It was a simple thought, but it paid off big time. In 1976 my father began working at Chase Manhattan’s headquarters in New York. A former major in the army, he had retired with honours and was found a job as head of night security at the Chase by his connected friends who had left… Read more »
Every weekday morning I drive my 5 & 7 year-old children to school. The drive from our home to their school takes about ten minutes and to pass the time they like me to tell them what my daughter calls “live” stories”?stories of events that I have experienced in my life. It doesn’t take much… Read more »
Finally the day arrived! Although I had many encouragements from people who felt my acceptance would be a foregone conclusion, I had not been so confident. So when the letter came, I was thrilled beyond belief. I proudly showed the letter to everyone who came into my house, proof that I was actually good enough… Read more »
I can still recall the first cigarette that I choked back. I was eleven years old and a friend and I got hold of a package of Peter Jackson cigarettes from somewhere. We went into some bushes and each lit one up. We coughed and sputtered and both soon felt very ill, but with perseverance… Read more »
The current issue of Alberta Views Magazine (http://www.albertaviews.ab.ca/) contained a short article on Athabasca University with comments from the AUSU President, Debbie Jabbour. It’s always great to see our university being mentioned by the media and our Students’ Union approached for comments about our school. The downside of this article, however, was that it included… Read more »
Here’s the thing: I’ve been tested. I’m not HIV Positive, but I do have an IQ that is within the “creative genius” range. My retention level is rather amazing. (if I do say so myself). My ability to assess, absorb, perceive, discern and create new thoughts, patterns, images is truly exceptional. I am also a… Read more »
North Americans are undeniably pill-poppers. As a culture, we’ve grown accustomed to looking for a quick fix or the next “miracle” pill. Not surprisingly, the number of prescriptions sold annually has skyrocketed over the last decade. What has happened over that time to warrant such a spike in sales? Has our collective health deteriorated so… Read more »
New Year’s day is traditionally seen as a new beginning, giving us an opportunity to change bad habits or to improve our lifestyle. For example, we can aim to overcome shyness, become more assertive – ask for that raise, become more social, more tolerant of others, less judgmental, any number of choices are available to… Read more »
Prior to my review of English 475, I’d like to include the following article about the course written by M. Redi: The Student as Cyborg If you are a cyborg and don’t know it does that still make you a cyborg? The best place to explore this question is in Athabasca’s course, Literature and Hypertext,… Read more »
I’m an Albertan through and through. I know it now because, here in the Mojave desert where cows as I know them can’t take the heat, I just tasted some cheese and asked my husband if he thought it tasted like the cheese back home. Yes, the cheese back home. That not so famous orange,… Read more »