coffee-induced words on a saturday afternoon

relentlessly insecure and prone to disappointment
I wander on this winding road
hoping that someday the path will take me somewhere new
somewhere I can call home

with already written responses and questions
we speak
this charade that we bring to life
hoping that someone, someday
would reveal the fallacy of our theatrics

the comfort is there
unarguably
there are jokes and laughs that echo
there is the proverbial helping hand
but are we only kidding ourselves?

it's hard for me to reveal my weaknesses
even more difficult for you to be vulnerable
the conversation
begins and ends
with the visible
what is above ground

i had always hoped that
despite our dependence on what is seen
we would somehow uncover the earth underneath
at some point

perhaps it's just me
that chooses not to see
the truth in these fallacies we commit
together
you are always so good
at pretending that everything is just like I hope they'd be

but alas, I think I know better
than to wander on this winding road with you
because at the end of this path
will not be the comfort of a home

Jon Foreman - Somebody's Baby (Lyrics)

thanks to the awesome work @ switchfeed, here are the lyrics:

She screams, she screams
Well if you're homeless, sure as hell you'd be drunk, high or trying to get there, or begging for junk
When people don't want you, they just throw you money for beer
Her name's November, she went by autumn or fall,
It's been 7 long years since the autumn when all of her nightmares grew fingers and all of her dreams grew tears
She's somebody's baby, somebody's baby girl, she's somebody's baby still...

She says, well if you've never gone it alone, well you go ahead
Do better, throw the first stone, you got one lonely stoner, waiting, brings you her knees
She dreams about heaven, remembering hell
The place that she visits and knows all too well

Every now and again when she's hopeful, she brushes her teeth.
She's somebody's baby, somebody's baby girl, she’s somebody's baby still...
Today was her birthday, strangely enough
When the cops found the body at the foot of a bluff
The anonymous caller explored and tipped off the police They got her ID from the dental remains
Claimed fully intact, with the same nicotine stains... [cuts off]

Find the video below.

Jon Foreman - Somebody's Baby

incongruous moments

1) in my documentary media class today, a group of students came in asking for permission to film us for a little bit...and they had us pretend we were texting on our phones. quietly, I lean over to my prof and say: "there are sooooooo many layers of irony to this..."
2) I take the 4 to UBC yesterday, even though I was waiting for the 44. I had decided to hop on because it came earlier (and therefore I'd arrive earlier)...but I was discouraged to see the 44 race ahead in front of us while the bus was on 4th.
3) fat worm telling me to go to bed even though he was staying up editing his stupid students' work (I strongly dislike MANY of his lazy arse students....grrr)
4) I am writing this stupid excuse of a blog entry even though I am exhausted and REALLY NEED TO SHUT MY EYELIDS.

night night!

fat worms are fun companions...sometimes.

today was a perfectly horrible day - I won't go into sordid details...but it left me a tad discouraged and depressed (I think it's just being overwhelmed by work and not being self-aware). It's funny, my T.A was reminding me that I had the A, and the C, but that I need to work on the B to make it all work together. She was right!

Feeling like I was in the nick of time (anyone ever saw that Johnny Depp movie? HA!), I called Dad to see if he'd be able to pick me up from Richmond Centre once I got back into the city. He told me to meet him at Parker Place, so that we can "ha mm tsa"...and reluctantly, I said yes.
To say the least, it was the nicest part of my day. Hanging out with the worm, waiting in line with him to buy soya chicken, I began to realize what mattered most to me at the end of the day. All urges to complain and be grumpy became irrelevant as I quietly gave thanks to God for a father who still loves to take his daughter out.

marked by Your love

I was reading Ephesians 1 last night, and was astonished at how beautiful the concept of being marked by God is.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

When I think about conformity, it is always with the negative connotation in mind. "Do not conform to the patterns of this world", for example, is my first thought. I associate conformity with desiring status and material belongings, or falling into a regiment of blindness towards those who are on the margins of mainstream society. However, in this context, God is calling us to conform to the purpose of His will, so that we may bring Him glory. Conformity to Christ, following His chosen plan for us...that's a positive thing. When I think about being marked by grace, I think about the piercings on Jesus' hands, feet, and side. I know that what's meant in the passage is the metaphorical "mark" of the Holy Spirit, but I think that it could also be relevant to the wounds that Christ bore for us. In my decision to follow Him, I also make the decision to bear His wounds, and in that way am responsible to love what He loved and to stand up for what He stood up for. Maybe being marked by grace then, can also encompass being conscious of the wounds that Christ bore for us.

I've been listening to Relient K's Deathbed more than a couple of times these past few days...it's a 10 minute overture, and sounds like something Freddie Mercury would have been proud of. It's the story of a man on his deathbed, recounting his life and pondering his impending meeting with the Lord...the last section of the song is the sound of "Jesus" (aka Jon Foreman on guest vocals, hitting some amazing falsetto notes) singing the following:

I am the Way
Follow Me and take My hand
And I am the Truth
Embrace Me and you'll understand
And I am the Light
And for Me you'll live again
For I am Love, I am Love,
I am Love.

It's quite lovely, to say the least.

"I have nothing to blog about!" - the wormball speaks

hi..
what should I say?
I want to go to L&G Bubble Tea Shop...and get mango bubble tea.
I also want to eat poutine and sushi...

E: Tell them what we did today..

Today we went downtown. My favourite part was when we went to the Candy Aisle and bought a bunch of candies...gummy coke, gummy cream soda, gummy worms, sour grapefruit gummy pieces, I LOVE GUMMY WORMS.
We also saw boyfriends you can grow in water...

E: Do you want one?

Noooooooo...I wouldn't know what to do with it once it's fully grown. I'd just throw it out. Do you want one?

E: I don't want one. I prefer boyfriends to be not plastic...one of my "requirements", you know...
Anything else to say?

I LOVE RAYMOND LAM.

E: Tell them about your new nickname.

"Cow Man".

E: Mine is "Fat Dog"....but I think we still prefer "Wormball" and "Butterball".

Trailer for "Waitress"

On the menu:
"I hate my husband pie"
"I don't want Earl to kill me pie"
"Pregnant, miserable, and self-pitying loser pie, flambe of course"

Nathan Filion: "Maybe we can have a coffee or something?"
Keri Russell: "I can't have coffee! It's on the bad food list you gave me. What kind of doctor are you???"

This movie looks absolutely hilarious...looking forward to it in April!

from citizen to consumer

in the past few decades, it has become increasingly popular to use focus groups, polling, and advertising in putting together a political campaign. for most of us, this is our only understanding of how our political system works during elections.

the commercialization of politics is an absolutely fascinating topic, and one worthy of reflection in age of political complacency. the history of political advertising has everything to do with the expansion of mass advertising itself - the techniques created by PR and ad firms were directly translated to the world of election campaigns...how we function electorally has much to do with the functions of the mass market.

and alas...what does this mean to us?
my main concern with political marketing is that it aims to show society exactly what political participation is. Polls, focus groups, and those few times you are actually asked to vote...those things have become what political involvement is within a market framework. the impact of advertising on politics has everything to do with limiting our view of the public sphere's potential. This leads me to ask:

What about community interest groups? What about getting together because we care about a common social concern? What about dissent?

By limiting this point of view, it doesn't even appear that our democracy is being undermined. With the consistent emphasis on the individual rather than the community (certainly epitomized the weight that we put on a party's leader), politics have become an issue of "what's in it for me?" more than anything else. all we are left with are mere cash transactions...

geek-speak

definition: when extensive vocabulary is used to describe concepts, issues, and opinions in relation to a subject you are knowledgeable about. For the most part, this occurs within the realm of what you study; and is particularly prevalent when you are surrounded by people of the same field/interests.

I was thinking the other day how it might be such a big turn-off to listen to someone just go on and on in language that is so saturated in academia that only the geekiest of geeks can understand. as human beings, I think that we find great joy in consubstantiality (establishing similarities with a fellow human being)...but often times, geek-speak can really be exclusionary. I realize how big of a hypocrite I am in saying this - I myself am very guilty of the geek-speak syndrome. I mean...who frequently uses "dichotomization" on a daily basis anyway? And "commodity fetishism", "conspicuous consumption"...expecting to be understood?
Aye. I will take this opportunity to apologize about my overexcitement in regards to academia...feel free to boink me in the head with a large book.

happy thoughts

I haven't done the following in a while, and so I shall...in honour of the great sei shonagon:

things that cause momentary forgetfulness of any resentment

1) the receiving of grades that bear little resemblance to the effort put in...I guess keeping up with readings does have its perks.
2) the unexpected conversation from a cute boy you've secretly been looking at
3) the unexpected camaderie from someone whom I've only ever admired and never thought I would be friends with!
4) listening with closed eyes to the awesome organ intro to the arcade fire's "intervention"
5) waking up to the knowledge that you had slept through the night
6) extra long, extra thorough conversations with an unexpected friend
7) aforementioned cute boy greets you sheepishly
8) spring rain falling on my head
9) the first sip to my weekly london fog (up on the mountain)
10) staring up at the new fish lamp in my room (it's so tacky that you'd HAVE to love it)

"trapper's delight" - for red wings fans everywhere ;)

this is my lazy blog update! hilarious video if you haven't seen it already...and if you have, watch it again because it only gets better with each viewing!

crossroads

what we do is a testament to who we are.
Just as God's compassion and love is a testament to His image, we too can be "analyzed" in the same way.

Identity has been a big "theme" in my life recently. While attending that pre-law infosession a month ago, I was reminded that I needed to be really confident in who I was and what I believed in if I had intention of going into law. Come to think of it, this is good advice for any profession and in all walks of life.

I'm very frustrated with the schisms in my own life - the shadows in my soul, the caricature of me in the "public light", the overblown ambitions, the deep desire to fellowship with God - those are the forces that consistently battle out on the grounds of my and body. Maybe it's a longing to find symmetry and alignment between who I am and who I should be...it's so easy to get restless and simply give up and let bygones be bygones.

the path of downward mobility, which is path that I too often walk in and out of, perhaps begins with a recognition of who we are as children of God. Maybe it begins with better self-awareness and knowledge of my own weaknesses and pitfalls. Do I know who I am and do I know what and who I believe in? That's perhaps a place to start.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

fat worm cafe

menu:

drinks - black sesame "tea" (made with water, extra charge for milk)

entrees -
corned beef served with day-old rice
stewed tomatoes (extra charge with eggs)
squid with vegetables
assorted meats dish (chicken, pork, beef...anything! in a soy/hoisin sauce!)

dessert -
tong yuen (store bought with black sesame filling)
peeled orange slices

this is in honour of fat worm (his new stage name is tubby mcchubbs...his performance of the "hamster wheel" dance is impeccable. I will accept money if you'd like to view it on my cell phone), who was saddened today by the closing of "Honolulu" Restaurant.
In response to seeing the place revamped as "ginger and garlic", Fat Worm responded:
"The world is so bleak..."

Post-Postmodern Charity?

(Please be warned that this blog may cause you offence)

One of the areas I've been doing some reflecting in is what charity has become in recent years. This is from my observation of some of the larger campaigns, including "One" (called "Make Poverty History" in Canada), the RED campaign, and the very recent Windows IM campaign. I'm deeply saddened because chairty seems to have become nothing more than mere transactions (no strings attached), meriting only a check on one's to-do list.

Before I continue though, I'd like to bring up the origins of the word "charity". In Christian theology, the Latin translation ("caritas") was of the Greek word agape, which is understood as brotherly kindness, and unlimited kindness to all others. In the King James version of the Bible, charity can be found here, used by Paul:

"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:3

In other versions of the Bible, the word "charity" is usually "love", which I find to be particularly interesting. The idea of charity, from a historical and theological perspective has everything to do with LOVE - real brotherly love that extends to all our neighbours. Not money, not even food, but the act of genuine, Christ-like, love.

My peeve with the current "popular" campaigns is how it disconnects us from the true essence of charity/almsgiving. Instead of being encouraged to offer our time and efforts, we are instead told to act like passive bystanders to issues of social, political, and economic importance. Our democracy has been so broken down and injected with market-driven mentality that even in the act of giving, we are asked to consume. Involvement with our communities has become so grotesquely depoliticized that all we know of the world around us is through media images. And surely it's easy to go along with this framework: we'd hope that it'd be as easy as that. When millions of Africans are dying of AIDS, when child prostitution is rampant, when communities affected by Katrina are still fighting for their right for housing, and when the homeless remain cold and uncared for on our Vancouver streets...perhaps it's easier just to give a buck or two here and there, sign a petition somewhere else, and believe that it would all go away.

Switchfoot Podcast - Canadian Tour

this is the only thing that made me laugh over the past few days. You have to at least watch the boys bug Canadian Idol workers with their "auditions".

blahblahblah...

I was thinking about friendships on the bus yesterday...(how corn-on-the-cob of me, as wormball would say)

are friendships cultivated or are they more so based on your initial "chemistry" with a person?

I know that the easy answer would be that they are cultivated (time, effort, and constant care help foster the relationship)...but I encourage you to think about the friends in your life who you care about the most, and like me, you might come to some different conclusions...both chemistry and "cultivation" are obviously important for a friendship to work, but I'm beginning to think that one of these aspects is more vital than the other.

these sick sick days

do you like my uber creative title for this post? I thought of it ALL BY MYSELF.

firstly, thanks for all those who checked up on me the past few days to verify that I had not died. I do quite appreciate the question: "did you die today?"=)

iris got the flu last week, which lead me to be "contaminated" as well....the wormball likes to linger in my personal space, especially when she's sniffly and in a crappalicious mood. Fever was quite bad the first two nights...it's improved since then...I literally didn't even want to walk in many a circumstance during the worst of it. fortunately, I was still able to drag my arse to titus on sat night for our worship and sharing...and appeared normal enough (heavy doses of medication were involved).

both my sis and I appeared so depressed and out of it these past couple of days (in part to the meds and also because it physically hurt to laugh and speak), but we tried to have SOME fun. she made me sing a duet with my feet (I don't think you actually want details), and we had fun watching "food jammers". they made a cool hideaway panini grill (to cook chicken burgers in...grill and steam simultaneously), and even made a beer-dispensing sink. how can you not love people who make beer-dispensing sinks?? anyways...iris consistently reminds me that I would really enjoy being their friend. especially the cute blond one! haha...she calls him "jon foreman" (my bro and sis like to call ALL guys with slightly long dirty blond hair "jon foreman"), and I like to call the Asian guy on the show "Jerome" (after Jerome Fontamillas, of course). The third guy is just..."the other guy". As you can see, we didn't think it was necessary to learn their actual names.

anyways...I've blabbered on long enough. be careful not to get sick people! it's retarded!

sorrow by bad religion

Father, can you hear me?
How have I let you down?
I curse the day that I was born,
And all the sorrow in the world...

Let me take you to the herding ground
Where all good men are trampled down
Just to settle a bet that could not be won
Between a prideful father and his son
Well you guard me now for I can't see
A reason for this suffering and this long misery

What if every living soul could be upright and strong?
Well, then I do imagine there will be
Sorrow, yeah there will be sorrow,
And there will be sorrow, no more

When all soldiers lay their weapons down
Or when all kings and all queens relinquish their crown
Or when the only true messiah rescues us from ourselves

and there will be sorrow, and there will be sorrow no more.

Sharing from Sojourners

I have an email subscription with Sojourners magazine, which describes itself as being about "spirituality, politics, and culture". I have great admiration for Reverend Jim Wallis, and find him to be an enlightening voice in the midst of the so-called "religious wars" down South. This week's issue was particularly interesting to me, and I just wanted to share what was covered.

Dr.James Dobson, and a few other leaders on the "Religious Right" (I don't like these labels...but for comprehension's sake, I shall employ them), has recently written to the National Association of Evangelicals, claiming that global climate change is distracting the Church from the "great moral issues of our time".

This is what he wrote:
"More importantly, we have observed that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children."

Let me share with you an excerpt of Jim Wallis' response: (please read it even though it's long! It's worthwhile!)

"Is the fact that 30,000 children will die globally today, and everyday, from needless hunger and disease a great moral issue for evangelical Christians? How about the reality of 3 billion of God’s children living on less than $2 per day? And isn’t the still-widespread and needless poverty in our own country, the richest nation in the world, a moral scandal? What about pandemics like HIV/AIDS that wipe out whole generations and countries, or the sex trafficking of massive numbers of women and children? Should genocide in Darfur be a moral issue for Christians? And what about disastrous wars like Iraq? And then there is, of course, the issue that got Dobson and his allies so agitated. If the scientific consensus is right - climate change is real, is caused substantially by human activity, and could result in hundreds of thousands of deaths - then isn’t that also a great moral issue? Could global warming actually be alarming evidence of human tinkering with God’s creation?Or, are the only really "great moral issues" those concerning abortion, gay marriage, and the teaching of sexual abstinence? I happen to believe that the sanctity of life, the health of marriages, and teaching sexual morality to our children are, indeed, among the great moral issues of our time. But I believe they are not the only great moral issues..."

Amen!

while listening to a live bootleg of switchfoot...

the world offers us its anesthetics
band-aid cures for an emptiness so vast that we can barely recognize it
we suffer from emotional atrophy
where honesty has an allure of pornography
too dirty, too pervasive, too voyeuristic

we live in our hall of mirrors
we can look around but all we see is ourselves

we've made it difficult to love
in the frenetic chaos of our daily lives
in the beeping, blaring, booming noise of alarm clocks

we have no raison d'etre
pacing back and forth
afraid to find ourselves passionate
and longing for meaning

because that would ask something of us

self-reflexive blogging thoughts

sometimes, I wonder if this blog is an impediment on my friendships with people.
when I get excited about something, it usually ends up on my blog. when I'm going through some frustrations, it usually ends up on my blog (albeit less...I still keep a personal journal!). it recently occurred to me that, perhaps it would be more fruitful to actually TALK to my friends in order to keep up with each other's lives, rather than write about it. I know that saying this is a little extreme, but I'm simply considering the possibility that this blogging habit may have its deficiencies too.

I sometimes feel that I'm investing too much into this, and perhaps have grown overly attached to the idea of having an audience. However, it's also been a blessing because I get to connect with friends near and far through this venue (i'm especially thinking of the far ones, whom I don't see enough! *sniff*...if only we can have cake dates in the digital world!), and also discipline myself through this writing regiment. Alas, I think the pros outweigh the cons.

On an unrelated note, I'll respond to a few of the comments recently posted here.
1) PJ: When will you let that go? You made me shake my head in dismay (and laughter).
2) Jung: Wow...after all these years, I never thought that I could still get teased about crushes...or shall we say, "infatuations"?

Sorry folks, there will be no "part deux" to that entry!

what's your exodus?

inspired by ched myers' lenten reflections:

exodus: to face the sometimes harsh realities of life outside the "imperial incubator"(what I understand to be, in modern day, the comforts of first world lifestyles - conspicuous consumption, overabundance in resources)

"Having internalized imperial appetites and desires, the people cannot imagine life apart from their dependence upon the very system that enslaved them..."

During the days in the desert, God sustained his people with manna, which is symbolic of God's alternative economy of grace: they were asked to obtain as much as you needed, to not store up for themselves (banning the practice of economic surplus), and the keeping of the Sabbath.

God's economy of grace is one that circulates instead of concentrates - ensuring that everyone has enough...it is about a relationship to our Earth that is ecologically sustainable. This "generalized reciprocity" is focused on cultivating sustenance and discouraging wastefulness.

I really loved this reflection, as it reminded me of my oneed to step outside of my own "imperial incubator". It pushed me to think about where my exodus is meant to be - how can I let God teach me his divine economy of grace on a practical level? Most importantly, at the end of the day, I ask myself: What should I be giving up? What is God calling me to give up in my walk with Him?

as promised...

some people thought it would be funny for me to post about this, so here goes:

my childhood/"teenagehood" crushes (there shall be no laughing):

Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge. I was actually really moved by the movie – I know some folks probably hated it, and others loved it…but I was just touched. I kinda developed a crush on the character, I think! There’s something about bohemian idealism that just gets to me…

Cheng Ekin...affectionately known as Cheng Yee-Mein throughout the 90s. Sadly, he also used the name "Dior" at some point, which I still do not understand to this day. Similarly to the wormball, some of my first "celebrity crushes" were developed from watching TVB series. I think I liked Ekin largely for his fancy schmancy hair. Can't believe he's 40 now! Craziness.

Michael Vartan. Anybody remember “Never been kissed”? Hahaha…he’s really not the greatest actor, but he’s just so irresistibly cute. He’s the reason I started watching “Alias” way back when. Oh, Vaughn!

Louis Koo. I actually had a crush on him when I first watched the 1993 version of “Condor Heroes”. Remember the days when he was still SUPER PALE? Hahaha…that’s right, I liked him even then (I chose a later picture because his fair-skinned ones were kind of frightening). I thought he was awesome on TVB, especially Detective Investigation Files IV. Tall, suave, never spoke a word. He was the epitome of cool! The whole big blockbuster route that he took afterwards wasn’t so awesome though…

Honorary mentions go to Leo Dicaprio (for Romeo and Juliet), and Brandon Boyd of Incubus. Hmmm...do cartoons count? I think every girl who watched Sailormoon secretly had a crush on Prince Darien (you know...despite the two-dimensionness...)

wormball musings

iris: I don't like the word "loaf".
me: ?
iris: If I had to choose between a lemon loaf and a lemon cake, and they were both the same, I would pick the lemon cake.
me: "..."
iris: Loaf sounds like a kind of meat. Like "meatloaf". It just doesn't sound right with sweet stuff.
me: "..."
iris: I also don't like the word "danish".
me: DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST PASTRIES?
iris: No! I just don't like Danishes!

iris: I don't like romance. Do you?
me: Mmm....me neither.
iris: I like watching it happen on someone else (TV and my friends and random people), but not to myself.
me: What's "romance"?
iris: Corn and cheese. Sap. Long walks in the moonlight. Dating.
me: Interesting.
iris: Yep.

a passing thought

you know how at each stage of your life, you always seem to believe that "this is it"?
"this is it" meaning that you've grown up, have reached a stage of "maturity", and think that you've got it all figured out?

we're constantly on the lookout for the peak...thinking that it's right around the corner...but maybe we just have to continue living without the expectation of always having a reward in close proximity.

I want to embrace these ordinary days; the lack of excitement and drama. I want to learn how to kneel before God, and continue to gaze upon the face of the humble King.
Rejoice in the everyday peace that I'm so fortunate in having...I am too blessed for my own good.

i am officially a see lai.

The See Lai Syndrome

1) Always tries to find the best deal (and is willing to waste time for it)
2) If bargaining is possible, then bargaining will occur. Loudly.
3) Pushing and shoving may be necessary to attain said "best deal"
4) Extended periods of time may be spent in the produce isle, rummaging through piles of desired fruit/vegetable, looking for the freshest available
5) You ALWAYS check the expiration date
6) You keep a record of how much particular grocery items cost at a particular store
7) You buy unnecessary items occasionally because they were SUCH A GOOD DEAL
7) You enjoy doing all of the above

*note: if you are deliriously struck with the see lai syndrome, you will also obtain a visor/"welding mask" to protect yourself from sunlight at all costs

I've been suspecting this for a long time, but I think today is definitively the day in which I have become a see lai.

Shopping for cake ingredients at Superstore, I went and checked out the "Asian" isle. I didn't need any extra coconut milk, but I noticed that the Aroy-D brand cost only 71 cents! 71!!! The cheapest I've seen it go is 79 cents! And it's usually sold for 89! MUST BUY!

And I did.

the privatization of education

Fed to 12,000 middle, junior, and high schools around America, Channel One is viewed by over eight million students on a daily basis. The contract between Channel One and the schools enforce the broadcast on 90% of school days and 80% of classrooms...teachers must show the entire program, including advertisements.

In exchange, schools receive a color TV monitor for every 23 students, VCRs, blank video tapes, and a fixed satellite dish.

What does Channel One get? A captive audience. Insurance that commercials won't be ignored because of channel surfing. A focused target market of teens and tweens who have lots of disposable income. Advertising space on Channel One is selling for approximately 1/4 of a million per day for a 30 second spot.

For the schools, this comes at the cost of handing over the equivalent of five instructional days in a school year = teaching time lost is costing tax payers $1.8 billion dollars per year. On a more abstract level, this is a prime example of the invasion of public space. When did it become acceptable for education to be one of the largest growing markets in the U.S? When did we start viewing students only as profit centres and cash crops? Most importantly, why isn't education better funded by the government?

These issues frustrate me...and surely, we deal with many of the same problems north of the border. Pouring-rights, for example, is a huge problem here. Schools have become "Coke schools" or "Pepsi schools", which have contributed to the shutting down of certain public services. Why are we flushing our rights to learn in an ad-free place down the drain?

Food for thought...please share yours.