative and the setting was surreal especially in lieu of one particular track in which Laura Hickli represented her departure from religion. This all in context of if being three months to the day since her and her band mates had rolled their touring van down an embankment having struck black ice while on tour. I cast a blessing for all in house atop the highest of pews (photo) and departed the gathering with a warm reconnection with old clients just outside the church door.
I was there in the early days of the Casper Ruud phenomenon. It was a week day afternoon in October of 2018 and I decided to play hooky at work (it’s okay – I own the joint) and head down to the Acadia Tennis Centre to watch an early round tennis match of the Challenger event here in Calgary. With a couple of matches to choose from I picked the Casper Ruud match. There were about 20 people in the stands. I thought to myself…this kid has got game with strong consistency. I projected the player to make an impact on the ATP tour. On Sunday he’ll vie for the French Open Title. BTW…yours truly has managed to keep tennis instructor credentials intact (online course recerts) here in Alberta during the challenging last three years. Tennis is game for your life time. It’s never too late to pick up a racquet.
They make it up to be a “dream” but in actual fact the quest to scale Mount Everest is nothing more than delusional vanity. Some brother, niece, or grandparent gets the notion of putting their life on the line literally by hoisting themselves up an escarpment via a route prepared specifically by professional guides. Every successful arrival at the summit is done so with the aid of fixed ropes and ladders affixed to two routes used. The treasure required for an attempt is in the tens of thousands of dollars. This is money not put to purposeful use for worthy philanthropic causes, family vacations, educational pursuits, etc.
We hope that the human ego has means to mature as temporal chronology unfolds. We sort of assume this as a survival mechanism but there could be something amiss in the mind. We grant liberty and climbing permits but we do so without measurement of cerebral capacity. Societies grapple with sociological deviance not knowing how to put restrictions on liberty.
Could it be that the creative power of the mind has been restricted by those with the delusional obsessive schemes? Could it be that social and family connections have been so severed in some that such schemes gain fertile fuel through imbalance? Could there be an esteem issue whereby the manifestation of such an outlet is undertaken in order to gain self worth?
2023 has seen twelve deaths to date including a Vancouver B.C. anaesthesiologist. Over 300 deaths have been reported on the mountain to date associated with this misadventure. The Nepalese government et al receives approximately 5 Million dollars annually in permitting revenue.
Despite not knowing her personally, I reflect on my memory of Deb Hope in context of the recent cynicism portrayed of women by men on youtube and I having known her as a viewer of the “news hour”. Deb Hope was an unpretentious news anchor and her innocent charm is what I found most appealing during all those dinner time news hours back in ’81 –’82. You see, mom, Aunt Mina and I watched the BCTV news hour with TV tables in the living room in Kamloops when dad was away working in the mines. She had big eyes and laughs came easily as she bantered with weatherman Wayne Cox. She was atypically genuine as the “lady” next door within a news anchor role. Even at such a tender age I found something radical about this human transparency elicited from a television tube.
So what is it about this context in which I compare her life? Some youtube channel has spouted an unflattering stat characterizing the “modern woman.” It’s conceived that the pursuit of the modern woman leads to a destination of vanity laden emptiness.
Deb Hope died of Alzheimers Disease today. It was early onset. She was only 58 years old at discovery and passed away today at 67. She was the antonym of the “modern woman” and disenfranchised men should look to traits like hers in restoring faith in their dating quest.
