Movementon

The ways in which we move through the city is probably a thought that never crosses most of our minds; we just exist and interact with our surroundings subconsciously.  However, when you think about it critically, we likely all “move” in ways that are unique to each individual.

Movement is almost like an art form.  It’s something that, in my opinion, should be sleek and graceful.  It could mean gliding between hallways around “mall walkers” as I like to call them, or perhaps taking that flight of stairs even if the escalator isn’t full.  It might mean biking somewhere (weather permitting) even when you’ve got a car that can take you there.  Movement is something we take for granted, and we should pride ourselves in the ways we get around.  I’ve probably adapted this mentality after growing up with hockey and soccer, because it’s a skill that will excel your success in these sports.  Besides, if we weren’t moving with a purpose, wouldn’t we all just be aimless wanderers?   

I’ll try and describe my own movement through the city:

I like to think that I move stealthily, but quickly, always with some set destination in mind.  I don’t take detours, and am usually not one for sightseeing unless there’s an abundance of time available (I would make exceptions for summer because you absolutely need to savour that time before it all freezes over again).  Mostly all of my routes are pre-planned and very schedule oriented; I like to know when I’ll be leaving, how long it takes to get there, and when I’ll be back, despite whether it happens that way or not.  In this sense, I suppose I’d say that I move with the current – moving against it seems awkward and calls attention to one self.  The best example I can currently think of to illustrate that would be people who decide to walk through the middle of HUB Mall on the opposite side, obstructing everyone’s way and making travel through there miserable at peak hours (hence why I’ll choose to walk outside the mall if I’m in a hurry to get to class, even when it’s -30°).

Regardless, cities seem to regulate their own flow of traffic and movement.  People find routes that are convenient, familiar, and efficient.  The ways and means in which we get there seem completely dependent on our own character and personal agenda.

Cheers,
Patrick

Reminisce & Reflect

Learning isn't always achieved inside of a classroom.

I'll make this entry short and precise. What have I learned so far from taking ENGL-380? I will answer this question honestly: not a heck of a lot (sorry Heather), but that's not the point. I think, so far, that this class has surpassed my expectations and surprised me in a positive way. I've always considered "classroom learning" as extensive note-taking, cramming textbooks, mindlessly absorbing lecture material, and having forums for discussion about course content. To say the least, that is not what we're doing -- and I love it. It's been one of those classes that literally opens your eyes and allows you to conceive the world around you in an entirely different way. Whether it's hearing your classmates' perspective on areas of the city you've never been to, meeting local talent (such as the likes of Mr. Minister Faust or Hagen), or even looking at/listening to maps of other cities, 380 definitely increases your capacity to understand more about places you already know or want to go.

Personally speaking, the highlight of our last one month has been our visit from Malcolm Azania. It was utmost enlightening to hear from a man who has already established his writing career, and one who aspiring authors can almost immediately look up to. Reading about success stories on the internet is one thing, but hearing it directly from that person is another, and I find it inspirational to listen to such stories and advice. It's also really interesting to see just how much local talent there is in Edmonton, people that I'm sure a lot of us have never even heard of prior to this class.

I guess that the point I'm trying to get across is that I feel ENGL-380 serves as a bridge to expand our knowledge beyond a classroom setting, to get out and see the sights and discover things in our own backyard that we never knew was there. It's certainly not as boring, and a much more unique and engaging way to learn.

Cheers,
Patrick

Queer Eye for the... Edmonton Guy?

The title isn't implicit, but it should captivate my thoughts for this post.

I do not know what it is like for minorities living in Edmonton today. I say this because I personally have never been a part of the minority (in my own consideration), and therefore would not know what it's like to experience life in this category. I do, however, have thoughts about that which can be elaborated on.

Minority groups feel entwined with Canadian culture, because they are a large part of our identity due to Canada adopting a "mosaic" ideology in establishing our national image. This would refer to racial groups, gay communities, religious organizations, or any other internal congregation/segregation within the country as well. It's basically futile to be intolerant to migrants or minority groups, because it's a common trend around the world that will swiftly be reversing in the next decade or two. It's obviously speculation at this point, but concluded upon by hard statistics, but for example: Indian migrants will be the majority in Australia by 2025 [Canada Updates], and even here in Canada, there was a report on CBC News some months ago that I cannot find the article for, but it projects that cities such as Toronto will be upwards of 67% non-white, and Calgary around 55% non-white, to name a couple, by 2025 as well.

I consider myself "Switzerland" when it comes to these affairs; neutral in everything. I'm not for minority groups, and at the same time I'm not against minority groups. My philosophy is rather simple. If I'm allowed to live my life freely, then so should you be. If anyone has done introductory philosophy, I'd say my views are similar to that what you'd find in Aristotle's Natural Law Theory. I think I can honestly say, though, that I've met people from all walks of life, from vastly different regions of the world, and I treat them just like I would anyone else: with respect. Margaret Atwood offers an effective summation to my thoughts on this:

I hope that people will finally come to realize that there is only one 'race' -- the human race -- and that we are all members of it.

If you don't like homosexuals, that's great. If you don't like non-Caucasian people, that's great also. Just keep it to yourself, and be respectful about it. We should all be entitled to our own opinion (which, thankfully we are here in Canada), but it's when people take it to the extreme that leads to hate crimes and unnecessary violence. We're all in this together, so let's make the best of it while we're here.

In regards to Edmonton, and to stay somewhat on track with the initial blog prompt, I don't think that minorities "own" any particular sectors or places within the city, although they do occupy certain spaces, and it shouldn't come as a shocker to anybody. It's just general knowledge amongst ourselves to realize this. If anybody knows Russell Peters, one of the famous (and absolutely hilarious) racial comedians of our day, he's not from Edmonton at all but even he referred to Millwood's for example as Brown Town at his show. Is this being racist? I wouldn't say so. It's just what seems noticeably obvious to us, and I'm sure similar names and divisions could be applied elsewhere in the city also. I think that as long as there are distinguishable variations between us (color, religion, values, etc.), we will continue to congregate with people and to areas that we can similarly relate to.

Cheers,
Patrick