You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2006.
Apparently, McDonald’s and General Motors cut a new deal that would allow McDonald’s to provide new toy Hummer with every happy meal! I still don’t understand why someone would want to drive such a huge beast. I mean seriously it’s a military vehicle the size of a bus…I’ll take my bike to go please. Sure not feasible for everyone to ride a bike and I agree with that fact. But is it all that feasible for everyone to drive hummers around the planet? The Auto Asthma Index states that “The 2006 Hummer H2 emits 28x more harmful volatile organic compounds that threaten the health of asthma sufferers than the cleanest SUVs on the road.” [Sign the petition to get them to stop distributing these in Crappy Meals! ]
I read this interesting analysis in The Rebel Sell: Why the culture can’t be jammed by Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter [Note: I didn't actually like most of this book, but I think they had a point about consumer purchasing habits.] Essentially, they were stating the fact that people in specific class structures (referring to middle class people) will always try and deviate themselves from others by purchasing something extravagant or different that sets them apart. Ironically, I witnessed this in McKenzie Towne which is a middle-class community located in suburbia-land SE of Calgary. I lived there for quite a few years and it’s community that can only be afforded by middle to middle-upper class individuals. People tended to differentiate themselves in that community by owning a hummer. It was like a pride statement that not only could they afford the house, but they could also afford a big tank of a machine. It’s tragic that as a society we are so driven by differentiating ourselves based on materialistic things that at the end of the day don’t mean much.
In our current day and age it’s still possible to find people who judge others by things that are more external like piercings, tattoos, sexual preferences, and race. While at the Youth Action Gathering (YAG) I heard a lot of stories about youth that were living a life of critisizim for all kinds of things (mainly sexual preference and appearance). Then travelling around I still heard people making comments about various people that would be considered racist and not necessarily politically correct. Like some kids in Toronto who said that Little-India and the people living there smelt really bad and that they wouldn’t dare get off the bus to hang around with those guys.
Honestly, sometimes I kinda wish I wasn’t caucasian and middle-class because I know it affords me some privileges that most of us take for granted. I try everyday not to take advantage of the situation that I’m in but I have to admit that I’m sure there is something that I could be avoiding.
It’s really humbling. No it’s extremely humbling. Perhaps people feel that it makes them feel more significant or “better” than the other guy by putting them down. I just think they look plain stupid. Since I got my lip ring before I came back to Calgary I have had a few people give me odd looks. It’s something that I can accept but really wish that we were in a better day and age where people looked at what was inside of me (or took the time to find out rather than judging before they even took the time). I can only imagine how worse it would be to be someone who was gay, lesbian, trans-gendered, or of a specific ethnic race.
Any way, I’m happy to say that my friends really look past who I am externally and challenge me all the time to do the same. One of those friends sent a timely e-mail today about a rad article he found that according to him depicted me if I were a hockey player. It was pretty flattering as this guy has some great things to say (Shout out to Dunc I needed that today).
Last weekend I spent Saturday with Roman, Jam, Roman, Karin, and another Shane (whooaaa weird cause I hardly ever meet Shane’s) searching for various things at the Glebe garage sale.
Ironically, I found Jamie a sweet new bike wtih the trusty help of Karin. We both test rode the new wheels (pretty retro in fact) and within minutes Jamie had herself a nice new three-speed ride to get to work on. The funny thing is I managed to hijack the bike for the entire rest of the day (using it to search out things faster than my fellow friends on foot).
Oh oh and then I headed to the organic farmer’s marketusing said bike! I really had a blast riding back to meet Jamie and Roman with the big green foliage (see picture) hanging from the back of my backpack. No it’s not anything bad just some tops off carrots. Mmm.. I managed to snag some really awesome treats from the market! I love organic and I LOVE local food even more.
Hope all is well with everyone!
Hugs and love,
Shane
PS – The pic was taken along Jamie and Roman’s street as we were messing around with their camera! Yep I can do tricks…
So my friends at Otesha it’s been a year since we all met in a cozy and sometimes crazy town called Prince George. Not really knowing who the hell we all were, feeling nervous, feeling excited, and really digging into the work that had to be done.
I still relish those days like they were yesterday. I just spent the last two weeks in Toronto with some of my old Otesha family and some of that time was spent reminiscing about the old and reflecting on how that impacted us for the new. It’s beautiful what a two month long bike trip will do to a person. There’s a big community (21 of us to be exact) on the highway riding to each community to empower youth to try and make a difference in their worlds. Cause really it will soon be their world.
I can think back to the awesome memories of Team Eat Meee and our ability to set everything on fire and yet produce amazing food (I love salt Sarah). All the amazing bike rides I had with the peeps on the tour … and frankly the best part being that none of them were the same.
I’ve had so much time (a year) to really think about where I am at in my life. I’ve been travelling around Ecuador and now heading to OZ in November. Every thing has really changed around me a lot, but honestly I couldn’t be any happier. I feel like my life is finally going in a direction that I want and where it should go. Honestly, it was being around everyone and talking about so many different things that really helped me figure all that out. I totally love everyone on that tour so much!
Also, I think that during some of my more difficult times while I was working through some things I had an amazing group of closer peeps that supported me. Wheats you are a really amazing girl with so much rad knowledge in that head of yours. Plus you are funny at shit! Michelle you are a beautiful old soul with a lot of love to give anyone. I’m so happy that you are taking your knowledge to help the O-team further the work they are doing! You’re gonna rock! And then I really appreciate chillin with Jodi before she headed back to B.C. (you go for it girl).
AND THEN…if it wasn’t enough that I felt all that I started to meet other Oteshers living in Alberta and felt this extended amazing group of friends. Those being Krazy Kelsey, Mahem Mark, Amazing Anna, and Stilten Steve.
Thanks for just being an amazing support network, rad peeps, and showing me that there is some great hope for our future (cause shit yo the crap you peeps are doin is amazing).
Love, hugs, more hugs, and then some more hugs,
Shane
It’s nice to know that I have tight peeps around you that really make you feel like more than just some guy wondering the planet by himself (which ironically is pretty inticing too). Since I rolled out to Ontario I have found tonnes of love and amazing peeps to connect with.
I didn’t want to make a huge blog about all this other than to say that I love all of you and that each of you have a really special place in my heart. Ignore the order it means nothing.
