Print Edition: April 8, 2015
Not banking on change
It seems Abbotsford is being taken over by banks. When the old building that used to be Earl’s got bulldozed, I was hopeful that the city would get some local businesses in the new space. It would have been wonderful to have a large building with many small shops set up for the average consumer to browse.
But the new building is going to be a CIBC instead. Great. It’s no wonder the majority of people who grow up here move away. There’s nothing worth staying for.
Abbotsford needs more cultural locations that draw in income and establish roots for the community, not more banks.
Elementary University
My stepmother is an elementary school teacher, and I take second-level liberal arts courses here at UFV. At the end of the school day, you would be surprised to know that we both complain about the same behavioural issues in the classroom. Talking back and making inappropriate and immature jokes in the middle of a lecture is to be somewhat expected from a crowd of 30 hyperactive pre-teens — after all, they’re just kids and they’re just learning how to be good humans. However, some people must have skipped that step, because in a number of my classes there has been sassy commentary, comebacks, and immature contributions to class discussions — for example, giggling at and loudly narrating a short film used as a teaching tool in class. This kind of behaviour makes me wonder if university professors shouldn’t add an Early Childhood Education (ECE) certificate to their professional development section of their resumes.
Two Tims, one intersection
This past week I was driving down 200 Street in Langley, and as I approached 72 Avenue I spotted it: two Tim Hortons locations on opposite sides of the intersection. Granted, they were “On the Run” locations, but it’s still insane that there are two locations that can look through their windows at each other.
I like Tim Hortons. I’ll consume their bland food and drinks as happily as the next person. But I’m pretty sure I can’t drink a tea by the time I drive across an intersection.
Sure, there are other types of businesses that adopt this same tactic, including the likes of Starbucks and McDonalds — but Tim Hortons is king of oversaturation.
But why should I care? If the market can sustain it, then I have more options and less wait-time while I grab a bagel that I’ve lost all taste for after eating one too many.
Let’s just hope the market is sustainable.
Broaden our horizons
Women’s fashion is well known for its glamourous styles and its creative yet delightful accessories. At the same time, men’s fashion has continued to stagnate in the same old shirt and jeans, or two- to three-piece suits. I mean, if the biggest shift in men’s fashion is whether or not the suit jacket has two or three buttons, then there is a big problem. We should be discussing gold trim, fashionable scarves, hats, shoes, socks, bags, and so on.
Where is the spirit of accessory with men? If a man carries a handbag, what do we call it? A handbag. If a woman carries it, it’s a purse. This sort of labelling has caused men to be self-conscious about what they carry, and what they accessorize with.
In recent years there has been a shift (here’s looking at you, murses), but I still think that we, as men, need to rethink our fashion. We need to develop male accessories, and broaden our horizons.
