A Message From VP Communications

Congrats NatashaA Life Time Story

OrigamiNovember 2014 Issue

Let’s face it;pen and paper have already lost the war. I mean, you aren’t reading my chicken scratch I dare to call my “penmanship” right now,with notes in the column and arrows arranging thoughts, words, or even sentences – asking of you to accompany me on my path of discovery; you are reading something that has been carefully and neatly printed in the font of my choice on a blank white canvass. But, the artof writing is still alive and well in many of us. Visions of a trashcan overflowing,their owner calling “2 Points!” as theyhurloverhand yet another crumpled up ball of paper toward the bas-ket only to concede it to collapsing on the floor mere inches away; are a distant memory. Most authors of the technology age have never been a part of a defin-ing moment such as this in their writing career. The trashcan icon never animates as overflowing. So, if this is so obviously the case, that the fight has already been relinquished, why discuss it any further? Truth is, once you put something down on paper it is alive. It exists. Even with the chance it may be scratched out or scribbled around, it continues to exist.Most raw ideas put on paper are disorganized,yet virgin- uncorrupted. Writing on a computer means you have the opportunity to delete a word, a topic, a thought, as if it had never formulated. You can edit and revise -reorganize. Once you delete, it is gone. Forever. If you think your idea was actually important a day, a week, or even a moment later, it is too late. Pen and paper wins thisbattle. Stating the obvious, pen and paper also win the battles of cost, efficiency,portability and storage. Pen and paper don’t need a file download or a format compatibility test, or even a plug to recharge batteries. They can be carried in a shirt pocket, easily accessed within a moment’s notice as inspiration strikes. To-day’s technology also allows you to scan your writing, so even ease of sharing is equal to that of something type written. So, knowing all this, why does pen and paper lose the war? Once again, the “sciences” (in this case technology) doesn’t simply overbear the “arts” - it obliterates it. It pummels it so hard and fast into the ground, there is no hope for its revival. As with all great warriors, it doesn’t allow for sentiment or emo-tion. It is easier. Faster. And, over time, this “ma-chine” begins to create a lazier human species as an off

gas by product. We “process” information at lightning speeds, only absorbing portions, and simultaneously becoming bored with it at a record rate. Why look up a definition in the dictionary? Just type the word you want into the computer and a thousand (or more) internet sites will define it for you; and you can simply paste it into your “work” without fully understanding its meaning. Ever evolving technology is causing us to become less involved, less engaged, less interested, and by default, less interesting. Pen and paper will continue to be the choice of the writers practicing the artof writing. They are tools of the trade, just as a plumber requires a wrench, or a surgeon a scalpel. But if they want anyone to appre-ciate their art, they must surrender their weapons and concede the war.

PEN STROKE VS KEY STROKE The battle of the lost art of writing

By: Heather Murphy

Athletics & Recreation EVENTS

Quidditch IntramuralsEvery Monday in November 5:30-7:00pm in the Rosaria GymFree for all Mount StudentsCall (902) 457-6420 to register

ArcheryFriday, November 2111:30am-1:30pmFee: $5.00Rosaria GymRegister at the Mount Fitness Centre 902-457-6420

7th Annual Grinchs’ Gala Semi-formalThursday, November 279pm-1amVinnie’s Pub. Wet/DryTickets: $6 for Mount Students $8 for Guests of Mount Students (must be 19 years of age)Proceeds go to Adsom House, an emergency shel-ter for women and childrenBrought to you by the Rec Society and Vinnie’s PubVinnie’s Pub Rules apply24th Annual Skate at Scotiabank Centre (formerly the Halifax Metro Centre)Join us on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 6:30pm - 7:30pm to celebrate our 24th Annual Holiday Skate at the Scotiabank Centre (formerly the Halifax Metro Centre). This event is free for all members of the Mount Community, their families and friends. Enter the Scotiabank Centre through the Carmi-chael Street Security Entrance. Need skates? A limited number of skates are available to be signed out from the Mount Fitness Centre.

Alyson Van Snick and Courtney Jollimore are our October Volunteers of the Month! Alyson and Courtney both started volunteering at the Fountain Play Centre last year and it has been our pleasure to welcome them back. They both consistently go above and beyond the call of duty, by taking on extra shifts, running special activities for the kids, and bringing tasty treats to share with our friends.Alyson’s favourite thing about volunteering with the FPC is being able to help other students at the Mount. She says: “Getting to play with and see the kiddos learn and grow, while I am also expanding on my educa-tion, is always a new and fun experience.”Courtney’s favourite thing about volunteering with the FPC is hanging out with the kids and going on “pa-rade walks” around campus.Thanks Alyson and Courtney for your dedication and hard work!

Elizabeth Dickson and Charlotte KiddellProgramming Manager and Operations

ManagerMSVU Fountain Play Centre

Phone: (902) 457-6554 Fax: (902) 457-0444

E-mail: fountainplaycentre@hotmail.comWebsite: http://www.mountstudents.ca/fpc

Good morning, and welcome!We’re about to start on (what I hope is) a very long journey together. Whether this journey simply lasts until the end of this first post, or the end of the last post I write. But whenever you come and join us on this journey, I have simply one goal: to make you smile.I started this blog because I strongly believe in the power of spreading joy. In my life I follow one motto: If I have the honour of being in someone’s life – no matter if it’s a minute or a lifetime – it should be my mission to try and make them smile. I hope that I manage to do this in my daily life, but now I want to try to reach beyond that. Now I want to turn to the amazing power of social media to spread the joy!Before we get started, I feel we need to define joy. Here it is:joy (n): A feeling of great happiness.However, happiness is different for each and every one of us. That’s where the “Nearing” comes in. Not only is it my last name (#punny), but it also means approach-ing. Like we’re getting closer, but not quite there.We’re all working towards a goal in our lives. It could be a short-term goal of completing an education, or a long-term goal of getting that dream career. And this blog may not help you get any closer to that goal, but while you’re NEARING that goal, we’ll share a bit of JOY. NearingJoy.I’m very excited to add another component to our joy-spreading, and that’s Snapchat! It’s a social media channel I don’t use very often, so I’m super excited to learn more about it. Add “NearingJoy” to your snap-chat contacts, and you’ll receive daily, 10-second long pieces of joy. It may only be 10 seconds, but hopefully it’ll make you smile for this 10 seconds. And now to spread our first bit of joy: This adorable video of a little minion!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1fDb4NintkAnd coincidentally, enough, I had the same reaction whenever I would fall. This reminds me a lot of myself from last Halloween. Thanks for reading, I’m so excited to begin this jour-ney with you!Joyfully yours,Ryan

Open-Hearted Awareness Meditation Learn how to allow our body, breath and mind to settle with stability, naturalness and clarity, so that we can rest with confidence and full aware-ness in our open caring heart. This meditation practice is drawn from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, but is open to all.A typical session will include seated meditation instruction and practice, walking meditation, a short reading and time for open discussion. Sundays, 10 AM to 12 PM, in the Peace Room (Evaristus Floor 4C). Free of charge.

Co-Instructors: Tom Downey & Kim MacAulay (Mount’s Spiritual Life Coordinator) For further info: tharpashingta@gmail.com; kim.macaulay@msvu.ca

FUN, FUN, FUN INFORMATION!

A quiet place to pray, meditate and reflectOpen to everyone as a quiet welcoming place Peace Room(Evaristus 8:30 am – 4:30 pm,  Monday through Friday Multifaith Room  (Seton 452B) Anytime, Monday through Friday Peace Room Events: Wed, 5-8pm Students of African Descent Fridays, 12-1pm Yoga, 12:30-2pmSundays, 10am-noon MeditationSpiritual Holidays, Observances & Festivals of the World 

November 2014

3| Ashura (Islam) For Sunni Muslims It is a voluntary fast day. Many important events are believed to have occurred on this day, such as Noah’s leav-ing the Ark and the freedom and departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt. For Shi’i Muslims, it is a time of mourning commemorating the martyrdom of Husain (the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad) in 680 CE.

9 | Diwali (Hinduism-Jainism-Sikhism)Hindu Festival of Lights symbolizing the human urge to move toward the light. Gift exchanges, fireworks and festive meals. Jain celebration of Lord Mahavira’s day of final liberation.

12 | Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i Faith)The birth of Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i faith is a Holy Day celebrating the rebirth of the world through thelove of God. Work is suspended on this day.

24 | Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sikhism)This day commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (1621-1675), the ninth of the ten Sikh Gurus. He is remembered not only for his defense of the Sikh faith, but also of Hinduism and of religious liberty for all faiths

If you’re interested in having your picture taken to promote the Peace Room and/or Multi Faith Room, you can email slcassistant@msvu.ca and/or wellness@mountstudents.ca

2015 METRO UNIVERSITIES RELAY FOR LIFERegistration for this year’s Metro Universities Relay for Life is now open!

The Metro U Relay is a special event organized and comprised of teams of students from the HRM Post-Sec-ondary schools: The Mount, SMU, NSCC and Dalhousie.

This year teams of students will enter the Relay and enjoy a 6 hour night of remembrance and activity in honour of those who are struggling with, beat or who have lost the battle with cancer. Throughout the night there are various ceremonies held as well as many games, live music performances and a variety of enter-tainment.

To get you or your team registered simply go to: http://convio.cancer.ca/metrouYou can start a team, join a team or register as an individual. Registration is $10 per participant. If you’re unable to process registration online with credit card yo can come to the Students’ Union HUB in Rosaria and complete an offline registration.

For complete information please visit the Mount Relay for Life section online at Mountstudents.ca/relay-for-lifeor contact one of your Mount Relay representatives:

Justin Corcoran - vpadvocacy@mountstudents.caTyler Bechard - vplife@mountstudents.caKenney Fitzpatrick - kenney@ mountstudents.ca

ATTENTION STUNDENTS!

Mark Your Calendar! Workshops of The MonthTopic: SEED SAVING: I Am A Seed Saver Presented by USC Canada Team

Nov 14th, Friday, 3:30PM Rosaria 401 Topic: An Urban Farm In Every NeighborhoodPresented by Jayme Margaret Melrose, Common Roots Urban FarmNov 14th, Friday, 4:00PM

Rosaria 401Brought to you by MSVU Community Garden & MSVU Meal Exchange Chapter & MSVU Garden Society

The Wellness Centre is partnering with the Spiritual Life Centre to raise awareness of perceptions, interpre-tations and inferences about Compassion. Earlier on this year, our student union signed a proclamation and we’ve become the first and only university (thus far) in the world to be named a Compassionate Student Un-ion. As part of raising awareness on campus, we are creating a collective audio recording of the difference voices and answers to three questions:

1) State what COMPASSION is to you with ONE word2) What do you think of when you hear the word COMPASSION3) What does COMPASSION mean to you personally

If you wish to participate in raising awareness, email wellness@mountstudents.ca and slcassistant@msvu.ca to get involved.Volunteer Opportunities: the centre is the place to give back to each other (students) and receive recognition for it with the Co-curricular Recognition Program at the Mount which definitely upgrades your resume. For inquiries, contact wellness@mountstudents.ca

The Wellness Centre & Pantry is a referral and resource centre where all are welcome. You can also, lounge on the comfy couches and grab necessities, like food, beverages, toiletries and more, in the pantry. It’s all free but you pay with a smile. This place is safe for you so come in and use it.

A 20-Year Journey to GraduationNatasha Penney-website“The faculty and administra-tion at the Mount were outstanding. I always felt like all they wanted was for me to succeed.” A great few develop tenacity, grit and determination at an early age. For Natasha Penney, these character-istics were made apparent at two weeks of age, when she was diagnosed with congenital kidney disease. By all accounts, this health challenge would not dictate the course of her life; rather it would allow her to develop greater resolve at seeking out the opportunities she as-pired towards. Born in Bishop’s Falls, Newfoundland, Natasha first enrolled in the Mount’s Applied Human Nutrition program in 1994. Not even two months into the degree, she had to leave the university to undergo her second kidney transplant. Her first transplant had taken place six years earlier; the donor had been her father. “There are no guarantees on the outcomes of a kidney transplant,” said Natasha. “An additional trans-plant is always a possibility. It’s not a cure; it’s a treat-ment option.” After her second transplant, Natasha decided to take a job with a media organization back home in Newfoundland, now owned by Transconti-nental Media. Working her way up from a freelance position, Natasha eventually took on the role of editor. In 2007, Natasha relocated to Halifax to begin hemodi-alysis sessions at the Victoria General Hospital (VG). While undergoing treatment at the VG, Natasha did a lot of soul searching, “I had always looked back on my first experience in university, and it felt undone. I felt as though there was something unfinished.” “Coming out of media where I covered government af-fairs, political studies seemed like a perfect fit.”With a tremendous amount of support and encourage-ment from her family, Natasha enrolled at the Mount once again in 2008, this time in the Political Studies program. “My first lecture was with Dr. Michael Mac-Millan and I was immediately hooked,” said Natasha. “I felt perfectly at home, I absolutely loved it.” The feeling was mutual and Natasha quickly became a highly regarded member of the political studies com-munity at the Mount. “Natasha is one of the brightest students to come through the Political Studies pro-gram,” said Dr. Jeffrey MacLeod, Associate Professor and Chair of the Political Studies Department at the Mount. “She has a tremendous sense of humour and a

Congratultions Natasha!

tough spirit; she is assertive when she needs to be, and also compassionate and generous.”“Despite the extraordinary health challenges Natasha faced during her degree, she consistently delivered work that was of a high calibre.” – Dr. Jeffrey MacLe-od Thriving in the program, Natasha’s studies were frequently interrupted by a series of four operations while she was on dialysis, which took place between 2010 and 2012. In May of 2013 she underwent her third kidney transplant at the VG. The post-op period was fraught with challenges; it took eight weeks for the kidney to work, and during that period, more sur-gery was necessary to correct a complication. Her mo-bility was also impaired by a damaged femoral nerve, which was affected during the transplant. It resulted in a brief stay at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Cen-tre, as well as the short-term use of a walker until the nerve began to regenerate. Once the kidney function stabilized, and the mobility issues began to improve, Natasha’s thoughts returned to completing her pro-gram. My relationships with the staff at the Mount were ce-mented,” said Natasha. “I never felt that I had to stop or discontinue my studies. I received phenomenal support from Dr. MacLeod and Dr. MacMillan in par-ticular, and they were always firm in their belief that obtaining my degree was within my grasp. It was an important reminder that facing one set of challenges does not ever need to be a person’s sole focus. If ed-ucation is important, and you are open about issues that may complicate the academic process, you can find the support you need.”On November 2nd, 2014, Natasha finally received her well-earned university degree. While she is not sure what the future holds for her, she is determined to find a home for her writing skills combined with her new-ly minted political science expertise, “My dream job would be working for an elected official that I believe in,” said Natasha. “I like the idea of taking the abstract theory of political studies and applying them to our day-to-day political system.” Whatever’s next for Natasha, she will face it with the continued tenacity, grit and determination that has come to define the way she lives her life. Source:http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/aboutus/mediacentre/news/natashapenney2014.aspx

Wow! So far, this past month has been a great one as I’ve finished my first month on the job. This month was especially special for all those societies across our campus who stepped forward to become rati-fied. I am truly excited to see what societies will do this year. From what I hear, you are all in for a treat this school year!A big congratulations goes to the first batch of societies to become ratified during our first Student Repre-sentative Council (SRC) meeting:

Student Nutrition ServicesRecreation SocietyMSVU Psychology SocietyBest BuddiesSOAN SocietyGoodNewsHalifax @ MSVUMeal Exchange MSVUScience SocietyHistory SocietyPublic Relations SocietyFree the ChildrenMSVU Dramatic Arts SocietyMount PrideInternational Student Society

Interested in joining or finding out more information about one of these societies? Send me, Haley, an email at vpcomm@mountstudents.ca or come visit me in the Students’ Union offices on the first floor of Rosaria.

Wondering what it means to be a ratified society?Ratifying a society gives societies the chance to access the Union as a larger resource than normal. We can:- work to secure meeting spaces.-help with promotions of events and activities.-provide insurance for some activities.-assist in creating a bank account for your society.-provide funding.

This is just the beginning to what can be a fantastic way to get a current society or brand new society rolling. All societies need to do to become ratified is provide the VP Communications (that’s me) with a constitution and a completed society ratification sheet. You can find both of these forms on the MSVUSU website under clubs and societies: mountstudents.ca/clubs-and-societies.

Stay tuned to Union social media for some exciting opportunities this month for all to enjoy. Don’t let the November blues get you down. Keep your heads up and stay focused.

Stay golden, Mystics.

HaleyVP Communications

A Message VP Communications

From

November EventsCalendar

NOV 11Remembrance Day - No Classes

NOV 12MSVUSU Street Team

Meeting 3pm-4pm,Vinnie’s Pub

NOV 13Open Mic 9pm

MSVUSU Street TeamMeeting 12pm-1pm,Vinnie’s Pub

Student Roundtable 1pm-3pm

NOV 14Club Night w/ DJ 9pm - Vinnie’s Pub

NOV 17MSVUSU Street Team

Meeting 3pm-4pm,Vinnie’s Pub

NOV 18Hunger Games Trivia

8pm - Vinnie’s PubMSVUSU Street Team

Meeting 12pm-1pm,Vinnie’s Pub

NOV 19Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

7:30pm - Bayer’s Lake Cineplex

NOV 20Karaoke and Wing Night

9-pm - Vinnie’s PubNOV 21

Multicultural NightDinner & Show 6pm - Rosaria MPR

After Party: 10pm - Vinnie’s PubNOV 24

Holiday Tree Trimming Social2pm-4pm - Rosaria SUB Lobby

NOV 25MSVUSU Street Team

Meeting 12pm-1pm - Vinnie’s PubMarvel Comics Trivia 8pm - Vinnie’s Pub

NOV 26MSVUSU Street Team

Meeting 3pm-4pm - Vinnie’s PubNOV 27

Grinch’s Gala Holiday Semi-Formal9pm - Vinnie’s Pub

NOV 28Holiday Party

Mount Student Stacey de Molitor is Bound for ShamattawaHow many books do you think you’ve read so far this year? What about how many you have read since kindergarten?

Books are arguably the most important tool for edu-cation. We use them in every year and every subject, and for most of us, library-day was one of the best parts of elementary school.

Now imagine your life without any of those books.This is the reality for the students of Abraham Beardy Memorial School in Shamattawa, Manito-ba. Last year, the school suffered a leak which led to mould and the destruction of all of their library

Trick Or Eat Photo GalleryCongrats Trick or Eat team for collecting more than 800 food items. Job WELL DONE!

books. Now building a new school to open in Sep-tember of 2015, the students and staff at Abraham Beardy Memorial need our help in stocking their new library.

Bound For Shamattawa is the community help cam-paign started by Mount student Stacey de Molitor. She asks you to think about the books that you’ve loved over the years, what they have meant to you, and what they may mean to a student in need. She will be collecting books for reading levels Kinder-garten to grade 12 until the end of January 2015. Book donations can be dropped-off at the Mount’s Students’ Union, or any Video Difference location/drop-box in the HRM. If you don’t have any books to donate, we are also looking for financial support in shipping the books to Shamattawa. You can make a monetary donation in any denomination on the Bound for Shamattawa Indiegogo crowd-funding page at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bound-for-shamattawa-book-drive

Any support is encouraged and appreciated wheth-er you are interested in donating books, money, or your time and support. There will be events and fun along the way, so why not get involved, learn about and befriend another community in Canada, and spread a love of reading across our country.

Find us on:Facebook: Bound for ShamattawaTwitter: @ShamattawaBooksEmail: BoundForShamattawa@outlook.com