Tag: yegwomen

Being the Human Transit Navigator: The Captive Transit User Series Part 15

Posted in Edmonton, Local Establishments, Politics, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

By: Giselle General

This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:

What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.

People unfamiliar with a transit system, whether it is because they are new to an city, a neighbourhood, or just so happened to not use transit for a specific event, benefit from the help of a fellow human who seemed to know their way around. A few times this summer, it was nice to be that fellow human, even as a stranger, to be that source of help and companionship to someone. Here’s a few stories when I by myself, or with my husband, did this to people in the city.

Edmonton Folk Festival

This summer was the first time that my husband and I went to Edmonton Folk Festival. Because we had little time between having dinner at the bar near his work by the Manchester Square, we took an rideshare to the festival location. But we decided to take the relatively-recently-opened Valley Line LRT to her back.

While walking through the green space to get to the station, someone called out to us. They seemed confused and asked where the LRT station is. My husband and I pointed to the direction that we are headed. In the spot where we were standing, it seemed easy to miss the LRT station, as the glass pyramids of the Muttart Conservatory is right close by. The people seemed relived to know that the LRT station was indeed close by, which is a great reason why the festival organizers heavily promoted transit as a way to get to and from the festival.

This is the first year that the festival is going on with the LRT access. I bet that in future years, it would be a no-brainer for most people to get to the festival through transit, either to get to the bottom or top of the hill.

New worker going to downtown

On a Thursday morning in August, I was waiting to get on my usual bus to get to downtown. A man was talking passionately over the phone, in a language I cannot understand. He hung up, browsed his phone for a few minutes and then he approached me, speaking in limited English. Asked which buses go to downtown by 109 Street, and whether the bus is arriving since it’s been late for 5 minutes. I can imagine how a late bus for a route you’ve never used before would make anyone anxious. So I told him “yes that’s the number 2, it will come soon, and we can take it together!”

The bus arrived and we hop on together. He was restlessly looking at the window to check where we are going. I placed the address of his destination on my Google maps app, and showed him the blue moving dot that symbolizes the bus. We were sitting close to the front, so I also point to him the digital screen that was showing the intersection of the upcoming bus stops. I told him, “once we are close to downtown, the screen and the audio annoucement will say.. 121 Street – Jasper Avenue, 116 Street – Jasper Avenue, 112 Street – Jasper Avenue… and then that’s when you pull the stop alert and get off. Then when you get off, you just need to walk 2 blocks that way, and you’ll be in your destination!” I finished my instructions while pointing towards the south.

He shared to me that it was his first day at his job. He shyly told me that his English is “not very good” but he will be starting classed at Norquest college very soon. I said that Norquest is very close to where he was getting off for work, so he can take the same bus and just wait for a few stops further into downtown. I shared that I am an immigrant too, only that I’ve been here for 17 years. He sounded amazed upon hearing that.

As his stop approached, I got him to pull the string for the stop request. As he left the bus, I said good bye and waved at him through the glass, while making sure I press the button again as I was getting off at the next stop. I sent a silent prayer, wishing him a good day at work as I headed out to start mine.

Lady navigating west end construction zone

One morning, I was on the bus heading to work and after a few stops, a woman wearing business clothes came in. There were several vacant seats at the front, but she didn’t sit right away. Clutching her phone tightly, she talked to the driver asking if the bus would be passing by 139 Street and 102 Avenue. He said yes, and continued to drive. She continued standing at the front craning her neck, seemingly wanting to have the same line of sight as the driver.

Only a few stops later, she asked the driver again how close we are getting to her destination. We were still on 87 Avenue, about 15 minutes away. I do know though that she is getting off on a very busy construction zone and might miss where the bus stop is.

I waited for catch her eye, I smiled and said, yes the bus is heading that way. I pointed at the digital sign above her head and said “as you can see, and you will hear, the upcoming bus stops will show on the sign. So you will hear when the next step is 139 Street and 102 Avenue and press the button then.” As we waited along the very congested 142 Street, the bus finally got a chance to turn on 102 Avenue. The bus arrived at the intersections and the got off one of the temporary-looking bus stops.

Honestly, I’m quite relived that smartphones are around. It helps communicating bus routes and travel times better. One can argue that if someone has a phone and data, people can just look at the directions and go where they need to go. But I think that the additional element of human help can provide that extra level of reassurance. Many times, I’ve seen passengers come up to the bus, show their phone to the driver and confirm, and happily enter the bus once they get the okay from the driver. But in a pinch, whether in a random location around the city, a busy transit station, or a bus stop, I enjoy pitching in when needed. It’s a fleeting moment of kindness, lasting a few minutes at most, but can help with those unfamiliar with our transit system get the hang of it.

Love Language Reflections: Happy Wife about ‘Househusband Friday’

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Personal, relationships, Self-Care, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

By: Giselle General

Lately, my corner of the internet is full of discussions about how couples share responsibilities in the home, how in many cases the division of tasks could get unequal, and passionate opinions on what to do when this is the case. I wanted to add my two bits into this discourse, not to side myself with a specific point of view, but to reflect and assess my situation as someone who is married for coming into five years (wow!) and sharing a home with my now-husband for coming into thirteen years.

In 2022 when my husband started to work for my father-in-law, he would go to work four days a week and then go to school remotely on Fridays. On these days he would be in the home office for most of the day, taking breaks only for lunch. Then he started to do one task which is doing laundry. It’s easy enough to do in between long study sessions since we only have two loads of laundry between us. Last year, around October 2023, he took a break from schooling on Fridays and it became what we now officially call as Househusband Friday.

How does it look like? It starts with us doing our own thing for breakfast and then once I’m ready to leave to the office for work, he would walk me to the bus stop. So we’ll have that small bit of quality time during the walk until the bus picks me up and I wave goodbye looking out the window. Maybe it looks like I’m a child being dropped off the yellow bus to school, but I don’t care. I love it. It’s sweet. It’s very kilig – Filipinos would get it!

Then when he gets home, from 8 AM to 1 PM he would nonstop work on the list of tasks. These included weekly chores like doing laundry and dishes, semi-monthly chores like vacuuming, dusting and grocery shopping, and the as-requested tasks like disposing items to the eco-station, changing the batteries of smoke detectors, deep cleaning the very top shelf of the kitchen cabinets, and more. He would then relax for a couple of hours, and then make dinner.

If there’s one thing we both love – I mean aside from each other – it’s our task lists. So it is not weird, unromantic, or offensive to have a list on our whiteboard of the things to do and even what I would like to have for our dinner. I’m pretty flexible with it actually. After a few months of this routine, it feels so nice to come home to a warm meal and a yummy drink (usually a smoothie) ready. And usually there’s leftovers enough for one or two meals on the weekend.

Then as the weekend comes, it’s my turn. I love to neatly put away our clothes, so I’m in charge of folding and hanging laundry. When the bathroom needs deep cleaning, that’s on me as well. I do prepare any other meals for the weekend, while he finds time to check his budget and pay the shared home bills. If there’s a home tasks we need to do together, we find time for them as well. If the chore is a bit creative, we like to consider it a mini date, like when we made this lawn ornament a few weeks ago.

On the living room of Giselle's home, is a lawn ornament of a donkey hitched on a wagon. It received a fresh coat of paint done both by Giselle and her husband.

The day before the start of the work week, usually Sunday or Monday of a holiday long weekend, is the busiest for me as I meal prep for the week. But it’s not all me. My husband cooks the meal we bring to his father’s place for our regular Sunday dinner, or as we call it, “Spaghetti Sunday” because we mostly make spaghetti and meatballs.

As a couple we also like having titles or official terminology on things we do. We describe ourselves as “team communicate”, we ask for a “feelings check” or start the “intensity check” process when we are stressed, so “househusband Friday” was a very welcome addition. Once a month, we also have a dedicated “plant maintenance day” for when we clean and re-organize our 12 Aerogarden units for our indoor farming set up.

During the week, we strive to cover for each other too. We load, run, and unload the dishwasher with minimal prompting. When I make one of the upcycled outfits and bits of thread and fabric are strewn over the dining table, I do a quick sweep with the walis, a plant-based soft broom imported from the Philippines. He is good at preventing messes from happening in the first place.

Truth to be told, I really appreciate that there’s more awareness and discussion about how couples divide household chores. I feel horrified at the stories I read about how apparently, husbands would deliberately and maliciously mess up a task to make their spouses upset to the point of not asking for help again. I remember being stunned at learning the term weaponized incompetence, but it fits in many cases.

The tricky and nuanced part is determining when to confront, when to educate, when to accommodate, and when to finally terminate the relationship. In online discourse where stories are condensed and context could be incomplete, it can feel excessive to see suggestions of “throw the whole man away.” But there are times when it’s valid. There can be times though when digging deeper through the root of the problem, whether it is trauma, illness, difference in cognitive abilities, lack of education but with willingness to learn, or something else, can help make a process that works for everyone involved.

I think it’s partly why I cringe when some people claim that a to-do list is too childish or offensive. And if a list is a no-go, I could imagine the haters when they find out how I write the grocery list for my husband since he started going alone during Househusband Fridays. Not only is it handwritten (gasp!), I make a new one every time instead of a standard list (gasp again!), the items are arranged based on type of item and also listed sequentially based on the layout of the store. Personally it is the ultimate example of setting someone up for success and making the tasks as quick and efficient as possible.

Giselle is holding a handwritted grocery list for a shopping trip at Costco. The items are arranged by section in order from the left to the right side of the store.

In my humble opinion, chores are most of the time not fun. Anything and everything that can be done to make it as quick, efficient, and enjoyable for the couple as they do them individually and together, is a win. I heard the argument that money is the main reason for divorce. I’d say a second close one is conflict with domestic duties as they are part of everyday life. It these issues are unresolved, it can affect someone multiple times a day, and can really wear people down over time.

Appreciation goes a long way too. Maybe it seems childish, but the occasional compliment for completing chores or admiring the outcome can help remind our spouses that the we see the effort they do. I think the most common phrase we say in my home is “thank you, baby!”

Chores and the domestics are an integral part of one’s health and keeping the relationship strong and sustainable. If there’s one thing I wish all couples have, is to reach a state of domestic delight. That the mundane aspects of maintaining their home is a source of joy, security, confidence and bonding.

During one of the househusband Fridays this summer, I had the day off. He still went through most of the tasks on the list, but I took over some of the seasonal tasks I added earlier this week. He did the weekly laundry and dishes and the vacuuming for the month. I mowed the grass, reorganized our little backyard patio, from the furniture, the barbeque and the pile of bags of refundable bottles. Afterwards he started to install a second-hand printer we got, until it got so frustrating that he smashed it just like in Office Space. He wanted that printer out of the house ASAP so we went to the eco-station to dump it off.

As we waited for our turn to enter the eco-station gate he asked, “Does this count as a date?”

Giggling I said, “Of course!”

We continued to hold hands, with his other hand on the wheel, while the car idled along a queue of cars with people doing the same mundane task of disposing their trash.

Memoir Writing Reflections #8: Retreats and Panels

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Local Establishments, Personal, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

By: Giselle General

Frankly, I’ve always felt a bit reluctant to “connect more with the writing community”. Perhaps it’s the introvert in me. Perhaps it stems from my younger self who didn’t really learn the proper life skills to build and maintain a lot of friendships. But over the past few months, I had a chance to make some effort on this goal in incremental ways.

I applied to attend the Pandemic University Nonfiction Writing Retreat which happened in May. I must say, the idea of a writing retreat felt foreign and out of reach for the longest time, as they typically involve going into some faraway touristy area or an isolated cabin in the woods, hours or even days of uninterrupted writing in solitude or small groups, and being completely disconnected from my home base and everyday life. That’s a bit much for me, I didn’t think I’ll have the time or even money for such as retreat.

A table of gift bags and notebooks set up during the first night of the Nonfiction Writing Retreat.

So when this opportunity came up that gives me the choice to stay in my home city, be taken care of for majority of the day, and come to my home and husband in the evenings to recharge in familiar surroundings, I thought it was perfect. I’ve been wanting to attend Pandemic University courses for a long time but wasn’t able to find the opportunity to register. Also, the retreat being in Edmonton meant that it was more affordable for me.

When I went on the first night straight from work on the Friday evening, I was relieved that wasn’t too crowded, a total of 20 people if adding all the organizers and attendees. It is so much smaller and intimate which is exactly what I needed for my first-ever retreat ever. There were three presentations on various topics related to creative nonfiction that I recall were being offered as standalone courses, and then a Q and A with the organizers. Turns out, listening while sitting on a couch or dining chair with over a dozen creative people is so invigorating and cozy.

I remember feeling super self-conscious during the part where attendees like me were placed in smaller groups to do activities, review each others’ written drafts, and even during the one-on-one meeting to talk about my specific projects. It was very helpful though! I managed to ask questions and get advice on the two artistic projects I’m working on, the memoir and the documentary.

The wide range of backgrounds and topics that the attendees wrote about is just remarkable to see. Many of us have written, or are currently writing about really heavy topics and there’s something just so profound about being in the presence of people who managed to express their stories and insights through carefully crafted words. Whether it is the death of loved ones, torturous hardship, sparks of insight from unique experiences, or wanting to talk about someone they knew who is doing incredible things, everyone seemed to have the belief that this is worth sharing to the world.

The two delightfully surprising things about the retreat for me is how much I appreciated having my basic needs (my meals) prepared for me for two and half days, and how much I enjoyed talking about writing experiences in a homey setting. Turns out, it’s actually wonderful to have a block of time in between workshops for some independent working, which I used to start applying the advice I received earlier that day.

If time, resources and opportunity allows it, I definitely would do this again. We now have a group chat as well where people continue to share updates, advice from each other. Not bad for an ongoing community moving forward.

The back wall of the restaurant Otto, where the participants and organizers of the Nonfiction Writing Retreat and a few guests are assembled for a group photo.
Digital poster of the Writers Guild of Alberta conference "No Place Like Home". The panel is "Memoir: Telling the Truth is Hard".

Then in June, I had the honour of being a panelist for the Writers Guild of Alberta conference which took place this year in Edmonton. Last year it was in Calgary and I joined the panels and events remotely, of which the organizers did a fantastic job. So when I was asked to participate in an online panel, I knew the logistics would go smoothly.

When I got the invitation though, I just to double check with them if they truly wanted me in it when I don’t have a published memoir. It looks like that is THE reason they asked me to be a panelist. It was fun, and I hope that it was helpful for those who listened to my rambles.

I was trying hard to not squeal and fangirl too much when I found out who our moderator was, and I think I managed to keep it together during the panel. People seemed to be equal parts amused and confused that I had a spreadsheet to keep track of the different chapters I wrote and the different live events I wanted to be mentioned in the story. I knew that being organized helped me with getting the draft done, and I shared many times how much the Writers Guild of Alberta’s programs and services, most especially the Horizon Writers Circle program where I was matched with Wendy McGrath, helped with making the first draft of the manuscript into reality.

We the panelists answered some of the questions in drastically different ways, which I hope can serve as a reassurance to the audience that they are multiple approaches to doing things – from the writing, the drafting, choosing which stories to tell and how much, and finishing the work.

Screen of the Zoom meeting during the panel "Memoir: Writing the Truth is Hard where Alexis, Giselle, Ashley, paulo and Rowan are joining the meeting.

I do admit it feels really nice to hear people say “I look forward to seeing your book published”…”I look forward to reading it.”

I also appreciate that the conference is not as large and overwhelming compared to, let’s say, the transit conference I attended last November. At the larger gatherings, during the meals and the keynotes, there is about 150 people or less, enough to see everyone across the end of the banquet hall. The panels and keynotes I attended were very informative and insightful, and I loved witnessing for the first time how a literary awards ceremony looks like.

I managed to meet a few of my fellow Filipino creative people in the conference and hung out with some of them during the breaks. I ran into my editor, which I also mentioned during my panel.

Chances are that next year the WGA conference will be outside Edmonton, but I’m positive that I can join again either virtually or a short drive away. Maybe it will be in Red Deer! That would actually give me a reason to finally see the city.

The Filipinos I met at the conference were truly motivated to continue building our own community to support each other as well. Just a few weeks after the conference and after other artistic events for Filipinos in Edmonton took place, I got looped into a Facebook group chat for Filipino-Edmontonian artists.

The timing of these weekend multi-day activities worked perfectly in the whole project management of the memoir, as I was then working on the final set of professional edits. I’m hoping that I can find time and energy to nurture my growing community, support them in their ongoing work, and for them to celebrate my own accomplishments when it’s time.

And the journey to making this book a reality continues….

The Construction Neighbours: The Captive Transit User Series Part 14

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Local Establishments, Politics, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

By: Giselle General

This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:

What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.

When people choose a place to live, they consider many important things in choosing the neigbhourhood. We knew when we picked the neighbourhood we live in now that since the LRT will literally pass through the main road nearby, that we will be inundated with the impacts of the construction for many years until the line officially opens. But what is something that many residents complain about, became something that piqued my curiosity over the years.

I’m basically like a “Marites”, the nosy neighbour looking into the latest “tea” of what is happening next door, but for an LRT construction. This transit nerd is delighted with integrating such a Filipino reference, hehe. Every time I leave my home to commute to work, it’s neat to see the changes.

Between my husband and me, our no-cost-but-super-fun date idea has been to go for a half-hour work along the construction site, observe the different holes and poles, the cranes and trucks, the cement and the metal pieces, and the people around the site. I bet my husband is truly enjoying being married to a transit nerd – no need to go far or spend a lot of money for romantic quality time, haha!

As the cliche goes, a photo says a thousand words. So here is a photo dump of the photos of the LRT construction progress because because it’s fun and nerdy

The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. It is winder and there's block of ice and snow along the road and construction site.
The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. The two traffic lanes are backed up, and four pillars are almost finished construction.
The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. The specialized above-ground crane is lifting platforms for the above-ground Misericordia station.
The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. The view is from underneath the specialize crane. 6 platforms were lifted and still have gaps in between each other.
The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. The ramp to take the tracks to street level is partially done, with lots of metal rebar sticking out.
The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. The specialized crane is approaching the traffic light on 165 Street.
The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave. A crane is parked in the middle of the site.

Frankly at this point, for very short trips, it is much better to walk – to the mall, the library, the pharmacy. But as long as the locations are literally long the main road, I can also be lazy and take the bus in one direction.

I heard many times that the construction impact north of my neighbourhood, along Stony Plain Road, is much worse for the businesses there. In fact, the City launched a campaign called “Rally for the Road” to encourage people to continue to patronize the businesses along the road, where construction makes it difficult and unappealing to park to get to these businesses. I know of a business owned by a fellow Filipino that sells Filipiniana inspired attire. I hope to visit the business someday when it is easier to travel to get there, either by car of perhaps, the newly opened LRT line!

The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave and by the business plaza on 159 Street. A sign by the fence says "Businesses Are Open During Construction"

In the middle of May, during the Annual General Meeting for our community league, we also held a town hall where staff from the city and the LRT construction company co-presented and answered questions from the neighbourhood. I really appreciated them doing this. The maps and slideshows were informative in giving both the big picture progress of the whole project, timelines for summer 2024 and what to anticipate as far as changes in access to lanes and intersections. We were given the reassurance that any concerns can be shared to them anytime, and that they have what sounds like daily meetings with the staff at the hospital to ensure access is not blocked unintentionally.

On top of that, our community league president seems to have established a good relationship with relevant staff. He managed to make a few phone calls to sort out the traffic lights nearby to help traffic flow better.

The construction zone for the West Edmonton LRT along 87 Ave and 165 Street, the intersection that will be closed for two weeks as the specialized crane finished lifting platforms for the track.

And just a few weeks after this neighbourhood meeting, my husband and I can see the large crane off our second-floor bedroom window.

We were told that our section will be finished by fall this year, then the section off the other side of 178 Street will be worked on. I will definitely miss the unique crane when it moves. And I hope that the residents who live in that area, that have been affected by construction for just as long as we are, have a manageable experience for the next few years.

Recovering Political Candidate: What I wish I Knew

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Politics, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

By: Giselle General

Sometime in December 2023, I was contacted by a researcher who is working on a paper asking for the financial barriers faced by women running for public office. Did she ever find the right person willing to talk and vent about this very topic! I was connected to her through a national organization that aims to encourage women to run for public office.

I shared what I knew and gave so much more information that the questions she outlined in her 3-page questionnaire. I truly hoped I didn’t sound too grouchy when I explained all the potential barriers, both ones I experienced personally and broader patterns I’ve observed.

Despite the fact that my candidacy was coming up to three years ago, I remember many things that I wished were more clear during the campaign workshops and campaign toolkits that I accessed between 2017 – 2021.

So here is a short list of what I wish I knew.

  • About the “social etiquette” in Canada, Alberta, and Edmonton when it comes to door-knocking. I didn’t feel confident enough to reassure volunteers on how to handle different types of situations such as homes having no mailboxes, the “no soliciting” signs, entering gates and how long to wait at the doors.
  • How to handle conversations with one’s employer on handling things such as time off, salary and using vacation days and reputation management for the workplace. I think I handled it okay, but if I had more information I would have been less terrified.
  • The range of options on how to handle the election campaign with family members.
  • Exercise routines to help manage pain and soreness from walking, standing a long time, using mobility aids (like my walking cane) for a long time, hand care (from knocking on all the doors), and more.
  • Personal finance budgeting once the motivation to run is there. This includes saving for money for taking time off from work to do campaigning full time, money to initially fund election expenses, budgeting some extras that may be needed such as replacement shoes, therapy appointments, pens, umbrellas, or takeout food.
  • Options for campaign finances, as in ideas of what a low-budget, medium-budget, and a high-budget campaign can potentially look like, as it took me too long to decide whether I should get one digital billboard or one bus bench.
  • Tips and tricks to coordinate with landlords to connect with apartment residents, as this process also took a lot of time coordinating while being afraid I might be somehow breaking some election rule that I was never aware of.

I will likely talk about this more in future posts. In the meantime, I eagerly look forward to the research publication talking about this topic.

Everyday people that wanted to participate in the political discourse in this very important way should feel confident in their ability to do a decent job. They should not feel demoralized by obstacles that seem systemic in nature.

To conclude, here’s the copy of the post I wrote for the Alberta Filipino Journal back in 2021 during the beginning of the actual campaign.

General Point of View: Trailblazing and Smashing Ceilings – The Journey of a First-Time Elections Candidate

By: Giselle General, April 2021

This election candidacy is a journey five years in the making.  Here is a reflection on my experiences as of this date as someone running for the first time.

A main challenge is informing people on different topics. There are many issues that affect our daily lives, and it can be difficult to remember which level of government is responsible. On top of that, there are issues that are a shared responsibility between the municipal, provincial and federal government. So it is important for me, my campaign team, and other candidates to be informed and patient when discussing with others.

The electoral district boundaries not only changed in composition, but also the names have changed. They are changed from numbers to Indigenous names. I think the names are beautiful and meaningful, but many are frustrated and unwilling to learn. I can personally attest that all it takes is practice, just like learning Asian geography back in high school. After a few rounds of practice, I can confidently say without missing a beat that “I am running for city councillor for West Edmonton, the ward of sipiwiyiniwak!” Those in ward Dene and O-day’min will have an easier time, while those in ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi would need to practice a few more times.  

I found out that apartments and condo buildings are usually ignored by campaign teams. I found this shocking and unacceptable! Because most apartment buildings are rentals, this means that many people who are not homeowners and from lower economic background are not given the same opportunity by election candidates to share their thoughts about political matters. No wonder the voter turnout in municipal elections is only 30%. Like a spark that ignited in me, I felt a fierce sense of determination to go against the tide and find ways to connect with people living in higher-density places. I hope that landlords and building managers would cooperate with my campaign team so we can engage with residents effectively and safely.  

A harsh and true advice I received was “you need a lot of money”. And I don’t have a lot. I feel motivated to find creative ways to compensate for the shortage of money, and fun ways to raise money and support. From virtual dance-a-thons as a fundraiser, using social media for marketing instead of spending money on billboards, and asking volunteers to drop off brochures instead of paying Canada post thousands of dollars, the ideas seem to be endless. Necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and I’m excited to find innovative ways to connect with potential voters and supporters. I hope that I get hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life, and that even those who cannot vote yet, the newcomers and under 18 years old, feel inclined to join the campaign team as well.  

The election day is in October, and given how time feels like it’s slipping through our fingers, it will be here before we even realize it. All the spare time I have, between breakfast and starting work, between dinner and bedtime, between laundry and cooking on the weekends, are occupied by the seemingly endless tasks to gain more resources, to recruiting volunteers, to ensuring we consult with people with different perspective. Door-knocking officially starts in May and I’m eagerly looking at the calendar counting down the time.  

I am excited to be transformed by this experience. I suppose, turning 30 years old this year also highlights the significance of this adventure. I’d love to win of course, but it’s more that that. My hope is that I am just one of the many people from under-represented backgrounds, of the women, the young adults, the migrants and the Filipinos who would take the leap and throw their name in an election race. I hope that my experience can serve as inspiration and a resource guide in navigating an election candidacy that appropriately considers the complications that arise from our lived experiences. If I don’t end up being that trailblazer, I hope that someone else does not too long after I run.  

When Community Service and Self Care Goals Conflict

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Local Establishments, Personal, Politics, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Giselle wearing a stylish safety glasses, KN95 mask and a volunteer Tshirt

By: Giselle General

Last fall, I had an an eye-opening moment as I went about doing my volunteer activities. During the third weekend of September 2023, I had two activities back-to-back, both outdoors. From morning until early afternoon, I was in my neighbourhood park helping with an annual gathering that includes serving lunch, having activities for kids and families to enjoy, and for residents to apply for their membership with our organization. Shortly after, I went to an Philippine arts event at an outdoor park in downtown Edmonton.

When the day began, I checked the air quality index and it is a 4. Not yet a concern which is great. But as we approached the lunch hour, my eyes started to feel irritated so I wore my glasses. It’s not the type that corrects your vision, but a cuter version of safety glasses I got a few years ago. Turns out, my eyes get irritated by the wildfire smoke, more easily that the average person.

It was 3 PM when I rushed to the arts event, where I kept my glasses but didn’t wear an N95 mask. That was my mistake. Although I must say that communicating and connecting with my fellow writers in our booth was so much more efficient without the mask. Also, since we were outdoors, I figured the COVID risk would be minimal.

Unfortunately on my bus ride home, as I sat on my seat resting my legs from walking and standing all day, that’s where it hit me. When taking transit I still wear a mask because I definitely don’t want to catch any of the respiratory viruses spreading around. As I sat patiently waiting for the bus to reach the west side of the city, I checked the air quality index app again. It went up to 8 – high risk! No wonder my eyes were irritated for the afternoon. As soon as I arrived home, I plopped on the couch while struggling to answer my husband’s question about what we plan to have for dinner. After dinner, my chest started to hurt, and I have to make an effort to breath in for the rest of the night.

I had plans to attend other neighbourhood events the next day, but when I looked out the window and saw the familiar orange haze in the sky I knew it’s a bust. The air quality index app showed a rating of 8 in the morning which went up to 10+ in the afternoon. I have to stay in.

This is just frustrating. I very much hate the fact that my own body seems to now get in the way of my volunteer activities. I also know that since COVID precautions are virtually nonexistent in public spaces, the burden on individuals to protect themselves is just more significant. The worst part is, event individual precautions are less effective especially if let’s say, you are one one of the 100+ people in an indoor hall during a community engagement event. While on one hand, I know that my assistance and contributions will be very helpful during the said event or activity, none of the organizers, fellow volunteers, or attendees would step in to help me if I get permanent harm from attending.

Perhaps that is part of the reason why that even more so the past few months, I make sure that majority of my volunteer activities can be done from home. Writing two informative articles for the monthly ethnic paper for the Filipino community in Edmonton continue to be rewarding. Over winter and until now, I started to do volunteer sewing tasks, upcycling old merchandise from my husband’s running group and turning them into personalized outfits. The documentary and book projects are also tasks that hopefully will make a positive impact in the future and can be done without risk of being exposed to smoke, fumes, viruses, hostile weather or all of the above.

There’s really no solid takeaway message I can pin down. During my election campaign a few years ago, I made decisions that I know prioritize my wellbeing and my life over potentially winning over votes. “My goal is to come home alive” and “if I’m sick, severely injured, or dead, then I won’t be able to help” are my personal constant reminders when I feel guilty about missing community events or volunteering opportunities.

In the new year, I tried to nudge more of my free time towards improving my personal health. Weekends offer what seems to be an unlimited opportunities to get involved and volunteer, whether it is events, workshops, rallies, and more. However, given that my husband goes out for a run with his running group in the afternoons (in the winter), I discovered that it is best to try a fitness related activity that I can try to stick to on a weekly basis. So for that past three months, that has been swimming for about 45 minutes at the local YMCA.

Giselle wearing a swimsuit getting ready for a swim.

This weekly swim routine has paid off really well in just a few weeks. It’s hugely help reduce my shoulder, neck, and back pain from doing office work full time. Swimming laps and treading water is definitely good cardio without aggressively hurting my joints. And slowly, as I gain confidence in learning how to tread in deep water, I also manage my fear while celebrating my incremental improvements.

This tradeoff has been worth it for now. My community service time and activities are sprinkled over week nights, lunch breaks and weekends, so I figured carving out a premium time for my self is the right call for now. I do dread the upcoming summer though with the greater likelihood of forest fires and smoke risk. Maybe volunteering for public and indoor activities is the approach moving forward.

A Month of Cool Transit Milestones: The Captive Transit User Series Part 13

Posted in Edmonton, Local Establishments, Politics, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments
Giselle posing beside a table with a sheet cake. The design on the cake says "Train, Choo! Choo!"

By: Giselle General

This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:

What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.

November 2023 was such an incredible month for all things transit in Edmonton. On a typical day, it is understandable that many everyday people, the media, and those politically engaged have many frustrations about our transit system and are quite vocal about it. But November was a bit special as there were precious opportunities of celebration and showcase.

Valley Line Southeast LRT Line Opening

On November 5, the long-awaited LRT line from downtown to Southeast Edmonton finally opened. While there wasn’t an official event organized by the city, it felt really festive right at 5 AM throughout the LRT stations along the line. This is thanks to enough people in the city who organized, shared enthusiasm and as a result, filled up the LRT vehicles during their first trip from downtown to Mill Woods and back. I described those wee hours of dawn as ‘festive in a nerdy way.’ There was cake, coffee, an opportunity for everyone to take turns to cut a ribbon with large ceremonial scissors, and run into other people in the city who are keen on municipal politics, love trains or active transportation, or both.

I am super grateful to my husband (who is not a big politics or transit nerd like me) who convinced me to go to this ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ event and offered to come along with me, since there are no buses available at 4 AM from our place to downtown.

Here are some of the media articles that captured the enthusiasm of the opening day. It was pretty fun trying to spot my husband and I in the photos and video snippets.

At 5:03 AM, after the passengers did a countdown, the LRT departed from the 102 Street station on the way to Mill Woods. My husband and I were lucky to find seats.

Edmonton Hosted the annual Canadian Urban Transit Association Conference

In mid-November, Edmonton hosted several transit-related conferences, the Youth Transit Summit and the regular Canadian Urban Transit Association convention. The CUTA conference happens twice a year, a smaller spring convention and the main fall convention, in various locations across Canada. Back in 2018, during my first year as a board member of the city’s transit advisory board, I was able to attend the CUTA conference in Toronto. So it was very exciting to have my home city host it. I got sick in the middle of that week, but the fact that multiple members of our board were able to attend was wonderful.

The fact that the new LRT line opened just in time for the conference, so that it can be showcased to all the conference participants who signed up for technical tours, was a bonus. The technical tour I was able join, the recently re-opened Stadium Station, was informative and enjoyable. The best part for me is that not only was the tour focused on the station itself, but the changes in the residential areas nearby. The new cluster of tall residential towers is the first time I’ve witnessed a real-life example of TOR (Transit Oriented Development).

Edmonton Transit Service staff shared information and answered questions of the crowd during the technical tour of the station. One surprising fact I learned is that the undergound station is still functioning and was renovated into a service room.

Thinking back to my last vacation in Manila, Philippines, I chose to rent a condo that was walking distance to an LRT station and a mall. It made travel very convenient as it was an effective way to beat the horrible road traffic during the holiday season. My current home here in Edmonton will have the same convenient access as well. My husband and I walk to the mall and business plazas nearby. We are walking distance from a hospital, gas station, convenience store and a car wash. When the LRT finally gets opened in a few years, it would make getting around even more flexible. I’m curious to see what will happen now to the areas within blocks off every transit station.

Showcasing the Transit System to a City Councillor

Then in late November, I did something for the first time, something I have casually offered on social media to the politicians of the city but no one took it up until that day. On Sunday November 26, I spent the morning with one of our city councillors and their staffer on multiple ETS transit trips across the city, experiencing various methods including the bus, LRT, replacement service, on-demand bus, and walking to a destination as opposed to taking a bus. I admit I was nervous, worried that I may sound irritating with too many complaints and concerns I was pointing out all throughout the trips. But they were both receptive and the blog that was published afterwards is insightful.

I showed Councillor Cartmell the various ways temporary bus stops are designed. I pointed to him that this one along 102 Avenue and 133 Street has good platforms for the front and back doors.

Transit, safety in public spaces, homelessness, and ‘value for taxpayer money’ arguments take up a lot of discussions on city politics lately. I’m curious to see what additional decisions that are made politically and the changes that city administration would make to work on these issues.

Memoir Writing Reflections 7: The Boss of My Book

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Personal, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

By: Giselle General

I can hardly believe it but the time has come. It is manuscript feedback and editing time – first round, that is. Just around the last week of September I finally received the Editorial Letter from the Developmental Editor. I received a 19-page document and I couldn’t help but chuckle. It was more like a report than a letter, maybe even a little book.

My goodness is it a lot! In a good way. The letter organized the feedback in categories, and under each, there were several examples from the manuscript where these problems have come up repeatedly. In addition, in the actual copy of the manuscript she added some recommended edits (through the Tracked Changes feature) as well as comments on actual paragraphs. There were many of these throughout the 150-page, 85,000-word document.

With this, I learned that the timeline I submitted for the editing process might not be as realistic as I would have liked. Perhaps, if all I’m doing is creative work full time with volunteering at nights and weekends, maybe it would be achievable. But it’s different now. I have a separate full time day job that involved writing, coordinating and some creative work. Then all the volunteer commitments involve communicating, coordinating and some creative work. As much as I wish I have unlimited energy, alas I am only human. Working on the manuscript is set aside for the weekends.

When I first read the document and the email, I was anxious on what I was supposed to do with the feedback. There was one question in my mind that worried me the most. And I wanted to share that part of the email exchange here:

Hi Justine,

I have a follow-up question regarding the potential next steps after a writer receives the feedback on a developmental edit. I guess I’m struggling a bit with the Filipino tendency to be “always obedient” and “follow everything that is told by a person of authority and expertise”, combined a tendency to be a people-pleaser. 

If feels kind of silly to ask but I’d appreciate some clarity. I know that in your email and letter it says that your comments are “recommendations”. But as far as me as a writer, what happens next? Is this kind of a like a thesis document where I send you additional versions and that you look at it again until you approve the version and are satisfied with the edits? Or do I basically have free reign as far as which suggestions to apply or reject? If for instance I make significant edits to the manuscript and would like another comprehensive review, that is a separate and independent agreement for another developmental edits, is that correct? 

Hi Giselle,

I just opened up editor access on that line edit of your manuscript. Let me know if you’re still having issues opening it up and I’ll try and turn it into a Word doc.

Now for your question – not silly at all!  You have free reign at this point to apply or reject any/all my recommendations. It’s completely up to you as a writer! I don’t need to “approve” your manuscript for you to move on – that’s for you to decide 🙂 

Email exchange between Giselle and Justine from Living Hyphen, October 2023

Reading the email response was a huge sigh of relief.

When I mentioned this to my husband, he told me with such conviction, “You are boss of your own book.” The words on your book will be written the way that works best for you.”

This way of thinking is so new to me. I’ve always have the mindset that experts or authority figures have greater knowledge and expertise than me, so I must follow all their advice. But as I go through the recommended edits of not just the memoir, but for the other creative projects I’m doing, there had been times when I read the comments and think “that suggestion doesn’t make complete sense, but I can see why they suggested it. I don’t think I’ll do it 100% but will do something else that will resolve the issue that was flagged.”

For the Developmental Editor feedback, I actually had to review my draft manuscript backwards, from the last chapter to the first.

Writing and then editing a book is such a long process. From the various writing groups I joined, some people take weeks, months, or even multiple years to write and edit their draft. The last thing I wanted is for this project to get lost in the fast pace shuffle of life. Since I’m the type of person who needs a target end goal to stay motivated, I’ve set mid-December as my deadline to work on the developmental edits. That’s three months of incrementally working over the weekends, a few chapters at a time.

If all goes well, my Christmas gift to myself is the peace of mind from sending off the updated draft to the next person who will review it, the Line Editor. A line editor works line-by-line, tightening up sentence structure so the language is sharp and clear. I’m excited and nervous about this. I hope that I caught all the comma splice statements that seem to be a bad habit of mine. But if there are a few more, that the Line Editor can make them better.

Report it on the App: The Captive Transit User Series Part 12

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Local Establishments, Personal, Politics, Reviews, Social Issues, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 5 Comments

By: Giselle General

This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis:

What is a Captive Transit User? I learned about the term for the first time from the City of Edmonton’s website. The easy definition is: someone who takes public transit because it’s the best (or only available) option for them to travel around. The part about feeling ‘captive’ comes from the restriction that sometimes comes up, perhaps because one is too poor to own and maintain a vehicle, one does not know how to drive, or for medical reasons, cannot operate a vehicle. In many ways, I relate to this a lot. Though I’m pretty fortunate to afford the occasional taxi ride, and with my husband having a car.

Whenever I take the bus or LRT, regardless of whether I’m alone or traveling with my husband, I try to pay attention to my environment. Sure, at some point I end up getting slightly bored and browse on my phone, but I don’t do that until a few minutes after getting on the bus. It’s also why I don’t wear headphones while taking transit.

Frankly speaking, the reason I feel inclined to stay alert is not related to safety. Sure, that is important, but thankfully I personally haven’t experiences direct and aggressive treatment on the bus which is a relief. I have a different motivation, that is to observe whether something is going wrong with the bus, train, bus stop or transit station that needs to be fixed. The moment I spot it, I report right away on the 311 app.

The City of Edmonton has an app called the 311 app, that enables people to report different things that the city can resolve. It includes a feature to take a photo (although it is not mandatory which is good), text boxes to add a summary of the issue, automated geo-location, and a check box to indicate whether the issue causes accessibility concerns.

As far as transit, the categories are:

Late Bus: For this section there are questions such as the location, bus stop and route number, and whether the delay is due to weather conditions. I personally don’t make a report when a bus is 15 minutes late and if the travel apps like Google or Transit had actually indicated it. It means that it is a real-time update. But if it is winter and the bus is 20 or more minutes later, then definitely I would report.

Transit Feedback: I am guessing that this category is for other types of feedback that are not related to buses being late, or not related to broken and dirty things in transit facilities. In the past, the third category is specifically related to vandalism and cleanliness, so I have used this category to report something that is simply not working, like a digital sign. I also haven’t used this option in a while.

Transit Maintenance: This is the option I use most often. What I typically report falls under two categories: items related to cleanliness or vandalism, and items related to functionality of electronic items in the bus. The vandalism I’ve reported vary, from scribbles on the seat in front of me written with pen or paint, broken wayfinding signage in downtown right beside a bus stop, a few bus shelters where the glass walls had completely shattered, and the one I know should be addressed quickly – colorful and sticky stains on the bus seats, especially the fabric ones.

As far as functionality of electronic items in the bus, there are two main ones. First is the ARC Card machines where people are supposed to tap on their way in or out. The sounds from the machine are quite distinct whenever it doesn’t function. When after 10 minutes on the bus, I can still hear the particular beep that indicates it’s not working, then I make a report. If the display screen is not working, I do the same. The most frequent report I do though is whenever the device that is supposed to announce the next stop is not working. as indicated in this post, I’ve learned to appreciate the value of hearing and also reading the information of the next stop, especially when it’s hard to see over the window. The best part about the app is whenever I report issues, there’s a check box that asks whether it is a disability issue. Whenever it does, I check if off every single time. I truly hope that the issue gets escalated.

It’s truly unfortunate that I cannot see whether the issue is fully resolved or not. The odds of me taking the same bus with dirty seats right after I made a report is unlikely. The only update is seeing the ticket being closed or “redirected to other business area.”. However, in our data-driven society, I know that every report gets added in the statistics. In fact, there are public databases available on all the 311 reports made to the city, for those who want to do analysis on a certain issue and want to use the number of complaints filed as supporting evidence.

If there’s one change I’d like to see on the app, is to know for sure whether the issue is fully resolved or not. A photo to show the issue is fixed or cleaned would be so nice. A once-sentence update that says the broken speaker or digital sign is fixed on a certain date would be so reassuring. Even a statement saying that the issue is considered and can be addressed by future policy gives an indication that it is a long-term problem. Maybe this can help prompt people to use these reporting methods more and trust them.
For now, I still use the app. It’s more productive that venting on social media.

Memoir Writing Reflections #6: The Bucket Analogy

Posted in Edmonton, lifestyle, Personal, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

by: Giselle General

Through social media posts, blogs on this site, and a few local media interviews, I’ve been sharing my journey in writing this memoir. The more experiences and milestones get documented, the more reassured about doing it in the first place. Not only does it help me have a point-in-time memory captured of the experience, sharing it seem to reach out those who are thinking of doing some kind of creative work as well.

I’m feeling a bit antsy since the developmental editor is working on the manuscript and I have about two more months to go before I get to see the feedback and dive in to make changes. A few times actually, I noticed some comments pop up on the Google doc and I immediately archived those email notifications, not wanting to see them too early.

Just recently, a friend who also lives here in Edmonton reached out to me to ask for advice on writing the memoir. This person is quite active on social media sharing her takes on social issues and sharing some of her personal life. If she wanted to, she has a lot to tell that would be a good fit for a memoir. I got the request through a private message on Twitter, then I set up an invite to do an online meeting.

I told her that the cliché advice of having an outline made sense to me, but instead of making a spreadsheet, a document or to-do list, I treated one chapter as one blank word document. The file name of the document is the rough idea of what the chapter would be about. The file name had a number in the beginning so when I click the button to sort the files, they will be chronological. When I then feel inspired to write about that chapter or topic, I have a space ready to go and write.

This enabled me to bounce around the timeline of my book. When I’m in the mood to write something really heavy and intense, like the events in March or May 2007, I can do that. When I’m emotionally drained and wanted to write about a more lighthearted chapter of events sometime in summer 2003, I can work on that too.

The analogy I used was buckets. I got a bunch of buckets, labelled them, and eventually these empty buckets got filled little by little until I was done.

But then I realized that her situation is not the same as me when I started. She is not starting from scratch, but rather, she already has a draft of 30,000 words. It’s milestone I personally reached a month after I started writing. I’m glad she’s has a good sized manuscript, and she shared about being overwhelmed of the documents. That makes sense.

Using the same analogy of the buckets, I told her “You have a big bucket of words already! Splitting the content into small buckets, where a few paragraphs focus on one experience story, theme, can be a way to manage it.”

My chapters varied in length. On average they are two pages long, with the 12 point font, single space format. Some are slightly shorter, I have about five that are outliers, that are 5 pages or more.

When I gave the advice to this friend, I suggested to read through from the top for a few pages. Once there seemed to be a natural pause, whether a small story ended or any reflections concluded for that particular topic, take that entire section and separate it as its own chapter. Then there’s Chapter 1. Move on and take a few paragraphs or pages, there’s Chapter 2. A small bucket of content being scooped out of the big hulking container of words.

Funny enough, when I submitted the manuscript to the developmental editor I actually have to combine all 43 chapters into a single document. The opposite process, pouring them all into one big bucket. It was easier and more efficient than I realize. As I copied and pasted each chapter in order, I made sure that the table of contents are set up properly and link to the right chapters. Scrolling a big document and having to begin from the top would be quite annoying I can imagine.

It was a good way to be a bit more productive while trying to wait paitently for the edits. Just over a month left!