Live-December2013

What Does Your Work Space Say About You??

It’s amazing what you can learn about colleagues at the College by checking out the space where they work. A visit to the 1^st floor of B Building and the offices of the General Arts and Science Programs will bring you to the space that Rich Lauzon calls his home at work.

Entering Rich’s office is a blast to the senses, a sensory overload. The walls, the bookcases, the table top, it seems that every space is covered in an array of graphic art. Fantasy creatures both whimsical and macabre, fairies and frogs, avatars, famous and not-so-famous people — all are here, depicted as art deco, high realism, cartoon and caricature. Rich’s office is a swirl of colour and motion; spending time there is like being in the middle of a technicolour dream.

Rich Lauzon has been drawing since he was two – “I was one of those guys always drawing in school”. With a BA in Fine Arts and a TV/Animation Diploma from Algonquin, Rich has been a professor in the Pre-Animation and Illustration Program for 11 years. Rich believes strongly in the power of visual learning and his office is a testament to that approach. He says he hopes the students who enter into his space will be visually stimulated and creatively inspired.

Ask Rich where his inspiration comes from and he’ll tell you that everyday life inspires him – a video game, a movie, a news event, his students, even himself. Much of Rich’s creativity has been captured in a book entitled The Art of Richtoon (2010) and reproductions of his work adorn many walls across the nation and the continent.

So, if you love creativity and art and you think you’ve seen it all, drop by B139a and say hello to Rich Lauzon, artist extraordinaire!

A Sustainable Holiday Season

The holiday season is filled with moments of hopeful joy and blissful cheers. It is a time when families gather and share in moments of love and laughter. It is also a time when our impact on the environment is at its highest. Shopping bags, wrapping paper, packaging, decorations, and food waste, these represent just a few of a list that I am sure you can expand. It leaves me to wonder, is a sustainable holiday season within reach?

A simple google search can produce numerous green tips for holiday living. Modest steps like reducing the amount of wrapping paper we use and buying gifts with less packaging will reduce your impact on the environment. While it is true that every small step helps, I often question how much these modest examples inspire others to live more sustainable. This year, I have decided to take my desire to inspire others to live more sustainably one step further.

Have you heard of a gift that keeps on giving? A bed net that saves lives, a goat that provides for families, or clean water for a family in need. These gifts, part of Plan Canada’s Gifts of Hope, afford us the opportunity to ask for a gift that inspires sustainability. For considering the environmental impact of our actions is only one part of the picture that is sustainability.

My family is well aware of my desire to be a part of a just and responsible citizenry that protects our planet so it can provide for future generations in the same manner that it has provided for me. Receiving a gift that I will not consume, nor touch or even see will surely raise some eyebrows. More importantly, this gift will allow me the opportunity to lead by example and inspire others to be a part of a sustainable holiday season.

Jay Smith

Professor/Student Success Specialist

See Earth Action Team for Sustainability (SEATS) – Leader

HOMEWORK BOOTCAMP

Article submitted by Tricia Kassotis

The beginning of the school year is the best time to get children onto a regular homework routine, and once in place, children need only guidance; read that regular prodding to maintain the routine.

There is great benefit to creating a new school year homework boot camp for children.

Creating a strong foundation and expectation for the organization and completion of homework will set children on a strong path of self-discipline and independent success with school work.

BOOT CAMP FOUNDATIONS.

Set your expectations high – reasonable, but high. Children will rise to the challenge.

KNOW WHAT THE WORK IS

Expect your child to listen in class and write down the homework assignment. Writing things down helps commit them to memory.

USE SOUND TRANSPORTATION

Left to their own devices, children can reduce homework sheets to the size of postage stamps. This is, of course, to make room for the electronics and all the other paraphernalia in their backpack. Use a strong folder to house homework assignments for the trip to and from school. A Ziploc freezer bag with a piece of strong cardboard inside can do the trick quite nicely.

FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE HOMEWORK ROUTINE

Always expect children to do their homework. Maintain the attitude that homework is important and must be done.

Try the 1, 2, 3 set up method.

• One: Clear the homework workspace of all distractions.
• Two: Collect all homework materials. Have everything that will need on hand: assignment sheets, pens and pencils, dictionary, extra paper etc.
• Three: Do and Review. Highlight the assignment instructional words like: read, list, write, colour in, etc. These are written clues on how to complete the assignment. Let your child do the homework, and then guide them through a review.
• Three and a half. Make sure your child hands in their homework. Many a time I’ve found completed work buried in the bottom of a back pack.

FOCUS ON LONG TERM DISCIPLINE

Homework completion should encourage positive study habits and organizational skills that last a lifetime. Once you set up your child’s homework routine, discuss that the most important thing is follow through with the process, not just getting answers right.

In today’s busy society the basic learning skills of getting homework done can get lost. Organizing children to get homework done homework done is a part of higher learning. It puts children on the path of self-discipline, self-esteem, and personal growth. Good homework skills can lead to good organization, time management and other important life skills.

Meditation: The Greatest Gift You Can Give Yourself

I have been incorporating meditation into my life for about a year. While it has been the greatest gift I could have ever given to myself, I often find myself tongue-tied when asked about my practice. I can’t seem to simply find a few words to describe this life changing, blissful, peaceful practice. So instead, I will describe it to you through stories.

Yes, meditation is that good!
A fellow Algonquin College Professor and my close friend, Lisa Middleton shares her story on how meditation has enriched her life:

“When I share my experience of meditation I say that “meditation found me”. In 1997 I had ended a 9 year relationship with my fiancé and it was the lead up to that breakup when I realized that I needed to make some changes. It was only 2 months after that I was on a plane headed to India. I had no special intentions about the trip but it turned out to be a life altering experience. Along my journey, I had many encounters with people who spoke about Vipassana meditation. There was something about their experience that inspired me to give it a try. After completing the 10-day silent retreat I knew I had found the change I was looking for. It was no longer a mystery how peace, joy and happiness could be attained.

After 16 years, meditation continues to play a big role in my life. With a daily practice I have more clarity, peace and equanimity. Difficult situations are still difficult but not with the same intensity as before. Not long ago, I was confronted with a situation where forgiveness seemed impossible. Feelings of love were overshadowed by feelings of disappointment, sadness and anger. I decided that I needed the support offered at a meditation centre, so I signed up for another 10 day retreat. Sitting in stillness for that length of time transformed my perspective on the situation and I left feeling free – free to love again.
In these times where being active and on the go is considered to be normal, I am grateful to have a place within me that breeds stillness. I have found a precious jewel that will travel with me forever.” – Lisa Middleton

Lisa’s story describes the true essence of meditation to find peace and love through forgiveness.

My journey to meditation began ever since I could remember. Being born into a Buddhist family, it is part of the family teachings. However, I didn’t have a full appreciation for it then (not at all actually) because I felt that it was boring, there were so much resistance to meditate and once I managed to convince myself to sit down, the monkey brain would appear and I’d get itchy, achy and often thought that meditation was causing me stress and it didn’t bring me the joy or bliss that everyone was talking about. So I gradually gave it up and convinced myself that meditation is not for me.

A few years ago, I found myself in a place of despair, lost and unhappiness even though I was blessed with all of the materialistic things that I had ever wanted. I often felt that something was missing, an empty space in my heart and I didn’t know what it was until one day I saw a poster on the internet about Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training at PranaShanti, a local yoga studio. It went on about something along the lines of how it helps to calm the mind and overcome habitual patterns that have been holding you back from truly living your life to the fullest. Right at that moment I knew that I had to close my eyes and jump in with both feet. I signed up for the Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training without actually having taken a class or experienced what it was all about really. It was the most irrational thing I’ve ever done, especially for a logical and analytical type. The first class began and I discovered that meditation plays a big role in Kundalini Yoga. My first thought was “oh no (replace no with a swear word), the haunt of my childhood all over again” but somehow I thoroughly enjoyed the practice. The more classes I attended, the more I fell in love with it as I eventually found some peace of mind and gained some clarity on how to live my life to the fullest – finally, this is what everyone is talking about!

Perhaps it was a different approach or a different style that I was taught or perhaps it was the loving and supportive teacher, Devinder Kaur or perhaps it was the science of Kundalini Yoga that really works. To this day, I still don’t know how it all came together but perhaps it was a combination of all of them. Things are still not crystal clear to me now that I’ve graduated and now teaching but I feel that I now have a sense of my life’s direction and I know for certain that it was the best decision that I’ve made and the most beautiful gift I have given myself.
Lisa and I are sharing our stories in hopes to inspire you to give meditation a try or give it a try again as it has broadened and enriched our lives in so many ways. On closing, I’d like to share with you a quote:
“Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
~ Mark Twain

Vanessa Marshall (Tran) is a student of meditation and yoga. She writes about cultivating happiness and health through mindfulness and nutrition on her blog: PranaQuests. Vanessa works at Algonquin College as an Educational Application Trainer while being certified as a Holistic Nutritionist and Success Coach. She teaches Kundalini Yoga at home in the evening and at Algonquin College during lunch hours. To find out more about Vanessa’s teaching schedule, visit www.pranaquests.com

Lisa Middleton is a Life Coach and owner of Project You. She has been practicing in the field of coaching for the past 12 years, working with clients in the areas of Vision, Leadership, and Wellness. She integrates and links these three areas to help people reach their full potential – to realize their dreams – and to attain optimal levels of wellness

Think Sideways

Article submitted by Chris McFarlane

It must have been because of the big smile on my face that Valerie asked me how my summer holidays went and how I spent them.
I came back to work totally refreshed and energized and I guess it must have showed. After I eagerly described my trip, she asked if I would share my experience…

I had attended a photographic workshop entitled “Visual Design” by Freeman Patterson and Andre Gallant in sleepy little St. Martins – at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick.

I had tried for two years to get into this workshop and finally was accepted in August of 2012. My twelve classmates were mostly from the US and a couple from Toronto. The skill level ranged from novice to working professionals and all of us learned immensely from each other.

Take Liz, for example. Even after getting lost for two hours in the thick bush on Freeman’s 270 acre farm, taught us perseverance and the need for a passion in life. Even though she’s 83 years old, she managed to keep her camera in tow.

Can you imagine getting lost at dusk in the middle of nowhere – no phone and no idea where she was? She stood up in front of us later that evening and thanked us for searching. We were all moved – Freeman just gave her a hug and the class was canceled.

She also taught us that you’re never too old to learn a new way to think and see.

Freeman Patterson,2nd left – back row, Andre Gallant, 2nd front row, me – 3rd from the right – back row.

What drew me to this workshop was Freeman’s exceptional and prolific work and his reputation as a teacher. The man is truly blessed with insight and vision and to translate this into imagery – I wasn’t disappointed.

Our day would consist of a shoot at dawn, followed by a quick breakfast and off to shoot a specific theme crafted by Freeman and Andre.
Back for a quick lunch and then to edit through the images – to present our best three of the day to our fellow students and instructors.

Critique was positive yet direct. The master photographers would usually have constructive reasons why an image did or did not work.
Sometimes though, it was just the sound of silence that filled the room, as we quietly soaked in the compositional elegance of the image before us. So called rules of composition were tossed aside in favour artistic expression.
Freeman spoke often about visual imagery as a language and would question each of us if we used too many words (i.e. visual elements) to tell a story.

Less is truly more.

Abstraction in photography lets us see with the basic building blocks of design within the subject. Colour, form, line and shape are arranged and juxtaposed to produce an image pleasing to the mind’s eye.

Andre and Freeman would end our evening session with their own presentation. This was truly magical for me. Freeman, although is in his mid-70’s, looks at least twenty years younger. He had a brush with death that would have stopped anyone. He is a member of the Order of Canada …he still rides his Harley …I could go on. He still shoots with transparency (Fuji) film using an old Olympus SLR and projects his images with Kodak projectors.

In contrast Andre shoots with a full frame Nikon DSLR and projects via his Mac.

Analog and digital side by side in all its’ glory.
I had forgotten the ultimate beauty of film. There still is no comparison – film has a luminous quality that in my opinion and used by someone as experienced as Freeman cannot be matched in capturing the essence of an image.

Our first day is one I’ll never forget. After giving us a lecture and examples of the ‘art of seeing’ the evening before (including the benefits of shooting with a tripod to control composition) – he led us one by one, around the grounds of the old estate where we lodged – to a point where we were to shoot for the next two hours.
Our assignment was not to move the camera and tripod combination and to shoot eight well composed images with the ultimate goal to present our best three to the class that evening.
Hmmm… I thought, am I paying to get a headache?

This was torturous experience at first! I couldn’t even cheat – not even a little as he was monitoring us and we were in site of each other. The first half hour was spent tweaking with manual exposure and looking at my classmates and drinking a bottle of water.
Then I started to look and listen – the cool morning gentle breeze rustling through the birch tree leaves…. the glow of the backlit fern – an old fashioned bicycle and basket.
Freeman had spoken about Thinking Sideways or lateral thinking and the need to look at the familiar or seemingly mundane in a fresh way. The message was starting to hit home for me now.

Fast forward – day four.
Freeman and Andre had assessed our potential strengths and had thrown each of us a challenge on Thursday evening.
We were to photograph our assignment on Friday morning, edit in the afternoon and present 15 images in the evening to our fellow students and teachers.
He also invited some of his artistic associates. The pressure was on… am I paying for this headache, I wondered?
My assignment was the topic “abstract in the automobile”. Ok… this shouldn’t be too difficult…

Thursday evening, I walked around the parking lot and took a few snaps. I viewed them in my room and realized that they were indeed snaps…just cold records of fenders and car parts.
I lamented my woes to the inn keeper and asked where there might be a junkyard…something with character or history… a past. I’ll see what I can do, she said. I’ll meet you in the dining room at 8 pm.
The clock ticked on… and I finally resigned myself that I would somehow find a suitable subject in the morning – the open bar bottle was empty. It was a sleepless night.
Dawn broke, there was a message for me at the counter. The innkeeper wondered if I would be interested in photographing a restored antique MGA. My prayers were answered!

The weather was perfect – the fog produced a wraparound light which played to the high black gloss of the metal, chrome and glass.
There was a light mist which gave the surface character and depth. The owner gave me carte blanche to do whatever was necessary to get his creation properly photographed.

I think I was in heaven for the next two hours – totally lost in the moment. We even went for a drive in the fog and I was thinking , wouldn’t it be great if we found a dirt road as a setting – and maybe throw some cattle in the background mist of a photo – just for some character…
Was it worth the headache – for sure!
Not only did I meet some good and talented people, I came back with some great memories, friends and a knowledge that reinforces – that you’re never too old to learn, always seize an opportunity of interest and find a passion to keep you exploring, smiling and young.

More images at:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/26429776/VisualDesign/index.html

Chris.

New Campus Helps City Win Awards
– Submitted by Fred Blackstein

The Communities in Bloom Program (CIB) is an International effort aimed not only at beautification, but also on long-term sustainability and community partnerships. In the past few years, Pembroke was declared “The Prettiest Little City in Canada”, and our Waterfront Park was selected for the B.C.-based Buchart Gardens “Best Reclaimed Land Project” in North America.

This year Pembroke entered the International level of the CIB competition for the second time, after doing reasonably well last year. By sheer coincidence, the same two judges (UK & France) were here again. Given that these judges already had extensive knowledge of our Waterfront Park, the decision was made to focus on our new campus, stressing the LEED program and other sustainability enhancements. Community involvement is another major component of the CIB judging and that element was evident everywhere the judges were taken.

When it was announced that the “International Challenge – Most Attractive City” (medium population) was won by Pembroke, it was made clear that much of this success was due to the judge’s overwhelming impressions of Algonquin’s Renaissance Square project. The judges waxed eloquent about the environmental sustainability and community partnerships that were evident.

They even highlighted a number of our diploma programs such as: Environmental and Forestry Technician, plus our Outdoor Adventure and Outdoor Naturalist offerings. They went on to describe how impressed they were with partnerships between the college, the city and the community in general.

In addition to the Most Attractive City award, an “International Special Recognition” award was announced for Algonquin College’s Renaissance Square Project.

Beer & Food Pairing Workshop

Article submitted by Nicole Sammut

Algonquin College hosted their third annual Beer & Food Pairing event on November 25th at the Restaurant International. The event was sponsored by the Student’s Association to support the United Way Campaign. Professor, Sommelier and owner of Zymurgy Wines & Beers, Geoffrey Skeggs led the workshop for the evening, inspiring beer drinkers to consider the range of possibilities for successful food pairings with beer.

A five course menu was prepared by the culinary students and matched with beer from local breweries. One of my favourite complementary pairings of the evening included the Blackened Beef short rib with sweet potato and jalapeno succotash. The beef was tender and spicy and complemented the fibrous jalapeno succotash. The spicy, rich and bold flavours of this dish were enhanced by the Black IPA which combines the richness of a stout with the hoppyness of an IPA.

Blackened beef short rib with Sweet Potato and celery root puree and a corn and jalapeno succotash * Kichesippi Wuchak Black IPA

Chocolate Porter Genoise with malted buttercream and cherry vanilla compote *Beau’s The Tom Green Beer Milk Stout

My second favourite pairing of the evening was a memorable last dish. The dessert consisted of a Chocolate Porter Genoise, or sponge cake, with malted buttercream and cherry compote. The crunch of the cake next to the smooth buttercream was a lovely combination that stimulated our taste buds. The dessert was enhanced by the creaminess of a milk stout which brought out the chocolate and coffee flavours of the dish. A true winner for anyone with a sweet tooth!

An upcoming Beer & Wine Food Pairing Workshop will take place at the College in February. Contact the SAO or the Restaurant International for details.

More news from Pembroke

New Pembroke Campus Chef Involved in Community Cooking Classes
One of Algonquin’s alumnus is now on staff at the Pembroke Campus sharing her knowledge with others in the Culinary Skills – Chef Training Program.

Known in the community as ‘Chef Mel’, Melody McLaughlin has been running cooking classes at a community-based retreat and wellness centre. A Red Seal Chef and Baker, she is a graduate (honours) of Algonquin’s Cooks’ Apprenticeship Program, and the recipient of the Maurice Mahussier Award for her dedication to the promotion of the trade. She also holds an Ontario Management Development Program (OMDP) Certificate in Leadership from Algonquin College.

Melody brings her and passion for baking and cooking to her teaching kitchen and a desire to pass on her skills to her students.

Earns Masters and Provincial Award with Research

Congratulations go out to Chris Melmoth, Coordinator/Professor in the Outdoor Adventure Program. Chris, who has completed his MA in Tourism Management at Royal Roads University, has received both RRU’s Chancellor’s Award in recognition of having achieved the highest academic performance in his program, and BC’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Tourism Management Research Award for his research paper on community-based ecotourism.

Zombie Run Raises Funds for Breast Cancer
Gerry Samson, Building Services Coordinator at the Pembroke Campus, recently supported a Canadian Cancer event in Pembroke. He participated in the Best Western Pembroke Inn Zombie Run for breast cancer and was the top fundraiser of the event. Gerry raised more than $1,200, contributing a good portion of the $18,000 total for the cause.

Teacher on Canadian Special Olympics Medical Staff
One of our part-time nursing faculty has been very involved in the local Pembroke and Area Special Olympics and this summer, she’ll be part of the medical staff at the Canadian National Summer Olympics in B.C.

Pat Durston is a Nurse Practitioner who has worked in the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre and prior to that, at the military base Garrison Petawawa. As well as teaching in the B.Sc.N. program, she has previously taught Continuing Education health sciences courses.

With the Special Olympics organization, Pat is the Coordinator of the Community Council and was a swim coach at the 2012 Provincial Spring Games in Kingston, and an athletics coach at the 2013 Provincial Summer Games in York.

This July, Pat will be heading to Vancouver to be part of the medical staff for Team Ontario at the Special Olympics. Rewarding volunteer work and an adventure too—all the best next summer, Pat!