Passion8 Magazine March 2014

VikinG S t r e n g t h S y s t e m s

Revolutionizing Fitness & the Future

of Dr agon Boat.

Preparing for spring with over 15 inspiring stories by young professionals

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Laetitia Ulick: A Female Disney Written By: Julia Selch Designed By: Nicole Papp

Walt Disney once said, “Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”

While most of us would agree that the above words are true, there are those that take Disney’s mantra to a new level: Allow me to introduce Laetitia Ulick. Ulick lives in North Carolina, from where she has been quietly crafting dreams out of fabric and paper for the past few years. If you can imagine it, she can make it: from colouring books, to plush animal rendi-tions of beloved pets; from book cover art to digital paintings!

Ulick is particularly fond of birds, big and small alike.

Having seven feathered friends herself (six budgies and one lovebird named Bella), she laments the fact that there are far more plush dogs and cats than cuddly birds.“I’m trying to build up an inventory of plush parrots, hopefully to sell at a convention or fair. They’re my favorite things to sew; there’s so much variety and tons of fun details to create like crests and wings,” she says. “I have a whole list of birds I want to make!”

The passion for her art is infectious, and one wonders where it all started. Originally, she explains, she wanted to be an animator like Ellen Woodbury, who worked for Disney from

1985 to 2005 (she famously created Zazu from The Lion King and Pegasus from Hercules!) Laetitia studied graphic design in college, and only became interested in sewing on a whim.

“I’m not sure why,” she says. “I woke up one day and said “I’m going to sew a dragon” and went and bought some fabric and made a horrible looking, falling apart dragon based on a pattern I found online.” After that, it didn’t take long before she decided to create her own sewing patterns.“I’ve always loved stuffed animals and could never go anywhere without one when I was small, so looking back on it, getting into sewing actually makes a lot of sense!”

At the end of her studies, she was asked to present her own idea for an art piece. This final independent study project was a large piece-quilt with a gorgeous macaw design.

“It’s made of scraps of fabric I found everywhere – old shirts, kitchen towels, upholstery, including lots of pieces with more birds on them.” She now keeps it over her piano, where she can look at it all the time.“It reminds me of staying up late in college working on it while my roommate (another art major) worked on her projects,” she says. “I also like remembering how my friends and family would save fabric scraps for me to use, and I can point to them on the quilt and say, ‘this is my sister’s old theatre shirt’ or ‘this is from that ugly pink couch we played video games on.’”

Her favourite medium to work with nowadays is “plain old pencil and paper,” because, she says, “It’s my starting point for everything. Every plush pattern and digital drawing starts as a sketch.”

When asked which famous historical figures she’d most like to have dinner with, she lists artists Keith Haring and Ellen Wood-bury (“of course”), writer Madeleine L’Engle, and world-famous naturalist David Attenborough.“I love, love, love animals and his nature documentaries are some of the best, in my opinion,” she says. “I also like the way he interacts with them on camera, always very respectful of the creatures and their space.”Little does she realize just how much respect she is showing for animals. Recently she sewed an adorable plush version of the unfortunately extinct Carolina Parakeet, raising awareness for a long forgotten bird.

With that kind of passion, paired with her talent and big heart, this impressive girl is someone to watch for.

See her art and e-mail her at laetitiaulick.tumblr.com.

Her favourite medium to work with nowadays is “plain old pencil and paper,” because, she says, “It’s my starting point for everything. Every plush pattern and digital drawing starts as a sketch.”

When asked which famous historical figures she’d most like to have dinner with, she lists artists Keith Haring and Ellen Wood-bury (“of course”), writer Madeleine L’Engle, and world-famous naturalist David Attenborough.“I love, love, love animals and his nature documentaries are some of the best, in my opinion,” she says. “I also like the way he interacts with them on camera, always very respectful of the creatures and their space.”Little does she realize just how much respect she is showing for animals. Recently she sewed an adorable plush version of the unfortunately extinct Carolina Parakeet, raising awareness for a long forgotten bird.

With that kind of passion, paired with her talent and big heart, this impressive girl is someone to watch for.

See her art and e-mail her at laetitiaulick.tumblr.com.

“TheBestArt Comes

FromPain”

By: Nadia Rukavina

Rebecca Gismondi - I had the pleasure of meeting her when we worked together summers ago. She was fascinating and drew you in with the intensity of her personality. Over the course of the summer getting to know Rebecca, I discovered her passion for writing and acting and she quickly became one of the most inspiring people I’ve met – so full of life and charac-ter, so goal-oriented. Rebecca went to York University to study devised theatre in the Theatre Department where she says “the program basically teaches you how to create and produce your own theatre.”

I touched base with Rebecca

she wrote two years ago titled “Tachycardia,” the Fringe Fes-tival it’s been accepted in and where she’s going with her love of theatre.

Nadia: How old were you when you started acting?

when I was 8 and I was hooked. I’ve always been involved in theatre, and part of that is because I grew up in an artis-tic environment. Having both

taught me a lot about acting and the entertainment industry

and I’ve always been involved in it. I feel like it’s in my blood because my parents raised me around art.

N: How old were you when you started writing plays?

R: I’ve been writing in general pretty much my whole life. The

“novel” when I was 8. I used to sit at the computer and copy stories from books just to be able to write something. I start-ed writing stories originally and then moved into poetry as I got

high school for an assignment and shortly after that I stopped

writing altogether because I was kind of embarrassed by it. But I rediscovered writing when I started university because when you’re in theatre school you have to constantly journal so thankfully that got me back into it. Then when I was going into my third year of university, in the summer, I studied writing in New York and it completely changed my life. I realized writ-ing was a part of my lifestyle, almost ingrained in me and I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Through that program I wrote three plays and two mono-logues, all of which were published. And then seven months later I wrote Tachycardia.

N: When did you realize theatre was something you wanted to pursue?

R: As I mentioned before, it’s what I’ve always known I’ve wanted to do. When you’re raised in the arts, it’s pretty much all you know and what you value; at least that’s how I

and books and plays have moved me in ways that nothing else has been able to and that’s how I’ve known that it’s what I’m supposed to do. I remem-

leading role when I was 11 and feeling such a sense of exhila-ration and passion from being up there, in front of all those people. It’s the rush that fuels you to keep going; I think the-atre in general is based on love and passion alone.

N: Would you call theatre your passion? How do you know

this is your passion?

R: It absolutely is. Trust me, I’ve thought of other, more stable career options and this is the only thing I can think of that makes me happy and pushes me out of my comfort zone and continually challenges me,

It’s a hard business and it’s full

all worth it and it shows in your work. If I’ve learned anything from my dad being in this industry, it’s that he does it because he loves it and it makes him happy. And that’s what I value in a career path and in life.

N: Where did you get your inspiration for Tachycardia?

R: Tachycardia was written in an hour after a relationship

him and I just wrote everything I felt, every image I saw, ev-erything we said. It was purely a cathartic piece for me in the beginning; I wasn’t intending on showing it to anyone, let alone having it performed in public. It came from the pain and the anguish and the emotions that arose from having my heart broken.

N: Is there anything about the

R: The play is about me entirely. I know that sounds self-centered but it came from me, and it’s from my point of view so I guess it’s about me!

honesty and my pain that I went through during that experience.

And I think that the best art comes from pain, in my experi-ence anyway. I wrote it because I felt like I was alone and that no one else understood how I felt at that time. When it was accepted into my school’s play

couldn’t do it but I knew that I would probably be able to con-nect with someone who felt the same way I did and that was invaluable to me.

N: What exactly is it about?

R: In short, it’s about how you can become fragmented by having your heart broken. You can become disassociated with your thoughts and feelings and start making decisions based on impulse and want instead of thinking of what you need. It’s also about how you physically react to having your heart bro-ken; I’ve always been interested in what happens in your body when you go through emotional pain and how the two are con-nected.

“[Tachycardia] came from the pain and the

anguish and the emotions that

arose from having my heart broken.”

8

N: How did you hear about Fringe and how did you get chosen?

R: The Fringe Festival is a huge opportu-nity in all theatre communities worldwide because it’s an amazing platform for in-dependent artists to showcase their work. A lot of my friends have been accepted into Fringe festivals in both Toronto and Montreal, and after graduating it just kind of seemed like the next step in my theatre career. I kind of applied on a whim be-cause I wasn’t working on anything and thought, why not? The acceptance is a lottery, so everyone who applies is given a number and then the numbers are drawn at random out of a box. Somehow, luck was on my side and I got chosen!

N: What do you think having Tachy-cardia in the Fringe Festival will do for your goals and aspirations in theatre?

R: I think it’ll push me even further than I’ve been pushed thus far in my career. Firstly, I’m self-producing this piece for the first time so I have a lot of responsi-bility in terms of promoting my company and the piece to make sure audiences come and see it. I have a lot of decisions to make creatively as well, with both writ-ing and directing the piece and making sure it goes in the direction I think is best. I’m hoping that having this show be per-formed at this festival might open me up to other opportunities in the city, but also in other countries since people from all over the world come to participate in the festival. I think personally, it’ll just prove to me that I can have a successful career in theatre and that I can do it.

N: On that note, what are your goals and aspirations and what do you plan to do with your Theatre degree?

R: My main goal is to move over to the UK and start producing theatre there. The style of theatre that I’ve been trained in, Devised Theatre, is huge overseas and I

would like to move to an environment where it’s already been established so that I can learn more from it. Also I really just want to continue to write more. I think after working on this piece for almost two years, it’s shown me and made me realize that writing is my passion and what I want to do in life. I want to travel all over Europe and learn more about art to help expand my own artistic journey.

N: What will be your biggest obstacles in pursuing your passion?

R: Well money is the big one unfortunately. Travelling and moving to a city like London is expensive and I might have to work a thousand jobs to make it happen. Also, the nature of the business can take a toll both

Photo: John Jacques - http://www.johnjacques.ca

9

emotionally and financially on you. I’ve learned that through my parents. It can be hard to active-ly be looking for jobs and going out on auditions and getting nothing. But I think I can handle it after seeing that my dad makes it happen, even in the toughest of times. I think my biggest obstacle though, always has been and always will be, is myself. I get self-conscious and afraid sometimes that I’ll fail or I’ll get lost and that prevents me sometimes from pushing myself and doing what I love. But I’ve been working really hard on pushing myself and gaining the strength to be able to pur-sue my goals actively and not let myself or anyone else stop me.

N: Directing or Acting? Do you love one more than the other? How so?

R: At this moment in time, I like directing. I love acting, don’t get me wrong, it will always be something I love and that makes me happy but I think the great thing about theatre is that you have the freedom to do anything and everything whenever you want. At different moments in my life I have loved different aspects of theatre, and that’s another reason why I love this business. I think being an actor has definitely made me a better director because I know what it like is to be on the outside and the inside. But right now, I love being able to direct a piece, to push it and mould it a certain way to get a reaction from an audience.

The Fringe Festival is taking place July 2nd to 13th, 2014. It is a worldwide indie theatre festival where established artists and theatre students can showcase their productions. Find out more about the Fringe Festival at fringetoronto.com. Volunteer or go for the adventure and be sure to check out Rebecca Gismondi’s Tachycardia and discov-er the works of many more talented individuals with a passion for theatre.

“The Fringe Festival is a huge opportunity in

all theatre communities worldwide because it’s

an amazing platform for independent artists to showcase their work.”

10

ARTIST PROFILE

THIS NEW FEATURE SHOWCASES THE WORK OF TALENTED ARTISTS WHOSE

WORK IS SO FULL OF PASSION, WE JUST HAD TO FIND A PLACE FOR IT.

1 mIRAndA Lynn mARcOTTEuniversity of waterloo, fine arts

Sculpture: Frost 2013Steel wire, salt and colouring 1.5” x 2”

Through my art practice I work by means of experimentation to explore the boundaries of materials, testing the reactions and leaving my creations to chance and to the anticipation of the unknown.

2 gERmAn HARLEy SALAmAncAuniversity of waterloo, fine arts

Sculpture: Testiculos 2013 Bass Wood 16” x 12” x 19”

Testiculos is a structural representation of the male genitals; it aims to give the audience a chance to perceive this body part in a different way. The word “testicles” has an instant association with sex, masculinity and chauvinism. This sculpture attempts to take away these associations and present the object in a decorative form, allowing the viewer to obtain a different meaning from the object and perhaps changing the connotations that come with it.

soundcloud.com/ericmccauleymusic

By the age of 4, Eric McCauley was writing songs. Every song he heard meant something to him. He would record songs off the TV onto his tape recorder, which makes him a music pirate at an early age. His music has developed into an interesting blend, considering the mainstream music we are exposed to daily. McCauley is clearly in his own world, soulfully creating an eclectic mix of indie infused with folk, alternative and country. After viewing almost 30 demo songs from his Youtube, Reverbnation & Soundcloud, one track stands completely alone from the next. Solid gold. Today

he has an arsenal of 600 songs, most of which he keeps hidden from public view, waiting for the chance to showcase them in true awe. Until then, he’s developing his company Bloodline, which thrives through all music genres, and has 15 different Facebook accounts from Thunder Bay, down through Sarnia and up to Quebec City. He’s currently in the studio with both Unity Market’s Josh Doerkson in Barrie & Matthew Stanton of Heritage College, located in Cambridge, Ont. After receiving a comparison to The Band’s Levon Helm by Treble Charger’s frontman Greig Nori, Eric McCauley is a must watch in 2014.

>Eric McCauley Music>Eric McCauley Music

soundcloud.com/ericmccauleymusicreverbnation.com/ericmccauleymusic

youtube.com/ericmccauleymusic

By the age of 4, Eric McCauley was writing songs. Every song he heard meant something to him. He would record songs off the TV onto his tape recorder, which makes him a music pirate at an early age. His music has developed into an interesting blend, considering the mainstream music we are exposed to daily. McCauley is clearly in his own world, soulfully creating an eclectic mix of indie infused with folk, alternative and country. After viewing almost 30 demo songs from his Youtube, Reverbnation & Soundcloud, one track stands completely alone from the next. Solid gold. Today

he has an arsenal of 600 songs, most of which he keeps hidden from public view, waiting for the chance to showcase them in true awe. Until then, he’s developing his company Bloodline, which thrives through all music genres, and has 15 different Facebook accounts from Thunder Bay, down through Sarnia and up to Quebec City. He’s currently in the studio with both Unity Market’s Josh Doerkson in Barrie & Matthew Stanton of Heritage College, located in Cambridge, Ont. After receiving a comparison to The Band’s Levon Helm by Treble Charger’s frontman Greig Nori, Eric McCauley is a must watch in 2014.

>Eric McCauley Music>Eric McCauley Music

soundcloud.com/ericmccauleymusicreverbnation.com/ericmccauleymusic

youtube.com/ericmccauleymusic

Sentiment has continued to (despite schedules riddled by heavy post-secondary workloads) book shows and practice frequently. Clayton and Tyler are both at Fanshawe College (London, On) studying the highly competitive course Music Industry Arts. They live and write under the same roof, quite benefitting the band as they create new ideas and explore new musical directions for the band.

Evan and Jake both reside in Innisfil, On permanently. I mean, they are going to leave eventually, right? Yes. But for now, they find comfort in living near their jam space in northern Alcona, writing drum and bass lines for Sentiment. Josh is at York University taking classical vocal and makes the journey to both London and Innisfil to jam as much as he can, which is quite a bit.

The band plans to write and record this summer. “Maybe not another full EP… yet” adds Jake. “We want to make sure we take the time to really refine where we want the band to go. We have a solid direction from our first self titled EP, but we do not want to force anything but instead, let it come to us.” The band will be taking a break from live shows this summer (2014) to focus on just that. “It takes time” says Josh (singer) “it’s about finding the balance between new inspiration while keeping the original tunes flowing live at different venues in the area” The band has played a few shows in one of the only local bars in their hometown of Innisfil called McNally’s Irish Bar. “We’ve always thought that Innisfil could be a live music town.” Clayton says. “It is close enough to Barrie and is one of the fastest growing towns in Canada. The Innisfil crowd is definitely worth playing in front of, we know that first hand” The band plans to have t-shirts and demo CD’s printed by April-May for their merchandise tables at upcoming shows.

Sentiment would like to take the time to thank everyone who has supported them thus far. Family, friends, fans, producers, venues and their owners have all made the smooth start of our journey a reality. Keep in touch.

Sentiment

SENTIMENT

facebook.com/sentimentband

SENTIMENT

facebook.com/sentimentband 16

VikinG S t r e n g t h S y s t e m sVikinG

S t r e n g t h S y s t e m s

Every once in a while an opportunity presents itself that makes you question the importance of other things. When I was given the chance to interview the founders of Viking Strength Systems, it went straight to the top of my to-do list.

Viking Strength Systems is a company dedicated to improving the performance and fitness of all people, regardless of age, lifestyle or experience. Specializing in Dragon Boat athletes, their mission is to turn both recreational and competitive paddlers into efficient, effective and injury-free individuals.

I was able to sit down and ask Ben and Kory a few questions about themselves , their company and the future of the industry.

For more information about Viking Strength Systems, visit their website at vikingstrengthsystems.com or get in touch personally at [email protected].

VikinG S t r e n g t h S y s t e m sVikinG

S t r e n g t h S y s t e m s

Every once in a while an opportunity presents itself that makes you question the importance of other things. When I was given the chance to interview the founders of Viking Strength Systems, it went straight to the top of my to-do list.

Viking Strength Systems is a company dedicated to improving the performance and fitness of all people, regardless of age, lifestyle or experience. Specializing in Dragon Boat athletes, their mission is to turn both recreational and competitive paddlers into efficient, effective and injury-free individuals.

I was able to sit down and ask Ben and Kory a few questions about themselves , their company and the future of the industry.

For more information about Viking Strength Systems, visit their website at vikingstrengthsystems.com or get in touch personally at [email protected].

18

interview by benny hua

photography by imtiaz rashid & Juil Yoon

1) Describe yourself in one sentence.

Ben: I am reasonable guy who loves lifting heavy things, learning new things, and grilling amazing meats.

Kory: I’m a laid back simple soul with a love for squatting heavy and eating large amounts of charred animal flesh.

2) You get to spend a day with someone, dead or alive, real or fictional, who would it be?

Ben: I’d have to say the Greek Goddess Athena. I think watching over mankind for an eternity while being the goddess of strength, wisdom, courage and intelligence would give her the best possible insight into life.

Kory: Master Yoda. Wisdom he speaks, listen I shall. Plus he could teach me how to use a light saber. Now that would be a day.

3) When you’re not working, what do you like to do?

Ben: I spend the majority of my non-working time with my 2 year old son. We play with blocks and balls, read books and have a blast at the park. Raising a child is a challenge, but it teaches me a lot about myself, and it really gets me to take a step back to look at the big picture and think about how I can get the most out of my life. On a regular night after a long day’s work I like to kick back and watch a good movie or documentary - I could watch pretty much anything BBC makes that David Attenborough narrates.

Kory: I love physical activity of all sorts. Lately, I’ve been punching things and learning self-defence at a local Krav Maga gym. It’s an awesome feeling knowing I’m turning myself into a weapon of mass destruction. I also enjoy traveling, climbing trees, wrestling grizzly bears and anything else that has to do with nature. Non-physical hobbies include reading fantasy based novels and anything non-fiction that seems interesting. Currently I’m trying to marathon through the Wheel of Time series.

5) What is your biggest achievement that you’ve accomplished in your career as a coach?

Ben: For me there is nothing better than helping someone surpass their goals who never thought they could. It’s amazing to help someone who struggled with fat loss because of a back injury, or someone else who lacked confidence and motivation crush their goals and be truly happy about their body. I think empowering people to accomplish what they previously thought was impossible is the best achievement a coach can have.

Kory: The biggest achievement for me is seeing the excitement when a client ventures into the unknown and succeeds; a new personal record, a faster race time, a first place finish. Knowing that I had a small part in that person’s journey to become a better athlete and achieve their goals is really the biggest victory.6) What do you offer that is unique?

We pride ourselves on building an outstanding community of strong, healthy and happy athletes regardless of where they start out. We have had people who have never been physically active in their life and others who have trained for years, and regardless of where they start we help them enjoy the journey to the top of the podium and beyond their goals. For some, it isn’t always about the sport itself, but the desire to create a better body and better life through strength training, and we love to see them flourish in such a supportive environment. In plain English, this means we make paddlers better athletes and build a community dedicated to excellence and team work. We foster community, athleticism and muscles, in that order.

4) Who has helped/guided you along the way?

Ben: My learning started with my fellow students in the weight room at uWaterloo, so I have to give credit to them first.

I find those who challenge my ideas to be the best to learn from, and one of the most influential people to me has been Dr. David Frost, who I met and worked for at uWaterloo while he was doing his Ph.D. He really made me challenge the status quo and taught me the value of always asking ‘why?’. I also owe a lot of credit to Geoff Girvitz, the owner and mastermind of Bang Fitness in Toronto, and thanks to his incredibly inquisitive mind I had a lot of methods challenged, molded and added to my toolbox to better help my clients. I always learn a lot from seminars and events, and moguls in the industry like Eric Cressey, Dave Tate, Alwyn Cosgrove, Mike Boyle, Jim Wendler and Dr. Stuart McGill all influence my ever-evolving philosophy. I also really appreciate local and ‘less famous’ coaches I have met with to bounce ideas off of, learn from and guide me, many of which I am happy to now call friends.

Kory: As far as figure heads go, my main influences are the likes of Dan John, Jim Wendler, Charlie Francis, Stu McGill, Buddy Morris, Dave Tate, Mike Boyle, Alwyn Cosgrove and Christian Thibaudeau. Some of my greatest learning experiences have been attending seminars and workshops with these coaches and picking their brains. My training philosophy is essentially a combination of these brilliant individuals all packed together.

In addition to these giants in the strength and conditioning field, my knowledge and training base would not be what it is if not for the Waterloo PAC weight room. The trainers and community have taught me more than the classroom ever could and I owe a lot of my success to them.

KORY





7) Why is strength training crucial for improving performance?

Injury resilience and performance. In ANY sport at its most basic level is simple: 1) apply as much force as possible in the shortest amount of time, 2) do it for as long as possible. PROPER strength training can increase maximal force, how fast that force and be applied, and can reduce injuries. The athlete that stays in the game with minimal bumps and bruises will have the most time to develop and also the most opportunity to succeed. This means the athlete has the tools to excel and the durability to make sure they spend most of their time improving their skills, not in physical therapy.

8) Where do you see the future of this industry/sport heading?

We envision a more unified community and teams that take their strength & conditioning as seriously as they take their skills practice. From what I’ve seen, everyone holds onto whatever they believe the “secret” to the best paddling practices are and creates far too much animosity among teams. We see teams that have the determination to be truly great, but neglect the necessary areas of training and injury prevention. It’s about organized, long term success for athletes so they can excel at their sport and enjoy their time doing so. Dragon Boat in Canada continues to grow, and I think a unified community of paddlers who recognize the performance gap that strength and conditioning can fill would be a massive step forward. At VSS we hope to break some of those barriers down and build the sport as a whole, starting with the improvement of each individual regardless of team allegiance.

9) What advice would you give to people just starting out in the gym?

Ben: Regardless of the goal, always remember that training follows Pareto’s Law: 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Keep things as simple as possible so you don’t lose focus of that 20%, and try to master it. Then: 1) Work hard, 2) Have patience, 3) Don’t quit, 4) Always ask questions. There is an endless amount of information out there but everything that works well shares common ground. Don’t take anything at face value and never be afraid to ask people the simple question ‘why?’.

Kory: Master the basics and everything else will be much easier to learn. Just how you learn to add and subtract before you divide and multiply, the same principle applies in strength training. Learn and master the basics movements, then get into the more complicated stuff. In addition to that, ask questions to people who are more experienced than you. Most guys and gals who’ve spent any length inside the gym are more than willing to help those who are less experienced. Be critical about what they tell you. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t!

BEN

1) Describe yourself in one sentence.

Ben: I am reasonable guy who loves lifting heavy things, learning new things, and grilling amazing meats.

Kory: I’m a laid back simple soul with a love for squatting heavy and eating large amounts of charred animal flesh.

2) You get to spend a day with someone, dead or alive, real or fictional, who would it be?

Ben: I’d have to say the Greek Goddess Athena. I think watching over mankind for an eternity while being the goddess of strength, wisdom, courage and intelligence would give her the best possible insight into life.

Kory: Master Yoda. Wisdom he speaks, listen I shall. Plus he could teach me how to use a light saber. Now that would be a day.

3) When you’re not working, what do you like to do?

Ben: I spend the majority of my non-working time with my 2 year old son. We play with blocks and balls, read books and have a blast at the park. Raising a child is a challenge, but it teaches me a lot about myself, and it really gets me to take a step back to look at the big picture and think about how I can get the most out of my life. On a regular night after a long day’s work I like to kick back and watch a good movie or documentary - I could watch pretty much anything BBC makes that David Attenborough narrates.

Kory: I love physical activity of all sorts. Lately, I’ve been punching things and learning self-defence at a local Krav Maga gym. It’s an awesome feeling knowing I’m turning myself into a weapon of mass destruction. I also enjoy traveling, climbing trees, wrestling grizzly bears and anything else that has to do with nature. Non-physical hobbies include reading fantasy based novels and anything non-fiction that seems interesting. Currently I’m trying to marathon through the Wheel of Time series.





4) Who has helped/guided you along the way?

Ben: My learning started with my fellow students in the weight room at uWaterloo, so I have to give credit to them first.

I find those who challenge my ideas to be the best to learn from, and one of the most influential people to me has been Dr. David Frost, who I met and worked for at uWaterloo while he was doing his Ph.D. He really made me challenge the status quo and taught me the value of always asking ‘why?’. I also owe a lot of credit to Geoff Girvitz, the owner and mastermind of Bang Fitness in Toronto, and thanks to his incredibly inquisitive mind I had a lot of methods challenged, molded and added to my toolbox to better help my clients. I always learn a lot from seminars and events, and moguls in the industry like Eric Cressey, Dave Tate, Alwyn Cosgrove, Mike Boyle, Jim Wendler and Dr. Stuart McGill all influence my ever-evolving philosophy. I also really appreciate local and ‘less famous’ coaches I have met with to bounce ideas off of, learn from and guide me, many of which I am happy to now call friends.

Kory: As far as figure heads go, my main influences are the likes of Dan John, Jim Wendler, Charlie Francis, Stu McGill, Buddy Morris, Dave Tate, Mike Boyle, Alwyn Cosgrove and Christian Thibaudeau. Some of my greatest learning experiences have been attending seminars and workshops with these coaches and picking their brains. My training philosophy is essentially a combination of these brilliant individuals all packed together.

In addition to these giants in the strength and conditioning field, my knowledge and training base would not be what it is if not for the Waterloo PAC weight room. The trainers and community have taught me more than the classroom ever could and I owe a lot of my success to them.

KORY





7) Why is strength training crucial for improving performance?

Injury resilience and performance. In ANY sport at its most basic level is simple: 1) apply as much force as possible in the shortest amount of time, 2) do it for as long as possible. PROPER strength training can increase maximal force, how fast that force and be applied, and can reduce injuries. The athlete that stays in the game with minimal bumps and bruises will have the most time to develop and also the most opportunity to succeed. This means the athlete has the tools to excel and the durability to make sure they spend most of their time improving their skills, not in physical therapy.

8) Where do you see the future of this industry/sport heading?

We envision a more unified community and teams that take their strength & conditioning as seriously as they take their skills practice. From what I’ve seen, everyone holds onto whatever they believe the “secret” to the best paddling practices are and creates far too much animosity among teams. We see teams that have the determination to be truly great, but neglect the necessary areas of training and injury prevention. It’s about organized, long term success for athletes so they can excel at their sport and enjoy their time doing so. Dragon Boat in Canada continues to grow, and I think a unified community of paddlers who recognize the performance gap that strength and conditioning can fill would be a massive step forward. At VSS we hope to break some of those barriers down and build the sport as a whole, starting with the improvement of each individual regardless of team allegiance.

9) What advice would you give to people just starting out in the gym?

Ben: Regardless of the goal, always remember that training follows Pareto’s Law: 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Keep things as simple as possible so you don’t lose focus of that 20%, and try to master it. Then: 1) Work hard, 2) Have patience, 3) Don’t quit, 4) Always ask questions. There is an endless amount of information out there but everything that works well shares common ground. Don’t take anything at face value and never be afraid to ask people the simple question ‘why?’.

Kory: Master the basics and everything else will be much easier to learn. Just how you learn to add and subtract before you divide and multiply, the same principle applies in strength training. Learn and master the basics movements, then get into the more complicated stuff. In addition to that, ask questions to people who are more experienced than you. Most guys and gals who’ve spent any length inside the gym are more than willing to help those who are less experienced. Be critical about what they tell you. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t!

BEN

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24

A woman’s closet is her sanctuary. Throwing away some old clothes can be heartbreaking enough, but what does it take to completely change the way you think about the clothes you wear? step into understanding vegan fashion is to think of it from the animal’s point of view, and to pri-oritize their wants over fashion.

Toronto vegan fashion designer, Renia Pruchnicki, lives her life in the fashion industry, but origi-nally never saw herself as a future vegan.

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a good cause while doing it?” Flint said.

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TREndIng InTHE OFFIcE

#Whether you are applying to summer jobs, internships, and full-time positions, or you are looking to amp up your summer Wardrobe; looking professional yet trendy is a difficult task to manage. We put together six looks from reasonably priced stores to make this summer’s shopping a breeze.

phoTography By: ryan roBinSon-haTTon & JUiL yoon

STyLing By: VicToria STacey WiTh SpeciaL ThankS To BriLL commUnicaTionS.

modeLS: naThan BoUTiLier, emiLy corToLezziS. roWan FrancoiS, andrea garaWay, nicoLe papp , yaSmin ShamaT

1pink Top:

Express

anchor pants: Tristan

4motocycle Blazer:Express

5V-neck T-Shirt:Express

Striped Button-Up:Express

Jeans:Express

2denim Shirt Express

kahki pants: Express

3 Striped romper Express

Tweed Blazer: Tristan

6pink Blouse: Express

Tweed Skirt: Tristan

1 This spring, look for different textures such as leather, knits, or sheer. Bold accessories such as a floppy fedora, a bright red clutch, chunky statement jewelry, or a bright lip, are a foolproof way to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe.

WHITE ON...a minimal look for this spring is the achromatic white trend. here are three, easy achievable steps to create that perfect “white-on-white” look from your own wardrobe.

WHITE ON...

2 If you’re on the bolder side and want to pair white on white, a fresh way is to pair different shades of white together. off-whites, eggshell whites, and neutral nudes compliment the white on white trend without overpowering the entire outfit.

3consider different silhouettes when

orchestrating your outfit. A simple loose t-shirt dress

with nude flats offers an airy and casual look. While

a boyfriend button up thrown on top of shorts or

a skirt is a more relaxed spring ensemble.

This season’s white trend delivers a feminine, clean, and sophisticated breathe of fresh air that delivers a modern elegant look.

Learn more about these looks and more spring trends at:www.zubiesmusings.com@zubiesmusings

Cushion Coffee Co. has been through a full few months designing both spring 2014 lineup, as well as ensuring a smooth printing process for the winter crewnecks. “The spring line will have baseball tees with brand new designs followed by tank tops as the weather gets warm” explains Evan Smith, co-founder of the brand. The biggest challenge while starting Cushion Coffee Co. has been judging timeframes for purchasing orders, or beginning to lay designs for new seasonal apparel. I’m sure there’s a great art to it that I’ll never understand but shall keep looking.

Cushion Coffee Co. is in the process of developing a way to connect the brand’s apparel and name with local musical talent. “We have found a big chunk of our target market is through fans of music. We think fans of music and fans of art go hand in hand,” explained Joey, co-owner of Cushion Coffee Co. In order to achieve this, the clothing brand is offering a fifty percent discount to members of the music community (bands, DJ’s, solo musicians) and in turn, a shout out to us on social media.

“We think websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram prove to still be the top free marketing tools in the business” explained Evan. “In addition to the discount, we will also feature your band on our page as a promotional benefit.

Local helping local to grow and expand is what inspired the idea” If you are interested in a band promotion, please contact Cushion Coffee Co. via Facebook:

C U S H I O N C O F F E E C O .

facebook.com/CushionCoffee

Within the last month we had a Facebook Giveaway Draw for a free crew neck in which Michael Chapman took with glory. Like us on Facebook to hear about upcoming give-aways and how you can get free apparel.

Cushion Coffee Co. has been through a full few months designing both spring 2014 lineup, as well as ensuring a smooth printing process for the winter crewnecks. “The spring line will have baseball tees with brand new designs followed by tank tops as the weather gets warm” explains Evan Smith, co-founder of the brand. The biggest challenge while starting Cushion Coffee Co. has been judging timeframes for purchasing orders, or beginning to lay designs for new seasonal apparel. I’m sure there’s a great art to it that I’ll never understand but shall keep looking.

Cushion Coffee Co. is in the process of developing a way to connect the brand’s apparel and name with local musical talent. “We have found a big chunk of our target market is through fans of music. We think fans of music and fans of art go hand in hand,” explained Joey, co-owner of Cushion Coffee Co. In order to achieve this, the clothing brand is offering a fifty percent discount to members of the music community (bands, DJ’s, solo musicians) and in turn, a shout out to us on social media.

“We think websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram prove to still be the top free marketing tools in the business” explained Evan. “In addition to the discount, we will also feature your band on our page as a promotional benefit.

Local helping local to grow and expand is what inspired the idea” If you are interested in a band promotion, please contact Cushion Coffee Co. via Facebook:


facebook.com/CushionCoffee

Within the last month we had a Facebook Giveaway Draw for a free crew neck in which Michael Chapman took with glory. Like us on Facebook to hear about upcoming give-aways and how you can get free apparel.


38

We all hear it on a regular basis, especially when the time comes to shed those extra pounds gained over the holidays or after a vacation. The hot topic of most diets and the main thing we want to burn off at the gym. Yes, I’m talking about calories. That word alone sends shiv-ers up my spine. It makes me feel confused, frustrated, restrained, guilty, and many a million other things. And I’m sure that I’m not alone with such thoughts as these: Am I eating too many calories? How many calories do I need to eat? How many calories do I need to cut out of my diet to lose weight? How many calories should I eat to look like her? All of these are great questions; the only problem is that there is no right answer.

We all are dying to get our ideal body, and many of us will even go to the extremes to get there. I’ve been there too - running for hours to burn the most calories (while only eating a small apple for breakfast), cutting my calories to 1200 a day, drinking water when I feel hungry… etc. Trust me, I know the pain and frustra-tion when it comes to dieting and fighting the calorie battle. I thought that eating less and exercising more would help me reach my goals and become healthier. I soon realized that this is not healthy and my health is not based on a caloric number.

The real question we all need to be asking when it comes to our health and nutrition is: what are you eat-ing for? No silly, not because you are hungry. I’m talking about your goals! Are you eating to be healthy? Do you want to lose weight? Are you eating to gain lean muscle mass or simply to satisfy your hunger? Forget about calories for a minute and really figure this out; what do you want from your food? I’m here to tell you, if health is your goal, counting calories is not your best answer.

Imagine if there was a simple number system we could all use to reach our goals? I know I found one. Sounds crazy and unrealistic, but it works! In fact, I’m so confi-dent in this system that I even believe it can heal many diseases. I’m not saying that counting calories is the wrong way to reach your goals; I simply want to sug-

gest another method to count our nutrition in the food we eat. It’s simple, effective, and the best way to eat for optimal health.

Since we have all become so obsessed with calories and nutrition labels, I can’t help but wonder, why is it that are our health is getting worse, even though we are so educated on the nutrition facts of our food? Let’s go back in time for a moment, when diabetes was not an epidemic, when more than half of the population in Canada was not obese or overweight, and when families sat around a dinner table with fresh cooked food hot out of the oven instead of from a take-out container. How did they do the “health thing” so well, and where did we go so wrong? One thing I’m sure about is this: our early ancestors were not counting calories. They were simply eating real food.

What are you eating for? Melanie FarisCertified Personal Trainer, Health Enthusiast and Author of www.melaniefaris.com

“I believe the most important number we can look at is the number of ingredients in the food we eat.”

Melanie Faris.indd 1 3/14/2014 9:33:56 AM

We all hear it on a regular basis, especially when the time comes to shed those extra pounds gained over the holidays or after a vacation. The hot topic of most diets and the main thing we want to burn off at the gym. Yes, I’m talking about calories. That word alone sends shiv-ers up my spine. It makes me feel confused, frustrated, restrained, guilty, and many a million other things. And I’m sure that I’m not alone with such thoughts as these: Am I eating too many calories? How many calories do I need to eat? How many calories do I need to cut out of my diet to lose weight? How many calories should I eat to look like her? All of these are great questions; the only problem is that there is no right answer.

We all are dying to get our ideal body, and many of us will even go to the extremes to get there. I’ve been there too - running for hours to burn the most calories (while only eating a small apple for breakfast), cutting my calories to 1200 a day, drinking water when I feel hungry… etc. Trust me, I know the pain and frustra-tion when it comes to dieting and fighting the calorie battle. I thought that eating less and exercising more would help me reach my goals and become healthier. I soon realized that this is not healthy and my health is not based on a caloric number.

The real question we all need to be asking when it comes to our health and nutrition is: what are you eat-ing for? No silly, not because you are hungry. I’m talking about your goals! Are you eating to be healthy? Do you want to lose weight? Are you eating to gain lean muscle mass or simply to satisfy your hunger? Forget about calories for a minute and really figure this out; what do you want from your food? I’m here to tell you, if health is your goal, counting calories is not your best answer.

Imagine if there was a simple number system we could all use to reach our goals? I know I found one. Sounds crazy and unrealistic, but it works! In fact, I’m so confi-dent in this system that I even believe it can heal many diseases. I’m not saying that counting calories is the wrong way to reach your goals; I simply want to sug-

gest another method to count our nutrition in the food we eat. It’s simple, effective, and the best way to eat for optimal health.

Since we have all become so obsessed with calories and nutrition labels, I can’t help but wonder, why is it that are our health is getting worse, even though we are so educated on the nutrition facts of our food? Let’s go back in time for a moment, when diabetes was not an epidemic, when more than half of the population in Canada was not obese or overweight, and when families sat around a dinner table with fresh cooked food hot out of the oven instead of from a take-out container. How did they do the “health thing” so well, and where did we go so wrong? One thing I’m sure about is this: our early ancestors were not counting calories. They were simply eating real food.

What are you eating for? Melanie FarisCertified Personal Trainer, Health Enthusiast and Author of www.melaniefaris.com

“I believe the most important number we can look at is the number of ingredients in the food we eat.”


By looking back at our ancestors and their simple way of life, I began to realize that we have made it far too complicated with numbers and nutrition. I believe the most important number we can look at is the number of ingredients in the food we eat. An apple is only 1 ingredient. Rolled oats is only one ingredient. A Nature Valley Apple Crisp Granola Bar has 12 ingredients, with most ingredients being processed first with other chemi-cal ingredients for our consumption. Yikes! See where I am going with this? When we start making things too complicated, we put our health at risk. Eat more of the single ingredient foods and less of the rest! Easy. By keeping things simple, we gain optimal health and get an awesome body to-boot!

Things get a little more complicated when we step into Starbucks and have so many delicious drinks in front of us. Instead of ordering a boring 1-ingredient coffee, you order a “non-fat, sugar-free, vanilla-latte.” The drink is skinny with only 120 calories. Not so bad on the calorie count, but did you know the sugar-free syrup in your latte is chemically made with over 8 ingredients alone? Yikes. These are the kind of numbers we need to pay attention to.

It can be scary once we realize what we are putting inside our bodies. I can see now why the health of so many is declining. By following a calorie-based diet, you aren’t focused on the most important factor of nutrition: eating real food. There’s never a need to over-complicate things. By simply turning our attention to the number of ingredients first instead of calorie count-ing, we can greatly improve our health. Our goals may all be different, and I don’t know about you, but I for one am eating to fuel my body with healthy nutritious food for optimal health.

So what are you eating for?

“By following a calorie-based diet, you aren’t focused on the most important factor of nutri-tion: eating real food.”


Graphic by Zara Tariq

40

As I was out in December, celebrating the conclusion of my undergraduate degree, i had the

luck of running into old friends and acquaintances. University colleagues, family friends, high school

buddies, you name it, I saw them all. Many of these friends were on the brink of their undergrad and were

either just about to finish or had just finished their education. One of the most popular questions proved to

be, “so what’s next?” The answers were astounding.

So many of these people were going on to do things that you could tell they loved. one of them wanted to do graduate

research on a topic that interested him, a friend finished her degree but joined a professional dance company and was pursuing her

passion, and my most compassionate friend, loved her nursing job that she said was “her calling.”

Just thinking about it now is making me stupidly happy. They are going after something bigger than just a job and pursuing a future that they

want. Now tell me, how could they possibly not be successful in the project that they choose?

When someone is very interested in a topic, whether it be stamp collecting, quantum mechanics, or hair styling, that person will read about it, practice it, get involved in any way they can,

investing time and energy throughout this process. Above all, they have the will to succeed. malcom gladwell himself wrote in his book Outliers, that it takes 10,000 hours spent doing or working on an activity in order to be successful

at it. Therefore, is a person not happier and more enthusiastic when they are spending this significant amount of time on something that they genuinely

enjoy and are interested in?

JOB VS VOcATIOnBY ZUZANNA SOKOLOWSKI

giVing earning

money a meaning

It’s comparable to a person that you meet who is head over heels in love. This person is not in a relationship because it is convenient or because they can get value from it. The commitment is there because life has little sense without the other person. The love is so pure, so full of selflessness and devotion, that you cannot stop yourself from smiling when you see it. When people feel similarly about their livelihood, it is not just a job, it’s a vocation.

a vocation (Latin vocatio- a call, summons) is an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which he or she is suited, trained, or qualified.

A vocation defines you. A vocation excites you. A vocation, IS you.

People should be able to say, “Oh yeah? I didn’t know that’s what she was doing, but that’s so insert name here, i can’t say i’m surprised.”

don’t get discouraged if you feel like you do not have a passion that you can dedicate your life to right now. many of my friends would call me passionate (probably something to do with being a Scorpio) about many things, but last time I checked, going on rants didn’t pay very well. nevertheless, i am not discouraged because I know that this epiphany has no perfect timing. For all I know I will become the biggest fan of the next quinoa or kale and start farming. No way to know that. as long as i am open to new experiences and opportunities, i am sure that something will hit me. in the meantime, i will support my friends that are doing self-fulfilling stuff and mooch off of their happiness.

42

Professional

#YOLOProfessional VS. VS.

Moving out for school is an experience every young person cannot wait to do. It’s a chance to find yourself and to become indepen-dent. University is a chance to meet amazing new people who expand your thinking and perception of life in general. It is also a chance at making a few rookie mistakes be it social, romantic, school, money… the list goes on. Rookie mistakes, they may be, but it is what shapes character and growth. The younger years are supposed to be lived on the edge. Your youth is a time that should be carefree, easy going and a time where you are doing the things that interest you . This should be happening before the seri-ous stuff hits; bills, kids, exhaustion and a fulltime job. Or so we are told. Sayings such as “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) or Carpe Diem (Seize the day); dictate that we should all be going with the flow. The term “YOLO” is used to downplay behavior that may not be usual for an individual or may be looked at as out of character and risky. This mindset stems out of the idea that being young is being in your “hay day”. The act of socializing tends to be included in this “YOLO” territory, alongside drinking on occasion. There are also pranks, jokes, things said, things done, and things decided that result in a #YOLO moment.

I believe that being open minded to new opportunities that help you grow and learn, as well as to let loose, is important. It is important in developing your character and your view on the world around you. It allows you to come to new realizations and perspectives that are not usually attain-able without experience. It is however, a balancing act. The general intention of going to University is to study something that will push you forward in your career. It is to complete something that will allow you to professionally develop and flourish towards your goal. Sometimes, living a “YOLO” moment can seriously impact the success of your long-term goals. The “live life by the seat of your pants” attitude is great for cultivating creativity and de-stressing, but it can impact productivity and image if done wrong. An important point described by Tyler Wardis in his article Busy isn’t respectable anymore, states that “Busyness actually restricts profes-sional performance and limits mental capacity.” In Wardis’ article, the term “busy” means heavily focusing on career and professional development activities. He challenges his readers to break free from the traditional “I don’t have much time, I am very busy,” responses that people with goal oriented, Do-er type personalities give others. I for one, was and still somewhat am one of them. Wardis’ point really spoke to me on a personal level. Taking a step back, and evaluating my experience throughout university, I can honestly say that the biggest lesson I have learned is balance.

I have been lucky enough to experience both extremes: social-izing in large quantities, or working overtime , and neither ended up well. Without the balance of these two polar worlds, one can result in feeling unaccomplished on one hand or anxious and constantly stressed on the other.

Just as doctors say to eat a balanced nutritional meal; the same goes for life. It’s a matter of deciding that perhaps going out to dance (or whatever your social activity of choice is) every night isn’t a viable option and knowing how to say no to your social counterparts, versus only going out once a year. The balancing act between socializing and building profes-sional experience, is imperative to becoming a socialized and well adapted individual. This experience is useful in conversations and discussions - which can also help you in a career sense at some point. Being social and making meaningful connections can also land you a career or an open door just as much as working hard on your own can- if done right.

In today’s competitive world of work, it is important to distinguish yourself amongst the crowd. After all, university is usually a means to an end - the end being a career. One way I was able to overcome the need to be social, was through extracurricular activities, rather then partying. I was able to form meaningful connections and social circles, while professionally developing myself at the same time.

I tend to see a personality pattern in those of my friends that experience the dilemma of being both motivated and social individuals. This is quite a paradoxical position to be in when wanting to accomplish all you can. Most of these people are high-energy, motivated, positive, and busy people. The positivity and bright outlook of these individuals tends to pull others towards them, which thus creates the social dilemma of when to draw the line between the social and work hour. Rest assured my social butterflies, with maturity and experience, it does become easier to simply just say no to that night out if you can’t do it. Once you are able to do that, the boundary of respect is also maintained between you and your friends.

A great quote by Mark Twain describes the battle of the social and professional perfectly; “Twenty years from now you will be more disappoint-ed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.” I urge you to push beyond your personal boundaries and to also make decisions that have your best interest in the long run, versus always just being social to please others. Keep your mind open through volunteering, internships and working, with a peppering of socialization. Always remember, the key is balance.

• By: Nicole Papp

Written and designed by: Nicole Papp

By RyAn STAcEy

By RyAn STAcEy

48

THE mAdnESS IS cOmIngcOLLEgE BASkETBALL SEASOn IS undERwAy, And IT’S BEgInnIng TO SHOw wHy IT’S THE moSt excItIng bASketbAll on the plAnet. AS I wrIte thIS pIece, we Are comIng off THE THREE BEST gAmES THAT cOLLEgE BASkETBALL HAS SEEn ALL yEAR, wHIcH IS JuST the begInnIng of whAt IS comIng up In the upcomIng monthS. the beSt SportIng event In the world IS ApproAchIng.

SMU has taken the college basketball world by storm this year as they have gotten off to a 17-5 start, including a sparkling 11-0 at home in a challenging american athletic conference. With marquee wins over Memphis and Connecticut, and close losses to cincinnati and last year’s champion Louisville, they are a team that can compete with, and beat top teams. Expected to get an at-Large Bid, they are 18th in the nation

in points allowed per game at 61.7, so they are a team that is able to defend. Nic Moore is a sharpshooting guard who is the key catalyst of the SmU offense averaging 13.9 ppg, and 4.7 apg while shooting 46.5% from three. While it is yet to be seen if they can win a big game on the road or neutral court, a hot shooting team who also locks down on d is a perfect formula to a first round upset in the NCAA tournament. Keep a sharp eye out for SmU.

1SOuTHERn mETHOdIST unIVERSITy

The NCAA tournament is one of the most unpredictable events in sports all year. Anybody can beat anyone, and magical upsets happen every year. Last year, #15 seed Florida gulf coast University shocked the world by defeating both #2 Georgetown and #7 San Diego State. Anything can happen in the tournament, and barring upsets in their conference tournaments, or collapses down the stretch, here are 2 teams that I think have the tools to pull off a first round upset.

THE mAdnESS IS cOmIngThe green Bay phoenix is the clear class of the horizon League. Barring a massive upset, they should take the conference and ride lots of momentum into the ncaa tournament, and still possibly earn an At-Large Bid if they do not. The key to the phoenix is their 1-2 scoring punch in guard keifer Sykes and forward alec Brown. Sykes is a small, athletic guard who excels in getting into the paint. his 45 inch vertical makes him one of the best dunkers in the nation as well. He averages over 20 ppg, and shoots 82.5% from the free throw line. he does a high majority of his work at the stripe, using his speed and quickness to get into the paint. he has shot at least 12 free throws in a game 6 times already this season. he is inconsistent from three, but if he gets hot he is virtually un-guardable on the offensive end. he adds over 5 apg and 4 rpg to his impressive numbers, and is the go-to guy on the green Bay offense. alec Brown is a 7-1 forward who can score both inside and out. He shoots nearly 40% from three, and over 48% from the field. He is a fantastic #2 option, who complements Sykes’ slashing ability with his reliable jump shot

and size. When who have two players who can score at a high clip, and a player like Sykes who can have a massive scoring game at any time, you are a team that will scare the high seeded teams.

These are only two of many teams that can pull it off, which shows that the ncaa tournament is still the best event in all of sports. The madness is coming.

2unIVERSITy OF wIScOnSIn-gREEn BAy

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it was early, 4am, and the sun was still fast asleep. The others slept along with the sun in the back seats of the van. i never did; i was always wide awake. in this moment i felt oddly alive, drawn deeply into the unique and untapped rituals of the early morning hours. a feeling so spiritually calming that it seemed appropriate to call it dreamlike.

We drove through the blackness of country farmlands and into small towns lit with the signs of mom and pop shops. There was one sign in particular painted with big red letters that I could spot from a mile away – Live Bait.

When the smell of coffee filled the cabin of our van and the taste of hot chocolate touched my lips i knew the drive wouldn’t be much longer.

a lengthy stretch of dirt road slick with mud and littered with potholes made my dad extremely cautious. With a change of clothes we gathered our gear and started off on a short hike through the evergreen brush. Skirting the muddy banks of a large, still-watered pond on the right, there was a small opening, enough for a group to walk single-file in the tree line on the left. it marked the entrance to a whole new world.

on the other side, beyond the evergreen, was a river. The sun peeked its head just over the tips of the tree tops casting long shadows onto the water. its rays penetrated through the trees and into the pond filling it with a soft orange morning glow. The river drifted

so slowly that not a single ripple broke its surface. on the other side was a towering wall of trees so dense that light seemed to lose its way.

I felt wrong bringing something of the modern era into this place. In a place so untouched by civilization it was easy to imagine life without buildings or noise; without care or concern. The styrofoam container was filled with dirt and it wriggled with life. From it i pulled a small segment of an earthworm and hooked it onto my lure. as I cast my line and the entry of my lure broke the glassy surface of the water I felt an unbelievable awakening. a calmness that connected myself and all the nature that surrounded me. an esoteric feeling of oneness between myself and mother earth passed through my fishing line and into my soul.

As the ripples began to disperse and the connection slowly faded, i felt a new feeling that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. A gentle nibble on the lure sent vibrations through my line and into my body. The feeling of connection was steadily replaced with the rush of adrenaline. Pupils wide and muscles tense, my black bobber with a yellow bottom and orange tip submerged itself underwater. i could feel a smile stretch the entire width of my face. Pulling back, the weight on the end and curve of my rod signified the all-encompassing happiness of my childhood.

Fish on.

Beyond theEvergreen

by: benny hua

the smell of pizza pockets and beef patties tickled my nose and taunted my taste buds as they sat on the dashboard to cool. the radio seemed to play the same two songs at this time of day – un-cle kracker’s follow me and barenaked ladies’ If I had a million dollars – they were popular then.

WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN TO YOUR HOME?

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Passion8 Magazine March 2014

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