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Here is some more Shel Silverstein for you poetry lovers! Let me know what you think of these poems. Are they a good read or not the best?

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Rain by Shel Silverstein

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can’t do a handstand–
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said–
I’m just not the same since there’s rain in my head.

While browsing through poems for this weeks posts, I came across one about success. By definition, the word success mean ‘the accomplishment of an aim or purpose’ but for many individuals, this word can be interpreted differently and have a variety of meanings. This poem gives a perspective on the meaning of this multifaceted word. Feel free to express your thoughts by commenting. Do you feel that the poem effectively captures the idea of success?

Success

To laugh often and love much;
to win the respect of intelligent persons
and the affection of children;
to earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to give of one’s self;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm
and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived – this is to have succeeded!
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Globalfest starts tomorrow (Aug. 20)! Globalfest is one of my favorite events in Calgary. Through volunteering with Globalfest through Youth Volunteer Corps (click here to get involved), I’ve not only enjoyed the fireworks show, the great purchasable food items, and dances, but the display of Calgary’s diversity as a whole. If you haven’t heard of Globalfest prior to this post, click here for some information on the history of the event and read their mission below:

“The mission of GlobalFest is to produce for the people of Calgary and visitors to our City, a world-class, multi-cultural festival and international fireworks festival that will offer the viewing public an affordable and accessible multi-faceted cultural experience. It is the intention of GlobalFest to use this platform to generate cultural awareness of and significant funding for local community groups as well as foster economic development in East Calgary and beyond.”

The fireworks festival is one of my favorite part of the whole event. This year, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany will the countries participating in the fireworks festival. In addition there will be a fireworks show put on by Globalfest to conclude the fireworks festival. Click here to see by whom and when the fireworks will be happening.

Check out Globalfest!

The month of August serves as the final month of the summer in 2010 for many students. However, August is the month in which many other monthly observances take place. Did you know that August is foot health month and home business month? It is also national catfish, golf, inventors, and water quality month!

For most of the days in August, there are some interesting holidays. Take a look below to see what is going on for the rest of the month:

Aug 19th – National Aviation Day, Potato Day
Aug 20th – National Radio Day
Aug 21st – International Homeless Animals Day
Aug 22nd – Be An Angel Day
Aug 23rd – National Sponge Cake Day
Aug 24th – National Peach Pie Day, Strange Music Day
Aug 25th – Kiss and Make Up Day, National Banana Split Day
Aug 26th – National Dog Day
Aug 28th – National Cherry Turnover Day
Aug 30th – National Toasted Marshmallow Day
Aug 31st – Trail Mix Day

At camp, a couple of friends and I bought some marshmallows and graham crackers and had a bonfire. Not only are bonfires a fun way to hang out with your friends, but also require a minimum amount of preparation. Take a look below to see my steps to having a great bonfire!

1) Gather some friends – there isn’t a better way to spend a summer evening than roasting marshmallows and it’s definitely more fun when you share that time with the people you have the most fun with.
2) Make a trip to the grocery store - buy some marshmallows, graham crackers, Nutella (for those of you who are not allergic to peanuts) and roasting sticks. Feel free to add in anything else you may want.
3) Find a spot – whether you have a bonfire pit or are making one, a place for your bonfire is what makes it a bonfire! Click here for some advice on how to make a bonfire.
4) Roast your marshmallows - eat your graham crackers and have fun!
5) Put it out when you’re done - make you put out your fire when you’re done.

Just like that, you have another fun and easy summer event to put on. Have you ever had a bonfire before? Do you think they are fun? Comment and let me know!

Here are some more poems by Shel Silverstein. The first poem , whatif, is one that reminds me of going back to school. Whether you are starting at a new school or moving to a new place, some of the thoughts in his poem seem to have flown through all of our minds at some point. The second poem, one inch tall, is another creative and imaginative Shel Silverstein poem. He describes what it would be like if you were, one in tall! As usual, his poems are funny and enjoyable to read. Take a look!

Whatif by Shel Silverstein:

Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I’m dumb in school?
Whatif they’ve closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there’s poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don’t grow talle?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won’t bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don’t grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

One Inch Tall by Shel Silverstein:

If you were only one inch tall, you’d ride a worm to school.
The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool.
A crumb of cake would be a feast
And last you seven days at least,
A flea would be a frightening beast
If you were one inch tall.

If you were only one inch tall, you’d walk beneath the door,
And it would take about a month to get down to the store.
A bit of fluff would be your bed,
You’d swing upon a spider’s thread,
And wear a thimble on your head
If you were one inch tall.

You’d surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum.
You couldn’t hug your mama, you’d just have to hug her thumb.
You’d run from people’s feet in fright,
To move a pen would take all night,
(This poem took fourteen years to write–
‘Cause I’m just one inch tall).

What did you think? Did you enjoy the poems?

A couple of friends of mine have been talking to me about where they want to travel this summer. Personally, I haven’t been to many places outside of North America. I looked up places to visit before you die, and found a list on ten places that look amazing. Click here to see the all the pictures and descriptions of these places.

In this post, I will include some of the pictures, as well as the top ten places. Take a look below:

1. The Pyramids and the Sphinx, Egypt

2. Santorini, Greece (This reminds me of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)

3. Stonehenge, England
4. Italy
5. Loch Ness, Scotland
6. Pyramid of the Sun and Moon, Teotihuacán
7. Incan Ruin – Machu Picchu, Peru

8. The Golden Pavilion, Japan

9. Bimini: The Road to Atlantis
10. Iceland

What do you think of these places? Do they seem like places you’d like to visit? Have you visited any of these places before?

Summer is finally here! It’s time to take a break from school work and have fun! I wasn’t satisfied with the existing lists I found, so I’ve created my own list of some awesome stuff to do in the summer. Want some ideas? Take a look below:

1. Go swimming! With weather above 25 degrees Celsius, there isn’t a better way to cool off.
2. Get together with friends. Fun times are the best to share with your favorite people.
3. Look for events around wherever you live and check them out! In Calgary, I know the Stampede comes every summer. Getting out of the house and exploring your city/town my just be the fun outing you’re looking for.
4. Go to an amusement park! There’s nothing better than going on rides and indulging in cotton candy.
5. Try going on a road trip. Leaving the city to go camping or for a day hike is one thing that I want to do this summer.
6. Organize and rearrange your space; maybe even give your room a new look.
7. Go shopping and beat the back to school rush.
8. Go for a walk. It’s priceless and great in the evening when its not too hot or too windy outside.
9. Play Monopoly or another board game you haven’t played in a while.
10. Try getting involved in your city/town. There are so many places to volunteer, and it’s so much fun!

I hope this short list that I’ve created gives you some ideas of how to spend your summer. Do you have any other ideas that you think should be on the list?

Here’s another poetry post by Shel Silverstein! Read the poem below:

Messy Room by Shel Silverstein:

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater’s been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or–
Huh? You say it’s mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!

What are your thoughts on the poem? Have you read any of his poems before? If so, what do you like/dislike about them?

Have you heard the song Crank Dat by Soulja Boy? If not, you can listen to it here. A couple of friends have mentioned to me that there was a similar version to this song. I know many students, especially in Calgary, are doing exams right now. In between all that studying, take a break and watch this video. It’s called Crank Dat Curry Sauce, watch it below:

What do you think? Do you like Soulja Boy’s version more?

I have yet another poetry post for you all! This is one of my favorite poems as I find it inspiring. Read the poem below:

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

- Marianne Williamson

What do you think about this poem? Personally, I feel that her message in this poem is one that we should all know.

The weather in Calgary hasn’t been all too sunny for the season, but all the rain has reminded me of one of my favorite bands of all time! Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles, is an amazing band and their concert a couple of years ago was the first I had ever been to. From their website, I found their history. Since I love the Beatles, I would definitely want any other Beatles lover to go out and see them. Read the paragraph below from their website by Merle Frimark to learn a bit more about them:

Feb. 9, 1964 was Sunday night that would change the course of popular music, popular culture—and history, forever!  Millions of Americans tuned into The Ed Sullivan Show to watch a group of four mop-topped Englishmen in dark suits who called themselves The Beatles. What they witnessed was a new and exciting brand of melodic, guitar-and-harmonies-driven rock ‘n’ roll that was as infectious as it was original and unique.  Little did the members of the current day Beatles Tribute Band, RAIN, know that they would themselves come together in a band, forging a career that would keep them together longer than The Beatles! Throughout this time, RAIN band members have raised the bar for professionalism and preservation of the legacy of The Beatles recorded music on stage to wildly enthusiastic audiences. Spanning the generations, RAIN audiences include older fans who never got to see The Beatles perform live and fans who were not yet born when The Beatles hit America. Regardless of age, the RAIN Beatles tribute band delivers a performance that is as entertaining as it is technically on par with The Beatles original works.

This was only the first paragraph, but to read the rest of their history, click here. I’m excited to say that they will be coming to the Saddledome in Calgary on June 3rd, 2010! For those of you who do not live in Calgary, and think Rain is something you may want to see, click here for information on tours and tickets!

Have you seen Rain before? Do you think they really are a great tribute to the Beatles? For those of you who have not, does this seem like something you are interested in?

Who is Michael Moore?  Other than one of the coolest film makers I know, he’s someone who voices his opinions on matters and raises awareness on issues that need our attention.  A couple of months ago, I watched one of his documentaries, Capitalism: A Love Story, and that is part of the reason why I’m blogging about him today.  I thought the documentary was not only  educational, but also interesting.  His opinion and bias is largely illustrated in his films, but they definitely are something to see.

Take a look at the mini bibliography on Michael Moore from The Internet Movie Database below:

Moore was born in Flint, Michigan April 23, 1954. He studied journalism at the University of Michigan-Flint, and also pursued other hobbies such as gun shooting, for which he even won a competition. Michael began his journalistic career writing for the school newspaper “The Michigan Times,” and after dropping out of college briefly worked as editor for “Mother Jones.”

He then turned to filmmaking, and to earn the money for the budget of his first film Roger & Me (1989) he ran neighborhood bingo games. The success of this film launched his career as one of America’s best-known and most controversial documentarians. He has produced a string of documentary films and TV series predominantly about the same subject: attacks on corrupt politicians and greedy business corporations. He landed his first big hit with Bowling for Columbine (2002) about the bad points of the right to bear arms in America, which earned him an Oscar and a big reputation. He then shook the world with his even bigger hit Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), making fun of President George W. Bush. This is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. Michael is known for having the guts to give his opinion in public, which not many people are courageous enough to do, and for that is respected by many.

Also take a look at the trailer for Capitalism: A Love Story below:

If you think he and his films seems interesting, or just want to learn more, take a look at his website! I strongly encourage you to watch some of his films. For those of you who have seen them, what do you think? Do you like Michael Moore?

I know Poetry month has come to a close, but I still have so many great poems I think you may like. I saw William’s post, and would like to say that Shakespeare does have some diversity in his work, definitely not making it boring. Usually the women he talks about are ‘perfect’ but this post will show you some variety in his work. Take a look at William’s perspective on Shakespeare here. In this post, you can read two sonnets by Shakespeare, Sonnet 18 and Sonnet 130. Most sonnets are about a women’s beauty, romance, love, or even death. I think these two sonnets by Shakespeare contradict each other in a way. Read them below, comment and let me know what you think:

SONNET 18
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

SONNET 130
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask’d, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

Do you feel Sonnet 130 is insulting to the woman Shakespeare writes about? I feel that the last two lines show that though she is not perfect, she is all he would ever want. In comparison to Sonnet 18, where he talks of how perfect his love is, do you like Sonnet 130’s more ‘real’ look at women in the world better? Comment and let me know what you think!

April was Poetry month, and since it is now May, I am ending this poetry streak with one last poem. It is called Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. This is one of Oprah Winfrey’s favorite poems. I think it is feminist, and a great poem. Read it below:

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

What do you think? Do you prefer the other poems by Robert Frost or Shel Silverstein? I feel that the other poems had a different feel and some poetry is for different audiences, but what are your thoughts?