Daily Inkling: THE MONSTER

Normal Happenings has tagged me in another of their awesome Daily Inkling challenges, and this one is really fun:

Write a terrifying fictional monster… and then tell us its greatest weakness.

I will admit, I spent over an hour exploring some creepy subreddits and creepypasta looking for inspiration to get me in the mood, and I drew a few ill-fated attempts at creepyness, but it just wasn’t working. I wasn’t feeling anything, and my drawings were junk.

Then I remembered a terrifying memory from my childhood that had been dormant and forgotten for some time… I didn’t need to come up with something, because it had already haunted my childhood nightmares…

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Did you ever watch Goosebumps? I was a huge fan when I was a kid, of both the books and the show. I begged my Mom to sign me up for some sort of fan club that sent Goosebumps packages with jokes and stickers and stuff in the mail (she eventually relented.) I forced my entire family to save up the tabs of their Kraft Dinner boxes for weeks so I could mail them in to get one of the special limited-edition prizes – a rubber Slappy hand puppet. I had an audio cassette of Deep Trouble that I listened to over and over again as I lay on my waterbed gleefully imagining the watery depths swallowing me up.

I considered myself to be a pretty tough kid when it came to scary stories, and none of the Goosebumps books or episodes really phased me… until…

I can’t remember the specifics of the episode. I don’t recall the context or background of the story that unfolded, or the intents of the characters. All I remember is the THING.

The THING changed my eating habits for weeks. My parents and grandparents were worried about me and the obvious effect that the episode had had on my impressionable mind.

A quick bit of internet sleuthing tells me that the episode was called It Came from Under the Sink, and that the creature of my nightmares was called a “Lanx”.

I, however, referred to it simply as…

THE POTATO!

Yup, this thing majorly freaked me out. I was a kid who loved to eat, and I guess the idea that something as sacred as a common potato could be tainted so utterly blew my little mind. At the very end of the episode it was revealed, teeth gnashing, and I wouldn’t eat my mashed potatoes (a regular staple) for weeks.

So, what is the weakness of THE POTATO?

Time, I suppose. After a while I got over my fear of THE POTATO- hunger trumped fear, in the end.

Another thing that helps?

Drawing a cute potato.

Ok, actually he is kinda creepy too, in his own way. Ah, well.

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Comic that popped into my head at 5am this morning when I couldn’t get back to sleep…

Smuggling Rats Across Canada: A Charming Family Memory

Did you know that rats, particularly domesticated “fancy rats” are available in many parts of Canada as pets? Much like a hamster, these little guys are cute and charming companions. My family has a history of having pet rats, starting with my Father.

Before I was born, my Dad had a rat named Studley. He would tell me about how Studly would accompany him on walks, and even swims, and that he was just The Best Rat Ever. Seriously, if you don’t believe me, rats are cute. Look at this ‘lil guy!

So, one Easter morning in the mid to late 90’s, when we were living in New Brunswick, my little sister and I awoke and ran into the den, where we found the usual candy, chocolate, and little toys awaiting us. After surveying our treasures, our parents peeked into the room and asked if we’d observed the cage yet. We had a large cage on one side of the room which, until recently, had been home to our rather grumpy rabbit, Peter. While Peter was quite old and sadly didn’t make it till Easter, I gazed inside and saw that two new friends were quietly exploring the cage.

My sister and I were delighted and each named one of the rats- we decided to name them after the Rugrats, Tommy and Chuckie. Tommy was my rat, and he was white with grayish markings on his back. Chuckie, my sister’s rat, had a more reddish tinge to his spots (like Chuckie’s hair!)

The rats were so adorable- while many of our family and friends who visited were squeamish of them (particularly of their tails), others would remark at how cutely they munched on their food, how diligently they cleaned themselves, and how curious and smart they were. We would let them crawl over and around us, and they loved perching on our shoulders as we watched TV or did our homework. The two were brothers, and would sleep nestled up curled around each other.

We loved our rats very much. Domesticated rats live longer than their wild counterparts- about 3 years. Tommy and Chuckie both passed away of “old age” within short time of each-other, and it was one of my first real-life experiences with the end of the natural cycle of life and death.

A short while after Tommy and Chuckie died, my parents got us two new companions to fill the rat-shaped holes in our hearts. I asserted my tween power and declared their names would forever be known as Frodo and Sam, as I was in the middle of reading The Lord of the Rings and enjoying it immensely.

Our new rats were again white with some grayish colorations. Frodo was my little guy, and he was very active, always climbing things and wanting to have a look around. Sam was a bit lazier, but again they were best buddies as well as brothers. Sometimes we would give them pieces of French Toast Crunch cereal, and laugh at how cute they looked crunching on their little rat-sized toasts.

After we’d had Frodo and Sam for a little while, our parents informed us that we were moving to Northern Alberta, to a province far away in the middle of the Boreal Forest. I pictured us living in a quaint little wooden cottage in the middle of nowhere. Great! Sounds fun! But, although my parents didn’t want to alarm us, they mentioned that rats are banned in Alberta. While this policy is meant to keep Alberta free of wild rats, it affects pet rats too.

This poster is so dramatic. “White rats can only be kept by zoos, universities and colleges as well as recognized research institutions in Alberta. Private citizens may not keep white rats, hooded rats or any of the strains of domesticated Norway rats.” – Alberta.ca

My family is united and defined, perhaps more than anything else, by our love of animals. My Mom has worked at vet clinics and at the SPCA, and we’ve had all sorts of creatures in our home over the years. Our pets are our family, and it was inconceivable to us that we wouldn’t bring the rats to our new home in Alberta. So, we prepared ourselves for Frodo and Sam’s potentially perilous journey.

My Mom actually had both of the rats anesthetized and neutered at her vet clinic (I’m thinking this procedure, for pet rats, is a medical rarity?)- they were both boys, but now there was no possible way they could breed even if they somehow escaped into the wild. I suppose she did this partly so that if we DID get into any trouble at the airport, we’d have at least a chance of keeping them.

So, we finally set out to move, with a large number of critters. Each of us was responsible for at least one pet-carrier, and we took our babies to the airport- a cockatiel (Jerrie), 2 cats (Jill and Smudge), an aging Labrador Retriever (Stinker), and the two rats.

The rats’ carrier was made of thick plastic with thin slots on the sides. Panic gripped me as we approached the security gate to get cleared for our first flight. I watched in terror as the airport staff inspected the carrier, peering inside and craning his head.

“These are…?”

He looked at me quizzically. I steeled myself.

“My hamsters.” I squeaked.

Whether it was an act of mercy on his part, ignorance of rodent species diversity (or the regulations of our destination province), apathy, or simply not wanting to initiate a dramatic scene, he let us through without any difficulties. I can only imagine the absolute chaos that would have ensued if they had tried to take away our Frodo and Sam. It would have been devastating and traumatic for our whole family, and probably the entire room…

And so, we made it to our new home, safe and sound with our entire family, including the rats. We settled into life in Alberta. You might think that Frodo and Sam, once they lived out their few years on this earth with us, were the last rats my family would know in our new home province. However, this was not the case…

My mom continued to work in SPCA and vet roles in our new town, and as had always happened before, we often ended up fostering or adopting animals that didn’t have homes. And wouldn’t you know it, it turned out that other people in Alberta had pet rats, and in some cases (such as moving into an apartment with an inquisitive landlord) they needed to re-home their rats.

In steps my Mom, of course- she can’t bear to see an animal in need- and so over the years we acquired three more rat companions. One was a lone rat who we named Sir William after the character in A Knight’s Tale. Bill, or Billiam, as I often called him, was white with black spots, and had the softest and sweetest temperament of any rat I’ve yet met. Later we also became the guardians of two sister rats named Sugar and Spice for their respective fur markings.

I’m still living in Alberta, but my family has since gotten a home back in New Brunswick- they’ve had more rats since moving back. I haven’t myself, but I’d be willing to bet that there are more pet rats in Alberta living out their quiet lives in secrecy today.

 

Shocking Anime Memories & Rare Ghibli Musings- Anime is a format, not a genre!

One of the main goals of my ALC conference presentation There’s a Graphic Novel for Everyone (Yes, Even You)   was to reinforce the importance of recognizing comics, including manga, as a format and not a genre.

Similarly, anime is a format capable of telling any kind of story.

I’m heading out to Animethon tomorrow, and as such I’ve had several conversations with friends and coworkers recently about anime. One such friend was reminiscing with me today about favorites from childhood, and we discussed how sometimes anime surprised us with its content.

Anime: Building Solid Foundations For Childhood

And Beyond

When I was very young, before I even got into Sailor Moon or Pokemon, I was prone to watching and re-watching my favorite VHS tapes over and over and over again. I’d watch them so fervently that I could speak every word of dialogue along with the tape. One of my favorites was a particular version of Heidi which had  beautiful music and charming style. Another was a lively and unique version of Snow White. Yet another was a tape of the first 3 episodes of the action-packed extra-terrestrial fantasy cartoon, Thundercats.

Little did I know that in the might of these three VHS tapes, probably plucked from the bargain bins of convenience stores by my family, anime would begin to sink its hooks into my impressionable young mind!

By scouring the internet some years later on a hunch, I confirmed that my Heidi movie (which was dubbed in English) had ties to one of the most well known and celebrated anime studios both in Japan and internationally, Studio Ghibli. My Heidi was a condensed version of a full Japanese anime series created by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the two founding directors of Studio Ghibli.

This was back when Studio Ghibli was not yet established- Alps No Shoujo Heidi was released under Zuiyo Eizo which later became Nippon Animation. Nippon, I also learned with some digging, created the Grimms Fairy Tale Classics series, including my aforementioned favorite version of Snow White!

Oh, and Thundercats? It was animated by a Japanese studio called Pacific Animation Corporation.

Snyarf, Lion-O!

I Didn’t See That Coming (and Neither Did He)

I have a vivid memory from when I was quite young of sitting in the living-room with my Dad watching an anime that he randomly found while browsing tv channels. Two people are battling in some sort of combat ring, the sort of setting where a competition like martial arts would take place. The fighting is bloody and intense, and keeps amping up in its recklessness.

Suddenly one of the fighters takes the pointer and middle fingers of both of his hands and thrusts them into the temples of the competitor, making a calculated strike-and-pull. A close up is shown of the victim’s retinal arteries (?) being ripped open, and blood gushes out of both sides of his head.

Everything goes black. Now he can’t see and must continue the fight completely blind.

My Mom’s spidey sense must have tingled in worry about her pre-pubescent daughter because she walked into the room at the peak of the action, raised her eyebrows to the roof with a sidelong glance, and said something like:

“Doug, what in the hell are you two watching?!”

Dad was just as shocked as I was –

“Well, it’s a cartoon! I didn’t…”

We sat transfixed and watched the rest of the show. I have no idea what the name of it was, and to this day I can’t remember anything about it besides that scene, but this experience was my first big glimpse of anime’s capabilities beyond friendly magical girls and elemental monster battles, and certainly far beyond any western animation I’d ever laid eyes on.

Please Sir, I want Some More (Ghibli)

Outside of my heavily edited VHS version of Heidi, the first Ghibli movie I remember watching was Princess Mononoke. I was still quite young, and, once again, this was something my Dad stumbled upon while browsing channels. We both realized it was a bit more bloody than we were expecting (which is funny, because it’s to my knowledge the only Ghibli movie with that level of gory imagery- not that there’s anything wrong with that!) and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Dad… what is wrong with the boar, dad…?

Years later, Dad finally decided it was time to invest in a BluRay player and brought home a PS3, along with our first ever BluRay: a copy of Ghibli’s award winning Spirited Away. 

While he seemed to have bought it mainly as a means of testing out the assuredly Beautifully Clear HD Quality Image and Unsurpassed Sound of a BluRay on his TV, I was immediately smitten with the intricate backdrops, the strange characters, and otherworldly happenings in the movie.

I waited until the newness of the BluRay fever had died off a bit and asked if I could keep the film and add it to my small but growing anime collection. Dad acquiesced with a fake sigh and a “should have known you’d like this one, kiddo”.

Ghibli movies have continued to blow me away with their devotion to truly understanding and amusing children and childlike minds, their attention to even the minutest and most seemingly insignificant details, and insightful depictions of the true good and bad faces of humanity. Their works are often fantastical, sometimes sentimental, occasionally tragic (don’t watch Grave of the Fireflies without some tissues handy) but always beautiful.

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Last year I had the opportunity to fulfill a long-held dream of visiting the Studio Ghibli museum in Mitaka with my husband while on our trip to Japan. It was an experience I’ll never forget and will hold in my heart forever.

Again for the People in the Back: Anime is a Format,

Not A Genre

In my early teens, when I first began working part-time, I began to purchase anime of my own accord. There was no rhyme or reason to what I bought- usually it was whatever overpriced “Volume 2, Part 1” randomness my local CD Plus had in stock. Some were wonderful, and some were underwhelming, but as I learned more and more about anime and manga, I fell more and more in love with both.

Chibi Vampire Karin, one of the first anime I purchased with my meager grocery store earnings…

In time I began to understand the vastness of the possibilities of this uniquely Japanese format. To anyone who looks at an anime and immediately thinks “I’m not into that stuff”, I challenge you to do a little investigating online or talk to staff at your local library and see what’s out there that might be relevant to your interests.

Curiously, it seems that there aren’t many non-fiction anime produced from what I can tell- I’ve come across a few, but biographical and NF anime (and manga) seem to be rare. I’m not sure why that is, as it’s just as valid a format as any. If anyone has any insight on this I’d love a comment or DM!

Aside from an apparent dearth of non-fiction anime, here are just a few anime that pop into my head as some examples of the versatility of the format, but they are only a few drops in an ocean of worthwhile anime.

Bad Taste in (Fictional) Men

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by freaky and evil characters.

I’ve blogged previously about how Elijah Wood was my first crush, and he’s pretty cuddly generally speaking, but bear in mind that I developed that crush only when I saw him with unnaturally pale stabbed-by-the-nazgul-help-me-i’m-dying eyes. I remember that moment, when my adolescent mind was like “oh”.

^so healthy, so wholesome

It was only downhill from there, my friends.

In most stories the main protagonist is presented as the desirable one, clean-cut and clean of conscience. Yet I’m always drawn to the dark and devilish characters, who are sometimes but not always the cunning asshole characters, the ones who are equipped with a snarling mouth, deeply condescending voice, and heavy lidded eyes full of spite.

Or, sometimes they are good, well meaning characters who are facing something tragic and/or are severely misunderstood.

^Brandon Lee as The Crow

Occasionally they are cocky and controlling, complete with lust for power and soulless eyes.

^Ezra Miller as Kevin in We Need to Talk About Kevin (yeah, I know, totally evil character, I’m not proud that I was attracted to Kevin! But Ezra IS really handsome, so I hope that has a lot to do with it…)

Usually the characters I am interested in are different than the characters my friends (and the general public, I’d think) are drawn to.

In my mid-teens, the tumultuous time of hormones and serious crushes, I fell head over heels for Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, and his plentiful eyeliner. Subsequently I sought out more of his films and swooned over Edward Scissorhands, Ichabod Crane, and Sweeney Todd. Johnny was my first HARDCORE crush. Perhaps the most hardcore i’ve ever had or will have T-T

While I had a fleeting crush on Ron in Harry Potter, Snape and Lucius had more staying power.

Criss Angel had a claim to my heart at one point, too. I remember rushing home from theatre practice so I wouldn’t miss Mindfreak (as well as InuYasha, but my anime crushes could fill an other entire blog post, so I won’t go there for now).

Here are some more that come to mind:

Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler (X2)

Clancy Brown as The Kurgan (Highlander)

Ville Valo (H.I.M.)

Tim Curry as Darkness (Legend)

Timour Bourtasenkov as The Wolf (Red Riding Hood, 1997)

I also fell hard for Louis and Lestat, at which point I realized I totally had a thing for vampires- capable fangs, pale skin eclipsed by crimson, captivation by luminescent eyes, an uncontrollable craving that drove them to desperation… freaking gothic euphemisms for sexual expression!

I’ve sought out so many vampire movies, but Interview with the Vampire is something truly special.

Bonus points for Armand!

Triple bonus points for QOTD lestat!

Now that i’m into kpop (namely SHINee), the music videos and performances that excite me the most are usually the ones involving aesthetics of darkness:

 

Tricksters and eccentrics often also captivate me:

Michael Sheen as Castor/Zuse from Tron: Legacy

Heath Ledger as The Joker

Hiddles as Loki

^Yet more bonus points for sexy mouthguard!

Heck, even Kenny from Kenny vs Spenny has given me feelings a few times, and Kenny’s whole point is that he’s (sorry Kenny) kind of a mean, obscene, no holds barred asshat!

^(Deep down I think you’re probably a nice guy though, right Kenny? Reeeeallly deep down? Maybe? >.> )

I say all this with the caveat that I DON’T think it’s a good thing to want to date someone who is actually emotionally manipulative, controlling or otherwise horrible to you. Happily, I  fell in love with my husband, a man who is warm, funny, silly, and kind- the opposite of a creepy, manipulative, controlling jerk!

^& He puts up with my fangirl ways! ❤

To bring all of this full circle back to Lord of the Rings, here is a word of advice: never tell your friends “you know, there’s just something about Grima Wormtongue”, because they will never let you live it down.

“Who knows what you have spoken to the darkness,

alone, in the bitter watches of the night?”

 

 

Care about your kids? Canada, Let’s Talk About Sex-Ed

In 2015, the year I graduated with my Bachelor of Education, a new sex-ed curriculum was introduced. It is a heavily updated version, the result of a lengthy consultation process involving child development experts, educators, police, and thousands of parents. It provides health information for students that is scientific and unbiased. It is inclusive and consent based.

Some infuriating news is emerging from Ontario right now as Education Minister Lisa Thompson announced that the new Ford government has made good on campaign promises to set sex-ed back 20 years to a curriculum that is so far removed from the realities of 2018 as to be an absolute embarrassment.

HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME

Fellow Canadians, remember 1998? The year of our insane ice storm that encased cars in ice, devastated power lines, ripped trees from their roots, and formed icicles as tall as your house?

Yeah, you know, 1998, when

• Windows 98 was released by Microsoft
• Titanic and A Bug’s Life hit the theatres
• Pokemon Red and Blue were released in North America
• Furby was the most anticipated Christmas gift

Yes, that’s when the former health curriculum was made- a time before wifi and camera phones. It was a time when cyber-bullying and sexting weren’t even on our radar, and neither were visible, meaningful discussions about consent.

I’ve seen protesters, opponents of the 2015 sex ed curriculum, holding posters saying “Say NO to irresponsible sex ed”. You know what was irresponsible? Using the 1998 curriculum for so long when it was so far behind the times.

I get it, talking about sex makes some people uncomfortable. Guess what folks, that’s WHY we need comprehensive and factual sex ed in our schools. Real sex-ed saves lives.

If you think it’s solely the responsibility of parents to discuss sex, do you trust that all OTHER parents are teaching THEIR kids about respect, consent, sexting, cyber-bullying, and sexual violence? If you read the news regularly, you know this isn’t the case, and kids suffer for it. Sometimes they die because of it.

Kids are going to learn about sex before they are adults, and not just from their schools or parents. Most grade 8 students have seen their fair share of hardcore pornography.  This is reality. Is this how we want our kids to learn about sex?

We need to acknowledge the importance of all kids receiving a proper health and sex education that will prepare them for the world.

TOO MUCH TOO SOON?

There are tons of myths floating around about the new curriculum that make it sound like some pretty “explicit” stuff will be taught to young elementary school kids, but it’s simply not true. For example, consent is examined at a young age as a concept (as in “you can say no if someone asks you do to something that makes you uncomfortable”) but it is not framed in the context of sex for that age group.

For that matter, don’t believe the myth that engaging critically and matter-of-factly about sex is going to make your kids want to start trying things with themselves or others (the opposite is true). 

Kids are going to learn bits and pieces from all over the place- a solid sex ed curriculum in public schools ensures that they get accurate FACTS. Education is the best form of protection there is.

SO, WHAT IS IN THE CURRICULUM?

The 2015 curriculum is equipped for fostering safety and empowerment in students by introducing the following concepts at developmentally appropriate times from K-12:

• Learning about the proper names of body parts, which child-abuse educators urged would empower kids to speak up about violence and abuse
• Personal and online safety, including cyber-bulling and sexting
• Respecting differences, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (recognizing that respecting these differences is enshrined in Canadian law )
• Healthy relationships, respect, identity, sexuality

For those who disagree with the updated curriculum, you have the option of pulling your kid from health classes if you like. That is your choice. Heck, you can even withdraw your kids from public school completely and homeschool them. Unfortunately, instead the “Progressive” Conservatives are regressing the curriculum for the entire student body.

Now teachers are left in the uncomfortable position of having to alter their plans toward a curriculum that is clearly not in the best interests of the students.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

Some teachers are firmly refusing to revert back to the old 1998 curriculum, and in doing so are taking a stand against this ignorant knee-jerk decision. One inspiring sexuality educator in Toronto, Nadine Thornhill, is creating a video project to ensure the 2015 curriculum is still accessible to anyone who wants to access it.

Just as some educators refused to address parts of the new curriculum when it was implemented in 2016, so too other educators will now surely elaborate on topics in the classroom as they see fit regardless of the current regression to the 1998 curriculum.

I hope that school and public libraries will also increase the visibility and accessibility of titles that address consent, comprehensive sexual education, gender identity, gender expression, LGBTQ+, and online safety.

Soon I will post a blog post with recommendations of book titles on these topics.

 

 

Geek Style (?) Snapshots

Last night I saw an Instagrammer’s art depicting how her style has changed throughout the years. I loved the idea, so I made one of my own:

Throughout the years, my “style” wandered from what Mom dressed me in, to a sort of rebellious “who cares what is on your body” phase, to a memorable teenage spell of (mostly) manufactured darkness and woe. I didn’t usually spend money on clothes, but if I did I would just buy whatever was cheap, or shirts that featured a character or series I was fond of.

It was only after I graduated High School that I started working in jobs that I cared about, and began dabbling with purposeful, intentional style choices.

That’s not to say that I am well versed in the means and vocabulary of fashion- far from it. I often don’t know if an outfit would work well with tights or not, and I only recently began collecting useful pieces like slips, strapless bras, and hair mousse. I’m 28 and I still haven’t mastered the smokey eye, or tried fake nails.

What I’ve learned though, is that clothes and accessories are just another hobby, another means of expression, and another tool in your toolkit.

The first person who made me excited about playing with style was YouTuber BubzBeauty.

^ via http://www.bubzbeauty.com/

Lindy, or Bubz as she is known online, has been vlogging for years, and in my late teens I began watching her videos. I don’t remember how I found her- probably trying to learn how to braid my hair or something- but I began to enjoy her videos as they came out, learning new tips and tricks for clothes, hair, and makeup.

What I especially love about Bubz is that she shares not only style advice, but also messages of positivity and self-care. She is a genuinely kind and funny person who helped me learn some basics of style and makeup, and begin to build up my self-confidence.

Bubz got married a few years before I did, and I even referred to her wedding videos when planning our wedding.

Now she and Tim have two adorable kids- i’m sure if I have a baby someday I will turn to Bubz’ videos for help!

Another style inspiration of mine is Kim Kibum, SHINee’s Key.

Key’s playfulness and individuality with style is so fun, and really taught me that style is for YOU; it’s not for anybody else (unless you want it to be!). Key occasionally wears statement pieces that are not my style, but the confidence that he rocks them in makes it clear that he is owning the clothes and not the other way around.

Whether it’s graphic pins, bold socks, neutrals, patterns, whatever- Key dresses to impress. He has nudged me into looking at clothes and fashion in a new light- as something fun to explore rather than a world that I fail in and know nothing about.

 

Simulation: Poverty

Today I had the opportunity to partake in a simulated role-play workshop intended to raise awareness of the barriers and challenges of being homeless and/or living underneath the poverty line. The workshop, called the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) comes from the Missouri Community Action Network, and was offered by my local Poverty Reduction Network. As someone who works at a public library in Canada and spends a lot of time interacting with low-income and homeless patrons, I am glad that I had the chance to experience the workshop.

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Soon we will be actively learning about the realities of living in poverty in this in-depth role-playing workshop. #communityactionpovertysimulation #maca #workshop #poverty #homelessness #learn #grow #walkintheirshoes #ymm #socialservice #libraries #community #privilege

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Each participant was randomly sorted into a group and directed to a cluster of chairs that would be their “home”, complete with a detailed synopsis of each family member and the overall situation of the household, including incomes, debts, medical considerations, assets, and expenses. Those without a home were directed to the homeless shelter space. I took on the role of Albert Aber, a father of 3 who was just laid off from his job.

Each person or group had a limited amount of time (broken into 4 weeks of 12 minutes each) to visit simulated local services run by volunteer actors. We dashed from place to place with our fake money and paperwork, facing a variety of setbacks, surprises, frustrations, and injustices along the way.

Of course, no simulation, no matter how immersive or detailed, can offer a true experience of poverty. The closest I have been to poverty was when my family lived in Saint John New Brunswick and experienced the 2 year Irving strike in the 90’s. I remember coming home from school one day and finding weird film equipment in the living room. My Dad was interviewed about the brutal slog of walking the union picket line day in and day out. The film crew followed us to the grocery store to document how we had changed our shopping habits to try to make ends meet and bring enough food home. Mom says we also borrowed food from my aunt during that time.

I was very young back then, so I don’t recall those years as vividly as my parents, but I do remember their frustration. Still, for as long as I’ve lived I’ve had enough food, water and shelter to live a comfortable life, even during the times that my family encountered struggles like the strike. I am thankful for the full and peaceful life I live, and aware that I am lucky to have many privileges and supports that beneficially contribute to my life.

While a simulation could not give anyone a full perspective of what it is like to live in poverty, this is a very worthwhile workshop, because it gets participants thinking about all of the compounding barriers that can make it so hard to get out from under the poverty line. CAPS sensitizes participants to the realities of poverty and homelessness. After the role-play was done, we sat in a large circle and shared our insights and experiences.

Here are a few take-aways from the workshop:

• When something gives, something else takes. While I was able to secure a job in the simulation and start bringing in some income again, by the time I finished work many of the community services had already closed, so I was unable to access them.
• It became harder and harder to support my family when my wife and I were at work for so much of the simulation, and family matters kept slipping through the cracks. Our pregnant high-school aged daughter was being targeted by a corrupt policewoman, and our two young sons were taken by social services as a result of her being taken into custody.
• Every family or person in the simulation had a different background with unique considerations and struggles- those living with mental or physical disabilities, trauma, or addiction faced additional isolation and barriers.
• Situations became even more dire when participants missed payments, turned to pawn shops, or were coerced into taking or selling drugs.
• Making ends meet sometimes came at the cost of dignity. Despite my character’s more advanced work experience, out of necessity I ended up taking an entry-level cashier job as soon as it was offered.

Most of the people participating in the workshop worked in public and social services and outreach, but I think this kind of simulation would be especially enlightening and enriching for those who do not as regularly encounter people who are homeless and living in poverty. Many prejudices and stereotypes persist regarding these populations, and so it is important that people have the opportunity to be sensitized to the truths that exist behind the unfortunate stigma.

Fictional Moms: An Often Unconventional List of Favorites

I’ve been seeing a lot of these Fave Mom posts kicking around since Mother’s Day is tomorrow, and although I wasn’t planning on doing one I inevitably began thinking about my own favorite fictional moms, and after a bit of reflection I was like “no, this is a damned good list; it must be shared with the world”.

And so, I present, my list of Favorite Fictional Moms (That I Can Remember At The Moment.)

In no particular order, here they are!

• Louis Pointe Du Lac (Interview with the Vampire)

Louis you say? But, but, he’s a dude! Ah, but here it is from Claudia’s own mouth:

Locked together in hatred. But I can’t hate you, Louis. Louis, my love, I was mortal until you gave me your immortal kiss. You became my mother and my father, and so I’m yours forever.

Claudia was born, so to speak, from Louis’ “immortal kiss”. And Louis tries his best to be a good parental figure to Claudia given their unique vampiric circumstances. Oh, Louis!

I could include Lestat here too, except Claudia kinda sorta rejected him in a huge way sooooo, yeah, let’s not go there.

Disclaimer: in the unlikely event that this post goes viral for some random reason 5 Mother’s Days from now and a subset of netizens take this post literally and start a vitriolic social media thread about how I am promoting an abusive  kidnapping child-killer as a parenting win for Mother’s Day, I must say- dude, chill, it’s a vampire movie/book. Take it for what it is. P.S. the movie and the book are both excellent, get on that.

• The Parents (Easy A)

I can’t remember their names (if they were ever given). I do remember that when I watched this movie I thought again and again “dang, these parents get an A+ from me”. They’re funny, understanding, not overbearing, accepting, and obviously totes in love.

#parentinggoals

• Duchess (Aristocats)

It’s been a while since I watched Aristocats to be honest, but it was one of my favorite Disney movies growing up, and I remember Duchess being totally devoted to her kittens, leading them tirelessly through treacherous situations to try and find their way home.

She’s also been known to get groovy if given the opportunity to let her hair (fur?) down:

Ok, so maybe this psychedelic dance scene re-used animation from previous Disney movies and also contained some unfortunate racist chariCATures, but that’s on Disney, not Duchess. I’m sure Duchess would not approve!

• Vianne (Chocolat)

Vianne is a strong-willed independent thinker who doesn’t give a flying fair-trade truffle what people think of her. She sets an excellent example for her young daughter Anouk by standing her ground when the ultra-conservative community threatens her chocolate shop, and she doesn’t shame Anouk for having an imaginary friend.

I was once a little bitter about Vianne having had the opportunity to make out with Roux, aka Johnny Depp, but you know what Vianne, you deserved it. Get it girl.

And again, here’s a book that was made into an awesome movie. Check out both if you haven’t already! Your public library can probably hook you up!

• The Other Mother (Coraline)

Hey, I sense some hackles are raised. Is this list called “Most Inspirational Mothers” or “Mother’s I’d Like To Have”? Nope, this is Favorite Mothers, and I truly adore Neil Gaiman’s creepy Other Mother. I’d love to cosplay as her someday.

^Dave McKean’s illustrations are amazing as always

The Other Mother gets a lot of hate. She’s just like your normal mother! Except, buttons for eyes, and the desire to capture you and erase all you know and love to replace it with an eerily similar but utterly wrong replacement.

And once again- excellent movie, excellent book!

 

• The Inventor and Pegg Boggs (Edward Scissorhands)

Neither of these people are Edward’s Mother in the traditional sense of the word, but both were, I think, well-intentioned and good-hearted people who contributed to his life in the best ways they knew how.

Who can fault the lonely inventor, played by legendary Vincent Price, for seeing a potential for life, and seeking love and companionship?

And Peg, the sweet and dependable Avon Lady, who reaches out to Edward without judgement when nobody else would.

Oh, Edward. ❤

• Edna Turnblad (Hairspray)

Edna, traditionally played fabulously by men in drag on stage and in film, is an anxious laundry-business owner and overweight mother. Her transformation of self-love and learning to let loose, led by her tenacious daughter Tracy, is sweet and inspiring.

 

• Molly Weasley (Harry Potter)

Molly is frequently listed on Favorite Mother lists, but it’s justifiable because she is a damn good mother!

Not only does Molly immediately accept Harry (whose family life has been less than ideal) into her family and home, she is a proud mother who loves her kids fiercely. Yet, I especially love Molly because she isn’t just a one-dimensional sweetheart character- if you piss Molly off or do or say anything disagreeable, she’ll let you know in no uncertain terms what she thinks of the situation!

Oof.

And who could forget such gems as Not my daughter, you bitch! Molly is talented with a wand, and not just in the kitchen! Though, on that note, Molly is also a proud homemaker whose home is so charming and cosy that fans can feel homesick for it from time to time. Molly has been known to sing along unrestrainedly with her Celestina Warbeck albums in the kitchen. Yes, Molly is relatable to a fangirl like myself, as she has been known to swoon wholeheartedly, even, occasionally, over questionable celebrities (*couLOCKHARTugh*).

• Irie-Mama (Mischievous Kiss, Love in Tokyo)

If you enjoy cute Japanese dramas, you gotta watch Mischevious Kiss, Love in Tokyo (there are also other versions of this show in other languages too I think, and i’m pretty sure it’s based on a manga series).

Irie-kun’s mom stands out because she has a youthful energy and brings humour to the show by constantly trying to pair her son up with Kotoko.

I think lots of fangirls resonate with Irie-Mama because she expresses the way we feel when we really, really want two characters to end up together! She will go to any length to support Kotoko in winning Naoki’s heart (even when she goes overboard into shenanigans involving cameras, disguises, and bamboozlement.)

She’s also a kind and positive influence in Kotoko’s life, especially because Kotoko’s own mother passed away long ago.

• Tanya Baxter (That’s So Raven)

Speaking of TV show Moms, Raven and Cory’s mom Tanya is hilarious and loves her kids very much. I loved watching this show with my sister when we were younger. Tanya puts up with so much ridiculous tomfoolery from her kids!

It’s refreshing to see two parents who are often present in the plot (rather than all but missing from the show entirely for some reason, as parents kids shows on often are). Not only that, but for the most part the Baxter’s aren’t overbearing on their kids, and are just as goofy and funny as Cory and Raven.

Aside from the funny stuff, there are lots of learning moments in That’s So Raven that show how thoughtful parenting aids in raising strong, informed, resilient kids.

 

• Lucy Emerson (Lost Boys)

Dianne Wiest again? What can I say, she plays a great motherly character. Lucy loves her two sons, and will do whatever she can to support them (including fleeing a bad marriage and moving back in with her kooky Dad). How was she to know she was relocating her family into the Murder (vampire) Capital of the World?

And props goes to Lucy for not being afraid to get back out there into the dating scene after her divorce, though maybe things would have been better after all if she hadn’t… but hey no spoilers here, if you haven’t watched this killer vampire movie yet GET IN THERE AND WATCH IT RIGHT NOW WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR DUDE!?!?

 

• Miss Honey (Matilda)

If you are a 90’s kid and you don’t love Miss Honey you have no soul. Or, you haven’t seen or read Matilda yet, in which case, get on that asap.

Miss Honey is the real mother Matilda never had, proof that just because you’re related to someone doesn’t mean you’re family (and that you don’t have to BE related to BE family). Miss Honey sees how Matilda’s toxic family disregards her well-being, happiness, and education, and in addition to being in-loco-parentis as Matilda’s teacher, Miss Honey finds herself willingly taking on more and more motherly roles in Matilda’s life.

Her voice is so soft, calming, and kind, that I could easily compare it to honey.

The finale of Matilda lends itself to be the title one of those click-bait articles- “What one selfless teacher did for her student will give you goosebumps- the ending had us in tears!”

 

• Mrs. Darling (Peter Pan)

Mrs. Darling is just so beautiful and enchanting, you can’t help but want to be embraced by her motherly presence, especially when she is played by Olivia Williams.

When her kids fly off to Neverland, she and her husband  are desperate for their return, pining away and spending every moment searching in vain.

The fact that the kids want to return to them from such an exciting place at all says something about their capability as parents (although Mr. Darling does bear an uncanny resemblance to Captain Hook. And for that matter, Lucius Malfoy. Just me? Well, we’ll let it go for now. )

Side note: let’s not forget the other motherly presence in the Darling house: Nana!

Don’t you just want to kiss those little jowls!? ❤

 

• Aunt May (Spider-Man)

I love all iterations of Aunt May, but my favorite still has to be Rosemary Harris. She was the first Aunt May I saw in live action, and she kinda won my heart.

No matter what version of Aunt May you favor, you gotta admit each is pretty bad-ass in her own way.

HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW, DOC OC?

I’ve mainly only read the early original Spidey comics masterworks, but Aunt May has proven herself again and again throughout the life and times of the Amazing Spider-Man.

 

 

Well, that’s all I’ve got at the moment, but i’m sure there are tons more awesome Moms I am forgetting. Happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome moms out there!

90’s nostalgia goggles

I stayed up a little too late working on this while listening to 90’s party playlists…

Used Pilot Eno blue pencil and knockoff markers.

Next time I want to do 90’s candies

🤤😍