Homelessness

I have recently learned that Vancouver has a lot of homeless people for its size. Apparently, we have one of the highest numbers of homeless people in Canada. Great job, Vancouver. Our civic reputation just keeps getting better and better. I would like to think that being a green city makes up for this, but it's better that people have a place to live than a city be known for being green.

I am not saying that Vancouver is to blame for all this homelessness. It's not Vancouver's fault that so many people are homeless. But it is the city's fault for not doing enough to help correct the problem.

I just feel the city puts a half-hearted effort into lots of things, instead of a full effort into a few things. This means that lots of problems kind of get fixed, but kind of don't. Something needs to change about that. Maybe Vancouver should only work on a two major problems at once, really fix them, then focus on another two.

I like living in Vancouver; I just wish we had a better reputation. We have not been having a great few years.

The reason I am writing about homelessness is because there is a homeless man who lives in the alley underneath where I go to school, and he is moving into an apartment today. So we are all really happy for him!

Daydreaming

I like daydreaming. It's relaxing and you can get some important thinking done without realizing it. I don't tend to daydream a lot but I zone out sometimes. When I zone out it's usually because I am bored or uninterested in what I am doing. I'm not dreaming but I think a lot about what's going on in my life and decisions I have to make. I zone out a lot when I get really stressed.

Some people think daydreaming is bad and that kids shouldn't daydream because they become unfocused. Other adults encourage kids to daydream. Daydreaming is kind of fun as well. You can sort of direct the dream to what you want to dream about. You can disappear into your own world and chill there for a while. Or until your teacher brings you back to reality.

I think it is healthy for people to daydream. It releases stress and worries. It' also fun, and we all know that work or school can be boring sometimes. One of my friend's teachers told her parents that she daydreams too much about horses. Well, duh, she spends almost all of her free time with horses and is obsessed with them. And that is a good thing.

What Would I Do If I Was Going Bald

If I was going bald, I would be freaking out because usually guys go bald, not girls. In my family, we get grey hair early, not bald heads. I'm pretty sure my dad had grey hair in his 20s. If I was going bald, I guess I would try a hair treatment, or wear a toque or some kind of cool hat. Wigs are just too uncomfortable and look bad.

Because I'm female, it would be strange for me to have to get new hair. Most women colour their hair, but that's different.

My dad's hair is grey/white now, but he still has more hair than the majority of his friends. And the hairline in my family is not so bad. My brother recently got a buzz cut and his hairline looks ok.

So if I was going bald (which I am not) I would freak out a bit, then try to do something to make my hair grow back. But I would never ever ever wear a wig. The only way I would wear a wig is if someone offered my a large chunk of money.

My Idea Of A Balanced Lifestyle

I don't believe in balanced lifestyles; they are too perfect. Something has to be wrong if someone claims to have the perfect life. I do not believe in perfection. And a balanced lifestyle is too easy to maintain––there are no challenges. It would be good for awhile but then I would get bored.

I think people strive too much for a balanced lifestyle. I like my life of worrying about getting good grades, horses and not having a big social life. I can't have a gigantic social life, get good grades in school and devote time to horseback riding in a balanced way. I would go crazy, or mess something up. Then I would stress more and I'm already pretty stressed. I'm not about to try to change my lifestyle to make it more balanced.

My life works. I am not depressed or suicidal. I'm active in sports and I go outside a lot. I also do well in school and have a good, small social life. So why change that to make it more balanced? If I were seriously depressed or something, then I would change it.

So my idea of a balanced lifestyle? Unbalanced.

Movember

It seems as if there are lots more guys doing Movember this year. If you don't know what Movember is, click here.

At my school there are a few tutors growing a moustache. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: they look kind of creepy. But it's for a good cause so I'm letting it slide.

That being said, how about those athletes and their moustaches? There's a scary sight. I was watching hockey the other day, and I saw a guy who was growing a moustache getting in a fight with another player who was cleanshaven. It got to the point where both the players' helmets came off, and the guy with the moustache was really mad, really sweaty and really icky with his thick moustache.

I mean Movember just doesn't work for some people.

But some men, like my uncle, can pull off a Movember moustache. It just takes the right clothing and personality. I'm just relieved that in a week they get to shave.

Irrational Fears

Some people are afraid of things that are worthy of being scared about, such as spiders, heights, snakes and small spaces. And some people are afraid of things that are just plain silly, like peanut butter (unless you're allergic), the number 666 and Friday the 13th.

People, there is nothing scary about peanut butter sticking the the roof of your mouth. 666 is just a number and Friday the 13th is a myth. These fears are irrational.

However, some types of spiders and snakes are poisonous and if they bite you, they will kill you if you cannot extract the venom. If you're up high, there is a chance of your falling and sustaining bad injuries or dying. Small spaces are just kind of nerve-wracking. I don't think its possible to die, unless you're trapped and don't have food or water and run out of oxygen.

Rational and irrational fears all have something in common: their formal names. They all end in phobia:

• Arachnaphobia: fear of spiders
• Claustrophobia: fear of small spaces
• Ophidiophobia:fear of snakes
• Acrophobia: fear of heights
• Arachibutyrophobia: fear of peanut butter
• Hexakosioihexekontahexphobia: fear of the number 666
• Paraskevidekatriaphobia: fear of Friday the 13th.

Looking at this list, I think we can assume that the more irrational the fear, the more absurdly long and hard-to-pronounce name. 

Improv Everywhere

"Improv Everywhere" is a New York City-based group. The group creates public events to brighten people's days and to give them a good story to tell later on.

It started when the founder of the group, Charlie Todd, moved to New York to become an actor/comedian, but didn't have a stage. So he created one out of the city. The first scene was a no- pants subway ride. Charlie and six other friends rode the subway in full winter gear, except for no pants, just boxers. It was a hit. They have been doing the no-pants subway ride for 10 years now, and people participate in over 50 cities.

Over the years they have pulled off some truly amazing stunts, such as the Best Buy uniform prank, when they had 80 people to walk into Best Buy wearing blue polo shirts and khaki pants (the Best Buy uniform). Customers, assuming these individuals were employees, were asking them all sorts of product questions. The Best Buy managers called the police, but the police to them that there was nothing illegal about wearing blue shirts and khaki pants.

Another stunt was called "The Human Mirror." On the subway, they had people dress up the same and do the exact same things. It was like looking at a mirror.

If you want to brighten up your day, click any of the links to Improv Everywhere.

Hair Products

Hair products are kind of ridiculous. I'm talking about shampoo and conditioner, because they are necessities in modern society. If you do not wash your hair at least once every two days, it starts to smell bad. People think you're weird. Unless you're a hippie, or you have been on a camping trip or mountain-climbing expedition and there is no indoor plumbing. Those are the only two (or three, I guess) exceptions for not washing your hair.

Most shampoos and conditioners are terrible for your hair and for the environment. But major hair product companies are smart. They advertise products to make your locks look glossy and gorgeous, then they try to sell you shampoo that strips hair of its natural oils, and conditioner that adds the moisture back. What's more most shampoos and conditioners have chemicals in them that are no good for your hair or your scalp. Read the label: if it says sodium laureth anything, put it back on the shelf.

We should all be buying for natural products for our hair that may cost a little bit more but are better for overall health. It's also a myth that you need to use lots of shampoo and conditioner. You only need an amount the size of a loonie to do the job.

I use natural shampoo and condition from Whole Foods and I wash my hair every two days. My mom has tried to convince me to use baking soda as shampoo and apple cider vinegar as conditioner, but so far is batting zero. 

The Man

"The Man" is a phrase or slang for someone who is in charge. It can be a guy or girl. People will usually refer to their bosses as "the man" for two reasons. First, they hate their boss and they are sick of being harassed by him or her. Second, the employees think their boss is really awesome, and they have a good time at work.

People use the phrase "stick it to the man" as a way to motivate co-workers and to stand up to their bosses. I am not sure how many people actually use this phrase in real life, but I know in movies they use it to the point of overuse.

When people say "you're the man," it means that you are really awesome. Usually, it is because you have solved a problem or fixed something, do it with ease and don't ask for anything in return. People will say this when building Ikea bookshelves but get stuck, ask a friend for help and the friend fixes the problem.

"The Man" is no one in particular, but a significant person in someone's life. Referring to someone as "The Man" is a big statement. This means you're "The Man," the person someone hates or loves. It happens to be a big deal. Especially in my tutor's life, who gave me this topic to write about. I think he refers to himself as "The Man." Oh, dear.

Celebrities in Jail

Lots of celebrities go to jail. Most of the time their stay is under 30 days, and they are sent to jail because they have violated parole––often from DUI or drug possession convictions. Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Shia Labeouf are excellent examples of this.

Lindsay Lohan was sent to jail for for violation of her parole. She was recently sentenced to another 30 days in jail but only had to serve four-and-a-half hours due to overcrowding. Paris Hilton violated parole after being caught driving drunk. She was sentenced to serve 45 days in jail. She started crying a lot in jail in hopes it would get her out quicker. Sadly, it worked. Shia Labeouf went to jail for two days because he walked into a Walgreens drugstore wasted and had to be escorted out by security.

Perhaps the most infamous celebrity to go jail has been OJ Simpson, but it wasn't for murdering his wife and her friend (he was found not guilty at what was the most publicized trial in American history). He robbed a hotel in Vegas and was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 33 years.

Celebrities may think that they're above the law. But they're not.

Hickstead

For those of you who do not know who Hickstead was, shame. Hickstead was one of the greatest show-jumping horses in the world. He almost never knocked a rail down. When watching Hickstead, you could see in his eyes that he wanted to win. He was the most awesome horse ever.

Hickstead and his rider, Eric Lamaze, took the show-jumping world by storm in 2007. Lamaze became the first Canadian rider to break into the top 10 world rankings. In 2008 Lamaze and Hickstead won the individual gold in the Beijing Olympics. The team only had one rail down during the entire show. Lamaze and Hickstead went on to win many more Grand Prix events around the world. They won the  $1 million International CN Cup and the  $200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (four times!) at Spruce Meadows.

While competing in the Rolex F.E.I. World Cup in Italy, Hickstead collapsed after finishing his round. He went into a spasm, and all Lamaze could do was call for medics and watch. The medics were too late, however, and Hickstead died within minutes of collapsing. An autopsy is being completed within the next few days, and the cause of death will be announced. Vets think it was most likely a heart attack.

It was a shock to the equestrian world when Hickstead died on Sunday, November 6. It is a great loss to show jumping, and Hickstead will never be replaced.

Public Transit

In Vancouver, we have an aggravating public transit system. Buses always run late. I repeat: always. Vancouver has a new subway system, the Canada Line, which runs from the airport in Richmond to the downtown waterfront, which has improved the system, but only enough to say that the public transit system is less aggravating.

The route from my house to school takes at least 30 minutes, but just 10 minutes by car. I also have to walk a lot compared to some people's transit routes. That annoys me, because the point of busing to school is so that I don't have to walk. (I usually get driven though, so I don't have much to complain about.)

The Lower Mainland would like to improve the public transit infrastructure. The proposed Evergreen light-rail line would link Coquitlam in the Fraser Valley to the University of British Columbia's Point Grey campus. This would have a huge, positive effect on public transit.

The problem is money. The problem is always money.

Recycling

Recycling is a enormous part of trying to become more eco-effienct. I'm going to assume you know what global warming is, and that you know we are slowly killing our planet. Recycling is a way to help prevent this, because garbage would not be sitting in a landfill or tossed into the ocean. Recycling is also a way to avoid releasing harsh chemicals into the atmosphere.

Recycling reuses materials. Paper is easily recyclable, which is why we see lots of coffee cups or paper that says "made from ___% recycled paper." Pop cans and aluminum are also a major source of recycling. Recycling pop cans saves 95% percent of the energy it takes to manufacture a brand-new one. While all Canadian provinces and territories have pop recycling programs, only a handful of states do. Tsk tsk, Americans.

I am big on recycling and being energy efficient. I will admit, though, that I leave my laptop and cell phone charger plugged into my wall all day. But I make sure to turn off all my lights and recycle as much as I can. I print out as little paper as possible so that I am not wasting it. I even knit little animals from leftover scraps of wool.

I try to do my part to help make global warming less harmful.

The Role of Pets In My life

Pets play a large role in my life. I have one dog named Freddy; he is a golden doodle. He is now eight years old and he has cancer. But he got it when he was five, and the vet said he would last up to nine months after he had surgery. It's been three years, so far. He has a mast-cell tumour on his face, just below his left eye. The vet could not get the whole tumour out, because it was too close to his eye and it would have blinded him.

Freddy is the happiest dog I know, and when people meet him they think he is just a puppy because he has so much playful energy. He makes it his duty to go up to every person he sees on his walk and say hi.

While it seems like Freddy has a lot of energy all the time, he basically sleeps all day at home, on the couch or under my mom's desk. Then at 3 or 4 pm when my dad gets home, he wakes up because he knows it's time for a walk. Then Freddy is pretty energetic until dinner. After dinner, he sleeps or cuddles with the family. Freddy also gives hugs and smiles. He has a half smile, though, because he lost the feeling on his left side of his face.

We had a dog before Freddy. She was a yellow lab named Goldie. We were very close. In all photos of me as a toddler I am lying on the floor against Goldie, rubbing one of her ears and sucking my thumb. She slept in my room and my parents told me that when I was upset, instead of going to them, I would crawl into Goldie's kennel to be with her for comfort. Goldie put up with it because I gave her so many treats and she was obsessed with food.

I am also big into horseback riding, so horses play a major role in my life. I ride every day and am currently leasing my trainer's horse. I am on the hunt for my very own horse, but it's a long process. There are many factors in finding a horse: age, height, ability, sound, confirmation, price and I have to like the horse. Each person has different ideas of her dream horse.

The hard part is trying to find your dream horse, but also accepting the horse's flaws.

Whiplash Is My Mortal Enemy

Recently, I have decided that whiplash is my new mortal enemy; previously, it was math. Math is a common mortal enemy, though, so I'm glad I had a reason to change it to whiplash. You may ask, why whiplash? Well, first time I got whiplash I was riding a small, white pony and he spooked at something that was totally unexpected. I fell one way and he went the other, so my neck whipped around. Therefore, whiplash. I went to the chiropractor three times in a week, because it was kind of severe.

Two weeks later I fell off another horse I got whiplash again. But this time it affected my lower back, so now my lower back starts to hurt every time I bend down to pick up something heavy (such as my horse's hooves). In fact, every time I fall off a horse I either hurt my tailbone or get whiplash. No big deal; I go to the chiropractor and I'm all fixed.

Then last Monday I fell off my bike and smacked my chin into the concrete. I didn't hurt myself anywhere else. Except, I got whiplash from my neck being snapped back so hard and so fast. I had to go to the chiropractor three times (I would like to add that my chiro is amazing) in one week. I also had to get stitches on my chin and a tetanus shot. Then to top it all off, I fell off my horse yesterday, just after I was all better from whiplash and my stitches were almost dissolved. So, whiplash again, and I can't explain what happened to my chin. It's kind of a jagged line now, instead of being straight.

Now you know why I am not fond of whiplash.

The Funniest Joke I Have Ever Heard

While I'm not good at telling jokes, I'm good at laughing at jokes. As for the funniest one I've ever heard, I'm ruling out:

• Dumb blonde jokes––they're sexist.
• Animal jokes––I've never hears a truly funny one.
• All puns.
• Classic and practical jokes––they're too popular.

This leave science jokes. The only reason I know some science jokes is because the school I go to is full of nerds who talk about science all the time. I think the funniest science joke I have ever heard was told to me by my brother, though. It goes:

Neutrino.
Knock Knock.
Who's there?.

If you don't know what a neutrino is, look it up. It takes a little bit of explaining that I don't have the energy for right now.

Here's a silly joke I used to laugh at:

What note does a piano play if it falls down a mineshaft?
A-flat Minor.