YES!: A Jason Mraz Album Review
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| Photo from jasonmraz.com |
I’ve been a listener of Jason Mraz since 2002, when “Sleep All Day” started playing on the radio. Ever since then, I’ve watched him progress from this young, spontaneous, rockstar kind of guy to this now harmonic, spiritual, and easy-going person. Recently, he just released an all-acoustic album, containing 14 tracks of “love” songs. This album is collaborated with Raining Jane, a band he’s made music with for a long time now (“A Beautiful Mess” and a few of Jason’s hit singles were written with the Janes). This album is called: YES!
This summer, I’ve been in long road trips and I tell you, this is a great album to listen to on the road! I know summer is almost over (cries), but it’s still fitting to play the album during a sunny day. The order of the tracks is made so that listening to the whole album is like listening to a love story. The songs itself are all hits! Each song is written to connect to the listener; to put to words how the listener is feeling. I could easily say that half of the songs in the album are my favourite songs of the album! By the way, the word “love” is mentioned in all the songs in this album (and most of his older songs).
According to Jason, he titled the new record “YES!” because “(he) just (wants) it to be simple.” The title is so because the “writing process is all yesses, and that’s the word that made Jason and Jane happen.” One of Jason’s missions is to spread positivity and harmony in his work. What better way to articulate positivity than the word YES? According to Jason, the album is all-acoustic to bring back the coffee shop/busker days, where it all started. And of course, Raining Jane had an impact on the sound of the songs as well.
On October 23, Jason and the Janes will be playing the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Come watch, and feel loved and inspired!
Say YES! to giving the album a listen!
All the yesses (and then some),
- Jose
Home Again
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| Photo by: John Ward |
It was less than eight hours since we arrived in the small town I grew up in. It almost felt funny but I was not allowed to laugh. After years of living abroad, we came back home because my grandmother passed away. And she was lying in a coffin merely five meters away from where I was sitting. Her casket was in the center of the living room, on the same spot where the long couch used to be. It was surrounded by white flowers and white candles and white curtains that only made the soft yellow paint enraged. My cousins were sitting beside her casket. They were talking about their fond memories of her. Perhaps it was the jetlag after eighteen hours of plane ride and another three-hour drive from the city to our small town, or maybe it was the fact that I was away for a long time that made me indifferent of those memories of her that they were reminiscing. Yet, as I looked at my grandmother’s photograph that was sitting on top of her coffin, with her sullen eyes, thin lined lips, furrowed brows and looking more annoyed than usual, the person they were talking about was definitely not the grandmother who, when I was in second grade, told me to punch the boy who called me fat. If she was there, we would have laughed at it together, all while she took a hit on her cigar, coughed and then spat on the nearest, most appropriate spot.
As they all walked down the memory lane, I excused myself and searched for my mom. She was in the room trying to get some sleep. But really, she was crying. I told her I was going to my grandmother’s house, not the one lying inside the coffin, but the one who gave birth to my father. She called the driver and asked him to take me there. The driver and I bonded over a thick blanket of silence. He was probably the same age as my father but he got that serious look on his face that was almost intimidating. He was wearing the same uniform that the drivers before him had, a black khaki pants and a polo shirt. Somehow it made me feel uncomfortable. It had been a long time since I had someone take me to places, let alone call me “ma’am”. He looked on the road ahead of us and I looked just outside the window. As we passed by the elementary school that my brother and I went to, I noticed that the gates and the walls were artistically painted with children’s bright and shiny faces. Before that, it was just red that screamed murder. Few minutes later, we arrived in my grandmother’s house. The driver told me that he would just come back to pick me up. He waited until I reached the front walkway before he reversed and vanished. I walked the rest of the steps leading to the stairs to my grandmother’s front door. Suddenly, I was twelve years old again, transported back in time to where the rest of my childhood was spent.
It was the house that my grandfather did not build. It was made out of cement and gravel and glass and hardwood. It is masculine and feminine all at the same time. The windows did not have curtains, it was always open. The doors, despite its many locks, never seemed to close. The house was naked out of colours. Unlike the house on my other side of the family, with its grandeur, proud, and brandishing features, the house of my father’s side was solid, unassuming and humble. It was both welcoming and intimidating. It was a house of endless contradiction. But mostly, it was the house that my grandmother strengthened.
At the end of the stairs from the front walkway was an ample sized balcony. It was situated with a garden set and pots of plants lined along the balcony’s edge. Those pots of plants had been there for as long as I can remember. The only difference at that moment was that, they no longer carry the exuberance of sunlight’s love and tender care. Also, there were two rocking chairs angled from one another. The frames of both rocking chairs were made out of oak and the only difference between the two was their bodies. One was constructed out of hand-woven rattan while the other one was re-built and re-furbished with bamboo sticks aligned together as support. The latter was etched with a butterfly. I was not quite sure what it signifies. Out of old habits, I opened the door without knocking. It was not locked but my grandmother was nowhere in sight.
Everything was still the same and all was placed at the exact same spot I remembered. I peeked into the glass cabinet underneath the television case. Our photos were still displayed. They were lined up according to age, from the eldest grandchild to the youngest ones. There were nineteen of us and mine was right in the middle. I did not recognize myself though, but it looked too familiar – sullen eyes, thin lined lips, furrowed brows and already annoyed at the early age of three. I looked up from the photos to the wall and a set of eyes looked back at me. It was a picture of Sacred Heart of Jesus covering the entire panel on the wall. He had his one hand over his heart and the other was raised like a student shyly wanting to get the teacher’s attention. He was judging me. I dodged out of the room avoiding another eye contact.
My grandmother was still nowhere to be found, I checked in the first room on the left side of the hallway. The old bed lying in the middle of the room was no longer there. In fact, there was nothing else in that room except for the diplomas hanging on the wall. It was engraved in a wooden frame, like a plaque of appreciation. There were eight of those, one for each child that my grandmother has. I did not check the door across that empty room for I was sure it was the room of my grandmother’s nursemaid and we were never allowed in that room. The last room left was the master’s bedroom, but mostly it was what we called “everyone else’s room” for it was the room where the kids hung out and stayed whenever we were in that house. The room was still the same. The old television was still lying at the foot of the bed. The photo of my grandfather’s parents was hanging on the wall. Beside it was my grandfather in his glorious days. He was wearing his police uniform and stood like the decorated officer that he was. His face was unrecognizable, though. It was faded by time or maybe, I just knew him with his fragments -devoid of emotional connection and familial recognition and no more connected than blood relation. I have accumulated a fair amount of memories from that room. It was the room my cousins and I played wrestling, it was the room where my older cousins shared the stories of their first kiss, it was the room where we had our first drink, it was the room where we all cried, and it was the room where my grandfather died. Just thinking about it made me cringe a little bit. I left the room without looking back. I walked down the hallway to the kitchen but still, my grandmother was nowhere to be found. I have loved my grandmother’s kitchen until I was forced to wash the dishes. My father’s family, despite having nursemaids, were firm believers of putting their children in labour. I was one of their first recruits. The plastic chairs were stacked up against the wall; the old wooden table was still covered with a dilapidated mantle with its design faded through time. I have had countless meals with the entire family on that table. My grandmother had a proper dinner table with a glass surface and hand-carved chairs but it was only used for special guests. Yet, in her household, there was no such thing as guests. As I examined the room, I realized that it had shrunk. I could easily reach the top of the cupboard, turn on the faucet without having to tip-toe and I could reach the window pane in front of the sink without going over the counter. And as soon as I opened the window, I found my grandmother.
She was sitting under the mango tree and was feeding the neighbour’s chickens. I knew fairly well that the chickens belonged to the neighbours because my grandmother spent most of her time in the city. I walked down the staircase and went directly to where she was sitting. She saw me and a smile etched on her face. I stopped on my track and looked at her for the first time after a long time. She was beautiful. She was the same woman who survived the death of her husband and eldest daughter within the span of five months. She was the same woman who fought with her children’s battle against cancer. I hugged her and she hugged me back. I sat beside her and she gave me rice grains to feed the neighbours’ chickens. I looked at her again, her eyes were shining and her lips hid a smile. The lines on her face that aged through time was even more noticeable but the woman that she used to be was still carved on the outlines of her face, on the rough surface of her hands and in the depth of her warm embrace. She was the house that got me strengthened through time.
An hour later, the driver arrived. He said it was time to go home. I looked at the house and to my grandmother and I could not imagine one without the other. The word ‘home’ echoed into my ears and I thought about my grandmother, the one who passed away, and I could not imagine one without the other. I thought about the chapel at the bend of the road, the murdered gates and walls of my elementary school, the photograph on top of her casket, and my cousins with their memories of her, and those white flowers and white candles and white curtains. It was almost funny but I was not allowed to laugh. After all, my home was not there anymore.
- Janine
What's Up, Vancouver? (August 2014)
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| Photo by: Raul Pacheco-Vega |
Evolution of Gaming
August 1-10, 2014
Pinoy Fiesta 2014
August 10, 2014
Vancouver Queer Film Festival
August 14-24, 2014
The Fair at the PNE
August 16 to September 1, 2014
Discovering Thailand 2014
August 17, 22, 23, and 24, 2014
OneLove Festival 2014
August 21, 2014
Vancouverite: A Comedy Show
August 22, 2014
ANIREVO (Anime Revolution) 2014
August 22-24, 2014
Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Festival
August 23, 2014
Ambleside Live
August 23, 2013
Pet-A-Palooza (West Coast's Largest Pet Festival)
August 24, 2014
Vancouver Latin Film Festival
August 28 to September 7, 2014
TaiwanFest
August 30 to September 1, 2014
Summer Activities in Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful city. It is beautiful in autumn, in winter, and in spring. But in the summertime, Vancouver's beauty shines as bright as the summer sun. Since summer is the only time of the year that Vancouverites get more sunny days than rainy ones, it is the time to go out and enjoy the city's beauty. The following is a list of fun things to do to make the most out of your summer in Vancouver.
Watch the Celebration of Light
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| Image source: Jon Rawlinson |
Grouse Grind
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| Image source: Mike Kamermans |
Picnic or Camp by the Lake
Summer is the only time of the year that Vancouverites get to experience more sunny days than rainy ones, so this is the perfect time to go outside and enjoy the sun with the people you love. Take advantage of it by having a picnic with your friends or camping with your family. Greater Vancouver Area is home to a lot of breathtaking lakes which are ideal spots for picnicking, camping, and other fun outdoor activities. If you are not sure which lake to visit, this list might help!
Go to the Beach
Vancouver is blessed to have beaches that are just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. If you find yourself a little bit too overwhelmed by the city life and want to de-stress, enjoying the sun by the beach will help! If you like playing sports, Vancouver beaches also have spaces for badminton, volleyball, Frisbee, and other sports! Check out the Vancouver Parkboard's website to know which beach best matches what you want to do!
Bike Around the Seawall
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| Image Source: Arvin Asadi |
The Fair at the PNE
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| Image Source: Raul Pacheco-Vega |
Attend Free Outdoor Movie Events
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| Image source: Yaletown BIA |
Shop at Night Markets
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| Image Source: GoToVan |
We only have a little over a month of summer left (I know, time flies so fast!), so make the most out of it!
Sean
One Page at a Time
Being “you” is easier said than done especially when you are adjusting into a culture that you are unfamiliar with. As a young
migrant, it can be tough to adjust to cultural differences between your adopted country and home country while you are trying to map out your identity as an individual.
As an immigrant, it is common that you are first identified
by your racial background – a part of a greater whole – a culture with its own
ways and tradition. But aside from that, you are also an individual molded by
experiences and stories strengthened through time. All of these can be a lot more complicated
when you are parachuted into a new life – a new culture that may be different
from what you are used to together with new experiences that shapes your new
personality. And even then, there is a bigger question:
How are you going to fit yourself in this new culture
or society with their own ways? How will you find a way to keep ties to your
roots, fit into this newly introduced culture all while you keep on growing and
mold yourself as your own person or as an individual?
It is fairly easy to get lost with these questions as it is
a lot to take it all in at once. But each individual has their own ways of
dealing with it. Some just go with the flow; some manage to paint it all
together in one canvas – a mosaic with vibrant colours clashed together as an
art. Sometimes it is a tug of war. It is a battle between keeping your identity
and losing it in order to fit in and even then, there is no assurance or
certainty that you win the game.
Finding balance is the key to answer the question. It is
important to realize that being in a new place or country does not necessarily
mean forgetting your roots nor does it require you to completely ignore the new
ways of living and continue your old ways. Your roots, culture and tradition
will always be yours and there is no shame of being proud of it. The same goes
for trying out new things and exploring this new culture in front you for it
expands your horizon and will let you explore greater things and experiences
that will later on help you to become your own person and become a part of a
larger community that is molded by individuals just like yourself – each with
their own experiences and stories to share.
Trying to fit in does not mean forgetting. Embracing your adopted country does not mean
turning your back from your home country. Sometimes it is a matter of putting
pieces together to create a bigger picture. It is a way of building bridges and
opening a door to new possibilities and vital connections that put both aspects
of old roots and new ties into a well-rounded individual with the capacity of
living in the best of both worlds.
As far as individuality goes, it is a story with an endless
possibility and the course of its progress is entirely up to the person holding
the pen: you. So let your pen find its way to your paper because sometimes,
being ‘you’ is a story written one page at a time.
Janine
What's Up, Vancouver? (July 2014)
July 4-5 2014
July 5, 2014
July 7-11, 2014
Free Outdoor Movies at Stanley Park
Every Tuesday from July 8, 2014 to September 2, 2014
Shrek: The Musical (Theatre Under the Starts)
July 11, 2014 to August 22, 2014
Khatsahlano Block Party
July 12, 2014
Make A Wish 2014: Rope for Hope
July 22, 2014
Youth Strengths & Prevention of Delinquency and Gang Involvement: Academics and Community Acting Together
July 23, 2014Free Outdoor Movies at Stanley Park
Every Tuesday from July 8, 2014 to September 2, 2014
Shrek: The Musical (Theatre Under the Starts)
July 11, 2014 to August 22, 2014
Khatsahlano Block Party
July 12, 2014
Make A Wish 2014: Rope for Hope
July 22, 2014
Youth Strengths & Prevention of Delinquency and Gang Involvement: Academics and Community Acting Together
Vancouver Celebration of Light 2014
July 26 & 30, 2014
ArtStarts Presents: Story Fabric with Ewa Sniatycka
July 27, 2014
Now What?
As summer approaches, another year of school has ended. Some of you are
probably getting ready for a trip somewhere else and enjoy the heat. Some of
you might be starting to wonder what is waiting for you after summer and where
you are heading to and some are still probably looking for signs that will take
you to the right path.
I can still remember the summer I had after my high school graduation.
It was both exciting and scary at the same time. Exciting because I was finally
out of high school and it was the first summer that I finally landed a job.
Scary because I wasn’t really sure what I would be doing after summer. It is
the time where we start to think more about our future and start making ‘adult’
decisions.
What
shall I pursue?
Which
college/university will I apply to?
How
do I sign up for classes?
Will
I make any friends?
How
will I be able to pay for my tuition fee?
How
do I apply for student loans?
Who
will I speak to about my concerns?
Some of you are probably asking the same questions above. It is
overwhelming and it somehow feels like you’ll never get to where you want to be
because of all these processes that you need to take care of before you
actually get there. In other words, it’s like going sky diving and realizing
that you forgot to put on your parachute.
Just kidding. It’s not that scary.
For us immigrants, it might be a completely different process than for those
who were born in this country or have been here a lot longer than when
they started high school. Some of you might have to go to adult school to
complete your credits from high school, some might have to upgrade in order to
take college level classes, some might have to take additional classes for
specific programs that have prerequisites, and some have yet to decide what it
is that they really want to pursue now that high school has ended.
I am not an expert but as an immigrant who has gone through the same
situation, here is a three-step advice that might help you get started and less
scared of what future holds.
1. Make a list.
Make a list of your goals, interests and possible career plan. It
doesn’t have to be an intricate and complete list. A simple, abstract one will
suffice. It can be as simple as putting your interests and checking out the
ones that you are most passionate about and would not actually mind
furthering your knowledge about that specific subject area. It can be a list of
the colleges you wish to attend to. It can also be a list of your simple
everyday ‘to-do’ list. Making a list will help you to look forward for
something and get you inspired to keep going.
2. Research.
I am pretty sure that you are all familiar how internet works and the
great thing about it is that it is more than just social networking sites and a
place to watch cat videos. Everything that you need to know about applying for
college is sitting somewhere around the interwebs. Remember the list I
mentioned earlier? That list will now come in handy. You can start by
searching about a specific interest of yours. For example, I am interested in
Psychology so I searched about the career areas, specializations and pretty
much everything that there is to know about the field. Then, I searched for
colleges that offer the program and then the requirements that I need in order
to get into the program. Yet, here’s another tip, when you do a lot of research
and you gather a lot of information it can be quite overwhelming and when that
happens, I suggest that you take a deep breath and stop searching. Remember the
list? Now is the time to take a pen and paper out and make a list again. This
time, list the questions that you have in mind or just simply write down your
thoughts about the whole research. This will help you map out a plan and
specify the things that need to be done.
3. Email. Call. Make an Appointment.
I know this part is a lot more challenging than the previous ones but
treat this as an experience and a way for you to step up your game and put your
foot forward one step at a time. Most of the colleges and universities offer
assessment and counselling for students who wish to pursue their post-secondary
education in their respective institutions. Talking to someone about your
concerns will be helpful not only to help you get started but to learn and
understand more about the processes with regards to your academic career. If
you are not comfortable going alone, ask your parents or older siblings to help
you out. If that doesn’t work out for you, you can still go back to
researching. This time, do your research in the college’s website. List the
things and questions that you are unable to find answers to and then call,
email, or make an appointment with the school you are interested in going.
I know that the three steps require effort and a lot of thinking. But I
do hope that it will help you get started and figure out where you are heading
or at least, inspire you to not give up just yet. Think of it as one item on the
list that you can cross off in order to get where you want to be. Just take a
deep breath and get on to work because I guarantee you, a year or two from now,
you’ll be surprised how far you are from where you started. And one last thing,
Don’t be scared.
Because nothing is scarier than knowing that you let an opportunity and
a chance passed by without you doing anything to grab and hold on to it. And even if
you are, scared, just know that we’ll be at the sidelines rooting for you.
- Janine
What's Up, Vancouver? (June 2014)
Bard On The Beach Shakespeare Summer Festival
June 11, 2014 to September 20, 2014
Pop-Up Cirque du Soleil Performance - 30th Anniversary Celebration
June 16, 2014
Canada Women's National Soccer Team vs. Germany's Women National Soccer Team
June 18, 2014
Vancouver Canadians Fireworks Nights
June 18, 19, 28, 2014
Night at the Aquarium
June 19, 2014
Art for Change: An Act for Impact Workshop
June 21, 2014
Vancouver Whitecaps Game at BC Place
June 25, 2014
Talk Tankers Youth Event - A Conversation on the Kinder Morgan Pipeline Expansion
June 24, 2014
Vancouver International Busker Festival
June 29, 2014
The Language Barrier
Before
moving to Canada, one of the things that I feared the most was speaking the
English language. I mean, I was not entirely unfamiliar with the English
language since I had studied it in school. In the Philippines, students are
taught English from kindergarten up until college. Despite having had learned
English in school, I was scared and terrified by the fact that I would be
speaking full English in conversations. As part of my not-so-pretty human nature,
I don’t fancy to look stupid. I did not want people to think I was not smart,
and that was my biggest mistake.
As a
Filipino, I would say it is part of our culture that we laugh at everything. Man,
the way we laugh at everything. If you mispronounce an English word, laughter
immediately ensues (especially if you mix up the “p” and “f”, “o” and “u”, or “i”
and “e” sounds). Though it is merely for fun, it is still pretty embarrassing
to be laughed at. Because of this mentality, I had a notion that other people would
look down at me or laugh at me at my poor communication skills. I did not want
to be laughed at because of my English skills—whether it may be because of my
pronunciation, accent, or grammar.
That was
where my mistake was made.
I was too
hard on myself. I forgot that I was at square one. I am not a superhuman. I am not
perfect and I commit mistakes. Besides, not all people are cruel. To think that
they would belittle me is just plain petty and narrow-minded of me.
I
spent my first two weeks not talking to other people, nervous about doing
activities that involved interacting with people such as ordering at the
cashier, interacting with salespersons, and asking for directions. I tried not
to converse with anyone.
Thankfully,
I learned how to cope. My confidence grew each day and having friends to
converse with helps alongside watching movies, reading books and.. watching
movies. Wait, I have already said that. Seriously though, watch movies and even
turn the subtitles on. You might be surprised to find yourself using the same
catchphrases and comebacks that they used.
So go on! Do not be afraid (especially not for the same reasons that
I had), do not be shy, and be proactive!
CHEERS!
Anonymeh
“Here's the thing about
mistakes: Sometimes, even when you know something’s a mistake, you gotta make
it anyway.” - Ted Mosby
Some Cheescake?
It’s almost summer
time! What does that mean? The days are longer, and the nights are
shorter. Temperatures are going to rise,
and we’re all going to be on our shirts and shorts. More time to go out!
What’s fun to do
during the summer? There’s this little café my friends and I go to called
Cheesecake Etc. What’s so special about it is that they open at 7:00 pm and
close at 1:00 am. They have a piano and sometimes musicians play on it. But
that’s not the main attraction. This place has the best cheesecakes in town!
They offer a variety of cheesecakes (there’s regular ones, chocolate ones, and
many more) that you can treat yourself too. They also offer a variety of
delicious hot drinks that can accompany your cheesecake. (Check out the menu at their website!)
Did I mention the ambiance of the place
is dim and fancy-like?
Where is it
located? It’s not far from downtown. The café is along Granville and 6th
Ave W. If you have a date and you don’t
know where to go, Cheesecake Etc. is a place to go. If you don’t have a date,
then go with your friends!
Have a nice day!
Jose
