#Canadian heritage moment

[butchwink]

oc transpo pride bus??

[historyofrobots]

A Rob Ford fancam that starts with him saying “Olivia says I wanted to eat her pussy. That’s not true. I’ve got more than enough to eat at home,” then smash cuts to a doja cat song

[excelsior9173]

i feel like i need an international friend to follow me around for a month and then give me a list of all my “canadianisms”

because obviously as a canadian these things won’t stand out to me. i have no idea what mannerisms/slang/behaviours are culturally significant all the time (obviously i know the stereotypical ones and slang is regional so that’s kind of difficult lol)

i swear i come on the internet everyday and am all “this is a completely normal thing to do/say” and then i’ll see a post and realize that like “no that’s not normal it makes it glaringly obvious you’re canadian” like ??? that’s so cool to me! that there are things i do and say that are so ingrained they are second nature and ignored but signal to people not from here that i am canadian!

[allisonreader]

Links to each of the above in case you've never seen them.

Halifax Explosion

Basketball

Jacques Cartier

Winnie

La Bolduc

Superman

Bluenose

Nitro

Discovery of Insulin

John McCrae

Valor Road

O Canada

[thekanucklehead]

“Nobody wants to admit they ate nine cans of ravioli”

Ricky

[stockpilelena]

Day 40 Lena Challenge

Lucoa is visiting old country, and by old country, I mean fairly new country that everyone else in the world is uncertain if said country actually exists. This Canadian Heritage Moment brought to you by Quetzalcoatl 🇨🇦

Okay, so this took a little longer than I liked, but I really do like drawing Lucoa so sue me

[edgecallskating]

Where were you when Hubbell and Donohue's stationary lift was called 1 BV during the 2019 Four Continents free dance?

Lest you think I exaggerate, I bear receipts!

I'd like to nominate this as a future Canadian Heritage Moment for putting Gilles & Poirier and Weaver & Poje on the podium.

[malcolm-reeds-pineapple]

Woke up to a text from my uncle today that reminded me of a fad that swept Canada back when we had paper bills.

It was called spocking and it was the practice of taking a five dollar bill and turning Wilfred Laurier into Spock with a ballpoint pen. I don’t know who did it first, but someone realized that the Canadian prime minister during World War One looked like Leonard Nimoy if you held your head right.

Best part is that these Spock’d bills were still legal tender. Everyone seemed to love it except of course for the mint and the bank of Canada. There were also some general population narcs who found it to be disrespectful towards the long dead prime minister. However, nerds and people with good senses of humour liked it, and Spocking reached a high watermark shortly after we got our new fives as a tribute to the beloved character after Nimoy’s death in 2015. By that point, I’d been Spocking bills for a while, so any paper five I came into contact with; you best know I was Spocking.

The new fives were a little harder to Spock, given that they were made of plastic and Laurier looked a little less like Leonard Nimoy in the picture they used.

As you can see, it’s not quite right, so as paper fives slowly left circulation, as did Spocking. It’s a unique, fun moment in Canadian history that I thought was worth sharing.

ADDITION: I found this post in my drafts today and it was a total gut punch because my uncle I talked about in the beginning of this post passed away tragically a few days ago. I toyed with not posting this Goon’s Heritage Moment, but I’ve obviously decided to post it.

I visited my uncle when I was a young teenager and I had a paper five dollar bill in my possession. I excitedly turned it into Spock, much to my uncle’s amusement, and he paid me ten dollars for it after I was done. I found out about a month ago that my uncle had the bill I Spocked in his wallet for nearly ten years, and he loved showing it to people. Closer to the end of is life, he put it up so he could always see it. I feel it’s only appropriate for me to post this fun piece of Canadiana to honour his memory. I know that my Spocked five dollar bill brought him joy on his harder days, so I hope this story can bring you all a bit of joy. If anything, text someone you love today to let them know what you’re up to and how much you love them. A text like that can mean more than you’ll ever know.

Live long and prosper, gang: that’s an order. If not for me, for my uncle Jonathan.

[carinalastimosa]

Man, oh man, oh Manny!

Star Wars’ The Acolyte may have been review bombed but it opened y’alls eyes up to the man, Manny Jacinto. The Filipino-Canadian actor made waves as The Stranger/Qimir. Now, if you haven’t seen the show, I won’t spoil it for you but I am sure by this point, you’ve seen some sort of meme/TikTok/post/text from your nanay, featuring the sexually charged (okay, Disney!!!) scenes between Amanda Stenberg’s Osha and Jacinto. In honor of The Acolyte’s finale, which aired last night on Disney+, here is a list of some of the other Asian men I’ve loved over the years on the big and small screen.

Paolo Montalban - The Definitive Prince Charming

One of my favorite movies, to this day, is the 1997 Whitney Houston produced television movie Cinderella. Even my top 4 on letterboxd proves this. It’s one of my first memories consuming pop culture because of the diversity in casting. Houston saw that this story didn’t have to follow traditional casting norms. You can have a Filipino prince and his parents be a white man and a black woman with no one questioning it! Since I saw this at the young age of 7, I thought this was the norm, when in fact, it was the opposite. It’d be one of those rare moments where my parents would ask, “Filipino?” because they weren’t and still aren’t used to seeing Filipinos on screen. Paolo Montalban as Prince Charming is honestly, charming! He brings an earnestness to the role and has genuine chemistry with the luminous Brandy as the titular Cinderella. Their chemistry was so strong, that they’ve even reprised their roles in the recently released Disney+ movie Descendants: The Rise of Red.

Tuxedo Mask - My First (Animated) Crush

That’s right! We all have one. And my animated crush was Tuxedo Mask from the Sailor Moon series. I mean, who could resist! The mask, so mysterious! The black, so tuxedo!

Dante Basco - Rufioooooooo!

The beauty of film is that it is forever. Which means, that for generations of kids to come, they have the exuberance of Dante Basco captured on screen as Rufio in Steven Spielberg’s Hook. I was one of those kids when I was first introduced to the film in the last 90’s. At first, it didn’t even register to me that Basco is also Filipino-American and I think that’s the beauty of Basco’s performance. He’s just one of the boys, the lost boys. While Basco’s career moved more towards voice over, he made his indelible mark as Zuko in Nickelodeon’s animated Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Charles Melton - This Man is a Movie Star

My first introduction to Charles Milton didn’t come through the hit CW series Riverdale. It was after my time. I’m of the Gossip Girl generation, xoxo. I started to hear about the Korean-American actor as the scene stealer in the hotly anticipated Natalie Portman-Julianne Moore headliner May December. And he didn’t disappoint. Melton completely transforms into a man forced into very adult circumstances, still trying to navigate his adolescence. It’s a deeply felt performance filled with longing. He should have been nominated for an Oscar. During the campaign trail, he exuded glamour with his style, affable charm during his interviews, and pride in his heritage in acceptance speeches. Proving why he should be Hollywood’s new leading man.

Lee Jung-jae - Quit Playing (Squid) Games with my Heart

Netflix probably didn’t realize they had a mega international hit on their hands when they dropped their all Korean language tv series Squid Game on their streaming platform. Studio execs will say a foreign language show will alienate audiences, that there aren’t enough bankable Asian stars even when shows like this and FX’s Shogun have proven otherwise. Squid Game made several stars out of the series, including model turned actor Jung Ho-yeon but Korea was already hot on Lee, already a well established star there, we were just playing catch up. It didn’t take long. Lee won numerous awards for his performance and he easily won my style heart. What an elegant, sexy ass man! Needless to say, I’m very grateful to his Gucci campaign.

Dev Patel - The Man

The Indian-British actor/producer/director has had an already varied and expansive career spanning nearly 2 decades, doing so with just 26 acting credits to his IMDb. Which tells me the industry is simply not using this man enough!

Henry Golding - Crazy Handsome Asian

To me, one of the most magical things a film can pull off is perfect casting. It’s a magic trick if they cast a virtual unknown, dazzling the audience, wondering how they did it. That’s how I felt with the casting of Malaysian-British tv correspondent Henry Golding in the film Crazy Rich Asians. A lot was already riding on this movie adaptation: a big budget, romantic comedy, starring an all Asian cast. It had to do well. Or else studio execs had the “proof” they needed to no longer back Asian-led films. Casting Golding as their leading man could have been a risk but with their heroine Constance Wu and Oscar-worthy supporting performance from Michelle Yeoh, the movie was in good hands. Golding holds his own in his first feature film outing. Effortless and magnetic. Buzzy roles quickly followed in Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor and G.I. Joe franchise Snake Eyes. He’s also taken on more dramatic roles in smaller films, further pushing his acting ability. He continues to develop his craft, further cementing why we fell in love with him in the first place.

Manny Jacinto - The Inspo of this Blog

Everybody say, "Salamat, Manny"! He deserves all the roles. No more getting cut from films! In The Good Place, he played the classic himbo, which could have easily pigeonholded into similar roles but he's shown his versatility in shows like Nine Perfect Strangers where he held his own with, my favorite actress, Nicole Kidman. The Acolyte is another facet he's getting to show us and I hope this momentum carries him to the big screen. I'm rooting for this manny, talaga.

[ahenvs3000w24]

01: Finding Place and Peace with Nature

Welcome folks to my Environmental Science Nature interpretation Blog! I am eager to share my thoughts, opinions, and some of my life with you all over the term. To orient you all, I am currently in my fourth and final term at the University of Guelph. My degree is in Arts and Science program with a focus on Biology and Psychology. I have experience in ecology, plant biology, and field experience that I will share with you all. Throughout my degree, I have found value in understanding how the natural world that surrounds us supports our functioning and the role we must have in protecting it.

From the ripe age of three, my parents bundled me up and took me on my first camping trip. I am reminiscent of those experiences as they have influenced my relationship with nature as a young adult. Hiking, youth groups, and time spent on the beach are some of the fondest memories of my childhood. Each summer, I have taken the initiative and have continued the camping tradition for myself. I am no longer reliant upon my parents to facilitate the trip and have introduced my closest friends to the joys of living with nature. Nature has taught me some of the most valuable lessons a child should learn and I feel inclined to share my lessons with those around me.

As a young adult, university has been a pivotal moment in my life. With university comes additional responsibility and pressure on the future. The COVID-19 pandemic commenced in my first year of study at the University of Guelph. The pandemic, in many ways, was a period of reflection and revaluation for my life and how I wish to lead it. In moments of high stress, I tend to forget the peace that nature brings. The pandemic allowed me to reconnect with nature the way I once did as a child and recentered my headspace.

More recently, I had the opportunity to travel to fourteen different countries across the United Kingdom and Europe. From breathtaking hikes in the Swiss Alps to walking the vineyards of Tuscany, I had the pleasure of exploring new areas and ecosystems of the world I never could have dreamed of experiencing. As I share stories of my adventures with those around me, I express the wonder and fulfillment I felt in those moments. Through facilitating conversations surrounding my travels, I remind my peers that nature does not need to be expensive or extreme. Nature is exciting in the simplest form and we as Canadians are blessed with an extraordinary country to explore. I have found a "sense of place" in some of the smallest corners of the world that ultimately challenged my perspective of what nature is capable of.

As described in the textbook, place is not a consistent entity; it may change and take new meaning through experiences (Beck et al., 2018). No one person or experience offered a sense of place in nature rather it has been a combination of many. As I have previously mentioned, I embark on a camping trip annually at one of our provincial parks. I have attended the same provincial park for nearly a decade. From the perspective of a young child, the campsite was simply a plot of land with large trees lining the perimeter as a source of protection; the beach was a place I would play and dive in to find beach glass. As I have matured, this "big picture" has evolved into a collection of smaller snapshots (Beck et al., 2018). I believe that the metaphorical lighthouse that guides my understanding of heritage will continue to change as I develop a stronger sense of self and interact with the environment (Beck et al., 2018).

In conclusion, my journey as an interpreter of nature is evolving. I found a voice and advocacy for our Earth in my travels. My metaphorical lighthouse has guided my path to places I have only dreamed of. The metaphorical lighthouses that assist in developing a "sense of place" may guide our path in several different directions throughout our lifetime (Beck et al., 2018). With each step, our connection and interpretation of the world around us may change (Beck et al., 2018). Like Shel Silverstein's, The Giving Tree, life will continue to evolve and in some moments we may take more of the Earth than we replenish. At the end of it all, it is our connectedness with others that can produce change. Regardless of socioeconomic status, there is wealth in the natural world that surrounds us all.

I have included some of my most favourite pictures of my adventures abroad. If you have been contemplating whether or not traveling abroad is worth it, this is your sign to book that flight!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

Silverstein, Shel. (1964). The giving tree. Harper & Row.

[sixcostumerefs]

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month to our Queens!

Hey y'all! Here in the US Sep 15th-Oct 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month! Today I'm taking a moment to spotlight all the Latino/a/e/x queens in global productions of Six. Quick note that Hispanic/Latino identities have quite a bit of complexity that I'm trying to factor in while making this post; for further explanation of which queens were/were not included, check the "read more."

Aragon: Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Brazilian, 21-23 Australian Tour), Gerianne Pérez (Puerto Rican, Boleyn Tour) Boleyn: Erin Ramirez (Peruana-American, alt B/H/P, Aragon Tour), Analise Rios (Puerto Rican, Breakaway 6.0)

Cleves: Janice Rijssel (Surinamer, Breakaway 4.0), Haley Izurieta (Ecuadorian, formerly rehearsal alt B/C, Bliss 5.0/6.0), Krystal Hernández (Puerto Rican, Canadian Tour)

Howard: Samantha Pauly (Puerto Rican, pre-Broadway tour/Bway), Brianna Mooney (Bliss 3.0), Cassie Silva (Mexican descent, alt A/B/C/H, Aragon Tour/US universal alternate), Didi Romero (Puerto Rican/Boricua, Aragon Tour), Aline Mayagoitia (Mexicana, Boleyn Tour)

Parr: Anna Uzele (Puerto Rican, pre-Broadway tour/Bway), Marilyn Caserta (Cuban, alt A/B/C/P, Bliss 3.0/US universal alternate/Broadway), Gabriela Francesca Carrillo (Mexican-American, Aragon Tour), Sydney Parra (Puerto Rican, Boleyn Tour)

Rehearsal alts: Adrianna Glover (alt A/C/P, Bliss 3.0), Alizé Ke'Aloha Cruz (Mexican, alt B/S/H, Bliss 3.0)

Some stats: - We still have not seen any Latina Seymours who actually got to debut (although Alizé Cruz did cover the role as rehearsal alt). - Howard has been played by the most Latino/a/e/x queens, with four principals as well as two alts and a rehearsal swing. - Meanwhile Cleves and Parr have had three principals as well as two alts and a rehearsal swing; Boleyn has had one principal as well as three alts and two rehearsal swings; and Aragon has had two principals as well as two alts and a rehearsal swing.

A couple notes and definitions: - All information is from this post. There may be additional info or queens missing, as it's only information I specifically have been able to verify. This list also doesn't encompass the full breadth of many queens' identities; many of them are of mixed race and ethnicity, or of several nationalities. For more info on any given queen, that post has everything I know. - The terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" are often conflated within the US, but have different meanings. "Hispanic" refers to someone with heritage from a Spanish-speaking country, such as Spain, Mexico, Chile, and Cuba. "Latino" (or Latina/Latine) refers to someone of Latin American heritage, which by broad definition includes South America, Central America, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and some of the Caribbean, including non-Spanish-speaking countries like Brazil. While the month is called Hispanic Heritage Month, it's typically defined as focusing on celebrating those of Latin American descent. As such, I'm not including queens of Hispanic but non-Latin American descent. - However, there is further debate and difference in identification even beyond that in terms of which countries/people identify as Latin American. For anyone from an area where Latin American identification may differ, such as most of the Caribbean, I generally acquiesced to what the queen themselves identify as. As such, there's very little inclusion of Caribbean queens on this list, because most of them identify themselves as purely Caribbean rather than Latin American. - This debate also comes up with the many Filipino/Pinoy queens. Many identify themselves as being of Hispanic AND Asian heritage due to Spanish colonization in the region, which would make them Hispanic rather than Latino. Of course, there is a possibility that some of the queens could be have mixed Filipina AND Latina background; however, I don't have anything where any of them identified themselves as such, and so in keeping with specifically Latin American queens I did not include them in this post. (You can find them in the Asian American and Pacific Islander post, however!) - Additionally, this post does not include Rhiannon Bacchus as she was part of the cancelled Breakaway 2.0 cast. She is Guyanese.

--------------------------- Photos of Gerianne Pérez, Erin Ramirez, Krystal Hernández, Samantha Pauly, Cassie Silva, Didi Romero, Aline Mayagoitia, Anna Uzele, Gabriela Francesca Carrillo, and Sydney Parra are by Joan Marcus. All other photos: sixthemusicalau, unsure of origin (Phoenix Jackson Mendoza), _animalise (Analise Rios), janice_rijssel (Janice Rijssel), 0haley0 (Haley Izurieta), briannabritomooney (Brianna Mooney), marilyncaserta (Marilyn Caserta), alize.kealoha (Adrianna Glover and Alizé Ke'Aloha Cruz)

[justbackgroundnoise]

That time Sarah Nurse interrupted Marie-Philip Poulin’s post gold medal interview to offer her some fries. This is a Canadian Heritage Moment.

[indefenseofkara]

MWII Operator headcanons: Specgru edition

Hello! I think the multi-player operators deserve more love, so here are some headcanons for the base Spegru team. This doesn’t included people who were in the campaign because there’s plenty of stuff about them already. The pictures are just screenshots of my game, lol.

Jesus “Chuy” Ordaz

(the COD blog post I’m getting some of these full names from says his first name is Manuel, but his bio says Jesus?)

has terrible handwriting

but as my poetry instructor once said, “the worse the handwriting, the better the work”

and he does write poetry

been through a lot, but still a romantic at heart

really great with kids

Gustavo “Gus” Rodriguez

you could not pay this man to shave his mustache

once he grew that mustache, he knew he could never go back

looks like a literal baby when shaved clean, like people will start asking "who let that preteen in here?"

really proud of his career and the fact that he gets to work with Special Forces since he’s not military (because technically there was no military for him to join)

will not bring up surfing, but has a bunch of cool surfing videos ready to go at a moment's notice. you know, just in case

Zhiqiang “Zimo” Wong

precious bean, i love him

cinnamon roll but serious

doesn't mean he can't be brutal, he is a soldier

kind of intense overall, which intimidates some people

really cherishes platonic relationships

movie buff who might smack you if you say you don’t watch foreign films because you don’t like reading subtitles

Kleópatros “Kleo” Gavras

(fuck, I accidentally deleted my notes on her. :( I’m sorry Kleo, I have to wing it!)

likes to dress up. will put on a whole fit and makeup just to hang around the house every once and a while

it's a nice contrast to her usual military get up

good at every sport

also very good a chess

Nila “Nova” Brown

really great eyesight

misses flying, tbh. jumps at the chance to do some piloting for a mission

seriously considered becoming an astronaut

worked with Kortac briefly, but changed to Specgru as soon as her initial contract was up

(that one’s a deep dive for anyone who remembers that she was a Kortac operator during the beta)

Sobiesław “Gromsko” Kościuszko

Polish pride (idk, everyone I know who is Polish or has Polish heritage is very proud of that)

plays some quirky instrument like the accordion or keytar or hurdy-gurdy

uses reading glasses

knits. while wearing the reading glasses. looks like a literal grandmother

Enzo “Reyes”

will never admit it as a proud Canadian, but he doesn't like hockey

a Swiftie

flirts with everyone

pansexual, so no one is safe

(that's a joke)

(I'm not trying to do the "bi/pan people are sluts" thing)

(I just think this man is attractive and charismatic)

(and wants to share that with the world)

(blame the Valentine's day skin)

Tse “Luna” Míngzhū

really amicable

will actually hit you up after saying "we should hang out some time!"

loves attending sporting events and cheers very loudly

it's not mentioned in her bio, but she grew up in Virginia, near Washington DC, so 9/11 probably had a big impact on her and her career choice

(pulling on my own experience for that one)

(not job experience, but growing up in DC suburbs when 9/11 happened experience)

lots of frustration with generic military gear because it's all way too big on her

Thanks for reading! My Kortac headcanon post can be found here.

[bellabeebe]

chapter one - starting point

(trigger warnings: blood, graphic description, swears, death)

Southern Ontario was home to most of the cast members of the infamous 2010 show, Total Drama World Tour. The teenagers had decided to throw a reunion party at a popular venue. It was a large hall, decorated with Canadian heritage, like flags dotted around on the walls. The party was hosted by Heather after she won the third series. Now, Heather wasn't one to host parties, but despite her mean exterior and personality in the show, she had a kind heart. The contestants would finally be reunited after a year apart.

The guests arrived one by one, contented by each other's presence. When stood outside, waiting, Heather spotted a familiar figure - someone that she was glad to see. She left her spot and ran toward him, laughing happily. That someone was Alejandro, her competition from the season prior. He swept her up into his arms and hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you could come." She smiled. The rest of the contestants arrived one by one, too.

The Drama Brothers, Total Drama's resident band, were ecstatic to reunite. No one, though, was more ecstatic than Izzy, the 'crazy girl.' Upon spotting her two best friends, Noah and Eva, she leaped over and gave them a huge bear hug. Eva wasn't mad about physical touch, but she made an exception with Izzy. She then bounced over to Owen, her boyfriend. He, as well as Izzy, loved physical touch and gave her a warm squeeze.

Once all the guests had arrived, the party began. The old friends chatted on and on, laughter and fun filling the room. The only person who was not surrounded by friends was Ezekiel. He barely had any friends, and usually took to being alone. This was probably because he had said something sexist in the first season - his dad told him to say it, and he didn't exactly know any better. Thinking back to that moment, Ezekiel realized that he shouldn't have said that. If he hadn't he would most probably be surrounded by friends. Alas, it was what it was.

Justin sat in a circle with his three best friends, Cody, Harold, and Trent, as they discussed new songs to publish as a band. Since Total Drama Action, he had stopped worrying about his looks as much. His friends were much more important than beauty. As he laughed, he noticed the homeschooled country boy sitting alone in a corner. Ezekiel was clearly sad, his eyes clouded with loneliness. He headed over to him, moving in an awkward bum-shuffle.

Ezekiel's head was buried in his arms by the time Justin reached him. "Hey." Ezekiel jumped. "Hey!" Ezekiel exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't expected anyone to communicate with him tonight, let alone Justin. "You ok? You can come and sit with me and my friends if you'd like." Zeeke leaned forward to catch a glimpse of the group. Harold smiled and waved. The two sat with the group, making regular conversation with Ezekiel. To be honest, Ezekiel thought he was about to cry. Not because he was sad, though: because he finally felt appreciated.  

Alejandro and Heather sat together on one of the couches, snuggled up in a blanket. She was asleep, lying on his shoulder as he and a few others watched a movie on the TV in front of the couch. Heather stirred and murmured in her sleep a few times.

The television, all of a sudden, glitched and the news flicked on. The newsman looked visibly distressed and disturbed, stray hairs sticking up off his head and eyebags sagging. It was an emergency broadcast. This hadn't happened much before.

"This is an emergency broadcast announcing the outbreak of an apocalypse. Labs all around Canada can not explain the sudden surge of these creatures - please stay inside your homes and only leave if urgent. Even then, stay protected, stay safe. May God bless you all. The zombie apocalypse has begun."

Alejandro urgently nudged Heather awake, calling the others over to the television. Some watched in horror, some started to cry. Some were in denial, some panicked. "WHAT WILL WE DO?" Sierra shrieked, hugging Cody, much to his annoyance.

"Shit, shit, shit.." Gwen paced around the room, biting her nails.

Bridgette's bottom lip wobbled and she burst out into childish tears. Geoff hurried to hold her, trying his hardest to comfort her. Ezekiel sat blankly in front of the news broadcaster, taking in every detail of what he was saying. This infection was spreading at an unnatural rate, due to the zombies' unnatural speed. His parents had taught him to always be prepared for something like this. He knew how to block doors. That was only his first step.

Moving quickly, he darted to the door a blocked the door handle with a chair. Looking out the window, he saw somebody outside. They were pale and bloody, with grotesque scars and blotches on the skin. Their eyes were that of a blind person's - light blue and glossy. The zombie twisted their head and spotted Ezekiel sheepishly staring at them. They let out a terrible screech and started banging on the door. "Oh God." He murmured under his breath, finding more objects to block the door with. A table, more chairs, wood planks. He sped back through the hall to where the teens were gathered.

"What is that noise?" Courtney gasped, going to investigate. Ezekiel grabbed her arm as she was about to move and shook his head solemnly. Courtney's eyes narrowed, and she sharply drew her arm from his hand. "Don't-" He shouted alertedly.

"What? Why-" Courtney was confused.

"They're here. Just please don't go." He pleaded, fear in his eyes. Courtney nodded and joined the rest of the group. Katie and Sadie clung onto each other, shivering and shaking more with each bang and crash on the door. Lindsay huddled into a blanket on the couch, Tyler comforting her. He held her, softly stroking her hair. Courtney saw how scared everybody was, and whistled with her hands.

"Right, we can't worry right now. We need weapons and protection. Heather, you and your family rent this hall every few months, right? Is there anywhere we can find an emergency gun or something like that?" Courtney exclaimed, passing her gaze to Heather. She nodded, yet said she forgot where it was. "Great.. that's another thing we need to do - find it. Until then, block all the windows and doors. It can be with planks, tables, chairs-"

"I saw a toolbox near the door - maybe we can use the nails and hammer inside to barricade the doors," Ezekiel suggested. Courtney smiled, nodding. For the next half hour, the teens got to work. The toolbox's contents were limited, but they made the most of what was there. The hall was flooded with the noise of dedication and determination. It was hard to hear yourself think with all the hammering. 

A sharp yell could be heard from Heather - tears were brimming in her eyes. "What's wrong?" Alejandro asked, anxiously standing at her side. He looked down. Blood covered her finger, one of the nails sticking out of it. Heather winced when he touched it. "Is there a medical room here anywhere?" Alejandro questioned softly. Heather nodded, both of them standing up and moving to her guidance.

After the group had done the best they could, half decided to keep a lookout. No weapons had been found yet, and the emergency gun had not been located yet. If the zombies broke in, there was no protection. The risk was huge.

Everything was quiet and still until the dreaded happened. A lifeless being came into sight outside, looking directly through the window. It grinned, showing sharp yellow teeth, and lunged toward the door. It banged and crashed against it, the blockage only delaying its entrance by a few minutes. Geoff jumped back from the door in astonishment - it was surprisingly strong.

"Hide!!" Owen shouted, ducking behind the couch. Izzy dove behind too, followed by Noah. Eva stood protectively in front, her stance readied. The rest of the teens found rooms with lockable doors and hid in round corners or under blankets.

Disturbing guzzling noises sounded from behind the front door, sobbing too. Bridgette clasped her hand over her mouth, desperate to stay quiet. Lindsay clung onto Tyler, terrified. Her tears stung her eyes.

In a matter of seconds, the zombie had kicked down the door and was now on the hunt. It charged through the hall, screaming unnaturally. It headed toward Eva, hands outstretched. Eva's eyes widened, and she took action, kicking it as it came near. Izzy watched in awe behind the couch. It writhed around on the floor, Eva leaping behind the couch with her friends. Now, everybody was hidden.

It walked toward a table, where Beth was hidden underneath. It had seen her. Beth could not stand up for herself, or fight. She was a weakling. The creature lunged toward her, teeth chomping. Beth screamed, the zombie tearing at her flesh. Blood oozed from her fresh wounds. 

Lindsay started to sob and was forced to watch as her best friend was torn to shreds. Tyler tried to block her gaze, but she still managed to see. She hugged him painfully, struggling to breathe. He cupped his hand onto her mouth securely. She couldn't make a sound.

Beth cried and yelled, her mouth flooding with blood. She started to choke on it as the zombie ate through her skin. Beth breathed one final breath and died there, on the same floor she had danced on a couple of hours ago.

The zombie stood up, its eyes flickering around the room. They landed on Gwen, her head sticking out from the blanket she was hidden under. It showed a grizzly smile, teeth coated with blood and saliva. Running toward her like an angry bull, Gwen screeched. Trent gasped.

Before the disgusting creature could take a bite of her flesh, a gunshot sounded. It was loud and shocking. Everybody stood up. Heather held the emergency gun in her hand, pressing the trigger down. Satisfaction rushed through her blood.

"Stay away, motherfucker."

The zombie lay limp on the ground, mouth agape and eyes blank. Heather spun the gun round in her hand and blew on the bullet hole. Gwen shivered in her spot. Trent sat with her, gently hugging her.

Everyone's gaze turned to Beth. Next to her, Lindsay sobbed and shook, Tyler holding her back. "No... Beth!" Lindsay's voice wobbled.

Heather helped her to stand up, telling her that it would be okay.

It was not okay.

It never would be okay without her best friend by her side.

[allisonreader]

Links to each of the options, in case you haven't seen them before. They're only about a minute long for each of them.🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

Tom Longboat

Terry Fox

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Wilder Penfield

Tommy Prince

Laura Secord

Jacques Plante

Maurice "Rocket" Richard

Sitting Bull

Jenny Trout

Sir Sandford Fleming

Jackie Robinson

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Members of the Olympic champion Canadian women's soccer team told a committee of MPs Thursday that their program is being held back by a lack of support from their governing body.

The team, like its male counterpart, is embroiled in a bitter labour dispute with Canada Soccer, the sport's governing body. Team captain Christine Sinclair and players Janine Beckie, Sophie Schmidt and Quinn brought their case before members of the heritage committee on Thursday.

"There is no greater honour as an athlete than to step on the competitive stage and represent our country," Sinclair said in her opening remarks. "These have been some of the greatest moments of our lives. But they've not come without frustration."

The players gave a scathing review of Canada Soccer, saying the organization paid male players five times as much as it did players on the women's team in 2021. But they said pay equity is only a part of their fight. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada