A longing to create

I wrote this poem as part of my poem challenge. That challenge, which was to write a poem every day for as long as I can, has ended. About 3 days ago. I admit, I had missed a few days, but that was mostly because a poem was unfinished and I was thinking it over. This poem is called "A longing to create". I really like to sew, cut and paste, make crafty things, and just generally create new stuff. But I've been kind of uninspired lately so that is where the inspiration came from. In my head, it is more like spoken word, so imagine someone reading it like that...

A longing to create

 

There is a longing to create

flowing through my veins 

from my heart to my brain

just giving me pain

and it's a strain

to contain

wills and desires

a glittery lust

settling dust

of ashes burnt

from a muse's flame

who inspires 

who retains

thoughts and ideas

 withholding

possibilities

oppourtunities

creativity

and imagination

in a world littered

with diamonds and pearls

lost pieces of hope

sailing the river of soul

from my brain to my heart

flowing veins of art

suppressed in part

by time and chance

forever obstructing

the natural flow

eternally fueling

my longing to create.

Written March 21st 2011

♥ Turtles

A February Night

As I sit on a park bench, I can feel the subway rumbling underneath my feet. My fingers are slightly numb, because I forgot, or rather, decided not to, bring my mittens, nor my hat, with me today. It has been unreasonably warm (6 degrees) and I am no longer in a winter mood, though I seem to have neglected the fact that as the sun goes down, the world becomes colder. But my feet feel no change. For I am wearing my signature dull, black rainboots, which protect me from the slush that covers the park grounds.

The park itself is just one round circle, in the middle of downtown. It is surrounded by university campus buildings and a few museums. Traffic is routed in all directions, so the circle serves its purpose as a giant roundabout. It shares its name, Queen's Park, with that of the provincial legislature building, which is found nestled between various buildings of higher learning. 

It is on a long, green, wooden bench, the first of three, that I sit; the Queen's people passing me as multiple paths converge and then disperse again. I am joined only by a lone man on horseback, whose sole purpose is to guard those he sees, and remind us of an era that has long passed.

I feel the subway once more, reminding me that my time of accompanied solitude must soon come to an end. My brother might be wondering where I am, seeing as it is about 40 minutes after the time I normally arrive home. I know I must go, move from my solid position of legs crossed, head down, pen in hand. I must rejoin those who pass, those with a destination. A destination is what I seek, and although  this park in the heart of the city is where I find comfort, it is not where I need to be. So I untangle my feet, raise my head, and commence my journey home. 

 

♥ Turtles

Written February 17th, 2011

Canadians are awesome

Last night were the Junos, a Canadian music award show, kind of like the Grammy's. I never intended to watch it, but since both The Celebrity Apprentice and The Amazing Race were not showing, I ended up watching it. And it was actually pretty good. One of our more popular exports, Drake, hosted it and he was fantastic! Probably the best host I've ever seen and I generally don't like them. But he was extremely funny and messed up only once. His Old Money sketch is hilarious.

Anyway, while Shania Twain was accepting her life time achievement award, I got to thinking about how awesome Canadians are, and being a Canadian is. Honestly! It's one of the best countries on the planet, in my humble opinion. We're peaceful, pretty well off, compared to a lot of countries, our health care and education is excellent and we're generally nice people. Stereotypes about hockey, the weather, and our beloved Tim Hortons, are generally based in truth, but if that's what people think of us, that's great.

The Junos honour Canadian musicians and throughout the program, I heard names of people I've never heard of before. But it just made me proud that there are so many great musicians out there representing Canada making all types of music. I guess I'm just in a proud mood :)

Here's some awesome Canadian music for you guys. 

Oh Canada - Classified, a good old Maritime Rapper. Very good song.

The Anthem - Kardinal Offishall, a Toronto rapper

 

Loving You Is Easy - Sarah Mclachlan ( the one that brought you in the arrrmmss of an anggelll...)

Here are some other songs you might like:

Bobby Bazini - I Wonder

 Arcade Fire - Rococo

Shad - Rose Garden

Hope you enjoy them ♥ Turtles 

p.s. What stereotypes do people have about Canada and Canadians? I'm curious to know what people outside of Canada actually think of us. Leave a comment :)

50 Book Challenge (#2)

Read/Listened to:

Born Red by Gao Yuan (*****)

Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (audio book) (****)

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (****)

Rosaura a las diez by Marco Denevi (in my Spanish Lit class - very good book) (****)

Paper Towns by John Green (actually went out and bought it after I read it) (**** 1/2)

The Gospel According to Peanuts by Robert L. Short (***1/2)

The Art of War by Sun Tzu (ebook) (***)

Looking For Alaska by John Green (****)

The Associate by John Grisham (***)

Talk Thai: The Adventures of Buddhist Boy by Ira Sukrungruang (***)

Reading/Listening to:

The Bible: A Bibliography (a Books that Shook the World book) by Karen Armstrong

Theories for Everything by John Langone, Bruce Stutz, Andrea Gianopoulos (a Nat Geo book)

Through the Eyes of the Condor by Robert B. Haas ( a Nat Geo book)

To Read (in no particular order):

Next by Michael Crichton

Balance of Power by Tom Clancy

Avant de te dire adieu by Mary Higgins Clark (a French translation)

The Great Gatsby  by Francis Scott Fitzgerald (ebook)

Twilights of the Superheroes by Deborah  Eisenberg

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell

North of Beautiful By Justina Chen Headley

Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell

Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally be better than everyone else by Clinton Kelly (really excited for this one :P)

10/50

As of March 25th 2011

This is my last week of school, with two exams this week and another two at random dates in April, so hopefully I'll get lots of reading done after that! Any suggestions or questions on ones I've read? Leave in the comments :)

♥ Turtles

I Won?

Remember that Spanish poem I entered into my school's Spanish writing contest? (Here if you don't know what I'm talking about). Well I won first place in the poetry category. Yeah. I'm kinda shocked and thoroughly excited. It's the first thing I've ever really won. They had a ceremony on Monday night but I didn't go, for various lame reasons (now that I think about it). The only two participants who didn't attend were myself and a guy in my Spanish class who wrote a short story. My Spanish teacher was disappointed :( I wish I had gone but alas, too late now.

I found out I had won something from a girl in my french class yesterday, who herself had won in the speech writing category. Today I went to the Department of Hispanic Studies to collect my prize: a pen, a mug and $40 to the university bookstore. Yea!! Now I can by some mints and sweater.

♥ Turtles

Public Expressions

About a month ago, my friend introduced me to the website StumbleUpon, and since then, I have been "stumbling" onto various websites, images and videos that are interesting, informative and imaginative. One of these is the website of Candy Chang. She is a "a public installation artist, designer, and urban planner" in New Orleans who creates many really awesome things. She seems to concentrate on things that improve neighbourhood communication and address social problems. Her work is very cool, visual, and thought provoking at the same time.

The first project I saw is called "Before I Die...", where she sprayed painted a giant stencil onto the side of an abandoned house. There is a blank space and some chalk, so that the people of the community can express themselves and share their values.

I think one reason I felt like posting this is because I love public art and art installations. There is something about art in a public place, where everyone can enjoy it, interact with it and hold their own views and opinions that I love. It always makes a place feel more connected somehow. I admire artists and designers who do things like that.


Candy Chang's website is here, linked to her projects page. I hope you check it out :)

♥ Turtles

Bollywood Love

Now I can't claim to be an expert on Bollywood, or anything Indian for that matter, but I quite enjoy watching Bollywood films. Every Sunday at noon on OMNI, a channel that shows various cultural programming in multiple languages throughout the week, they play a Bollywood movie. Should I not be at church or still sleeping, I like to tune in and enjoy. The films have subtitles, thank goodness, because my Hindi is non-existent. Although the translations aren't the best, you get the gist.

There are three reasons why I think love these movies so much.

1) The music!!:  Years ago, I used to be neighbours with a Trinidadian woman. We (my bro and I) would be at her house often after school or when my parents were working. She would always play soundtracks from various films and have them playing on the TV too. I think that's where this whole thing started. I love the music because it's different from the music I normally hear. For one, the woman's voice is always very high pitched. It always sounds so beautiful and I don't think the translations do it justice. Sometimes it's sad, other times happy and jolly. And there are ALWAYS awesome dance moves.

2) India: I know that what I see is not the whole country, just a selection of the beautiful, but beautiful it is. The shots used are often very stunning and the people and the culture are gorgeous. Especially the clothes. Weddings for instance, are extremely ornate, in the costuming, makeup, jewelery, henna, etc. The colours and designs are stunning. Even in sad film, the beauty is always there.

3) The endings: Not all movies have a happy ending, but I have yet to meet a Bollywood one that didn't. Nor do I want to. I like when things end well. Last week, one movie almost had me fooled. I was one the edge of my seat, almost crying, but not quite because the tears would block my view. There was five minutes left and the wife had not returned!! She full out hoped on the plane and went away!! Only 3 mins before the film was over, did she return. I was sooo relieved. My brother and dad thought I was crazy but honestly, I was freaked. An unhappy ending to a  Bollywood movie? Never.

My favourite film is the very hilarious Sunday (2008). It's about a girl who goes clubbing, gets drugged, and forgets a whole day, waking up on Monday. She, along with various extremely funny friends and strangers, try to remember what happened on Sunday.  I hope that if you're ever in the mood for something different and interesting, you give Bollywood a try :)

♥ Turtles

hehehe