Earth Day 2010: The Cove

Happy Earth Day everyone!
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and what a beautiful day it has been. When I got home from writing two exams, I sat down to watch Oprah, which I never have time to do anymore, but alas, it is the beauty of summer approaching!

On today's show Oprah had an Earth Day special where she had the filmmakers of The Cove, an expose documentary about the slaughtering of dolphins in Japan. Previous to watching Oprah I've read an article about actress Hayden Panettiere swimming with dolphins for the documentary. She's also in this PSA.

 I haven't seen The Cove yet, but I can only imagine the amount of anger and heartbreak I'll feel when I do. I think there's an activist in all of us. Today inspires me to take action about the causes I care about. I wish more people would take Earth Day seriously, and for that matter, realize that the environment is our home and we should stop disrespecting it on a daily basis. I know it's an ongoing battle if you actually try to do your best, and it feels like you're only one 'drop in the bucket' so to speak, but really, doing something is better than nothing at all. We've all heard it before.

Do you guys have any Earth Day Committments? I've compiled this list:

-Always bring a coffee tumbler for tea on the go

-Start composting at home (finally)

-Start a recycling program at work (for everything we don't recycle but should)

-Try to buy only earth-friendly cleaning and cosmetic products

-Bring re-usable bags out shopping (I have to start remembering them!)

-Power down computer every night instead of keeping it on

-De-clutter my room and bring what I don't want to Salvation Army or Value Village. 

I hope everyone else is inspired to take action today. Always remember, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world"- Gandhi

The home stretch

We're almost there folks. The end of first-year CreComm. I can't believe it. This year has gone by so fast! All we have left now is the business card/personal profile assignment for Tracy and finals. Next week should be a breeze. But then again, how many curve balls did we manage to get this year?

This past two weeks have really been overwhelming. So many year-end assignments due, in particular the infamous video montage for Mr. Dean Cooper. After all is said and done though, I was thoroughly impressed by my classmates' work on their montages. So many talented people, who clearly know Final Cut Pro like the back of their hand. Not to mention how to use a camera! Some of my favourite montages in Class 2 would have to be from: Alexa, Mike, Christa, Melissa, James, Rachel, and Maeghan. That is not to say that we all didn't do an amazing job.

Live Hit Derby this morning was such a rush. I didn't get the chance to do it last term as I was sick, but man, crazy times! I thought I did pretty well for never experiencing it before. I really do think it helped that the lights were down, it made it easier to pretend that 20-some pairs of eyes weren't on me during the 30 seconds of 'fame', or 'fall' in some cases.

All I can say is that we have done amazing this year and I am proud of all of us. Everyday proved a different accomplishment, all to get us on our way to next year and ultimately graduation! I can't wait.

Weezy Thanx You

I was intrigued when I heard about Lil' Wayne and his new blog which he writes from prison. Well technically, his people on "Team Weezy" are re-writing his letters from jail and posting them on the new site Weezy Thanx You.

 If you don't know the story, Lil' Wayne just starting serving time for getting caught with a loaded gun on his tour bus. The blog only has one post thus far, and the site even has a countdown, to the second, of when he gets released. He still has 212 days of blogging to go.

I wonder what his main reasons for blogging are? At first thought it's to gain more attention. But he also addresses fans in his post, by name and location, writing back to the letters he's received. He seems really sincere, and I'm sure they love being acknowledged. I wonder if he'll write enough to keep people interested. I'm not sure how many hits the site has gotten, but I'm sure it's bound to be a success.However, I'm wondering how many of the young kids that idolize him realize the reality of his situation? Just because he's a celebrity doesn't mean his criminal record should be overlooked, but nonetheless, there he is, writing from his cell. I also wonder what it's like for a celebrity in jail? I'm sure it's not a typical jail cell scenario...

If you're on 'Team Weezy', check out the blog, you can even buy t-shirts. The mailing address to write to Lil' Wayne is also available.

Possible laptop program in CreComm?

Today in EP class, we were directed by Tracy to fill out a college survey for Creative Communications to address the possibility of a laptop program for CreComm students.

It sounds like a great idea at first. A brand spankin' new Apple Macbook Pro, including ALL the crazy software we use everyday- InDesign, Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. However, I think some of the conditions and the price is questionable. To finance the laptop during the school year is about $2800, plus $691 if you want to bring it home over the summer. To buy it out and actually own it, is another $1000. I say it's cheaper to buy a laptop elsewhere and add the software yourself. However, for those who want to finance I guess it's a good idea.

When I first heard the idea I was excited, but of course the program won't be implemented until after we graduate. I'm currently using an outdated Acer Travelmate. It's so horrible. I bought the cheapest thing I could find at Futureshop 4 years ago and now I'm paying the price. It's battery power is non-existent, if I don't have my computer plugged in at all times, it will shut off within about 1o to 15 minutes of use. It also overheats and will shut off randomly, which is beyond inconvenient. I also have to deal with how slow it actually is, and how many viruses I'm sure I've accumulated over the years. It's lucky I haven't dropped it or lost it thus far. I guess it takes after me in that it's still surviving after everything it's been through.

Either way, it's high time to retire the old faithful and upgrade to an amazing Macbook! I really want the same one that Carrie uses in the Sex and the City movie- a 17 inch Macbook Pro. It's a bit pricey, so I think I'd settle for a 13 or 15 inch. I just love the style of a Mac, the feel of it, and how it has yet to have any major problems associated with it. It really is the industry standard and I need to "get with the times" if you will.

I'm also a huge fan of the new apple mouse, it's COOL!

Peace out!

Script Frenzy

This month, we have a script writing assignment for Creative Writing. With only 7-10 pages needed, I figured this assignment would be a good starting off point for Script Frenzy, which is a script writing competition that starts April 1st. Only 14 days to go!

Script Frenzy is open to anyone and the goal is to write 100 pages of script in 30 days. It seems daunting, but with 10 pages that have to be written by the end of March, I figure, why not go for another 90 in a month? It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but the idea of actually finishing 100 pages would be a major accomplishment in itself, at least for me.

Despite all the craziness of CreComm at the moment, I feel that doing some writng will be so beneficial. I've always loved screenwriting, having taken two classes for TV and film at the U of W, and I think now is the time to get motivated and produce something for the competition. I know I have friends who are also doing the Frenzy and I hope to join them in writing groups where we can share ideas and dedicate time to write.

The idea for my script is a comedy, possibly a romcom type story that will be lightly based on real events.

Check out Script Frenzy's awesome website for more information.

IPP's 2010

After watching two full days of IPP presentations, I have felt so inspired, yet so completely intimidated. I can't believe all of us first years will be in exactly the same position as the amazing people who have presented so far.

Everyone was so great at presenting, and everyone had great IPP's (or 'PP's' or 'IP's') that truly expressed the talents of this year's CreComm grads. I feel like if I wanted to write a novel or host an awesome event, or start a band, I could do it! And I hope to next year, and maybe it will be half as successful as all of the IPP's I've learned about.

I won't get into what my proposal consists of yet, but I will say that it's a fundraising event that supports two great causes. Right now, I'm focusing on finishing this month of school with the least amount of stress as possible... we'll see how that goes.

The IPP presentations really say a lot about what this amazing program aims to achieve within its graduates. Every single presenter that we've seen (and I'm sure the rest tomorrow) have shown us exacly what they are capable of, and what they are bringing to industry. We should feel proud to follow in their footsteps. I can't wait to see what we come up with for  the IPP's 2011!

A good place to stop: Beausejour, MB

On Friday, 75 awesome CreComms went on a Manitoba adventure for our travel assignment. My group which consisted of me, Adam and Nicki D, chose the cozy town of Beausejour. I have to say, we picked a nice little hidden gem of a place.

Maybe I liked it so much because the small town vibe and the people reminded me of home- Portage la Prairie, or maybe it was the warm and friendly welcome we received from everyone we met, Beausejour really is a 'good place to stop'.

This weekend is major for the 2,000 populated spot in the R.M of Brokenhead. The 48th Annual Canadian Power Toboggan Championships (CPTC) started this morning and go on until tomorrow. The raceplex is huge, and the racers are even more intense--it's amazing how far some people will travel to compete every year! It's great that Beausejour gets exposure this time of year.

Also this weekend, the local snowmobile club the Brokenhead Trailblazers are hosting their 40th anniversary banquet at a rec complex in town. This is what I focused my story on-- and the fact that residents get to snowmobile through town is so cool!

The highlight of our trip was obviously the raceplex and getting to see the racers practice laps around the oval ice track. Power toboggans are not your average snowmobile. They have a different set up so the driver can get low to the ground for turns and speed...I'm not too sure on the exact details, but the rush of hearing the loud engines start up is enough for anyone to head out to Beausejour for a weekend! 

Meeting the deputy mayor and one of the city councillors was also really nice. They seemed really familiar, and were really welcoming, and glad to see that we had an interest in their town. It was nice to see the sense of pride they had while pointing out the many events that Beausejour hosts during the year including the CPTC, a summer rodeo, a music festival hosted near town, and two large-scale craft sales to name a few.

Kassidy's restaurant was also another highlight. The food was tasty and priced accordingly, while the waitresses were really chatty and helpful, knowing that we were out of towners. The set up in the restaurant gave it a diner feel where it had an old refurbished 1952 Rockola juke box, that stood below giant black and white photos of Marilyn, Brando and James Dean. The fake roses adorning an adjacent fireplace were a bit tacky, but expected.

If someone was looking to settle in a small town, Beausejour would be a great place. It's close to Winnipeg and other areas, and has that unique feeling like you belong there, no matter if you just arrived to interview people for a college assignment.

***just a note, this is not my travel story, it's just a little review of my own I thought I would blog about!