Beyond the 60th parallel

January 31, 2008 at 10:45 pm (Travel)

I would recommend a trip to the great Canadian North to absolutely everyone, especially my fellow citizens. 

I only spent three months North of Sixty, such a brief time to explore such a vast and varied landscape, but I got on the plane home with a different outlook on the entire country. The north is so huge and very different from the rest of Canada, but yet holds so much potential and influence. Beyond the oil pipeline and diamond mines, the people themselves – from sheer number and potential – could and do have a great impact. 

 

My experience was spent almost solely in Hay River, Northwest Territories, as a reporter for the weekly newspaper. And what an experience …

Minus 30 degree weather, driving across ice roads, dog sledding races, the Northern Lights dancing in winter skies, a Bombardier fishing excursion across Great Slave Lake, exploring waterfalls along the river, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, bannock and caribou stew served steaming hot and delicious, walking the snowy streets of Yellowknife’s Old Town, drum dances booming in community centres … the list goes on and on. 

 

It was phenomenal. 

I haven’t traveled much, so I can say with certainty that my few brief months in Canada’s North has impacted me more than any other flight away from home. 

 

It has been almost a year since I stepped off the Canadian North plane in the small town and was greeted by one of the warmest communities I’ve ever encountered. And still I wear an inukshuk around my neck and scan CBC news north nearly every day. 

 

I think there’s something about it, something in the atmosphere maybe … it got into my bloodstream. In conversations with other people who have spent time there, I realize it didn’t just happen to me – the North takes hold of every visitor, no matter the length of stay.

That part of Canada is a piece of me now, even though I have no concrete plans to return soon.

 

The North will always intrigue me, interest me, inspire me … call to me. Someday I hope to return to that beautiful land. 

I almost feel like I have to. I think I left part of my heart there.

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Seth gets a cheese pizza

January 30, 2008 at 1:04 pm (Random)

I know this kid. Freakin’ hilarious.  

 

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presidential primaries

January 30, 2008 at 10:08 am (Politics) (, , )


Several weeks ago I had quite the discussion with two of my colleagues regarding the U.S. presidential elections. First of all, as a Canadian, I had much to learn about the entire electoral process … but I think I have it figured out now. 

The conversation took place the day after the Iowa caucus, the first of many.  In that vote, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Senator Barack Obama won the ballot.  

All across America, headlines were proclaiming the “decisive victories” of the two, implying that the results were sure to be repeated in the coming months. 

One person I work with kept repeating how utterly ridiculous it was that one state’s results – with a voting population of about 1/100 the national number – should receive such massive coverage and confident headlines. Sure, some of the early primaries and caucuses have set the tone for the rest of the elections. 

But in this case, it hasn’t. The Democratic race has flip-flopped between Obama and Hillary Clinton, especially now that John Edwards has dropped out completely. As for the Republicans … well, Iowa is the only state Huckabee has finished first in and McCain verses Romney seems to be the current competition.  

I think my coworker was right to do some mocking. From New York to L.A. major dailies were practically declaring Huckabee and Obama nominated already. I do believe the first caucus is important, and I understand why results would make page one … but maybe not with such sweeping declarations. 

Today’s headlines are certainly less emphatic.

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The ramblings of a news junkie, aka me.

January 24, 2008 at 2:23 pm (Random)

I have blogged before, so this world is not new to me. Yet I am entering an entirely new arena in that I hope to offer some feeble commentary on current events; previously I only commented on events pertaining directly to me.

But now … now I think my heated discussions with my roommates and random thoughts thrown about in my office are spilling over, and I figured the internet would be a good place for them to fall.

So I enter the mêlée. 

 

But first, a disclaimer.

 

I am a journalist, and I write for a community newspaper in the capital city area. I am no brilliant politician or wise economist or even completely knowledgeable about global issues. Ignorant columnists annoy the heck out of me, so I will do my best to never claim to be an expert on any issue or subject. I will just offer my thoughts, without pretending that they have any sort of sway or influence.

 

And it won’t always be politically heavy conversation or war-related opinions. I do have interesting things happen to me that I can write about. Sometimes.

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