It seems that every girl on campus has a ‘must have’ list when it comes to guys, full of characteristics and appearance preferences (in no particular order) of the qualities that they want in a man. Beach blond hair, musical ability and prowess on the soccer field are all list-worthy. Yet sticking to a list is too silly for me, I just want a real man. I’m dazzled by these handsome Spartan men, but I want to know what makes a guy good on the inside.

Signed,

Looking for the real deal

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Dear Searching Sister,

May my humble attempts today guide you in your search of a man who has properly emerged from boyhood. Though your generation places great emphasis on physical attraction, note that it is impossible to become a man on the outside if one is not a man on the inside first.

This inner man I speak of is cool-headed when all around there is panic. He acts wisely yet is humble in his wisdom, allowing for careful realization when wrong. Though he is lied about and hated, a man will not repay with this same form of destruction.
He will set his sights high, but not allow his dreams to control his life; in fact, whether this man is met with Triumph or Disaster, he will still act justly.

A true man makes Patience his master, building up what is broken at the hands of others. Rest assured that he will have Hope as his friend, guiding him out of the despair that others foresee.

A man remains virtuous regardless of his surroundings, gaining the respect and admiration of friends and foes. And even when idolized, a man admits that he is merely human, and thus he can associate with all.
If a lad has these characteristics, then he truly has become a good man.

-Rudyard Kipling

“We are honored to have the Vancouver Canuck Alumni play us,” says Titans’ head coach Dwayne Lowdermilk. “The players look forward to rubbing shoulders with their hockey heroes.”

As the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League continues to grow, the event is seen as another positive step for the league as a whole. TWU is hoping to offer financial support to students through a potential hockey scholarship program. “This game’s purpose,” says Lowdermilk, “is to raise funds for recruiting and development, as the Titans hope to attract talented graduating junior players who wish to continue on playing hockey while pursing undergraduate studies.”

A few notable Canuck Alumni that will be playing in the fundraising game is Dave Babych, a fan favourite due to his trademark bushy mustache, and the only Canuck defenseman to register a hat trick in a game. The Canucks’ franchise leader in games played and wins by a goaltender, Kirk McLean will also be suiting up. McLean is best remembered in Vancouver for backstopping the Canucks to the Stanley Cup finals in 1994, where the lost in seven games.

While the event is a hockey game, a representative from the Canuck Alumni, Rod Brathwaite believes that the cause is well worth it. “The Vancouver Canucks Alumni understand and know the importance of post secondary education. When it comes to our leaders of tomorrow its important to support their growth in education,” says Brathwaite.

Meanwhile, the Titans are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent memory. After last year’s dismal performance, the team is 4-7 heading into Christmas break.

“We came out strong early, but this slump has had many growing points for us”, said Lowdermilk on his team’s recent performance. “We see that we can beat any team in the league. We just have to get back to a full 60 minutes of play.”

Lowdermilk cites rookie forward Dwayne Edward’s steady improvement as one of the catalysts for the Titans’ improved fortunes. “Trevor comes to play, and when he is on his game he raises our teams’ overall level. He is a very talented young man and knows where the net is.” 
The Titans and Canuck Alumni hope to raise $10,000 from the event, and tickets are available for $10.

Douglas Hall, traditionally an all-male-on-campus residence, is now home to a dorm of undergrad women, most of them majoring in education.

Bethany Tyler, the RA of the girls’ dorm, said she had some initial misgivings about a lack of diversity in the new living arrangements. She noted that Trinity’s rich liberal arts tradition is one of its strong points, and exposure to a variety of different fields should be celebrated.

Though education is the connection point for girls in her dorm she said their different focuses – science, English, music, etc. – ensure that diversity is maintained.

“It seems like we’re benefiting from the variety we have,” she remarked.

And as far as being the only women in Douglas, Tyler is definitely positive.

“We love it. Just the fact that we are the only girls living in Douglas, we take pride in it,” she said.

A dorm for the male business majors joins the education dorm as the newest “live-learn” communities at TWU.

Rod Ross, a professor with the School of Business, was one of the initiators of the project. Ross has conducted research on the successes of live-learn academic communities. Kelvin Gartly, Assistant Director of Community Life, was investigating the idea at the same time.

Both Ross and Gartly noted that the concurrence of their research was a motivating factor in the decision to introduce the live-learn project to Trinity.

“I was really struck by the quality of the product,” said Ross of his research. “One thing that anyone who’s in business is always looking at is how they can create greater value for their customers. This is what we would refer to as a value-add experience.”

Ross’s enthusiasm for the project is shared by many of TWU’s School of Business alumni who are providing funding for renovation in the new business dorm. Gartly hopes this project will be a way to further involve local alumni in the TWU community.

Gartly pointed out, however, that Douglas’s new dorms are not TWU’s first experience with live-learn communities. The International Dorm, involving both men and women, has been a vibrant means to connect students with similar interests and diverse backgrounds, he explained. The Laurentian Leadership Center is another example of the live-learn philosophy.

Gartly noted that Student Life intends to closely study the project this year and is eager to begin collecting feedback from students. If successful, TWU’s resident housing could potentially include more live-learn communities. These, Gartly observed, would not necessarily be major-related. They could also be constructed along broader types of interest, such as a social justice or wellness-based living which would include students of more than one major.

Germany:

Chris Brown spent several years of his education in Jena, Germany. In Germany the schools separate children at grade five; those who are university-bound and those destined to become trade or technical workers go to more specialized schools to prepare for their future occupations. Consequently, Chris’ Gymnasium, or university-prep school, had a “bigger focus on science, it was a lot more academic. We were taking dedicated physics, biology and geography courses instead of compiled science,” said Chris. In addition, there was a heavy emphasis on languages. A secondary language is compulsory in grade five, and a third is taught in grade seven. Chris remembers some discussion in the classroom; though not entirely calm discussion. “My class was really rowdy so the teachers did a lot of shouting,” Chris said.

South Africa:

Jason Jensen spent nine years in the Capetown, South Africa educational system. He remembers a very rigid organizational system at school: “Interaction is totally different, you all wear uniforms. They’re very strict, your hair cannot touch your ears or your eyebrows or your collar. You have to have your full uniform, including the right color of socks, or you can get detention,” he said. Jason’s class had to line up when the first bell rang in the morning, in order of height. They walked to class in silence, stood until the teacher entered and sat after a unison greeting. Jason also experienced mandatory language learning in English and Afrikaans. “A lot of people are already bilingual, and now it’s also becoming mandatory to learn your native African language,” he said. He also recalled “more of a general world knowledge” in his elementary education. “My geography of the world is better than [those educated in North America],” said Jason.

Mexico:

Gabby Labastida spent her early years in a Mexican school in Mexico City. “There’s a lot more homework and the curriculum’s a lot more advanced [than in North America],” Gabby said. “It stresses the kids out way more than they should be. They’ll teach kids in grade three stuff from grade four or five… I would do homework from after school until bedtime.”

Japan:

“In Japan,” asserted Yuko Ueda, “knowledge is not perceived as a means to the end but it is the end itself.” In Yuko’s opinion, Japanese students are perceived as blank slates. She believes her education provided and equipped her with knowledge without necessarily teaching her how to use it. “The teacher will supply the student with input, but not expect any output back from the students,” she said. In a Japanese educational environment, “challenging authority is not encouraged; students usually won’t outwardly question or disagree with their teacher,” she continued. “Since harmony is strongly emphasized in the collectivistic culture of Japan, actions which cause tension are socially discouraged,” said Yuko.

Egypt:

Ann and Ang Hanna attended an Egyptian school operated by nuns. “The load was very heavy, it’s very different than here,” asserted Ann. Ang agreed, “We would stay up at night doing homework and we were in elementary school.” The pedagogical approach is described by Ann as “drill-style.” Students would simply repeat in unison whatever the teacher said. Both recall that physical punishment in the classroom was the norm, even if the teacher was simply dissatisfied with assignments.

I began treatment for depression over a year ago. Even on medication,I was still struggling against the darkness. After talking with my doctor and reading about the benefits of animal therapy, I decided to get a dog.

Ever since I got her last October, Ruby has brought so much to my life, including dramatic improvements to my mental health. For starters, Ruby is my little love bug. Her unconditional love and energetic support keep the debilitating feelings of loneliness and despair at bay. When I suffer from anxiety, Ruby’s presence and support calms me. I also feel incredibly protected by my little wiener dog. So far she has alerted me to an assault in progress
and just the other week her growling brought my attention to a neighborhood burglar. (What can I say? I live in Whalley!)

Furthermore, having a service animal has brought structure to my life. The added structure removes uncertainties from my day and, in turn, lessens my overall stress level. Ruby also demands numerous walks and lots of playtime, so I get great exercise, which benefits my health and well-being.

Most importantly, Ruby is incredibly sensitive to my moods and needs. When she senses that I’m down, she tries to cheer me up, by either snuggling with me or just being a clown. Once when I was sad, she stuck her head in between the cushions of the couch, somehow managing to balance herself on her head so her entire body was flailing around in the air. Her quirky nature brings joy and laughter to my day, which is important since it’s hard to be wallowing in despair when you’re laughing your head off.

All this being said, I believe that animal therapy is not the best answer for everyone. I have read accounts of people suffering with depression who can’t function unless they have their therapy animal with them. The animal must remain a service animal and not a crutch or one’s only means of support.

In these situations, the animal becomes an inhibitor rather than a type of support. For this reason, I do not bring Ruby with me everywhere. She assists me with my condition, but I don’t rely on her in order to function. I bring her to school, but she stays with friends in the Redeemer Pacific student lounge when I’m in class.

We are normally hanging out in the student lounge at RPC, located in the house adjacent to TWU’s entrance. I want to invite all of TWU’s dog-deprived students to come and visit Ruby any time. Hope to see you there!

The travel studies programs at TWU give students the opportunity to spend between one and four weeks in global learning environments.

There are eight travel studies offered this May, but according to Dr. Dennis Jameson, Vice President of Academic Affairs, that number will be reduced to four or five next summer.

“There comes a time when you have to be brave enough to close the doors on part of a service and renovate,” said Jameson. The travel studies program has grown over the last few years in terms of students attending and courses being offered. As the program expanded, the Academic Affairs office had concerns about the infrastructure of the program. The new task force will develop policies and make recommendations to Jameson about management of the different trips.

“Universities need a comprehensive, quality way to facilitate study abroad programs,” said Jameson. He believes that the current system is not adequate to take TWU into the future.

The UAC’s main concern is that the curriculum being taught on a travel study requires no specific approval. Since many of the trips are interdisciplinary in nature, professors
may give instruction in areas outside of their expertise. Jameson and his department are concerned with the quality of education.

Jameson also pointed out that safety and “risk management” are issues that the university faces in the complex world of global travel.

“Travelling abroad is dangerous business. We can’t do it off the corner of someone’s desk,” said Jameson.

He hopes to see a new office come out of the task force that manages every aspect of travel studies, including curriculum approval, safety and insurance, and orientation for students studying abroad.

Six years ago, Jameson moved the travel studies program from TWest (the predecessor of Global Learning Connections) to the office of Dr. Deane Downey, who was the Associate Academic VP until last December. Christina Batterman, who was Downey’s administrative assistant for seven years, had taken on the administration of travel studies, along with a plethora of other responsibilities, including IDIS.

While not responsible for curriculum, Batterman spends many hours researching and working with Enrolment Services and Financial Aid to coordinate logistics of enrolling students in off-campus programs. She also creates budgets and itineraries for many of the trips.

“Travel studies have really taken off because I’ve been here to do the communication and all the planning,” said Batterman. “I want to see students taken out of the North American bubble. We’re giving them an opportunity to see a different point of view.”

When Downey retired, Dr. Bob Wood took over as Associate VP and brought his own administrative assistant to the office. This, along with other changes, meant that, in Batterman’s words, “My job was no longer a job.”

“Dr. Downey did travel studies off the side of his desk, Christina did it off the side of her desk, and they both did a wonderful job with very little resources,” said Jameson. Now, however, personnel are being reorganized.

Like Jameson, Batterman believes that the travel studies program needs to be improved and she had hoped to be a part of making those improvements a reality.

“Suddenly I became part of the problem, not part of the solution,” she said.

Batterman is concerned that scaling back the short-term travel studies program will hinder their positive impact on students.

“I’m really concerned that we don’t give up the momentum that students have for travel studies,” she said. She believes that financial constraints, specifically her salary, are a main reason for the change to the program.

Without denying budget constraints, Jameson noted that the May travel studies have been under discussion for two years: “We’ve known that we needed to fix travel studies—as a system it was broken.”

He added that there are usually one or two travel studies cancelled every year due to a shortage of participants, and in 2006 they are anticipating this and running fewer programs to begin with. At the time of printing, Jameson did not know which trips would still be offered.

Although the short-term travel studies program will be pared back next year, there will be more emphasis placed on established programs such as the Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa. As a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, TWU students
can also take part in its “Best Semester” programs, which include China, Russia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Oxford.

Jameson does not think the reduced travel studies program will be a long-term situation. By 2012, he would like a third of TWU students to have experienced studying abroad.

“Experiential learning is a pillar to education,” said Jameson.

Batterman also believes that travel studies are “valuable and necessary.” She asks, “Without travel studies we’re preparing leaders for what— Langley?”

A big part of style is noticing the little things. Whether it be wearing shoes that match your belt, or finding a purse that accents your print, accessorizing can make or break a good look. A Christmas tree with too many
ornaments looks messy, a car with multiple decals looks cheap, a house with too many lawn flamingos looks trashy… who wants to look messy, cheap, or trashy?! A big key to making sure your look has not gone too far with the accoutrements is to know exactly what falls into the category of “accessories.” Just remember: if it
is not your outfit’s top or bottom, it’s extra. This means shoes, bags, watches, belts, jewelry, and so on.

Sure it’s nice to put on something more every once in awhile: a leather wrist-cuff gives an “urban rustic” touch while a silver chain makes for simple elegance. Where belts are concerned, studs say “irregular,” cloth says “beach,” aged leather gives out a “classic vintage” vibe. Whatever genre you decide to tout, stick with it throughout your entire outfit. Trying to mix styles is tedious and should be left to the likes of Elvis and Madonna.

If you’re going classy, leave the brown worn leathers at home. When you want to go for the “broken in” look, resist brand new shoes or crisply pressed shirts. And if you want to go relaxed, just forget that polyester exists.

In an effort to raise attention to good examples of this kind of consistency, I would like to point out musical artists. A great example of solid image is the genuine musician. He/she knows who they are and put it into their music and their appearance. In an effort to reach for tangible independence, hard rock and punk musicians revamp the concepts of the semi-goth look. This includes lots of blacks, silvers, and obvious contrasts to the common trends. In the same way, pop artists put forth an image of modernity with bright, flashy apparel and perfect hair. Indie-rock artists (my favorite, not gonna lie) have an image of comfort in earth tones, vintage tees, “broken in” shoes, and little-to-no regard for places like Gap or Le Chateau. For each
of these types (which are only a few among many more styles) accessories largely define their separation from other wardrobe choices. Punk/goth look: black leather wrist-cuffs, red stars, silver chains, and the ever-known studs. Pop: latest logos, newest color schemes, biggest coif. Indie: leathers, olives and browns, old slacks, the oh-so-comfortable worn denim, and (who can forget) Chuck Taylors.

While none of these looks should define those who wear them, they should be made consistent. Think of how dastardly it would be if someone were to wear both teams’ colors at a hockey game—neither side would be too thrilled. Accessories are just an extension of one’s style; they should accent, not particulate. So while I’m deciding whether or not I am going to go with my band T and Levis or fl ip-fl ops and board shorts, I might as well ditch the studs and stars, they won’t help me fit into that crowd anyway.

Keep the camo to chameleons.

Rumour had it that the Americans never lose, so I thought I’d fancy another wager on this year’s game. But then I saw flyers announcing tryouts for the Canadian girls’ team.

“Tryouts!? Something’s fishy here,” I thought. “It seems that the girls are trying to win this year.” I smelled a set-up. A little voice in my head was telling me I shouldn’t gamble my relationship on this year’s Can-Am game. The risk was too great. The girls were too good. The guys were too American. Sammy Vickstein was captain. Nuff said.

And we all know why there were tryouts. Cause the Canadians hadn’t won in 45 years (or was it 4-5?). The field of play needed balance, and perhaps tryouts were an attempt to achieve that.

The pendulum swung too far in the other direction though. It was fun watching the Americans flop like penguins off a diving board. But pretty soon I was more frustrated than a Mexican watching curling. The Can-Am game was completely one-sided.

The Canadian girls rocked. With student athletes and seasoned skaters, they scored at will. Meanwhile the American guys had wet underwear from sitting on the ice all evening. Shots on goal were scarce. They ran no formations. Pathetically, they scored one goal from in front of the blue line.

The Can-Am game has come a long way thanks to the hard work of student volunteers such was Simon Moore. This year’s game was corporate-sponsored and ambulance free, but there’s still some room for improvement.

For starters, let’s print the Canadian team’s weight in the program. It’s not fair that only the Americans have to reveal that information. And next year, let’s turn the mic on for the American National Anthem.

I’m not certain whether organizers were trying to create a Canadian slaughter or balance, but if they want the latter, then perhaps the Americans should have tryouts. I don’t think the Americans should have the best talent possible, but they should have the chance to choose a few skaters for the team so the coaches don’t have to put on pads and play, just to keep the game from getting out of hand.

Some final thoughts:

- Thank goodness at least half the players on the ice (the Canadians) knew how to play hockey.

- Whoever thought of throwing candy to the crowd should be involved in the space program. That was genius.

- I really enjoy showing up on time at 9:30 for a 10:15 opening face-off (not).

- I don’t know about you guys, but I feel really bad that nobody at the Can-Am game is going to buy a
boat. Don’t our sponsors know that we’re poor college students? Maybe if I wasn’t giving all my cash to tsu-
nami relief, I’d consider a boat purchase.

- It’s amazing that a dry event can attract that many rowdy and hardcore fans. God bless Trinity.

You see, I am one of those people who has lost direction, or never had it. I am one of those people who does not know what to do with his life.

“What are you going to do with your degree, Joel?”

“Wallow in the streets in self pity, thinking of a hundred other ways I could have spent sixty grand.”

Sixty thousand dollars in tuition and I still have no clear direction. I never knew faith could cost so much.

Some say people are hard to avoid. People are easy to avoid. There are several havens to be found, even here on campus. There’s the prayer room, collegiums you don’t belong to, washrooms (if you are avoiding a member of the opposite gender), and so on. Questions, on the other hand, are hard to avoid. Questions follow me wherever I go. They follow me home. They even find me in my car, alone, cornered. I’ll turn on the radio and hear Dave Matthews singing, “Where are you going?” Shut up, Dave.

Hoping to find some condolence, I asked a fellow Art Major if she knew what she’d be doing upon graduation: “Of course. I wouldn’t waste my time and money going to Trinity if I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

Then there’s you: all of you. You are my worst enemy. Daily you pester me. Daily you inquire. “Oh, you’re a Fine Arts Major. What do you want to do with that?”

“I don’t know!”

My wide-eyed outburst usually hinders the conversation from quietly moving onto another topic. Instead, I endure an unpleasant amount of awkward silence and obscure facial expressions. You look at me as if I’m a nutcase. You are starting to make me a believer.

I’d rather think of more appealing questions that won’t determine my well-being for the rest of my life. Questions like, “Is beautimous a real word? Because if it’s not, it should be.”

One co-worker attempted to answer the nagging question for me: “So you’re a photographer, right? So you could get a job at a magazine or something taking pictures of naked women?”

“I suppose that’s one option.”

But it’s not my options that are limited; it’s my vision, my direction. I sing on Sunday, “Jesus, be my vision / Be my hope / Be my guide / Jesus,” but prayers as such are not easily answered.

One of my favourite moments of the day lasts no more than a few seconds. Between the close of the car door and the opening of the house door, there is a moment, a glance up at the stars. It is often just that, a glance, but there are times when I allow myself to delay my destination – my mind distracted from the pillow by the beauty of the black and white and blue.

Our dreams are stars, scattered across a million miles of black canvas. They seem absent during the day, hidden behind the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, but they are ever present. We need only to wait for a cloudless night to see them shine. “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Pr. 16:9). One day my own dream will awake. In the meantime, I’m slowly learning to let God guide me through the fog.

First, I grabbed a baseball bat to institute some surface blows. I laughed maniacally as I stood over the horse’s corpse. The legs were my first targets. WHACK! WHACK! My fervor grew with each crippling blow to the once sturdy and strong hindquarters. WHACK! WHACK! Oh, the power I felt. Take that you dirty, rotten stallion corpse. Oh Palomino, how I love to beat you to a pulp!

But alas, attacking its surface is not enough. I must scoop out this beast’s insides. Onto the pitchfork I go! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! SPLURT! The blood sprayed everywhere with each subsequent pitchfork incision. Whatta mess! Tis far more gruesome than I possibly could have hoped. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! SPLURT! Take that horsey! That’s what you get for being dead. Muahahahahahahaha.

What’s that sitting in the corner? Is that… why, I think it is. Ladies and gentlemen, a chainsaw! RREEAGGHHH! Boy oh boy, horse bones are difficult to cut through. I will stay the course, though. Despite already being dead, the horse shall receive no special favor from me. RREEEAAGGGGHHH! Ooh, goody, a soft spot! Who woulda thunk that a horse’s neck would be so tender? This is glorious! Glorious! I clamor for the sweet nectar of power. Yummers. I can almost see this horse transforming into glue before my very eyes. With each subsequent attack, this mangled horsemeat looks more and more like a bowl of Pet Chow.

I must stand back from my great defamation. It’s a beautiful sight. I have taken something lifeless and killed it. Killed it until it died. The horse carcass is scattered all around me. How proud you all must be of me and the fruits of my joyous labour. I wonder how this horse died in the first place.