ANIME NORTH

This past weekend, I spent my time in Toronto enjoying the celebration. The celebration in question was Anime North. For those of you who don't know what that is, Anime North is a convention for anime (Japanese cartoon) and manga (Japanese comic book) and other similar video games or cartoons to gather for a weekend of fun. Generally, people will make a costume, also known as a cosplay, and attend the festivities in their cosplay. The ticket is somewhat pricey ($50-$60), though it is a great experience. It is a good way to meet new people with whom you share similar interests, and the cosplays are always cool to look at. This year's event was held at the Toronto Congress Centre, with hundreds of vendors selling mangas, animes, plushies, food, art, and cosplays. Dances are held, music is played, and it is a weekend of fun and laughter. The best way to fully experience the convention and enjoy yourself is to rent a hotel room (there are many nearby because it is several blocks from the airport) with some friends and split the cost of the room. Three friends and I reserved a room in January and several hotels were already booked to capacity, so booking early is necessary. We had lots of fun meeting new people and seeing all the cosplays, we are even planning on attending next year. I would strongly recommend you attend as well if you are interested in anime or manga, or if your friends ask you to go. It was a great experience and I expect next year to be even better!

Doberman Pinscher

Several friends and I are looking into buying an apartment together, a three bedroom all inclusive if we can manage that. It's got me thinking, wishing really, that maybe we can get one that allows pets so that I can finally get that puppy I've always wanted. that red-brown Doberman Pinscher puppy with the rust markings and docked tail. My dream puppy, so to speak. But does that dream puppy have to be red or fawn? Of course not. A black or steel blue with rust markings would be fine by me. I've just always had this urge, a passion for Dobermans. I want my Doberman puppy, I yearn for that puppy. I even like Rottweilers. I like Rottys so much in fact that I would consider getting a Doberman-Rottweiler mix to give my Dobbie more muscle, making it broader and less likely to suffer from Wobbler's Syndrome.

Farmers: The Real Cowboys.

The men of the south are some of the most intriguing specimens I have come across: tans that radiate in the sun, bright eyes that glow in the afternoon rays, luscious locks of wind-messed hair, and muscles that are positively to die for. That is how the media portrays cowboys. Adonis-like men who slave the fields and bless the world with their picture-perfect figures. Who creates these images of gorgeous men who work hard to make a living? The media! Sure, there are those with tans and bulging muscles, but are they as perfect as the media portrays? Of course not, everybody has flaws, whether it be in personality or physical appearance of mental capacity.  So who are the real cowboys? Men who work the fields all day, too busy doing the chores and praying for God to answer their prayers and let their next crop bring in enough money to pay their bills. Those are the real, genuine cowboys, the ones who work hard all day under the blistering sun so that they can make enough to keep their house and feed their family. I find myself falling for the glamorized images of 'cowboys' with perfect tans and muscles the size of my thighs.. but they aren't the real deal. Real cowboys don't pretend to be who they're not, they simply work hard and live their lives with conviction. Ever heard a country song? Those are the real cowboys singing, they sing about the real hardships of life and what the farmers face each and every day with the rising sun. The hardships that come with working the farm, where their livelihood rests on the unpredictable weather which could drown or starve their crops. As you sit down for supper tonight, think about those farmers who produced your food. Who raised that chicken and that cow? Who grew those carrots and those peas? Say a little prayer for the farmers, the real cowboys, who worked all day so that you could sit down to your evening meal. The next time you find yourself loving those pictures of playboy cowboys from magazines, think of the real cowboys who deserve your respect and your thanks, because it's those everyday farmers who feed the cities with nothing but their calloused hands and the sweat on their brow.