Archive

Beyond Literary Landscapes—Family

From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge.  Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »

To Hear and Be Heard: Of Soundtracks and Silence

I do love sleep, but we have trust issues.  Such a capricious and fickle lover, always promising to stay the night, but so often and so disappointingly disappearing in the wee small hours, just when needed the most. Good thing there are several playlists for this kind of thing.  (I have playlists for nearly every… Read more »

Fly on the Wall—Lipstick on a Pig

Developing a nose for the inane is a vital tool for neophyte social theorists.  Each sniff of trite entertainment leads to an understanding of the social cause of the sensation; few things in culture are quite what they seem, after all.  Take the phrase “the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” This tongue… Read more »

Editorial—Water, Water Everywhere

A massive hole in a major watermain in Calgary has those of us in this city all under a water advisory, with a warning that the whole city may be under a boil water order shortly, and repairs not expected for several days at the very least.  It serves to drive home just how dependant… Read more »

Vintage Voice

We cringed a bit upon hearing June 7 was National Donut Day, but soon learned that it’s also known (correctly) as National Doughnut Day.  Our archives turned up several articles with either spelling, and one article that used both spellings. Always looking for a good raccoon recipe.  Teresa Neuman writes loving of the 1949 cookbook… Read more »

Scholarship of the Week

Scholarship name:  NUPGE Scholarships Sponsored by:  National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) Deadline:  June 30, 2024, 5:00 pm EDT Potential payout:  $2500 Eligibility restriction:  Applicants must be children or grandchildren (including foster) or legal wards of a current or retired member of a NUPGE Component or a Component’s affiliate.  (See FAQ page for… Read more »

AU-Thentic Events

Library Chat Tues, Jun 11, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm MDT Online Hosted by AU Library www.athabascau.ca/library/index.html No pre-registration needed; access through chat box on home page Library Chat Thur, Jun 13, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm MDT Online Hosted by AU Library www.athabascau.ca/library/index.html No pre-registration needed; access through chat box on home page Pride… Read more »

Student Sizzle—Following What’s Hot!

Facebook: How to juggle it all.  A student asked for advice on managing studies, children, and full-time work, and requested guidance on an English course that would help with essay writing.  One student suggested taking the course ENGL 255 and then building from there.  Other students recommended using the Write Site.  A single parent with… Read more »

Fly on the Wall—Television as the Screen Du Jour

Q: “You act like you’re the smartest person in the room; why does everything have to be a lengthy lecture with you?” A: “Oh yeah, no, I know I’m acting!” Performativity, that cherished theme of Mannville, Alberta’s sociological superhero Erving Goffman, is ground zero for how we present ourselves.  Yet, even if we know that… Read more »