The best and the brightest

Today's Topic: Intelligence

I read an article last week in the Toronto Star that blew my mind (no pun intended). It had a profile on the top student at every different district in the Toronto High School Board and their average. The lowest, TOP student in all the district's was a student who achieved a 97% overall average in eight subjects. For what it's worth and if you don't believe me you can read a profile on of the students here who had a 100% overall average:
http://www.thestar.com/article/834981--ace-earns-perfect-report-card-how-did-she-do-it

Imagine. A 100% overall average. Now to achieve this is incredible. The article I read answered all your questions that you have brewing on on your mind. How did they do it? Do they have anything else in their life? How many hours of homework did they do a night? To me, the answers were surprising.

They all had very different answers on why and how they did it. Some did it for their own motivation, some did it because their parents gave them absolute freedom, and one girl did it because they wanted to prove their brother wrong. To make sense of it, they all had extracurricular activities outside of school. Some volunteered, some had a good time with friends on the weekend, some were on school reach and some were in gifted programs to FURTHER challenge themselves. I thought it was interesting however that none of them played sports or at least they never mentioned sports as their favorite past time. Maybe that's why I only graduated grade 12 with an overall average of 83%. I guess once you play sports, your average sinks a bit because you simply just don't have the energy or enough hours in a day. I also thought it was interesting that one boy's least favorite subject was french because that was his "lowest" average from his eight courses...a 96%. Smart ass.

And trust me people, these kids were not working around the clock or killing themselves to get these grades. Three to four hours a night was all it took. Some also worked a lot on weekends hitting the books. And they did it because they just loved knowledge. School is their addiction. That's what it comes down to.

I think it's safe to say that not only was I baffled by these grades but was puzzled at the same time. Okay, I understand how you could get a 100% in say math or chemistry because there is a right and wrong answer and your graded on the knowledge of a right or wrong equation. But I struggled with how they could get a perfect score in English simple because of essays, big projects and interpretation of literature. Those must have been some damn fine essays. Either that or all of their English teachers didn't want to be that teacher that held their average down by only giving them a 90%.

I just think it's amazing how someone can dedicate themselves to such work. One teacher said it best to me when she told our class at the start of the semester that "You all start out with 100% in this class. And what you choose to do with that 100% is up to you." Good point Ms. Irvine.

So like all my other blog topics, how does society fit into this topic? Well, society awards gifted people in general. If you're smart, every wants to help you and everyone wants to recruit you. And I bet a lot of workplaces are pressured to hire students like this. The first things that these kids will get is money. Society likes to award money to the smartest. Doctors, engineers, chemists, NASA employees...they all make a handsome salary. And post secondary institutions are on the smart money boat as well, paying ridiculous amounts of cash for the best and the brightest. Family even makes a case. Good grades could mean a good allowance; a bribe if you will. Bribe your kids to be smart...is that good parenting? Who does it help more?


I wonder for these kids at what point pressure sets in. When I was growing up and trying to get good grades, I felt there was always a certain point where the pressure was on to perform. There was a time and a place for everything smart and I took care of business when I had to. But I was no where near perfect. For me, being perfect was being happy with myself. Whenever I got into an argument with my parents over my grades, I just told them that I put effort into the stuff that interested me and my grades reflected that. I hated Math, so that's why I got a 65. I loved writing so that's why my English mark was an 88.

Personal satisfaction is the key to intelligence. Don't you think it's amazing that people are so similar yet everyone has their own interest at what makes their clock tick. And I think that two people never put the exact same effort into the exact same work at the exact same time everyday for their whole life.

And for the People out their still reading, throw away every stereotype of what you consider to be a smart person because these kids all had a different colour of skin, a different ethnicity and they were male and female. What does a perfect or near perfect average student look like to you? Did you sit beside one of the bus or subway and not be any the wiser? All valid questions that everyone has their own opinion on. Here's mine: it doesn't matter what they look like.

Our North American society has set up a grading system. We are all judging each other and let's face it, it feels great being perfect at something in life. And it doesn't even have to be school. Making a perfect piece of toast, the perfect park job, the perfect kiss, picking out the perfect piece of clothing...we have all felt it. But how many wish they could be "perfect" all the time?

Society calls intelligence various things. Smart, super smart, A genius, a wiz kid, a smarty pants, gifted, incredibly gifted...I could go on and on. To all those students in the Toronto Star article that inspired this week's Sunday Sitdown, your dedication to school is nothing short of exceptional. My hat goes off to all of them, but that doesn't mean I'm not still perplexed and how they did it.

Just remember, I think it's very important to keep one thing in mind and I want everyone to really think about this one this week: All intelligence is based on matter of opinion.

Blackout

Today's Topic: A "What If?" Scenario

I was sitting at home the other night, completely annoyed that the power had gone out. Apparently, I wasn't the only one calling Hydro One. The lady on the other end noted that 4700 other homes in the area were out. When I was sitting at home, in the dark, with no appliances buzzing, no radio going or not a even a dead cell phone to charge, it occurred to me that our society has no safety net whatsoever and cannot survive in the modern day world that we have built without electricity. On the contrary, it's something that we can't live without.

So the question comes up, are all of these third world countries further ahead? By not relying on electricity, some would say yes. But, electricity creates the hot water we crave so much. And that hot water also insures that we don't get diseases like malaria. I'm really on the fence with this one. I hate that I have to rely on hydro and have no other option and what a wonderful monopoly Hydro One has set up. I also love that Hydro has a debt retirement charge...a 12 dollar a month charge for mismanagement in the company many years before I started paying my own hydro bill.

With Hollywood always seeming to produce "end of the world" movies, I thought I would take a stab at a "What If?" scenario today, detailing our days following a massive electrical threat. South Park took a stab at this one with their season 12 episode "Over Logging" where they detailed a scenario involving a worldwide shutdown without Internet. It was brilliant.

Imagine if you will a permanent black out. No more light switch. No more fridge, no stove, no heater, etc etc etc. And it would happen on the hottest day of the year. So forget about your air conditioning. Well, break out that canned food at the back of your pantry! But wait, do you have an electric can opener or manual? I'm okay, I have a manual. But hurry and get to the grocery store or Wal Mart because they will be SOLD OUT. While you're at the grocery store, you better stock up and make sure to bring cash because remember; debit and credit are powered by the good folks at hydro one. Next on the to do list is filling up with gas. Expect a long line because that is going to be the next thing on short supply.

Okay, so I'm giving it about three weeks before massive chaos ensues. The generators that you were running only go for so long on the same take of diesel fuel. And its going to be tough to extract any for awhile. Food instantly becomes a massive demand. Tomatoes cost $12. Lettuce costs $15. Grapes are $7. Peaches are $14. Cookies....now those will be at least $25 for a long time. Yes I'm guessing a bit, but would it really be that unrealistic?

I think you have to ask yourself though if this ever happened, would you survive? Are you trapped in a lifestyle where you rely on one device all the time. People make their cell phone their life. Take that away, and most are back in the stone age. Take away your routine and you will realize how much we act like robots. Light on, light off. Click remote on, click remote off. Don't forget that this electrical power, this strong grasp... it controls what you are reading right now, this screen that you're looking at, it controls you. It's an almighty power that is making your hands and eyes sore.

Yes, thousands would die. Life would be in ruins. But as long as the light switch still flicks on, all will be calm. So please, the next time you hear about an alternate way to power up the television, at least perk your ears up and dig your head out of the sand. Without trying to sound too much like we need to "save the world", remember that this electrical power is a gift. Your cozy life that you have wouldn't be able to go without it.

Turn it up a little louder

Today's Topic: Your Mind and Music

There's just something that turns your mind on when you hear your favourite song or the latest trending hit on the radio, your ipod, a dance club or what I consider the best: a live concert.

This was my concert weekend of the summer: Lynyrd Skynyrd on Friday night, Three Doors Down on Saturday night and finally, The Goo Goo Dolls tonight. I like to think I cross the music genres much the same as I cross the movie genres. I will listen to anything that has a good beat, great instruments or just simple lyrics. Rock, Alternative, Contemporary, Country, Rap, R & B, Jazz, Indie, Oldies, or even Classical, Yup, I pretty much listen to them all. If I put my ipod on shuffle, I could being jamming along to Jay-Z or Frank Sinatra.

The Lynyrd concert absolutely blew me away. They were incredibly spectacular. I can honestly say that Simple Man has to be one of the best songs ever recorded. And when I heard it live, it gave me goosebumps.

I know most have experienced that feeling....when you're at a concert, you nod your head, you tap your foot, you sway or maybe just clap your hands. The music gets inside you and it takes control of your body. Every movement, every beat of every second. You can't resist it or deny it. To me, it's that rockstar inside of all of us. To not be judged, to sing it loud, to rock out on the air guitar...if you love music, there really is no greater feeling. Over the years, I have witnessed a lot of great musicians do their thing. Mind you, their job. They have the responsibility of contributing to society with the gift of music. The one common denominator that connects the world. And it been proven time and again. Live 8, Young Artists for Haiti, The Hurricane Katrina Benefit and so many others before them.

Bob Marley once believed that music could actually cure all human suffering and hatred amongst us. He was so strong in this theory that he died leaving only a legacy of people who at some point, tried to connect with what he was trying to say. One love, one heart. We all come from the same blood. I think Mr. Marley was really onto something.

I was having a really hectic time about two weeks ago. With so much on my plate and the temperature outside exceeding 35 degrees plus humidity, I needed to de-stress. I took about a 45 min rad trip because I had to pick up a package for work. And in my air conditioned vehicle, I flipped through the Sirius Satellite radio channels to find something that would help me find that comfort zone. And all at once coming through the speakers, there was one of Beethoven's symphonies. It was one of those times when I was so hot and frustrated that I didn't even want to sing along or nod my head. Now I have never been a big listener of Beethoven but I listened to his second symphony for almost 45 mins. And then is struck me, how brilliant the strings were. For a man to compose such mind numbing music, such rare beauty. And he was deaf. He didn't hear the music he shared with the world. He just wrote it. He lacked what we believe to be the single most important part of creating music. And somehow, it made sense to him. Somehow without even listening to a single sound, he was able to create masterpieces and open the door to revolutionize the sounds of music into what we label today as an industry.

Yes, the mind just sometimes knows too much. Think of every song you have listened to in your life, and what that means to you. Every lyric, every beat, every single detail of a song. Music has the ability to lift us up, release the anger, the hate, the love and any other human emotion that you attach or connect to with sound. And it's something that almost everyone has the ability to enjoy at some point in their life.

Whether you create it, listen to it, sing it, shout it and just enjoy it, know that music changes with the times. There will always be a newer song and you'll never outgrow those songs that make you who you are. After all, the art of music allows us to express ourselves and someone, musicians speak to us through their words. They put it perfect harmony what we all feel. And at some point, even Kanye West, Jay-Z, Ke$ha, Kenny Chesney or Tim McGraw will be found on the "classics" channel. I just hope you can realize that music ages with you. It simply is, what it is.

You got a friend in me

Today's Topic: Toys and Imagination

I went and saw the third installment of Toy Story today and I would have to say it has been the best one so far. When Pixar first created the original Toy Story back in the late 1990's, audiences worldwide flocked to see the film, and it became an overwhelming success. Woody, Buzz, Slink, Mr. Potato Head and the rest of the toys were brought to life by the genius work of creative artists who haven't forgot what it's like to be a kid.

These movies would have to be my favourite animation works ever made. I realized that like many of the Pixar movies, these instant classics aren't just for kids. The movie has such magic to it because every single person in that audience can relate to a story about toys. Growing up, I would spend hours upon hours building the most random Lego creations, only to smash them all in a matter of minutes after the Lego townspeople were invaded by evil Lego Pirates or worse; including space aliens or Jurassic Park Dinosaurs (yes, I mixed toy genres.)

But it was all part of the imagination process. And somewhere along the line, most of us all grow up and grow out of our toys and our imagination shrinks into a tiny strand of our daily lives. I wish it was still okay to play with all of my old Ninja Turtles, their van, the blimp and my all time favourite, the turtle-copter. But just like in Toy Story, like the main character Andy, I grew up and went to college and left all my toys in the box downstairs, only to forgot about them and let my imagination shrink.

My girlfriend works at a daycare, so for her, some of the scenes in the movie were priceless (especially when you see day care kids throwing their toys and slobbering over every piece of plastic they find.) It's funny because it's real life. And a part of me is jealous that every day, she gets to watch kids create a world where they control the destiny of so many toys. She gets to step back in the moment, and remember what it's like to be a kid, playing with all of your friends and making a world of toys the only world you understand.

And as I grew older, my imagination and love for toys faded. There would be the odd time where I would look back on childhood memories, and take out my old toys when no one was watching or judging me. And we were all the same, making sure no one heard us playing and making up voices for inanimate figurines and making our carpet in our rooms a jungle or a bed of hot lava. Toys become an escape from the busy routine we set ourselves up for.

Near the end of the movie, a moment happens when Andy reminds us all of the purpose his toys served in his life. And he passes on the magic of the toys for yesterday and steps into a new chapter of his life. Just like in the movie, we all have a moment when we decide where our toys head to, and only hope that some child or group of imagination wild children share in the magic of exploring worlds unknown.

It would be next to impossible to explore the realm of imagination because the mind is an incredible thing. What soothes it, what satisfies it, what makes it real or fake and how we find our comfort. But your imagination is something you should never lose. We are reminded of it through our children of the world, through our dreams, our toys and of course, our beloved people at Pixar who never forget what it's like to be a kid.

Maybe it's just me, but I think at some point we all wonder what it would be like if our toys could speak. And that itself is part of the imagination process. What would they say? What would they want? But for now, the toys get put away, the lights turn off, the lid of the toy box closes or the door is shut. And maybe, just maybe, one of these times I will be able to turn on the light fast enough, open the lid in a split second, or open the door just in time to watch my favourite toys come to life. Even if it's only for a second.

Does money make you happy? Or stressed?

Today's Topic: Money

When it comes right down to it, all it is, is coloured paper.

But it is the absolute common denominator in life. And if you haven't realized that yet, wake up.

Those who have an abundance of it spend it and those who don't have enough of it spend it anyway. Society makes it seem that all life's ambitions and dreams take money. And you never stop spending it, saving it, borrowing it, lending it or losing it. See, that's the great thing about money. It comes into your life everyday. And you don't have to spend it to have some sort of interaction with it. You could drive by advertisement with a message to spend money. You could hear a conversation where that one buddy that you have it always asking to borrow "like 2 bucks" or "20 bucks" (And that has actually been proven that those are the two most common amounts of money people ask for when they want to borrow it from someone they know)

Everything takes money. To create this effect, let's do a simulation. I am going to go through a list of a very average day and in brackets, the money you would spend (or did spend in previous days) to get through your day. When I start the simulation, I find it rather ironic that you spend money on an alarm clock because if you don't spend money on an alarm clock, you might not wake up on time, THUS, losing your job that makes you money. Anyway here it is. My typical day:

I wake up in the morning (alarm goes off: $50.00 for an i-pod dock) and I get up to brush my teeth (toothpaste and toothbrush: $6.00) When I went to purchase my latest toothbrush, I went for the manual because the automatic toothbrush was out of my price range. And I realized that I'm not too lazy to move my arm in a horizontal motion. I wash my mouth out with the cool minty Listerine (mouthwash: $5.99) and next up is my wardrobe. Because I work construction, it doesn't have to be super high matinence at work (socks, boxers: $15.00, t-shirt and jeans: approx $60.00) Luckily, it's the summer time so I don't have to spend that extra money on the sweater. So I have now been up for ten minutes and I have already spent $136.99. Yes, you read that right. I'm not a big breakfast guy (unless it's the weekend) so it's usually a banana and granola bar (fruit and bar: $3.00) I grab my keys to my vehicle (truck's approx resale value: $10,000) put on my boots ($89.99) and I'm out the door. Luckily, I don't need gas today (company provides: no charge) so I show up to work with my hardhat and gloves (company provides: no charge)

...At this point I could bore you with logistics (but I won't) because technically I didn't buy the machinery that I operate...meaning I am not spending my money.

Time for lunch! A good ole sandwich (bread, lettuce, cheese, meat: averages around $10 to eat. All those ingredients usually makes me a week's worth so $2.00 a day) followed by a drink ($2.00) and other snacks ($5.00). My lunch keeps cool in a nice blue cooler ($15.00) and a variety of containers ($8.00).

So then I come home, make a meat-vegetable-potato meal ($15.00) with my pots and pans ($40.00) and use my brand new cutlery ($60.00) with a glass of milk (glass and milk: $4.00) and watch some TV (bell satellite TV: $85.00) but I get to watch the movie network and realize that the extra $21 a month on my bill is so worth it because I have never actually seen The Hangover until now. And it looks even better on a 42 inch plasma ($800.00).

From here on out, it hard to figure in the cost of a bed with bed sheets, pillows, etc etc. Or if I fall asleep on my couch I purchased a while back. For very simple math, let's just say $1000 was spent in order to sleep.

And now I brush my teeth again and take a rinse of mouthwash ($11.99) and it's lights out.

Many of you may not have read that all, but to total up your days spending in order to get you THROUGH the very plain and modest and most average of days, I hope you are sitting down because to do all this, I just spent $2275.97. I didn't include the price of the truck. And yes I realize you don't spend $1000 a day to sleep or $800 a night to watch t.v. BUT, I did at some point and that means I spent that money at some point to have some sort of comfort level.

But over $2000 a day. Just to live up to a standard lifestyle. And I realize everyone's situation is different because you may not have to buy all of your food or you might commute instead of drive but you you become so routine to life that you forget that it costs a lot of money just to brush your teeth. Or shave. And how deluxe do you take your shower? How much do you spend on soap or shampoo in a day? A week? A year? A lifetime? Wouldn't it be amazing to see your life's calculator? And just watch all those numbers go up one after the other?

Do you know what the saddest and most depressing of all of this is? How much money is spent on people who die. Funeral costs, a casket or a container for ashes, the headstone, etc etc etc. You spend your whole life trying to make money to get ahead and then when you die, you go broke covering the cost to be put six feet under. But it's the right thing to do. In NO WAY, am I trying to be rude, politically incorrect or heartless. I'm just saying, doesn't it just seem to be even just a tad ridiculous? So I'll complain and then someday, I'll do it anyway. I'll spend all that money just to be put in the ground for eternity.

I dare you to take a piece of coloured paper that we call money and deface it in some way. But that's illegal right? What about burning it? We've all heard that it's illegal to burn money. So if I walked up to a cop with a lighter and just set a $20 bill on fire right in front of his face, he would have to arrest me? Because it's illegal? WOW. I am going to try that.

So whether you spend it, save it, borrow it, lend it, invest it or burn it, realize that at the end of the day, it's just paper. And realize that it does control you but you have the power to manipulate it however you want. And boy, does that feel good.

Welcome to the good life?

Today's Topic: Celebrities

I'm not exactly sure at what point in history we decided that people who star in movies and get paid millions of dollars to entertain us were labeled as the people we are supposed to place on a pedestal. It amazes me that society in general seems to have a completely new set of rules for people that are always in the spotlight wherever they go.

I think I would hate to be a celebrity. I mean obviously, yes, the money would be nice. But here's how I look at it: If I was really dedicated to my school and my life, buckled down and had aspirations of say a doctor, at the end of EIGHT YEARS of school, and constantly saving lives and having a purpose in society, I would still only be making a tenth of a percent that Paris Hilton makes for having a hit sex video. I mean seriously, what is the point?? I was listening to the radio yesterday and I got my "daily fill of star entertainment." Turns out Katy Perry likes strippers. Who knew. Turns out that a year later, Neverland and Michael Jackson is still the thing to talk about. And then of course at the end of all this verbal diarrhea, I got told that "now, you're on the inside." Are you serious??? After blowing a small fuse at what I was listening to, I decided that celebrities suck. All around.

So I tried to calm my nerves by watching an entire season of Entourage (ironic right?) and still just didn't get it. In one episode, Bono and Matt Damon guest starred as celebs trying to help out starving children in their own country. Of course, a completely subtle underlying message that the writers of the show are trying to pull off. And somewhere between Johnny getting his life on track and Vince looking for his next piece of tail, I realized that I was part of the problem. But you can't escape Hollywood!

What is it that we find so glorious about the silver screen? The money? The fame? The cars? I hate that we award the people who make us laugh but the real heroes, who pull us out of burning buildings or take out the cancer infecting our body just get a pat on the back and a nice warm thank you. There's no red carpet for those people. No constant paparazzi getting in their face with cameras. No Hollywood premiere for the latest surgery they pulled off. Nope, all we say is thank you. And when we get back to normal health, we can't wait for the next installment of Shrek, Die Hard, Rocky, or Sex in the City. Is it because these plots are so ridiculous that its mind numbing? I guess at some point in your life you sit in awe thinking "Wow, what is must be like to be them." And not just your average movie or TV star. Athletes have the same disease. I remember Daniel Alfredsson talking about how hard his life was two years ago in the NHL playoffs. How upset he was. How devastating his world became. And yes ladies and gentlemen, this is what life has come to. The realization that is your job is play the monkey and entertain all of us average joes. Oh yes Daniel, your life is crucially tough. And every celebrity that discusses their tough life all do a terrific job of making it sound worse than prison.

I guess at some point you have tip your hat, move on and take everything that entertains you with a grain of salt because let's face it, this celebrity thing isn't leaving too soon. Life revolves around the latest and greatest. Like i said at the start of this post, I don't know who decided that the high life was more prominant and more important than your everyday average citizen. But please when you get really really really into a movie or TV show, just keep it in perspective and realize that no matter how many movies, TV shows or sporting events you watch, you still have to wake up the next morning fall back into the trap door that you're not important enough to make the 8 o'clock news or have your own segment on inside start. Yes, welcome to the good life.

And don't even get me started on Perez Hilton. Talk about a douchebag.

You Have To Start Somewhere

Welcome to Sunday Sitdowns with Donnie J. The goal here is simple: discussing the limitless possibilities of everything that is on this globe. Everyone has a point of view and a story to tell. With this blog, you will get all of this. Life experiences, life stories, deep meanings or even just posts that would classify under a 'slice-of-life' I chose Sunday Sitdowns because in the busy life I lead, Sunday's seem to be the days that are the most quiet and most relaxing. It's also a day of rest. So, every Sunday I will sit down and post the happenings of the world through my eyes and through my words. What's on my mind and what I've seen week in and week out. This is the first of many posts to come.

I promise not to bore you. And I promise I will stay true to myself and my words. Because without accoutability, you have nothing.

Today's Topic: The Big Picture.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend last night about the idea of forever. In realizing that nothing lasts forever, eternity IS forever. Take a moment and wrap the idea around your head that nothing you own matters. Whatever it is you believe will happen after your present day life, realize that once this life is over, what happens next...for all of eternity? Reincarnation? Getting your wings? Answering to God or Satin? Rebirth in a new life? Or do you believe that you simply just become another name in a graveyard, another corpse only to be forgotten about 100 or 200 years from now. For me (and not to sound too cliche), I am certain that the end is only the beginning. We discover who we are only after we have finished one life.

I'm not sure at what point I became absolutely fascinated with "reality." I was in a lecture one time when Bill Nye (yes the science guy) and he said something that really hit me. He said quote: "I was in a lecture one time in first year astronomy. And my professor said to me "You need to realize that on this earth, this entire universe and everything that makes up this planet, you are a speck of sand. No, do you realize how much sand there is at a beach? Well look at all that sand, and see that you are the tiniest speck of that sand. Grab a handful and take one speck. In the entire beach, in the entire world, that's what you are. And I thought to myself, wow, that sucks." And after he said that, I thought the same thing. That does suck. I am a nothing! But then on the contrary, maybe I am a something. In metaphor form, here's what I think: Maybe if I am important enough, people will stop and just stare at the sand. They will watch or they will listen. And they will surround themselves with the best beach, the best specks of sand and the best surroundings. And together, I will help create the best pile of sand.

I guess "the big picture" helps me realize that the best things in life happen with communication. It also makes me realize that forever is what we make of it, whether it be good or bad or somewhere in between. Eternity has already taken care of itself and fate has already decided who you are in this life and who you are supposed to be in the next life. The best advice I have ever got to live life in the big picture was to be be happy and smile at least once a day. And remember that forever takes care of itself. We just help shape it.

Until next Sunday,
Donnie J