Tag Archives: community

Pete Mackenzie – NOT an Idiot

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Who are you?

[Editor's note: Pete Mackenzie is an Employment Counsellor & Facilitator at Job Options BC with the YMCA-YWCA of the Okanagan. Born and raised in Vancouver, he misses the rain and real estate prices. His messianic zeal is built around youth employment issues and he believes with some creative entrepreneurship, BC can be the next Mumbai, India. Pete is also this blog's newest Correspondent!]

Most people think of me as the guy with chiseled abs. Actually, that’s the guy standing next to me… he’s a bit of a jerk.

What do you do for fun?

Um, work. I’m really lame. I saw Superbad a few years ago, it was pretty good.

What is your favourite community? Why?

I ‘m taking a road trip to Utah in the spring. I hope the dynamic personality down there rubs off on me.

Pete can't belive the Canucks lost again!

What is your superpower?

The ability to talk even when no one is listening.

Pete building community!

How do you use it to build community?

One day I hope have something meaningful to say.

My Three Favourite Things About Pete Are…

1. Brevity. This was one of the fastest and more entertaining GTKYCs ever. Well played, Pete. Well played.

2. The Man Knows Funny. One need only check out Pete’s first contribution to The Daily Gumboot, “How Not to Look Like an Idiot” to get a sense of his humourous, um, sense. I  appreciate our newest Correspondent’s penchant for “laughing it off” – in the business of blogging, one needs to be able to laugh reflexively, as there are a lot of annonymously mean-spirited trolls out there.

3. Entrepreneurial Spirit. I love that Pete works for fun and I also love – and am honoured by – the fact that he sought out this piblication and pitched us on his writing style and substance. To say that he’s a good fit would be one of the biggest understatements of 2012!

- As told by John Horn

The Apocalypse Project Concludes

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And now, dear readers, you can survive and thrive the apocalypse!

You’re welcome.

Over the past week, our international team of correspondents – many of whom are experts in post-apocalyptic studies (the other one is named “Martin”) – discussed how the world will probably end, what it will look like around the world, what skills you will need to survive, how you will live on anyway, and a general planning guide for the post-apocalyptic world. We wrapped up the week with a special The List and Kurt pulled himself together to complete a rousing interview with John Connor (because Kurt probably believes in Johnism).

Anyway, here is a brief and editorialized synopsis of the week’s offerings:

Day 1: The Apocalypse Project Begins!

  • Lesson learned: there is something really, really interesting happening with the planets in our solar system; this being said, the infinite John Horn’s who live in the infinite other universes don’t really think it’s that interesting. Yeah, I just blew your mind!

Day 2: The Many Horsemen of the Apocalypse

  • Lessons learned: first, thanks to Lord Hashbrown III for teaching everyone how to spell “Gumboot” in Ancient Mayan; second, while I certainly champion Kurt’s well-supported argument that computers – or, more specifically, “Google” – will rise up and destroy us, it also seems highly likely that Cobra Commander has some sort of zombie-based strategy up his sleeve; third, let’s face it, Mother Nature isn’t too pleased with us and she’s probably going to be the one who ends it all (civilization, not the Earth).

Day 3: The Global Toolkit of Skills You Will Need to Survive the Apocalypse

  • Lessons learned: I dunno…something about throwing dinner parties for Marxists?!

Day 4: An Apocalypse Planning Guide

  • Lessons learned: community asset maps and outdoor skills are essential in the post-apocalyptic world; we need to know where things are and, most likely, how to fight zombies in the woods. Oh, and cardio is really, really important, too. Because whether it’s a Terminator, a thousand zombies, or a tidal wave, when the world ends you’re going to be outrunning something.

Day 5: The ApocaList

  • Lesson learned: Michelle really doesn’t like it when I put her On Notice, even if it’s all in good fun. And, in her defense, she has since come up with a much better survival plan – we don’t want to share it, though, because then you (or worse, Google) will know.

Day 6: Interview with John Connor

  • Lesson learned: Kurt Heinrich is an intrepid interviewer who can travel in the future to conduct an interview that is published in the past because he sent his father back in time to work for The Daily Gumbo – they made how many of these movies?

Courtesy of Kookaburra2011

In conclusion, The Daily Gumboot community hopes that you this series made you laugh, made you scrunch-up your face in a quizzical manner, made you angry, and, most importantly, made you think about the end of the world. After all, it’s probably the only world we’ve got. So, before we, as a community, plan how to live once it dies, let’s think about how we can work together to keep it alive!

–

Masthead photo courtesy of Stuck in Customs

The Apocalypse Project Begins!

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CarlosVanVegas - Mayan Calendar

The world as we know it will end on December 21, 2012. There, I said it. Exactly how this is going to happen is debatable, but planetary alignment is a part of it. And there are a few theories (zombies, more zombies, meteors, robots, God, Mother Nature, nuclear war, aliens, nuclear-zombie-dinosaur-terminators) regarding how we will meet our end. And several “survival guides” and “tip sheets” and “disaster kit lists” are also available for all of your post-apocalyptic-planning needs. And this is why The Daily Gumboot team is excited to bring you The Apocalypse Project. Because such a thorough and comprehensive assessment of how humanity will end, how you can survive, and how you can re-build – or newly build – your post-apocalyptic community ever been written.

Until now.

Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to The Apocalypse Project!

Over the next seven days, our international team of correspondents will answer the following questions:

  • Are you talking about civilization ending or the world ending?
  • How is the world (or civilization or whatever) going to end?
  • Who are these “Mayans”? And where is their “Mayan” country? Can’t we just attack it or something?
  • Are “Mayans” like zombies? Because it seems like zombies are going to be a big problem pretty soon. What are your tips for dealing with a Zombie Apocalypse?
  • What about robots and technology? How are they – or is it – going to rise up and destroy us all?
  • You write about the Sun a lot. Will that have something to do with it?
  • So the world is ending, what skills do I need to survive?
  • What are some good tips for growing food in a post-apocalyptic hellscape? What about Detroit?
  • In the post-apocalyptic world, how can I be a leader of people? Like Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.
  • Why can’t we all just hop on a plane and go to Earth 2?
  • According to String Theory, we all live in alternate universes at the same time. So, does any of this really matter?
  • When civilization as we know it crumbles into oblivion, will people still be nice to each other?
  • I hear that John Travolta, Richard Branson and Rain (the Korean pop star) all have bunkers. Where are they and how can we infiltrate them?
  • How will your bloggers’ “superpowers” build “community” in this post-apocalyptic world?

Courtesy of ian on Flickr

All these questions (and more) will be answered during the next week. From zombies to terminators to Gaya to supervillains, we will chronicle the Earth’s possible potential probable definite demise. Don’t worry. We’ll also talk about how you and your community can survive and thrive (before, during and after) the apocalypse. Oh, and Kurt is going to interview John Connor (the leader of The Resistance).

Hey, Twitterverse, all I can say is this: you’re welcome.

Enjoy the apocalyptic edutainment!

Sea Planes: #Awesome Community Builders

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Seaplanes are boats that fly. How cool is that?! On that basis alone I’m going to make it a goal for 2012 to fly in one. Heck, I might even get behind the controls, or at least get to sit in the cockpit. Or maybe I missed out on that one after turning ten…

Everyday on my bike ride to work along Coal Harbour on the south shore of the Burrard Inlet, I stop briefly and watch a small fleet (‘squadron’?) of planes sputter to life and motor out to their watery ‘runway’ (is that what you would call it?).

Not only are sea planes technologically awesome, they are also vital to our coastal province and to Canada as a whole. Vancouver’s squadron of planes is one of the biggest in the country made up of over fifty planes, including Single Otters, Twin Otters and DHC-2 Beavers – all servicing the Gulf Islands and the Interior. Over 250,000 business people and tourists use them every year. Across Canada, so-called bush pilots busily buzz between far flung lakes and rivers keeping communities connected by delivering their mail, workers, supplies, medical services and the odd canoer.

The winter can’t stop them either. Check out this video of a Twin Otter Seaplane landing on a frozen lake in Saskatchewan.

I might write about Hovercrafts next time…they’re also boats that fly. Sort of….

Betty Annand – 84 Years of Awesome

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Who are you?

My name is Betty Annand and I’ve been around long enough to wear purple and drink gin!  I should be very sagacious by now, but I find that I learn more from my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren than they learn from me. I was born in 1927 in Vancouver and lived on Capitol Hill in the east end of that city until 1937 at which time we moved to the little town of Bevan on Vancouver Island. The #8 mine had just opened and the families that moved to Bevan had come through some very hard times and were still hard up, so everyone was in the same boat. This resulted in a bond amongst all the children that was, and in most cases still is, tantamount to belonging to one family. Although we only lived in that little town for two years before moving to Courtenay, I still enjoy being referred to as a “Bevanite.”

What do I do for fun?

I have a great time dabbling. Although I’ve never become an expert at anything, I’ve always had the desire to try new things. I’ve dabbled in oils, clay and even painted fish plugs. I’ve tried my hand at acting, playwriting, directing and producing. I’ve written three books of memories from local pioneer families and am now attempting to write my first novel. I’m also learning to play the ukulele, love to go for walks and play cards. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many countries, but the most fun I have is just being with my kids!  The only hobby I don’t want to take up is “Boredom” and hopefully, I never will.

What is my favorite community? Why?

I would have to say that I love every community in the Comox Valley equally. When you have lived here as long as I have, you have good memories of every neighborhood and the people that lived, and may still be living, there.

What is my superpower?

Gosh, I wish I knew!  It may be my smile, or my interest in people. I think all people are unique and have an inner, if not outer, beauty so I like to smile at who ever I meet just to let them know I see it!  If I really did have a superpower, I’d want the power to make everyone tell the truth, especially politicians. There would probably be times when even I’d be caught bending the truth – but it would be worth it.

How do I use it to build community?

If my interest in people really is my superpower, I guess I could say that I’ve used it to record the stories of the courageous pioneer families who began building communities in this wonderful part of Canada.

My Three Favourite Things About Betty Are…

1. Storytelling Prowess. Whether during conversations, as part of a presentation, in essays, short stories, or novels, Betty’s unpretentious interest in people – and her ability to tell their stories – has made her the stuff of legend. With a natural ability – and well-honed talent – Betty pushes nouns against verbs with passion, wisdom and, as evidenced above, a wonderful sense of humour.

2. Lust for Life. Yeah, that’s a photo of an 84 year old woman riding an ATV. Awesome.

3. Family. My mom, Janet, and Betty’s daughter, Nancy, taught elementary school together. And, somehow, such a connection makes Betty and I family. And such a thing makes me lucky. And such a thing doesn’t even include the dozens of blood-relatives with whom she shares her energy, ideas, love, and, most importantly, stories.

It’s kind of a funny story…

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Last night was a weird and wonderful one. So, I arrive home – chatting on the phone – to find my lovely wife, Michelle Burtnyk-Horn, in the living room working away on her computer. I hang up, give her a kiss, and she says, “I got bread on the way home.” (We’re super-romantic, by the way). And I reply, “Oh, that’s funny, because I got bread yesterday.” Michelle chuckles and says, “Where is it?” And I said, “In the freezer.” And then all I hear is laughter.

Here’s why:

Coincidence, connection or conspiracy? You decide!

Oh, it got funnier. We also bought delicious Apple Fig Bars, too – they’re a delectable impulse purchase at the counter of Kea Foods on Main Street.

Long story short, we each bought the same thing at totally different times without talking to each other about it.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

The Facts:

FACT: I bought Uprisings sourdough light rye bread and a package of apple fig bars from Kea Foods at 6:17pm on January 3, 2012.

FACT: I purchased the apple fig bars at the checkout counter because I know that Michelle likes them a lot.

FACT: I originally stopped at Kea Foods for mushrooms and I knew we also needed bread (for the weekend, though, not that night).

FACT: Michelle bought Uprisings sourdough light rye bread and a package of apple fig bars from Kea Foods at 5:58pm on January 4, 2012.

FACT: Michelle bought apple fig bars at the checkout counter because they are delicious. And she was hungry and wanted to eat one on the way home.

FACT: She ate more than one.

FACT: Michelle had no idea that I bought these items the day before. The bread went in the freezer. The apple fig bars went in the cheese-drawer. And I cooked dinner, so I was the only one in the fridge on the evening of Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

FACT: Michelle and I rarely shop at KEA Foods.

Testimonials:

 

“We just laughed and laughed and laughed. And then we hugged and jumped around a bit, you know, because we’re huge nerds. I mean, in our lives, this is pretty exciting stuff! It’s weird how it all came together, though, because neither of us said anything about it to the other – not an ‘I’m gonna get bread’ or anything. Like I said, weird. I guess it’s just out loving superconnection!”

- John Horn

“Despite the fact that neither of us routinely shop at KEA foods or purchase those items, it – oddly enough – didn’t seem that odd that we had purchased the exact same items. I mean, as John said, we do have a super awesome love superconnection! That being said, this occurance definitely warranted jumping, laughing, and examination on a world-renowned blog*”

- Michelle Burtnyk-Horn

Theories:

  • The Great Minds, Deep Love Theory:
    • Everything is connected. We all consist of protons and electrons and stuff.
    • Michelle and I have an uncanny mental connection.
    • Our minds, like our connected hearts and souls, work as one.
    • Each of our brains simultaneously informs the other of our intentions, thus, periodically, creating “double-up” anomolies wherein each person carries out the same thought independently of the other person.
  • The Boring Routine Theory:
    • We do the same thing so friggin’ often that our stale routine (unlike the delicious sourdough light rye) has trapped us in an inescapable rut.
    • Saying we need to “shake things up” is an understatement.
  • The “Big Sourdough” Conspiracy Theory:
    • It’s simple. The Sourdough Industrialists are controlling our minds with their delicious, delicious product. They have a plan. And it involves enslaving the world.
    • Bakers are merely the minions of this unstoppable doughy juggernaut of a world domination scheme.
  • The Total Coincidence Theory:
    • The universe is random and cruel hilarious and bestows wonderful surprises of bread and figs upon its inhabitants!
  • The Hidden Meaning Theory:
    • There’s something more to this than we know…like Michelle and I are going to have twins…or two sets of twins.

So, what’s your theory?

Whatever the case, this is just another story that shows how important it is for people to appreciate the little things in life. After all, such a silly moment of joy was a marvelous muse for the evening!

–

*This claim refers, of course, to The Daily Gumboot. “World-renowned” claim according to John Horn, Kurt Heinrich, and their parents

 

Lessons in Culinary Community Building

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Picture a long festive table decked with candles and lined with  a dozen smiling faces. Surely, all the ingredients for sharing of food, laughter and good conversation? Well, not so much.

As I sat down excited to spend the evening catching up with everyone, I realized a good third of the long table was out of earshot and I was confined to chatting only with my immediate neighbour. Others dishes were also out of tasting/sharing range. By the end of the evening, I left for home feeling unfulfilled -  increasingly convinced  that other cultures, particularly in Asia, but, oddly, as close as Switzerland, know where it’s at when it comes to shared dining. Here’s why:

Circle Sitting:

Rectangular tables are recipes for isolation and are basically retrograde – some sort of throwback to medieval banqueting. They’re also hierarchical when you think about it. Why do we need a “Head of the table”, for example? Sitting in a circle does away with all that and facilitates a shared social and culinary experience. Chinese Dim-sum restaurants have got it right.

Cooking (!) the food at the table:

Last year’s Christmas highlight was having endless Swiss Raclette with my family. A stack of cheese and a two little propane fired pans set up around our coffee table was all it took to have an interactive, collaborative and leisurely meal.

Japanese 'Hot Potting'

 

This year, the highlight was my first Japanese Hot Pot experience with six friends. Again, we relaxed around two bubbling cookers, working together to keep the pots full of pre-prepared seafood, mushrooms, kim-chi and other delicacies.

Admittedly my international experience is limited and hence my examples are too. But I feel it’s safe to say the West has a lot to learn. Sure – we’re good around a campfire with wieners and marshmallows, but it’d be great to bring that communal experience more regularly into our homes. Chopping the corners off all tables square is good start!

 

 

 

Handel’s Messiah at the Orpheum

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Composed in 1742, Handel’s Messiah has become a cultural fixture of the Christmas season. When I heard that some of my family planned to see the Vancouver Chamber Choir & Symphony Orchestra’s performance of it I recognized the name but didn’t know exactly what it was. I knew it was a classic that I wanted to experience for myself so I jumped at the chance to do so.

 

Image: Tourism Vancouver, Orpheum Theatre

The performance was at the Orpheum Theatre on Granville Street. This was my first time inside the Orpheum so I just need to briefly gush about the iconic building. The red and gold fixtures and the mural on the vaulted ceiling make it difficult to imagine this was ever a movie theatre, but the old photos on the walls are both proof and nostalgic reminders for visitors like my Mom, who remembers seeing movies there when she was young.

 

The baroque epic is composed of bouncing vocal rounds interspersed with soloists reciting what are almost comically repetitive choruses. You get the sense that they really want to make sure you now what they are talking about. Except for the soprano who sang in a pitch so high that what she sang couldn’t compete with how she sang it. Handel’s own habit of customizing the lyrics for each performance has become a part of the living tradition. While a live musical performance is always unique, it is not always intentionally so. I love the idea of a composition that was written over 250 years ago with the intention of performing it differently for each occasion. It makes the occasion more exciting for the audience, and the performers.

 

Handel was super rich. He still ranks in the top 5 richest classical composers. Messiah is just part of what made him so plentiful of resources. Handel is credited as being the first to write English language oratorios. An oratorio is a sort of no frills no gimmicks opera that cut out all the typical expenses that made Operas so unprofitable, such as costumes, sets, and star performers.  Mostly unknown performers on a simple stage created a vocal symphony so compelling that record-breaking audiences have attended since the first performance.

 

The ease and low cost of staging the show combined with the incredible popularity with audiences made Messiah the most profitable performance of it’s time and it remains one of the most performed pieces in the world to this day. This was a great opportunity to get out and enjoy one of the city’s best venues and one of the world’s most popular pieces of music and, to top it off, the tickets were only about $30. Halleluia!

99 Ways to Leverage our Humanity – Part 4

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[Editor's note: And so concludeth the experiment. This has been an incredibly inspiring community-driven team effort - thanks to everyone who has contributed to this list! The world's Occupy Movements might be dwindling, resting or might just be unreported. Many elements of the Occupy Movement have issued demands. Personally, I see many problems with demands, as they imply binary-negotiating and/or unchangeable beliefs. Personally, I see more value and possibility in ideas and collaborative brainstorming - though this is a much harder process for certain. Some other folks share a love for collaboration and they have kindly offered their ideas in world-changing list-form. So, without further ado, here is the conclusion of this superawesome series that is meant to get our community thinking about how our brilliant, passionate, inspiring, adaptive, funny, delicious, healthy, and innovative humanity can make the world a better place. Thanks for the memories, everyone!].

How can we leverage our humanity to solve the world’s problems?

Here are ideas 1-25. And here are ideas 26-50. And here are ideas 51-75. And here are ideas 76-99:

  1. Repair things. Or at the very least bring things that need fixing to the people who know how to fix ‘em.
  2. Number 13 is solid, yes. Just don’t forget to hug your friends, too.
  3. Share in sport with people. Playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, football, rugby, and even non-sports like baseball represent a shared experience that transcends language and culture. And it keeps us healthy, too!
  4. Have an opinion about triple-bottom-line sustainability principles. Discuss these opinions at dinner parties.
  5. Speaking of discussions/arguments, don’t confuse disagreement with dislike or disrespect. Embrace the power of healthy debate – echo chambers aren’t incredibly innovative.
  6. Trust people.
  7. If your/our current political system is so uninspiring that you cannot bring yourself to participate in it, well, fair enough. Here’s the thing, though. Apathy makes winners of the corrupt. So, if you don’t like the system of which you’re a part find the other people that share your opinion/values/ideas and work together to change it.
  8. Speaking of Number 82, please don’t confuse this with anarchy. In fact, we can leverage our humanity by ensuring that whenever we meet any self-proclaimed anarchist who is not named Tyler Durden that we impose structure on their life in some way. This is both hilarious and meaningful, as it could be the thing that stops anarchists from breaking stuff with no positive outcome in mind.
  9. Explore spirituality that is different from the stuff on which you were raised.
  10. Work hard and be nice to people
  11. Be a doer, not a sayer. Too many people say things but never follow through
  12. Push your boundaries by reading something you wouldn’t otherwise pick up – if you need to, join a good book club to empower a thirst for different types of knowledge
  13. Help other people – I firmly believe the key to happiness for the vast majority of people is to spend a sizable (though not overwhelming) chunk of your life making others happy.
  14. Live near your work; walk wherever you can; cycle or bus the rest of the time
  15. Feel comfortable with modesty – feel convinced that big/flashy/expensive isn’t often necessary/better/preferable
  16. Trust in the universal strength of your own mind and body.
  17. Try not to life too much in the past, too much in the present, or too much in the future – all are important and should try to be balanced out
  18. While there are a lot of problems in the world, there are a lot of people who are doing a lot to solve them. Appreciate what people are currently doing and stay positive while constantly striving to make things better
  19. Don’t underestimate the impact your actions – however small they may be – can have
  20. Spend time with animals.They’re good for the soul.
  21. As a conversation starter, ask people what they’d most like to occupy. The answers will undoubtedly be hilarious and thought provoking.
  22. Volunteer for something meaningful all year long, not just during the holidays.
  23. Downsize your life. People can do more with less. Even better, we can do less with less.
  24. Read this series, as it’s a pretty great map for how to make the world a better place.

So there it is. Now get out there and occupy some of these ideas!

The Britannia Homework Club

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Who are you?

We are a non-profit society that draws its students from Vancouver’s 3 poorest neighbourhoods – Strathcona, Grandview-Woodlands and the Downtown East Side.  Our mission is to support the academic, social/emotional and financial needs of youth at Britannia Secondary, struggling to graduate and achieve post-secondary success by providing free tutoring, fresh fruit and snacks, and bursaries for post-secondary education.  Each year, approximately 370 students attend Homework Club, and we have provided between $3,000 and $9,000 worth of bursaries each year.  This year, we had a shortfall in funding and appealed to a variety of sources in hopes of securing enough money to sustain us this year, and expand in the future.  We entered the Aviva Community Fund for a chance to win $150,000 and last week, found ourselves in the semi-finals.  Our plans for the money can be found on the Aviva website www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf11198 and you can learn more about our organization at www.wix.com/ksleary/homework-club

How is your organization fun?

Nutella, Nutella, Nutella!  It’s what the kids line up for, and probably one of the few ways to make homework fun!

What is your organization’s superpower?

Blasting through obstacles like homework, finances and social/emotional problems to help kids in need.

How do you use it to build community?

While we work primarily with high school aged youth, the program has broader benefits for families and communities as younger siblings and parents see the powerful benefits of school attendance and success. By strengthening families HWC also promotes effective community capacity building because strong families are the building blocks of strong communities.