Let’s Talk About Blue Monday

Yesterday, as I was driving to work, the radio newscaster was stating that Monday, January 21 was heralded as the most depressing day of the year. By the time I got to the office I had listened to radio banter about Blue Monday the entire drive, only to be met in the hall by a co-worker stating that today was the day the most suicides would occur. Apparently, Blue Monday has everything to do with the dreary winter weather, post-Christmas timing and anxiety due to overspending. What a blue way to start the work week.

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When will homophobic language be unacceptable too?

Recently a thirty second PSA was produced by the University of Alberta's Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (ISMSS), with support from Global Television Edmonton. The PSA tasks the viewer with answering the question, "When will the use of casual homophobic language be taboo in the same way racial slurs are no longer acceptable?" This is not about a lifestyle. The same question can be asked of all the hurtful and derogatory language that we say to one another.

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5 thing that inspired me in 2012

I was having dinner with my family on New Year’s Eve when my mother asked whether we had decided on any resolutions for 2013. Her resolutions were what I would consider fairly typical resolutions; multiple servings of veggies a day and more time spent on the yoga mat. My stepfather, a financial controller and compulsive joker replied, “I’m going to make a list of all the things that went right in 2012 and back date them.” And while his wit didn’t make me laugh out loud, he got me thinking about all the things that went right in 2012 and I made a list of my favorites. So here are just five of those things in 2012 that kept me inspired throughout the year and continue to keep me looking forward to the future.

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ID can change people's lives

Without a place to call home, without money, without ID, navigating through the community becomes much more challenging. Some of us truly take it for granted that we can easily get from one place to another, call for help when we need it, find a bite to eat or a coffee when we crave it, and show ID if it is required.

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