Why Swivel Chairs are the Epitome of Happiness

Dear Blogmasters,

I've come to the conclusion that with an active imagination, an office can quickly become a source of great amusement. Keep in mind that many offices are occupied by employees who have been in a similar or even same position for years, and therefore enjoy a bit of spicing up the place ever so often. Doing repeated tasks and interacting with no one but a computer and strangers through phone, a person can go slightly insane : Which is precisely why I love my job.

Disregarding the fact that I have a wrap around desk, my own office and a great view, the component that makes our work place so unique is the people. There are only three of us, I'm a recent addition so you can imagine the proximity in which my coworkers have been for the last couple years. We're casual, professional, ridiculous, comical, hysterical and of course, surprisingly efficient. Most of our conversations take place from our own desks, and although it can be loud when we start playing music, it's nothing compared to the stopping from our neighbours upstairs. So there is hardly a moment when we are confronted with a dead silence that creates the ever-dulling-quiet-and-calculated atmosphere.

Both my coworkers are upbeat, but it doesn't take away from the fact that they are knowledgeable and professional. In the couple weeks I've been here I don't think I've ever learned so much, or laughed so hard. To be honest I've been the butt of many a joke, especially when it comes to poise or tact, however that doesn't impede my ability to rally with an "over-the-hill" comment or two. I read somewhere that in order to succeed in a work place, it's better to adapt the customs and mannerisms of your coworkers. In this case, it's a mix of dark humour and smart negotiations, which fits the bill for what I look for in a job.

And then, There's the swivel Chair.

Oh it's every child's dream to sit on a spinning chair for hour upon hours. Considering I'm still technically a child, it satisfies an array of childhood dreams.... all while I'm getting paid.

It's a wonderful thing to be educated,

Arctic Hipster

My "AH HA!" Moment of the Day

Dear Blog Addicts,

Assuming you attach a great importance to words considering you're taking time out of your day to read this, you probably feel the need to understand song lyrics. There's something infinitely satisfying about being able to explain the underlying meaning in an alternative rock song, or to catch the imagery in a love ballad. It's as though you're taking part of the songwriter's struggle, and with the appropriate music to add mood, a song can be a compressed novel... as long as it's well written.

Thus bringing me to my next point: who ever decided that quality music should incorporate auto-tune, the term "G6" or large besomed girls in the music video, should definitely get a different day job. I'm sorry, that is not an artist's work. That, is the result of a large bank account and a growing population who will stand for such laziness. Honestly, how is it possible that we are listening to this garbage on the radio when we have infinite access to thousands upon thousands of good artists? "I so sorry shorty" is not only terrible grammar, but is also a terrible way to apologize to a person you care about!

I don't mind rap, in fact I quite like the feeling when running off lyrics and blasting bass while driving. However, it's this new idea of acceptable pop that's so irritating. Music is a way to convey ideas to an audience, to share an opinion, to create an impression. An artist has the opportunity to shape the minds of a nation by using their creativity and intelligence. Who in the world thought that such a possibility for change should be left up to green pocketed selfish economists?! Just because it's catchy, doesn't make it good. Especially when you're eight year old cousin is singing a Ke$ha song about blow jobs: now that's underlying meaning.

Now I'm not saying that our society isn't listening to good music, one listen to Adele and you'll be convinced that we've bred a generation of geniuses. I am saying though, that the fact that itunes and record companies are getting more money than the artists who labour over albums is alarming. On top of that, they are teaching them that creativity should be limited to what sells, and what is popular.

So I say that we rebel against this, and look for local talent. Up here in the North we have songbirds like Leila Guilday, Rap Stars like Godson and even Youth Up-and-Coming stars like Jessie Trembley. So why sit there and listen to a computer generated formula when you can hear an artist actually sing their heart out?

If you wanna sing low, sing low.

Arctic Hipster

A Midnight's Dream

Dear Summer Enthusiasts,

My favorite part of living North of sixty has to be the midnight sun.

Yesterday my friends and I launched a nineteen sixty style boat, flew five feet after being flung off a three person tube and had a dinner party out on the deck : all underneath a blue sky. I got home around eleven and was greeted by a pink and salmon sky outside my bedroom window, but no sign of the sun setting anytime soon. The sun hung in the air, as though every summer student's wish for the weekend to last forever convinced him to extend the day by a couple more minutes. The reality is that we're slowly losing sunlight again, by approximately six minutes every day. So not only is school glaring at us on calender, the shortening days are a reminder that our freedom is slowly slipping away. The Nerd Herd (Note: this is a self-made title) is getting close to another freedom though, the ever anticipated graduation! With that in mind however, we might end up being even more desperate to hold onto the weekends that we can escape from parentals and bosses long enough to go camping and enjoy the magic of the midnight sun, before it's snatched by academic commitments.

There's just something about waking up to a room filled with light that makes a person hopeful.

Stay Bright!

Arctic Hipster