Inside Out

Going away...

2012-08-04T10:09:00.002-07:00

Hey readers, I'm going to be away for about 3 weeks because I'm going to EUROPE! That's right, you won't be reading about anything interesting for 3 weeks, but when I get back, I promise great articles!

It is a family trip, but I'm going to start taking a look at the University's and Colleges that Europe has to offer. I'm a big dancer, so I want to see if any of the schools offer good fine arts programs. Other than that, it's just a fun trip.

Wish me luck,

Signing out,

Ben.

"Are we medicating a disorder or treating boyhood as a disease?"

2012-07-27T23:47:00.001-07:00

It's alarming how much the prescription rate of ADD/ADHD drugs has increased in the past 16 years. The number of children aged 4 to 17 years being prescribed ADHD medications in the USA has been steadily rising since 1996, researchers from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) have reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

ADHD is one of the most common disorders among children (mostly males under 17), but bells ring in my head saying that we might need to take a look at the description again. These are some of the facts that cause controversies:

There are NO biological tests that can be done to diagnose ADHD
Distinction between ADHD symptoms and standard childhood traits can be quite subtle - such as forgetfulness, and fidgeting.
IMS statistics show spending on ADHD drugs surged 104% - from $122-million in 2005, to $249-million in 2009.

For many, being hyper or easily distracted is just a part of growing up. For those who retain this into adulthood or do not find ways of coping, the drugs may be a good choice. It is easily being shown that in today's culture, parents would rather have the quick-fix drug rather than going through a few months of therapy, who knows what they are doing to their child.

It's up to you to decide whether or not we a) have a defect in the mind of our generation. or b) we are over medicating, feeding a multi-billion dollar industry and reaching for the pill instead of help.

Websites Cited:

Medical News Today
The Globe and Mail

Feeling Stressed? It could be damaging to your health.

2012-07-23T21:57:00.001-07:00

A study done at UCLA identifies mechanism linking stress to physical illness and aging.

It is said that stress is related to 99% of all illnesses, so why not try to stay stress free? It is actually important to have good emotional health.

In today's society, being able to sit back and relax is not always a possibility. But without time to think, we may start to live routine and mundane lives. Being creative develops the frontal cortex which is useful for many other things and relaxing can help one gather their thoughts and make more positive decisions. You may also choose to do both of these things at the same time.

Here are some tips to maintain good emotional health:

-Don't bottle your feelings, let someone know.

-Don't obsess about negative things, look at the bright side.

-Do relaxation practices like Yoga, Pilates or Meditation.

-Get outside, enjoy the earth you live on.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

2012-07-17T09:43:00.001-07:00

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a form of Yoga that has been around for quite some time. It is usually referred to as "power" yoga. Ashtanga is a word that comes from Sanskrit which means "eight-limbed" yoga. The eight limbs, are as followed:

Sanskrit	English
Yama	moral codes
Niyama	self-purification and study
Asana	posture
Pranayama	breath control
Pratyahara	withdrawing of the mind from the senses
Dharana	concentration
Dhyana	deep meditation
Samadhi	Union with the object of meditation

This form of Yoga is different in that it has predefined asanas ( is a body position, typically associated with the practice of yoga.) Vinyasa refers to the breath pattern used when one is practicing, it is said to mimic the sound of the ocean.

This practice has advantages physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Ashtanga has a perfect balance of relaxation, stretching and power exercises. I encourage you to try this kind of yoga because most yoga studios will offer this.

Namaste.

Quotes I Love

2012-06-06T00:54:00.000-07:00

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin

“The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others.” - Hasidic Proverb

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” - Lao Tzu

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” - Confucius

“If not us, who? If not now, when?” - John F. Kennedy

”A mind is like a parachute, it doesn’t work if it isn’t open.” - Frank Zappa

“Don’t go through life, grow through life.” - Eric Butterworth

Educational YouTube Moments

2012-06-06T00:51:00.003-07:00

To be honest, I really don't remember anything "educational" I've learned from YouTube, but if I search real hard, I can think of a few. (Most of which I had in my "Favourites" playlist :) )

People are Awesome 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKWoPlL2B8I

This is a remake of a video posted about 5 years ago. It shows what risks and the limitless possibility of human actions. I think it's inspirational and educational at the same time.

5 Minute University: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO8x8eoU3L4

In the end, this one is just silly, but it's funny to know what people retain from their schooling.

How Bad do You Want it?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsSC2vx7zFQ

This is a very inspirational video and teaches you that you need to work hard for what you want. "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful"

Quotes I Love

2012-06-06T00:09:00.001-07:00

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” ― Dr. Seuss

3 Charities

2012-06-06T00:00:00.002-07:00

Suppose I had $30,000 to give to 3 charities of my choice, which ones would I pick?

I honestly know nothing about about charities and had to look up charities according to my interests. I strongly believe that we need to do more about the environment and that our generation is going to have to suffer with the consequences. For this interest, I chose 1% for the Planet. 1% is almost like a sub charity that collects the money from organizations and donaters and distributes them accordingly to worthy environmental organizations in need of funding. 1% is a very deserving charity and I would easily give $15,000 to them.

My next charity is Water for People. I believe that everyone deserves the right to have clean drinking water. Water isn't just part of your balanced breakfast, it is beneficial to live and prevents disease. This group has been helping people do just that for 21 years. It is estimated that 884 Million people are unable to access clean drinking water and Water for People is trying to make a dent in that number. To this organization, I donate $10,000.

My final charity is Foundation Rwanda. Following the Rwandan Genocide, this foundation was started and has made a huge influence in the lives of Rwandan people. The goal of this foundation is to provide funding for education of children born from rape during the 1994 genocide, Link their mothers to psychological and medical services and income generating activities and Create awareness about the consequences of genocide and sexual violence through photography and new media. They have helped nearly 1000 Rwandan people have been educated through Foundation Rwanda. My last $5,000 goes to them.

It's great giving out hypothetical money, but it would really be nice to give back and show the world what difference our generation can make.

Links to the charities:

1% : http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/en/
Water for People: http://www.waterforpeople.org/
Foundation Rwanda: http://www.foundationrwanda.org/

Quotes I Love

2012-06-05T23:34:00.003-07:00

”When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Living Hero

2012-06-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

Even though his best days were 30 years ago, Rick Hansen is a truly inspirational man and in my eyes, a hero. Copying Terry Fox' idea to travel on foot, Rick with his spinal injury started his Man in Motion tour in 1985. He raised $26 Million from the tour alone and has raised over $200 Million for spinal cord research and programs and quality of lives initiative with the Rick Hansen Foundation. Rick's other notable achievements are his performances in the Paralympic Games. He has won 3 golds and 2 silvers in the Games for Canada. He is a truly inspirational man and deserves to be classified as a hero. Below is the site of his foundation.

http://www.rickhansen.com/

Quotes I Love

2012-06-05T22:27:00.002-07:00

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started” – Mark Twain

Proudest Moment

2012-06-05T22:22:00.002-07:00

One of my proudest moments is actually one that has occurred more than once. Whenever I am at dance or at a dance convention and there is a guest teacher, the role of the dancers is essentially to show off. You treat it as if it were an audition and make the teacher love you because you never know when you might run into them again. Sometimes in workshops, the teacher will pick out individuals to do the choreo because they thought they did it well. It is such a proud moment to be picked to perform and it gives you a big boost of confidence.

Quotes I Love

2012-06-05T22:10:00.001-07:00

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thing you'd NEVER do...but would like to.

2012-06-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago I watched a video titled "Humans are Awesome" and in this video was a guy featured jumping off a cliff and using this suit he had made to fly. This has gained a lot of popularity and people push it to the limits and fly anywhere close to a few inches away from the cliff face. I was the coolest thing I had seen in a long time and it made we want to do it. Sure, I would love to go base jumping, bungee jumping or skydiving...but who can say they've gone wing suit flying? The site below talks about the science behind it and the history of wing suit flying. One day...

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/wingsuit-flying.htm

Quotes I Love

2012-06-05T00:30:00.001-07:00

"Do what you love and the money will follow." - Marsha Sinetar

Life is Over...one moment.

2012-06-05T00:22:00.000-07:00

Suppose my life ended right now, and with the 17 years of life I had lived, I had to pick one moment to keep in a box with me, which one would it be? When I first heard the question I was literally stumped for about half an hour. After thinking about it for some time, I had a toss up of a few of them.

The moment I decided to pick was the moment I received an acceptance letter from the P.N.E to start working in the parade. It brought me so much joy to know that my audition went well and that all my hard work and training had paid off to some extent. I would start the memory from the moment I checked the mail and saw the letter to the point where I was screaming at my parents. It truly was a proud moment.

Inspirational Movies/Documentaries 5

2012-06-04T09:14:00.001-07:00

My 5th and final inspirational movie is 127 Hours. Based on the book "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" by Aron Ralston, a mountain climber gets stuck under a boulder while climbing in Utah. He goes through extreme lengths to free himself and survive. This movie is inspirational because it shows exactly what humans are capable of and the will to survive.

Quotes I Love

2012-06-01T10:47:00.001-07:00

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us – Alexander Graham Bell.

5 Things I Would Never do to Another Human

2012-06-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

1. Force someone to do something they weren't comfortable with. (I hate having to do things that I am not comfortable with nor ready for)
2. Identity theft. (This can ruin someone mentally and financially. I couldn't imagine this happening to me)
3. Theft in general. (I have had many things stolen and it's one of the worst feelings in the world)
4. Cheat on someone without telling them. (Knowing that the other person is completely loyal to me and I wasn't, would kill me inside)
5. Bully. (I have been bullied and I wouldn't be able to handle the guilt)

Quotes I Love

2012-06-01T10:37:00.001-07:00

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there – Will Rogers.

Inspirational Movies/Documentaries 4

2012-06-01T10:34:00.001-07:00

Yes Man! is about a bank employee (Jim Carrey) who kept saying no to everything in his life until an experience in a motivational seminar changes him to say "Yes!" to everything that comes his way. As silly as this movie may be, it makes you think about how many times you say no to things in life.

Quotes I Love

2012-06-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished? - Rumi

Inspirational Movies/Documentaries 3

2012-06-01T10:28:00.001-07:00

The Bucket List is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is very emotional, inspirational and hard hitting. It makes you realize that you really don't have all that much time to live and that you should do what you want to do before it's all over. Watching this movie made me wonder about what I should do and inspired me to live differently.

Quotes I Love

2012-06-01T10:22:00.002-07:00

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right - Henry Ford.

Favorite Professional Artist

2012-06-01T10:20:00.002-07:00

Below, you will see a picture with some of my favorite artists work. His name is Banksy. He is an anonymous street artist from England. Unlike some street artists who post profane and meaningless material, Banksy stencils political art. The messages behind Banksy's work are very powerful and have caused uproar in many locations around the world. He is pro-change and wants people to realize what is going on.

You can visit his website at http://banksy.co.uk