Gawker
By: Annie Li
For those who spend life outside of school on the computer, blogging has become a daily routine in addition to checking emails and hanging out on Facebook. What do blogs offer? They offer the personal and interactive touch that's accessible nowhere else, not to mention the opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to achieve a global audience with a shoestring budget. Fifteen of the Internet’s biggest publications – from Gizmodo to Defamer, are managed by Gawker Media, which also publishes the eponymous Gawker. These websites are where more than 30 million readers stake their territories every month.
The managing editor of the Gawker Media Network is Noah Robischon, who’s been an editor and writer for nine years. His works appear in The New York Times, Business 2.0, Stuff, GQ, People and Entertainment Weekly, where he worked as a senior writer for five years. For those who just happen to watch New York 1 News, he does a Digital Living Review each week.
My Interview with Noah Robischon
1. What inspired you to go into writing and blogging?
I started my career in radio and documentary filmmaking. The lure of online media is that it combines writing, video and sound in new ways.
2. Please share with us your experience with Gawker Media and the things you've learned from being in this job.
It's a world apart from the glacial pace of mainstream media. The days are fast-paced, exciting, and I go home feeling that something has been accomplished.
3. What do you like most about your job?
Working with the editors and writers in our network of blogs.
4. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
Working with the editors and writers in our network of blogs.
5. Can you give us some insight into your day-to-day life as Managing Editor of Gawker?
This morning I handled a reader complaint, worked with developers on a new design element that will appear on the sidebar of every site, gave an editor notes on yesterday's posts, estimated next month's budget numbers, and created an account for a new writer.
6. What's the best way to get into the writing/journalism field?
Network with peers. Keep pitching yourself and your stories, and don't be afraid of getting turned down.
7. As technology continues to develop, what role do you think blogs and Internet publications will play in the media sphere?
Blogs in some form will be the dominant force in daily news coverage. Readers are already shifting away from print and television to online. It's more participatory and accessible than any other medium.
8. Many people are apprehensive towards information on the Internet due to user-provided content. How does this trend impact your work and industry?
Reader participation is a blessing more than a curse, but it does have drawbacks at times. Still, I prefer having active readers and dealing with those problems than being alienated from readers the way writers are at many print publications.
9. Just for fun, please share a high school memory with us.
I played Scrooge in my HS production of A Christmas Carol.
10. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?
"The best writing is rewriting." - E.B. White.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Manga Review: Do You Want to Try?
Shoujo: Do You Want to Try?
Author: Cha Kyung Hee
Genres: Romance, Drama, YA
Rating: 6/10
I started reading Do You Want to Try? today, and I have to say that I don't mind the style. In fact, after the first chapter, I really started getting into the plotline and the characters. I like the main character, who is assertive and even agressive when the situation calls for it. The main male character is also quite attractive, and as an added bonus, his personality reminds me of Jaewon from Conversations Between Us.
As for the artwork, I'm not going to sing praises about it. I don't like it as much I should (I try to appreciate everything I see in its own style), but let's just say it's similar to (but still a notch below) Hwang Mi Ri's. One of these days, I really wish I would be able to encounter stuff like The Bride of the Watergod or Red River, because even if the plots were horrible (they are not), I'd read them to enjoy the artwork.
Overall, the tone is optimistic, so I'm not really expecting a sad ending. However, it deals with tough school leaderships (which remind me of gangs), and in that way, who knows what can happen? In regards to the story, I think what started off as cliched is no longer as predictable. The interesting parts always stem from originality, and I see the potential for new development. I haven't been able to get my hands on more than perhaps 2 volumes, so I can't say that much more. Check it out when you have the time, but don't expect too much.
The Internet Summary:
When the hot-tempered Han Hye Won accidently insults the handsome jjang of Han Hwa Go, Sun Woo Bin decides to pay her a visit... with his entire motorcycle gang, ready to see some blood. So how does that lead up to a kiss and the infamous captain begging for a date? Do you want to try?
- Annie
Author: Cha Kyung Hee
Genres: Romance, Drama, YA
Rating: 6/10
I started reading Do You Want to Try? today, and I have to say that I don't mind the style. In fact, after the first chapter, I really started getting into the plotline and the characters. I like the main character, who is assertive and even agressive when the situation calls for it. The main male character is also quite attractive, and as an added bonus, his personality reminds me of Jaewon from Conversations Between Us.As for the artwork, I'm not going to sing praises about it. I don't like it as much I should (I try to appreciate everything I see in its own style), but let's just say it's similar to (but still a notch below) Hwang Mi Ri's. One of these days, I really wish I would be able to encounter stuff like The Bride of the Watergod or Red River, because even if the plots were horrible (they are not), I'd read them to enjoy the artwork.
Overall, the tone is optimistic, so I'm not really expecting a sad ending. However, it deals with tough school leaderships (which remind me of gangs), and in that way, who knows what can happen? In regards to the story, I think what started off as cliched is no longer as predictable. The interesting parts always stem from originality, and I see the potential for new development. I haven't been able to get my hands on more than perhaps 2 volumes, so I can't say that much more. Check it out when you have the time, but don't expect too much.
The Internet Summary:
When the hot-tempered Han Hye Won accidently insults the handsome jjang of Han Hwa Go, Sun Woo Bin decides to pay her a visit... with his entire motorcycle gang, ready to see some blood. So how does that lead up to a kiss and the infamous captain begging for a date? Do you want to try?
- Annie
Interview: Kyle MacDonald
One red paperclip
One house
One year
By: Annie Li
Everybody has heard of them – from the 17 year-old millionaire to the 12 year-old novelist. Most people have dreamt of or even came close to realizing these potential achievements, but it’s much easier said than done. Just how many times have you imagined becoming a millionaire overnight, being the CEO of a successful company or starting the next trend in our technologically dependent society? Actually, there’s just one thing from stopping your dreams from coming true.
An idea.
A creative idea that is so powerful and moving that it will undoubtedly sweep everyone off their feet and into an obliviously satisfactory contentment. The red paperclip is an idea of similar magnitudes.
In the hot summer days of 2005, a man named Kyle MacDonald in Montreal had the light-bulb idea of trading one red paperclip that he had sitting on his desk for “something bigger and better”.
He posted this idea on the Internet and the next thing he knew; two people from Vancouver had called him up and were offering to trade a fish pen for the paperclip. He gladly accepted the trade and proceeded to trade the fish pen for an even better object. Thus began his journey to gain objects that were more valuable.
Kyle’s idea began to gain momentum and it was only a matter of time before he gained a one year lease to an apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. He traded this for “an afternoon with Alice Cooper” with an employee of the rock star who saw the apartment deal as her big chance for free rent.
Amazingly, Kyle then traded the afternoon with Alice Cooper for a snow globe, which seemed quite insignificant at the time, but proved itself to be worthy when it garnered a role in a movie. The trade was made with Corbin Bernsen, an American actor who happened to be one of the biggest snow globe collectors on the planet. In return for the snow globe, Kyle received one paid, credited and speaking role in a film by Public Media Works, room and board during filming and return airfare from anywhere in the world.
At this point, you might wonder, was Kyle satisfied? What more could he have wanted? Well, his bartering wasn’t over just yet. During the whole process, his one and only goal was a house. Since he wasn’t rich enough to buy a house with a snap of his fingers, he proceeded to achieve it through another way. Approximately one year from the emergence of his idea, his dream came true when he was offered a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan for the movie role. In fact, he was even given the Key to the Town of Kipling. Kyle immediately accepted it.
The manifestation of the concept of the one red paperclip received a swarm of media attention, and a large number of people tracked his progress online. It was an inspirational idea in which people were attracted to it as moths to a flame. In the end, one seemingly unimportant idea had blossomed into a life-sized reality for not only Kyle MacDonald, but also for those whose lives had been touched by his venture.
Needless to say, it’s possible that one of your own far-off fantasies might spring to life, and all you need is a key to unlock it. So when you feel like an anchor plowing through the depths of the seafloor while your ship sails on overhead, use your mind a little more, and perhaps your next inconsequential thought just might be that key.
My Interview with Kyle MacDonald
1. What gave you the idea of one red paperclip?
It was actually morphed from a game that I played when I was young. It was based on the same concept: asking for better things to trade than what you had in the beginning. When I saw that red paperclip just sitting there, I decided to try the idea online. As you can see, it turned out pretty well.
2. During your trades, you traded one afternoon with Alice Cooper for one snow globe, why?
It was actually prearranged.
3. So you knew that if you traded the afternoon for a snow globe, Corbin Bernsen would trade with you afterwards?
Yes. I had already planned out the next trade.
Note: That really surprised me. No wonder he did something like that, and I thought it was only a stroke of luck!
4. Can you give us some insights regarding your trading experience?
It was an extremely fun experience; I got to meet many people. In the end, I think it made a lot of people happy, which is what matters.
5. What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?
I had no idea – I still don’t. It was just finishing up school and seeing what life was willing to offer.
6. How has the one red paperclip made an impact on your life?
Well, now I’ve got high school reporters from Toronto calling me up. Haha. There was a lot of media attention. I would get recognized while walking down the street or just going about. I have a new house now, and it’s a pretty sweet story to tell. Though since so many people know about it, just a mention of the red paperclip and they’d go “you’re the red paperclip guy?” It made a lot of things happen in my life that wouldn’t have otherwise.
7. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?
My biggest advice would be to keep your options open. It’s good to have one goal and know the one thing that you want to do, but make sure that you have back up plans. A lot of people walk out of the school with their mind made up of what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but that type of thing almost always changes. So be open-minded about the opportunities that are in front of you and be aware that you should hope more while expecting less.
One house
One year
By: Annie Li
Everybody has heard of them – from the 17 year-old millionaire to the 12 year-old novelist. Most people have dreamt of or even came close to realizing these potential achievements, but it’s much easier said than done. Just how many times have you imagined becoming a millionaire overnight, being the CEO of a successful company or starting the next trend in our technologically dependent society? Actually, there’s just one thing from stopping your dreams from coming true.
An idea.
A creative idea that is so powerful and moving that it will undoubtedly sweep everyone off their feet and into an obliviously satisfactory contentment. The red paperclip is an idea of similar magnitudes.
In the hot summer days of 2005, a man named Kyle MacDonald in Montreal had the light-bulb idea of trading one red paperclip that he had sitting on his desk for “something bigger and better”.
He posted this idea on the Internet and the next thing he knew; two people from Vancouver had called him up and were offering to trade a fish pen for the paperclip. He gladly accepted the trade and proceeded to trade the fish pen for an even better object. Thus began his journey to gain objects that were more valuable.
Kyle’s idea began to gain momentum and it was only a matter of time before he gained a one year lease to an apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. He traded this for “an afternoon with Alice Cooper” with an employee of the rock star who saw the apartment deal as her big chance for free rent.
Amazingly, Kyle then traded the afternoon with Alice Cooper for a snow globe, which seemed quite insignificant at the time, but proved itself to be worthy when it garnered a role in a movie. The trade was made with Corbin Bernsen, an American actor who happened to be one of the biggest snow globe collectors on the planet. In return for the snow globe, Kyle received one paid, credited and speaking role in a film by Public Media Works, room and board during filming and return airfare from anywhere in the world.
At this point, you might wonder, was Kyle satisfied? What more could he have wanted? Well, his bartering wasn’t over just yet. During the whole process, his one and only goal was a house. Since he wasn’t rich enough to buy a house with a snap of his fingers, he proceeded to achieve it through another way. Approximately one year from the emergence of his idea, his dream came true when he was offered a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan for the movie role. In fact, he was even given the Key to the Town of Kipling. Kyle immediately accepted it.
The manifestation of the concept of the one red paperclip received a swarm of media attention, and a large number of people tracked his progress online. It was an inspirational idea in which people were attracted to it as moths to a flame. In the end, one seemingly unimportant idea had blossomed into a life-sized reality for not only Kyle MacDonald, but also for those whose lives had been touched by his venture.
Needless to say, it’s possible that one of your own far-off fantasies might spring to life, and all you need is a key to unlock it. So when you feel like an anchor plowing through the depths of the seafloor while your ship sails on overhead, use your mind a little more, and perhaps your next inconsequential thought just might be that key.
My Interview with Kyle MacDonald
1. What gave you the idea of one red paperclip?
It was actually morphed from a game that I played when I was young. It was based on the same concept: asking for better things to trade than what you had in the beginning. When I saw that red paperclip just sitting there, I decided to try the idea online. As you can see, it turned out pretty well.
2. During your trades, you traded one afternoon with Alice Cooper for one snow globe, why?
It was actually prearranged.
3. So you knew that if you traded the afternoon for a snow globe, Corbin Bernsen would trade with you afterwards?
Yes. I had already planned out the next trade.
Note: That really surprised me. No wonder he did something like that, and I thought it was only a stroke of luck!
4. Can you give us some insights regarding your trading experience?
It was an extremely fun experience; I got to meet many people. In the end, I think it made a lot of people happy, which is what matters.
5. What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?
I had no idea – I still don’t. It was just finishing up school and seeing what life was willing to offer.
6. How has the one red paperclip made an impact on your life?
Well, now I’ve got high school reporters from Toronto calling me up. Haha. There was a lot of media attention. I would get recognized while walking down the street or just going about. I have a new house now, and it’s a pretty sweet story to tell. Though since so many people know about it, just a mention of the red paperclip and they’d go “you’re the red paperclip guy?” It made a lot of things happen in my life that wouldn’t have otherwise.
7. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?
My biggest advice would be to keep your options open. It’s good to have one goal and know the one thing that you want to do, but make sure that you have back up plans. A lot of people walk out of the school with their mind made up of what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but that type of thing almost always changes. So be open-minded about the opportunities that are in front of you and be aware that you should hope more while expecting less.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
About
J is looking for J is exactly what it says in the title: a literary escape.
Though the main focus of this website will be books and manga, all other literary forms are also open to discussion (book-into-movies, plays, poems, short stories... you get the idea).
Why was this site created? Have you ever spent days browsing through bookshops online and library shelves just waiting to find that one right book? What about if you're a manga lover and just aren't familiar with the titles? Or perhaps the world around you isn't as excited about literature as you are, and you just want someone to talk to about the topics that fascinate you?
I know I'm not the only one who sometimes feel this way. That's why this site is here.
Also, this website provides you with the opportunity to share your own works with the readers - whether it's art, videos, or writing, be sure to send them in!
Breakdown of pages:
Book Review - Origin of the Book Review
Manga Review - Origin of the Manga Review
Literary Circle - Featured writings
Interviews - My interviews with numerous people on behalf of my school.
Annie's Muse - Personal ramblings
Affiliates - Friends of Jil4J
Contact Us - Leave a comment there or contact me through email and we'll get back to you.
Current Staff:
Eli - New York
Writer
Sign:Cancer
Favourite Food: Dumplings!
Favourite Quote: [Changes sometimes but here is my current ONE: Love the sinner, hate the sin]
Likes: Japanese Music [pop,rock,punk], Anime!, Mangas [yaoi/romance] and such
Dislikes: Ignorant people
Berber - Toronto
Writer
Sign: Cancer
Favourite Food: Anything Italian!
Favourite Quote: "Not everybody can be heroes, somebody have to clap as they go by."
Likes: Cats, books, dramas, staying up late, collecting fonts, violin, everything Asian-pop
Dislikes: Mushrooms, computer crashes, theory, standing up too quickly and getting an out-of-this-world experience
Ces - London
Writer
Sign: Libra
Favourite Food: Not a picky gal, from anything to everything really...lol!
Favourite Quote: Life is like a photograph, you need the negatives to develop
Likes: Writing, reading, music (K-pop, Big Bang), films (Australia)
Dislikes: Rain, school, not fond of shopping
Joey - Los Angeles
Editor
Sign: Aries
Favourite Food: green tea ice cream
Favourite Quote: "Money and everything else are zeroes. Without health, the '1' in front, the zeroes wouldn't matter."
Likes: food, sleep, music, art, books, shopping, singing, dancing
Dislikes: peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, nuts, olives
Prerana - Toronto
Layout Manager
Sign: Scorpio
Favourite Food: Pasta
Favourite Quote: "I can resist everything except temptation." - Oscar Wilde.
Likes: the rain, books, art, and Johnny Depp. :P
Dislikes: Uh...bull terriers scare me a little. I wouldn't say I dislike them though, as I've never met one.
Andreas - Toronto
Layout Manager
Sign: Pisces
Favourite Food: Dim Sum
Favourite Quote: "If we could bottle your luck, we’d have a weapon of mass destruction on our hands."
Likes: Almost Everything
Dislikes: Yogurt
Annie - Toronto
Admin
Sign: Sagi.
Favourite Food: Everything
Favourite Quote: "One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching."
Likes: Being inspired
Dislikes: Red marks all over tests
To see the 1st post, click here.
Signing off,
Annie
Though the main focus of this website will be books and manga, all other literary forms are also open to discussion (book-into-movies, plays, poems, short stories... you get the idea).
Why was this site created? Have you ever spent days browsing through bookshops online and library shelves just waiting to find that one right book? What about if you're a manga lover and just aren't familiar with the titles? Or perhaps the world around you isn't as excited about literature as you are, and you just want someone to talk to about the topics that fascinate you?
I know I'm not the only one who sometimes feel this way. That's why this site is here.
Also, this website provides you with the opportunity to share your own works with the readers - whether it's art, videos, or writing, be sure to send them in!
Breakdown of pages:
Book Review - Origin of the Book Review
Manga Review - Origin of the Manga Review
Literary Circle - Featured writings
Interviews - My interviews with numerous people on behalf of my school.
Annie's Muse - Personal ramblings
Affiliates - Friends of Jil4J
Contact Us - Leave a comment there or contact me through email and we'll get back to you.
Current Staff:
Eli - New York
Writer
Sign:Cancer
Favourite Food: Dumplings!
Favourite Quote: [Changes sometimes but here is my current ONE: Love the sinner, hate the sin]
Likes: Japanese Music [pop,rock,punk], Anime!, Mangas [yaoi/romance] and such
Dislikes: Ignorant people
Berber - Toronto
Writer
Sign: Cancer
Favourite Food: Anything Italian!
Favourite Quote: "Not everybody can be heroes, somebody have to clap as they go by."
Likes: Cats, books, dramas, staying up late, collecting fonts, violin, everything Asian-pop
Dislikes: Mushrooms, computer crashes, theory, standing up too quickly and getting an out-of-this-world experience
Ces - London
Writer
Sign: Libra
Favourite Food: Not a picky gal, from anything to everything really...lol!
Favourite Quote: Life is like a photograph, you need the negatives to develop
Likes: Writing, reading, music (K-pop, Big Bang), films (Australia)
Dislikes: Rain, school, not fond of shopping
Joey - Los Angeles
Editor
Sign: Aries
Favourite Food: green tea ice cream
Favourite Quote: "Money and everything else are zeroes. Without health, the '1' in front, the zeroes wouldn't matter."
Likes: food, sleep, music, art, books, shopping, singing, dancing
Dislikes: peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, nuts, olives
Prerana - Toronto
Layout Manager
Sign: Scorpio
Favourite Food: Pasta
Favourite Quote: "I can resist everything except temptation." - Oscar Wilde.
Likes: the rain, books, art, and Johnny Depp. :P
Dislikes: Uh...bull terriers scare me a little. I wouldn't say I dislike them though, as I've never met one.
Andreas - Toronto
Layout Manager
Sign: Pisces
Favourite Food: Dim Sum
Favourite Quote: "If we could bottle your luck, we’d have a weapon of mass destruction on our hands."
Likes: Almost Everything
Dislikes: Yogurt
Annie - Toronto
Admin
Sign: Sagi.
Favourite Food: Everything
Favourite Quote: "One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching."
Likes: Being inspired
Dislikes: Red marks all over tests
To see the 1st post, click here.
Signing off,
Annie
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Secret Behind J is looking for J
~J is looking for J~
...
Most people who follow this blog have realized the origin of J is looking for J - it's an inside joke from the manga 100% Perfect Girl. However, they would have also realized that I never truly explained it, and it's about time that I did. So here's a little insight:
Some people are consciously looking for an individual who understands us on a really deep level - perhaps someone who shows and teaches us new things, things that even we don't know about ourselves. Some people are simply searching for another soul to be with - to either dispel the loneliness of our single, solitary voices or to provide support, warmth and company.
Other people are unaware of this inherent, all-encompassing search, though they are still an active participant in this process. A few individuals are lucky enough to have already found someone who fulfills and inspires them to achieve what would have been the impossible.
In our search, we look at the people around us, but we always encounter the same problem - that the person we're searching for isn't there. There's nobody even half-decent, nevermind anyone we can consider our "soulmate". So what do we do? We wait. We wait for that someone to walk down the road, bump into us and hopefully find us just as perfect as we find them.
But if we thought this through rationally, we'd be stumped by the first question. Can fate bring us our destiny so easily? Shouldn't we be out there, actively looking for something to fill that inexplicable hole within us?
And this is where J is looking for J comes in. I don't want to be just waiting. I want to be searching; looking for it. Js are synonymous letters. I can replace the first J with anything - my name, your name, a number, a picture, or an expression of myself. And the other is like the first J - a simple parallelism that would make this sentence complete. It's weird to think that the name of a simple blog can be considered in such a way, but it's a reminder for me to always keep my eyes open. I don't want life to pass me by while I'm half-stuck in dreamland.
Then there are people who read this and think - how can we define fate or destiny or luck or karma or soul - searching? Isn't life just a big coincidence? There are no coherent thoughts; no shackles we can possibly clasp onto intangible substances.
Well, let me ask you: Wouldn't this world - our lives be so much more interesting if we thought otherwise? That someday, our search will be fruitful? That in our search for someone else, for a definition, for a purpose, we might be able to discover something more about ourselves and humanity?
I believe, without a doubt, that life would be much more interesting.
- Annie
Monday, September 22, 2008
Manga Review: Kiss in the Blue
Shoujo: Kiss in the Blue
Author: Kaho Miyasaka
Genres: Romance, Drama, Shoujo
Rating: 7/10
I read this manga about a year ago. I've decided to review it now because I've never forgotten it, and because it's fundamentally different from most other works I've read. A majority of the time, I'm in the mood for romantic comedies. I like things that are light and appealing, because it increases the general outlook I have on other things as well. I don't need works that make me feel bad, because literary escapes are supposed to make me feel good.
Occasionally, I encounter a masterpiece - a piece of work that I have to enjoy to the full extent, no matter how it makes me feel. It is during these rare circumstances that I disregard the possibly that I might feel sad, depressed or lost by the end, because all the emotions that I would never experience in life (the drama!) have appeared somewhere in the middle.
I'm not necessarily saying Kiss in the Blue is a masterpiece, nor am I saying that it makes me feel bad. It's just one of those few mangas that stand out among the others in its category. The plot line isn't as cliched as it could be, and the main character isn't the most annoying I've encountered. The art isn't bad, and I've got to say that throughout the whole manga, I was genuinely interested. It is something that a manga-lover has to check out (and notice I said "manga-lover", because someone who's just starting into mangas may not be immediately be attracted to the dark undertones.
On to the summary!
From Wikipedia: This is a very dark and angsty work, much more so than Miyasaka's other works. Saeki Chise has no recollection of the summer of three years ago. Whenever she feels as though her memories might be returning, her head begins to ache and Chise stops trying to remember. That's when Tamiya appears before her. He has a familiar face and photographs from the traumatic time that Chise's mind has suppressed. He uses the photos to blackmail her into becoming his woman...but then Chise is saved from Tamiya by Katsuragi Kaoru, the biggest delinquent in class! Chise begins to fall for Kaoru, but his role in this situation is not as innocent as Chise at first believes.
I'm planning to reread the series (there are four volumes in total) because I haven't found anything really good up to now. The last awesome manga I read was 100% Perfect Girl in April or so of this year, and I've been on a futile search for something just as good ever since. There was one point when I would read everything and anything, but now I've become picky. I want to experience the feelings of when I first stepped into the manga world - when there were numerous good titles that never ran out. Now that I've been through them all, finding a good one is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Of course, "good" is subjective. What I mean is something that truly appeals to me. The same thing is happening to me with books. Though I've got a bigger selection with books, I spend most of my time reading halfway into it deciding that it isn't right for me, and that there is no way I'd like it. I wish I would come across a list with absolutely eveything that I should read - specifically tailored to me.
But then again, I'd be missing half the fun, wouldn't I?
- Annie
Author: Kaho Miyasaka
Genres: Romance, Drama, Shoujo
Rating: 7/10
I read this manga about a year ago. I've decided to review it now because I've never forgotten it, and because it's fundamentally different from most other works I've read. A majority of the time, I'm in the mood for romantic comedies. I like things that are light and appealing, because it increases the general outlook I have on other things as well. I don't need works that make me feel bad, because literary escapes are supposed to make me feel good.Occasionally, I encounter a masterpiece - a piece of work that I have to enjoy to the full extent, no matter how it makes me feel. It is during these rare circumstances that I disregard the possibly that I might feel sad, depressed or lost by the end, because all the emotions that I would never experience in life (the drama!) have appeared somewhere in the middle.
I'm not necessarily saying Kiss in the Blue is a masterpiece, nor am I saying that it makes me feel bad. It's just one of those few mangas that stand out among the others in its category. The plot line isn't as cliched as it could be, and the main character isn't the most annoying I've encountered. The art isn't bad, and I've got to say that throughout the whole manga, I was genuinely interested. It is something that a manga-lover has to check out (and notice I said "manga-lover", because someone who's just starting into mangas may not be immediately be attracted to the dark undertones.
On to the summary!
From Wikipedia: This is a very dark and angsty work, much more so than Miyasaka's other works. Saeki Chise has no recollection of the summer of three years ago. Whenever she feels as though her memories might be returning, her head begins to ache and Chise stops trying to remember. That's when Tamiya appears before her. He has a familiar face and photographs from the traumatic time that Chise's mind has suppressed. He uses the photos to blackmail her into becoming his woman...but then Chise is saved from Tamiya by Katsuragi Kaoru, the biggest delinquent in class! Chise begins to fall for Kaoru, but his role in this situation is not as innocent as Chise at first believes.
I'm planning to reread the series (there are four volumes in total) because I haven't found anything really good up to now. The last awesome manga I read was 100% Perfect Girl in April or so of this year, and I've been on a futile search for something just as good ever since. There was one point when I would read everything and anything, but now I've become picky. I want to experience the feelings of when I first stepped into the manga world - when there were numerous good titles that never ran out. Now that I've been through them all, finding a good one is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Of course, "good" is subjective. What I mean is something that truly appeals to me. The same thing is happening to me with books. Though I've got a bigger selection with books, I spend most of my time reading halfway into it deciding that it isn't right for me, and that there is no way I'd like it. I wish I would come across a list with absolutely eveything that I should read - specifically tailored to me.
But then again, I'd be missing half the fun, wouldn't I?
- Annie
Thursday, September 18, 2008
A Little Philosophy
I stayed up all night yesterday (for the first real time ever), and I feel absolutely horrible. But as feeling hung-over as it goes without alcohol, I felt a little burst of inspiration this morning. Some sort of chemical combustion happened, and next thing I knew, I was spouting a whole bunch of random stuff about the meaning of life and happiness and who-knows-what. I wrote it out on paper (wow, that's a rarity), and decided to discuss it at this site. So here's my little philosophical outburst.
As humans, it is impossible for us to be in a constant state of happiness or satisfaction. Every once in a while, life happens, and it is our response and reaction to these circumstantial events that make us grow. It is during these trials of life that we are given the biggest opportunity to prove ourselves, and to fulfill our capacity as individuals.
I doubt that there is any person in this world whose life isn’t defined by the ups and downs of action and consequence. To achieve anything, may it be the acceptance to a good university or the promotion to a higher position; we must first establish that we want it - that it is a goal in our life. But what is “want” when what we “want” is almost disconcerting in its frequent appearance in our minds? It is here that we make an either conscious or subconscious decision that not only do we “want” it, we “need” it.
The higher the object is on our list, the better the chance of us obtaining it. Why can we change our chances simply by associating a different word with the object of our desire? Because whether we know it or not, it signifies our willingness (however reluctant we provide that willingness) to sacrifice for the achievement of our goal.
Now I find myself repeating a concept that has been reiterated boundlessly, but it never detracts from the truth of the statement - that though thinking and speaking is significant, it is our actions that matter. Following through with what we decide is just as important, if not more, than making that decision in the first place. Putting words down without a plan for action is a representation of irresponsibility and in my opinion, even a display of the lack of morals.
It is here where we can find a definite distinction between those who succeed and those who fail. When your work is deemed more substantial in comparison to a competitor’s, it is a testament of your will and human capacity. Standing out – that is success. Yet at the same time, failure does not mean the eradication of the opportunity to obtain what it is that we “need”. It simply means that due to some circumstance, we’ve now been pushed out onto the long road from the short. It is too much to expect an individual to be perfect, as much as we strive toward it, and sometimes the long road ends up teaching us more than what we could have gained otherwise.
Sometimes we fall. It is not an uncommon sight. There are many reasons – from our inability to fulfill expectations to unforeseen circumstances. This is when we hit our lowest, when the word “happiness” ceases to exist in our dictionary. But what can we do except move on? As much as we’d like to change the past, the sun will continue to rise every morning, and the world will continue to rush past, with or without us.
I also believe, however, that without the lows, we wouldn’t be able to truly experience the highs. That without the contrast of life slapping us in the face and then shaking our hands, how would we be able to determine that we’ve achieved happiness?
Isn’t this what life is about, the pursuit of happiness? Every action in our lives is a contributing factor to our progression towards an intrinsic sense of deep satisfaction. As much as we’ve accomplished in our lives – with the establishment of goals and the fulfillment of our dreams, we yearn for that few moments of ecstasy.
Happiness is when after studying four years in high school at the expense of a social life, the student receives an acceptance letter from Harvard. But as high as that letter pushes him or her up, humans, like everything else, eventually fall down. Once we’re on the bottom, we restart our climb up, gradually accumulating more knowledge and experience. We make another goal, we place it on our “need” list, and we set ourselves up for another taste of that sweet ambrosia.
In contrast to the focus on “achievement equals happiness”, we must also realize that no matter where life takes us, the levels of happiness are the same. A rich millionaire isn’t necessarily happier than a poor individual whose goal in life is to see his kids grow up healthy and strong. There is a common misconception that the higher you are on the food chain, the happier you are. Happiness is determined by the set of individual values that only pertain to the individual.
I must ask you this: have you ever laughed while watching a dog chase its tail? You have. In a way, you’ve been laughing at your self. At the end, when we look at life as a whole, it is a never-ending cycle that doesn’t have a definite beginning or an end with the inclusion of a purpose and a checklist for the fulfillment of that purpose.
Can we ever truly experience the question of why we’re here on earth; with the feeling that we’re searching for something? No. But perhaps our closest guess is that we've got to take life as it is, and enjoy it while it lasts. Therefore, humans must take up every opportunity; every chance that makes an appearance as a fork in our road.
In the expansion of our capacity as individuals, in the impact we deliver to our surroundings, in our pursuit of perfection, maybe, just maybe, we can find happiness.
- Annie
~~~~~~~~
The Pursuit of Happiness
Annie
As humans, it is impossible for us to be in a constant state of happiness or satisfaction. Every once in a while, life happens, and it is our response and reaction to these circumstantial events that make us grow. It is during these trials of life that we are given the biggest opportunity to prove ourselves, and to fulfill our capacity as individuals.
I doubt that there is any person in this world whose life isn’t defined by the ups and downs of action and consequence. To achieve anything, may it be the acceptance to a good university or the promotion to a higher position; we must first establish that we want it - that it is a goal in our life. But what is “want” when what we “want” is almost disconcerting in its frequent appearance in our minds? It is here that we make an either conscious or subconscious decision that not only do we “want” it, we “need” it.
The higher the object is on our list, the better the chance of us obtaining it. Why can we change our chances simply by associating a different word with the object of our desire? Because whether we know it or not, it signifies our willingness (however reluctant we provide that willingness) to sacrifice for the achievement of our goal.
Now I find myself repeating a concept that has been reiterated boundlessly, but it never detracts from the truth of the statement - that though thinking and speaking is significant, it is our actions that matter. Following through with what we decide is just as important, if not more, than making that decision in the first place. Putting words down without a plan for action is a representation of irresponsibility and in my opinion, even a display of the lack of morals.
It is here where we can find a definite distinction between those who succeed and those who fail. When your work is deemed more substantial in comparison to a competitor’s, it is a testament of your will and human capacity. Standing out – that is success. Yet at the same time, failure does not mean the eradication of the opportunity to obtain what it is that we “need”. It simply means that due to some circumstance, we’ve now been pushed out onto the long road from the short. It is too much to expect an individual to be perfect, as much as we strive toward it, and sometimes the long road ends up teaching us more than what we could have gained otherwise.
Sometimes we fall. It is not an uncommon sight. There are many reasons – from our inability to fulfill expectations to unforeseen circumstances. This is when we hit our lowest, when the word “happiness” ceases to exist in our dictionary. But what can we do except move on? As much as we’d like to change the past, the sun will continue to rise every morning, and the world will continue to rush past, with or without us.
I also believe, however, that without the lows, we wouldn’t be able to truly experience the highs. That without the contrast of life slapping us in the face and then shaking our hands, how would we be able to determine that we’ve achieved happiness?
Isn’t this what life is about, the pursuit of happiness? Every action in our lives is a contributing factor to our progression towards an intrinsic sense of deep satisfaction. As much as we’ve accomplished in our lives – with the establishment of goals and the fulfillment of our dreams, we yearn for that few moments of ecstasy.
Happiness is when after studying four years in high school at the expense of a social life, the student receives an acceptance letter from Harvard. But as high as that letter pushes him or her up, humans, like everything else, eventually fall down. Once we’re on the bottom, we restart our climb up, gradually accumulating more knowledge and experience. We make another goal, we place it on our “need” list, and we set ourselves up for another taste of that sweet ambrosia.
In contrast to the focus on “achievement equals happiness”, we must also realize that no matter where life takes us, the levels of happiness are the same. A rich millionaire isn’t necessarily happier than a poor individual whose goal in life is to see his kids grow up healthy and strong. There is a common misconception that the higher you are on the food chain, the happier you are. Happiness is determined by the set of individual values that only pertain to the individual.
I must ask you this: have you ever laughed while watching a dog chase its tail? You have. In a way, you’ve been laughing at your self. At the end, when we look at life as a whole, it is a never-ending cycle that doesn’t have a definite beginning or an end with the inclusion of a purpose and a checklist for the fulfillment of that purpose.
Can we ever truly experience the question of why we’re here on earth; with the feeling that we’re searching for something? No. But perhaps our closest guess is that we've got to take life as it is, and enjoy it while it lasts. Therefore, humans must take up every opportunity; every chance that makes an appearance as a fork in our road.
In the expansion of our capacity as individuals, in the impact we deliver to our surroundings, in our pursuit of perfection, maybe, just maybe, we can find happiness.
- Annie
Monday, September 15, 2008
A Short Story
Like I promised, here is my fictional short story.
I spent my flight to Korea reading a short story called “100% Perfect Girl” by Haruki Murakami. I found it absurd – how two people could simply pass each other on an ordinary April morning and assume with utter conviction that the other was their soul mate. I was mildly irritated. Could love be so fickle?
During my few months as an international exchange student at the prestigious CheongShim International Academy, I spent my weekends exploring the city. A blue cloudless Sunday saw me getting lost in the backstreets of Seoul, but I soon found comfort in the discovery of a small café half-hidden behind a busy market square. Relaxing on the patio, I noticed a young woman not much older than myself sitting a table away. She was not particularly pretty, nor did she possess any outstanding features. It was the expression on her face that caught my attention, a forlorn and desolate look that betrayed the playful tug of the warm breeze. I could not see how such a fine day could cause the little furrow between her eyebrows or the severity in the set of her chin.
My journalistic mindset shifted into position and I initiated a conversation. She was reserved at first; somewhat alarmed at the audaciousness of a foreigner who only knew a handful of stuttered Korean words. Thankfully, the girl, whose name I gathered to be Ae Sook, made up for my incompetence with her English. It wasn’t long before I found out the reason behind her melancholy. She had just rejected her childhood friend, “a boy I’d known ever since I was still wriggling in my crib,” she said. He was from a good family – “rich, intelligent and good-looking,” she described, losing herself in the stirring of her juice. I was most curious, unable to understand why she had not given him a chance. She glanced at me at this point, saying bitterly that she would give anything to love him. Her frustration irked me, and I felt clumsy in my attempts to console her as I watched her fingers curl into her palm. “I hate love,” she told me, “it has a mind of its own, and reciprocates with a disregard for convention and logic.”
To make her feel better, I shared with her the stories of my parents and grandparents. I assured her that she was right to have rejected her friend, because who knew if he snored in his sleep or spent all his time partying at night? If he was as great as she depicted, he could very well have fifty secret girlfriends on the side vying for his attention. Though she didn’t understand, I felt the need to quote Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, “love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit”. I liked to think that my words brought her some semblance of comfort.
She asked for my email and phone number, promising to call and schedule a lunch. However, as she stood up to leave, she accidentally tripped on her jacket sleeve that had gotten caught beneath the chair. It was a waiter who went to her rescue, settling her back onto her feet. Had I seen a slight blush appear on her cheeks? I cannot remember.
I forgot about her for a while. My life was overwhelmed by my studies, and with the addition of new friends, I spent more time at Karoke bars than being alone in sidewalk cafés. It was five weeks later when she called me. We met at the same café on a Saturday; this time the sky was tainted with shadows of grey clouds. Rain was inevitable. Her appearance, once again, contrasted with the weather. There was a remarkable smile on her face that stretched to the corners of her eyes. I began to see why her friend liked her. She pulled me to sit down as she went to call on a waiter. To my surprise, Ae Sook pulled a familiar waiter to our table and introduced him to me. “He’s my boyfriend,” she told me proudly. “We’re in love.”
I would have laughed at such absurdity had I not caught the look that passed between them at those words. Her smile and the soft touch at his elbow bade me to reconsider. I hardly paid attention to the conversation that followed. I knew a few details - that she had gone back to see him, that her parents disproved and that he had dropped out of college. Though she never once reiterated the word “love”, I could see how very much in love she was.
I left when it began to rain. I had not brought an umbrella with me, and the rain that slid into my eyes blinded me. In my moments of sightlessness, I could see how love itself was just as blind. This profound feeling was not governed by direction or the need to reciprocate, and it hid the truth as much as it revealed it. If society was a room, then love was a window – it did not facilitate conventional ideas. I walked forward in the soft pitter-pattering of the rain, finding myself richer in my belief of love and acquiring a poignant sense of hope.
- Annie
~~~*~~~*~~~
Blinded by the Rain
Annie
I spent my flight to Korea reading a short story called “100% Perfect Girl” by Haruki Murakami. I found it absurd – how two people could simply pass each other on an ordinary April morning and assume with utter conviction that the other was their soul mate. I was mildly irritated. Could love be so fickle?
During my few months as an international exchange student at the prestigious CheongShim International Academy, I spent my weekends exploring the city. A blue cloudless Sunday saw me getting lost in the backstreets of Seoul, but I soon found comfort in the discovery of a small café half-hidden behind a busy market square. Relaxing on the patio, I noticed a young woman not much older than myself sitting a table away. She was not particularly pretty, nor did she possess any outstanding features. It was the expression on her face that caught my attention, a forlorn and desolate look that betrayed the playful tug of the warm breeze. I could not see how such a fine day could cause the little furrow between her eyebrows or the severity in the set of her chin.
My journalistic mindset shifted into position and I initiated a conversation. She was reserved at first; somewhat alarmed at the audaciousness of a foreigner who only knew a handful of stuttered Korean words. Thankfully, the girl, whose name I gathered to be Ae Sook, made up for my incompetence with her English. It wasn’t long before I found out the reason behind her melancholy. She had just rejected her childhood friend, “a boy I’d known ever since I was still wriggling in my crib,” she said. He was from a good family – “rich, intelligent and good-looking,” she described, losing herself in the stirring of her juice. I was most curious, unable to understand why she had not given him a chance. She glanced at me at this point, saying bitterly that she would give anything to love him. Her frustration irked me, and I felt clumsy in my attempts to console her as I watched her fingers curl into her palm. “I hate love,” she told me, “it has a mind of its own, and reciprocates with a disregard for convention and logic.”
To make her feel better, I shared with her the stories of my parents and grandparents. I assured her that she was right to have rejected her friend, because who knew if he snored in his sleep or spent all his time partying at night? If he was as great as she depicted, he could very well have fifty secret girlfriends on the side vying for his attention. Though she didn’t understand, I felt the need to quote Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, “love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit”. I liked to think that my words brought her some semblance of comfort.
She asked for my email and phone number, promising to call and schedule a lunch. However, as she stood up to leave, she accidentally tripped on her jacket sleeve that had gotten caught beneath the chair. It was a waiter who went to her rescue, settling her back onto her feet. Had I seen a slight blush appear on her cheeks? I cannot remember.
I forgot about her for a while. My life was overwhelmed by my studies, and with the addition of new friends, I spent more time at Karoke bars than being alone in sidewalk cafés. It was five weeks later when she called me. We met at the same café on a Saturday; this time the sky was tainted with shadows of grey clouds. Rain was inevitable. Her appearance, once again, contrasted with the weather. There was a remarkable smile on her face that stretched to the corners of her eyes. I began to see why her friend liked her. She pulled me to sit down as she went to call on a waiter. To my surprise, Ae Sook pulled a familiar waiter to our table and introduced him to me. “He’s my boyfriend,” she told me proudly. “We’re in love.”
I would have laughed at such absurdity had I not caught the look that passed between them at those words. Her smile and the soft touch at his elbow bade me to reconsider. I hardly paid attention to the conversation that followed. I knew a few details - that she had gone back to see him, that her parents disproved and that he had dropped out of college. Though she never once reiterated the word “love”, I could see how very much in love she was.
I left when it began to rain. I had not brought an umbrella with me, and the rain that slid into my eyes blinded me. In my moments of sightlessness, I could see how love itself was just as blind. This profound feeling was not governed by direction or the need to reciprocate, and it hid the truth as much as it revealed it. If society was a room, then love was a window – it did not facilitate conventional ideas. I walked forward in the soft pitter-pattering of the rain, finding myself richer in my belief of love and acquiring a poignant sense of hope.
- Annie
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
I'm Still Alive
I haven't updated in a couple of days... thought I'd drop by and say hi again.
There have been a couple of things I've been doing with my life: clubs, school work, reading.
I'm pretty involved in school, so it's the second week of school and I feel as if I'm going to get a brain hemorrhage already. I've had one test with two more planned for this week. What does this mean? Three tests in the second week of school. I went to a Supercouncil meeting yesterday and got home at 9:30pm (without dinner). Then I had to make budget forms for all the clubs and blah blah blah....
But no, I just couldn't go to sleep without my daily dose of good fiction - so I stayed up until 1:30am to finish Solangel's book - Conversations Between Us. Even though I felt emotionally impaired and unable to do anything without thinking about the story, I woke up at 5:30am this morning so that I could be at school by 7:00 to help with a teacher breakfast.
I am completely booked this whole week, this month and this year. According to my agenda, the next stress-free period I will have will sometime in February. Wait - I already have a project due that month so scratch that, maybe next summer.
So you get my schedule. I guess it partly justifies my inability to tend to this site as often as I'd like. Of course I will make time for it, but it won't be everyday like in August.
I wanted to post a short story I wrote on here, but every time I tried to copy and paste something from word, my window shut down. This is the third time I'm writing this post. I am annoyed beyond words.
I shall post my story tomorrow then, if I'm up to it.
There have been a couple of things I've been doing with my life: clubs, school work, reading.
I'm pretty involved in school, so it's the second week of school and I feel as if I'm going to get a brain hemorrhage already. I've had one test with two more planned for this week. What does this mean? Three tests in the second week of school. I went to a Supercouncil meeting yesterday and got home at 9:30pm (without dinner). Then I had to make budget forms for all the clubs and blah blah blah....
But no, I just couldn't go to sleep without my daily dose of good fiction - so I stayed up until 1:30am to finish Solangel's book - Conversations Between Us. Even though I felt emotionally impaired and unable to do anything without thinking about the story, I woke up at 5:30am this morning so that I could be at school by 7:00 to help with a teacher breakfast.
I am completely booked this whole week, this month and this year. According to my agenda, the next stress-free period I will have will sometime in February. Wait - I already have a project due that month so scratch that, maybe next summer.
So you get my schedule. I guess it partly justifies my inability to tend to this site as often as I'd like. Of course I will make time for it, but it won't be everyday like in August.
I wanted to post a short story I wrote on here, but every time I tried to copy and paste something from word, my window shut down. This is the third time I'm writing this post. I am annoyed beyond words.
I shall post my story tomorrow then, if I'm up to it.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Interview: Lorraine Zander
Chillin’ on the Homefront
By: Annie Li
I’ve always envied other people’s summers. To me, the first day of school means admiring a multitude of perfect tans that don’t originate from the usual sketchy tanning salons, but rather from lazing all day under the glorious sun in countries like Spain, Greece and Italy.
This summer was different for me. The monotonous lull that was supposed to be making its appearance a few weeks after school ended never came. It was because I got a job. Fine, it was a co-op placement, but I like to consider it as “An Intriguing Taste of That Vague Place Which Comes after University”.
It was at the headquarters of Faze Magazine, a Canadian based magazine for teens. I met Lorraine Zander, the editor-in-chief of the place, and also my boss. What I noticed first about Lorraine was that she gave great motivational speeches, and I couldn’t help but be impressed by her knowledge of general human nature – especially of teenagers.
Then there was that small detail of her starting the magazine from scratch and turning it into Canada’s largest magazine for teenagers. She’s had eight years to make it into a very respectable piece of publication with lots of star-studded action. Heck, even I got to meet Avril Lavigne’s in-laws.
I later found out that she was a student at our very own school, and that she walked through the same halls as I did, sat in the same classrooms as I did, and wondered aloud what she was going to become one day. This makes me curious. So what will students from this school be doing ten to fifteen years from now? Will I be vying for an autograph from that guy who sits behind me in math?
My “job” somehow transformed my usually très bland summer into something that could measure up to one of those exotic oversea trips. Though I didn’t get bronze skin, I didn’t get a sunburn either.
My Interview with Lorraine Zander
A: What inspired you to start Faze?
Z: I was looking to purchase a magazine subscription for my brother, who was a teenager at the time, and couldn't find anything that I felt had fun and entertaining content, but also articles that had more depth and substance to them. So, I decided to start my own.
A: What do you like/dislike about your job?
Z: Like any job there are love/hate moments. I work long hours, deal with difficult people at times, and I'm constantly under deadline pressures, however, I also get to work with some great minds (many of which are teenagers!), meet celebrities and go to fun events like the MMVA's.
A: Can you give us some insights about your job?
Z: Publishing a magazine requires two types of expertise: business and creative. You need to know how to make a business thrive and grow and at the same time it's helpful to have an artistic side to help with the look and content of the magazine.
A: What is the hardest aspect of your job?
Z: There is nothing truly "hard" about publishing Faze Magazine, however, I must always make sure that I balance budgets, deadlines, and the quality of the magazine so no one area suffers at the expense of the other, which at times can be challenging.
A: What did you like most about Martingrove while you were here?
Z: I loved the diversity of the student body and teachers. Martingrove is culturally rich. Anyone willing to take the time can learn about the world without ever leaving the school.
A: Do you think your experience at Martingrove has helped you with starting and maintaining Faze?
Z: In a somewhat indirect way, absolutely. It was the first place where I really began to exercise independent thinking, self-reliance, and social networking and where I developed my work ethic and learned how to deal with stress and deadlines -- all of which have helped in my success.
A: What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?
Z: I didn't know "exactly" what I wanted to do, but I always felt I would somehow end up in the sciences. I loved the microbiology program and thought it would lead me into marine biology or a career in research. I appreciate now that I chose to be a "well rounded" student as I find myself loving the world of magazine publishing.
A: Share a high school memory with us.
Z: I remember a student in my microbiology class growing something in a petri dish and then making it into a fire-resistant "fabric", and I clearly recall thinking at the time that I felt privileged to be in the company of such brilliance. I regret now that I never told him how amazing I thought his project was. I think everyone has some kind of brilliance to offer and we should acknowledge it when we see it--whether we know the person or not.
A: Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?
Z: High school is a very unique environment specifically designed to help you learn about who you are and what you want to become. You are constantly faced with situations in which your responses will define and shape you: how do you deal with stress, deadlines, disappointment, heartbreak, deception, drama, cheaters, backstabbers ... Learn from every situation and think before you react. You can shape who you become. Take ownership. And of course, have fun along the way.
By: Annie Li
I’ve always envied other people’s summers. To me, the first day of school means admiring a multitude of perfect tans that don’t originate from the usual sketchy tanning salons, but rather from lazing all day under the glorious sun in countries like Spain, Greece and Italy.
This summer was different for me. The monotonous lull that was supposed to be making its appearance a few weeks after school ended never came. It was because I got a job. Fine, it was a co-op placement, but I like to consider it as “An Intriguing Taste of That Vague Place Which Comes after University”.
It was at the headquarters of Faze Magazine, a Canadian based magazine for teens. I met Lorraine Zander, the editor-in-chief of the place, and also my boss. What I noticed first about Lorraine was that she gave great motivational speeches, and I couldn’t help but be impressed by her knowledge of general human nature – especially of teenagers.
Then there was that small detail of her starting the magazine from scratch and turning it into Canada’s largest magazine for teenagers. She’s had eight years to make it into a very respectable piece of publication with lots of star-studded action. Heck, even I got to meet Avril Lavigne’s in-laws.
I later found out that she was a student at our very own school, and that she walked through the same halls as I did, sat in the same classrooms as I did, and wondered aloud what she was going to become one day. This makes me curious. So what will students from this school be doing ten to fifteen years from now? Will I be vying for an autograph from that guy who sits behind me in math?
My “job” somehow transformed my usually très bland summer into something that could measure up to one of those exotic oversea trips. Though I didn’t get bronze skin, I didn’t get a sunburn either.
My Interview with Lorraine Zander
A: What inspired you to start Faze?
Z: I was looking to purchase a magazine subscription for my brother, who was a teenager at the time, and couldn't find anything that I felt had fun and entertaining content, but also articles that had more depth and substance to them. So, I decided to start my own.
A: What do you like/dislike about your job?
Z: Like any job there are love/hate moments. I work long hours, deal with difficult people at times, and I'm constantly under deadline pressures, however, I also get to work with some great minds (many of which are teenagers!), meet celebrities and go to fun events like the MMVA's.
A: Can you give us some insights about your job?
Z: Publishing a magazine requires two types of expertise: business and creative. You need to know how to make a business thrive and grow and at the same time it's helpful to have an artistic side to help with the look and content of the magazine.
A: What is the hardest aspect of your job?
Z: There is nothing truly "hard" about publishing Faze Magazine, however, I must always make sure that I balance budgets, deadlines, and the quality of the magazine so no one area suffers at the expense of the other, which at times can be challenging.
A: What did you like most about Martingrove while you were here?
Z: I loved the diversity of the student body and teachers. Martingrove is culturally rich. Anyone willing to take the time can learn about the world without ever leaving the school.
A: Do you think your experience at Martingrove has helped you with starting and maintaining Faze?
Z: In a somewhat indirect way, absolutely. It was the first place where I really began to exercise independent thinking, self-reliance, and social networking and where I developed my work ethic and learned how to deal with stress and deadlines -- all of which have helped in my success.
A: What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?
Z: I didn't know "exactly" what I wanted to do, but I always felt I would somehow end up in the sciences. I loved the microbiology program and thought it would lead me into marine biology or a career in research. I appreciate now that I chose to be a "well rounded" student as I find myself loving the world of magazine publishing.
A: Share a high school memory with us.
Z: I remember a student in my microbiology class growing something in a petri dish and then making it into a fire-resistant "fabric", and I clearly recall thinking at the time that I felt privileged to be in the company of such brilliance. I regret now that I never told him how amazing I thought his project was. I think everyone has some kind of brilliance to offer and we should acknowledge it when we see it--whether we know the person or not.
A: Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?
Z: High school is a very unique environment specifically designed to help you learn about who you are and what you want to become. You are constantly faced with situations in which your responses will define and shape you: how do you deal with stress, deadlines, disappointment, heartbreak, deception, drama, cheaters, backstabbers ... Learn from every situation and think before you react. You can shape who you become. Take ownership. And of course, have fun along the way.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Letters to Myself
Have you ever felt alone... like really, really alone?
Like the whole world doesn't really understand you or the problems you face?
It's often difficult to find someone you trust and spill everything, which is what you want to do in this circumstance, but there's just nobody out there.
When you're sad, or happy or simply content, and at the same time you feel lonely, write a letter to yourself.
I was reading an article from Marie Clare and the article gave me this idea.
Pretend you're old - maybe in your fourties and assuming the position of yourself in that specific age, write a letter to who you are now. Then you'll feel like the whole world is totally alright.
My imaginary 42 year old self has two kids, a good job and a caring husband. I'm a successful business woman who is very happy with her life. Looking back, what would I say to my teenage self? I'd tell her to keep on studying, and always be tenacious in chasing after her dreams. I'd tell her to continually work on her novel, and forget everyone who tells her that she can't do it or that marks are everything.
I'd tell her that one bad hair day isn't something to fuss over, nor is one bad test score. I'd tell her to look after her family and friends, as those people are what matters the most at the end of the day. I'd tell her to enjoy life, and that people only have one youth. Stop and smell the roses! Is what I'd say to her.
And I'd tell her all of this in a letter. And maybe, if my teenage self feels indulgent enough, she'd reply to me with a letter asking for advice, or simply sharing her troubles and successes with me.
Because then, neither of us would ever feel lonely again.
- Annie
Like the whole world doesn't really understand you or the problems you face?
It's often difficult to find someone you trust and spill everything, which is what you want to do in this circumstance, but there's just nobody out there.
When you're sad, or happy or simply content, and at the same time you feel lonely, write a letter to yourself.
I was reading an article from Marie Clare and the article gave me this idea.
Pretend you're old - maybe in your fourties and assuming the position of yourself in that specific age, write a letter to who you are now. Then you'll feel like the whole world is totally alright.
My imaginary 42 year old self has two kids, a good job and a caring husband. I'm a successful business woman who is very happy with her life. Looking back, what would I say to my teenage self? I'd tell her to keep on studying, and always be tenacious in chasing after her dreams. I'd tell her to continually work on her novel, and forget everyone who tells her that she can't do it or that marks are everything.
I'd tell her that one bad hair day isn't something to fuss over, nor is one bad test score. I'd tell her to look after her family and friends, as those people are what matters the most at the end of the day. I'd tell her to enjoy life, and that people only have one youth. Stop and smell the roses! Is what I'd say to her.
And I'd tell her all of this in a letter. And maybe, if my teenage self feels indulgent enough, she'd reply to me with a letter asking for advice, or simply sharing her troubles and successes with me.
Because then, neither of us would ever feel lonely again.
- Annie
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