Quote of the Summer

The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure. - Sven Goran Eriksson

O Valiant Cousin!

There's blood upon thy face.

Your blasted instruments of darkness,

Like the Russian bear or the Hyrcan tiger,

Undaunted by death or the invisible hand of hell,

Didst dash'd his brains out;

In every point twice done and then done double.

Good things of day begin to droop.

Here lay the most royal Duncan; his silver skin laced with his golden blood.

The expedition of his violent destruction,

Too cold for hell,

Is smother'd in the wine of life.

Fantastical blanket of mischief summons thee to hell.

Torture of the mind,

For imperfect prisoners that saw him die.

Tear to pieces that tender bond,

Of two perfectest friends of foes.

Brave Macbeth,

I dreamt last night,

That he hath ask'd for you.

Quote of Today

"May the fourth be with you" - Star Wars

Oh So Dramatic #%!%!!!

*Grabs and plucks flower*

Nwoye, Okonkwo, Nwoye, Okonkwo, Nwoye. I am not who they want me to be. I am not my father. The manliness of our village, Mother, scares and intimidates me. But I know that it is foolish to be womanly. It is said that a boy turns into a man only when he knows of this. But this is not the case for me. Growing up as the eldest son, Father always had higher expectations for me no matter what I did; whether doing chores or taking care of my brothers and sisters, Father always expected nothing less than the best. A year ago was the closet I came to pleasing Father, the year when Ikemefuna was still alive. I can still recall the day Father returned to his obi from the forests without him. I felt my insides turn to ice, numbness spreading like a contagious disease throughout ever inch of body as I watched Father’s grave face. Watching him slump onto his bed, I knew my brother was gone and soon the heavy burdens that came with being the eldest came crashing onto me again with impossible force. Once again I had become not only my Father’s but Umuofia’s lost cause. The death of my brother sparked mysterious feelings of rage and confusion. These were the same feelings that courses through my veins every time twins are banished. Life should be treasured, not carelessly thrown away; Ikemefuna committed no crime yet he was murdered. He was murdered by an Oracle he never met, the very Oracle that brought him to our village. This is why I chose to join them, those who do not judge me. I can now life my life the way I choose without expectations pressing me down. Nwoye, Okonkwo, Nwoye, Okonkwo, I am neither.

*Beheads poor flower*

My name is Isaac.

The Hero In Their Eyes

Even after a full two weeks of intense pondering during Spring Break, I still do not believe Okonkwo is a hero. Although physically Okonkwo has what it takes to be a hero, he does not have the emotional or mental capabilities to become one. True, Okonkwo has only himself to praise for building such strong foundations for his family with no father to count upon, but his accomplishments are personal and thus non-beneficial to society. A successful man and nothing more, Okonkwo relies on the judgements of others to determine his own success. Also valuing power above all else, Okonkwo is unsympathetic towards the common man and even looks down upon him. These are the traits that are relayed at the end of the novel when a reader fully analyses Okonkwo.

A hero has no mandatory specifications; a hero can be a heroine for all we care. But a hero must provide assurance and comfort to those around him. Okonkwo does not portray this as he commands power through fear. A hero is empathetic and this includes particularly the powerless and needy. If an individual has the potential to help others but is unwilling to, this individual is meaningless to the surrounding community and cannot be looked up to as a hero. This may seem selfish but a hero becomes a hero only when he allows the burdens others impose to become his duty. In closing, Okonkwo is not a hero nor does he wish to be. Okonkwo does not see meaning in assisting the weak as he lives to mock their incapability. As long as he himself and his family are triumphant, nothing else matters.

Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festival

Today's lesson:

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

Thanks for believing in me :)

The Magic Number Three

War. War brings to mind many conflicts, whether a war between nations, societies, villages, or even families. In "Three Day Road" the central conflict revolves around war and its separate effects on different people. Joseph Boyden's novel was inspired by World War I hero Francis Pegahmagabow, an Ojibwa sniper of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, who is portrayed by the two main characters Elijah and Xavier. Joseph takes Pegahmagabow and splits him into two distinct personalities, Elijah and Xavier; Elijah is the wild carefree side of Pegahmagabow whilst Xavier is the more careful and calculating side.

The bigger picture shows the man versus man conflict between two opposing forces of World War I but the main clashes are found within the man versus self conflicts of Elijah and Xavier. The conflict of Elijah involves gaining fame within the army's battalions. Well known for their shooting abilities as snipers by the soldiers, Elijah and Xavier quickly gain attention and rank as Sergeant McCaan and Lieutenant Breech, their superiors, notice their abilities and quickly put them to use. Again and again, Elijah and Xavier exceed the expectations of each mission. Not only do they kill all their targets, they even go as far as discovering a German "bunker thirty or forty feet below the earth... [with] comfortable couches and chairs and candles...and in the middle of the room... a grand piano" (Boyden 246-247). Although noticed for their achievements, Elijah is not content and plots different ways to garner even more attention. A simple, static character, Elijah remains this way through the whole novel and even goes as far as to cut the scalps of his victims to show his bravery.

On the other hand there is Xavier. At beginning of the novel, Xavier enjoys his relationship with his friend Elijah but as time wears on, he is no longer sure of this. Because the story is told in a series of flashbacks rotating between the narrators Xavier and his aunt Niska, adding the fact that I have yet to finish the novel, the resolution has not yet been revealed. Xavier's character faces a number of conflicts in the different periods of time; the periods being the past and the present. In the "past" periods of time, where he is still in the war, his man versus self conflict is whether or not to continue fighting in the war or to escape and return home. A part of this want to return home is provoked by a sort of jealously he develops caused by Elijah. Although better than Elijah in shooting, he is not as well known in the army because of his language barrier and personality. Unlike Elijah who is easygoing and absolutely adores bragging about his every accomplishments, Xavier keeps quiet and steadily grows darker every passing day. In the "present" period of time, where he has already return from the war and is under the care of Niska as they are rowing home on a three day journey, his conflict is whether or not to continue living; he has lost his left leg and is addicted to morphine as the drug soothes his pain. Though in living in agony, his love for his aunt is what keeps him from choosing death over life. The three-day road in the novel refers to the journey from birth to death and this is the conflict enchained upon Xavier.

As the novel progresses, I hope to reveal the resolutions both during and after the war.

Two Is Better Than One?

Barbie Dolls. How could such an innocent play toy, the prime inspiration and heroine for many young girls be a neon marker for post colonialism?

Post colonialism is a broad term mainly used for the many changes in ideas and views of British colonies around the world after gaining independence from their mother country; the changes in these colonies include the way race, culture, religion and identity are represented in modern day civilization. The overall premise however is the idea that all that is white is considered "pure and good" while all that is black is considered "tainted and evil". To put it more simply, white is better than black, therefore lighter skinned people are superior over darker skinned beings.

This contemporary example is from a Louisiana Wal-Mart in March of 2010 where the darker skinned Theresa dolls were marked down for discount at $3.00 where as the exact pale-skinned model was marked at $5.93. The models, side by side, can be seen as identical copies of each other with the exception of skin tone. Modern society has dictated Caucasian, fair skinned humans as the zenith of beauty. For a multi-billion company to recognize that dark skinned Barbies are not as sought after as their fairer skinned cousins gives a horrific indication of the racism that lingers still even in first world nations. To market light skinned Barbies at a higher price suggests that Caucasian people are of greater value than other nationalities which in this case is African. Furthermore, dolls are targeted to young girls and this separation in value due to skin colour plants seeds of discrimination as well as sense of inferiority into the hearts of the next generation. Such insolence is rarely tolerated and yet still surfaces into the media regularly. Although Britain no longer rules most her colonies, her values of human identity remains in the souls of countless nations forever.

The Worldwide Fact: Girls Are Better Than Boys

Girls are better than boys because boys are inferior to girls; most intelligent beings agree with this known fact and the ones that do not are too dimwitted to argue anyway. Usually smaller in stature, the better gender even have a day named after themselves (International Women's Day). Being naturally smarter, not to mention better looking, girls have used their unmatched brainpower to outsmart modern gentlemen anywhere from their homes, to schools, and even society. Teen sensation Justin Bieber recently stated that since women have been allowed to vote in Canada, technological advances worldwide have exponentially evolved. Henceforth, girls are better than boys and any that does not agree with this indisputable fact will give birth to a son.

An Introduction to "Three Day Road"

In Joseph Boyden’s “Three Day Road” the protagonists, who are Cree, include Xavier, Elijah and Niska. The story is set mainly during WWI where Xavier and his childhood friend Elijah serve as snipers in the war. However by utilising a series of flashbacks and alternation of narration between characters, Joseph enables himself to switch between the past, present and future of overall storyline.

The novel begins in a wemistikoshiw town where Niska awaits the arrival of Elijah (wemistikoshiw is Cree for European settler). However instead of Elijah, Niska finds her nephew Xavier, who she was told had died in the war. From there Niska begins a three day journey back to her home in Moose Factory by canoe with a mentally and physically ill nephew as a passenger.

Niska, Xavier’s aunt, is a mid-aged woman who lives a solitary life in the woodlands. Niska grew up being separate from others in her clan as she had the ability to see bits and pieces of the future. Now as a grown woman, she is distinct not only within the Cree society but also in the outside world as she is an Indian. Being “second to last in a long line of windigo killers”, Niska is a headstrong woman who is up for anything life hurls at her (windigo is Cree for cannibal). Her motivation is to preserve the true culture of her people as the members of her clan have been assimilated in nearby reserves. But with Xavier dying, she will be the last of her kind if she does not save her nephew. Niska reminds me of the “giver” in “The Giver”. The gifts they possess give them access to knowledge that no others can acquire. This knowledge holds the key to their society’s outcome.

The next character is Elijah. Not much has been revealed about Elijah so far except that Xavier looks up to him: “he is the truly skilled one… Elijah, he is the blessed one” (pg 10). Xavier also mentions that Elijah seems to enjoy the bloodshed and fighting as “he [feeds] off the fear and madness of [the war]” (pg 26). Elijah was believed by the army to have lost a leg and sent home but in reality, the injured was Xavier; Elijah’s whereabouts and unknown at this point.

The final protagonist is Xavier who is a much quieter and reserved character when compared to Elijah. With long braided hair, Xavier is of small stature and is even called “pretty short for an Indian” by one of his comrades (pg 23). The reasons Xavier and Elijah enlisted themselves has yet to be shown but what is certain is that Xavier has a much more difficult time seeing himself as one with the war. As opposed to Elijah enjoys the thrill of killing, Xavier realizes that he is “in the middle of a terrible place” (pg 31). Flashbacks shown through Xavier’s dreams illustrate the horrors and destruction of life in WWI. Now discharged, Xavier fights the will to live as the last of his precious morphine is used up.

Quote of the Day

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

A Year And One

How could I have ever known,

That you and I’d become like this?

My time with you has been a blur,

A blur too good to ever miss.

The summer walks, treading the sand.

Watching soft waters, the unearthly sky growing dark.

Lying on those “dirty” logs,

The banjos in the park.

I can’t get enough of you,

The thought of you makes me swoon.

You make my heart skip two beats,

Then altogether beat too soon.

Come find me,

Tumble in my arms once more.

You know that I will never leave,

Let silence surround this amour.

I miss you

This Valentine's poem is for the girl who's been with me through all the ups and downs in the past year.

The Lingering Temptations

In life, the greatest challenge we face is with ourselves. No matter what action or thought is to be performed, ultimately, it is ourselves that gives the final "thumbs up". The greatest barrier in my life is no different except that this challenge revolves around my passions, more specifically music.

To begin, in my life there has always been a string of endless passions. However, armed with my new companion, my guitar, I sensed this time something was different. I was determined to take this newfound obsession to a higher level; this is exactly the reason why I decided to register for The Royal Conservatory of Music exam. I already had a teacher at the time and he was a funny man. David, my teacher, could easily transform a room into smiles and laughter with his endless chattering. An ecstatic man, David was the light and soul of every situation.

One lesson, I decided to inform David of my plans for the exam and immediately he was jubilant. Bouncing up and down in his chair with the force of a miniature earthquake David wished me luck but reminded me that the most important aspect of the exam was practice.

At home I disregarded David’s words of wisdom and continued on with my daily life. The exam was a month away and I still had what seemed like a lifetime to spare. Outside the air was fresh, birds chirped from the treetops and most importantly it was the weekend! I stood contemplating; I had already learned four of the five songs and had all day tomorrow as well to practice. Moments later, my room found itself alone once more.

Saturday came and left and my “practice day” took its place. Solemnly sitting on my seat, preparing for sore fingers, I looked towards my guitar. Like an eager puppy waiting to be played with, she stood patiently. Picking her up and heading back to my seat, I noticed a warm glow shining on my face. The Sun’s warm rays shone in through the crystal clear windows and as if beckoning towards me, pulled my restless will to the outdoors. I pondered for just a second before placing my guitar back down and dashed into the open air like a frantic, untamed wolf wanting to be set free.

One day about two weeks later I suddenly realized the urgency of the situation. The Sun’s rays did not warm the icy panic in my chest this time. I finally learned all my songs the day before but in particular sections, my fingers would still remain stubbornly uncooperative. However, I thought to myself, all will be set back on track when David fixes my mistakes during our lesson the following day. A while later I received an email that caused the sinking feeling in my chest to return once more.

As my heart turned as cold as ice I read, “Attention students of David. David has undergone cancer surgery and will not be able to continue the regular lessons.”

I turned towards my once eager guitar for comfort and was returned with a piercing chilled stare by six glistening strings. Without a teacher and the upcoming exam only two weeks away, waves of panic began to sweep through my body. Picking up the guitar, the frigid wood amplified the blame. Procrastination, my victorious, cunning rival had taken over.

Suddenly a warm glow, likewise of the Sun’s rays, radiated through the object in my hand. As I struck a chord, a powerful voice emanated from the six strings telling me to conjure up my remaining willpower. As if fused into one, my guitar and I spent the next two weeks working towards our mutual goal. Two weeks later, I passed my exam.

In conclusion, although from the very beginning I was aware of the limited timeframe, the sly procrastinator from within coaxed my willpower and almost succeeded in taking complete control. This mischievous rival as I realized was none other than myself. Therefore the only challenge is to overcome your own self and stay true to the goal like an arrow streaking towards its target. Despite the fact that exterior forces like David may be able to provide assistance, this support is minute. Only the ability to persuade willpower can help you overcome the challenges being faced. Once the barrier surrounding willpower is broken, the greatest complication in life is therefore removed and all other ambitions will become simple to achieve.