Delicious Holiday Muffins

Have you ever bit into a crisp, moist muffin and felt that heavenly embrace? The one thing that makes that feeling better is when they are Christmas muffins. Everyone loves holiday baking and Christmas muffins are no exception. Family gatherings across the city will no doubt have freshly baked treats on their Christmas dinner menus. From crunchy cranberry to berry blast, there are endless flavour possibilities. Muffins are also seen as a somewhat healthier alternative to Christmas cookies and cakes. My extended family always goes all out in the holiday baking department. Below are two of my favourite Christmas muffin recipes.

Berry Blast Blueberry Muffins 

Ingredients ​

  • 1/2 cup of butter ​

  • 1 cup of white sugar ​

  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt ​

  • 2 eggs ​

  • 2 cups of white flour ​

  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder ​

  • 1/2 cup of buttermilk​

  • 1 pint or small container of blueberries ​

  • 2 tablespoons of white sugar ​

Directions​

Even people who aren't the biggest fans of muffins could go for a fresh blueberry muffin. This recipe will give you a dozen berry loaded, baked treats. To get started preheat your oven to 375 F. Spray the top of a muffin pan with non-stick coating such as Pam. Then proceed to line each muffin slot with paper liners. In a large bowl cream together the butter, 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until smooth and fluffy. Proceed to beat in the eggs one at a time. Then mix the 2 cups of flour with the baking powder. Beat in this mixture with the muffin batter. Once the batter thickens add in the 1/2 cup of buttermilk gradually. Crush the blueberries and mix them into the batter. Once the blueberries have been added and mixed well proceed to scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 30 minutes or until muffins are golden brown. Cool and enjoy. ​

Crazy Cranberry Muffins ​

Ingredients ​

  • 1 1/2 cups of white flour ​

  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder ​

  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt ​

  • 1/4 cup of white sugar ​

  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil ​

  • 1 egg, beaten​

  • 1 cup of orange juice ​

  • 2 cups of chopped cranberries ​

Directions ​

How do you turn on ordinary, plain muffin into something exciting? You add cranberries of course. These muffins are perfect for the holiday season and will no doubt get a round of applause from the entire family. To begin, preheat your oven to 400 F. Grease your muffin pan and then proceed to add in muffin liners in each of the muffin cups. In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl beat the oil and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and silky. Add the egg and orange juice into this mixture and beat until smooth. Then proceed to combine the flour mixture with the oil mixture. Stir well and fold in the chopped cranberries. For a more intense flavour add another cup of chopped cranberries. Proceed to scoop the batter into the muffin pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and enjoy! ​

This holiday season whip out your oven mitts and get baking. These muffin recipes are relatively easy to make and are perfect for bringing to Christmas gatherings. Whether your a berry blast fan or would rather go the cranberry route your sure to enjoy the holiday season that much more with these golden recipes. ​

Christmas Fudge!!!!

Christmas isn't here quite yet, but Christmas baking has already begun. Soon ovens will be running at full blast as bakers everywhere get ready to make their favourite holiday creations. Indeed, large families getting together over the holiday season racks up the demand for tasty treats. It may not be the healthiest of snacks, but no one can deny the joy they get from enjoying some Christmas goodies. With everything from cookies to cakes to fudge, especially fudge. There is nothing like biting into some good old, homemade fudge. Whether its caramel, butterscotch or chocolate, any homemade Christmas fudge is sure to put a smile on any kids face. As we prepare for the upcoming holiday season, I have decided to share with you two of my favourite Christmas fudge recipes.

Perfect Peanut Butter Fudge 

Ingredients ​

  • 2 cups of brown sugar, packed​

  • 2 cups of white sugar ​

  • 1 cup of milk ​

  • 2 cups of creamy peanut butter ​

  • 1 tablespoon of margarine ​

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​

Directions ​

This delicious dessert is surprisingly easy to make. It also won't take away too much of your downtime with the end result blowing your expectations into the water. To begin mix the brown sugar and white sugar together in a large pot. Add the cup of milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Proceed to stir in the creamy peanut butter while reducing the heat to medium. After 5 minutes remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the margarine and vanilla into the mixture. Stir vigorously until the fudge hardens. Once hardened, pour the fudge onto waxed paper and proceed to cut into 1-inch pieces. Take a piece and enjoy! ​

Candy Cane Fudge ​

Ingredients​

  • 2 packages of vanilla baking chips ​

  • 1 can of sweetened condensed milk ​

  • 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract ​

  • 2 cups of crushed candy canes ​

  • 1 squirt of red food colouring ​

Directions  ​

What makes homemade fudge truly holiday fudge? Adding candy canes into the mix of course! This unique yet delicious recipe will leave you with a vast amount of sweet treats. Any candy craver would sick their teeth into these fudge bars. To get started making your own candy cane fudge line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Proceed to combine the vanilla chips and condensed milk in a large saucepan. Heat this mixture over medium heat. Stirring frequently, remove the pan from the heat once the mixture is almost melted. Then continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add in the peppermint extract, candy canes and food colouring. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the 8-inch pan. Chill for two hours, cut into squares and enjoy! ​ 

Two fabulous fudge recipes are now at your disposal. This holiday season give your grandmother a break and offer to bake the annual Christmas fudge. Whether you go with the peanut butter or opt for the candy cane, you'll be sure that the family will love these sweet treats. It also never hurts to practice and brush up on your baking skills. Christmas is still a ways away so why not bake a practice batch and try them for yourself. ​

Christmas Cake

With exam season approaching quickly the atmosphere around campus will certainly change. More late-night study sessions, more practice assignments and tests and more stress. Its no big secret that exam season is the most stressful time of the year for university students. The good news is that once that stressful period passes, the holiday season officially begins. That's right, Christmas will soon be here with holiday lights, family gatherings and freshly baked treats becoming the norm. When it comes to Christmas treats, few things beat a fresh Christmas cake. From cheesecakes to carrot cake or even plain, old fashioned marble, whatever your preference is your bound to find it on the dinner table at Christmas time. Listed below are two Christmas cake recipes my family always uses during the holiday season 

Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake 

Ingredients ​​

  • 2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs​​

  • 2 tablespoons of butter, melted ​​

  • 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar ​​

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon ​​

  • 2 packages of cream cheese​​

  • 1 1/4 cups of white sugar ​​

  • 1/2 cup of whipping cream ​​

  • 2 tablespoons of white flour ​​

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​​

  • 4 eggs ​​

  • 1 1/2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs ​​

  • 2 cups of sour cream ​​

  • 1/4 cup of white sugar ​​

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​​

  • 1 cup of whipping cream​​

  • 2 cups of chocolate chips ​​

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​​

Directions ​​

Baking this cake is quite the task. However, the end result is priceless. When your finished baking this Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake you'll have the ultimate Christmas treat. Being made from scratch, makes it that much better! ​​

To begin combine the 2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs with the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Firmly press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake this mixture at 350 F for five minutes. In a different large bowl beat the cream cheese together with the 1 1/4 cups of sugar, 1/2 of whipping cream, white four and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. This mixture should be smooth and creamy. Once the mixture has reached the desired texture begin to beat in each of the eggs one at a time. Then proceed to pour 1/3 of this batter into the prepared pan and top it with 1 1/2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes and remove cake from the oven. Proceed to combine the sour cream, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Spread this mixture evenly over the cake and continue to bake the cake for another 7 minutes. Following this, turn off the oven and leave the cake in there for 20 minutes. Meanwhile combine 1 cup of whipping cream and 2 cups of chocolate chips in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate chips melt, then stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and pour this mixture over the cake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 8 hours. Cut, serve and enjoy! ​​

Red Velvet Christmas Cake ​

Ingredients ​

  • 1/2 cup of shortening ​

  • 1 1/2 cups of white sugar ​

  • 2 eggs​

  • 2 tablespoons of cocoa​

  • 4 tablespoons of red food colouring ​

  • 1 teaspoon of salt ​

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​

  • 1 cup of buttermilk ​

  • 2 1/2 cups of white flour ​

  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda ​

  • 5 tablespoons of white flour ​

  • 1 cup of milk ​

  • 1 cup of white sugar ​

  • 1 cup of butter ​

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​

Directions ​

Nothing says Christmas like a nice red cake with white icing. This red velvet Christmas cake will be that dessert everyone remembers. Don't be surprised if you get a few requests for the recipe. To start off preheat your oven to 350 F. Proceed to grease two 9-inch round pans with butter. Beat shortening and 1 1/2 cups of white sugar together in a large bowl. Once the mixture is light and smooth add in the eggs and beat well. Add in the cocoa and red food colouring. Mix in the salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 cup of buttermilk into the batter. Stir well. Then proceed to add the flour and baking soda gradually into the batter. Pour the cake batter into the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes and let the cakes cool. To make the icing combine the 5 tablespoons of flour and 1 cup of milk in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool. Once it is cool proceed to add in the sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Mix until the icing becomes light and smooth. Then proceed to icing the cake with a butter knife. Cut the cake into slices and enjoy with ice cream!  ​

For generations families have celebrated Christmas with a variety of cakes. From that abomination called fruit cake to fluffy red velvet cakes and creamy cheesecakes, Christmas cakes have become almost a must have at the dinner table. Although the main course of Christmas dinner is always great, its the dessert that takes the cake! ​

Brandon University Winter Schedule

Brandon University Winter Schedule:

Outlined below you will find important dates to take note of. 

The library schedule will also be outlined below.   

Taken from BU’s website. 

Wednesday, December 5

Last day of classes for First Term courses (except Undergraduate Education Depts. 01-04 and 05 methods).

Saturday, December 8- Tuesday, December 18

Final exams for First Term courses and mid-term exams for Both Term courses (except Undergraduate Education Depts. 01-04 & 05 methods).

Thursday, December 13

Last day of classes for First Term Undergraduate Education courses (except Dept. 05 non-methods).

Friday, December 14

Application deadline for February 2019 Convocation (no ceremony)

Saturday, December 22 – Tuesday, January 1, 2019

University closed for the holidays.

Wednesday, January 2

University opens – no classes scheduled.

Thursday, January 3

First day for Second Term classes and Both Term Term classes resume (except Undergraduate Education Depts. 01-04 and 05 methods).

Second Term tuition, residence and remaining fees due.

Monday, January 7

First day of classes for First and Both Term Undergraduate Education courses (except Dept. 05 non-methods).

Thursday, January 17

Last day for Second Term registration and course additions.

Last day for 100% tuition refund on Second Term courses.

Library Schedule:  

Taken from JER Library BU website page

December 2nd–20th, 2019

Main Library
Monday: 8:30am–12:00am
Tuesday: 8:30am–12:00am
Wednesday: 8:30am–12:00am
Thursday: 8:30am–12:00am
Friday: 8:30am–12:00am
Saturday: 1:00pm–12:00am
Sunday: 1:00pm–12:00am

Music Library
Monday: 9:00am–9:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am–9:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am–9:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am–9:00pm
Friday: 9:00am–5:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm–5:00pm

Wednesday, December 18th, 2019: Main Library: 8:30am–5:00pm
Wednesday, December 18th, 2019: Music Library: 9:00am–5:00pm
Thursday, December 19th, 2019: Main Library: 8:30am–5:00pm
Thursday, December 19th, 2019: Music Library: 9:00am–5:00pm
Friday, December 20th, 2019: Main Library: 8:30am–12:00pm
Friday, December 20th, 2019: Music Library: 9:00am–12:00pm

*The music library is closed on Saturday.
The library is closed from Saturday, December 21, 2019 until Wednesday, January 1, 2020 inclusive for the holiday break. 

The library will be open on Thursday January 2 and Friday January 3. The Main Library will be open from 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM. 

The Music Library will be open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM.

Both libraries will be closed on January 4 and 5.

Regular library hours resume on January 6.

Library Closed for Statutory Holidays

Brandon University Professor Testifies For Human Rights Case

Recently a Brandon University professor gave expert witness testimony in front of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, which led to a ruling that prompted the Manitoba government begin allowing gender-neutral designations on birth certificates. Dr. Corinne Mason, an Associate Professor in Gender and Women’s Studies and in Sociology, testified as an expert on gender studies, queer identity, 2SLGBTQIA experiences, and intersectionality.

The case focused on the discrimination faced when the complainant, referred to as “T.A.” attempted to change their designated sex on their Manitoba birth certificate but were denied. Earlier this month, the human rights adjudicator ordered the government to begin permitting gender-neutral designations. The government was also ordered to pay $50,000 in damages to T.A. On the Brandon University Website, Mason had said that the case showed the real-world importance of academic inquiry into complex issues like sex designation, gender expression and gender identity.

“Gender studies is super relevant and applicable in the world and more people should know that,” she said. “I am thrilled by the outcome of this case, which recognizes that a person must be able to ensure their identity is reflected on their government identification. This is a win for non-binary, intersex, and trans communities who have survived binary gender documentation for too long in Manitoba.”

Dr. Eftihia Mihelakis, the coordinator of BU’s Gender and Women’s Studies Program, said that the testimony was precisely the type of public impact that academic research can often make.

“Everyone wants to see a world that is fair and just for all,” she said. “This case is direct proof that our institutions can evolve to better serve their people when scholars in gender studies such as Dr. Mason participate in advancing social justice and the public good in and out of the classroom setting.”

Exam Season Support 

Ah yes, exam season is finally here. The final stretch of the semester, the last mile to the finish line. They often say that the final mile in a marathon is the most difficult. Well, it turns out post-secondary studies follows a similar pattern. The truth is, exam season is a time of extreme stress and pressure. All that material that you learned back in September is back, and your expected to know it from top to bottom. December and April are two of the busiest months for university students, no matter how many years of school you have under your belt. Late night studying, reading the textbook through meal time and going over the same practice questions over and over again become the norm. Fear not! As there are shards of light at the end of this tunnel. First off, once you finish your exams you get a well deserved, relaxing two-week holiday before the second semester starts. You will finally have the ability to sit back, relax and enjoy some quality time with friends and family. In the meantime, and to assist you with getting through exam season, Brandon University offers a variety of services to help students deal with the added stress and pressure.

One of the best ways to deal with the pressure of exam season is to book an appointment at the Academic Skills Center. The Academic Skills Center, located in room 102 in the A.E. McKenzie building on campus, offers students assistance with math, writing and learning skills. These skills will prove invaluable on any test or exam you take throughout your post-secondary studies. Many students find themselves struggling in the field of mathematics, especially if they are not in sciences to begin with. At the Academic Skills Center, a skills specialist can work with you one on one, and assist in explaining principles and applying them in related questions. The Academic Skills Center also has a learning specialist. The learning specialist can assist you with a variety of academic activities such as reading a textbook more efficiently, writing short answers on tests and making study questions. They can also offer help in preparing for those long-winded essay questions of final exams. Speaking of those last page, hour long questions, the Academic Skills Center can also help you touch up on your writing skills. Whether its learning about citations and referencing or just how to organize your essay, a stop at the Academic Skills Center will relieve some of that added pressure. The more prepared you are for the final exam, the less stress you'll endure. Make sure you take advantage of all the Academic Skills Center has to offer this exam season. The best way to access the services at the Academic Skills Center is to book an appointment. You can book an appointment by stopping by the center or by calling 204-727-9737 

One of the best ways to prepare for the final exam, is to take the time to talk to your professor. Brandon University is known for its friendly faculty and stunning student-to-faculty ratio. The professors at Brandon University are always willing to assist their students in understanding the course material. Send your professor an email, a professional email from your university account. Even if you are on a first name basis with your professor its important to keep things proper in the post-secondary setting. Some questions can be answered over a quick email while others may require an appointment for further clarification. Either way, make sure you take the time to ask any questions you have before the final exam.  

Sometimes the added stress and pressure just becomes to much for us to handle. After all, there can be times when you have back to back exams and aren't nearly prepared enough for them. You may feel like your loosing all control over the situation. Luckily, Brandon University is equipped with some invaluable resources to help you through that difficult time. Counselling services are available to all Brandon University students, free of charge. Professional Counselors can help with stress, anxiety and depression, things that some students may experience during exam season. Not to worry, as the sessions are confidential so you can attend knowing your privacy is respected. To book an appointment with a counselor either stop by the office at room 102 in the A.E. McKenzie building or call 204-727-9737. Remember that if you need the support, its just a short phone call away. 

As you can see, Brandon University has a large variety of support options for students during exam season. For any type of exam or test, its important to make sure you are completely prepared. In order to assist you in this matter, the university has the Academic Skills Center, which can help you sharpen up your math skills or teach you better studying habits. The center can also prepare you for those long-winded essay questions of the final exam. Sometimes you may have very specific and direct questions. In this case it is best to email your professor directly. Your professor is the best source of knowledge you have when it comes to the course material. If in doubt, send them an email from your university email account. For many students, all the prepping in the world cannot take away their stress and anxiety. In this case it is best to talk to a professional counselor. We are fortunate enough to have that service right on campus. Professional counselling can be accessed through the Academic Skills Center and is free of charge. As we inch closer to the season that many students would like to avoid, remember that these support options are available to you. In many cases you pay for them in your initial tuition payment. It is in your best interest to take full advantage of them, should you require them. Happy exam season to one and all!! And happy holidays! 

On the Subjective Styles of Chess Players

When it comes to the game of chess one of the most fascinating things about the game is that a person’s personality gets perfectly reflected in the way they play. One player may play a bloody lunatic, and another player may play so defensively that they hard to defeat, and so forth.

Certain chess playing styles are more effective against certain other playing styles. Kind of like Pokémon types, like how fire is super effective against grass types whereas fire types are weak to water types. Similarly, this also happens in chess. Magicians (players like Tal, Velimirovic, Ratnakaram etc.) tend to do well against technicians (Kraminik etc.) and certain positional types like Botvinnik and Spassky. However, magicians tend to have some serious difficulty dealing with solid positional players (anacondas) like Petrosian or Maghsoodloo. 

One of the reasons for this is, technicians strive to find the most accurate moves in a position and will calculate deeply to find the right moves. Similarly, positional players like Botvinnik will play positionally by means of calculation. What makes magicians effective against these players is because magicians tend to generate extremely complex positions in which it is difficult to calculate through the immense variations, this poses problems for the players who greatly rely on calculations because they will not be able to work through them so easily. But for players like Petrosian who play extremely solid positional chess without necessarily calculating exact lines will give problems to magicians. That is because the magician will fail to find a point to attack because everything will be adequately defended. However, anaconda like players tend to have problems against attacking players that use deep calculation (assassins, champions, etc.) rather than intuition like magicians do. The reason for this is because by calculating for attacks the assassin will find inaccuracies in the anaconda-like play, and thus will snuff them out by seeing the long-term dynamic weaknesses created by pure defensive play. And the assassins will have a hard time dealing with the technicians which will find problems in the attacks of these players, thus defending properly until the attack burns out. And so forth. 

This is why it is important to figure out your playing style, that way you can amplify those abilities to their full potential. Often times it is much more difficult to improve on your weaknesses because it often requires a paradigm shift, something which is extremely difficult to invoke these kinds of mental changes permanently. Thus, it is more effective to emphasise on your own strengths. A good website for this is: http://www.chesspersonality.com/ Every couple of months I check my playing style to see if it changes. For me it tends to remain constant. I get the Champion class almost every time. 

“Play to your strengths.” – N.M.

Here are some of the different playing styles of some players. 

Mikhail Tal: Had lightning flash combinative powers unprecedented, and an insane ability to complicate a position. In other words, a purely chaotic player. 

Max Euwe: The complete embodiment of simple chess. Euwe had taking his inductive and deductive powers from his mathematical career to find moves that are often dead simple, but effective. 

Tigran Petrosian: A player who was the master of the art of prophylaxis. Petrosian had an unprecedented ability to snuff out flames long before players ever got the idea to start one. He was also considered to be the most defensive player in history. 

Bobby Fischer: Fischer was a gruesome attacking calculator. He often played aggressively but would calculate great depths to determine if an attack would work.

Cheating In Chess Tournaments

With headlines in the chess news like “grandmaster puts phone in toilet” one cannot help but wonder how far some players are willing to go, and why the make an effort to go to that extent. Often times in chess tournaments, like the Grand Swiss, or the Grand Chess Tour there can be a lot of money on the line, for example in the Grand Chess Tour the first-place winner would receive about 1/3 of a million dollars. Or the prize money for the world championship matches had 2-3 million dollars on the line as well as the world champion title. With large amounts of money in the prize pools players definitely want to be sure that their opponents are not using a chess engine to tell you the right moves. This is why chess tournament competitors often have to go through border level security before ever even getting through the tournament door.

Cheating in the modern era has become far easier ever since the existence of smartphones. Any free chess engine app one can download on their phone is capable of beating even the current world champion Magnus Carlsen himself. So, one of the most common ways players cheat in tournaments is by going to the washroom during chess games and looking up the best moves on their phones during a chess game. To counteract this in tournaments players go through metal detectors to make sure they do not have access to their smartphones during a game. 

However, even with metal detectors some players are able to bypass this. One Czech grandmaster hid his phone inside a plastic bag in a toilet bowl, and during chess games he would go to the washroom to check the best lines in his position. Another case is when a blind player who had to have the moves said to him, and he took advantage of hearing aids by having a team of players listening through the hearing aids. The moves were being sent by SMS messages and then the best moves were sent back to the player and he listened to them in his hearing aids. 

Online chess has taken the greatest hits from cheating in the modern era because of how much easier it is to cheat due to the fact that players are not face to face. When players on chess.com, lichess, or chess24 are asked why they do not play long games like rapid or classical time controls, one of the most common answers is the number of players cheating during their chess games. Chess streaming grandmasters like Simon Williams or Eric Hansen often come across cheating during online chess games which complicates things when the chess grandmasters are trying to provide educational insight into the game. Even I have come across cheating in some online chess games, and it is the main reason I never play online games. 

Today’s cheat detection systems have to continuously update in order to keep up with the new ways to cheat in tournaments. Often times the main problem is that the only way to improve on the cheat detection is to analysis cases, but even then, it is difficult to predict cheating cases. As IM Danny Rensch said “it is difficult to predict a murder case, so we often time police can only investigate the murder after is has happened.” 

This leaves to question, how far are you willing to go to win?

2019 NHL Heritage Classic

The 2019 NHL Heritage Classic hockey game took place at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan on Saturday, October 26th. My family and I went, we froze our butts off as it was very cold out but we had a blast! The Calgary Flames played against the Winnipeg Jets, with the Jets winning in overtime with a score of 2-1. All throughout the first two periods, the Jets (the best team, of course) were scoreless and at the end of the third, threw Calgary a curveball and secured an overtime win. My parents sat together and me and my sister sat together, at complete opposite sides of the stadium. 

 

(Pictured above: a beautiful view of my parents view from their seats) 

My sister and I realized we were sitting pretty much in the middle of the Calgary section. We were surrounded by (intoxicated) Flames fans and it was entertaining for the first bit of the game but eventually I got sick of them. If you haven’t figured out yet, we are die hard Winnipeg Jets all the way (Go Jets Go!); so we were very pleased by the result of the game! 

 

(Pictured above: My sister and I all bundled up sitting in our seats)


  

(Pictured above: The distances from Regina to Winnipeg and Calgary) 

Before the game started, singers Jess Moskaluke (who, fun fact, is from Langenburg, a town close to my hometown) and The Hunter Brothers sang a rendition of “The Middle” by Maren Morris. I realized after that they sang this because Regina is in the middle of Calgary and Winnipeg! The weather was very, very cold for the outdoor game. I saw on the jumbotron once that it was -3 C with 31km/hr winds! Our line of the night was that with the snow, it looked like we were in a snowglobe! 

 

(Pictured above: A panoramic picture that my mom took, featuring my dad on the far left) 


 

(Pictured above: A selfie of the whole gang all bundled up)


 

(Pictured above: a view of my sister and I’s seats) 


 

(Pictured above: Our view after Morgan and I(my sister) moved to the standing area for the last bit of the game) 


 

(Pictured above: My mom taking a selfie with Jet’s mascot, Benny) 


 

 

(Pictured above: Pregame activities) 



 

(Pictured above: Morgan and I socializing in our hotel bar before the game, drinking Diet Pepsi and Sprite) 


 

(Pictured above: The final score) 


As we were leaving the game, we were interviewed for CTV news! 

 

(Pictured above: The whole fam on TV!) 

In conclusion, I had a blast at the game. I would’ve appreciated it being a little warmer, but it was a great experience. GO JETS GO!


Remembering To Remember

Credit: Jolene Osztian

As the reading week approaches and the semester enters its final full month of classes, students begin focusing on the task of preparing for the upcoming exam season. The workload is heavy and demands our constant attention. The beginning of the month also brings about a ubiquity of the poppy, worn close to Canadian hearts who offer their remembrance on November 11th. Remembrance day marks a time during which the country extends its eternal gratitude for those individuals in military service. The day falls on the Monday of Brandon University’s reading week; accordingly, remembering to remember on the 11th is especially important during a time when papers, exams, and projects command our focus. 

Brandonites can attend a service in Westoba Place arena at the Keystone Centre on the 11th. Doors open at 9:30 AM and the ceremony begins with O’Canada at 10:40 AM. Following a moment of silence at 11:00 AM, the ceremony ends at 12:00 PM. Attending the ceremony is much more than mere attendance; one’s presence at the service is a symbolic gesture of thankfulness, support, and respect for those who have served, and those who continue to serve, in Canada’s military. More information on the event can be found on the Keystone Centre’s website’s Upcoming Events page. 

Credit: Jolene Osztian

If attending a ceremony does not conform to one’s schedule, pausing at 11:00 AM on the 11th to silently reflect on the service of our military is a simple but important action to take. The moment of silence, lasting for no more than a couple minute’s time, marks the time during which armistice became effective. Participating in the moment’s observance, however, signifies a deference for Canadian soldiers that extends beyond its first World War origin. Everyone who dons a uniform in service of our country deserves the respect of Canadians. One’s partaking in the moment of silence, whether at a service or not, ensures that one still sounds the trumpet call in mind and in heart.  

Death Café

Ready to talk about death? Few people are. Brandon University is hosting a Death Café next week to help people get comfortable in discussing death and mortality.

While death is a mysterious and often taboo subject in western society, people have questions, thoughts, and feelings about dying and death that they may be reluctant to express.

“A death café is an open forum discussion about death and dying and the thoughts, feelings, and questions we all have but may be reluctant to voice out loud,” said Sharran Mullins, an Assistant Professor in Psychiatric Nursing at BU. She and her third-year palliative care students are facilitating the death café. “I believe that having an opportunity like this will help our students (and us!) develop greater comfort in discussing death and dying, and will foster greater ‘death literacy’ in our community.”

A death café is not grief, individual, or group counselling, she notes. People should come prepared to share their thoughts and contribute to what is sure to be a lively and enlightening discussion.

A death café provides a safe environment in which to talk about death. The death café movement began in 2011 based on the work of Swiss sociologist and anthropologist Bernard Crettaz. Since their invention, death cafés spread quickly across Europe, North America, and Australasia.

“At a death cafe, people gather to eat cake, drink tea/coffee — Let death be not decaffeinated! — and discuss death. The objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.  It is an open-forum group discussion of dying and death, with no agenda.  It is a discussion group rather than grief support or counselling, and is not a substitute for these services.

As part of the course “Introduction to Palliative Care”, third-year Psychiatric Nursing students are hosting a death café on Oct. 30 from 7–8:30 p.m. at Brandon University in the Faculty of Health Studies room 043. All are welcome!

Halloween At Brandon University

The Brandon University Community in Action committee is hosting a campus Halloween Coffee Break to celebrate our campus United Way campaign. Join us at 10 a.m. in the Down Under. There will be prizes for staff and faculty costumes, as well as a prize draw for United Way pledges. Please bring a non-perishable food item to support the BUSU Food Bank.

Harvest Hall invites all families of ghouls and ghosts for a pre-trick-or-treat buffet starting at 4 p.m. The buffet is $12.95 and all kids under 7 eat free, with kids 8–15 half price. Price include meal, drink and dessert. The menu includes roasted leg of hangman, graveyard mac’n’cheese, ghoulish grilled cheese, bat wings and more…

While handing out candy to the kiddies, please watch for student union representatives collecting non-perishable food items for the BUSU and ACCSA food banks..

pc: JOlene osztian

Upcoming Halloween Food Drive

On Halloween night, students from BU and ACC have the chance to volunteer for the university’s food bank. It’s a great alternative to trick or treating. Wearing a costume is optional but fun. 

The event allows students to do something fun and safe on Halloween. It’s a wonderful way for the university to get canned good to be used over a longer period of time than perishable foods. 

Contact BUSU if this is something that interests you. If you are unable to go to the BUSU office, you can phone 204-727-9660 and a BUSU representative will help you sign up over the phone. In regards to the event, all volunteers are expected to meet at Samaritan House on October 31st at 5:00 pm. The event will run from 5:00-9:00pm. 

There is still time to take part if you so wish. 

Witches and Wicca

Are witches real? Well, have you ever had deja-vu? Consider that your intuition. Have you ever been stressed about your midterms, so you filled your bathtub with sweet smelling oils and soothing salt scrubs, maybe you lit a few candles? Sounds like a self-love spell to me. You wished you didn’t have to go to class, then it was cancelled? Manifested. Have you ever just – cleaned your room – because clutter gives you heavy negative energy? Look at you, performing whole cleansing rituals like a pro.

So, are witches real? Not the kind with green skin and an appetite for babies, but yes. They’re people who practice magick, directing and raising energies to serve a purpose. And if you haven’t noticed lately, witchcraft is having a moment. A whole magical moment. So let’s take you through the basics:

A witch is someone aware of their own power, and puts that power into action.

That’s it. No consumption of children’s souls required. 

Historically, an increased interest in witchcraft is synonymous with current society. The rise of witches is always rising parallel with another political or social movement. Because witchcraft is so easily malleable, you can make it whatever you want it to be. The witch trials were less a witch issue, and more so a response to a threatened patriarchy. Similar feminist ideologies were being brought to the forefront in the 1970s, along with a revival of modern witchcraft. In our current society, we’ve seen a steady rise in Feminism in the popular and political culture. Witchcraft urges you to practice positive self-love, and to “the witch is a woman fully in her power” translates perfectly to activists today. Of course, witchcraft doesn’t have a binary rule over it, and boys are witches too. Witches are inarguably having a large moment in the present, providing control, confidence, and accountability. 

There are so many common misconceptions about witches - and no - the E-girl in your gender studies class isn’t a witch. Okay, maybe she is. But the point is that witches don’t have a specific look. There are witches of all expressions and identities. Confusion corner is where Wicca rolls on in. Here’s a super simple graph to help:

WITCHCRAFT ≠ WICCA

Wicca is a religion associated with witchcraft. So, all Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccan. Kapiche? Witchcraft itself is a spirituality, a philosophy of life. There are wiccan witches, but there are also witches who practice Christianity, paganism, or atheism. When we think of witches, we usually imagine those creepy old gals from Macbeth, Hermonie Granger, or Angelina Jolie’s cheekbones in Maleficent. In reality, witchcraft really isn’t as cookie cutter friendly, as popular culture tropes would have you think. This is an overwhelmingly vast practice, with so many different types. There’s no specific look for a witch, and that makes witchcraft and each person’s personal practice, 100% their own. To name a couple types of crafts in the cauldron, kitchen witches use magic in cooking and baking, green witches use flowers, herbs, and other plants, cosmic witches employ astrology and planetary cycles. There are some crafts that also relate directly to indigenous shamanism or African hoodoo. Who knew?   

The most important step is to let go of fear. When we lack understanding for something, we tend to develop fear. For years, I had been mixing my own tea blends, collecting crystals, and taking bubble baths. The only change I’ve made is releasing the fear of people’s judgment and recognizing the magic in these activities. Witchcraft Is all about intention. If you have a purpose for drinking a cup of tea (i.e.  to relax), then congratulations – you’ve got a spell! Some people will absolutely drain others for the fun of having their tarot cards read but become uncomfortable the moment someone says “witch”. But as it happens, the more I hear someone say “witch” the more people seem to lift their heads to say “me too”. 


The Haunting Of The Hill Side House

“The House Isn’t Real. You’re Dead” 

That was my first thought when I was reading Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of The Hill House. From the beginning, signs that the main character Eleanor or Nelly was passing from reality to the afterlife/reincarnation kept popping up. Almost weed-like connections to another book, humanity’s forbidden book.  

pc: JOlene osztian

That book is the Tibetan Book of the Dead. For simplicity, only certain parts of the book will be used to explain the house. The actual name of the book Bardo Thodol can be translated as “in-between state and awakening”. The most relevant idea from the book of the dead is what happens to the person after death. At first, the person is considered in the in-between world, and in this stage as we’ll call it is where the person is dead by do not know that they are dead. It is also where the Buddhistic deities manifest, and because most people are unfamiliar with them, I will refer to Carl Jung’s archetypes instead. In the third stage and final stage, the person starts to see karmic illusions and things start to take a dark turn, in which awakening is usually reached.  

pc: JOlene osztian

On the way to the house, Eleanor sees relative to herself perfect houses she could settle down and live in. This is the point in the story when Eleanor is going to the in-between place or a terminal to the afterlife. That in-between place, in this case, is the hillside house itself. When she arrives, she is the first of all the guests to arrive, It’s possible that Mrs. Dudley can be thought of as part of the house itself, in the sense she is a clock. Notice how she never says anything more. Nor is she ever seen actually leaving the house or arriving. In the second stage, all of the objects are things from her past life. Eleanor was at the house far long ago in her childhood, so even the house is from her past life. The other guests arriving is the manifestation of the deities or the archetypes.The doctor is Jung’s archetype of the wise old man. Notice how only the doctor seems to know about the house and its past, and that he serves as a guide to the other in the story? Luke is the archetype of the animus, the masculine part of Eleanor’s psyche. Theodora is perhaps the easiest to see, Theodora is Eleanor’s shadow or the archetype of the shadow.  

When Eleanor starts transitioning to the final stage is when the house or in-between starts to do its spooky acts and illusions. When she starts seeing her karmic illusions is when the house fully turns “haunted” and this is also when the other guests in some sense turn against Eleanor and start to reject her “childish” acts and behaviour. It is easy to see when the final stage begins because everyone starts referring to Eleanor as Nelly, as does the house itself. Depending on how a person deals with these karmic illusions will influence what kind of life they will be reincarnated as. Because Nelly fails to let go, in other words, does not come to acceptance with impermanence, she ends up leaving the in-between in a horrible manner. She ends up crashing into a tree, after not allowing herself to let go of the house. However, then the question remains, when in the beginning of the book did, she actually die? 



Nightmares Of Midterms And Research Papers

With Reading Week approaching, there also comes the time for midterms and research papers. Sometimes this can give you nightmares (It’s certainly given me some odd ones). First step is to take a deep breath, exhale and do not panic, no matter how intense the nightmare was. One of the first steps is to look at your lecture notes and textbook to see what you need to keep ahold of in your mind. After that, go talk to your professor, they can help you figure out things you didn’t quite understand when you first attended the lecture. Create a plan of action to tackle the problems areas you have identified, collaborate with your professor and find ways to improve, snd to use the information the best way for you. 

You can also make appointments with various academic tutors or advisors at student services to get a bit of extra help. Join a study group, find someone who took the class previously to give you some tips, or explore the many other on campus and online resources available to help you out. There is someone out there who can help you before and after a midterm.

Just remember to look at all your options before you decide anything about the class, midterm and overall G.P.A. Don’t let the anxiety and nightmares of it get to you. It only seems spooky if you believe it is.

Interview with Dr. David Docherty.

On Tuesday October 22, 2019, The Quill had the opportunity to sit down and meet with BU’s new president. Our interview took place at Forbidden and during this time I was able to listen to him talk about his time in Mount Royal, as its university president and what future he saw from BU. 

Our interview began with the basics, I asked him what his first impression of BU were and his answer was “Clark Hall” He then further explained that the one thing he had noticed was the structure of Clark Hall and how it towered with it’s early 1900s’s structure. He said that at Mount Royal there was no building like Clark Hall. Brandon University is a mixture of old and new buildings and its charm seemed to impress our new president. Next, I asked him what he believed BU’s strengths were, he said that he believed the size of our university was its main strength. He said that as a smaller university more connections are built, and more people know each other. He also said that as a smaller university in a smaller city he felt as though he had lost the anonymity he possessed back in Calgary.  He further explained that in a smaller city where more of its population attended the university, many in the street would recognize him as that university’s president. 

My next question for Dr. Docherty was what he believed needed improvement. He said that the one thing he wanted to start improving was Brodie Building. No further details were given about his plans regarding Brodie Building simply that it was on the top of his list to improve. Following this question, I asked him what he hoped to accomplish during his presidential term. His answer came quickly. While there were a lot of things, he hoped to accomplish the main one was having the first award scholar or professor from BU. He said he believed students and professors alike had the potential and talent to win a national award. He said that he hoped to implement coaching workshops where students could be guided through the application and interviewing process of applying for an award. 

I asked him how his past administrative experience at Mount Royal was and how it would hep him with administering BU. This question also lead to an answer for another question about the reduction in the operating grant from the province that BU will have to face. For his administration time at Mount Royal he said that it had been his first time as a president and that of course there were ups and downs but that he was proud of what the school had accomplished. He said that during his presidency he put greater focus on students obtaining a bachelor’s degree. By the end of his term more students were choosing a four-year degree rather than a two-year degree. Now as his presidency begins at BU, he has experience in dealing with any ups and downs that a university may face. Relating to the budget cut that BU will face, he said that during his time in Mount Royal budget cuts were made, and he got through them. He went on to say that while nobody liked budget cuts, they were still going to be made and all you could do was get through them. 

When asked about his commitment to diversity, transparency, personal accessibility and community building and how it will influence his administration of BU he said that BU already possessed many of the aspects he was committed to. He said that there were gender neutral washrooms across campus and that he was happy to see all the personal accessibility implementations at BU. He went on to discuss how his commitment to those ideals were implemented at Mount Royal University and said that one of the first things he had done had been to make sure the administration was made up more than just men. Equality and diversifying with the higher ups is a big priority for him. He also said that he made sure the administration had diversity regarding each member’s sexual orientation. He said that diversity created more opinions and thus more problems could be solved. 

As our interview came to an end, I could not help but ask why his hiring process had seemed to drag. He said that while he was very excited to begin his presidency at BU, he had promised his daughter she would be able to graduate high school in Calgary. He believes that family is very important and that promises made must be kept. Therefore, he began his presidency in May and because of this, we had interim president Dr. Steve Robinson up until April.

Brandon University will be lucky to have Dr. David Docherty as its president for the next few years and Brandon University welcomes him with open arms. He is incredibly accessible, and he encourages students to feel comfortable talking to him as he believes that being the president of a university, an essential part of his role is to get to know his students better.