The tipping point

Watch as politics rears its ugly head. I never thought I would see the day Hillary Clinton would mock another (watch the video). I attended a famous five luncheon weeks prior where women praised Hillary Clinton for setting an example for women to run in politics. The luncheon mentioned that many women do not go into politics because it is so verbally abusing. How sad that the woman that they looked up to proved the barrier on why women should not run.

For those who were undecided in the political race down south, I think this video from Hillary Clinton made the decision for them. How can you make fun of someone who is trying to inspire a nation? I do not think this is a step a true leader would make, but then again, perhaps Hillary Clinton REALLY wants to show her true human side.

I'll get off my butt if you get off yours

But I'll get off my butt either way, I just hope you join me.

I am not a hippie (I do study business afterall), but when I think of all the problems in the world I become overwhelmed and frustrated. I know that I will need to do something in my future career whether through volunteering or running a nonprofit. But what about now? I encourage everyone to do something (but not everything - otherwise you'll experience what many in the nonprofit experiences - burnout). Start today.

I've been reading Notes from Canada's Young Activists and am only halfway through it but have come to the conclusion that everyone needs to read it and become aware of our potential as Canadians. An inspiration to make people think - wholly crap, I CAN change the world.

Here are a couple of interesting links (I've only read halfway through the book):

1. The Otesha Project challenges us to change our consumption behaviours to ensure sustainability - for example - when drinking coffee - is it fair trade coffee? Is it in a reusable cup? Did you drive or walk to purchase the coffee?

2. If I was an engineer I would participate in Engineers without Borders. They provide sustainable solutions to underdeveloped countries. They focus on long term instead of giving short term solutions.

3. Framework Foundation combines my love for the arts and gives back to the community through an innovative timeraiser event.

These are stories upon stories of ordinary Canadians who decided to do extra-ordinary things - read the book - it will open your eyes.

I applaud you for your efforts

...if life were that simple, you wouldn't need to try.

Inspiration

It's American but relevant. I love music, and when you are successful in melding it together with something like politics...it makes me love music even more.



Go vote. Check out information on 'Volunteers Vote,' a project I am working on at Volunteer Alberta.

CEEDing the world one leadership opp at a time

I received an email from one of the CEEDers (Cultural Envoy for Exchange Development - Canadians who volunteered for AIESEC in another country last summer) and she updated us on where everyone was this year:

Richard: (Canada) Ryerson President
Rochelle: (Canada) McGill President
Eric: (Canada) Edmonton Vice President Exchange
Melissa: (Sweden) Internship
Messalina: (Netherlands) Internship
Karrolyn: (Netherlands - India - Canada) Internship, travel, then the government
Marina: (Canada) Vice President Exchange
Layial: (Canada) Vice President Talent Management
Harshitha: (Canada) Studying
Stephanie: (Spain) Studying
Mathieu: Internship?
Duncan: (Canada) Studying and graduating!
Brian: (Canada) Working
Manry: (Ecuador) Vice President Exchange
Julie: (Vietnam) Vice President Exchange

Anyways, as jealous as I am, I am amazed and inspired by the group of people who I shared a weekend with.

Awkward, socially awkward.

A group of East Indians get on a bus...no, this is not the beginning of a joke, it is the beginning of my workday. I bus to work everyday from Millwoods, aka "little India." Every morning at the back of the bus you can catch the middle-aged men enjoying their conversation and smiling. This is where I sit, this is wear I plug into my mp3 and sleep. Once in a while I wake and glimpse one of the gentlemen smiling. Once in a while, out of the kindness of their hearts, they wake me up once we get to downtown (even though my stop is the last stop and I usually wake before that).

Even though a couple of weeks ago I told myself not to always listen to my mp3 so I can engage in social conversation, I have rarely done so. Today, the excuse was because I recently acquired Matt Costa's new CD and wanted to figure out if his CD was incentive enough to purchase tickets to his concert next week.

So begins my day with Matt Costa singing to me "words always sound much better coming out of someone else, but put it in a song and I know that we can get along." Along comes one of the Indian gentlemen and he sits beside me smiling and saying "morning." I smile back, but am immediately engulfed with a sense of "oh my gosh creeper." That's when I realized, what the hell, why am I so fearful, when did I grow into this non-social and skeptical person? We continue the bus-ride in silence, mostly because, I still have my mp3 on. I usually fall asleep but I didn't today. When we get downtown, and he is getting off the bus, he says "Thank you." ??? "Have a good day!" Okay... "Have a good day!" I respond.

Am I not the most socially awkward person you know? I even had the thought "this is going in my blog," not "I should talk to my friends about this." But I bet you, this is how people in my generation act and respond. And we wonder why "older people" don't get us! Or perhaps it's just me. Any who, goal for this week, talk to an Indian Gentlemen.