Finally, An Update

I haven’t written in quite a while, which is a terrible shame, but to be fair, the last time I tried to write I encountered some technological glitches with my blog, as so since I didn’t have the time or patience to figure them out, I just sort of let it fall to the side.

I hate when I let myself do that though. It’s not really that I think people are waiting to hear what I have to say next, it’s more of a fact that I need to constantly be forcing myself to write daily. If I’m ever going to get anywhere with it, I need it to be a well-trained daily practice.

I also need to stimulate my mind and awaken my creativity. Since my day-job now consists of a lot of data entry and repetitive clerical work, my brain is feeling quite starved for something stimulating and challenging.

Perhaps that is where I should begin: the new job.

My blog post that never got posted was on this new job. But I will briefly talk about it now. I am working as an administrative assistant at a recruitment firm. I’m essentially a glorified secretary, but I am also in charge of social media and I’m an in-house writer (which means I get to write reference letters, as well as edit and format resumes – not particularly stimulating, but at least it’s writing). It was actually pretty nice of them to try and accommodate my interests and talents into this role. In the interview even they mentioned that they knew this would just be a stepping stone for me, but that they would try to throw work my way that fit my expertise. They also mentioned that whenever I was ready to move on, that they would help me do that.

So, although it is not exactly what I want to do yet, I am very grateful to be working in a place with such nice people and I honestly feel like it can only go up from here (which I’ve said before, but I really do feel like I am on my way now). This isn’t a job I announce with pride yet when people ask me what I do, but it is giving me some necessary office experience that will add to my resume significantly. Plus benefits and vacation time are always a very nice bonus.

I’m finally feeling, financially at least, like things are picking up, since now I don’t have to worry about paying rent and bills, and I can FINALLY start paying back my OSAP. It’s not the dream, but it’s good for right now.

I also have plenty of downtime here, so I can keep looking for work in my field too.

There’s not much else going on with me. I miss set life (mostly the social aspect, although work on set is just fun in general). Every time my agent emails me I get this feeling of wanting to drop everything and run back to it, but I won’t ever do that. It’s time to grow up and stop playing dress up. Perhaps I will still be able to do the occasional weekend shoot though. We’ll see.

Speaking of socializing though, I am actually a lot more capable of doing that now that I have a set schedule that I can plan around. I have been making more time for my friends and going out and doing things that I’ve never done before, or never had time for. For example, I went to a painting class with my best friend this past week. It was so much fun and I loved the ability to relax and be creative. This open time that I now have in the evenings and on weekends is so important for me, because I know a lot of my unhappiness was stemming from a lack of socializing and fun. It’s always a secondary thing, but it is so important. It really keeps us functioning and mentally healthy.

So all in all I guess I would say that I’m in a good place right now and just taking things as they come and am excited for the next thing, whenever it may come.

For Auld Lang Syne My Dear?

So it’s the New Year; a time for resolutions and a time to let go of the year behind and plan for the year ahead. It is a strange time of finality and possibility, because the year behind is now done and there is nothing else that can be done differently, while the year ahead is full of infinite possibilities of what can change and what can be accomplished. I am trying to stay on the positive side of it all and think that this year has some much better things in store for me or more specifically that I will accomplish more of what I have set out to accomplish.

Traditionally New Years is perceived as positive and hopeful, but one thing I have always felt is that there is indeed a sadness to it all. One thing that has always evoked these feelings is the traditional song sung for New Years Auld Lang Syne.  I for some reason have always found this song to be rather melancholic, but then I decided to look into the song a bit more and find out the roots and what it actually means.

Auld Lang Syne was actually a poem written by one of my favorite Scottish poets, Robert Burns, in 1788. The Scottish phrase Auld Lang Syne can be roughly translated as “long long ago” or “days gone by.” In the poem the phrase is more closely translated as “for the sake of old times” or “for the sake of days gone by.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne

When listening to the song I always felt that the line “should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind” was a very sad sentiment. Indeed there are so many people that come into our lives and then end up leaving our lives and we may never see them again, and I guess that’s how life goes, but remembering all of the people who are no longer in your life can be a seriously depressing task. What is more, these people have left their mark on your life in some way, and you would only hope that you have left your mark on theirs. So to say that these acquaintances should be forgotten is not only sad, but it borders on cruel; it means to forget a lot of meaningful memories and instances that have helped to shape you into who you are.

I’m going to say something now that you will probably never hear again, and indeed there are people in my life who would love to hear me say this, so listen carefully: I was wrong. In fact, the sentiments of the song are the complete opposite. The song is not about forgetting those who are no longer in your life, but is actually about taking the time to remember them. New Years in general is a time for self reflection and growth; we make New Year’s resolutions that we feel will lead to a more happy, fulfilled, and successful year, but just as we look ahead we in fact also look back. This is what the song is actually about, this retrospection with introspection, looking back as well as looking within.

One thing I never got about the song, and indeed no one will get unless they read the poem or already know it, is that the first line is not a statement but is actually a question. The speaker in the poem is not stating that old acquaintances should be forgotten, but is instead asking the question….should old acquaintances be forgotten? The answer is a resounding no. The speaker then recounts growing up with this friend, but then life taking them far away from each other. At this point in the New Year, however, when the speaker is to be looking ahead, he is also taking the time to remember this friend, their friendship, and the good times they had long ago. He then drinks to the friendship and drinks for old time’s sake. So, the real sentiments of this poem, then, are not of forgetting and moving forward, but are of taking the time to remember.

Indeed, the New Year should be a time of evaluating what you would like to achieve out of the coming year, but since you have only gotten to this point because of where you have been and because of who has been with you along the way, it should be a time of contemplating the past as well. Therefore, it only makes sense that the planning for the future year is accompanied with a retrospection of years past. Only when you acknowledge where you have been can you really move forward.

Now knowing the actual meaning of this song, I find it a lot more positive and cheerful. I hope that if this has be bothering any of you, that you found this helpful and insightful.   

Burns’ original Scots verse

English translation

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne* ? CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp ! and surely I’ll be mine ! And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. CHORUS We twa hae run about the braes, and pu’d the gowans fine ; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, sin auld lang syne. CHORUS We twa hae paidl’d i' the burn, frae morning sun till dine ; But seas between us braid hae roar’d sin auld lang syne. CHORUS And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere ! and gie's a hand o’ thine ! And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught, for auld lang syne. CHORUS

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne ? CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely you’ll buy your pint cup ! and surely I’ll buy mine ! And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. CHORUS We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine ; But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne. CHORUS We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine† ; But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne. CHORUS And there’s a hand my trusty friend ! And give me a hand o’ thine ! And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne. CHORUS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPnhaGWBnys

In the Spirit of Christmas, Sharing is Caring

This is not really a Christmas post. There is just something that I wanted to share with you guys and I didn’t want to wait to do it.

I have come onboard a couple of linked projects to help in events coordination, fundraiser planning, and philanthropic efforts. One project supports emerging artists, and as a post graduate of an arts degree, I’m all about helping out my fellow struggling artists. The second is a youth-based initiative that focuses on giving inner-city youth the opportunity to develop marketable and transferable work skills. Finally, and the one I really want to focus on right now, is called Mygoma Support.

Mygoma support is an initiative to help fund the Mygoma orphanage in Khartoum Sudan. I’ve just spent a couple of days educating myself on the issues that are occurring there and the entire reason behind this orphanage to begin with. I will start by saying that this is not an orphanage just like any other orphanage. 

A Bit of History:

The Mygoma orphanage opened in 1961 and now takes in more than 30 babies each month either left on the gate or found at the streets. This is a response to the growing numbers of illegitimate babies being abandoned in Khartoum. Mygoma orphanage is not like other orphanages because it is focused primarily on a demographic that has been outcast and is not socially accepted and monetarily supported, or at least receives very minor support.  

Why is there such a growing epidemic of discarded illegitimate children in Sudan you ask? The answer is simple, sex outside of marriage is a crime in Sudan and the children that result from such sexual encounters are evidence of that crime. These children would bring shame to the entire family of the mother and would be ammunition to bring criminal charges against the mother as well. These mothers of misfortune, therefore, feel that they have no choice except to abandon their babies in the streets. Abortion is obviously illegal in Sudan and perceived as wrong, evil, and sinful by all, and is therefore not performed and is not an option. There are also no secret adoption networks in place, and this option would not bipass legal charges and punishment placed on the mothers. Of course only the women are saddled with the “burden of their mistake,” and it is only the women who have to suffer the consequences and the legal penalties. Women who are found guilty of having sex outside of marriage are prosecuted under clause 46 of the criminal law called Zina, which roughly translates to “unlawful sex.” A case file is opened against a woman who has evidently engaged in Zina and she is tried in court for her unlawful behaviour. Once she is found guilty her judgement is to be lashed according to the Sharia. The rise in the abandonment of illegitimate children, then, is a direct correlation to an attempt to escape the severe punishment condemning this action (which is both legal and familial). 

It is estimated that about 1,500 babies are being abandoned every year in Khartoum. The lucky ones make it to Mygoma, but many more die in rescue. Even those who do make it to Mygoma are far from out of danger; the death rate in this orphanage is high. 

The orphanage is the only lifeline for these discarded children, but with its limited resources (it is minimally funded by government grants and private donations), it does not have adequate funding to care for the children past the age of five. Those who are not adopted or fostered by then have to move on to much more crowded state institutions wherein they face neglect and an uncertain future with much slimmer chances of adoption.

This becomes the main issue. There is a serious need for funding for institutions to take care of these children after they leave Mygoma as well as a need for increased funding for the Mygoma orphanage itself so that it can extend the care and stay of these children past the age of 5. The project Mygoma Support that I’m involved with is attempting to do just that.

If you would like to know more about this project you can feel free to contact me at amandallabelle@gmail.com. We also have a book drive happening in March to collect books and educational materials to send over to the orphanage along with the regular monetary support. Also, check out this moving video at http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2009/01/2009128103742864375.html

Info Source:

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2009/01/2009128103742864375.html

Photo Sources:

www.berlinale-talents.de 

oxfordformygoma.wix.com