My Future Theme Song

For the past few weeks I've been in Calgary working at Brookline Public Relations for a 3-week internship (more on that in another post.) Yesterday we had a staff potluck and during our meal, one of my co-workers showed us a slide show she made of the agency's highlights of 2012. The song choice she used instantly caught my attention and I've been practically playing it on repeat ever since.

After paying close attention to the lyrics, I've decided that one day, once I reach a certain point in my life, that Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys, will forever by the theme song to my life.

[Nicki Minaj]
Spirit of Marilyn calling me, audibly
Bawling she, said that she would never leave
Continued to torture me
Telling me to come with her
Underneath my comforter
And she brought a gun with her
Pills and some rum with her
Took me on the balcony telling me to jump with her
Yeah I’m in the ghost but I ain’t doing stunts with her
I ain’t tryna be that haters wanna see that
But I got ‘em aggy cause I win the gold like Gabby

[Alicia Keys]
She’s just a girl and she’s on fire
Hotter than a fantasy, longer like a highway
She’s living in a world and it’s on fire
Fill with catastrophe, but she know she can fly away

Oh, she got both feet on the ground
And she’s burning it down
Oh, she got her head in the clouds
And she’s not backing down

[Chorus]
This girl is on fire
This girl is on fire
She’s walking on fire
This girl is on fire

[Alicia Keys]
Looks like a girl but she’s a flame
So bright she can burn your eyes
Better look the other way
You can try but you’ll never forget her name
She’s on top of the world
Hottest of the hottest girls say

Oh, we got our feet on the ground
And we’re burning it down
Oh, got our head in the clouds
And we’re not coming down

[Chorus]
This girl is on fire
This girl is on fire
She’s walking on fire
This girl is on fire

[Alicia Keys]
Everybody stands as she goes by
Cause they can see the flame that’s in her eyes
Watch her when she’s lighting up the night
Nobody knows that she’s a lonely girl
And it’s a lonely world
But she gon’ let it burn baby burn baby

[Nicki Minaj]
Dear God, If you’re here God
Make the fire disappear when they stare God
Take away my fear when they interfere God
Do you fear God? Cause I fear God
And in my backyard, that’s a deer, God
And that’s a horse ranch
And to my core fans keep repping me
Do it to the death of me
X in the box cause ain’t nobody checking me

[Chorus]
This girl is on fire
This girl is on fire
She’s walking on fire
This girl is on fire

Oh, oh, oh…

She’s just a girl, and she’s on fire

Winnipeg's Finest

October 29th – Episode 4: YouTube Sensation, Reid Valmestad

Reid is a Winnipeg YouTube sensation, and a very enthusiastic young man. He spends a lot of time creating hilarious and engaging YouTube videos that always attract a lot of attention. One of his most well known videos was Shit Winnipeggers Say, with a guest appearance by friend and co-worker, Jackie Lynn Doming. The video was uploaded this past February, and poked fun at a lot of the different stereotypes of Winnipeggers. This video was by far his most popular, coming in with over 33 thousand views. Although he enjoys scripting, shooting, and editing videos, his career goal right now is to become a MuchMusic VJ, and he’s currently in the middle of the audition process. 

I introduce you to one of Winnipeg’s Finest, Reid Valmestad!

• Podcast Now Available
  

Winnipeg's Finest

October 22nd - Episode 3: Personal Trainer, Andrea Smith

Andrea is a triple threat. A personal trainer, bikini model, and body builder makes Andrea a busy gal and an inspiration. Andrea strives to give women the motivation they need to become active, healthy, and to feel happy and accomplished with all of their hard work. Her business, Get Ready Girls (getreadygirls.ca) features a number of different fitness programs suited to different needs and interests and every day women. The three Cs Andrea chooses to live by are Confidence, Commitment, and Consistency, and she invites women to share in her mantra.

I introduce you to one of Winnipeg’s Finest, Andrea Smith!

• Podcast Now Available

Remember The Days

Remember the days when the soldiers had fought,
A lot of young people they seemed to have taught.
They taught us that we deserve to be free,
They fought for people like you and people like me.
They went to war and risked their lives,

And left their daughters, their sons, their wives.
They taught us all about like and love,
Those soldiers are now the bright stars above.
Remember the days when the soldiers had fought,
Me I know...they surely have taught. 

 

A poem I wrote in grade 7!

Winnipeg's Finest

October 15th - Episode 2: Photographer, Charmaine Mallari

Charmaine is a Winnipeg photographer who is fairly well known throughout the community. She has a strong passion for fashion photography and has worked with a large number of local

designers who are always impressed with her work. Her love of photography started when she was really young and just beginning to learn the ins and outs of a camera. Charmaine's business name, TRUE CHARISMA PHOTOGRAPHY, is reflection of how others have seen her throughout her life, and is a description she aspires to live up to everyday.

I introduce you to one of Winnipeg's Finest, Charmaine Mallari!

• Podcast Now Available

Hallo...what?

Last night my mom and I took my little cousin Trick-or-Treating. As a kid Halloween was one of the best days of the year. At school we would do our work in the morning as scheduled, but in the afternoon we always had a Halloween party! Everyone in the class would bring an array of snacks, we’d all get dressed up in our cute little costumes, and then we’d watch a Halloween movie. This happened until at least grade 6, if not later. After the school day was done, my friends and I would always hit up a few houses for candy on our way home to drop off our school bags, re-adjust our costumes, grab our heavy duty pillow cases, and head out the door. To be honest, I went trick-or-treating with my mom most of the time, even as I got older. She’s a fun lady that mother of mine. Sometimes my friends would join us too, but my mom always wanted to be part of the fun. She’d always be nice enough to make sure the people handing out candy knew that her son was at home and couldn’t come out because he had a cold, and people would always give us extra candy for him.

I’m an only child.

Nearly all the houses on every street had some sort of Halloween decorations, and there were always a handful of houses that went all out with flashy lights, sound effects, and scary monsters that pop out at you from behind the bushes. My mom would always try her best to get us to the really good parts of the city who hand out full sized chocolate bars, big bags of chips, and cans of pop. I remember going home 2 or 3 times in the middle of our journey, to empty my pillowcases so I can get more goods. I’d say having 5 sacks of candy makes for a successful Halloween night. I remember being able to trick-or-treat until about midnight, sometimes even 1 in the morning, which was perfectly fine because school was always cancelled the following day!

Fast forward to Halloween 2012.

Last night was nothing like I’ve just described. I barely saw any trick-or-treaters out and about, which may have had something to do with only 6 houses per block (if that) with their lights on. We started about 7:30pm and apparently that was a late start. Some of the houses we started off with gave us the last of their stash, as they were nearly out for the evening. Now I don’t think this was because they had a ton of little monsters at their door, but more because they likely bought one small bag of candy and figured that would do the trick. Some simply stopped handing out candy because there was only a trick-or-treater every half an hour or so, if not longer.

As we walked from one house with lights to the next, which was about 18 houses away, I asked my cousin what she did at school for Halloween. You know what they did at her school? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! No dress up. No party. No movies. No Halloween sing-alongs….nothing!

What’s going on? Is Halloween being phased out? Do people no longer believe in Halloween fun? What is it?

I loved Halloween as a kid, and I’m disappointed that this generation is not getting the chance to enjoy it the way I did. I feel like they’re getting ripped off BIG TIME! Some people have serious views about not participating in Halloween festivities, but what about everybody else?

So tell me folks, why do you think kids aren’t as excited about Halloween as they used to be? Why did people stop handing out candy? Why don’t parents take their kids out anymore? What happened to the school parties? Halloween dances? Costumes?

While you ponder, please enjoy this video of the sweetest halloween house, ever!
(Watch for at least 2 minutes to get the full effect)

Winnipeg's Finest

October 1st - Episode 1: Fashion Designer, Dee Karpa

Dee Karpa is a 24 year old local fashion designer. She moved to Winnipeg from Croatia when she was a little girl, and began her fashion journey when she was in high school. Her designs are inspired by the image of a powerful woman, and include a lot of dresses and business attire. Her upcoming events include her participation in the Red Dress Gala & Fashion Show, as well a White Project created to detach the stigma that is often linked to people with mental illnesses.

I introduce you to one of Winnipeg's Finest, Dee Karpa!
http://radio.rrc.ca/?p=168

The Super IPP

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A few weeks ago, a couple of classmates and I created a short video for our T.V. production class. We decided it would be funny to incorporate humour surrounding our Independent Professional Projects (IPPs).

Check it!

Name Calling? Spreading Rumours? Humiliation?

It still amazes me that there are still people out there who don’t see bullying as a serious offence. Many kids, teens, and yes, even adults are getting bullied every day. Some of them are lucky enough to have someone standing by them to help get them through their tough time, but not everyone is so lucky. 

My question is, at what level of bullying does a situation have to reach in order for it to be taken seriously. Name calling? Spreading rumours? Humiliation? Threats? Physical abuse? Who decides which one is more important to pay attention to than the other? The fact of the matter is, someone who is constantly being called names, can be just as traumatized by it as someone who has experienced physical abuse. There is no telling how much torment a person can handle and it’s not something that should be tested. 

For the past few days my Facebook and Twitter feeds have been filled with comments surrounding Amanda Todd’s suicide, a B.C. teen who took her own life on October 10^th after being bullied at school and online. While there were thousands upon thousands of comments from people who feel sorry for Todd and who want to see bullying as a thing of the past, there were still many insensitive people who posted comments showing happiness and disrespect regarding Amanda’s suicide. 

Its unfortunate that cyber bullying is growing and that as of right now, it’s not seen as a criminal offence unless it’s directly linked to a particular incident. People feel safe behind their computers when it comes to bullying someone online; it gives them a sense of anonymity and makes them feel powerful. Well, they are powerful. Their comment(s) in a sea of other negativity can be enough to push someone to their breaking point; to send someone over the edge; to lead someone into a plan to take their own life. 

Who wants that kind of power? 

Weeks before Amanda’s suicide, she sent out a video that was a cry for help. Since this morning her video has received over 1,600,000 views!

I Challenge You

I recently did a marketing assignment in which I needed to choose a business or organization I thought could benefit from a rebrand. I chose an organization that deals with women and young girls of all ages who’ve been victimized, criminalized, or institutionalized. To clarify, someone who’s been criminalized doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve been convicted of a crime; homelessness can be seen as a criminal activity. 

I chose this organization because although they’ve been in Winnipeg for nearly 30 years, and have chapters all over Canada, they are not well known in the community. They don’t have the funds to hire a marketing or promotions specialist, and don’t have any staff members who have these skills to carry out a thorough communications plan. 

One main problem they’re having is receiving community support. They don’t have laughing babies or furry kittens to put on the front of their brochures. They deal with women who’ve lead unfavourable lifestyles, and who need help getting on their feet. They deal with women who’ve served time in prison, and don’t have any support when they’re released. They deal with women who can’t afford new clothes, food to eat, or feminine hygiene products that most of us take for granted. 

Most of these women have been victims or physical, mental, or sexual abuse when they were young girls, and haven’t been able to overcome those traumas. These traumas have led some of these women to trade sex for money, money for drugs, drugs for their life. 

There are so many organizations in the city that does a lot of good for all sorts of people in need. It can be hard to decide where to donate your time, money, or resources, and the fact that you’re even donating at all is phenomenal. But how do you choose who to help?

Winnipeg has ton of non-profit organizations and charities that are well known throughout the city. I myself am putting together an event to raise a sizeable donation for one of them. But what about the ones who never get the spotlight? Who struggle everyday to gain community support? Who don’t have the funds to create T.V. commercials, reminding you they exist?

Help is help and as long as you’re making a contribution to something or someone, you’re making a difference. But I do challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone, forget what’s easy or convenient, and steer away from things that have had their time in the spotlight. Try seeking out the underdog, and find out how you can make a difference in the life of someone you’ve never heard of, never considered, or are reluctant to help.  

We have so many people in Winnipeg who need resources that many of us have the luxury of having every day, so let’s try not to forget them. Choosing to help one person or group of people over another is not a bad thing, but the challenge is to seek out something new.

You’ll be surprised of what you’ll find.

Win. Fight. Conquer. Thrive.

Ever since high school I’ve always considered myself to be a joiner, attaching myself to different committees and projects I hear about. Usually when I come across someone asking for volunteers or just help in general, I was often one of the first people to raise my hand, or offer to help. 
 

Although I’ve gotten older and seem to be getting busier and busier every day, I still find myself willing to help out with whatever I can; chances are I’ll always be this way, which I think is a good thing. But here`s the kicker...

Even though I’m that girl who`s often helping those who need an extra hand, I don’t remember ever being that girl who everyone jumps at the chance to help. I try not to ask for help that often, reason being that I like to do a lot of things on my own. But I think that theory is masking the real reason I try to hinder my needs; it feels uncomfortable when you’re in a vulnerable state asking for help, and the room falls silent. 

Unfortunately this is usually the case. No matter how big or how small the plea for someone to lean on is, it’s not usually well received or received at all. But instead on dwelling on the possible reasons why my need for help gets lost deep inside a sea of silence, I’ve decided to turn the uncomfortable situation into a positive one. 

Regardless of how tired or lazy I sometimes feel, I do think that I’m a go getter. If there’s something I really want to do, I’ll find a way to do it, even if there’s no one by my side. Always having to do things on my own may take a lot out of me at times, but when I get to the point where I can look back and see all that I’ve done, I think knowing that I had no choice but to go it alone will make me braver, will make me more confident, will make me stronger. 

It can take an army of people to tackle big challenges and to make big moves in life, but sometimes all you need is one.

I’m going to be that one. 

Lyrics

Fly Nicki Minaj (Feat. Rihanna)

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Verse 1: Nicki Minaj]
I wish today it will rain all day
Maybe that will kinda make the pain go away
Trying to forgive you for abandoning me
Praying but I think I'm still an angel away
Angel away, yeah strange in a way
Maybe that is why I chase strangers away
They got their guns out aiming at me
But I become near when they aiming at me
Me, me, me against them
Me against enemies, me against friends
Somehow they both seem to become one
A sea full of sharks and they all see blood
They start coming and I start rising
Must be surprising, I'm just summising
Win, thrive, soar, higher, higher, higher
More fire

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Verse 2: Nicki Minaj]
Everybody wanna try to box me in
Suffocating everytime it locks me in
Paint they own pictures than they crop me in
But I will remain where the top begins
Cause I am not a word, I am not a line
I am not a girl that can ever be defined
I am not fly, I am levitation
I represent an entire generation
I hear the criticism loud and clear
That is how I know that the time is near
So we become alive in a time of fear
And I ain't got no motherfucking time to spare
Cry my eyes out for days upon days
Such a heavy burden placed upon me
But when you go hard your nay's become yay's
Yankee Stadium with Jay's and Kanye's

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Bridge: Nicki Minaj]
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
I came to win
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
I came to win

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

Winnipeg's Finest

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve decided to host my own talk show on Red River Radio. 

Winnipeg’s Finest

Winnipeg’s Finest gives you the opportunity to get to know the different and interesting folks who walk the streets of Winnipeg. Our talk show has a variety of guests from fashion designers, to photographers, to young entrepreneurs. There`s a lot of talented people in this world to get to know, so why not start with the people in your own backyard?

Winnipeg’s Finest will be streaming live every Monday from 5PM-5:30PM, on radio.rrc.ca, starting October 1^st. For those of you with iPhones, soon you will be able to stream all Red River Radio shows directly to your phone! Be sure to visit the website for more details. 

October 1st Guest: Dee Karpa - Fashion Designer from Croatia!