tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72425333451087406332024-03-14T02:13:32.665-06:00Bazooka!Big ideas and little ambition. It's a winning formula! Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-15747340540385815442013-08-21T23:52:00.001-06:002013-08-21T23:52:53.073-06:00Hey EPSB I have an idea!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I am the proud owner of a kiddo about to embark on her first foray into the
weird and wonderful world of public school. Ah yes, in mere weeks she
will be headed to kindergarten. So I have a few ideas for the folks at
Edmonton Public, as well as Alberta Ed.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. The Kindergarten Application
Process</b><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you know that we are only allowed
to submit ONE application to any public school of our choice? If our
child does not get in, they are automatically enrolled in their catchment
school. Now this is all good and well as I’m sure the EPSB will claim that all
public schools in Edmonton are equal, but that’s a bit of a tough pill to
swallow when some catchment schools offer alternative programming while others
do not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So basically, if I lose the
lottery, my kid can’t learn a second language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lames. How hard would it be to allow parents to apply to a variety
of schools and then require them to make a decision earlier to allow for some
rejigging? Surely there’s some algorithm that could solve this. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bueller? Bueller?<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. The Have's and the Have-nots </b><br />
I was chatting with a friend whose daughter is also slated to start K in the
fall. She was telling me that she was very impressed by her local school
for a number of reasons, but it was one reason in particular that has me all
worked up. Apparently, the students at this school, let's call it School
A, send fruit over to say School B, to ya know, help the less fortunate.
I believe that everyone's heart is in the right place here, but the delivery,
well let's just say the delivery needs some work. From their website:<br />
<br />
"<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Fruit for a friend is a local
citizenship project for [School A], initiated in 2007. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">This program
is designed to provide breakfast to children who would not necessarily receive
it at home, and is greatly appreciated by the students, parents and staff of
[School B]."</span></b><br />
<br />
So the [] were from me. Did you catch that? Cause apparently
EPSB has no problem branding their schools as haves vs have-nots. But,
you see I do. It’s the same thinking that got us all to believe that the
whole nation of Ethiopia was starving in the 80s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peeps are still surprised to find food at
the Ethiopian tent at Heritage Days!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These very same
kids are going to meet up in Jr high someday on the basketball court and things
are gonna get ugly. How about some anonymity here people? For the
CHILDREN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FIX THIS.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Schools as the centre of the
community</b><br />
So my third “idea” is kind of at odds with my first one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am lamenting the loss of schools as the centre
of a community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in the day, there
was no real choice in where you went to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You just went to where you could walk to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And all the neighbourhood kids did too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, ya know, things change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter will not be attending her
neighbourhood school. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, we would
like her to learn a second language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I don’t see why she can’t participate in extra-curricular activities at her
local school? Why can’t she be on the local school’s track team? Or in the band?
Is this a logistical problem? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Capacity? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Liability?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, I feel a simple algorithm could solve this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as a parent, it would give me an opportunity
to connect with my neighbourhood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
brainer.<br />
<br />
Now, coincidentally, in my quest to become mayor one day, I recently had
the pleasure of spending an evening with my ward's Edmonton Public School Board
Trustee, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeslieCleary" target="_blank">Leslie
Cleary</a>. Now truth be told, I really had no idea about what a School
Board Trustee actually <a href="http://www.epsb.ca/policy/contentb.shtml" target="_blank">does</a> but I seized the opportunity (sorry Leslie!) to raise
some of my ideas with someone who may actually be in a position to do something about it.
What a concept! <br />
<br />
If you’ve got something to say, I encourage you to
contact <a href="http://epsb.ca/trustees/brdwho.shtml" target="_blank">your trustee</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’d be surprised
at how open their door is.<br />
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<br />Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-35473086397859134772013-08-06T15:51:00.001-06:002013-08-06T16:45:23.632-06:00An open letter to the Organizers of The Edmonton Heritage Festival<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would like to start off by congratulating you on yet
another stellar <a href="http://www.heritage-festival.com/" target="_blank">event</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This festival
ranks at the top of my list of things to do in Edmonton, and your continued
efforts to improve upon it, year after year do not go unnoticed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was great to see Colombia and Brazil come
out with such a bang on the first go! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
a person of mixed-heritage, I love this opportunity to celebrate
diversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My family and I are there for
all three days gorging on the sights, sounds and foods on display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With over 80 distinct cultures participating
it surely must be the largest celebration of multiculturalism in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You prove that the Canadian ideal
of a peaceful, multicultural society is not only possible, but is a
reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should be proud of what you
have built.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is precisely because I have such respect for the work
that you do, that I find your silence on the recent controversy surrounding the
judges for the event, perplexing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
seemed to start out as a simple observation on the part of some attendees, spiraled
into a vitriolic attack on those who noticed, those who were asked to judge and
those who weighed in on the issue. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
suppose we have social media to thank for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But your silence on the matter served to, in my opinion, exacerbate the
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You left your “celebrities”
high and dry to defend themselves for a decision I can only assume was made by
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some apologized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some freaked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And some made comments that could be seen as
demeaning to visible minorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
should not have been put into the position to comment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you should.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel it fitting that you offer an explanation to the
public outlining your selection criteria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would also like to know if you feel there is any merit to the
controversy and if so, how you will handle it moving forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel strongly that Edmontonians from every
corner are awaiting your response.</div>
Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-79004670874248648062013-06-18T23:01:00.001-06:002013-06-24T15:09:11.513-06:00Hey Warner Bros. I have an idea!So today I went to see SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL. I should probably mention here that I never go to the movies so don't think that my great idea is to become a movie reviewer. It's not.<br />
<br />
Now I generally don't like going for 5 reasons:<br />
1. Movie theatres are cold. Like sub-zero. My huzzie and I almost froze to death watching that Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The irony is not lost on me.<br />
2. There's loud, and then there's just being an asshole.<br />
3. This magna cum laude HD/3D thing makes me feel like I can see the people acting. Suddenly you're all "Hey I have that same IKEA lamp in my apartment!"<br />
4. (Related to #3) Every once in a while I see a bug in the shot and I'm like "Damn, they have FLIES on KRYPTON???<br />
5. The bump on the headrest, like on an airplane, is in EXACTLY the wrong spot. Double chins yo. (I don't really blame movies for this one. More my gene pool).<br />
<br />
My huzzie on the other hand is a super fan. In fact he's one of those people that goes to movies by himself in the middle of the day. He thinks it's Don Draper. I think it's Archie Bunker. Whatevs. But, ya know, on occasion (so he doesn't leave me for those dreamy pre-teens wooing him with acne), I indulge him. Today was one of those days.<br />
<br />
As usual I was being my annoying self. I wore a sweater. I carried a blanket. I brought a a thermos full of tea. Some rhubarb cake. I was trying to miss the previews. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJJxMGAAS8hAXnNTpC-qIp6io2JUzQJUswvAI5SWoHBM7NXAo0Rf_yYfAV6RATJVByY-dh-2E2v8TZGu7kDthFd7huGiPJzFeIVRKbXXd69WQlSxaN4N-0E5oE8GfY5CE1l0-EehOe8Ts/s1600/5328_old-women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJJxMGAAS8hAXnNTpC-qIp6io2JUzQJUswvAI5SWoHBM7NXAo0Rf_yYfAV6RATJVByY-dh-2E2v8TZGu7kDthFd7huGiPJzFeIVRKbXXd69WQlSxaN4N-0E5oE8GfY5CE1l0-EehOe8Ts/s200/5328_old-women.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Anyways, it was awesome. Here's what I liked:<br />
1. The guy really looks like #Superman. Like A SUPER MAN. This helped with problem #1 above.<br />
2. I'm really digging this whole "Superheros are just like you and me" trend. OF COURSE he needs a special suit!! All his people clothes were being destroyed dammit! Someone cc The Hulk! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8-uV36ncRBfAY_j9DXuhse1ooFpoRe-UImSGa1we0xPaiCVGcWnjjVvzq4eclzvK7TelcfsdBqYs8Jgj5UUvZ7yXI6dPoryx8dn5s458VeFFfjZSh2JCYvDij-Kv3PFH9IWk7HmQnyAX/s1600/the+hulk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8-uV36ncRBfAY_j9DXuhse1ooFpoRe-UImSGa1we0xPaiCVGcWnjjVvzq4eclzvK7TelcfsdBqYs8Jgj5UUvZ7yXI6dPoryx8dn5s458VeFFfjZSh2JCYvDij-Kv3PFH9IWk7HmQnyAX/s200/the+hulk.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hulk could really use a suit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
3. The whole thing looked like it was shot through an #Instagram filter.<br />
4. It was deep. <br />
<br />
But, here's what I didn't like:<br />
1. Do we really need 43 minutes of 143 to be of Superman punching people who aren't really hurt by Superman punches? How about 27 minutes of people shooting bullets at people not harmed by being shot? Sigh.<br />
2. There was a 4 year old sitting next to me. Really??? (see above). <br />
3. #2 through 4 above above.<br />
<br />
So I had an idea! When they release these blockbusters, why don't they release a sort of SUPERMAN: MAN OF REALLY HARD BUT NOT AS HARD AS STEEL version!. Like same movie, just lite. Quieter. Gentler. Warmer. Shorter. (But maybe more shorties!) NAILED IT!<br />
<br />
Or would it only be me and YOUR MOM there?Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-69340887231587570442013-04-04T11:33:00.000-06:002013-04-04T11:33:04.036-06:00Edmonton's Philly Cheesesteak?So I spend quite a bit of time in Vancouver. And I'm always struck by how often I feel the need to apologize for choosing the City of Champions as my home. Convos usually go something like this:<br />
<br />
Me: Hi nice to meet you!<br />
<br />
Vancouverites: Oh hey. Ya we were just having a convo about the many ways to prepare nutritional yeast.<br />
<br />
Me: What's nutritional yeast?<br />
<br />
Vancouverites: Oh right. You're from Ed-Mon-Ton. Yawn.<br />
<br />
It's Ehmintin bitches! And I'm sick of feeling this pity. It's a great town but tis true at times I wish I had more handy examples of why I have chosen this place as my home. So I have come up with an #ideas4yeg.<br />
<br />
I want to have a cooking contest that brings all of #yeg 's top chefs (and one lucky NAIT culinary arts student) together to create a signature dish for E-town. Think Philly Cheesesteak or Montreal smoked meat!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvrrgJSR9AxPp2OM_5s4nqfyTrciJZ9qHbvR1KUCilG9oyLlELkoFZIWc-CM5e7W5nIPJ4B0I-6htYKySEPcbwfW5H1gQvRsz6qfyzSMo1mZdkr38pjrp4amZbeM4qzfkMsGkXLTFFZ3A/s1600/cheesesteak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvrrgJSR9AxPp2OM_5s4nqfyTrciJZ9qHbvR1KUCilG9oyLlELkoFZIWc-CM5e7W5nIPJ4B0I-6htYKySEPcbwfW5H1gQvRsz6qfyzSMo1mZdkr38pjrp4amZbeM4qzfkMsGkXLTFFZ3A/s1600/cheesesteak.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenz-L54-KUmhw2JzAPkfyBMrIrBP-QyZVKmOR8g_tp0oryqHJ5Ki4WoCG1Lb8ihyphenhyphenJVJ4y55HgwnEdgB2gC-JUw-ubx_oF-Clvw5e_oTso6WxqAF03sf8Fw4KEXgX403JSa18YBRvd3WuX/s1600/msm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenz-L54-KUmhw2JzAPkfyBMrIrBP-QyZVKmOR8g_tp0oryqHJ5Ki4WoCG1Lb8ihyphenhyphenJVJ4y55HgwnEdgB2gC-JUw-ubx_oF-Clvw5e_oTso6WxqAF03sf8Fw4KEXgX403JSa18YBRvd3WuX/s1600/msm.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The contest (which could be set up as a charity event) allows top chefs to prepare an entree and have local celebrity judges vote for the winners. The top 3 would then be available for sale at say Taste of Edmonton or Heritage days (or maybe all the summer festivals), and #yeg citizens can vote for the one they want to see named E-town's signature dish. The dish can be officially crowned by the Mayor and the winning chef gets accolades galore. Hopefully it prompts other local restaurants to try to create their own versions. If it works, then maybe 10 years from now my convos in Vancouver could be more like:<br />
<br />
Me: Hey I'm from Edmonton.<br />
<br />
Vancouverites: Awesome. You know I'm really craving me some Etown [insert name here].<br />
<br />
Me: Just had some yesterday sucka!<br />
<br />
If you like this idea, please consider voting for me at <a href="http://ideasforedmonton.com/ideas/yegs-philly-cheesesteak/" target="_blank">#ideas4yeg</a>Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-55351965568473594252013-04-04T10:49:00.000-06:002013-04-04T10:49:11.889-06:00So what's the big idea???!!?So if you know me, none of this will come as a surprise. I have a lot of big ideas. Like A LOT. And like BIG. There is no pattern or area of expertise. And they're not very well thought out. And they often come to me while under the influence. But they're HUGE! <br />
<br />
I used to dream of one day having a job where my title was something awesome like Chief Visionary Officer. Somebody rich and probably eccentric would pay me big dollas to come up with big ideas. And I'd come through for them.<br />
<br />
Now I have started to become more realistic. Such a job doesn't exist. And if it does, entry-level salary is likely well beneath my salary expectations. So alas, I have decided to blog about them. I invite commentary more in terms of suggestions on where to turn with these ideas. Or like some procedural feedback. Less, "hey good for you you're S-M-R-T" and more like: "that's already been done". Who knows, maybe we'll strike gold together!Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-14753481999060032402012-12-03T14:25:00.000-07:002012-12-03T14:25:13.822-07:00"Leveraging" and "Social Media" - The Most Hated Words of 2012So I had a revelation recently. OK so maybe it was more like a brain fart. And unlike my usual brain farts which explode all over my husband, I decided to spare him and set it out to all y'all. Of late, I've been trying to understand the various social media channels. You know, like FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. I mean, I get the gist: connect with a community of people with similar interests from your bedroom, whatever. But, why is FB buying Instagram, a free app for $1 BILLION??? Why are companies buying "likes" with coupons and promos? Why are people bragging about the number of Twitter followers they have on their resumes? What's the big deal?<br />
<br />
My exploration began a few years ago over my parent's dining room table. We busted my 16 year old niece posting what we deemed to be inappropriate photos of herself on her FB account and we came down HARD. So hard in fact that she blocked all of us from seeing her profile forevermore. Now god knows, surely she continues to share "too much" on FB in a way that makes we stodgy grownups cringe, and makes us go into diatribes about the importance of privacy, etc. But it is inherently natural to these younger generations. What is the real value of privacy? Does it have real value, or is it simply an archaic barrier we put up out of habit? Are these younggins on to something, or are they just naive?<br />
<br />
So I set out to find out. And this is what I've come up with:<br />
<br />
The average social media user is someone who uses it to connect to their real-life social circle. Of course there are so-called power users, but by and large, most of us just use it to exchange info with people we already exchange info with. So why are these channels turning into BILLION dollar companies? You wanna watch me and @akaida fawn over the cuteness of our babies? Hardly.<br />
<br />
The whole social media platform is fueled by the idea that centuries of traditional marketing has rendered consumers numb. We fast forward through commercials on our PVRs. We read our news online. We arrive late to movies to skip the previews (OK maybe that's just me). So where do we get our pressure to consume?<br />
<br />
For me, and I like to think like most of us, it is the trusted network of friends and family that I have distilled down over a life time to only the very best and brightest and now proudly call my social network. "Hey @GeorgieCreative, I just tried #<a href="http://www.cafvino.com/" target="_blank">Cafvino</a>, coffee wine! My friend @MsSchif_dD just started importing it! It's da bomb! DO IT!" And voila, I have given my social network the best advertising money CAN'T buy! A testimonial! No research necessary! After all, hopefully my network trusts me. Our kids play together. We debauch together. We pick each others' brains about anything and everything. And THIS is social media's power.<br />
<br />
But, most of us aren't using this power (see above). Most of us don't see the use. But here it is people:<br />
<br />
You and I have the power to craft an online persona of ourselves. The more true that persona is to our real-life selves, the more trusted we will be to our online community. And the more trusted we are, the more powerful our voices become. And what a platform FB (or any channel for that matter) is for a powerful voice! If I post a comment and a friend "likes" it, that friend's friends can see it too. If one of them "likes" it, then their friends', friends can see it. And so on and so on. We can connect with thousands and in some cases millions of people from our phones!!! WTF??? WHY DO I KEEP POSTING PICS OF MY BABIES????<br />
<br />
Now some of you will say, "I don't care to get anything out of social media. I am happy with my
use of social media as is." But, ask yourself: "Why not?" I mean you're already doing it anyway. Why be passive? Be active. Purposeful.<br />
<br />
So maybe my niece was onto something? But surely there is a way to responsibly "leverage" (i threw up in my mouth a little when I wrote that word) this power. And I think my brain fart gave me the answer: we need to RECONNECT with our truest of true friends. Go back to the beginning. Meet up for an online chat with EVERY person you graciously "added" as friends over the years. Re-introduce yourself. Your true self. Remind them of where you left off in real life. Tell them what you've been up to . IN DETAIL. Ask them to do the same. <b><i>Re-friend</i></b> them. THAT is our power.<br />
<br />
Starting today I am working my way alphabetically through my FB friends. This is my challenge. (Challenge was a weekend theme after we googled<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk7utV_D2I" target="_blank"> cinnamon challenge</a>. So awesome.) If you know me, expect a message. If you don't, try it for yourselves and report back. I am too curious. <br />
<br />
<br />Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-81223455158929493032012-06-19T13:02:00.001-06:002012-06-19T13:04:12.456-06:00The ABCs of RESPs<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">As parents we often
think of the</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Minion Pro";"> <span class="A1">major milestones our children will</span>
<span class="A1">accomplish – first word, first step, first day</span> <span class="A1">of kindergarten, and the list goes on… A growing number of parents are
taking this one step further and are planning for their child’s first day of
postsecondary education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">While it may seem
far away now, considering that</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Minion Pro";"> <span class="A1">your child may
not even know how to sit yet, it is important to start preparing for that day
sooner rather than later. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span><span class="A1"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Why save?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">According to
Statistics Canada, university tuition fees in 2011/12 were an average $6,062 -
that’s 17.7% higher than they were four years ago. Costs continue to rise
faster than the pace of inflation, leading some to believe that children born
today will be looking at post-secondary costs in excess of $100,000.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Minion Pro";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span class="A1">As parents, no one wants to
see their child struggle to pay for school and end up in debt. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="A1"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maximize your savings with an RESP<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Registered
Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a plan registered under the Federal Income Tax
Act that helps families save for postsecondary education. Not to be confused
with a Registered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Retirement</i> Savings
Plan (RRSP), contributions are made with after-tax dollars and income earned on
contributions grows in a tax-shelter until a child is ready to attend college,
university or trade school. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span class="A1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;"></span></span><br />
<span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As an added
incentive, the federal government’s Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) and
the provincial government’s Alberta Centennial Education Savings (ACES) grant
can add up to an additional $8000 plus interest over the life of the plan!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></o:p><br />
<span class="A1"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ABCs of RESPs<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are two main
types of RESPs:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Group and Individual/Family
savings plans:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Group Savings Plans<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="A1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Group plans are
education savings plans with a scholarship plan dealer where regular
contributions are pooled with those of other planholders providing better
opportunities for higher returns than you would achieve on your own due to
greater economies of scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These plans
are ideal for those saving for children aged 12 or younger who are comfortable
making regular contributions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some group
plan providers offer additional incentives such as a share of income from
cancelled plans, donations from the plan provider (often a foundation) and a
refund of enrollment fees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is an
option to transfer to an Individual or Family savings plan after having been
enrolled for 3 years or more.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Minion Pro";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Individual and Family Savings Plans<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Pa0" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="A1"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also known as
self-determined plans, these are ideal for children 13 years or older, for
parents who anticipate their child will attend a postsecondary program of two
years or less, or for families who do not want to establish a regular
contribution schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plans are
managed by the planholder themselves or a financial or investment advisor. These
plans offer greater flexibility than group plans but have a lower potential
payout as there are no additional sources of funds and tend to have to assume
greater risk to match the returns of group plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can name one Canadian-resident child as
the beneficiary in an Individual Plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In a Family Plan, you can name one or more children as beneficiaries
provided they are all siblings and under the age of 21.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Start saving today<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span class="A1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Many of us do save
– but very often if is for our own retirement which is decades away. We tend to
forget about saving for our kids’ education which comes much sooner than we
think. The reality is that many parents will need and want to help pay for
their child’s education before they retire - an RESP is often the best way to
reach this savings goal.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-2054443723251216402012-05-22T13:18:00.000-06:002012-05-22T22:16:56.287-06:00It's the little things...My new sister has arrived! OK that sounds a bit odd especially for those of you who know me, but it's true. OK so technically she's my cousin, but her mother passed away about 8 years ago and my mother began the lengthy process of adopting her. What makes this so interesting is that she was born and raised in a tiny village in Tanzania and arrived in yeg this weekend.<br />
She's 19 now and for all intensive purposes is a typical teenager. She loves texting and music videos. She bores easily. She rolls her eyes. ALOT. But there are some pretty big differences. She has never seen or used a dishwasher or microwave. She's lived without a flush toilet her entire life. She has lived under power failures and brownouts. She's used to charging her cell phone with a hand crank generator (the juxtaposition here makes me giggle!). She doesn't look at you directly when you speak. She speaks no english. I could go on and on. <br />
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Since her departure from her village less than a week ago she has seen more new things than she could have ever imagined and she is handling it all with a stride. <br />
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Now the language barrier has been tricky. Half my family speaks her native tongue. The other half not a word. Now this has added several decibels to our family dinner, but it's working great. My 3 y.o. was doing flash cards with her. She'll say the word in english and then learn the word in swahili. CUTENESS!!!<br />
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Now when the conversation veers english for too long she has developed a strategy that involves grabbing my baby Pikey "Mr. Allergic" and playing with him. They communicate silently. It reminded me of that movie "<span id="goog_990199932"></span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1020938/" target="_blank">Babies<span id="goog_990199933"></span></a>". It is adorable to watch and has led to some pretty hilarious moments:<br />
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1. When she was explained that the rash on his face was due to a food allergy, she suggested we stop giving him the food that does that to him.<br />
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2. When we explained that we were trying to that, she reponded that all we needed to do was smear him from head to toe in pork fat. (We are totally going to try this!) stay tuned <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/ZoomJer" target="_blank">@Zoomjer</a><br />
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3. Within moments of being introduced she had grabbed him by one hand, swung him over her shoulder and tied him to her back with a loose cloth. This got me thinking of those baby wearing advocates like <a href="http://www.cosybabyhappymommy.com/" target="_blank">@CosyBbyHappyMom</a><br />
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4. She is completely dismayed at the fact that this 8 month old is not crawling. She is convinced there is something wrong with him. I caught her dangling him by one arm dragging him from one room to the other trying to get his body to cooperate. Stay tuned for results.<br />
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Now this fourth point has really got me thinking. In her culture, they spend every waking moment with their babies trying to wean them from being physically dependent. The faster they can crawl/walk/feed themselves, the faster they can contribute, or maybe less selfishly, survive. Their babies make our babies look pathetic! In our culture we always say "They'll sit/crawl/stand/walk when they're ready." Is this really true? Maybe there are ways we can pressure our kids into hitting these milestones earlier, but it is our own laziness that prevents it. It's much easier to carry him from point A to point B than to drag him. Am I right? Who thinks this strategy will affect how quickly my kiddo starts moving?Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242533345108740633.post-7443706870896318492012-05-08T14:20:00.000-06:002013-08-21T23:19:28.172-06:00Ummmm. Ya... He's allergic to everything.So forgive me if this post is all over the place, but given this is my first attempt at blogging and I'm a work from home mother of 2 berserker babes i'm just gonna let 'er rip! <br />
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I need to vent about my 7 month old son, heretofore known as Pikey.<br />
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So Pikey is a dreamboat. An absolute dreamboat. Nothing but smiles. The kind of kid that when you lean in for a kiss, he snuggles in to you. Awwwwww. This is what makes this next part so heart-breaking: Child be allergic to EVERYTHING!! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLpmfzHikF9K6SFJFQMcv2J1oBIp96jNJhF03M62jxLMOgFX2MxdLhy4xhwUkf5SGuphE1Niw8kZ2uDK4zbqdc2F7UItvplL2fPaGl_F-Xv6jMGl3abT18Rhds36lXbCbBsHA7NnmJZjf/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLpmfzHikF9K6SFJFQMcv2J1oBIp96jNJhF03M62jxLMOgFX2MxdLhy4xhwUkf5SGuphE1Niw8kZ2uDK4zbqdc2F7UItvplL2fPaGl_F-Xv6jMGl3abT18Rhds36lXbCbBsHA7NnmJZjf/s200/photo+(2).JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Now Pikey was a breastfed baby. Now after reading Tech Mommy's <a href="http://techmommy.ca/2012/04/27/feeling-letdown/" target="_blank">blog</a> post about BF issues, I'm now convinced he had some issues back then, but I persisted. Afterall, breastfeeding is the single best thing you can do for your baby, right? At about 5 months old we started supplementing with 1 bottle of formula at night. Pikey be hungry!<br />
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He had rashes right from the beginning. Our pediatrician, who is the WORST, just said: "It's eczema. Very common. It will clear on it's own." (Remind me to do a separate post on the over-specialization of AB's medical system!)<br />
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After a few months of no change, my girlfriend showed me a picture of a baby with a with a cow's milk protein allergy. It looked just like my Pikey! Red scaly patches on his cheeks. After doing a bit of research, we switched him to Nutramigen, and saw an immediate change. Hurrah! Problem solved, right? I continued breasfeeding with a bit of Nutramigen to supplement and all was swell for about a week.<br />
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Enter solids. Rice cereal. This child's skin exploded. Red welts all over his body.<br />
Must be the formula in the cereal right? Bought organic rice flour and mixed in Nutramigen. No different. We stopped the rice and went to sweet potato. No problem. Squash. OK. Beans. Alright. Chicken. Mild rash. We then stopped new foods. This rash persisted. I cut out rice from my diet then took him to the pediatrician. She said "No detergent, or body soap. Continue with the Nutramigen. It'll pass." and sent him for an allergy test.<br />
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As we waited for the results, we tried apples and pear. Slight rash, not enough to discontinue.<br />
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Results: Highly allergic to wheat. Mildly allergic to milk and soy. Low allergy to eggs. <br />
Recommendation: Delay introduction of peanuts and wheat. Don't worry he'll grow out of it. Also, these tests are HIGHLY unreliable.<br />
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Great.<br />
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So a month later, and he's still on the same restricted diet. I stopped breastfeeding because it seemed he was having flare-ups from my wheat, rice and dairy consumption. We've added carrots to the list of known allergens. Who is allergic to carrots???? SERIOUSLY??? We tried a soy formula just to see if maybe anything had changed. Child turned purple. And had hives from head to toe.<br />
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Stay tuned...<br />
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<br />Skaidahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02087303036271961274noreply@blogger.com0Edmonton, AB, Canada53.5333333 -113.553.3815733 -113.815857 53.685093300000005 -113.184143