March 2018 t8nmagazine.com
St. Albert Community Hall Then & Now
Oh, Baby!
Have We Got Some Recipes for You!
Tattoo Removal
Now You See It…
8 Tips for Finding Your First Job
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March 2018
Contents CONVERSATIONS 6 Mourning, Noon & Night
Dealing with loss and the grieving process
CITY 9 In Bloom
Celebrating the moment with flowers
12 MEET YOU THERE
Modern Moma Where St. Albert moms meet
15 COMMUNITY CALENDAR LIVING 17 FOOD & GATHERINGS
ARTS & CULTURE 24 IN THE SPOTLIGHT
22 TRULY DEEPLY MADLY
26 THEN & NOW
Oh, Baby! Add some yum to your baby shower May We Suggest… A Meet-Our-Baby Plan Voicing your wishes to well-wishers
Ginger Spicing things up for 5,000 years
St. Albert Community Hall Then & Now
28 The 8s
Wanted: You! 8 tips for finding your first job
TRENDING 30 Now You See It...
Making unwanted ink disappear
32 Binge-watch (v.) ABOUT THE COVER "A party without cake is just a meeting." —Julia Child IMAGE BY BRENDA LAKEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
The start of a new tradition
T8N March 2018  3
From the Editor
T8N MAGAZINE
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 March 2018
E V E N T F U L . I T ’S O N E of t hose word s
t h a t d iv ide . S ome p e o ple s e e it a nd think, “Oooh, exciting!” Others wrinkle their foreheads and squint suspiciously. I, unequivocally, belong to the latter group— Team Squint (In unsubstantiated skepticism we trust!). Perhaps it’s the writer in me that leaps to fill in the blanks, but given the opportunity, my imagination will always get CARMEN D. HRYNCHUK the better of me. But isn’t that also kind of EDITOR-IN-CHIEF wonderful? Indulging in that moment when anything and everything seems infinitely possible? It’s with that same spirit of wonder that we explore life’s eventful moments in this month’s issue of T8N. And we’re starting with goodbyes… Loss and the grieving process are both things we are all too familiar with. Yet despite their universality, we all deal with them differently. In this month’s feature article, Mourning, Noon & Night, we explore some ways to deal with loss and understand the grieving process. From there, we switch gears and head out to Swish Flowers to marvel at how flowers help us commemorate our most meaningful moments. Speaking of meaningful moments…
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
PUBLISHER
Carmen D. Hrynchuk
Rob Lightfoot ART DIRECTION
Carmen D. Hrynchuk, Brenda Lakeman PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT & DESIGN
Correna Saunders, Bruce Timothy Keith PHOTOGRAPHY
Brenda Lakeman FOOD STYLING
Little Fire Creative SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Tricia Tuchscherer EDITORIAL INTERN
Markwell Lyon DESIGN INTERN
Kim Clarke CONTRIBUTORS
Jaclyn Dawn, Shawna Dirksen, Jennie Drent, Robert Michon OFFICE MANAGER
Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES
Anyone planning a baby shower? Have we got a menu for you! From doughnuts and cocktails to a french-fry bar, this month’s recipe section is a stereotypesmashing party. Ready to join and raise a glass? Well then, here’s to life and all its paths and hands to hold while walking them.
Image page 6 ©RetroColoring/Adobe Stock Image page 8 ©Helder Sousa/Adobe Stock Image page 22 ©Anastasia Popova/Adobe Stock Image page 24 © tashka2000/Adobe Stock Image page 25 ©Jenifoto/Adobe Stock Image page 28 ©egokhan/Adobe Stock Image page 29 ©nnnnae/Adobe Stock
Happy March, everyone.
ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)
For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com.
Feature Writers
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION
MARKWELL LYON
Mark is a writer and occasional editor who is currently studying professional communication at MacEwan University. He has mostly lived in Edmonton and Seoul, Korea.
JACLYN DAWN
Jaclyn craves new stories, destinations and challenges. With a communications degree and masters in creative writing, she works as a freelance writer and instructor. She currently lives in St. Albert where her greatest, ongoing adventure is raising her son. Visit T8Nmagazine.com to meet the rest of our team and regular contributors.
Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com T8N magazine is published 12 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2018 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine. PRINTED IN CANADA
T8N PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT
Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com Snailmail: #176, 311 Bellerose Drive, St.Albert AB T8N 5C9
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T8N March 2018 5
Conversations
MOURNING,
NOON & NIGHT
Dealing with loss and the grieving process BY MARKWELL LYON
LOSS, AND THE grief that often fol-
lows it, a re normal pa rts of life. Even so, the symptoms of grief can be varied and intense for many people. While this can make grief extra challenging to get through, there are things we can do—for ourselves and for each other—to help ease the experience. As painful and long-lasting as grief can be, it helps to remember that it’s also part of a healing process, which in the long term
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helps us recover and move forward with our lives. Here are some tips for understanding and dealing with the grieving process.
Stages of Grief Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. These are the five stages of grief, formulated by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in the late 60s. The Kübler-Ross model, as it became known, emerged from Kübler-Ross’s attempt to describe some of the common emotional stages she observed in terminally ill patients as they approached the end of their lives. Kübler-Ross and others later expanded the model’s scope to include other sources of grief, such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the end of a close relationship—even the disappointment that follows an election defeat. And though the model has been criticized for a lack of hard evidence, it has nonetheless struck a chord with the public for the way it portrays grieving as a process with a manageable emotional arc.
The five stages of grief, however, do not accurately describe the mourning process for everyone. Since grief is a very personal matter, it plays out differently for each person and situation. So despite the five stages appearing to follow each other in neat order, grievers will often discover that the experience is anything but neat and orderly. Some will go through all the stages, but in a different order, and others will experience certain stages but not others. The important thing to remember is that grief that follows its own course is by no means abnormal or unhealthy.
Ways of Dealing with Grief Looking at grief as a process, as well as a healthy reaction to the shock and pain of loss, might provide some hope for those struggling with it. No matter how long or difficult the road may appear, recovery is certainly possible. For those experiencing grief, the tips and practices below may provide some comfort.
Acknowledge Your Feelings The loss of someone close to you, or some other dramatic life change, can be devastating. In the wake of such an event, a person may experience a rollercoaster of intense emotions. Along with profound sadness, feelings like anger, guilt, shock and disbelief can come in waves, often when least expected. Even more confusingly, these feelings may be mixed with moments of happiness or hope. Coping with all this can be physically and mentally exhausting, overwhelming the mourner and making everyday tasks unexpectedly difficult.
In the aftermath of a loss, it’s important to remember that while the mourning process is rarely predictable or easy, it is the mind’s own way of processing what has happened. And the flood of emotions that follows is a normal part of the process. No matter how painful or intense, your feelings are your own, and you have every right to feel them. Acknowledging this is a crucial step to eventually accepting loss, as it allows you to mourn in a way that’s healthy and to eventually adapt to the loss that you’ve experienced.
Talk About It with Others Talking about your grief with those around you can also be really beneficial. It gives you the opportunity to explore the way you’re feeling, which helps you understand those feelings better. You may find that others have similar experiences, too. Sharing those stories may help you to realize that you’re not alone in your feelings. This can be really beneficial to a bereaved person, who may very well be feeling isolated because of their emotions. Those other people might also be able to offer advice or resources that could be useful, or simply help you with practical matters that might feel overwhelming at the moment. Often, though, there’s a lot of value in simply communicating. It helps you get things off your chest, and it also signals to others—who might not otherwise know—that you’re not yet feeling like yourself and may need more time to recover.
Give Yourself Time to Heal Contrary to a certain saying, time doesn’t necessarily heal all wounds. Time can help
COMPLICATED GRIEF Complicated grief is defined as a chronic mental health condition and is distinguishable from regular grief by the following symptoms: • Excessive longing for a deceased person • Difficulty accepting a loved one’s death • Unhealthy focus on reminders of loved one • Detachment and withdrawal • Profound sadness • Inability to enjoy life • Irritability and bitterness • Mistrust of others
dull the intensity of a loss, but grief is often long-lasting and can even be cyclical, rushing back at unexpected times and with surprising intensity. Mourners may feel renewed pain on significant dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries, and even seasons can trigger unwanted feelings and memories. When coping with grief, it’s good to remember that these resurgences are entirely natural. Although there is no timeline for overcoming grief, the passage of time, when combined with positive influences, does tend to be beneficial. As the American Psychological Association states on its website, “most people can recover from loss on their own through the passage of time if they have social support and healthy habits.” Though time helps, many mourners will still need to do other things to heal fully. In other words, the process of grief is unique to each person and requires patience.
Find a Grief Counsellor It’s become quite common for people to seek professional help when confronted with loss and trauma. Grief counselling, a type of psychotherapy, specializes in exactly that need. Grief counsellors can be located in many hospitals, hospices and funeral homes, as well as through provincial health authorities and various organizations. There is, however, some debate over how effective grief counselling is. Ruth Davis Konigsberg, the author of The Truth about Grief, writes about research suggesting that even though grief counselling doesn’t hurt, it also doesn’t help most people get over grief any more than the passage of time. However, Konigsberg does point out that grief counselling shows “a benefit when […] targeted at people displaying marked difficulties adapting to loss.” In other words, when a person feels “stuck” in grief
T8N March 2018 7
and doesn’t seem to be recovering, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a licensed professional. Alberta Health Services’ Grief Support Program offers counselling services for individuals, families and groups.
Look After Yourself Grief has a way of making day-to-day life more difficult than usual. For many mourners, routine decisions, chores and errands become difficult to process, much less carry out. Unfortunately, that means looking after oneself also becomes a challenge. Some people may lose their appetites and stop eating regularly, and some may be tempted to self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs. For those reasons, looking after one’s health becomes especially important when dealing with grief. Physical and mental health are tied to one another in many ways, and grief can weaken the body, making it vulnerable to sickness. One 2014 study at the University of Birmingham in the UK found that elderly people experiencing grief became more susceptible to infectious disease. Research has also linked grief to other ailments, such as increases in blood pressure and physical pain. Fortunately, by focusing on healthy eating and getting enough sleep and exercise, bereaved people can improve their well-being, both physically and mentally. As difficult as it may seem, doing the little things health-wise can provide the early steps to an overall recovery.
Do the Things You Love Starting a new hobby, pastime or ritual, or continuing an old one, can also do wonders for the healing process. Just having something enjoyable to focus on can provide a welcome break from the emotional grind of grief. A hobby that involves making or studying things generally requires concentration, providing an opportunity to shut out the world and its problems for a portion of the day. Regular activities also have the value of providing the stabilizing influence and comfort of a routine that one can look forward to. While solo activities are fine, and may well be preferred, activities that involve others have the added benefit of bringing a grieving person into closer contact with others. This can provide the social support that some mourners might benefit from and can also widen a person’s social circles.
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Help Others Deal with Pain
BOOKS ABOUT GRIEF
Just as it helps to talk to others about your loss, so too can it be very therapeutic to offer your ear to someone who is also going through grief. This may be difficult to think about early on in your own recovery. But when you’re ready to do so, turning your loss and your process for dealing with it into a shareable experience can be great for your own healing. Helping others typically feels good, and using your experience to comfort others can help give some meaning to your own grief. So, how does one best help? Often, just being there to listen and spend time with a bereaved friend will be enough. You could also offer to take care of some chores and errands that might be a little overwhelming, especially if your friend’s loss is fresh.
A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis On Death and Dying, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Tiger Eyes, Judy Blume Motherless Daughters, Hope Edelman The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion The Rules of Inheritance, Claire Bidwell-Smith Wave, Sonali Deraniyagala H Is for Hawk, Helen Macdonald
Remember & Celebrate For many people, the goal may be to get to a point where the memory of a loved one can be positive and happy, rather than painful. As we’ve seen though, grief can be unpredictable. It may always be there in some form, or it may come back from time to time. Though it’s difficult to know what lies ahead, mourners may still benefit by trying to remember and honour their loved ones, even if those memories are occasionally tinged with pain. Besides memorializing them, such gestures can help grievers frame their loss in a way that feels positive and respectful.
A common and easy way to remember a loved one is to keep a few mementos to display. Framing photos of happy times, for example, can help you celebrate the life of a loved one rather than remembering the details of their passing. The City of Edmonton’s Benchmark Program makes it possible for people to memorialize their loved ones by creating a new bench or adding a small plaque to an existing bench. Many other municipalities have similar programs. There are any number of ways to memorialize a loved one, and it might be something you want to discuss with family or friends. Whatever you settle on, such gestures can help keep a person alive in memory, celebrating all the ways that they touched the lives of those around them. t8n
In Bloom
Celebrating the moment with flowers
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT flowers that speaks to our
appreciation for the here and now. Their immediacy and beauty can add meaning to a moment, and few life events are marked without the giving or receiving of them. Not that that’s anything new, of course. People have been expressing their feelings with flowers for thousands of years. Even the ancient Egyptians decorated banquet tables and honoured their dead with lotus blossoms. Nowadays, there seems to be a flower (or several) for every occasion, no matter what time of year it is.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY WORDS BY MARKWELL LYON
No one knows that better than floral artist Justine Melnychuk.
“Flowers have this power to tap into our n ostalgia and our love of nature. People are drawn to them for a reason.” Recently, Melnychuk gave us a peek behind the scenes at Swish Flowers, sharing what it is that draws her—and so many others—to things that bloom. Take a look.
T8N March 2018 9
Justine Melnychuk, Floral Artist, Swish Flowers
Melnychuk has been with Swish almost from the beginning. Joining the staff in 2005, the year after the original Terwillegar location opened, she continued as a part-timer while completing her university education. Later, she returned to help Swish expand to Sherwood Park and St. Albert, becoming the company’s “Director of Flow” in the process. The unusual job title refers to the fact that Melnychuk sees to a bit of everything, from the back end to the front. That includes the hard work that goes into processing and maintaining flowers. “It’s a very physical job,” she says. “There’s always so much to do when you’re dealing with something that’s living and fresh and needs your constant attention.”
One of Melnychuk’s many jobs is designing arrangements for events. The process starts with a face-to-face consultation, which gives her a sense of a client’s aesthetic and inspirations. From there she comes up with a design that is practical and also respects the client’s vision. “You’re kind of like a curator,” she says. “You edit other people’s ideas so that those ideas become realistic. But you also want to honour their vision.” From consultation to design to delivery and set-up, the time frame can vary greatly, from half a year for some weddings to only a couple of weeks for a funeral. When it comes to smaller, individual creations, the process and attention to detail are much the same. Everything is made to order, whether it’s a bouquet for a friend or a flower crown for a dog. Still, some basic ideas have proven to be hits, such as the “fishbowl” arrangements that the Swish staff came up with a few years ago. Flowers were encased inside clear glass bowls, turning the typical vase arrangement inside-out. “From every angle it’s beautiful, like a jewel you can set on a table or counter,” says Melnychuk of the popular arrangements.
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Like any other creative field, floral design sees trends come and go. Currently, greenery is very much in style, with designers using fewer flowers and more shrubs and ferns. Ultimately though, one can’t just chase trends. As Melnychuk puts it, “You have to be able to trust your instinct if you think something is beautiful and timeless.” And what does Melnychuk think is beautiful and timeless? The answer changes frequently: “Whatever’s the freshest, whatever’s in season,” she says, using summerblooming burgundy dahlias as an example. “When it’s here you love it, and then it’s gone and you wait till next year when it’s back again.”
Perhaps it’s that fleeting quality of flowers that makes them the perfect symbol for commemorating the constant change in our own lives. As Melnychuk puts it, “The most beautiful things in life sometimes are that bliss or that moment of perfection which is the flower bloom… That’s what makes them special. You just get a moment with them.” t8n Special thanks to Sarasota Homes and our lovely models. T8N March 2018 11
Meet You There
MODERN MAMA Where St. Albert moms meet
AS LIVES CHANGE, so do friendships—and
having a child is the mother of all life changes. Before kids, friendly banter consisted of who’s binge-watching what on Netflix or what to do when your co-worker steals your lunch from the office fridge. After kids, topics such as nipple confusion, controlled crying and 12 T8Nmagazine.com
pumping-and-dumping take over. The problem is, if your child-free friends still think a blowout is something you get at a salon, you may find yourselves growing apart. Fortunately, you are not alone. Many new moms face this phenomenon, and there is support in St. Albert, by the name of Modern Mama.
Modern Mama, which launched in 2008 in Edmonton, is a network for moms who have kids that are five years old and younger. With a mission to “get moms out of the house,” this successful business started by organizing local meet-ups for new moms. Since then, Modern Mama has grown exponentially—it’s added more locations, developed a strong social-media presence, created a blog full of valuable information for new moms and partnered with local businesses to offer discounts and product giveaways. “We are an online and in-person resource for moms in our community,” says Leah Doyle, Modern Mama’s Area Director for St. Albert and North Edmonton. “I organize an event each month, I post on the blog and on social media and I love working with small businesses in the community.”
FUN FACT Modern Mama has four locations in Alberta, including St. Albert/ North Edmonton, Edmonton, Spruce Grove/Stony Plain and Calgary, as well as locations in BC, Manitoba and Ontario. Doyle has been with Modern Mama for a little over a year. “I had just had my second child, and I was looking for reviews of an indoor playground. I found Modern Mama online and reached out. I started in Sherwood Park but took over St. Albert and north Edmonton after a few months.” Since joining Modern Mama, Doyle has hosted all kinds of events. “Every spring, Spruce Grove, Edmonton and St. Albert come together to host the Bump Brunch, which is for expectant moms. In the fall we host the Hottest Tot Products event … I’ve organized monthly mixers at the St. Albert Art Gallery and Dynamyx Gymnastics. We’ve done a baby barre class at Sculpt Barre and a swim class at Paul Sadler Swimland … we’ve also done workshops, like for CPR.”
As if forging friendships at monthly meet-ups and on social networks isn’t enough, Doyle says Modern Mama members also get discounts from local businesses and are privy to product giveaways. “We do a lot of giveaways, at least one a month sometimes more. We recently gave away Pura Botanicals perfume, also things like tickets to family shows at the Arden Theatre. The local businesses we partner with also offer discounts to our members.”
Doyle encourages any new mom in St. Albert looking for local connections to reach out to her. “We have an open atmosphere—not intimidating. Quite often our members become friends. It’s great to see.” With a network of moms who can relate to sleep training, soothers and sleepless nights, Modern Mama gives St. Albert’s mamas a perfect reason to “get out of the house.” t8n
MODERN MAMA AT A GLANCE Location: Online at www.modernmama.com/ stalbert and at events throughout St. Albert and north Edmonton St. Albert & North Edmonton Area Director/Licensee: Leah Doyle
Doyle says attending Modern Mama events is a great way to meet other moms in person, but moms can also connect and learn online. “On the blog, I post a lot of local reviews and offer tips, like what to feed a picky eater— parenting-type stuff. Our group is active on Instagram and Facebook, too. I try to post something there every day.”
Specialties: Connecting local moms and sharing information about motherhood. Interesting Fact: March marks Modern Mama’s 10th anniversary! The business will celebrate with local and national giveaways for members. Leah Doyle, Director, Modern Mama. T8N March 2018 13
Menu” has also expanded to give the kids and those with smaller appetites more variety beyond the usual chicken strips and fries. But good food is only part of Toast’s success. Arun, the kitchen manager, keeps the behindthe-scenes action running smoothly, and Aileen, the floor manager, makes sure the servers have bottomless “Irish hospitality.”
Irish Facts
Toast Breakfast & Lunch If you’re in the neighbourhood…
W
hen Ann Brady opened Toast in St. Albert three years ago, little did she know how well the restaurant would be received. She had owned several tea rooms in Ireland, so when she opened Toast here, she offered a menu of Canadian breakfast classics with an Irish flair. And the reviews and awards speak to Toast’s success: 2016 and 2017 Best of T8N winner for breakfast and brunch; 2016 Ignite Award of Distinction; 2017 St. Albert Gazette Readers’ Choice Award winner for breakfast. Due to this success, Ann opened a second location last September in Sherwood Park. And just as with the St. Albert location, finding the right space was key. “It’s ideal: a corner unit so I get lots of light, there’s a patio for spring and summer, and the size is just big
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enough to seat 120 people,” says Ann. The opening was much less stressful thanks to her St. Albert staff. They knew people in their “work circle” who were looking for a job, plus they had the whole summer to train the new Sherwood Park staff. “We opened mid-week, and by the weekend we all felt like we had been there forever,” smiles Ann. Along with a new location, there’s a new menu. The favourites, however, still remain: “The Surfer” eggs benedict, the full Irish or English breakfast and the classic burger. One of the new items on offer is the Irish eggs benedict: you can order your poached eggs soft, medium or hard, and it comes on toasted Irish bread, Irish bacon, black and white pudding patties all topped with a horseradish infused hollandaise sauce. The “Little Ones
1. The White House was designed by Irishman James Hoban. 2. Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick, wasn’t even Irish. 3. Ireland’s national symbol isn’t a shamrock; it’s a harp. 4. Barack Obama’s great-great-great grandfather was from Ireland. 5. Ireland can fit into Canada 118 times. These two factors are why Toast has loyal customers. Apart from making sure cups have coffee and the food tastes good, the staff chats with customers as if they’re all having breakfast together. And Aileen not only knows the regulars’ usual orders, she’s also become friends with a few of them. “Yesterday’s Sunday brunch [in St. Albert] was our longest wait time; it was 45 minutes. But a regular who is 85-years-old waited, and she even gave me a big hug afterwards,” recalls Aileen. At Toast, not only can you eat good food that’s a blend of cultural favourites, but you’ll also receive Irish hospitality from 7 am, seven days a week in two Edmonton area locations.
11 Bellerose Drive, St. Albert • Call 780-328-4500 This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Toast and T8N magazine.
EVENT
COMMUNITY
CALENDAR
Things to do, watch, hear and see this March.
Luchkow-Jarvis Duo The St. Albert Chamber Music Society presents Paul Luchkow and Michael Jarvis. Formed in 2007, the Luchkow-Jarvis Duo focuses on violin and keyboard sonatas and uses historical period instruments to bring audiences closer to the music experience that composers would have intended when they were written. Date: March 10 Location: Red Willow Place, 7 Tache Street For more info visit: stalbertchambermusic.ca
EXHIBIT
Taste of Science / La Science A Bon Goût If you haven’t visited, don’t wait much longer. This is the last month that this bilingual and interactive exhibit will be on display. This informative journey about food will cover fermentation, microbes, fungi and food spoilage, while you walk through giant food containers. Date: On until March 25 Location: Musée Héritage Museum, 5 St. Anne Street For more info visit: museeheritage.ca
EVENT
Ballet Jörgen
EVENT
Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen’s Show This annual event will have something for every sportsman out there. Enjoy chainsaw carving, kids’ trout fishing, outdoor stage shows, boat sales and more. Representatives from National Archery in the Schools Program and North Lights Fly Fishers will also be on site.
Canada’s own Ballet Jörgen returns to St. Albert to perform the classic story Anastasia. The incredible sets, costumes and dancing will bring to life this fascinating mystery of what may have happened to the 17-year-old daughter of the Russian Tsar during the 1918 Russian Revolution. Date: March 15 Location: Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street For more info visit: stalbert.ca/exp/arden t8n
Date: March 15 to 18 Location: Edmonton Expo Centre, 7300-116 Avenue For more info: edmontonboatandsportshow.ca
EVENT
STARFest Presents Mary Walsh This rescheduled event welcomes Mary Walsh to St. Albert to discuss her first novel, Crying for the Moon. Walsh is best known for being the creator of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and the writer of the Gemini Award-winning Hatching, Matching and Dispatching. Tickets for the November 6 show will be honoured.
READY TO HAVE FUN THIS SUMMER? DiscoverE Engineering & Science Camps deliver fun and engaging activities at the University of Alberta to get kids excited about science. Register today before camps are full! www.discovere.ualberta.ca
Date: March 4 Location: Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street
FA C U LT Y O F
ENGINEERING
For more info visit: starfest.ca T8N March 2018 15
Weary & Co Law Office
Christine Maloney
A
Will is one of the few documents most people believe they have plenty of time to make. However, it usually gets put off until the average age of retirement. But dying without a Will could see your Estate dispersed in a way you did not intend, and any minor children go to a person chosen by the Courts. In this series of articles, we’ll illustrate some of the aspects of estate planning documents and the decision-making process that goes into them by following a young couple as they prepare their own estate. Meet Tommy and Gina. They’re in their mid20s and have been married for four years. Both have steady employment and have just bought a house. They have a two-year-old son with a second on the way. With the birth of their second child in a few months, they wanted to make sure nothing was left out of their control in case something unforeseen occurs. Like most married couples, they named each other Executors and are the main beneficiaries of the other’s Estate. But, what would happen if they both died while their children were still quite young? Who would take care of their kids the way 16 T8Nmagazine.com
Making the harder decisions early, Meet Tommy and Gina they want their kids to be raised? They considered each of their siblings. Tommy’s brother is 18-years-old and just entered university. Though he is the legal age to be a guardian in Alberta, they felt he’s still too young to take care of two young children.
Did You Know?
If you don’t have a Will, children have full access to their inheritance when they reach the age of majority (18 years in Alberta). Provisions can be put in a Will to limit the child’s access to his/ her inheritance until an older age. Gina’s sister and brother-in-law have a family of their own, but there are complications—the brother-in-law may have a small addiction to painkillers after a nasty car accident two years
ago. Would this addiction have an impact on his parenting later on, even though right now both parents are devoted to their own three kids? They considered their own parents. Both sets of parents are in their mid-50s and are in good health. Gina’s parents now live in New Brunswick, a province they don’t know very well; whereas Tommy’s parents live locally in St. Albert. The young couple like St. Albert, its school systems, daycare facilities and kid-friendly atmosphere, so they decided to name his parents as guardians as it would ensure their children would get the best possible childhood growing up. They named two alternate guardians as a safety net in case Tommy’s parents were unable to take on the responsibility after the Will was made legal.
400 30 Green Grove (780) 459-5596 wearyco.com This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Weary & Co. and T8N magazine.
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B a , b h y
Food & Gatherings
Add some yum to your baby shower MOVE OVER, fi nger sandwiches. This baby shower is more
of a doughnut affair. In fact, our entire menu is an offering of stereotype-smashing deliciousness. And for good reason—baby showers can be boring! There, we said it. Between the mingling with guests you don’t know and finding out that there will be baby games, a great cocktail
and doughnut can help a shy guest settle in and feel more at home. And did we mention the french-fry bar? Yup. It’s officially a party. And so it should be! A baby shower is a celebration, and a special one at that. So bring your best you and a little extra room—for doughnuts! Oh, baby!
T8N March 2018 17
Carrot Cupcake Rattles Old-fashioned carrot cake adds the perfect hint of nostalgia to a family gathering. This cupcake version will steal the show. 1 cup walnut oil 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cardamom 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups finely grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup raisins (or dried cranberries) 2 tsp grated orange zest For the decorations Store-bought cream-cheese frosting Smarties Suckers Ribbon
Preheat your oven to 350˚F, and line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners. To a large mixing bowl, add the oil, sugar and eggs and beat until combined. In a second mixing bowl, mix together the flour, soda, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet, and stir just to combine. Add the carrots, walnuts, raisins and orange zest, and mix again. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes (until golden). Cool the cupcakes on a rack. To decorate, place a cup of the frosting in a shallow bowl, and warm it in the microwave until it begins to melt and pool. Next frost each cupcake with the warm frosting, and let set. Decorate with candy, add a sucker ”handle,”adorned with a ribbon bow.
Doughnut Rattles If you like our Carrot Cupcake Rattles but would love not to bake, try this adorable version with mini doughnuts. Mini doughnuts, unglazed and un-sugared Store-bought cream-cheese frosting Candy sprinkles (candy confetti) Suckers Ribbon
Place a cup of the frosting in a shallow bowl, and warm it in the microwave until it begins to melt and pool. Next dip one side of each doughnut in the warm frosting, and place on wax paper, frosting-side up. Sprinkle immediately with candy confetti, and let set. Add a sucker “handle,” adorned with a ribbon bow.
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Sorbet Mom-osa Great cocktails make for happy guests. And less grumbling about baby-shower games… 2L of your favourite sorbet 1 bottle of sparkling rosé (dry and fruity, not sweet) Berries, to garnish
Place two scoops of sorbet in a wine glass, and top with sparkling rosé. Garnish with a few berries, and dig in.
Raspberry Fizz Mocktail Flat water does not a party make. Make an impression with this non-alcoholic mocktail. 750 mL bottle of raspberry Italian soda, chilled (or whatever flavour you like) 750 mL bottle of sparkling water, chilled 1 cup white grape juice, chilled Juice of 2 limes 12 mint leaves 2 cups frozen grapes, to garnish (and they double as ice cubes!) Fresh raspberries, to garnish Lemon slices, to garnish
Place a few handfuls of ice cubes in a pitcher, and top with the Italian soda, sparkling water, grape juice and lime juice. Next, add the mint leaves, frozen grapes, raspberries and lemon slices. Stir, and serve.
Clam Chowder with Warm Salsa This one-pot wonder is just the right bowl of yum to warm up a casual get-together. 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp butter 2 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp anchovy paste) 1 medium onion, peeled and diced 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced 3 large carrots, peeled and diced 3 celery stalks, diced 1 cup white wine 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 3 cups vegetable stock 3 cups 2% milk 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly ground pepper 2 142-gm cans of whole baby clams, drained
3 cod fillets, cut into large bite-sized portions 1 handful freshly chopped parsley For the warm salsa 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 large tomatoes, chopped 2 scallions, chopped 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen) 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1/4 cup baby arugula or baby beet greens
Warm the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the anchovy fillets, and stir them until they dissolve into the oil. Next, add the onions, fennel, carrots and celery. Cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Turn up the heat to medium-high, and add the white wine. Cook stirring until the wine barely covers the bottom of the pot, then sprinkle in the flour, and continue to stir for 1 minute more. Pour in the vegetable stock and milk, and stir. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and clams, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Add the cod and chopped parsley to the simmering soup, and cook covered for 10 minutes. While the cod cooks, prepare the warm salsa by heating the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then adding all the other ingredients. Toss to combine, and just until warmed through (2 minutes). Taste the soup, adjust the salt and pepper to your liking and serve in cups or bowls with a generous topping of salsa. T8N March 2018  19
Horshradish Aoli This “cheater” aoli is a gamechanger. And your french fries will agree. 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1 tbsp yellow mustard 1 tbsp grainy mustard 2 tsp prepared horseradish sauce 1 tsp salt 1 tsp grated lemon zest 1 clove garlic, minced
Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and stir until combined. Taste, adjust the salt to your liking and serve alongside a giant plate of french fries.
Parsley Lemon Salt Parsley’s bright and slightly grassy flavour pairs beautifully with salt and lemon zest—and the giant plate of fries you’ll want to sprinkle them on. 1/3 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup sea salt Zest of 2 lemons
Place all the ingredients in a mortar, and toss them together with your fingertips. Next, use a pestle to massage all the flavours into the salt (without pulverizing the salt). Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Tomato & Basil Bocconcini Bites Have tapas, will travel. These delectable salads on a stick are the perfect bite when you’re on the mingle. Large basil leaves Cherry tomatoes Baby bocconcini
Store-bought balsamic vinaigrette Salt and pepper, to taste
Simply sandwich a cherry tomato and a baby bocconcini between a basil leaf, and skewer with a cocktail pick. Dress with balsamic vinaigrette and a little salt and pepper. The perfect bite! t8n
French Fry Bar Let’s face it. If a baby shower isn’t your thing, a french-fry bar makes it easier to swallow. 1 large unpeeled sweet potato, sliced into wedges or fries 5 large unpeeled potatoes, sliced into wedges or fries
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp mustard 1 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce 1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper 1 tsp onion powder
Preheat your oven to 370˚F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together the olive oil, mustard, Thai sweet chili sauce, parsley, salt, pepper and onion powder in a large mixing bowl. Add all the sliced potatoes, and toss until coated. Tip the potatoes out onto the prepared baking sheet, and distribute them into an even layer. Bake them in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes (longer if cut thicker). Just keep an eye on them after the 40-minute mark—the sugar in the sweet potatoes will start to burn. Sprinkle with parsley lemon salt and serve with ketchup and horseradish aoli. 20 T8Nmagazine.com
St. Albert
Sobeys’ Bakery Department Who doesn’t love freshly baked bread?
The only locally owned grocery store in St.Albert
THE BAKERY TEAM Brenda: Assistant manager; 31 years’ experience Paulette: Journeyman baker from NAIT; 22 years’ experience Bruce: Baker; 33 years’ experience Peter: Baker; 19 years’ experience Jocelyn: Baker; 30 years’ experience Jackie: Journeyman baker; 7 years’ experience Patrick: Baker; 12 years’ experience
392 St Albert Trail, St Albert
E
veryone loves the smell of freshly baked goods. It makes us feel cosy, then hungry. The Bakery Department prides itself on having freshly baked goods made daily for its customers, seven days a week. And it doesn’t matter if you just want to ask a question about one of the products or you have a special order, Juanita, the Bakery Department Manager, and the bakers are always there to help. The Bakery team is a dedicated group of talented bakers, and they have over 150 years of baking experience combined. Because of 4 a.m. starts, a baker’s life is not an easy one, but the Sobeys St. Albert Bakery team loves baking and strives to keep the shelves stocked for its customers. You’ll find a variety of different breads made from scratch in-store. When you first enter the Bakery Department, the first table you’ll see is laden with Euro Breads: baguettes, pumpernickel loaves and Focaccia, to name a few. Sobeys St. Albert makes its own sourdough from scratch in-store. Cheese breads, which are always tasty fresh, are also made in-store in forms such as sticks, buns and loaves. And if you ever go to Jack’s Burgers, those buns come from Sobeys St. Albert. On the sweeter side, you’ll have a difficult time choosing between warm, gooey cinnamon buns, or the nostalgic aroma of the banana bread—both of which are made in-store. Head to the Chocolate Program Showcase if you love anything dipped in chocolate. Also, there are candy apples, cakes, pies, donuts, cupcakes, bars, scones and much more to satisfy any sweet tooth. Christmas is when Peter, one of the bakers, comes into his element. He bakes all the Christmas goodies you’ll find in the department, including stollen and cookies for the trays.
If you have a special occasion and need a cake, the Bakery’s cake decorators are there to help. Brenda, Jackie and Mangalika can turn almost any design you wish into an icing reality. Need something special on short notice? A popular option is to buy one of the 5 or 8 inch cakes and have a simple message written on top. Special orders aren’t exclusively for cakes, either. You can pre-order any type of bread or buns that are made in-store, and have them unsliced or sliced to your specifications. Baking is an art, and the team at Sobeys St. Albert have perfected their art over many, many years. It doesn’t matter if it’s a loaf of white bread or a tray of cinnamon buns, the baked goods made in-store don’t last long on the shelves, because baked goods are always best the day they’re made.
This sponsored content was produced in partnership between Sobeys and T8N magazine. T8N March 2018 21
Truly, Deeply, Madly
A MEET-OUR-BABY PLAN Voicing your wishes to well-wishers
OVERWHELMING, JOYFUL, EXHAUSTING, exhilarating …
Who’s Part of the Planning?
did we mention overwhelming? Bringing a new life into the world is an emotional roller-coaster ride. You want help and to share your joy with others, but you also might want a little space to adjust and heal. That’s why having a plan ahead of time for how to welcome well-wishers can make all the difference. Ready to get started? It’s time to make your meet-our-baby plan!
Before you start putting together your meet-our-baby plan, take some time to consider who should have input. Maybe it’s just you and your partner making the decisions. Or maybe you would value opinions from a family member or friend. Whatever the case, make sure you and your planners are on the same page, and don’t let outside influences sway you.
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When to Make Your Plan & When Not to No matter what the event, planning ahead is key. In the weeks before your due date, talk with your circle about who will do what during or after the delivery, including your decisions about when and where each person will get to meet your bundle of joy. By managing expectations
early on, you can help prevent misunderstandings, hurt feelings, frustrations and unwelcome surprises at the time of the birth. Whatever you do, don’t wait until your water breaks to have these conversations! Emotions will be running high—and you will likely be exhausted and pretty uncomfortable (to put it mildly)—which is the perfect storm for confusion and conflict.
Delivery Room Dos & Don’ts Needless to say, deciding who will be in the delivery room during the birth is a very important and personal decision. Whether it will be just you and your partner, or you alone, or your partner and 10 of your closest friends, be sure to set some ground rules in advance. Things to consider are: Will someone video the birth? Will someone take photos? What images are okay to share, and what images aren’t? It’s also a good idea to check with the hospital about its policy on how many people are allowed in the delivery room.
Announcing the Arrival Once your baby has arrived, someone will need to share the big news with family and friends. Sounds simple, but here are some
TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH KINDNESS Stay positive—focus on what you want to happen, not what you want to prevent. Have empathy—try to see the other person’s perspective. Speak your truth—describe how a situation makes you feel, and connect that emotion with your request. tips: Choose your bearer of good news ahead of time. Make him or her a list of who to contact and how to reach them (text, phone, email). Let your spokesperson know what details to share and which ones not to. Now’s also the time to be crystal clear about whether or not you are open to visitors at the hospital. Remember, even if you’d planned on having visitors doesn’t mean you have to follow through if you feel differently than you thought you would. Be kind to yourself.
Help at Home When you finally settle in at home, you will likely be sleep deprived and in the process of healing—a.k.a., needing a little help. As part of your baby plan, designate your helper(s), and be specific about what you think you’ll
need help with—running errands, doing laundry, changing diapers or all of that and more. If you have other children at home, consider arranging for family members and friends to spend some time with them. It will give you a break, and your older children will get the attention they are likely craving during this hectic time.
One & Done? Having numerous loved ones eager to meet your baby during his or her first weeks of life is a wonderful “problem” to negotiate. But it’s still a negotiation. Consider if you’d welcome a steady stream of visitors during this time or if you would prefer to have someone host one big get-together instead. t8n
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GINGER
Spicing things up for 5,000 years
GINGER HAS A way of getting into
things. Candies, cookies, teas, curries and numerous cocktails can all attest to this. So even if you’ve never bought one of these knobbly, sand-coloured “roots,” chances are you’re still familiar with its flavour and fragrance. But what is it about ginger that’s made it so popular for so many centuries? Read on to find out.
Ancient Origins Humans have been using ginger for thousands of years. And though its origins are a little murky, it’s believed to be native to the Indian subcontinent. In fact, the word ginger comes from the spice’s name in Sanskrit, which is the language of Hinduism. Having
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been used as a food, medicine and spice in India and China in ancient times, ginger spread via the spice trade to the Roman Empire by the 1st century AD. From there it travelled all over Europe, and by the 11th century it was even heating up palates in drizzly England.
Growing Ginger Ginger is both the name of a plant and that plant’s rhizome (underground stem). Often incorrectly thought of as a root (hence the term “ginger root”), it’s the rhizome that you see in the produce section of your grocery store. The plant is reed-like, with aboveground stalks that grow about a metre tall and produce yellow flowers. As the rhizome sits near the surface, its knobs will often poke through the soil line. These may be cut off for use, or the whole rhizome can be easily
DID YOU KNOW? The practice of horse gingering involved applying raw ginger to a horse’s, um, backside. This would enliven the horse, making it appear younger or livelier. In modern times, a gingerol-rich paste is used instead, though the act is generally considered cruel. yanked out of the ground when the stalk starts to wither. The rhizome can then be prepared simply by washing it and leaving it to dry in the sun.
A Little Bite Spicy, warm and sharp are all words that have been used to describe ginger’s taste. And
though few people would ever chomp down on a chunk of unprepared ginger, its use and popularity as a spice and flavouring is widespread. Thanks to science, we have some idea of why ginger tastes and smells the way it does. Gingerol, the active constituent in fresh ginger, is related to compounds found in various peppers. When ginger is cooked, gingerol undergoes a process that changes it into a compound called zingerone, which imparts a somewhat sweeter flavour.
Ginger World As noted, ginger has a wide variety of uses. It’s perhaps best known for its culinary appeal. In India, it is a common ingredient in many curries and is also used to flavour chai. Southeast Asian cooks use it in various soups, while in Japan, ginger is often pickled and served as a condiment. In the West, ginger is frequently found in sweet drinks and baked goods—such as ginger ale and gingerbread—as it goes so well with sugar.
GINGER HOT CHOCOLATE 2 cups milk 1 cup water 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 pinch sea salt Sweetener, to taste
In a saucepan, bring the milk and water to a simmer. Reduce heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, ginger, sea salt and sweeten to taste. Pour, and serve.
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Ginger has also been widely used in traditional medicine. As such, it’s probably known as a folk remedy for nausea and upset stomachs. The evidence is inconclusive, but some studies have suggested ginger may help in reducing symptoms related to motion sickness, morning sickness and nausea brought on by chemotherapy. Traditionally, sailors would chew on ginger as a way to relieve seasickness. Other research, however, has indicated that ginger is less effective for nausea than modern treatments. Either way, make sure you check with your doctor before using ginger as a medicine, as it is known to interact with a number of medications. t8n
NEW FOR 2018 2 ‘Drop 50 Free Fall’ elements, Plus 4 more brand new challenges!
EN 9TH P O 1 Y MA
2018 VOTING IS NOW OVER!
Look to our May issue to find out who won!
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T8N March 2018 25
Then & Now
THERE IS NO truer representation of the
people of St. Albert than the St. Albert Community Hall. It was built for the people, by the people, and over the years it has changed and adapted to serve a truly diverse set of community needs. Since its construction, the St. Albert Community Hall has been a library, a movie theatre, a church, a dance hall, a courthouse, a bingo hall and much, much more. And that’s the magic of this dynamic landmark: whatever the community needs, the hall will become. Here’s a glimpse back at its history.
ST. ALBERT
COMMUNITY HALL THEN & NOW 1940s The St. Albert Community Hall began construction in 1940 as the first major project of the newly formed St. Albert Community League. Unfortunately, 1940 was not the best year for local infrastructure projects, as St. Albert, and the rest of the country, found itself occupied with the Second World War. Though construction materials were in short supply, the town banded together and constructed the hall slowly over the next six years, using donated materials and volunteer labour. Some of the names behind this project are still familiar to us today. The league was led by Richard Poirier, who would later become mayor of St. Albert, and included members like Lorne Akins of Akinsdale fame, and then-mayor Michael Hogan. The league 26 T8Nmagazine.com
wanted a community space independent of the church, where citizens could gather for whatever purpose suited them. During the six years that the hall was under construction, this exclusively meant community dances.
FUN FACT Due to donated materials and volunteer labour, the library wing of the Community Hall cost the Community League only $398.80. Estimates for the price of a new library today run as high as $25 million.
In the early years, the league struggled to cover the costs of the hall. Maintenance costs were high enough that the league considered abandoning the project and selling the building to the city for the sum of one dollar. But slowly, the residents of St. Albert came around to the idea of using the space. The hall soon became home to bingo nights, weddings, movie screenings, business meetings and more. After a few rough years, it became clear that the hall would be there to stay.
1950s In 1951, the community hall expanded to include space for a small library. Prior to that, the fledgling book collection of the St. Albert Public Library had been kept in multiple spots around town, wherever shelf space was
DID YOU KNOW?
Image Credit: Musée Héritage Museum Community Hall, ca. 1939 -1950’s
In 1940, young people could come to the Community Hall every Friday night to dance. Entry costs were 75 cents per couple. If you wanted anything to drink though, you would have to go across the street to the Bruin Inn, as alcohol was prohibited in the hall.
available. With the addition of a dedicated library room in the community hall, the St. Albert Public Library enjoyed a period of stability, where it could grow its organization and eventually move into its own building when the community hall became too small to house its expanding collection.
1960s By the 1960s, the St. Albert Community Hall became a cornerstone of the community. Mayor Ray Gibbon even credited the hall with creating a “distinct St. Albert civic identity,” one that would be able to stand up to plans of amalgamation with the rapidly growing
Edmonton to the south. According to Gibbon, the hall was the place where people from across St. Albert and Sturgeon County came together to form lasting relationships and community bonds.
1970s In the 1970s the Community League began sponsoring local sports teams, and the hall became a headquarters for athletes of all kinds. Many of the sports of the time, like hockey and tennis, were represented in the hall, as well as sports that were relative newcomers to St. Albert, such as karate.
Today There aren’t as many dance nights in the St. Albert Community Hall as there were when it first opened. In fact, over the decades, they have moved from a weekly occurrence to a quarterly event. That, however, is neither a negative reflection on the hall nor the community that uses it. Since it first opened, change has been the hall’s norm. And it will continue to be as the hall plays home to the community’s needs, whatever they happen to be… t8n
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Your quality of sleep impacts your quality of life. Summit Galleria, St Albert across from DynaLife | 780.569.5252 www.maximumsleep.ca gary@maximumsleep.ca T8N March 2018 27
The 8s
WANTED:
YOU!
8 tips for finding your first job
THAT FIRST JOB —it’s a rite of pas-
sage and something most of us will remember (for better or worse) for the rest of our lives. Unfortunately, finding that first job can be a challenge when you’re shy on experience and competing for opportunities. The good news? There is plenty you can do to prepare. Not only will that prep make your job search less stressful, it just might turn this rite of passage into a right path. Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Know the Rules In Alberta, there are special rules and restrictions that companies must follow when employing teenagers under 18. If you’re seeking your first job, it’s a good idea for you and your parents to be familiar with these standards. You should also be aware that new employment laws come into effect on May 1, 2018. These will classify young workers according to age, placing some restrictions on where and what hours they can work.
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All young people are guaranteed the same basic rights as adults, such as minimum wage, holidays and termination notice and pay. For more information, check the Government of Alberta website or contact Employment Standards in the Edmonton area at 780-427-3731.
2. Find a Good Fit Before starting a job search, think about what will work best for you. For example, if you’re enrolled in school, you’ll probably want a job that doesn’t interfere too much with your studies. You’ll also need to think about transportation. Will you drive, get a ride, take the bus or walk? Whatever the case, employers will expect you to be on time and ready to work. You’ll also want to consider your interests and skills. If you like being around people, a retail job might be a good fit. Like working outdoors? Consider applying to golf courses, landscaping companies and road crews.
3. Know Where to Look There are various ways of finding jobs. Help Wanted signs, bulletin boards and friends and
family are all common sources of job leads. These days, though, many people take their job searches online. Popular sites include Indeed, Monster, Workopolis, Kijiji and the Government of Canada Job Bank. Many large companies will also recruit workers through their own websites. Whatever your process, use good judgement—job postings that seem too good to be true often are.
4. Craft a Great Resume Resume writing is a skill you will need throughout your life, so it’s a good idea to start practising now. A good resume should demonstrate your skills and interests—both of which should speak back to the job you’re trying to land. So tailor your resume to each place you apply, as different employers will be looking for different things. A cashier position might demand great people skills, while a job washing dishes in a restaurant may require you to work unsupervised for long periods. Read the job posting carefully to understand what the employer wants, and then highlight that in your resume.
5. Make the Best Impression Be sure to carefully follow directions when applying for a job. These will usually be stated in the job listing. For example, some places, especially large companies, will ask that you apply online. It makes it easier for them to go through the many applications they receive. Other places will ask that you drop off your resume in person. If a preference isn’t stated (or the directions aren’t clear), it’s probably best to do it in person. In that case, make sure you dress professionally, as the person you give your resume to may very well be your future boss. Whatever you do, show that you’re responsible and can be counted on to follow instructions.
6. Get Proactive As in other things, hard work pays off when you’re looking for a job. Apply often (it improves your chance of getting interviews), and apply early, especially if you’re looking for a summer job— many of which get snatched up before summer even begins. Also, don’t get discouraged and stop applying if you don’t get a response. It happens to everyone. If you’re thinking of doing a follow-up call, practice what you’ll say beforehand so that you sound polite and friendly and respectful of their time (make it fast!).
7. Mind Your Social Manners Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, many young adults have a significant presence online. And that’s something you should think about before you start applying for jobs. Employers can, and do, check out applicants on social media when deciding who to interview, so think about the online impression you make. You might consider changing your settings to private or even crafting your profiles to create a favourable, professional image of yourself. Whatever you do, don’t let social media undermine your job search.
8. Nail the Interview Sooner or later, your hard work will pay off and you’ll land an interview. Though the thought of an interview might stress you out, be encouraged that you’ve made enough of a good impression that the employer wants to know you better. You can also build confidence by preparing some things to say. Typical interview questions are easy to find online, so think about how you want to answer these questions and practice them with a friend or parent. It’ll make you feel and look confident during your interview, and greatly increase your chances of getting that first job. Good luck! t8n
T8N March 2018 29
Muth er Making unwanted ink disappear BY JACLYN DAWN
GIRL MEETS BOY. Girl marries boy.
The Pain Factor
Girl gets tattoo of boy’s name. Boy hooks up with “friend from work.” It's not exactly a storybook ending, but thanks to laser tatoo removal, what was once written in ink can now be modified. However, like getting a tattoo, removing a tattoo is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Here we explore what to expect and consider with laser tattoo removal.
With over 60 percent of his body covered in colourful ink, Ben Alway, owner of Second Skin Tattoo Removal, not only has nine years of experience removing tattoos, he’s also had tattoos removed. He warns his clients that the millisecond bursts of energy from the laser feel like a rubber band repeatedly snapping sunburnt skin.
The Procedure & Recovery How does laser tattoo removal work? A laser rapidly produces short pulses of intense light that penetrate the outer layers of skin, targeting and breaking down tattoo ink. The body’s immune system then gradually and naturally flushes the fragments of ink, causing the tattoo to fade. Depending on the size of the tattoo, each treatment takes 15 to 45 minutes, which is significantly shorter than the time getting a tattoo takes. However, removal may take two to fifteen treatments, and treatments should be four to eight weeks apart to allow time for the ink to fade and the body to heal. Water blisters, swelling, and pinpoint bleeding are common side effects. As the treated area heals, you can also expect irritation, redness and scabs. 30 T8Nmagazine.com
“It’s more painful than getting a tattoo, but the pain is short-term and not unbearable,” he says. Alway estimates that nine out of ten clients handle themselves well and return after their first treatment, but he admits, “I don’t receive many Christmas cards.” The majority of tattoo removal providers suggest numbing techniques to reduce pain: a topical anesthetic cream before treatment,
WHO’S GETTING WHAT REMOVED? What are some of the most common tattoos seen under the laser? • wedding rings • names • artist erors [sic] • cartoon characters
a chilling machine that blows cold air onto the skin during treatment and ice packs after treatment. Terese Waddell, laser technician and instructor at EIE MediSpa Esthetics & Laser Centre, explains that tattoo removal is considerably more painful than most other laser procedures, such as laser hair removal, which do not penetrate the skin. She describes laser tattoo removal as “a form of controlled wounding.” You should properly care for the wound with ointment, such as Polysporin for burns, and dressing. You also want to avoid sun exposure without 30+ SPF sun block, rubbing and scratching, and swimming pools and hot tubs until the wound is healed.
Number of Treatments The number of treatments required depends on your immune system, Fitzpatrick skin type (a type of classification for predicting your skin’s response to untraviolet light), any pre-existing scarring, and the tattoo’s age, depth, location and colour. It also depends on your goal: full removal or a cover-up. Some people simply outgrown their choices or seek tattoo removal for personal or religious reasons. But often, those seeking removal aren’t averse to tattoos but to their specific tattoo. Laser tattoo removal can be strategically used to fade existing art and make cover-ups easier, but it takes time. That said, remember
this: “Too many people go in for a tattoo thinking ‘I can always get it removed’,” says Alway. “I’m not an eraser.”
Let’s Talk Money
like any other business in Canada, the facility must meet Health Canada standards for hygiene and sterilization as dictated on the government website. It must also meet your personal standards.
The cost of laser tattoo removal depends on the provider, the size of tattoo, and the number of treatments. On average, each treatment can range between $50 and $500. Many insurance carriers consider laser tattoo removal cosmetic and will not help cover the cost unless removal is medically necessary.
Seek proper equipment. Waddell compares lasers with cars. She says, “there are several makes and models. However, they are not created equal.” Q-switch technology uses highly peaked pulses that are measured in nanoseconds. These lasers are typically used for the removal of tattoos.
The Risks Common risks of laser tattoo removal are hyperpigmentation (darkening) or hypo pigmentation (lightening) of the skin. These are often temporary, lasting six to twelve months after treatment. Other rare but potential risks include scarring, infection, burns, textural changes of the skin, and temporary, hive-like bumps resulting from an allergic reaction to the wavelength of the laser. If you had an allergic reaction to the ink going into your skin, you will likely have an allergic reaction to the ink coming back out of your skin.
Setting the Stage You don’t have to live with unwanted ink. You can minimize the risks of laser tattoo removal by reading online reviews and seeking a consultation before booking an appointment. Look for a reputable facility. Laser tattoo removal is provided at a variety of facilities, including at some plastic surgeon and dermatologist offices. Second Skin Tattoo Removal shares a building with a tattoo business. EIE MediSpa & Laser Training Centre specializes in esthetics. No matter which you choose,
Find a skilled technician. Currently in Canada, anyone with access to the equipment can legally perform laser tattoo removal. That doesn’t mean you should let just anyone remove your tattoo. “To get a machine, which is more than $100,000 new, requires money not education or experience,” warns Waddell. “Some providers have purchased used machines online and offer services after only reading the manual or having only a few hours of training.” Various laser training certificate and diploma programs are available. For example, students at EIE MediSpa & Laser Training Centre must be a certified esthetician or have one-year medical background before enrolling in the two-week Certified Clinical Laser Technician (CCLT) course. The course involves successful completion of theory, practical and consultation exams. And lastly, once you have made your decision, fill out the questionnaire and medical form honestly… and, yes, there should be a questionnaire and medical form! The more the technician knows about your unique tattoo, the more successful the removal process will be. t8n
HOW TRICKY WOULD YOUR TATTOO REMOVAL BE? The following are all factors in tattoo removal: Skin tone—lighter skin has a higher success rate for ink removal. Ink colour—black ink absorbs all laser wavelengths and is easier to remove, while white ink often contains a metal that may not completely remove. Age of tattoo—older tattoos take fewer treatments to remove.
Number of colours—different colours require different lasers, which may mean more treatments. Depth of tattoo & tattoo layering —the more ink saturated in one location, the longer it will take to remove. Location of tattoo—the further the tattoo is from the heart, the poorer the circulation and more difficult to remove.
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BINGE-WATCH (v.) The start of a new tradition
R E M E M B E R W H E N G AT H E R I N G
around the TV once a week to catch the latest episode of a favourite show was a thing? Sure, it still happens, but in this time of convenience and insta nt gratification, the way we watch T V is cha nging. More a nd more, people are devouring multiple episodes of T V shows, even entire seasons, in one shot. With surveys suggesting that most people now binge-watch at least occasionally, it seems this is one phenomenon that’s here to stay.
Binging, Defined To be clear, binge-watching isn’t merely parking yourself in front of a small screen for hours at a time. People have been doing that for decades, after all. Instead, binge-watching refers to watching several episodes of the same show back-to-back and in one sitting. That, however, begs the question, how many episodes officially makes a binge? Well, each person will define that differently, but in a 2013 Netflix survey, a majority of respondents agreed that binging would mean watching between two and six episodes at one go. These binges can last as long as the viewer has time and/or stamina, gobbling up whole evenings, days and even weekends. Consider the college student who, in a 2011
DID YOU KNOW? According to a 2017 study by consulting firm Deloitte, half of US consumers have a paid subscription to at least one video-on-demand service. About threequarters subscribe to cable or satellite TV, but 66% only do so because their pay TV is bundled with their Internet.
32 T8Nmagazine.com
Washington Post article on this topic, reported watching 120 episodes of How I Met Your Mother in four weeks. A little extreme, perhaps, but it shows how this habit has become a regular thing in popular culture.
Some Background So, how did binge-watching become the new normal? As a habit, it can be traced back to the popularity of DVD box sets in the late 90s and early 2000s. Containing whole seasons, or even the entire series, of a television show on a few discs made for addictive viewing. It thus became perfectly acceptable (even brag-worthy) to stay in on a Friday night and tear through several hours of Sex and the City or The Sopranos. But we probably wouldn’t have modern-day binge-watching without the Internet. For starters, the spread of broadband throughout the 2000s brought a large number of people online. At the same time, the technology behind video streaming and video-on-demand (VOD) made huge strides forward. As a result, the once far-fetched idea of watching TV and movies online became not only possible but also something that media companies could make a lot of money from.
Cultural Phenomenon If there’s one media company that’s associated with binge-watching, it’s probably Netflix. At one time a mail-order DVD business, Netflix was inspired by video streaming sites like YouTube to explore the possibilities of video-on-demand. Smart move. As DVD sales inevitably declined, Netflix prospered thanks to its growing Internet presence. Then, in 2011, it started streaming the early seasons of three highly regarded TV series: Breaking Bad, Mad Men and The Walking Dead. Another smart move. As these shows became hits on TV, millions of new subscribers came to Netflix to catch up quickly on the seasons they missed.
BINGE-RACING A binge-racer watches an entire new season of a show within 24 hours of its release. Netflix reports that 8.4 million of its subscribers have binge-raced and that the practice has grown twentyfold since 2013. And the country with the highest proportion of binge-racers? None other than Canada.
Changing Habits Nowadays, video-on-demand services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime produce their own original series, something that only networks could do in the past. It all started with Netflix releasing the first season of House of Cards in 2013. Going against conventional wisdom, the company released the entire season—all 13 episodes—at the same time. Combined with the post-play feature, which automatically cues the next episode each time you finish one, this decision turned Netflix into the biggest binging enabler around. The result is that in just a few short years, binge-watching has changed how we watch and think about TV. For many viewers, gone are the days of appointment TV and scheduling life around the TV listings. Binge-watching puts viewers fully in control of their TV-watching experiences, which makes it that much harder to stop watching… t8n
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