Nutcracker Musings

     This past Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending The Nutcracker, put on by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.  One of the amazing things about Winnipeg is how artistic the city is.  The Ballet is a case in point -- it's the longest-running ballet company in North America, and one of the best known!
     In case you've never been to a ballet, it's a very unique form of theatre which has no dialogue. Instead, the story is given to you to read at the beginning of the performance.  One of the most interesting things for me were the effects and set design.  The set design was absolutely extraordinary -- changing from the inside of an early 20th century house to a majestic Greek courtyard.  The outside scenes were believable with falling snow and a magnificent wilderness in the background.  To say nothing of the dancing!

     Watching the ballet got me thinking about the arts.  CMU is a school which focuses on the arts.   We live in a world which seems to put a lot of emphasis on specialization.  It's best to be very good at something -- a marketable skill -- in order to get a high-paying job in that capacity.  Statistics do show that a university education will help you get a higher-paying job.  But if you were looking just to get education to land a good job, you could go to college and get out quicker.  In my experience, a university education is more general -- it teaches you how to think.  The skills you learn in university can help you in all of life.
     I go to university not only to get a good job, but to educate myself, to develop individuality and to grow into my own person.  Studying the arts helps you learn who you are, who you want to be, and how to express that person to the world.  That expression may be in writing, art, ballet or theatre.  It can be communicated in countless ways.

     Imagine you're walking down a road somewhere in the Middle East.  You're thinking about your family, your friends, how dreadfully hot it is  outside.  Then suddenly off in the distance you hear the loud voice of some man yelling.  And not just the voice -- you can see a crowd of people gathering around the speaker.  They're obviously quite excited.  As you get in closer you begin to hear some of the words that are being spoken.  "Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.  Blessed are those who hunger now, for they shall be satisfied."  You wonder what this man is talking about.

     Today we celebrate the birth of this man: Jesus Christ, God incarnate who changed everything.  Jesus Christ, who removes guilt and shame.  Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

A Writer's Rant

     It's important to be well read before writing a paper.

     I've heard it said somewhere that the joy is not in writing, but in having written.  This is true, at least for me.  It's hard for me to fully enjoy the writing process, mainly because I'm such a perfectionist.
     If you're lucky in university you'll have all your papers due within a few weeks of each other.  This time around, I had two major, 10 page essays due on the same day.  I spent most of my time (1 week) researching the first paper, and then wrote it and my second paper (which was only partially researched) in 36 hours.  Throw in two smaller assignments also due on the same day, and I had 5500 footnoted words to be written in a day and a half.

The best way to start writing is with a clean and organized workspace.

     It was crazy.  Procrastination sucks.  I managed to handle it without getting stressed, but that was only because I'm a second year and have gone through this process twice before, in each of my previous semesters.  Paper writing was a new experience for me when I came to CMU a year ago.  High school papers (at least in small-town Niverville) are a joke -- there would be times when I received top marks for a paper with one source: Wikipedia!  
     CMU offers a lot of help with essays -- you just need to talk to the right people (a good place to start is the library).  It is thus very possible to get through school without pulling an all nighter (but where's the fun in that?!?)

Christmas @ CMU!

     A end-of-semester highlight for the musically inclined (which, let's face it, is more than 1/2 of us students) is Christmas @ CMU.  This year it took place on November 28th.  It was a musical buffet of sorts with three or four concerts happening all at the same time in different rooms all over north campus.  Gentlemen: this is one of two ready-made date opportunities you're going to get as dorm students.  The other is the Christmas Gala but that's not as musical (read: romantic).  

     This year I was singing in Men's Chorus (you can see my fellow performers above). Between performances there was time to catch some of the other music.  And of course, to have a snack.  A special room was set up so you could grab a hot apple cider and a few cookies.   The students and staff baked 150 dozen cookies just for our beloved audience members! 

     If you missed out, you can still catch some of the performances on radio.  If you live in Manitoba, tune in to either CFAM 950 or CJRB 1220 on December 17th at 2 pm.  You can listen live online at CFAM's website.  

     

Coffee House!

     
     This past Monday night, the Arts and Entertainment Committee hosted a coffee house at the Blaurock cafe.   It was a joyous night of musical acts by current students as well as alumni.  These coffee houses are one of the highlights of living at CMU -- they give us a chance to hang out together.
     There were a wide range of acts, from duets...

     ..to solo performances.

     One of my favourite performers was Brad (pictured above).  He played some well known classy hits including "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga and a certain musical work of art by a very accomplished artiste.

      

     Tying it all together were our fearless Arts and Entertainment leaders Carrie and Craig, doing some serious cooking in between acts.  All I can say is that they got it done -- though perhaps not in the safest, most sanitary way.  Amidst the egg shells and exploding nuts (they used a hammer) the final product (mysteriously taken out of a cardboard oven) was tasty enough -- once they removed the Safeway sticker!

     And there you have it -- the coffee house experience.  Does it get more quirky and awesome than this?  I suggest, my friends, that it does not!

Soliders of Peace (Documentary Film Fest 2009)

(c) 2008 One Tree Films

watch the trailer

     The world is increasingly becoming a dangerous place.  The only viable solution when all is said and done is to move to protect ourselves from the hostile international situation.  

     Right?

     Soldiers of Peace suggests a radical alternative to this stereotype.  Several remarkable examples show that people can learn to solve their problems with conversation and tolerance as opposed to war.  This, the film says, is something essential that we need to learn sooner rather than later.  

     This film addresses some key themes with war.  Why do people go to war?  Is war actually helpful?  Instead of the negative cycle of violence, the power of conversation is advocated.

     One memorable story highlighted in the film was of Pat Magee, a former IRA (Irish Republican Army) bomber.  He was convicted of planting and deploying a bomb in a hotel in Brighton England.  Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet were staying in the hotel on October 12, 1984 when the bomb exploded.  Five people were killed.  One of the victims (who lost her father in the blast) met with Magee after he was released from prison.  They have met over three dozen times because they both believe their meetings are helping them cope with what has happened.  

     This movie isn't for everyone.  It can drag on at times.  But it does present a unique and positive view of world conflict and shows how people are finding less harmful ways to address it.

Documentary Film Fest 2009!

   What's going on in our world today?  What are the problems, and how can we work to fix them?  These are the questions explored in CMU's annual Film Fest, put on by the Peace and Social Awareness Committee of Student Council.  

     The films are being shown this week. They are:

Solders of Peace

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Blue Gold

Food, Inc

I may be posting some reviews up on here.  Stay tuned!

Time to Kick Back/ Happy Halloween!

     It's late October and it's getting to be that time of year again.  Profs suddenly have an almost unhealthy interest in you.  What's your essay about?  What sources are you consulting?  Do you have your ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY done yet?!?

     I don't need to be reminded that my essays won't write themselves -- but sometimes it's necessary to get away from the books for something completely different.  I've arranged to volunteer at Lower Fort Garry (a national historic site north of the city) for their Halloween Ghost Tours event.  Creepy characters in the historic buildings, an autopsy going on in the visitor reception centre, phrenology in the Governor’s house.  You get the picture.  Contrast is necessary in student life.

     And so this past Sunday, I invited some people to come and check it out...

     Creepy...

I hope you're having a great Halloween weekend! 

International Student Chapel and "Taste the World" Event

     Today I made time to go to the International Student Chapel, which is an annual event put on by the International Student Committee.  CMU students from around the world were asked to describe their experiences of God in different countries.  Elisa from El Salvador was one of those students.  I thought I'd share her comments with you.


Please close your eyes and let me take you to the beautiful country of El Salvador.
Imagine being enclosed in a courtyard --
   surrounded by a garden, with lush exotic plants...
                                             and open air.
Above you see big dark clouds rolling in the distance...
They fill the sky -- the world begins to darken.
A flash of wind whips through the courtyard 
                               but only for a second.
Then the earth becomes completely still.
In the distance -- you hear thunder.
The sky above is black.
Quarter size rain drops pour from the sky
            Free falling to the ground.
Within seconds your senses are overwhelmed by warm rain.
Salvadoran children with hearts of sunshine run outside to dance
thrilled to celebrate this moment.
A second later sweet Salvadoran music plays.
Your senses are overwhelmed by God's glorious creation and beauty.  
Everyone is dancing in adoration.
It's astonishing to be alive. 

 After the chapel, we were all treated to a sampling of food from locations all around the world.

     There was quite an array!
     This was a friendly reminder that not everyone comes from the same background and experiences as me.  People have differing perspectives and tastes.  Part of what university is supposed to do is teach you to have an open mind and welcome new ideas.  Sometimes this can be very hard.  Take, for example, different conceptions of God.  I want to be comfortable with that tension between speaking my mind while being respectful of others.

Thoughts on Gratitude

     I’m really happy Thanksgiving is here.  It’s good to head home and see old friends and family again.  Our first snowfall here was on Friday (I love the first snowfall!)  The past few days have been really relaxing.

     This past Sunday, a friend of mine was speaking at church on gratitude.  Gratitude, she said, was a feeling or emotion of thankfulness.  Expectation is crucial to feeling thankful.  So your feeling of thankfulness is directly related to how high or low your expectations are.  As a Canadian, I have a roof over my head, I eat well, and my life has a certain stability about it.  I can have high expectations and take all of that for granted, chasing after what I don't have, or I can cultivate thankfulness in my life by realizing what I do have.
     In one of my classes I'm reading a book called Life on the Vine by Philip D. Kenneson.  It describes gratitude as something that you cannot work towards.  You cannot work on being thankful.  Rather it is a letting go of responsibility and striving that allows you to rest and be thankful, and only God can help you do that.   
     Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Mennonite Writing

     I walk down Portage to the University of Winnipeg not knowing quite what to expect from this event.  I’m in the middle of reading Rudy Wiebe’s book Peace Shall Destroy Many (which I’d heavily recommend) my first exposure to the work of a real “Mennonite” fiction writer.  I met a few big-name Mennonite writers yesterday at an evening of readings: Rudy Wiebe, Patrick Friesen, Sarah Klassen, and David Bergen.  These authors tuned me into some “Mennonite issues”.

     The most interesting part for me is the panel and roundtable discussion on “The Future of Mennonite Writing.”  Many of these writers were shunned to varying extents by their families and friends due to their brutally truthful, offensive material about Mennonite life.  Several of them make a point of saying how they have left the church, and sometimes their faith altogether.  I’m getting that writing yourself out of your community is part of what it means to be a Mennonite writer.

     The discussion centers on the connection between pain and suffering and good writing.  Rudy Wiebe poses the question of how Mennonite writing could have a future in a time when Mennonites in North America are quite well-off and aren’t subjected to the same anguish as to in the past.  I immediately wonder why we assume we have to be suffering in order to express ourselves.  I appreciate a later comment, which gives the assurance that we will find enough suffering simply in living life and in that we could “be encouraged” and not lament the temporary absence of it!

     A prominent Mennonite businessman then got up to make the obviously volatile suggestion that perhaps the next generation of Mennonite writing should branch out and start focusing on a Mennonite perspective of the world in general. What he's suggesting is that instead of making a career out of writing about what has been hurtful and inane about small town Mennonite life, we need to “live into” and embrace new topics, writing from the strengths of the Mennonite community, realizing its flaws but affirming all that is good about it.

     This comment draws a stark reply from Patrick Friesen, who asserts that writers should never be told what they should write about, that writing should arise organically, and so on.  It’s rather sad that Friesen knocked the discussion down before it had started, because a very valid point was made: how long will there be an audience for Mennonites complaining about the oppression of their upbringing!  We need to “live into” our churches and our communities, inviting others in and “sharing the love”.  Perhaps too much of our energy has been spent lamenting the past in what could be considered our own selfish way.

"The Quest for Metal"

I’m not sure if any of you are history buffs like I am, but I’m really having fun in my West in Global Context I course.  It’s an intro course which looks at world history to 1500, and it is taught by Brian Froese, our lone History prof here at CMU.

  

He was suggesting that we rename this course “The Quest for Metal”, saying that the discovery of better and better metals was crucial in the survival of civilization in the ancient days.   I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly not the first thing the title makes me think about.  

Masks

     

     I was in an interesting situation this month—I went to Camp Arnes (a retreat centre about an hour north of the city) two weekends in a row on different retreats!  This second one I was helping to lead.  I came back from that retreat a few weeks ago with some food for thought I want to share with you.

     The speaking topic on this retreat (aptly named “Neked and Shameless”) dealt with the masks we wear.  In which ways do we hide our true selves from others in order to be gain acceptance?  It seems that many of us change ourselves from time to time in order to hide weaknesses and/or gain friends.  

     But will our wearing of masks actually get us what we seek, or does it get in the way of developing strong friendships with others?  The speaker suggested that the whole concept of masks is a “scam” and simply doesn’t get us what we seek, fragmenting friendships and creating alienation over the long-term.

Camp Arnes Retreat!!

     The Camp Arnes retreat.  Where do I begin?  Like many CMU-sponsored events it all began with us getting into two white vans the afternoon of September 18.  A bumpy bus-ride later and there we were, ready to rock it.

     I must say that the Student Life staff had this retreat well-planned.  One of my favorite events was the “Menno-Run”.  The instructions were a little vague, but I managed to catch on that we were all Mennonites in Russia and that the KGB were after us.  We were led to a corner of the camp and told to run to the other side without getting caught.  It took a half hour of stumbling around before I found myself sprinting across an open field with several “KGB Agents” at my back.  I made it.  Others weren’t as lucky. 

     While not as glamorous, I spent a lot of time around the campfire, singing worship songs, and getting to meet some of the commuter students.  Lots of people had fun swimming (Camp Arnes has a great pool and hot tub) but as I packed for the retreat in about 2 minutes flat, I was a little unprepared. 

     It was a good way to finish off summer.  I came back rested and peopled out, which is a perfect recipe for homework!

Decisions, decisions

     We’re getting to that time of year when course change forms have to be handed in, and I’m choosing a new major—History!  Castles and battles and fur trade  posts—that’s where my interest lies.  Last year I allowed myself to sample various courses to see what I liked, but now it’s time to get down to business. 

     This is for me (and many other students) a time of many decisions.  It can seem like everything is going on at once.  Auditions, courses, new and old friendships, and to top it all off--finances!  I have to remind myself to just hang in there!

Tansitions

     What did you do this past summer?  I spent it at Clear Lake (that’s 1 hour north of Brandon, in Riding Mountain National Park).  I didn’t even know the place existed until I got the interview, but it was really cool go to a place I’d never been and make new friends and live there for three months.  Getting off work at 11 in the evening with work early next morning, trading in sleep in favor of getting my co-workers together for a screening of “10,000 BC” (which I actually don’t think is that bad, no matter what everyone I know says)… priceless. 
     Seriously, though, I find transitions difficult sometimes.  The change from summer job to university dorm living is more trying than most.  It only made it worse that I enjoyed my summer so much.  I want to go back to university, and yet I really want to stay where I was.  Mixed feelings are funny.  Of course, there's only one way to go, and that's forward.  Time to create new experiences!

In the Beginning

 
It's true.  "What's true?" you might ask. Well, CMU now has a student blog.  I'm not sure how we survived without it all these years, but here it is.
     I’m David, and I am a second year student at CMU.  Which basically means that I'm not as nervous as last year and that I have everything figured out this time round.  (Right...!)





     Thinking back to my first day here this semester, I'll admit it was chaotic. I am so lucky that one of my friends from grade school has joined me at CMU this year.  On the morning of September 7th he was much more prepared than I was.  As in I hadn't really packed much.  We got what was important (like my friends' humongous boom box).  But we arrived mid-afternoon and it was from there that the chaos really started:  navigating the overflowing parking lot and dragging in box after musty box of things my mother had thrown in the vehicle right before we left (do I really need last years' notes?)  The first order of business (naturally) was signing up for the Camp Arnes Retreat, and then it was people, talking to housing, course registrations, more people...you get the idea.
     The first week was where I could meet my profs and all the first years, enjoy the good weather, take in all the welcome events as possible and in general enjoy the good life before those pesky assignments start getting in the way.
    In a few days, I'll blog a bit about the retreat.  In the meantime -- have a good one!