Category Archives: Lifestyle (MC Archive)

Lifestyle-related columns that appeared on Jason Menard’s previous Web site, Menard Communications.

Environmental Paralysis

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By Jason Menard

The old adage states that you have to walk before you can run. So doesn’t it go without saying that we need to be shown a little affection before we can fully go out and hug every tree we see?

A recent study predicted that, due to global warming’s effect on Himalayan glaciers, southeast Asia and China could be facing a devastating lack of drinking water within 50 years. We’re now also being told that the devastation caused by hurricanes in the American South-East is partly our fault, due to increased water temperatures caused by – you guessed it – global warming.

It seems that no matter when a natural disaster strikes, there are always willing environmentalists ready to jump on the pulpit and start wagging their fingers at us. It’s a morbid game of “I told you so,” and it does nothing to help the actual problems that exist in this world. While some environmentalists feel we’ve been burying our heads in the sand and ignoring the problem, the reality is that we’re weighed down by the enormity of the issues.

In general, people want to do the right thing. We all want to leave this world a better place for our children and grandchildren. We all want to save the environment, breathe cleaner air, and make a commitment to a greener life.

However, we find it hard to move when the weight of the entire world is on our shoulders. For years, environmentalists have been stating that we need to make drastic, wholesale lifestyle changes to save the world from human-inflicted doom. But, instead of sparking us into action, statements like this end up overwhelming us with fear and paralyzing us into inaction.

Worst-case scenarios don’t help. They only serve to make us feel powerless to make a difference – they make our efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle, and be better global citizens seem insignificant.

The Utopian world that the most rabid environmentalists see as being the solution doesn’t exist. Our society isn’t set up for it. We’re too dependent on fossil fuels. We’re too enamoured with convenience and disposable items. To cut society off cold turkey would paralyze it.

So, what we need to practice what we preach. If one message has come forth from the assortment of telethons and fund-raisers we’ve been exposed to over the past little while is that every small action adds up. Individually we can only do so much, but when our actions are multiplied exponentially by all Canadians, and then all the citizens of the world, the impact we can have is astounding.

But we don’t hear that. We never hear the positives of our actions. Our current efforts at living a better and greener lifestyle have been met with a collective, “Yeah, but…” from the environmental community. As earnest and honest as they may be when forecasting global doom and gloom, what our environmental advocates are missing is that we, as average citizens, need positive reinforcement. We need to be encouraged with tangible results for our actions. And we don’t need to be chastised for the sins of our society’s past.

No matter how small the effort we make as individuals may be on a global scale, we need to know that it’s having an effect – even if it’s an infinitesimal impact. That way, when we see the results of our actions, we’ll be encouraged to do even more. When our baby steps are acknowledged, it will give us the drive to work ourselves up to a full-scale run.

We need that organically grown carrot dangled before us to make us strive for greater things. We’ve seen what power society wields when it comes together in a common cause. Whether it’s been Tsunami relief efforts, or the overwhelming funding coming in for those impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, we’ve seen how each and every dollar counts. Yet, nowhere has there been a person chastising us for not donating enough. Simply put, every dollar counts.

That attitude of communal support and encouragement needs to be extended to the environmental world. Instead of doomsday predictions and earnest declarations of impending doom – no matter how true they may be – the point remains that to mobilize our society you have to engage its belief in the fact that it can make a difference. Just as every dollar counts, so too should every recycled can and every time you choose to walk to the store instead of drive matter!

Because, when we’re told that all of our current efforts have gone for naught, it makes us want to throw up our hands in defeat – and that’s when we all lose.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Idol Worship Misplaced in Canada

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By Jason Menard

Melissa O’Neil may have walked off this week with the title of Canadian Idol, but the new female vocal talent that we should be worshipping got dismissed from another show last night.

While Canadian Idol stumbles through another season that will propel its winner to a 15 minutes of spectacular mediocrity, another show that hasn’t had nearly the following, Rock Star INXS, has showcased Canada’s true undiscovered talent. Two Canucks were firmly entrenched in the final four candidates to front the Australian band, J.D. Fortune and the just-dismissed Suzie McNeil.

The difference between the Michael Hutchence wannabes and O’Neil? Refined talent, stage presence, and excitement.

The problem with any of the Idol shows is that they generally crown the most inoffensive and mildly pleasing of the group. By offending the least amount of people they’re able to make their way through the show. But while they’re pleasant performers, they don’t incite the passion that true successful artists need to fuel their careers. Rock Star’s performers have shown what music’s supposed to be about: dynamic stage presence, powerful performances, and – most importantly – passion.

In fact, watching the performances on the INXS show, it’s painfully obvious that any of these performers could blow Canadian Idol’s participants off the stage with just one vocal. And the main reason for this disparity? Age.

Sorry to say it, but Idol’s restrictions to a mid-20s age limit means that there are a number of performers in this country who aren’t eligible for no other reason than a birth certificate. Fortune and McNeil, aged 31 and 28 respectfully, don’t fit into this cookie-cutter mould of Idol prospects.

But what the Idol producers haven’t figured out is that young doesn’t necessarily mean fresh. Sometimes it takes time for performers to discover who they are and to find themselves musically. And with the notoriously short career of today’s pop stars, hitting 30 doesn’t preclude them from burning just as bright and fading away just as quickly as Kalan Porter and that Buddy Holly wannabe from year one – OK, his name is Ryan Malcom, but admit it, you forgot too! And, given their age and experience, perhaps they’d make more of an impact on the marketplace.

Our pop idols don’t have to be disposable – but we set them up to be by hosting annual shows. As soon as one idol is crowned, many are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the next season, for their next object of affection to be revealed. And the very thing that makes INXS’ singers appealing – their more-polished performances and finished edges – is exactly why there’s an Idol age limit. Younger singers are more malleable and can be shaped into whatever image that the producers want after the voting audience has its say.

The INXS concept is something different. The audience has a voice in defining the bottom three, but it’s the band that makes the final decision, based on who they think is right for them. And perhaps that’s the way it should be. Perhaps the judges and the people who make their living in the music industry should have more of a voice

I admit, I came to the INXS show late. Not being a big fan of the band, I resisted watching despite my wife’s insistence that the performances were good. In fact, when I found out the members had to memorize 20 INXS hits, my first thought was, “they had 20 hits? Well, I guess if you’re number-one on the Canadian Top 40, the Billboard Chart, or the Mumbai Hot 100 it’s all the same.” I enjoyed a few of their songs, but not enough to warrant any investment of my time in their future.

But what has made me a fan over the past few weeks has been the power of the performers. Their on-stage presence has been riveting. Their power, passion, and understanding of what it means to be a musician has made me care about who wins, even if I didn’t care about the band before this.

What is clear that despite McNeil’s departure from the show, she has what it takes to take it to the next level with or without INXS backing her vocals. And even if Fortune doesn’t become INXS’ front man next week, he and his Pretty Vegas breakout track should be rocketing up the Canadian charts very soon.

The latest Canadian Idols have been crowned. Unfortunately, they didn’t come from the show with the same name.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Giving Pain a Voice

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By Jason Menard

Pain has no voice of its own, but it certainly has the power to rob you of yours – and to drown out the existence of everything else through its sheer volume.

Over two years ago, my wife and I were in a serious car accident. From that moment, when we were hit head-on in an intersection, our lives have been changed in ways we couldn’t have imagined simply because of a new addition to our family – pain.

It’s always there. It permeates every aspect of our lives and it becomes the driving, underlying force that guides us through each day. When a doctor asks you to describe pain, they often offer suggestions like burning, stabbing, or throbbing. But these words seem so insignificant when the better descriptors are debilitating, sapping, insidious, and demoralizing.

Most of us go through life knowing pain in only an acute sense. From stubbing a toe to breaking bones, the pain is intense, but fleeting. What hopefully most of us will avoid is that long-term, incessant accompaniment – a pain that is never truly relieved. Hopefully few will experience a time when that silent scream of pain becomes the soundtrack of your life. And as much as you try to block it out, it creeps in through the cracks of your resolve.

I consider myself lucky in that I’m capable of living a semblance of a normal life, despite my pain. I’m able to continue to work and I’m able to get through the day, yet with the help of pain-killers, therapy, and treatments. My wife is less fortunate. She lives her life in excruciating pain, where even the simplest of maneuvers – the ones we take for granted on a daily basis – have immediate and painful ramifications. And that just adds to the weight of pain as both of us watch the other suffer, yet are able to do little to help.

What this experience has taught us is that pain is nothing to be taken lightly — and it is certainly nothing to be mocked. It is insidious and it permeates every aspect of your life.

Pain robs you of the freedom to reach your dreams. Our shared goals and desires for the future have been put on the backburner in lieu of dealing with the here and now. Instead of being able to work on bettering ourselves, we’re focused on treatments and managing the pain.

Pain robs you of your family. Uninjured by the accident, our children still suffer from its ramifications. We are unable to be the parents we want to be, so we have to be the best we can. Cherish the moments you have with your kids while you can, because they mean so much once they’re gone. Things I took for granted in the past, like playing catch with our son or picking up our infant daughter, now are insurmountable challenges. Pain lets you try to be the best parent you can, but leaves you with the haunting feeling that you’re doing them wrong.

Pain robs you of your freedom. Nothing comes easy anymore. Going to the mall, getting groceries – even taking a leisurely drive, all of these tasks need to be planned and prepared for. When a one-hour walk means days of agony, then you better be darn sure that you’re prepared for the ramifications. It no longer is a question of what do you want to do – pain reduces it to what can we do?

Pain robs you of your faith. At times like this, I had always believed you could turn to certain people who would be on your side. But, perhaps due to the cynical way in which we look at our world, those days are long gone. The family doctor, once believed to be a source of unwavering support and resolve to find a solution, now becomes nothing more than another roadblock along the road to recovery.

Because there is no tangible indicator of pain, one is made to feel like they’re presumed to be lying. Tied up in red tape and unfounded fears, our medical professionals err on the side of over-caution bordering on obstinate. Yet what is lost is that we’re not treating words in a file – we’re dealing with real-life people in real-life agony. What ends up happening is that a culture of mistrust forms, and those already isolated by their situation feel that there is now one less person to trust. And let’s not get into the adversarial relationship that insurance companies foster.

You want to have faith that things will get better, but dealing with the day-in-day-out reality shakes anyone’s resolve. And it makes it harder when you’re working in spite of the system – not with it.

Pain robs you of your social life. When it’s hard just being in your own skin, putting on a brave face for the outside world is intolerable. You get tired of living your own reality, so it becomes even harder to share with those around you. And what makes it more difficult is the lack of understanding. Although rooted in good intentions, unsolicited advice often does nothing more than add to the demoralization. Questions like, “Are you sure you’re hurting?” or “Are you still in pain? After all this time?” or comments like “Well, maybe you’re not trying hard enough,” or “Maybe you should be more positive” don’t make things better.

We’re all unique and our situations can’t be compared. My wife and I were in the same accident, but our situations are completely different. Those in pain don’t need to know what worked for you – we just want to spend some time forgetting about our reality. So, when faced with this type of scrutiny, we insulate ourselves even further, finding solace in those that understand – even if it is only ourselves.

Yet, out of all this darkness there is light. Pain lets you find out who your true friends are, who you can rely on, and it stops you from taking things for granted. The constant hurt makes those moments of joy, love, and happiness all the more sweet. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but a valuable one for life. And it’s one that must be heard over the overwhelming silence of pain.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

A Legacy of Shame in Katrina’s Wake

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By Jason Menard

As the tragedy in Louisiana and Mississippi continues to devolve into a nightmare of graphic proportions, we have started to see humanity at its best as it mobilizes its efforts to provide support and assistance to those in need.

Of course, we’re also seeing the worst that human nature has to offer.

Normally the wagging finger of shame is pointed at the profiteers – the ones who use the backdrop of human suffering and misery to make a quick buck. And while there have been reports of this being an issue, their depravity has taken a back seat to another tragic phenomenon. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, we’re finding that there are a select few who have decided to bite the hands that are reaching out to help.

In New Orleans, one would find it safe to assume that those who are trapped at the Superdome or the Convention Centre are, by and large, those without the means or the capabilities to leave the city. While some of the more affluent citizens were able to get in their cars and evacuate, or have the financial wherewithal to be able to afford a hotel room in a safer location, those who don’t have that luxury have been left behind. There aren’t too many city buses that follow a route to safety.

So it is these people, the ones who need help the most, who are finding themselves trapped in a race against time and circumstance. And compounding the relief efforts is a minority of people who are brandishing firearms in the face of rescue workers and taking pot shots at rescue vehicles. The result of their action is that several people who would welcome the assistance offered are being prevented from benefiting from that aid.

The city has descended into anarchy. Looters are cleaning out vacant stores, common thugs are intimidating those who are weaker, and rapes and beatings are being reported. Instead of doing whatever they can to lead people to safety, we are seeing an element of society indulging in its present lawlessness.

But at what price will their indulgence in this criminal hedonism come? How many more lives could be lost because rescue workers are – quite rightly – tentative about entering any situation.

The shooters, rapists, thugs, and looters appear to be looking at this situation as an opportunity, not a tragedy. But this isn’t some dime-store blackout or precautionary evacuation – this is reality. There are bodies floating in the water! It’s only a matter of time until disease compounds this tragedy exponentially, unless people are able to be evacuated.

This obstructionist element may be rejoicing in their ascension to the throne of a lawless society, but will they enjoy the oncoming cases of dysentery as much as their recently purloined electronics? Today they’re reveling in ill-begotten TVs – tomorrow they could be retching from preventable TB!

It’s easy to sit back here, warm and dry with all the amenities of life at my disposal, and suggest that I would behave better in that situation. But who really knows unless you’re presented with it? I mean, I was upset when a pipe burst and my basement was flooded – how would I react if it was my entire city? I suppose we never know until we’re thrust into the middle of it.

But I imagine that my first priority would be ensuring the safety of my family, and then doing my best to help those in need. Last on my emergency to-do list would be to fire off a couple of rounds at the very rescue worker who is coming to my aid.

New Orleans may be experiencing a Hell on Earth scenario right now. But the true tragedy is not the result of a natural disaster – it is the evil in the human heart, a man-made phenomenon that will be Katrina’s legacy. And the worst part of all of this is that due to the massive scope of the situation, many of these hooligans will come out of this situation unscathed. They will not face punishment for their crimes. And if their actions lead to even one preventable death, then they should be considered murderers.

New Orleans will rise again, its streets will be cleaned, its structure rebuilt. But its soul? That’s been forever damaged by this human cancer.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved

Blown Away by Humanity’s Arrogance

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By Jason Menard

Watching Hurricane Katrina tear its way through the American south-east, following closely on the heels of Dennis and Emily, and echoing the deadly 2004 Hurricane season, one could wonder if humanity’s arrogance is truly blinding us to reality.

We live in a world that we’ve increasingly been able to control. And what we don’t control, in large part, we understand. We’ve reduced the great mysteries of the world to their base elements and we push the boundaries of human exploration and potential each and every day.

But has the gift of knowledge robbed us of our essential common sense? Does this feeling of control and power that we feel towards Earth blind us to the fact that in a battle between man and nature, nature will always win out.

Our overconfidence regarding our place in the world borders on arrogance. For thousands of years, man survived by respecting nature and learning to settle in areas that offered protection from the elements. Now, some of us actively defy nature and choose to reside in regions despite the elements.

People are still flocking to certain parts of Florida, Louisiana, and the Carolinas — parts of the United States where it’s not a matter of if a hurricane will hit, but it’s only a question of when. Common sense dictates that if an area is frequently subject to violent weather, then perhaps one should find alternative locations for settlement. However, common sense isn’t all that common – especially when it comes to snagging that prime beachfront lot.

Of course, when the beachfront is blown up and through your house on a fairly regular basis, is it still worth it?

In watching the television coverage or reading news reports during hurricane season, we’re bombarded with images of unspeakable lose, devastating tragedy, and the awe-inspiring spectacle of nature at its most dramatic. And, inevitably, we’re presented with the fact that a certain number of people, despite the dire warnings of meteorologists and the pleadings of local and federal officials, stubbornly refuse to leave their homes and decide to risk their lives – and those of their families – in a battle against Mother Nature.

Areas that are still rebuilding from last year’s devastation are bracing for more damage this year. It’s a seemingly never-ending struggle against time and circumstance, but are the risks truly worth the rewards?

The answer would seem to be no, especially when we factor in the loss of human life. Hurricanes aren’t like lightning strikes – they’re predictable, regional, and, ultimately, avoidable. Other regions of the continent are subject to certain natural phenomenon on a regular basis: the northwest is a haven for forest fires, the northeast finds itself in winter’s icy grip each year, and the southwest is on shaky ground – literally, with significant fault lines along the coast. For the most part, the risks of living in these areas fall under the category of acceptable.

We can’t protect ourselves from everything, but we should be at the point where we can do a risk analysis and find that the benefits outweigh the potential for disaster. But even the most optimistic of us could find that living in a neck of the woods that hurricanes frequent would be a little on the unfathomable side.

This isn’t a question of living in an area despite the presence of a few tough-looking customers hanging out on the street corner at night. This isn’t a matter of making a stand by sticking it out and improving the neighbourhood. Mother Nature leads a pretty bad-ass gang, and it’s hard to make the neighbourhood a better place to live when it’s been strewn across six counties. By now humanity should have learned when and where to pick its battles.

Our ancestors knew better than to live right in the path of nature’s fury. So why is it that we’ve chosen to forget those lessons? Progress, evolution, and technology have given us the knowledge and capability to understand the consequences of our actions. Unfortunately, the passage of time has also brought with it the arrogance to believe that we are removed from the natural order and, in fact sit above it — instead of just playing a part.

We need not all live in fear of the elements, head to high ground, and live in hermetically sealed bubbles. The fact of the matter is that we don’t need to remove ourselves from nature – we just have to respect it.

2005 © Menard Communications – Jason Menard All Rights Reserved