My Idols

Who is my idol? It is a common question asked many times during a persons life and up until recently I usually answered without even a second thought to it. Usually my idol was the same as everyone else's.

Ellen DeGeneres because she is extremely funny and gives away the best stuff on her show.

My Mom because she's my mom.

Cher because she has the best costumes during her performances and she was the first concert I ever went too.

One of my idol remains the same but the reason behind why she is my idol definitely has a deeper reason. The following are my Idols:

1. My Mom
She is incredible and not just because I spent 9 months in her stomach kicking her every chance I got. My mom worked full time when we were growing up. She was a police officer with the Calgary Police Service and she juggled three kids. My dad worked away a lot when we were kids so it was pretty much just us and my mom. My mom volunteers more then any other person I know which is great. Ever since I can remember she has been coaching community basketball and she continues to be part of that today being the President of Calgary Minor Basketball. These are all jobs where she has received no cheque in the mail for her services. My mom continues to put herself ahead of others and has always been the most loyal friend to someone. She will always go out of her way to help someone in need. Its this selflessness that really makes me appreciate the mom I have.

2.  My Grandma 

Another extreme cliche but nonetheless one of the most important people that I have ever had in my life. When I was in grade 8 my Grandmother passed away but that did not change the impact she had on my life. My grandmother raised 7 kids all while her husband spent a lot of time away at work. She attended Springbank United Church every Sunday that she was home up until her passing. She volunteered everywhere she could be it the church, Springbank Park for All Seasons, and the Springbank schools where her kids attended. Just before her death in December  2001 she was awarded the Governor's General Award for her volunteering.  My Grandmother was like my second mom and I spent most of childhood over there learning how to bake cookies and cakes and to play a mean game of "Rummy". I can only hope to be half the woman my grandmother was. I look up to her and appreciate everything that she has taught me. (She's in the middle of the photo) 

3. There are many other people that I look up to in my life and that I attribute who I am today because of them. My idols are no longer people who are beautiful and funny. It comes down to what they have taught me about life and how they have lived their life. I am thankful to my two idols and I love them very much. Without them I would not be the person I am today. 

Facing and Fighting Addiction

Addiction is something that plagues many people in today's society. Addictions are a mood altering substances that lead to different types of behaviours. The most common addictions include alcohol, drugs (illegal or pharmaceutical), smoking and gambling.

Canada provides services for people who are living with and/or are faced with addictions. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health  offers to help to people who are unable to help themselves within an addiction setting.

When I was in high school we raised money for AARC, which is the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre. We had a few kids that I graduated with attend this program to help them graduate clean and sober. A lot of the councillors that are located at AARC actually attended the program itself so it makes everything that much more real for the adolescents that have the benefit of going here. Its tag line is "Helping Teens reach their Twenties" which becomes all too real for these kids. Most of the people I know that have attended AARC have been clean and sober since.

I have never personally been faced with an addiction unless you count the amount of times a week I consume "Salt and Vinegar" chips an addiction.  I do know people close to me in my family that have struggled with alcohol abuse and Alcoholism.
According to the Canadian Addiction Survey 

• Nearly 80% of Canadians aged 15 years and older drink, but most drink in moderation and without hard. 
• 17% of past-year drinkers are considered high-risk drinkers according to the World Health Organizations Alchohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)
• High-risk drinkers are predominantly males and those under the age of 25. 

Addictions are challenging and most of the time cannot be faced alone. In Calgary alone there are many different services for people who face addiction whether they are 14-years-old all the way to 100. AADAC is a common service that many people would recognize. Addiction is an awful thing and can lead to lost friends, family and even life. It is not something to be taken lightly but thankfully there are many different services that can help.  

Alcoholism

Attribute this work to: wolfgangwendenig

Alcoholism is defined as a physical addiction to alcohol, which may control an individual's relationships and life. Drinking alcoholically may negatively affect a person's physical and mental health, as well as family, social, and job responsibilities. The factor that separates an alcoholic from a person who abuses alcohol is the inability to stop regardless of the repercussions.

Alcoholism is a debilitative disease that people can be unaware of. Some symptoms of alcoholism are:

• Violence when drinking
• Try to hide alcohol use
• Drink alone
• Continue to drink, even when job, health, and family are being harmed
• Make excuses to drink
• Memory lapses after heavy drinking
• Miss work or school because of drinking

Alcoholism is prevalent in today's society, but there are programs and support groups that can help an alcoholic to recover. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an example of one of the many support groups. It is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA offers a 12 Step program to its members. Another approach to recovery from alcoholism is a treatment program. Hazelden is one of many treatment programs around the world. It is a drug and alcohol treatment program that has facilities across the United States of America, and is built on transforming people's lives.

Attribute this work to: Sun rise over the Helford River by Graham Loveland

Treatment Centres

• Hazelden
• Aventa
• 1835 House

Support Groups

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• AL-ANON
• Smart Recovery

  

Saving Money: Financial Security and Success

Attribute this work to: Razor512

When I was younger my parents always told me to put a portion of every pay cheque into my savings account, but at that point in my life I thought that their idea didn't sound like a very good one. All I could see was that by putting money away into my savings I would have less money to spend, and now six years down the road I have very little to show for all my hard work. I have begun to see the value of what they stressed to me so long ago.

Step 1: The Problem

Saving money can be a challenge. When I get a pay cheque I become very aware of my needs and wants, but I am not always aware of the amount of money I have in the bank, or how much I am spending. I blindly spend, and don't pay attention to where my money goes. Reflecting on my past jobs, and how much time I have spent working I can't account for where all my money has gone. Frivolous spending is irresponsible.

Step 2: Solution

Steps to saving money:

• Know how much you make and how much you spend.
• Save first, spend later: Automatic Savings Plan.
• Understanding compound interest.
• Start saving sooner than later.
• Something is better than nothing.
• Stay disciplined, be aware, and get rich.

Step 3: How I Started Saving

1. Calculated how much money I made a month, and subtracted my cost of living from that amount (ex. food, housing, gas).
2. After my cost of living was accounted for I realized I had money left over. I went to the bank and discussed my options with an account representative.
3. The account representative set me up with an RRSP and a Tax Free Savings Account. Each month money is automatically taken out of the account and evenly distributed into these savings accounts.  

Other Savings Accounts:

• Mutual Funds
• GIC

Attribute this work to: Johanna Hardell

I was never focused on saving money, but I now believe that the sooner you begin to save the more financial stability you will have in the end. Being smart and aware of your money will set you up for financial success.

What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up?

A career is defined as person's course or progress through life, or an individual's job or professional position. Throughout my life, from elementary school to university, I have been extremely aware of the ever important question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I find myself asking the same question to this day. How will I know what type of career will be the best fit for me? Do I have what it takes to be successful in a particular industry? Today I still don't know the exact career path I hope to pursue. Every day I discover new skills, and gain more knowledge causing me to ask myself, "Is this the right career for my future?"

Attribute this work to: Cerne Abbas: path through field at St. Catherine’s Hill by Chris Downer

When I was little I wanted to be a dancer and a cowgirl, but as I got older I learned to look at the world in a more practical, and acceptable way. I found myself telling people that I wanted to be a lawyer, a business woman, or a doctor. The pressure, time, and involvement that comes along with deciding on a career path is substantial. Every day I hope that I am making the right choices for my future. I find myself wondering if the career decisions I make are solely for me, or in response to societal pressures.

I think that many people struggle to figure out the direction they would like to take, and here are some career and personality quizzes that might help to focus your sights:

• Personality Test: Based on Myers Briggs Test
• Job Diagnosis
• Career Aptitude Test
• Career Test

Attribute this work to: spontaneousdevelopment

I have chosen to get a degree in business, and this area of study has many different types of jobs under its umbrella. Accounting, human resources, and management are just a few of the career options available. I found an interesting Career Key Map that clusters different jobs together based on your career path, and areas of interest.

Music, Emotions, and Memory: Article Review

Attribute this work: photosteve101

Do certain songs bring back specific memories and emotions in relation to past experiences? Do you listen to different genres of music based on the way you are feeling? Music is expressive, and can elicit different emotions. It plays a large role in everyday life, and can act as a connector to past actions and events.

I reflected on how influential music has been in my life. I grew up listening to classical music, and singing campfire songs with my family. I sang in a choir for many years, and have been a supporter of the live music scene in Calgary. Currently I play music to enhance my emotions, for enjoyment, and to bring back past feelings or a memory. I have always wondered how music has the ability to evoke emotion, and remain a conduit for memories.

Music and Emotion

The New York Times article, 'To Tug Hearts, Music First Must Tickle the Neurons' takes a look at how scientists are trying to understand and quantify what makes music expressive. It was found that the area of the brain that is stimulated by music is also the same area that stimulates the emotion of empathy. The human brain understands music as not only an emotional aberration, but as an action. It was discovered that emotional evocation from music is related to a change in the musical patterns. The studies show that emotions are influenced differently as a result of the timing, length and volume of musical notes, the element of surprise in a song, and whether or not an individual had past experience playing an instrument. By increasing their knowledge of how the brain works it could be observed that music plays an important role in human development, communication, cognition, and therapeutic endeavors.

Attribute this work: photosteve101

Music and Memory

Music has the ability to bring about certain memories or feelings attached to experiences. It has been shown that music connects to a specific area of the brain, 'Music is also processed by the lower, sensory levels of the brain, making it impervious to later memory distortions. Therefore creating a strong connection between emotion and music within memory makes it easier to recall one when prompted by the other.' Essentially the brain stores the music with its attached memory, and when the brain is reminded of the memory or hears the music attached to a memory it is recalled.

The variation of tone, and timing in music effects the brain and plays a role in the emotional relationship between the music and the listener. While the memories connected to music are stored in a protected area of the brain. I have created many memories while listening to music, and played many songs to mimic my feelings. I now have a greater insight as to what is happening in my brain when I listen to music.

Venues in Calgary to go check out live music and make some new memories...

• Jack Singer Concert Hall: Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
• The Blues Can
• Palamino

The New Paddle Boarding Craze

Paddle boarding has become one of the newest and most popular fitness trends of today, featured in popular fitness magazines like Shape .

Photo by Public Domain Image

What many people don’t know about paddle boarding is that it actually originated in the 1930’s with Hawaiian heritage. Paddle boarding is considered a surface water sport, and the most popular version we see now is an individual standing on a paddle board known as “stand up paddling” or SUP. Here you stand on top of the paddle board and push yourself through the water with a long paddle that can reach the ocean from your standing position.

Stand up paddling offers the following benefits:

•       Lowers blood pressure
•       Improves cholesterol
•       “Aqua therapy” from the water
•       Low impact on joints
•       Improves balance
•       Improves core strength
•       Increases confidence and sense of achievement

The main thing that has attracted me to SUP is that it just looks graceful and relaxing. Seeing these pictures of people standing on boards in the middle of a large body of water, I couldn’t imagine anything more serene. I am definitely hoping to give SUP a try this summer on my trip to Thailand and I’ll let you know how it goes. Where is the best place to SUP? Have any fellow Calgarians had the opportunity to try SUP? How did it go?

For some reasons as to why you should try paddle boarding check out this website. 

For tips on how to paddle board check out this video.