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The art of being single

Just do it—just shoot your shot

Shooting a shot, in the context of any type of relationship, according to Urban Dictionary, is “to let go of your pride and pursue someone you are interested in.” Shooting your shot can happen in many different ways: sliding into someone’s DMs, directly tweeting them, commenting on their selfie or, you know, in the real world, going up to them and saying, “Hi.”

I know it’s easier said than done. You’re probably going to overthink the possible outcomes of shooting your shot and weigh the pros and cons, more than actually going through with it. I know it’s hard. You’re probably going to freak out about actually doing it.

Well, I’m here to be Nike. I’m here to be Shia Labeouf in that video. I’m here to tell you to stop all that and just do it. It’s not that scary, I promise. Ever since I can remember, probably way back in elementary school, I would always tell the boy I liked that I liked him. Ever since I can remember, I’m almost sure I got shut down every time.

While it might be scary to put your feelings out into the open and admit it to the person—and to yourself—it’s really not that big of a deal. Whether it’s that cute mutual follower on Instagram, the person in your class that keeps looking over at you, the friend that you might be falling for—just do it.

While it’s best to not keep your hopes up, it’s good to share and communicate your feelings. Not only is it healthier than keeping everything bottled up, or being left with that feeling of “what if,” but it might also work out.

It’s also worth mentioning that I’m not telling you to keep shooting your shot once someone gives you a clear indication that they’re not interested. Make sure you’re not making someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable by how and when you shoot your shot.

While I’ve not yet successfully shot my shot, every single time I try, I’m glad I did because I’m left feeling accomplished and strong having overcome my fear of going through with it. While I’ve not yet successfully shot my shot, it won’t stop me from continuing to try and do so when I’m into someone—it shouldn’t stop you either.

 

Categories
Opinions

The art of being single

Accepting that it’s okay to not be the one

Welcome to the first ever “The Art of Being Single!” This bi-weekly column is dedicated to being single and ready to mingle, despite life having other plans for you, and how much this can (mostly) suck. I hope this assures you that you’re not alone in struggling to deal with being single, and I hope to be that little voice of encouragement at the back of your head, saying everything will work out in the end. But until then, make an art out of being single.

The year 2018 was a relatively rough year in terms of love and relationships. I was getting over a breakup I was salty about. I was ghosted a lot (recurring theme in my life; it’s really annoying). I shot my shot (multiple times) and failed. A lot of my friends shot their shot and succeeded. I’m still single.

I was, and still am, the friend that doesn’t get approached at school or at a bar or club very often. I might have some casual conversation, but I’m rarely hit on; I am usually spoken to as “one of the guys” or am used by some guy to get to my friend, who he thinks is “hot.” And with every right––my friends are magnificent people, inside and out.

At first, this––never being “the one”––would really bother me. Why am I single? What do they have that I don’t? Will I end up alone forever? What is wrong with me? Although it sometimes may feel like I’m alone in having these thoughts, I know I’m not. There are people who feel the same way, thinking, When will my time come?

I’ve come to realize that there’s nothing wrong with me, or with you, or with anyone who’s single and never had a long-term relationship. I’ve learnt that I don’t lack anything; neither do you. The only thing “wrong” with us is that we haven’t found someone we’re compatible with on every level.

Sure, it does suck sometimes. It sucks when some of your friends are in long-term relationships, others are just getting in one and the rest have no problem being single. It sucks when it seems like everyone around you has someone––everyone but you.

It’s taken a long time to realize and come to peace with, but there’s nothing wrong with being single; there’s nothing wrong with you. In some ways, being single at this stage in our lives might be a blessing: as university students, we already have a lot on our plates. Do we really need to be starting a relationship? While you’re single, learn about yourself; learn how to be with yourself and how to love yourself. If you already know how, then just sit tight and be patient; everything works out in the end.

 

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Student Life

Bartender Banter: Getting to know the glamorous grape

Photo by Danielle Gasher

A sommelier shares some tips on getting into wine tasting and pairing

There’s something about wine that feels elitist. Intimidating even. People have been making the drink for over 4,000 years. Families have fallen out over its production. The wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. In the United States alone, the wine industry contributes over $160 billion to the American economy, according to the research firm MKF Research.

Some are willing to wait 20 years to open a bottle to taste it at its full potential. For a newbie, wine can feel like abstract art—unattainable and overpriced.

Photo by Danielle Gasher

But Le Majestique’s sommelier, Benoit Saint-Hilaire, says while there is an element of prestige to wine, no one should be intimidated by it. After all, “people have been drinking it for over 4,000 years to party and have fun,” he says.

I sat down with Saint-Hilaire to discuss the basics of tasting, pairing, and to get the scoop on some budget-friendly wines students should get their hands on.

Saint-Hilaire became interested in wine thanks to his family. His parents would host dinners, and that’s when he started developing his taste. Saint-Hilaire stresses that the wine tasting experience is extremely subjective. He believes it is important to remain humble when discovering different wines, and to respect different tastes. “Remember, the wine isn’t bad, it’s just not your taste,” he says with a laugh.

Getting into it

Saint-Hilaire says the best way to get into wine, and to develop your taste, is to… well… taste! So if the expert says it, drink away, fellow Concordians! By tasting a lot, he explains, you learn to pick up different subtleties, odours, flavours and notes. He recommends taking it by region, focusing on one at a time. By tasting different wines from a specific region, he explains, it enables you to make connections between the subtleties of different grapes and different estates. He also recommends reading up on the producer. “When I buy a wine, I always go on the estate’s website—I see how they work,” Saint-Hilaire says.

Photo by Danielle Gasher

Pairing

Saint-Hilaire says he is no purist, and believes people should just pair to their taste. That being said, he likes to implement a balance between the flavours of the meal and his wine. For example, for a richer, greasier meal, he would recommend a lighter, fresher wine with some acidity to balance the flavours.

Some recommendations

When asked to recommend a few wines and regions for students to try, Saint-Hilaire’s eyes shoot open. “There are too many!” he exclaims. But for students and beginners, the sommelier says you can’t go wrong with adventuring into the Côtes du Rhône wines. He says you can get good ones starting at $25.

Still in France, he also recommends wines from the Alsace region because they’re accessible, balanced and “easy to drink,” as Saint-Hilaire puts it. He also recommends drinking wines from Spain and Portugal because they are cheap and flavourful. “Drink Spanish wine my friends!” Saint-Hilaire exclaims. He assures a good bottle can easily cost under $20.Surprisingly, Saint-Hilaire also recommends checking out Greek wines. While he admits you have to seek out the good ones, he says you can find good value for your money. Saint-Hilaire recommends trying Greek wines from the Tetramythos estate. Their red wine is the Kalavryta, which he says is comparable to a Pinot Noir.  For white wine lovers, he recommends the Roditis, which he describes as crisp and fresh. Both the red and white are currently available at the SAQ, as well as on Le Majestique’s wine list.

So if you value your wino education, it’s time to start tasting everything, pairing as you wish, and checking out those wines from Spain and Portugal! Cheers, folks!

Categories
Student Life

Bartender Banter: A guide to enjoying whisky

Graphic by Florence Yee

What it is, how to drink it, how to mix it, how to like it

The first time I tried to like whisky, I was 13. I had just finished watching the Godfather. I wanted more than anything to be as badass as those mobsters, a cigar in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. Needless to say, it didn’t work out as well as I thought it would. I took a swig of Canadian Club, and thought I had burned my tongue and throat to the point of never tasting again.

I gave up on the dream, but tried again when I was 16, this time with some bourbon over a single ice cube.  Since then, it’s been nothin’ but love for whisky.

Here is my guide to enjoying whisky.

So what is whisky?

Whisky is a distilled alcohol made from fermented grain mash. Sounds tasty right? Different varieties of whisky depend on the grain used and whether or not the grain is malted.

What are the different kinds of whisky?

There are many kinds of whisky, and different variations within each kind. You can get malt whisky, grain whisky, blended whisky, single pot still whisky, bourbon whisky, rye whisky and corn whisky.

Tell me about scotch

Scottish whiskies, also known as scotch, are made from grain or malt. If you want to explore scotch but are just starting out, I recommend trying a good glass of Macallan Amber or Gold. The Gold is a little lighter and fruitier than the Amber, but both are good and good-quality options for starting out. That being said, I prefer smokier, heavier options like a Lagavulin 16 Years or a Laphroaig.

Experts believe in drinking scotch ‘neat’, which means sipping it straight, without ice or water.  Some use a few drops of water to “open up the flavour.” Personally, I drink my scotch with whisky stones—stone cubes that keep the drink cold without diluting it.

Tell me about bourbon

Bourbon is an American whisky. While scotch is made mostly from malted barley, bourbon is made from corn. In my opinion, bourbon is a good starting point for whisky beginners. Steer clear of Knob Creek in the beginning, it’s intense. I recommend going straight for a bottle or glass of Woodford Reserve. It’s smooth but still has that woody taste I love. Bulleit Bourbon is versatile, and has a bit of a spicier taste. Bourbon is lovely straight or over ice.

What cocktails can I make with whisky?

If you’re less into the sweet stuff, a classic whisky cocktail is an Old Fashioned.

  •         1 ½ ounces of your favourite whisky
  •         One sugar cube
  •         A few dashes of Angostura bitters
  •         A few drops of water

Shake the mix dry and pour it over ice, an orange slice and a maraschino cherry in a rock glass.

If that sounds a little too rough for your taste buds, a whisky sour is another great option.

  •         1 ½ ounces of your favourite whisky
  •         ½ lemon, squeezed
  •         Sugar or simple syrup to taste
  •         One egg white

Shake the ingredients vigorously in a shaker with ice. Rim a rock glass. Pour over ice and a slice of lemon.

Categories
Student Life

Exploring the healthy side with Fardad

Graphic by Florence Yee

The science behind drug addiction, and how drugs affect the body

It’s said we are creatures of habit. Sometimes though, those habits can turn into addictions. In this edition of The Healthy Side, we are going to explore drug addiction and its real effects on the body.

Drug addiction is an organic disease of the body. Using addictive substances literally changes the brain’s chemistry, leading to a strong physical dependency on them.

The brain is a very complex organ, made up of billions of cells called neurons. The connections between these neurons is what enables us to think, move, feel, act and essentially process every conscious and unconscious intake of environmental stimuli and respond accordingly.

You may have heard that there is electrical current in the brain.

A neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory—that is, it may contribute to exciting the next neuron or inhibiting its excitation. For our purposes, we are going to talk about a well-known excitatory neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine, along with a few other neurotransmitters, is responsible for making you feel good.

Once dopamine is released via transporters in the producing cell, called the presynaptic cell, it temporarily latches on to the receptors on the surface of its target, called the postsynaptic cell, and causes further actions to occur in that cell.

The dopamine itself is not taken in by the target cell—its binding is temporary and after a short period it is detached and taken back into the presynaptic cell.

Substances can affect and alter this natural pathway in three broad ways:

  1. Overproduction of dopamine: the opioid family of substances such as heroin and fentanyl stimulate VTA to over-produce dopamine. This rush of abnormally large amounts of dopamine hits the user with a sudden and very strong feeling of euphoria.  An unfortunate side-effect of opioids is slowing down breathing. This can be particularly dangerous if mixed with other substances that also slow down the body such as alcohol, anti-anxiety medications and other opioids. Current statistics indicate every 19 minutes, someone dies from accidental prescription drug overdose (most of them containing opioids).
  2. Blockage of the transporters: drugs such as cocaine quickly enter the brain and bind to the transporters on the presynaptic cell, blocking dopamine from being taken back inside. This accumulates large amounts of dopamine in the space between these cells (called the synaptic cleft) and for longer. Constant presence of larger than normal levels of dopamine in the cleft causes the postsynaptic cell to be hyper-activated, leading to a prolonged feeling of euphoria. This establishes a powerful link between this feeling and the drug – which makes the user want to use it again.
  3. Stimulation and blockage: amphetamine family of drugs behave both like opioids and cocaine. In lower dosage, meth acts like cocaine in blocking the uptake of dopamine back to the presynaptic cell. In higher doses, in addition to the blocking effect, meth stimulates the presynaptic cell to release even more dopamine. Because of this dual effect, the accumulation of dopamine in the synaptic cleft becomes extreme, leading to dangerously high hyper-activation of the postsynaptic cell. This results in an extreme feeling of euphoria making meth incredibly addictive.

Drugs alter how the reward centre communicates with the rest of the brain: affecting emotions, movement, reasoning and decision making. Repeated use of these drugs makes changes to the chemistry of the brain, which eventually prevents the user from experiencing the same euphoria when first using the drug: the user builds tolerance toward the substance.

Fardad is a science student here at Concordia. He wants to share his research and learning about the science field with the Concordia community.

Graphic by Florence Yee

Categories
Student Life

Exploring the healthy side with Fardad

Graphic by Thom Bell

Debunking stress eating: Tis’ the season of midterms and takeout

Midterm season is officially here, and stress is creeping up on many students. Although people respond to stressful situations differently, a lot of us have a common struggle: stress eating.

Emotional eating can happen for a variety of reasons, but this week we will specifically analyze stress as a cause.

When your body is put under prolonged stress, a multitude of physiological changes happen, namely, your body releases a hormone called cortisol.

Cortisol plays a key role in human survival—think about it from an evolutionary standpoint. Your body registers stress as a “fight or flight” situation. When your body thinks it’s in a life or death situation, it “panics” and urges you to consume calories for strength and survival, when really, all you need is a deep breath.

Needless to say, exam period is a stressful time. Seeking refuge in the glory of pizza or greasy fries when the workload gets overwhelming is something a lot of us can relate to.

While this may provide momentarily relief—due to the release of other hormones like dopamine—the underlying cause of your stress still remains.

Additionally, feelings of guilt about eating too much may enter into the equation and end up adding to your initial stress.

But how can you tell the difference between being actually hungry or just feeling stressed?

There are a few telltale signs. Here are the most important ones:

  • We usually turn to comfort foods or unhealthy foods when we are stressed. Let’s just say cauliflower and broccoli aren’t the food of choice when cramming for an exam.
  • According to Harvard Health, consuming comfort food triggers two changes in the brain. First, it stimulates the reward centre of the brain by releasing feel-good hormones. Second, it has been shown to temporarily counter the effects of the stress-producing and processing hormones. So not only does comfort food provide a “happy fix,” but it also temporarily takes the stress away.
  • According to American pediatrics doctor Dr. Mary Gavin, and many other experts, contrary to stress cravings, physical hunger isn’t instant. It takes time for the digestive system to process food.
  • According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, when you feel physiological hunger, it’s due to the gradual release of the hunger hormone, ghrelin. Ghrelin itself is released over time, thanks to “feedback” provided by sensory nerve endings in the digestive tract, including the intestine and colon. So if you suddenly have a “need” for a bag of chips, take a second to reflect on how stressed you are in that moment. You might just need to relax and take a deep breath.

Here are a few things you can do to help combat stress eating during exam time: 

  • Get moving. Exercise releases endorphins so hop to it. Physical activity also releases those feel-good hormones and it gets fresh blood flowing to the brain, making you feel more awake.
  • Drink a lot of water, regularly. Dehydration oftentimes manifests as hunger. Staying hydrated helps keep your body healthy and your brain active.
  • Call a loved one or a friend—but make sure you don’t end up talking about studying or exams. The aim here is to take your mind off all the stress by hearing a familiar voice and maybe cracking a joke or two. Tell the person in advance that you don’t want to be talking about school.

Fardad is a science student here at Concordia. He wants to share his research and learning about the science field with the Concordia community.

Graphic by Thom Bell

Categories
Arts

Deal$ deal$ deal$ at the Liquidation Centre

Graphic by Thom Bell

Describing the melancholic end of summer and the promise of fall: a poem

One theme Brynjar Chapman finds himself exploring time and time again in his work is the end of summer—the peculiar and melancholic threshold that exists between end and beginning. As we move deeper into fall, it may benefit us to pause and reflect on this transition. Here, Chapman does just that, meditating on the bittersweet sentiment of another summer passed, with experiences had or missed, lessons learned and connections made.

Brynjar Chapman hails from Toronto, Ont. and is in his fourth year studying creative writing at Concordia.

It’s the last stop on the way out of town

they have everything here!

mugs and hats that say, among other things,

Female

Body

Inspector

and shirts with proud animals or confederate flags

a room, the room of a thousand knock-off crocs

where, as a dare, we stand until light-headed and about to pass out among the fumes.

It’s fun, everyone says so

and we take pictures

but in the car, with Tom,

our silence has weight

so does the smell later in the front hall

of a familiar house left alone for two weeks.

Just last night he was at the fire and barely out of the light

he was wet-eyed, wine in his hands

having just posted to the Facebook of a dead man

It’s on these nights I miss you most.

I felt for some reason I knew what he was feeling because

earlier, I saw him through the bathroom window

pooping

his face was so sincere with red effort,

a face he had never even seen

(unless of course he pooped with a mirror)

and I felt bad that I looked but also nearer to Tom

and glad that he has this place.

In the car I had regrets:

I didn’t jump off the train bridge this year

or I didn’t savour it–the moment before running into the water–

it splashing around my ankles

then the big cold step, the submerge of the crotch

feeling like I’ve accomplished something

but what, exactly? Forget it,

because there’s nothing better than freshwater

and being hungry after a swim

for white bread with meat, and chips.

Because now in the car and at home it’s August

the Sunday of the calendar year

and I don’t have everything in front of me

like on the shore, where a small, long lake held in it,

peed out in secret,

everyone’s year

and their collective fear of snapping turtles.

Graphic by Thom Bell

Categories
Arts

A case for sport as art

Florence Yee

Art is all around us – even in athletics

Another edition of the Summer Olympic Games has wrapped up, and with it, the greatest athletes in the world return to their home countries.  Some are proudly weighed down with gold, silver or bronze medals around their necks and hard-earned international recognition.

Graphic by Florence Yee

The sacrifice, perseverance and motivation required to qualify for any international competition cannot be underscored. A lifetime of training and conditioning goes into qualifying for races that only last the time it takes to blink three times. At such high levels of competition, an athlete’s physical capabilities are typically bragged about: extreme strength, agility and power.

However, another athletic quality that is just as important, yet not fairly mentioned, is the artistry.  Although arts and sports might seem like polar opposites, they do go hand in hand to some degree. In sports such as swimming, what distinguishes a first-place finish from the second spot on the podium can come down to technique.

In gymnastics, synchronized swimming and even rowing, the performance becomes something akin to an art form. Rowers must be in perfect synchronicity with each other in order to be efficient. Gymnasts must wow the judges with the precision of their performances, but also with the creative aspect of them. Synchronized swimmers must deliver a spectacular performance—while submerged and holding their breaths.

These athletes have made something excruciatingly difficult and physically demanding seem easy, just as ballet and theatre do. No one would contest the artistically physical aspect of a ballerina. Therefore, sports should be recognized for their physical artistry as well.

 

Categories
Sports

BULL PENNED: Bird Watching – The Big Year

-For a game that is so damn old, with statistics and records dating back to the late 19th century, baseball is never lacking in surprises and, as the kids put it, WTF moments. Of course, there is the same old, same old nonsense that occurs year in and year out but it seems that each season, there is at least one pleasant surprise giving baseball fans a reason to keep an eye on the standings. This time around, that certainty has gone to the birds. Literally.

When preseason wrapped up this past spring, the buzz about town was that there was a new sheriff patrolling the ever-so-dangerous American League East. Toronto had run away with being crowned the kings of spring. With a record of 24-7 in Grapefruit League action, the Blue Jays were making a statement that things were about to change. No more was the A.L. East going to be a three-pony race. An impressive pitching staff, a reigning two-time home run king and a hometown rookie sensation all pointed to a seismic shift in tradition.

Well it seems the Jays left their swagger in Florida because not only did they drop the ball this year, they did it while wetting themselves. For all those who preluded the heralding of Toronto supremacy with “It is not a Yankee or Red Sox division anymore,” you can save yourself a shred of dignity. Baltimore to the rescue!

It is a double-take scenario; seeing the Orioles challenge the mighty Yankee machine is worth a second look, if not for morbid curiosity. How could a team that started the year with 150 to one odds of winning the World Series be at the top of a pile of supposed titans? The answer is quite simple, yet not so obvious.

The Orioles are not blessed with any made-for-T.V. superstars. When you think A.L. East, you think of names like Jeter, Ortiz, Longoria, Bautista, not Wieters or Markakis. There are no bonafide all-stars or sexy names on this Baltimore squad. No MVP candidates or phenoms. Barring any miracles, they won’t have anyone that will reach 100 RBIs, or knock 40 home runs. If Nick Markakis can get hot in the final week, he will be the only Oriole with a chance at hitting more than .300. So, how can a team of rag-tags, with no identifiable offensive standout or pitching messiah, rise to the top of such perennial crème de la crème? It is all about taking that crème and whipping it.

Though Baltimore is competing with New York for the division title, an honour they have not seen since 1997,  they can be considered the true winners of the division. They were a Cinderella story since April, but they maintained success because they consistently won games against divisional opponents. They have managed to compete when it mattered.

The Orioles have amassed the best record in their division when it comes to games against their division rivals. By winning these important games, they solidified a playoff berth, and shocked the millions who pegged them as a team to finish 30 or more games behind.

This anomaly in the standings has been a gift to fans in Baltimore, starved for meaningful baseball in the fall, but I think the biggest gift will be that shmuck who said “Screw it, why not?” and threw down $20 on Baltimore back in March.

Categories
Student Life

Pillow Talk: How to Deal with Drunken Friends

Have you ever been the only sober one at a party? It kinda sucks, eh? You have to make sure nothing gets broken—from your bestie’s unnecessarily high heels to her drunken heart.

All of a sudden you’re on clothes, phone and boy patrol, shielding all of your friends from involuntary hook-ups and public humiliation. Let’s face it, you love your friends and you would do anything for those crazy mother truckers, but sometimes situations can get hard to handle. Here is a list of those situations and how you can handle them without losing your cool.

What to do if your friend is:

1) Hooking up with a 4/10

Try to get her attention. This might be hard if she’s playing a hardcore game of tonsil hockey with him, but in that case, just rip her away.

The next part gets a little tricky. Tell her the guy would be better suited for a horribly lit “before” photo than Cosmo’s two-page “Most Eligible Bachelor” spread. Remind her that she can do way better. She might go on the defensive and claim you’re trying to “steal” him, but just repeat yourself and hope that some of it sinks in.

2) Stumbling around like a kitten on roller skates

If she’s wearing heels, get them off her. I know, you’re downtown, it’s dirty, who knows what she could be stepping on?! But as my mother always says, “Better a foot fungus than a broken ankle!” … or something like that. If she’s wearing flats and still can’t walk, time to put her in a cab and get her home. In order to not feel like you’re trying to manoeuvre the Leaning Tower of Pisa down the street and into a car, enlist the help of another friend. Two is better than one.

3) Blabbing like she has stocks in gossip

First, resist the urge to push her down a flight of stairs. For this one, it’s always best to confront her right then and there, and then to bring it up the next day when she is, hopefully, a bit more sober. Also, just a quick reminder ladies, “I was drunk!” isn’t a valid excuse for breaking a friend’s trust and telling all 150 party-goers that she makes music videos with her cats on Saturday nights.

4) Going to be sick

Act quickly and act subtly. If a drunken friend tells you she’s going to be sick, find the closest bathroom or discreet hiding space. Do not announce it to the rest of the party, or even to any of your other friends. Go with her, make sure she doesn’t choke or fall asleep hugging the toilet, and then get her up and cleaned off. It’s not the most glamorous part of your job, but sometimes you just have to suck it up!

There you have it—how to deal with your drunken friends. Now that you (and they) are safely home, have a glass of wine. You deserve it.

 

Categories
Sports

Bull Penned: It’s not all eye-black and white

Baseball is a complex sport. So much so that an entire branch of statistics and mathematics known as “sabermetrics” was developed to further complicate the already flooded world of baseball numbers. To match such a mind-numbingly broad universe of statistics is an equally daunting rule book that explains the finer points of the classic game. What that massive tome fails to touch upon is what is often referred to as the ‘unwritten rules of baseball’. For the most part, they are well known among baseball aficionados: don’t steal signs, don’t steal with an enormous lead and certainly don’t share a locker with Barry Bonds. Clear as day, right? Well what about when a player flubs on something that isn’t game related? What happens when politics and culture clashes make their way to the diamond and begin to rub people the wrong way?

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar made news Saturday, Sept. 15 when he wrote a short message on his eye-black (the black sticker placed under the eye to fight glare). It read “Tu ere maricon.” To those with basic Spanish, or to those who have ever seen any movie with Danny Trejo, you already know what this means. For everyone else, it roughly translates to “You are a faggot.” Big mistake.

Escobar, in a news conference, said that he did not mean for the message to be offensive. How could Escobar not know, you ask? It’s 2012 and that word is now on par with such bigoted vocabulary as the N-word. Escobar was forced to take a three-game suspension by his club, and given the public spanking he deserved, but while punishment was required, Escobar’s intentions may not be to blame.

Upon reflection, you have to realize that Escobar, while not a kid at 29-years-old, was just a casualty of a culture shock.  Escobar hails from Cuba, and needed a translator present at his press conference. English is not his forte. I can understand that what he says back home may carry a different significance here in Canada but that isn’t an excuse for the offense it caused. Having said that, Escobar should not be branded as a homophobe or bigot.

I’ve been to Cuba. I’ve been called a “maricon” and it had nothing to do with my Speedo. On the flip side, I had a Yunel Escobar moment myself while there. I’d signal the bartender by holding up my index and pinky finger in a “rock-on” fashion was my way of ordering two beers at the pool-side bar. Innocent enough, yet to Cubans, this hand gesture signifies your wife is cheating on you. Cubans don’t take lightly to that. I was told privately by the bartender that such a gesture is offensive. Thank Fidel I was a good tipper, otherwise I would have drinking spit-coladas all week.

Escobar is by no means a John Rocker nor is he Fred Phelps. He made an innocent mistake. What you can and can’t write on your face is one of those grey areas that aren’t fully explained within the MLB rule book. Let’s move past this. Poor guy has it bad enough that he plays for Toronto, must we flog him some more? Escobar now knows to be careful. For all we know, he could have just meant “You are a bushel of twigs.” Look it up.

Categories
Music

New Music Canada: Hiawatha

If you thought Hiawatha, the founder of Iroquois confederacy, rose from the dead to live out his dreams in electronica, think again. This ‘Hiawatha’ is the project of David Psutka, also known as Egyptrixx, and a former Thrush Hermit, Ian McGettigan. Both striking musical figures in the Toronto scene, they started collaborating a while back and have always had a positive relationship through music.

Their first album, Language, is out now courtesy of Last Gang Records, the same label that launched Metric, Crystal Castles and MSTRKRFT. Psutka called the record “an exploration of pessimism and optimism; success and failure; concussion and tranquility.”

“I wrote the record when I was going through some heavy personal l things in my life, and they were on a similar line,” revealed Psutka. “They weren’t absolutely good, and they weren’t absolutely bad. I wanted to reflect that.“

Psultka previously collaborated with Canadian synth-pop band Trust, producing electronic music that can easily be put on for dance purposes. He debuted his solo material as Egyptrixx in March 2011 with the track “Bible Eyes.”

Halifax-born McGettigan is now a producer, but was the bassist and vocalist of now-defunct alt-rock band Thrush Hermit.Together, they are Hiawatha.

As for the classification of Hiawatha’s sound itself, Psutka doesn’t consider it an important subject or a necessary responsibility.

“Genres don’t ever really concern me, I understand there may be need for them for promotional material, but as a receiver and performer, genres don’t really matter at all,” said Psutka.

Although the project sounds like it has all the doings of what could be classified as electronic, Psutka and McGettigan recorded using the default rock tools: guitar, drums and keyboard. More often than not the joy of music is how differently it can be interpreted and manipulated when it is made and heard live in person.

Hiawatha will make its live debut this November at New York’s Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival.

Trial track: “Caring Less and Less To See and Know You”

 

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