Within the last ten to twelve years, I’ve noticed an influx of commercials advertising different drugs, everything from erectile dysfunction to depression. Recently, I discovered that this practice is illegal in Canada, and yet we’re able to see such commercials because we have many American channels on satellite or digital cable. At first I found these commercials to be humorous but also pointless as the laundry list of side effects would be enough to convince me not to take the drug. However, recently I’ve also come to understand how marketing comes into play with such medication, because the underlying perception in our society is still that prescription drugs are somehow are effective than those we can simply purchase on our own in the drugstore.

With that being said, there are also other techniques used by such companies that convince people to talk to their doctors about medication such as Celebrex or Viagra. They use images of healthy, happy people who have become that way because the drugs have cured their depression or their allergies. Every day conditions such as allergies and the common cold have been re-branded into being sold as diseases and as such the underlying message is that medication must be purchased in order to heal people from such afflictions.

Moreover, I personally admit that companies such as Pfizer have ingenious marketing departments. Pfizer’s recent campaign featuring the ‘What Can We Do’ and “Graffiti’ commercials focuses on the human element to better health, becoming more brave, loving your families and enjoying the little things in life. Pfizer is bold enough to proclaim that sometimes ‘it takes more than medication’ in an attempt to market themselves as believing in alternative ways to better health, in spite being one of the two largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Keep in mind, however, alternative in this sense does not mean alternative medicine. Although society is increasingly accepting of methods such as herbal medicine, acupuncture and naturopathy, these methods are in direct competition with pharmaceutical companies and in traditional mediums, such as television; pharmaceutical companies rule. Western medicine is still trying to convince its audience that the answers to their problems are found at the bottom of a pill bottle.

As I mentioned previously, the companies often do not create new medication for new diseases, rather they re-brand old diseases with new names and everyday conditions into diseases that previously thought of as being normal, such as acid reflux, which is now called gastro-esophageal reflux disease, which sounds much more serious and in much more need of medication to deal with it. I’ve recently learned that this is called the commodification of health and the medicalization of the human experience.

With this so called new influx of drugs and diseases, so brings in more fear in society about our health. The relationship with our doctors simply becomes a delivery system for these drugs, which doctors are pressured into pushing because of free incentives they receive from pharmaceutical companies. It is a world where increasingly, we cannot trust the information internet websites on the most effective medication, nor what we hear on the news.

In essence, all we are able to do as patients and consumers is tread carefully into the world of medication and learn as much as we can from patient advocacy groups and literature written by proven medical scientists and professionals. Without this knowledge, we are doing nothing but walking into a field of land mines.

As I approach the end of my post secondary career, at least for all intents and purpose thus far; I find myself increasing disillusioned with the purpose of my degree.

Many people I have spoken to have said that the light is at the end of the tunnel and that for better or for worse, I will have completed my higher education with more knowledge than I entered in with. But for what purpose? Increasingly, I have found myself thinking that the purpose of a degree is to convince potential employers (and clients, in my case) that I have the qualifications to successfully compete for and do the job that I set out to do. However, is experience not just as vital if not more so than qualifications?

I suppose the question is how one defines the term ‘qualifications’. In my all-too-brief stints in the working world, which increasingly informs my experience in marketing and advertising, I believe that it is the tasks I complete that give me the qualifications; not my education. Why do I say this, you may ask? As I attend a traditional university, much if not all of what we are taught is theoretical. We are not given opportunities to apply such so-called knowledge outside of the confines of projects contained within the lecture hall. This is an enormous difference from that of more applied post secondary institutions, of which the one I worked at the latter half of last year fits into.

In my institution, nearly any and all applied experience we must go out and seek ourselves, much of it through our co-operative education program, of which I am a huge supporter of and participant in myself. In the applied institutions, however, your practical experience is integrated into the very fabric of your education.

For example, at the institution where I was a staff member for all too brief of a time, their MBA students were given projects, not from the professor or instructor, but from actual businesses looking for help at no cost. This help is in the form of business or marketing plans as well as other projects. These students also have the option of creating their own plans for their own start-up businesses. Throughout the process, the students’ plans are judged by three different independent panels of potential investors; therefore giving them the opportunity to see whether or not their businesses will succeed. This is an element that I find myself wishing frequently was available in more traditional educational institutions. As one struggling with a part-time freelance writing business in the marketing and advertising field myself, I believe there would have been many pointers and opportunities for advice that I could have received.

It is not as though I rely strictly on school to assist me with my business or searches for work experience however. I have attended networking events and have a student membership in the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in an attempt to grow my network, obtain advice and gain work. But, it would have assisted me greatly had I had such applied opportunities integrated into my degree.

There are those who will disagree with me on the purpose of a degree. But the fact remains that my education will not teach me how to craft a brochure for a graphic designer, or a website for a photographer. Each client’s needs are distinct and separate from another, as are their target audiences. These are skills learned through trial and error, to which I have no teacher other than my own two hands and communication with my client. In my institution, my writing abilities extend strictly to academic forms of writing, which assist me little in my business or work experience as I do not intend to move to higher forms of post secondary education.

There is a debate then, between the importance of theoretical and practical knowledge. As I have said before, I find myself increasingly disillusioned as much of the courses I am forced to endure to complete my degree have little or nothing to do with my career path. Those that I do take an interest in, I somehow think that the option is still available to me to obtain books, articles and alike on such subject matter without having to pay tuition in order to gain such knowledge. The argument of course, can be made that the chances of my being willing to go out and search for such material is slim to none; nevertheless the opportunity is available to me.

I suppose the second debate would be on the definition of qualifications. All the jobs in my field, communications, that I have discovered, all explicitly state experience as their first preference, with the degree as a secondary point.  One could then venture a guess that experience is the most important qualification when seeking employment. The degree then, is simply there to convince the individuals/company that you are marketing your skills to, that you have the training to excel at the position in question. Again, as I have said before, however, my theoretical knowledge obtained in completing my degree has done little or nothing to assist me in creating a solid, attractive and creative advertising piece for a client.

So is there anything that remains to be done in this circumstance? The fact of the matter remains that I will not get farther in my career path without my degree, whatever the true reasons for having one. And thus, with a year and half to go, I suppose my only recourse is to continually seek employment and freelance opportunities and to bite the bullet and complete the last of my academic experience.

In recent years, I’ve noticed an influx of police procedural dramas hitting the airwaves of American and by proxy, Canadian television.

Many of these shows such as Law & Order and CSI as well as their respective spinoffs might embellish on the forensic procedures used and how every person in the department seems to be responsible for everything, but I find them to be incredibly accurate in terms of the cases and the people involved.

The cases are accurate because they are things that happen all over the world, every day. People are murdered, in an insurmountable number of different ways, robbed, assaulted, betrayed and framed for crimes they didn’t commit. They are probable and yet impossible at the same time.

However, where these shows hit me the most is how they portray emotions, both of the victims’ families and of the detectives and investigators.

One of my all-time favorites, Third Watch, was a master at doing this. In one episode in the first season, a three year boy was killed in a gang shooting, shot by a ten year old trying to prove himself on the street.  Partners on the squad 55-David, Officers Faith Yokas and Maurice Boscorelli (Molly Price and Jason Wiles, respectively) answered the call.

Faith’s anger and pain at seeing kids shooting kids and the disgust she felt both at the ten year old boy’s mother and Caesar, the gang leader who simultaneously started an affair with the boy’s mother and nearly killed the boy; was both heart-rending and real.

Any cop or detective who is a parent as Faith’s character would express passionate anger and disgust over the city and the society in general that we live in, where kids shoot each other just to prove something, because they have nowhere else to turn.

What all these shows, Third Watch in particular, have become are primetime experts in portraying the emotions that cops, doctors, paramedics and investigators go through on the job. We as a society depend on law enforcement to save us, solve our problems and protect us from ourselves and each other so much that we often forget that they are people: sons, daughters, siblings, parents; just the same as the rest of us and all they can do is do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

Take Bosco’s panic attacks after September 11^th, due to the fact that he froze when he saw the World Trade Centre towers fall. He blamed himself for not doing his job, when in reality, being faced with such tragedy makes us human first and defines us by our jobs second.

Or Monte ‘Doc’ Parker’s (Michael Beach) breakdown that ended with him being sent to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital after creating a hostage situation at his old firehouse on King and Arthur, due to his inability to deal with the sudden death of a valued friend, his father’s suicide and Sept. 11^th.

And one of my personal favorites, Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) on CSI NY dealing with his wife Claire’s death and then finding out that she had a son she gave up for adoption, Reese, who Mac bonds with. Even outside of the job, it’s shows like this that provide a glimpse into the personal lives of these characters and shows how it affects their jobs every day.

Although these shows embellish certain facts and duties as a part of entertainment, most notably in this fact: that in reality, most cases are never solved; they still remind us that health care workers and law enforcement officials are still human.

In spite of the influx of controversial and often low quality reality shows, there are still shows

After a two month hiatus in which I pondered what to write about, either for general interest or in relation to advertising, I realized I’d forgotten a vital subject.

When talking about marketing a product, brand or concept, I believe that the most important product or concept you have to market is yourself.

If you’re reading this, right about now I’m sure you’re wondering what I mean when I say you can market yourself as a product or a concept.

Marketing yourself as a product, I’d say most commonly occurs when we’re looking for a job. In this scenario, you’re hopefully dressed sharp, with a well presented resume that lays your experience and credentials black and white, trying to convince Mr. Manager So-And-So why you’d be an asset to their company.

How are you supposed to convince Mr. Manager? Not just by answering questions, oh no. That’s not enough in today’s day and age. It’s in the way you answer the questions, not to mention how you incorporate your experience and skills into the company’s mission as well as the job description.

But even that’s the tip of the iceberg. Sometimes, it’s a casual quip about the way you’re dressed that earns you a laugh, or striking up a conversation about the Canucks when you notice the flag on the manager’s desk.  Any little thing to make you memorable and imprint you in Mr. Manager’s mind, even if it’s a hand-crafted card thanking them for their time.

As for marketing yourself as a concept, it’s more so like marketing yourself as an example in a scenario while brainstorming ideas at a board meeting, let’s say.

You place yourself inside the concept as a consumer, as a producer of a product or service, or the actual idea. Talk about innovative. Refer to yourself as the idea to create a new service for helping families turn home movies into DVDs for example. By placing yourself in the scenario, not only are you letting the talking heads in charge that you’re serious about the idea, but you’re also forcing yourself to think on your toes.

Imagine trying to market yourself in your social life. Isn’t that how we all try and expand our social circles? The two best examples I can think of on this are talking to someone on the bus, and creating an ad on a site like craigslist.

There IS one main difference between the two though, you can only press the ‘delete’ button in one of those scenarios. When you try to market yourself and make an impression in person, your words should be chosen and measured, based on the other person’s facial expression, voice and body language.

When you’re online, you’re free to do what you want.  You can be free with your words and what impression you want them to make and you can also be picky about who you want reading those words, or looking at your picture. Either way, you’re still marketing yourself.

We’re still looking for a connection, albeit a friendship or relationship, and both those instances may be the truest way any of us would ever market ourselves.

Perhaps, learning how to market yourself socially will be the reason for your successful marketing professionally.

This is an article that I write as a long time fan and believer in all things paranormal.  In today’s society, there is an influx of media and entertainment focused on the supernatural and paranormal activity.

The question is: why? And what is it about such a phenomenon that appeals to North American society?

I can’t speak for society, but I do know what has continually fascinated me about the paranormal, and that is its mystique, the fact that by and large, the origins of it all are unknown. In general, humanity fears what they cannot understand, and while I would have to agree on this, as there are elements of the paranormal I fear, thanks in no part to popular entertainment throughout the years; the mystery intrigues rather than frightens me.

Among all things paranormal, however, I do have my favourites: chief among them, vampires and witches. The aura of darkness both of them hold as well as the sex appeal and culture that has developed from both myth and reality is what appeals to me most. With vampires, such as with poltergeists and other supernatural phenomenon, there is no concrete proof that they exist, however, in my view, that doesn’t mean that don’t exist.

What draws me to the world of the vampires among the dark sex appeal and possibilities of immortality is the fact that these beings who exist when night falls, used to be human.  As such, in spite of their seemingly endless thirst for blood, they experience the same emotions they did before they were ‘turned’: love, hate, fear, anger. Yet, within vampiric culture, it is viewed as weakness and all these beings do their best to ignore or suppress such feelings.

It’s that very concept that drew me to books such as The Vampire Chronicles by one of my favourite authors, Anne Rice, and shows such as Angel.  In Angel, the title character is a 250 year old vampire, cursed with a soul for killing a Romanian gypsy years before. 

Throughout the entire series run, and beforehand on its predecessor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel struggles to atone for his past sins and the denial of he truly wants in this world: his true love, Buffy. It is a premise that those of us, as humans, can relate to, as we all have from time and again, wanted to atone for past mistakes, even those we deem unforgivable in our eyes, and in whatever Higher Power we believe in.

In popular culture, vampires have been typecast as creatures without an ounce of humanity and use their powers or sex appeal to lure unsuspecting victims. Buffy and Angel are two programs that I believe have changed such a perception. The notion of vampires once being human, and being able to feel emotion and remorse is a different concept for many, and one I believe, as vampires such as Lestat, one of the primary players in Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, would not be as selfish, manipulative, or afraid, had he truly been devoid of emotions.

In regards to witches, they do exist, though not in the stereotype of brooms, cauldrons and black cats, made famous in the holiday of Halloween. Modern witchcraft, which interests me, consists of pagan rituals and items such as crystals as a wish for good health. There is a dark magic component to certain rituals, which include voodoo and other rituals, but it is not the stereotype perpetuated in society.  Modern witchcraft, such as the religion Wicca is about having a connection with nature and becoming one with the environment, whereas the darker component centers on spells done for your own gain, or as I’ve heard in stories and see myself, to connect with the spirit realm for our own reasons.

The darker component does intrigue me, as I wonder what lies beyond this plane of existence, and whether it can truly be reached through a spell, the Ouija board, or a psychic. And if it’s able to be reached, therein lies the question of whether or not we would be letting evil spirits roam our reality, instead of coming in contact with the ones we wish to contact.  The fear of that lies with me, though it also intrigues me as is with everything else that is unknown, there is no concrete proof of it succeeding or failing.

Above all, I am one who believes that North American society would be naïve to believe that we are the only beings that exist within this plane of existence. As humans, our knowledge of the world and technological ability only extends so far, and I believe that there are beings who are different from our reality, and thus there is much we have yet to learn about their abilities.

Aliens, for example, are an excellent example of something other than what we know existing out there in the universe. As in the show Roswell, there could be the possibility of one or more of them living amongst us without out immediate knowledge, though there could be those in power who believe that ignorance is bliss in dealing with the general public.

And perhaps, they may be right. After all, fear causes massive panic and anger as the masses can’t deal with what’s unfamiliar.

I, for one, believe in their existence, and it is with an embrace that I face such possibility, not fear.

Having recently had the pleasure of touring the Andy Warhol exhibit (with free admission, I might add) in the city where I currently live, I was inundated with the responses from critics, newspaper and other media deriding Warhol’s work not to be art.

In viewing the exhibit, I came to the conclusion that I’d previously alluded to in my posts: that is, that there is such a thing as art in the everyday.  Warhol was a man who wanted to celebrate the art that existed in celebrity, in the everyday, mundane, household objects that we would never otherwise notice; yet he himself hid away, wanting the celebrity for himself, if only to have other masks to hide behind.

This then addresses the question: what is art? For that matter, what drives a person to represent something as art? I believe in Warhol’s motivation, and in his work, as he wanted to show the world why he believed disaster, tragedy and everyday objects had a beauty all of their own. Indeed, as I walked along, admiring his many pieces, I even remarked to an acquaintance that I would’ve loved to get a chance to interview the man.  Unfortunately, Warhol passed some nine days after my birth, a fact that as an art enthusiast, I find a great disappointment.

The simple truth of the matter is this: that there is no true definition of art. In fact, there is no tangible rule or boundary you are unable to cross as an art enthusiast that says if you are a lover of the Impressionists that you may not equally be as enamoured with the works of the brilliant Georgia O’Keefe, or of Canadian pioneer Emily Carr.

Myself, while I admire the work of O’Keefe, Carr and Warhol, my true favourites are known by the names of Salvador Dali, Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso and others who fit into the realm of abstract expressionism, surrealism and cubism.

In the past, I’ve been asked, why these artists in particular? Why not Rodin, Munch or Van Gogh? Certainly, there have been works from Van Gogh in the past that have resonated with me, but I love abstract expressionism and surrealism because you are able to derive your own meanings, your own emotions from them much more so than other artists.

I say this because to draw inspiration from a painting such as The Secret Life or A Persistence of Memory may be an insurmountable feat to many. There is no defined meaning within the painting itself, no label that allows you to place it into a category immediately upon viewing the work.  They are not scenes of boats sailing in the harbour, or a lioness tending to her cubs. Deeper meanings can and should be drawn from such paintings, even if they may be completely foreign to the artist’s intentions.

What I’ve always loved about art is its subjectivity; there isn’t a person alive who can rightfully claim that you are wrong, that your vision is flawed or that what you choose to place on canvas, on display isn’t beautiful. What it is is a matter of opinion. Much like its fellows in the arts, writing, film, music, stage and others; much of its success or failure depends on the opinion of the vast majority.

I believe that that is why I’d always loathed art classes, though I’ve been an art enthusiast and loved surrealism and abstract expressionism for years, it was never a talent that I’d picked up for myself. The ones who deride your work, your inspiration as nothing but garbage, are those who can’t understand your vision.

Many critics of the great abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock frequently claimed that his work was not art at all; indeed, coining the phrase “a five year-old could do it”.  Fact of the matter was, however, that a five year old didn’t do what Pollock did, nor did a five year old do what Dali, Magritte and even Hurst is doing today.

There is never a right or wrong answer, simply what resonates to you, what speaks to you, and in my case, sometimes hits you so hard you can barely breathe.  I was incredibly blessed to be able to see the Monet to Dali twice in my hometown, and the works from Dali, Magritte and Picasso knocked the wind out of me. Through such work, each artist in turns bares their soul to an audience, in this case, many audiences and though those of us here today won’t get the opportunity to know the artists for who they were, we know them today for who they are and what they mean to us.

For me, it’s not about understanding the artist’s vision as much as it is forming my own vision, my own interpretation and inspiration. I believe that all forms of art; music, film, writing, stage and fine art itself, all somehow derive ideas from one another and from life in general. Much of my emotions, thoughts and beliefs on such works of art have made their way into my poetry as well as other forms of writing.

Art has worked to inspire, move me to tears and embrace me with the visual understanding of my emotions. Though there are a great many artists I will never have the privilege of meeting, the legacy left behind in their work reminds me that at a point in time, there once was an individual who saw the world through my eyes. Though it may be a futile effort to attempt to explain, I believe there is a kinship that connects all of us artists, albeit writer, songwriters, musicians, artists or film makers, that would not survive without one another.

As I’ve often said to those who know me, ‘creativity breeds insanity’ and it is only those of us with creative souls who can understand the complexity and the ongoing struggle in some ways, to have the world understand your vision and embrace you.

Fame and glory may never arrive until an artist is long dead, but the vision and the meaning behind that vision will be a legend. All you have to do is be open to looking for it.

If you stopped someone on the street and asked him why he liked a particular song, there’s a higher likelihood that the response you’d get would simply be something along the lines of “because I do.”

Unfortunately, I’ve found a limited number of people who actually spend time thinking about why they enjoy the music they do, let alone someone who is willing to talk about it. Music for me is not just about listening to notes and lyrics as entertainment.

Music is about each beat, the rhythm, the movement and the way the actual sound makes you feel. Music is a collaboration of the artist’s instruments, beats and lyrics all united for a single purpose: to tell a story. The story can be humorous, tragic or inspirational, but it’s this combination of elements that I look for in a good song.

A good song can entertain you; a great song can make you feel alive. With a potent mixture of fantastic instruments playing notes of the right fit, the correct beat allowing you to feel as though your footfalls match the same, and lyrics that speak to your heart, a great song can be the greatest high you can ever experience, greater than any drug you can find.

Above all, a good song is a true testament to the artist’s ability, for those who write their own songs, it tests their ability as producers to find and arrange the correct class of instruments, as songwriters, not only to find exquisite lyrics that will convey the story they wish to tell, but above all, to find the correct flow of notes onto the sheets.

To truly immerse yourself in the music is to ask yourself each time you listen to a song; what is the artist trying to say, what message are they trying to make sure you understand, and how does it make you feel? Are you able to connect with the picture the lyrics paint in your mind, does it relate to your life and your experiences?

Over the years, from Michael Jackson to Evanescence, I’ve encountered a lot of music, from all genres across the board that I would deem to be songwriting and producing perfection. The tireless hours, blood, sweat and tears that a competent artist spends on his/her or their craft cannot be made up for by manufactured so-called ‘image’ music.

What I refer to as ‘image’ music refers to the names and the celebrities attached to the art of songwriting, those who make more money in sponsorship deals and tabloid headlines. There are those, without naming names, who ride the coattails of their parents, or on their images of being sex symbols in order to sell their records.

Quite frankly, the state of much of the music industry of the 21^st century disgusts me, and I choose instead to listen to artists that the majority of their music does not receive mainstream airplay. For those artists, it is not about image, it is about blood and tears, and a God-given talent to place what they feel, what they think and what they’ve experienced that they can’t forget, onto the page. What airplay they receive comes from niche stations and publicity off official websites, social networking sites and fan generated appreciation.

It is these artists that create the soundtrack that is my everyday life. Each note from a guitar, drum or cello brings inspiration; each word paints poetic ideals in my mind. Much of what they share with the world I have also felt in my life.

I feel as though my relationship with music and song comes full circle. The artist(s) shares his/her or their vision with the world, their thoughts, feelings, experiences and inspiration, and in turn it is inspiration for me to write my own interpretation of their words and the pictures they paint.

The soundtrack of my life does indeed have different artists from genres I would have never previously taken an interest in, but each one serves as inspiration and serves to melt reality and make ideas that much sharper in my mind.

Music is something that can lift you higher than you’ve ever been before and yet simultaneously bring you back down to earth when it’s over. Music is the only thing in this world that I believe continually is being re-interpreted and re-invented and that lasts through all ages.

For every manufactured tabloid image in the music industry, there are those who spend years of blood, poverty, tears and pain to achieve even moderate success. And it is to them that I send a salute and let them know to continue honing their craft because there will always be one person drawing inspiration from their exceptional abilities.

A thought occurred to me recently in regards to artistic expression. I was re-watching clips of UFC 83: Serra vs. St. Pierre II, which for those of you who don’t know, was Matt Serra’s first defense of his welterweight championship; and Georges St. Pierre’s first attempt to get it back since losing it to Matt during UFC 69.

Georges won, becoming the undisputed UFC welterweight champion of the world, but I realized something different as I was watching these clips of what has become the fight of the century for me, as a die-hard GSP, as we call him, fan. As I watched both men trade blows and GSP work his arsenal of takedown and submission methods, it seemed like artistic expression to me, like poetry in motion.

This way of thinking was a new one for me, because even with my family background and my own interest in martial arts, I had never once thought of it as being a form of expression. It had always been regarded by me as a form of exercise as well as self defense, but not as a way of revealing your thoughts and feelings.

As I watched GSP move from standing up with Matt to taking him down and attempting an armbar, he was displaying his thought process and strategy to the world. Inadvertently, he was also revealing the respect he had for Matt in his stand up game as well as being a fighter in general.

In older martial arts movies that I grew up on, such as Jet Li’s Wong Fei Hong series, the fluidity in their movements weaves a story about their thoughts and their self expressions in the moves that they choose to make during that particular time in response their opponent.

Aside from martial arts, however, there is art in the way someone slides a bow across a group of strings, as I watched a violinist busking in the street just today. The control that he had in how much of his self expression he wanted to reveal, the execution in the notes he chose to play, were all a part of the poetry that exists in movement.

There are movements that we would never consider to be poetic, and yet to me, seem to tell a story. I saw two teens once, young men, who usually would be loud and boisterous on public transit, curiously silent. Instead, the pair of friends were signing to each other and laughing silently at what the other was saying. The intricate way in which their hands moved was almost like a dance. Watching them, it proved the belief that the majority of communication does not come from your verbalized words.

They were different in the way they expressed themselves, with their hands flying from symbol to symbol, but they showed me why there’s art in the everyday, why even common movements can be looked at as poetry.

Seeing a performer leap and reach out across a stage is not simply dance to me, but the expression of an emotion, a story and an experience strong enough to knock you off your feet and hit you like a ton of bricks.

To be able to view a powerful, soul-invoking performance of someone dancing on stage is like feeling alive for the first time; allowing yourself to truly feel and be enveloped in the emotion of the dance as though it was your life.  

Movement is not simply for money or for everyday common occurrences. There is poetry and emotion in watching a mother fly kites with her daughter, two friends stop and chat over coffee.  Every movement creates a picture and that picture in turn, invokes emotion.

Even in the midst of blood, sweat, tears, injury and the threat of defeat, there is poetry and emotion that is ingrained in the lives of all mixed martial arts fighters. Even though there is the promise of violence of varying degrees, to see the intricate webs of strategy and thought spun out in the Octagon, and thrill of victory is poetic motion.

The art in the everyday lies all around us, it’s simply a matter of noticing those around you. And perhaps, allow your mind to open to poetry and art of all forms and possibilities.  

Anyone who has heard the news in passing over the last four to five years will have heard the word ‘green’ pass the lips of every news anchor and broadcaster in the world. ‘Sustainability’, ‘climate change’, ‘organic’ and ‘fair trade’ are words directly linked to the green phenomenon of the 21^st century.

Certainly there have been questions that have been raised as to why the popularity of an issue such as global warming has taken an international focus, but more and more of it is directly related to media coverage. Images of receding glaciers and polar bears becoming endangered have aroused the worries of environmentalists and celebrities alike. Documentaries produced by former Vice President Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio, entitled An Inconvenient Truth and The 11^th Hour, respectively, helped to bring the seriousness of climate change to the forefront.

Changes to the economy have helped Western society realize the need for conservation, with soaring oil and grain prices, and the increasing lack of natural resources such as fresh water. Measures taken by the Canadian government include, but are by no means limited to,  a carbon tax and participation in the Kyoto Accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Other alternatives receiving more publicity are the creation of bio-diesel fuel, using corn, vegetable and peanut oil, as well as “carbon scrubbing”, the action of capturing carbon emissions from factories and using them as fertilizer for farming after cleaning.

However, there are problems with the ‘green’ initiatives still to be addressed. Bio-diesel, while environmentally friendly, is not feasible for any vehicle other than trucks at least ten to fifteen years old. Carbon “scrubbing” although gaining popularity, has yet to be accepted by the Canadian or American governments. The creation of the electric Smart Car saved money on fuel consumption, yet still faces controversy on how often the battery must be recharged. However, the implementation of hybrid vehicles seems to have quieted the controversy, at least on the subject of vehicle emissions and climate change.

Even the fashion and food industries are capitalizing on the ‘green’ craze. Clothes are being sewn using organic fibers such as cotton, and marketed as being homemade. In the food industry, organic and fair trade items are making their way from specialty food stores such as Capers or Choices onto Safeway and other supermarket shelves, though for a higher price. Health concerns linked with eating genetically modified foods has the general public turning more and more to organic ingredients, believing them to be beneficial health-wise and free of pesticides. Organic food has also been embraced and promoted by vegetarians and vegans alike, although with alternative grains such as kashi and spelt flour to promote healthier living.

Organic and fair trade food is targeting people of younger demographics, starting with vending machines in elementary schools stocking healthier alternatives such as dried fruit chips. The restaurant scene has also expanded both on the main campus of my school as well as in the general public. Restaurants such as Nature’s Garden on campus serve fair trade coffee and organic, fresh food, with prices for coffee much lower than your average Starbucks, while The Naam on the West side serves up vegetarian and vegan meals to lineups on a daily and nightly basis.

Controversy has also hit the subject of organic and fair trade food, due to the advertising. Stricter rules have been implemented by the Food Inspection Agency to impose limits on the amount of organic ingredients or elements a food must have. Along with the questions raised about organic food, there is also the question of the re-useable cloth bags, now being implemented by specialty supermarkets such as Capers, and other supermarkets such as Superstore. Although implemented to reduce the use of plastic bags, which take hundreds of years to properly disintegrate in landfills, the question of how food would be frozen and protected from freezer burn should plastic bags be eradicated has yet to be answered.

More than restaurants and supermarkets, there has also been events and companies created specifically for the promotion of a sustainable lifestyle. Just a few weeks ago, the Epic Sustainability Expo was held in my city, promoting clothing, transportation, food and everyday household items used in an eco-friendly lifestyle. Leading this current worldwide promotion is the use of household cleaners with eco-friendly ingredients to preserve the environment. Fresh Squeeze, an organization with both Chicago and Seattle chapters uses its website and blog to promote the news of green initiatives in both cities before reaching mainstream media.

Although the phenomenon began over fear of losing natural resources and our sources for transportation, industry and the economy, it has evolved into being much more. Companies such as Nike, previously branded for unethical practices in sweatshops have been given the opportunity to redeem themselves through sustainability. Mountain Equipment Co-op, previously known for all matters of outdoor and camping gear has grown in popularity thanks to Western society’s ‘green’ lifestyle. In truth, if ever there was a need to group decades together by color, the color of the new millennium would be green.  

The only way to get noticed in today’s society is to market yourself. Even the act of opening your mouth to introduce yourself, stick out a hand for a handshake or give a business card is an act of marketing. Without marketing, there’s no possibility of being noticed. Whether you are looking for a job or looking for a new friend, how you present yourself to others is key in the amount of, if any, success you will obtain.

Marketing has never been more crucial than in politics. The moment you decide you want to run for office as representative of whatever institution, town, city or country, you better have a budget set aside for promotion. Promotion is not just about sharing your message with your target audience; it is about enticing them, provoking them to believe in you over your opponent for all of the reasons you have listed and more. Without an efficient way to advertise yourself and your message, elections can’t be won.

I have never been a person to pay much attention to politics, in fact, majority of the time, I tend to abhor such related news. Although politics exist in every aspect of the economy, no matter what form of employment you choose to take, I refer specifically here to the politics related to law and government. Until recently, there has never been an electoral race that gripped my attention such as the Democratic race for candidacy between New York senator Hilary Rodham Clinton and Illinois senator Barack Obama. Part of the reason stems from the fact that no matter which candidate wins, they are both breaking racial and gender barriers that have existed in the American political landscape since the founding of the country. Senator Obama represents the first time someone of African descent has run for presidency, not to mention Senator Clinton represents the very first time a woman has run for the highest office in the United States.

More than the barriers both Democratic candidates are currently breaking, what also draws my attention is the message both of them are promoting to the public. Although they are running for the American presidential election, whoever the successful candidate is will directly affect relations with Canada. Both candidates place the emphasis of their campaigns on change; change from the Bush administration, change from the current real estate recession and change on the subject of climate change and global warming.

The key both candidates have used no shortage of is efficient, sufficient advertising. Public, national debates, rallies that are televised internationally, and tours to the various constituencies all over the country. Any medium available to them, both Senators Clinton and Obama took full advantage of, including but not limited to television, radio, print and touring. Internet blogs have extensively covered the race for the Democratic candidacy even more so than their print counterparts.

Unfortunately, this knowledge to use whatever medium possibly to advertise your message within politics has had difficulty spreading to more local, community levels. This only became more apparent to me as I started my post-secondary education and was subjected to the various ways that potential candidates tried their hands at running for positions in the Student Society.

I believe that I speak for the majority of the student body at my particular educational institution when I say that we are, for the most part, completely indifferent to the candidates and the governing body they run for in elections. The grave mistake made by the governing student society since I’ve been enrolled as a student there; and I believe since the school was founded, was the lack of diversity in their advertising. Wallpapering various poles, bulletins and walls is effective within a smaller community, but not in an institution of 32,000 students and one can only estimate the number of faculty and staff.

Speaking from experience, as a student, and as secretary and unofficial marketing/advertising coordinator for the poetry club on campus; the only thing that is guaranteed to succeed when using this method is the amount of layering all the wallpapered posters will create. Very few posters have the chance to catch the eye of their target audiences, announcing an event or contest, before being wallpapered over. And yet, for reasons unknown, this still is the most popular method of advertising to the public, in this case, those of us who work and obtain our educations at the institution.

Moving back to the subject of the student elections at my school, all of the candidates settled for wallpapering, or at best, standing in the midst of heavy foot traffic between classes to hand out fliers. Having potential candidates plaster every visible surface with their faces and slogans, does nothing to appeal to me as a potential voter. I know nothing about who they are and what they stand for, and more importantly, why they believe that they outshine their competition for each elected position, and what changes they will bring to the student government. During first year classes, all of us must strain to hear professors in lecture halls designed to hold at least 300 students. Even in the last years of a degree, of which I myself am in the midst of, it still means lectures of 50 to 60 students. There is simply no way of remembering every person I have taken classes with over the course of the last three years.

Having your face plastered on the wall that I currently could be leaning against means nothing to me, because I do not know you. There is no connection, there is no attempt to entice or convince me, as a member of the target audience to pay attention to what you as a candidate stand for. Anyone can write words on a flyer and claim to have these abilities or these standpoints, but it takes practical, effective demonstration to sway the majority of the populous to care.

Now, I realize that students running for office have nowhere near the amount of funds allotted to Senators Clinton and Obama for their campaigning; however, there are alternatives that have proven to be more successful, both on a local scale with city politics and other events.

As mentioned earlier, being an executive member of the poetry club, I took it upon myself to do the advertising for the club, and immediately starting thinking of different ways to reach fellow students, more effective than simply taping posters to the wall, or relying on passersby during the once-a-semester set up of Clubs Days.

It struck me rather quickly that very few, if any other clubs took advantage of faculty advisors using their mailing lists to alert the students under that particular faculty. The majority of notices related to events and organizations I’d received from the two faculties I am a part of, were of outside events, or organizations that the alumni were involved in, rather than enrolled students.  I was surprised, and still am now, about how so few of the student body, both those running for elections, and those in clubs, sought the assistance of the faculty advisors when advertising for an event, organization, or themselves during election season.

I decided for the poetry club, that although we would not stop postering nor having a table out during Clubs Days, that utilizing the advisors’ mailing lists would be the best way to reach my fellow students. There obviously is never a guarantee of everyone responding, however, using the e-mail mailing lists gave me the largest possible market segment to advertise to, as every student receives e-mail from his or her respective advisors. In addition, the creation of business cards to hand out during events was implemented, as well as talks to have a table throughout the semester to advertise the club during heavy traffic between classes.

And yet, these are initiatives seemingly unheard of amongst my fellow students who decide to run for office.  To entice votes, there is nothing wrong with utilizing the mailing lists to organize a speech, or a particular rally. There is also nothing wrong with incorporating the campus radio station into a campaign in order to convince voters. The excuse of becoming cost-effective during the course of campaigning for a political position in the student government is faulty and useless. There are many alternatives that oblivious candidates refuse to entertain, and as such, reach a far lesser number of potential voters than if they had incorporated various techniques into their campaigns.

Bottom line of politics: if you want people to vote, you better advertise. Versatility in your advertising is the key to having your message be heard, and stealing as many votes humanly possible.