ELMS Electrifies The Gallery in the Attic

November 18, 2013

On Friday night, after being bombarded with endless assignments, readings, and long lectures, I was invited to attend a concert at Gallery in the Attic (140 ½ Hunter Street). Being a musically-diverse person, I am always open to listening to just about any genre of music, especially when it involves local budding musicians.

However, being a worshipper specifically of hard rock and metal bands such as Pink Floyd, Billy Talent, Iron Maiden, and Pearl Jam, I was surprised to find out that there was an absence of bands of this genre in Peterborough. Nonetheless, I was more than open to attend the event.

It was my first time going to Gallery in the Attic, so I had no idea what to expect. Would it consist of a relaxed, tranquil, indie-loving environment? Or, rather, would it be a mosh pit-crushing, head-banging crowd (like I was used to, being a metalhead)?

Well, there turned out to be a happy medium between the two: a tranquil, musically-impassioned crowd. Surrounded by the elite, posh, art-appreciating members of Peterborough, I sat back and enjoyed the warm and cozy atmosphere that reflected Peterborough’s artistic identity.

Alex Unger, otherwise known to the world as ELMS, started this solo musical project as a departure from his previous work with Burnt Norton and The Dead Elm Society of Canada. He writes and records at the House of Wands, a small farmhouse in the Ontario countryside. Unger describes his music as “existing in a constant liminal state between the cold distance of electronic experimentation and the personal narrative of popular song,” a true insight into the philosophy of his musical identity. His performance at the Gallery in the Attic highlighted the release of his new EP, Divorce.

Unger’s musical style is what I would describe as a cross between new wave electro and pop. He used a soundboard equipped with hundreds of different sound effects, which he blended seamlessly into his works of musical genius. His fingers nimbly played with the knobs as he sang his heart out to the audience. His passion for music was clearly expressed just by the way in which he held the microphone to his mouth and gazed out into the eyes of the audience. His music was euphonic and sheerly exhilarating at moments. The brick and mortar walls acted as a insulator for the powerful bass which produced a deep pounding sensation in my body.  Although he managed to maintain constant intensity with every song, the highlight of the night was the performance of his hit song “I Gave Up (On You)” which sent blood rushing through my veins and chills down my spine.

It is safe to say that ELMS has truly refined the talent and technique of his previous work, and has made it more compelling. I encourage everyone to check out ELMS and to embrace the local talent of Peterborough. His tapes are available for purchase at Bluestreak Records, located at 444 George Street North.

Maximum Tolerated Dose: Testing Society’s Perception of Animal Testing

November 11, 2013

1,393,606 animals were subjected to animal testing in Canada alone. Despite the implementation of the Animal Welfare Act, this continues to be an issue in health and university research labs across Canada.

In order to bring awareness to this issue, The Animal Equity Society hosted a two-day event which included a screening of Karol Orzerchowski’s Maximum Tolerated Dose, as well as a lecture by Dr. Lauren Corman, Professor of Sociology (Critical Animal Studies) at Brock University. The screening was held at Artspace on October 28, followed by the lecture at Traill College the following night. Both events allowed members of the public to take part in a brief Q&A session regarding various issues surrounding animal rights.

Maximum Tolerated Dose is a documentary that follows the lives of those who have had first-hand encounters with animal testing and vivisection. The film is comprised of raw footage of undercover investigations, testimonies of former scientists and lab technicians, and stories about the animals who have experienced these ordeals. It places the world of animal experimentation under the microscope and also focuses on the narratives of the those who left the animal research industry after being faced with moral conflict of being exposed to the cruelty.

The manner in which the film is presented emphasizes the obliviousness and sadistic attitude of today’s society through ironic comedic relief of 1950s animal research footage. Maximum Tolerated Dose also calls attention to the emotional separation of the researcher and their animal “specimen,” and how their lives are then manipulated into nothing more than a mere statistic in a study.

The film tells the stories of Rachel Weiss, former research student, and Sarah Kito, an undercover animal rights officer who embedded herself in the world of animal testing. Weiss recollects her time spent with a chimp named Jerom who was infected with HIV, as well as another primate named Darla who lived 17 years of her life subjected to intense medical experimentation.

Also, Weisse remembers how her supervisors were becoming concerned about the fact that she had become “mentally disturbed” throughout her stay at the facility. She was provided with internal psychiatric help to avoid the possibility of her exposing the truth about the events transpiring inside animal testing facilities around the world. According to Orzerchowski, the goal of Maximum Tolerated Dose was to “re-ignite the debate about animal testing by bringing these industry secrets perspectives to the forefront.”

This film was powerful and heart-wrenching to say the least, and more terrifying than any horror I have ever watched. Unlike horror movies, this is based on real events that happen on a daily basis around the world.

For me, it was also particularity difficult to watch the section about canine testing due to the fact that I kept reminiscing about my own experience with rescuing animals, and imagining the horror these animals experience on a daily basis. I was faced with my own mental conflict in which I saw the world outside. Every minute that passed evoked even more painful and vivid thoughts about the experimentation industry.

Unlike many other animal testing documentaries, Maximum Tolerated Dose does not rely on graphic images of slain, mutilated animals to get its point across, but rather, expresses it through an artistic representation and factual narratives.

Nevertheless, it demonstrated how little society’s attitude has changed when it comes to the world of animal experimentation. In that sense, this makes Maximum Tolerated Dose one of the most influential and heart-rending animal rights documentaries ever made.

The screening was followed by a lecture entitled “Silence Fiction: Voice, Resistance, and Animal Politics” by Dr. Corman at Traill College the next night on October 29. As implied by its title, the lecture focused on feminist, anti-racist, and liberation-based movements in relation to the issue of animal advocacy, which was the basis behind her own work at Brock. It was also the basis for her active involvement as the co-host of the Toronto animal advocacy radio show, Animal Voices.

The lecture outlined her dissertation, The Ventriloquist’s Burden? Animals, Voice, and Politics, and was divided into four main chapters, “Voice and the Human Subject,” “Reading for Voice,” “Voice and Animality,” and “Animal Voices,” each which examined human voice and its relationship to subjectivities in animal equality and advocacy.

In the preface, she discussed the “Ventriloquist’s Burden” (Debra Horwitz’s claim about animal rights discourse), Donna Haraway’s post-humanist theory, and the concept of colonial discourse (the external world of our direct encounters with animals). In addition, Corman emphasized the fact that efforts to connect human and animal abuse is enhanced by our inability to provide a voice for animals without being contradictory, as we are fighting to provide them with their own voice. This is the “Voice of the Voiceless” statement, which Corman addressed by asking the audience, “How can we foreground animal voices within advocacy?”

The predominant message being conveyed here is that animals are living, breathing creatures who feel emotion, pain, and suffering just like humans. Just because they cannot communicate in a language that we understand, does not give us the right to place them below us. Despite the fact that 98.84 percent of human-borne illnesses are absent in animals, and the differences in human and animal anatomy result in false findings and even serious reactions, animal testing continues to exist today.

The Canadian Council on Animal Care implemented the “Three R Tenet” (which was first described by W. M. Russell and R. L. Burch in 1959 with their book, The Principles of Humane Experimental) as a guide for the ethical use of animal testing in scientific research. The first R is replacement: methods which avoid or replace the use of animals in an area where animals would otherwise have been used. The second is reduction: strategies which will result in fewer animals being used. And the third is refinement: the modification of experimental procedures to minimize pain and distress.

Although it is being used by some facilities in Canada, most still use inhumane methods, mainly due to lower costs and increased convenience. Some of these methods include dermal penetration, toxicokinetics (the rate of a chemical entering the body and what happens when it is there), and repeated dosage toxicity (or, in other words, “maximum tolerated dosage”).

Canadian Greenpeace Activists in Russia Still in Custody

November 4, 2013

A once contained issue has now brought the attention of thousands of people across the world putting more pressure on the Russian government about its harsh criminal penalties and corrupt justice system.

International tensions with Russia grow even stronger after their latest issue involving the arrest and prosecution of 30 Greenpeace International activists.

Now, the pressure is mounting on Russia as the fight to Free the Arctic 30 continues into its 40th day.

Back in September, 30 Greenpeace activists, including a free-lance photographer, videographer, and crew members, were arrested by the Russian government following a demonstration against the Arctic oil drilling project, Gazprom.

The Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, was illegally boarded by the Russian Coast Guard following two prior arrests made when two crew members had attempted to climb over the platform of the Prirazlomnoye oil field in the Pechora Sea.

Among those arrested are 36-year-old Alexandre Paul of Montreal, Quebec, and 48-year-old Paul Ruzycki of Port Colburne, Ontario.

Now, one may wonder the reason behind this huge debacle, and how it sparked so much outrage from the public. According to the Russian Coast Guard, a survival pod that was being used in the protest appeared to resemble a bomb, and as a result, they boarded the ship to neutralize the supposed threat.

According to Faiza Oulahensen, an activist aboard the ship when it was seized, violence was being used aboard the ship. The Coast Guard detained the activists with guns and knives, and fired several shots even though they were within their rights to be in the waters in the first place.

“They were hitting people, kicking people down, pushing people,” Oulahensen alleged.

Luckily, no one was injured or killed during the arrests. However, this appears to be a clear example of a “shoot now, ask questions later” mentality.

Oulahensen also wrote a letter to a journalist from de Volkskrant, a local newspaper in the Netherlands, accounting her experience in prison.

She is being “held in a dirty cell, alone, isolated from the rest,” she says, and is “only able to catch a glimpse of other Russian prisoners in the corridor.”

“Once in a while, a rat crawls across the floor. I’ve lost weight and am not sleeping too well, but I am still holding my head high,” Oulahensen accounted. She complained about having been denied the right to call home and not receiving most of the books and letters people were sending her. “I crave letters from my family, friends, and colleagues.”

Her description of Russia’s prison system is quite vivid, and she stated that her daily exercise consists of “walking around in a dark concrete space of about 5×5 meters, where you’re lucky if you can see the sky through the cracks in the rotten and leaky roof.”

In response to the arrests, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated, “I don’t know the details of what went on, but it’s completely obvious they aren’t pirates.” However, Putin backs up the Coast Guard’s defense, claiming that they had no way of knowing who they were.

He was referring to the attack on a shopping mall in Nairobi last month by the Al-Shabaab.

Bail hearings have already begun for the activists, but so far, reportedly all of their requests have been denied. The Arctic 30 are currently being detained in Murmansk, where they will be held until November.

As of now, only one member, Andrey Allakhverdov from Russia, was charged with hooliganism. The group was initially facing 15 years of terrorism and piracy charges, but as of October 24, the charges were formally dropped down to hooliganism, which in Russia, holds a seven-year sentence.

Although the charges have been lessened, there is arguably still a threat to their freedom of expression and demonstration.

The incident sparked media attention around the world, with articles being published in EcoWatch, CBC, and The Independent. Over 10,000 people have showed their support for the release of the Arctic 30 at more than 100 events hosted in 36 different countries, including Germany, Italy, Thailand, Mexico, and the Netherlands. In addition, more than 1.6 million people have signed the petition addressed to Russian embassies around the world calling for the release of these activists. Some have even gone as far as climbing the Eiffel Tower in protest, like Greenpeace activist Cyril Cormier did on Saturday.

However, what really grabbed the public’s attention was the fact that 11 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, including Desmond Tutu (South Africa), Betty Williams (Ireland), Oscar Arias Sanchez (Costa Rica), Jody Williams (USA), Adolpho Perez Esquivel (Argentina), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Tawakkol Karman (Yemen), Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Guatemala), Mairead Maguire (Ireland), Shirin Ebadi (Iran), and Jose Ramos Horta (East Timor) all wrote letters to Putin showing their support for the Arctic 30.

In Canada, various events have taken place in support of the release of the Arctic 30 as well, including in Toronto and Montreal on October 5. Greenpeace is also urging Canadians to join the #FreeTheArctic30 campaign by signing the Free Our Activists petition to the Russian Embassy, joining the Volunteer Arctic 30 Rapid Response Team, and spreading the word through social media and community events.

Among the tremendous support, though, there is some controversy among the general public over the issue, with a large number of people online arguing that the Arctic 30 should be charged. On the other hand, many legal experts around the world think otherwise. Here are a few statements from various members of the public:

“Piracy requires premeditated action of the attackers to take over others’ property for their own selfish interest. This means that the qualification of the actions of the environmentalists as piracy is inadequate both under Russian and international law.”

-Viktoria Zhdanova, head lawyer of the Inmarine law firm, Russia (back when the charges of piracy still stood)

“According to the Russian penal code, however, piracy presupposes a threat of violence, which the officials have since had the chance to clarify. I do not believe that either the vessel or the activists were found to carry instruments suitable for acts of violence.

“For this reason, the piracy charges have lost their basis, and the court should have rejected the demand to keep the activists in custody.”

-Martin Scheinin, Professor of International Law and Human Rights, European University Institute)

“Is Hooliganism linked to Canada’s ‘mischief’ law and the pending penalties for one’s mischievousness would or could equate to a seven year term in the slammer so to speak? Or that of the usual slap on the wrist with a conditional free pass to go home?”

-Anonymous

“One gets the impression that the Greenpeace crew is more committed to ‘adventure crusading’ than to actually changing our energy sources.

“Russia is the world’s number one oil exporter, but is ranked 148th for freedom of speech. So expecting an unobstructed right to protest on a Russian oil rig is simply unrealistic. If Greenpeace wanted provoke arrest, then they should demonstrate their respect for the rule of law by submitting to the punishment. Rather than seek acquittal or commutation, Greenpeace should embrace the harshest penalties and so provoke a larger global outcry.

“At best, Greenpeace’s civil disobedience only offers delay.”

-Anonymous

Food Forest gives a boost to Peterborough’s vegan community

September 30, 2013

Having been a vegan for nine years, I understand the challenges of finding quality vegan food that is not only healthy, but tasty as well! It has been even more difficult to find restaurants willing to cater to my dietary needs because, on top of my vegan restrictions, I’ve had to also change my diet to exclude gluten due to health problems. However, as I was exploring the city during my first week at Trent, I came upon a small, hidden gem on the north end of George Street called The Food Forest.

The Food Forest is run by owners Adam Deck and Katie Tuma, who have prided themselves in providing raw, delicious, gluten-free vegan dishes to the Peterborough community.

For those of you who are unaware of what raw food is, it consists of a variety of whole foods which are cooked under 105 degrees Celsius, so as not to denature the natural enzymes that exist within the food. This food revolution is slowly beginning to make its presence felt across the country, and Peterborough is straight in its path.

While the price of raw, vegan, and gluten-free food is on the rise, The Food Forest does an excellent job finding the financial balance between affordability and profit margin. As a starving student, I am very cautious with my expenses, but this is one place where I am more than willing to splurge on their delicious fare.

“Our goal is to represent the spectrum of veganism, [and] to cater to not only vegans, but transitional vegans and non-vegans, ” said Deck. “It serves as an outlet for local sustainability and awareness.”

The term “food forest” was inspired from the owners’ main common interest, permiculture.

“We wanted it to serve as a symbol for self-sustainment and as a guide for inner growth and awareness,” Deck explained.

“Katie and I have noticed that it’s hard to find vegan-friendly places here in Peterborough, let alone worrying about allergies and cross-contamination. The Food Forest is a place where you don’t have to worry about that. You actually see what goes into your food.”

I have eaten here twice so far and I was satisfied both times. The first time I ate here was with my mother, who had come down all the way from Curran, over four hours away. The second time around was on the following weekend, when my sister accompanied us.

When we walked in, we were greeted with arms wide open by co-owner, Tuma, who proceeded to seat us at a beautiful church pew-like bench. The first thing that caught my eye was how similar the restaurant’s menu and ambiance was to a number of my favourite vegan restaurants in Ottawa. It gave me a sense of commonality, a nice, familiar feeling of home.

For beverages, I had the Mango Orange Sorbet, a water-based smoothie containing mango and orange, sweetened with raw agave syrup. One of my other guests had the Minty Green Chocolate Chip smoothie, with homemade coconut milk, cacao nibs, and peppermint essence. All of these smoothies were made from home-grown produce provided by local farmers, as well as from their own garden. They also offer delicious fair trade organic coffees, teas and juices from local vendors.

When we asked what the daily special was, we were delighted to hear that it was sweet potato and lentils, topped with a maple molasses sauce and served with garlic coconut butter and gluten-free baguette. My eyes lit up at the thought of eating this dish, and, after a very brief discussion, we decided to share a plate.

The first bite provided me with a slight tingle of spice on the tip of my tongue, shortly followed by a hint of sweetness. The dish, which to me resembled a cross between a curry and a casserole, had the perfect balance of spice (from the chili) and sweetness (from the maple, molasses and sweet potato). The flavours were robust and rich throughout, and the heartiness and earthiness of the lentils provided a nice, fulfilling start to the meal.

For the main course, one of my guests had the toasted tomato sandwich with garlic coconut spread and Daiya cheese, whereas my other guest had the garden pesto sandwich with homemade vegan basil pesto and fresh greens.

I chose to go with the Living Taco (a personal favourite of Deck’s) with a homemade chili walnut ground and cashew sour “kream”. I am extremely fixated on their Living Taco because of its complexity and bold flavour. The balance between the spiciness of the walnut ground, acidity of the fresh lime juice and the sweetness of the sour “kream”, makes this the best vegan taco I had ever tasted. This is the perfect dish to satisfy any herbivore or carnivore alike.

Finally, to cleanse our palate, we indulged in gluten-free peanut butter cookies, banana muffins, and a rich date pie with coconut whipped cream and bananas. Their desserts proved themselves to be truly delicious, as my sister (who works at a vegan bakery in Ottawa), compared them to the quality of her bakery.

The Food Forest is also very proactive with animal rights and food education. An employee, Toby Rowland, runs a group called the Animal Equity Society, dedicated to the protection in ethics and welfare of animals. They have meetings and potlucks which allow members to discuss issues affecting Peterborough, and teach them how to become proactive in their communities.

Do not be fooled by the simplicity of the ingredients, as each menu item carries its own unique presence to the palate and develops a complex flavour profile in your mouth. Don’t take my word for it, though, and head down to The Food Forest to judge for yourself.

The Food Forest is located at 641 George Street North. More information can be found on foodforestcafe.com

Dancing for Awareness: Erasing the (Mental Health) Stigma

September 30, 2013

“Erasing the Stigma” is a multi-media dance performance that sheds light on the study of mental health and explores the various struggles of those affected by mental illness.

The event is the newest performance put on by Art for Awareness and will be happening October 4, 5, 8, and 9 at the Adam Scott Auditorium, in collaboration with the Peterborough Dance Collective, the Schizophrenic Society of Ontario, and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

“Art for Awareness is a newly-formed local group of talented and passionate people whose mission is to raise awareness of social issues through various arts performances,” explained Marsala Lukianchuk, the Director of Art for Awareness.

Rachel Bemrose, the co-founder of Art for Awareness and Dance Choreographer for “Erasing the Stigma,” elaborated in an interview on the group’s mission and their goal behind producing the performances.

What caused you to form this organization in the first place?

A group of local artists came together and wanted to use the arts as a vehicle for addressing social justice. Hence, [Art for Awareness], AFA, was formed. We decided that every year we would focus on a specific issue. This year, it was mental health. We chose the broadway musical, Next to Normal, as our first show which we performed in April and are following up with “Erasing the Stigma”.

Where did the arts aspect of your organization come in to play?

It really was what brought us all together. We had worked on community shows in different capacities, like as actors, singers, dancers, musicians, directors, choreographers, tech crew, stage crew, and costumes. We just felt that using our talents for the greater good of society was a fulfilling idea.

What is the story behind “Erasing the Stigma”?

“Erasing the Stigma” is an original piece that I developed in collaboration with many artists, dancers, and especially my film editor, Andrew Root. As a teacher, I had encountered a large number of people affected by mental illness in the past ten years, and I felt that many of those people were afraid to get the help they needed because of the stigma that is often associated with it. The show is intended to tell the stories of the brave people who came forward to be interviewed.

I hope this helps others understand that they are not alone and that there are places and people who can help. One of our interviewees was actually an audience member from Next to Normal who came to speak with us afterwards about the profound impact the show had on her. The stories are captured on video as well as in music and dance. We are also showcasing it during Mental Health Awareness week to bring a voice to this issue.

What is your hope for the future of mental health awareness?

My hope is that it becomes more normalized so that people aren’t embarrassed or afraid to get help. Someone with pneumonia isn’t going to refuse antibiotics, whereas someone with a mental illness is embarrassed to even admit they need help. I also hope that people will start to realize the importance of staying mentally healthy themselves. Finally, I hope that it may help at least one person who comes to see the show.

Is there anything else you would like to add about Art for Awareness, “Erasing the Stigma”, or mental health in general?

As a new group, it’s always tough to expand your audience base. I really hope that we get some students out on October 4, 5, 8, and 9 to see the show. The CMHA [Canadian Mental Health Association], Schizophrenia Society, and LYNX will all have representation at the show to help people if anyone has questions. It’s a great opportunity for art and education to come together.

—

Tickets for the show can be purchased at Black Honey (217 Hunter St W.), or at the door on the day of the event for $10. Shows start at 8 p.m. and are perfomed at the Adam Scott auditorium. One-third of the proceeds raised from this event will go towards the LYNX: Early Psychosis Intervention Program, a program focused on identifying, diagnosing and treating early stage psychosis in youth

So, I wrote a "song" (of sorts)...

So in these hard times, I have turned to music, specifically song writing to cope. It's kind of kicking it up a notch from my standard poetry.

I wrote this one last night and it's about being torn apart by the people you love, as well as wanting to escape from dependance. 

I haven't figured out the actual music to accompany it, but I hope to find someone with a musically-talented disposition to help me out with that. My idea is to go the hard rock/metal genre with hints of classical. 

So, tell me what you think....

Let Me (Breathe)

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Tears, Fears, Pain

Deception to those around 

Nothing to gain

My wrists are merely bound

Let me fall, let the freight train hit me. 

Let me feel pain I need to feel. 

Let me make the decisions I need to make. 

Let me breathe

The confinement of dependance

The torture of love

The prison of independence 

Let me fall, let the freight train hit me. 

Let me feel pain I need to feel. 

Let me make the decisions I need to make. 

Let me breathe

Needing my space

Needing my time

Away from everything

Let me commit the crime

My pain

By love 

My love 

Please catch me

Before…I….hit the ground

(X2) Let me fall, let the freight train hit me. 

Let me feel pain I need to feel. 

Let me make the decisions I need to make. 

Let me breathe

(X4) Let me breathe

Feeling Life Lost

July 21, 2013- 21:54

Feeling
The string of courage frayed 
The rope of sanity burning 
The strength within me slowly diminishing
Happiness slipping between my fingers
It's getting hard to hold on. 
Positivity is gone
~
Life 
Plastered against the floor of rock bottom 
Reaching out to help
Clenching the dust of isolation 
~
Lost
The light of hope so dimly lit
Buried beneath a mountain of shit
Sensations of needles pierce my brain

As I lie down and bleed rain

Perspective: A River

Delicate apple blossoms fall gracefully. The aroma fills the atmosphere, mixed with the cooling vapours of the river. Crystal liquescent water tricking downstream, gliding over the natural stone barriers built by nature itself. Vibrant green fields of glistening waxed grass and soft pallid triviums sink in his eyes. The chickadees chirp cheerfully as they flap their wings and glide across the vast vibrant sky. He takes a fragile Mason jar and clutches it in his frail hands. In it lies a lone butterfly, longing for escape from captivity. He peeks through the glass and gazes at its beauty. With great difficulty he proceeds to twist the metal lid clockwise. After what seemed to be an eternity, he slowly separates it from the jar. With one last gaze, he releases the captive butterfly. It gracefully flutters its majestic wings for the first time in years. Approaching his line of sight emanates another butterfly. Both intertwine and fly off into the eternal sunset, where they lie eternally forever. As the man witnesses this, a single tear rolls down his wrinkled cheek. A reminder of what he must do next.
 

Reflection
My choice for this one was difficult due to the fact that I liked all of these pieces. However, I chose this one due to the fact that it contained symbolism and described from all five senses (taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight). The symbolism in this piece is represented by the butterfly, which the father of the bride holds onto for so long. However, he must let it free in order for it to learn how to fly. The butterfly represents his daughter and releasing it represents him giving her away at the wedding. I really wanted to convey the contradiction of the man’s point of views. On one hand he sees sheer beauty in his surrounding landscape, but it is clouded by the fact that he is afraid of what the future holds (for his daughter). I also tried to incorporate alliteration to add some rhythm to the piece.

Voices in the Dark

 A short story that I wrote...enjoy

The aroma of calla lilies, burnt wax and Chanel No˚5 filled the air. The muffled sobs in the distance filled my ears. The foul taste of formaldehyde occupied itself on my tongue. I question why I cannot open my eyes. Why do I only hear, smell and taste what is going on around me? My once youthful body has now rotted away into a frail withered carcass. My brittle joints cracked like a breakfast of scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. I attempt to open my crinkled eyelids again, only to find that the eyeballs that once lay inside them were gone. Liquefied plastic was all that remained. Darkness, nothing but sheer darkness was there around me. My body felt like stone, heavy and cold. I felt the slight tingle on the back of my left hand, grazing against what felt to be wood, hard, grainy and lifeless, all of this accompanied by the feelings of claustrophobia. My cramped paralyzed body lay lifeless in this unknown prison.
“She was such a sad young girl.” A mysterious voice said
“Yes, indeed she was.” Another voice responded
These echoing voices intrigued me. From the tone and pitch, I could tell that both voices were women, old as a matter of fact.
“Hello Ethel dear”
“Oh, hello there Paula!”
Well, my suspicions are confirmed.
“How old was she?” One of the women asked.
“I believe seventeen.” The other unknown voice replied.
“Such a shame.” she bellowed.
At this point, I could tell who was who. Ethel seemed to be kind old lady with a quiet placid voice while I was under the impression that Paula was an old hag, her voice was full of vindictiveness and hatred. In the moment I really only cared about figuring out who this mystery girl was.
“Do you know her name by any chance?” Paula said
“No, I don’t think anybody did.” Ethel responded
“Just another invisible soul, I guess?”
What? What was a shame? Who? Who was the girl they spoke of? Why did nothing seem clear? Mystery is all there appears to be to this story it seems. These questions lingered in my mind for the next few minutes. I desperately continued to eavesdrop in an attempt to gather more information.
“Apparently she was supposed to go off to University next year, to study English.”
“Oh dear!” cried Ethel.
“I know. She had her whole life ahead of her. Too bad she didn’t stay around to see it.”
Why? What happened to her? Tell me!
“How did she go?” Ethel inquired.
“Suicide. Downed a bottle of pills and slit her wrists wide open. A painful way to go if you ask me.” Paula disgracefully uttered.
Nothing but pure astonishment filled my mind. I felt nothing but pure tragedy when those words hit the edge of my ear drums. But at that point, all I wanted to know was who the young girl was.
“I heard that she also drowned herself.” Ethel said.
“Really? Well I guess she really wanted to die then?” Paula sarcastically spat.
“You don’t say?”
It deeply angered me. To hear a girl’s life slandered and treated with such disrespect.  Suddenly, I began to hear another voice. This time it was a man’s voice, garish and very low pitched.
“We are all gathered here on this beautiful spring day to remember this young woman.”
His voice had a true English presence, accompanied with tones of solemnness. His voice trembled as he spoke, and was accompanied by long wailing cries. Not of his, but of other people’s. The cries were so powerful that they drowned out the feeble tweets of the birds residing outside.
“April 27th marked the day that she left us. Her 18th birthday, a day that should have been chock-full with celebration, turned into a tragic moment for all of us.” The man (who I assumed to be the minister) said.
At the same time, another conversation started to take place. I was drawn to it and I couldn’t help but to listen attentively.
“ Look at this moron! He’s reading right off of a script. Anybody could see that.”
“Daniel! Shut up!”
“No, I’m not going to shut up! This whole funeral is a joke!” He snorted.
“Dan—“
“Why would anybody waste all of their time and money for this? I mean, she was a nobody.” Daniel bellowed.
“Daniel please! Just show some respect!”
“Really Justin? She was. I thought so. You thought so. The entire school thought so. Hell, her own family even made her out to be a nobody!”
“That’s not true. I was speaking to them before hand and they were heartbroken. I saw it in their eyes.”
“Well, of course! That’s what they want everyone to believe. They are obviously faking it because if they didn’t, they would be seen as heartless.”
“Okay, now you’re blowing this out of proportion! You’re crazy.” Justin exclaimed
“Me, crazy? I’m not the one who broke down in the middle of the class and killed myself.” Daniel chuckled.
“I think you would have if you were in her position. If you were going through what she was going through.”
“Justin, you never cease to amaze me.” Daniel said.
“How so?” Justin asked
“Well, at first you were the guy who bullied the hell out of this girl. Now here you are sticking up for her? Make up your mind!”
“I have made up my mind. I decided that my initial decision to attack her was wrong. Once I found out about her depression, I realized that she really needed help, someone to be there. All of you sat there and judged from the outside, while not taking the time to see the world from her eyes. To realize the hell she was going through every day of her life. Unfortunately I was too late. I couldn’t do anything to help because by then she had already killed herself—“
“Why do you have to be such a buzz kill?” Daniel yelled
At that point all I heard was an enormous hush from somewhere. I assumed that it was from someone in the audience. After a few moments of awkward silence the conversation resumed.
“I was simply stating the truth. Does that make me a bad person? No matter what we do, it won’t bring her back. So let’s stop with the abusive words and just let the girl rest in peace.”
“Shh! It’s almost done!” Daniel crudely interjected.
I guess he was referring to the ceremony.
“And in conclusion, while she did have a troubled mind, her soul was truly wholesome. Ashley will always be in our hearts. Thank you all for coming.”
It was at that moment when I realized that I was a witness to my own funeral. No words could express how shocked I was. Emotion couldn’t run itself through my mind anymore. I heard nothing but silence, followed by the faint clattering of footsteps in the distance. Suddenly, I felt a rumbling sensation and my body began to roll back and forth. The lurid noise of machinery and the feeling of sickness brought me to realize that I was being buried. Soon to be repressed and forgotten by the world. As I felt the weight of freshly burrowed soil ensconce itself over me, I realized that it was the end.

"ART"

February 5, 2013

ART

A word defined by three single letters

Three individually meaningless letters.

However, when all combined, they yield a word that possesses many meanings.

All forms accepted

Realism, impressionism or surrealism

True beauty reflected through the artists eyes

Creation and creativity captured

All within the confines of the mere surface area of a canvas

Everyone is an artist,

Each day, every moment, of every minute, and every second they exist on this Earth.

An endless creative streak flows within you

Your life is your canvas and the world is your stage

Paint, preform and practice to your very best

The world is waiting for you

ART SPEAKS FROM THE MIND AND PROJECTS FROM THE SOUL