Books, novels and journal articles...

This weeks discussion topic is one of my favourite activities. . . reading. I have always been an avid reader. Devouring books from the library and taking a step into someone elses reality is something that has always intrigued me. The most wonderful thing about fiction is that it allows you to visit another space for a short period of time, it takes you into the author's mind, and into the lives of the characters they have created. As we step into September, I feel myself reading less fiction and more educational journal articles as the school year ramps up. I don't mind this transition, as it feels natural and exciting. Every fall, my love of reading is transferred from fiction to non-fiction, and in the process I continue to learn.

What do you enjoy about reading? What are your favourite books/articles/series to read?

I'm passionate about...

...well it's probably not time-keeping because I'm a little late to this blog post.

I'm passionate about music. If I could teach a university course, I could probably lecture for a full year on mid-00's pop punk and Canadian indie rock. I also play violin but more occasionally than I used to. I go to concerts as often as possible and my dearest wish is to attend the Polaris Prize Gala.

I'm passionate about literature. I try to read 100 books a year, and although I haven't done it yet, I'm always scoping for something good to read and giving recommendations. On the flipside, I also write prose and poetry over here.

I'm a political science major and that's because I'm also passionate about how things work, how you can make change, how to deal with the complex and multilayered issues that societies face and how to plan for the future. Because I like history and theory and language. I'm most passionate about foreign affairs and diplomacy.

I'm passionate about the idea that you have to feel a drive for something. That idea that human beings are profoundly passionate and any person should have a list of things they are passionate about that can't be confined to just mere curiosity but drives you to stay up late and work. I'm also passionate about the city, social media, sustainable living, sleeping in, creative spaces, Androids, scarves and the news.

In Love with writing and Obsessed with organizing

Writing has always been part of me. I am very passionate about it. I love exploring the meaning and origins of words. Growing up I used to immerse myself in books which earned me the name "bookworm" I had my own challenges due to my trilingualism. My journey with those three languages has been a roller coaster. I started of with German but when I moved to Ghana at the age of four, I completely forgot how to speak the language. Some years later when I returned to Germany, I was speaking two Ghanaian languages and English. In the course of re-learning German, I lost one of the Ghanaian languages. My first attempts in writing were mostly in English with a few works in German but I quickly realized that English was the language I felt most comfortable with. I must admit that there is a therapeutic occurrence woven in my writing process but generally speaking I write with the intention to share my experiences, observations and insights with others as a way to elucidate and capacitate. Strangely enough or maybe not, I don't like to present my works in front of a large audience. Public speaking is certainly not my strength. I am capable of handling a small group. In a way I'm critical of the modern/21st century approach to publicizing literature. I might share some of my personal thoughts on the productization of authors at a later point.

Then I have this other obsession, my second love, which is organizing. I utterly detest chaos! A lot of people appear to be irritated with my fixation to arrange things and create order. The truth is I simply cannot help it.

Greetings Ladies of EGCC!!

I have created this blog as a space to get conversations going about what it means to be a strong, vibrant, young woman in today's society. I will post a new topic every other week or so, and I hope that you will share your thoughts to get the conversation going. Feel free to ask questions and respond to other blog posts.

Passionately Creative

The arts have always been a part of my life—I grew up in a household that was full of music wafting through the halls. My parents loved music and it drifted into me as well. As a child crayons were my favourite drawing tools. As a teenager, I learned to paint with all of the glorious colours of the rainbow and in university I discovered the wonders of ceramics. Through all of these artistic forms, music was an integral part of my inspiration and creativity. And although I was not a musician, I loved the rhythmic beats of reggae music; the lyrical cadence of rap and the intense guitar licks in alternative music.

Once I graduated from high school I was set to go to university for English Literature and Music theory, but then my grade 12 Visual Art teacher suggested I look into art schools. She saw a spark in me, and believed in my talents. Since then (approx. 20 years ago), I have been studying, practicing and teaching about art. It is not an easy journey, but I continue because I love what I do! I feel blessed to have been given this talent and I could not imagine life without it.

What are you passionate about? Why?