Category: Opinion

BrightBurn: A Review (Significant Spoilers)

in case it wasn’t obvious from the multitude of references I’ve made over recent years in all my posts, I’m a bit of a comic book nerd. Having started my collection in the early 80’s and never really stopped. I’m a child of what was referred to as the Bronze Age of comics, and was carried well into the “Dark Age” of comics before I stopped purchasing monthly editions. When I reached adulthood, I started purchasing collected works of certain titles, better known as graphic novels. Although not traditional comic books, graphic novels have allowed me to reminisce and read some of the storylines I lived through.

The Death of Superman storyline is a solid example. Green Lantern’s Emerald Dawn/Twilight and the Flash’s “Terminal Velocity” and “Dead Heat” are among my favourite storylines. Since the entire point of comic books is to read and escape to a reality where people can do amazing things, I’ve always been a fan of original and unique comic book series, as well as the visual media that’s all the rage these days. For example (and it may not be a popular opinion among my comic peers), I rather enjoyed the changes brought about by the New 52 take on the DC universe. Movies and television have only gotten progressively better, although you’ll never convince me that anyone is a better Superman than Christopher Reeve.

With some of that originality comes some ideas that step away from the norm, and they can often be quite interesting. This is where I landed on a movie called BrightBurn. Released in 2019, this is a movie classified as a “superhero horror film” and features a couple unable to bear a child who finds an infant in a crashed ship on their property. The couple raise the infant as their own, knowing that someday the ship that carried him may be revealed and they’ll have some serious questions to answer. As the boy gets older, he begins to exhibit certain abilities including invulnerability, heat vision and flight. Sound familiar? It should; that’s basically the origin story for Superman.

The difference in this instance however, is that BrightBurn (or Brandon, as he’s named in the movie) begins to respond to calls from the ship and becomes darker and more sinister as the movie plays out. After a brief and awkward chat with his father about the birds and the bees, he begins to stalk and watch one of the girls from his class, going as far as killing her mother when he’s told to stay away. When one of his aunts opposes him, he kills her husband and makes it look like an accident. His parents realized far too late that their adopted child is turning evil and get killed themselves. The movie doesn’t end well, with the child carrying on as he sees fit, wreaking chaos and killing at will.

Picture Superman growing up as the worst possible version of himself. Some graphic novels have taken liberties with what may have happened if Superman had landed anywhere other than a Kansas field to be found by the Kents. Elseworlds Comics has done a pretty good job of this. Superman: Red Son examined the possibility of Superman landing in Soviet era Russia. Superman: True Brit examines if he would have landed in England as opposed to Kansas. But none has quite examined this level of destructive evil in one possessing powers similar to Superman’s.

Picture a child with all of Superman’s powers, completely unhinged and willing to kill anyone who opposes him or questions his will. That nightmarish in the best of circumstances and this movie examines that exact premise. Between burning a hole through his father’s skull with his heat vision and dropping his mother from 30,000 feet before intentionally downing a full passenger plane, the thought of what this child will be capable of as he gets older and takes full stock of his powers is the stuff of nightmares, and they put it in a movie.

The film was widely received as a failure, with the potential for BrightBurn’s universe to be expanded upon before scoring quite low with critics and audiences alike. I don’t get it, because I thought it was creepy as hell and an interesting and refreshing take on the superhero genre that shows that power doesn’t always land at the feet of those who will do good with it. It’s a decent watch, if you’re looking for something with a bit of creepiness mixed with super powers. I thought it was good and I would certainly watch it again. ☯️

Movember Update

Alright folks, here we are! The middle of November. On October 30th, I posted that once again this year, my team and I would be raising money for Movember, which is a registered charity aimed at men’s health, prostate and testicular cancer as well as suicide prevention. I know some folks find it odd that I would be lobbying for such a charity, especially since I have Type-1 Diabetes AND November is generally considered Diabetes Awareness Month. But the truth is, I raise awareness for Diabetes all year round with my writing and through discussed education with others. No, the month of November is when I can take four weeks ot attack something else that’s near and dear to me.

Decades ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was long enough ago that I didn’t fully understand the situation. Hell, I had no clue what a prostate was, let alone the fact that I had one. When Movember came out, I decided right away to start participating. The best thing is that I was always part of a team that gathered together to raise funds as a group, which always made things easier. For the pst two years, I’ve gone it alone along with a few people at my work. Although we tend to donate ourselves in order to participate in moustache growth, we depend on outside donations in order to reach our very modest goals.

All we’re trying to raise is $500 and let’s be honest; you guys don’t come on my blog to be solicited for donations. But you should also recognize that I’m not typically one to solicit as a general rule. But this is a great cause and despite the fact that we’re only halfway through the month, we’re also only at about halfway of our total goal of $500. I know times are tough and everyone has their hand out, these days. But honestly, any little bit will help. Hell, if you can only donate $5 or even $1, it all goes towards the ultimate goal. This is where I ask for some help…

Please visit the Movember website. Once there, you’ll find a button at the top right corner that says “Donate.” Click on it and select “Find a Person or Team” and type in my name (Shawn Cook). There, you can donate anonymously or put your name and information in, should you need a tax receipt. It couldn’t be simpler. Prostate cancer is reasonably avoidable, provided men get themselves examined and checked on a regular basis and take the steps for self-care. I know this post will go to my Facebook as well and given the number of friends and followers I have, my hope and expectation is that at least some of you will step up to the plate. Help me help others… ☯️

Little Moments Of Silence

One of the most difficult aspects of adult life is finding moments of silence. Between work, kids and the rigours of daily life, finding a quiet moment to let your head cool can be a difficult aspect, at best. When I was a teenager, I didn’t appreciate those mornings when I could roll out of bed, have some breakfast and things within my home were nice and quiet. I used to think about how boring it was and how I would have loved to have something more to do on those mornings. besides work. Once I got a job, I started to miss those dull, quiet mornings. That feeling never goes away.

As the decades have melted away, I’ve learned to meditate and find the value in silence. But that silence has become fleeting. on mornings that i work, I don’t have the time to enjoy the silence within the house. I prep meals, shower, shave and get dressed before rushing out of the house. The irony is I often have moments of silence in my office; at least a couple of hours’ worth in the morning, depending on meetings. But silence doesn’t hold quite the same quality as it does when you’re at work.

On the weekends, I tend to sleep in (if one can truly call 9 am sleeping in) and usually all I want to make my weekends complete is to sip back that first load of caffeine, watch a few episodes of a preferred show and let my body relax after a week of work. However, since my children don’t usually get to see me in the mornings throughout the week, they have different plans on the weekends. The fact that I usually camp out in the basement with Nathan means nothing. once the morning comes around, both kids think it’s their complete and uncontested duty to pile on top of me and make as much noise as humanly possible. Brutal.

We always make a point of taking the boys to something that allows them to burn some energy and interact with other kids. This weekend, we brought them to Klimerz, and indoor play structure. It always amazes me how after two straight hours of playing, they still objected to leaving and had energy left to burn. Ah, to be young again. I seem to be rambling but the point is that no matter how busy your life gets, never forget to find a few moments of silence to let your head cool. Everyone needs it. Not everyone works to get it. ☯️

Ms. Marvel: A Review (Spoilers)

During my youth and even now, I’ve been an avid reader of comic books. Often seen as a touch childish by many, it’s a guilty pleasure that allows a person to escape into the wonder of possibility and answer the question of “what if,” as it relates to superhuman and their powers. I was always partial to the Infinity Gauntlet storyline, which unlike the watered-down MCU film adaption called Infinity War (Which was the second Infinity Gauntlet book, BTW) was a rich storyline loaded with hundreds upon hundreds of characters and sub-plots.

The MCU has done a fantastic job of bringing the comic books to life, starting with 2008’s Iron Man. Although there have been a number of movies and shows based on Marvel Comics in the decades before (Hulk and Spider-man being two of my favourites), the MCU brought comic book heroes into the modern age and rejuvenated the industry. Now that the primary storyline has reached its zenith, the MCU has released a batch of series on streaming services; some good, some bad. One of those is a rather short series based on Ms. Marvel. Let’s discuss…

Contrary to what most non-comic book readers would think, there have been several iterations of Ms. Marvel in the comic books, started all the way back in the late 1970’s. The first to bear the name was actually Carol Danvers, or who MCU followers know as Captain Marvel, from the 2019 MCU film. The current Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, is the fourth to take up the name and is the subject of today’s post. Released on Disney+ just this past summer, Ms. Marvel is a short-lived series with only six episodes in its first season.

Although entertaining, the concept of how Kamala gets her powers is a bit convoluted and muddies the flow of the story a bit. She inherits a Bangalore from her grandmother that was left for her by her great-grandmother. After putting it one, it begins to emit a glow and Kamala is exposed to an unknown energy that appears to give her superpowers. These powers fully surface during an incident at a comic-con where Kamala went dressed as Captain Marvel and saves a fellow peer’s life.

From there, the story goes on to see Kamala and her family returns o their home country, examine her origins and discover that she is actually a descendent of the djinn (yes, THOSE ones), which is why the bangal only works for her. Some time travel and family history gets mixed in, there, before Kamala returns to the US where she fights her enemies and tries to save a fellow peer with similar powers from being captured by the government. The season ends after only six episodes with Kamala running off into the night, powers aglow.

The build-up was significantly slow and I feel that there would be plenty of room for character growth, perhaps some deeper delve into how her energy powers actually work. On the one hand, it was a campy, entertaining few episodes that gave me something to watch while I do dishes at night. On the other hand, the story was too short, with only six episodes and no clear indication whether the show will continue or be cancelled.

To have it cancelled would be a shame, considering the character potential and further storylines that could be explored. And I’m a little disappointed at only six episodes. I mean, seriously, they could have maybe had Kamala square off against two enemies in season one, instead of just the one. This could have stretched it out to an even dozen episodes. But what do I know? I’m just a grizzled old comic book reader. Watch Ms. Marvel at your leisure. Although short and sweet, it has the potential to be entertaining. ☯️

The Little Engine That Couldn’t…

Have you ever noticed how finding the motivation to do something is usually difficult, if not all-out impossible? Why do you believe that is? If it’s something one WANTS to do, it would stand to reason that motivation should almost be self-fulfilling, right? But it never is. And there’s a genuine reason for that, that most of us don’t think about. You see, most people go through life assuming that motivation comes first. You’ll often hear one saying, “I need to get motivated to do this…” But that isn’t the way motivation works.

Loosely defined, because I LOVE to loosely define things, motivation means the general desire or willingness to do something. An easy example would be to say that I am motivated to learn karate or motivated to lose some weight and get in better shape. However, contrary to what the average person believes, motivation will almost assuredly never come first. Motivation comes as a result of success, and one can’t have success unless they make a start. Only then will one be motivated by their goals and achievements.

If I use myself as an example, I started karate at a tender young age at what feels like an eternity ago. When I first walked into the dojo, I wasn’t motivated. I wanted to be there, don’t get me wrong. I had goals and ambitions to achieve by starting in it, but I couldn’t rightly say I was motivated by karate. As I started to train and began to see some change brought on by my efforts and started achieving goals, I became motivated to continue, motivated to train harder, motivated to pop my clutch and study like a man possessed, which came about as a result of my success in learning some of the art and becoming proficient.

Had I not experienced that success, I likely would not have been motivated to continue with my training, which is what frequently happens to many people who join. I use this an my example because it’s an easy one, and one that I’ve experienced myself. But this concept applies to just about anything one does in life. Let’s say you decide to want to cycle 55 kilometres in the coming summer. You won’t be “motivated” to reach 500 kilometres; you’ll set the goal for yourself and become motivated to reach your goal once you’ve started to gain mileage and start seeing how your cardio and overall health is starting to increase.

It’s important to think of motivation a bit like momentum. If you try to run, you can’t leave your starting point at full speed. You need to get yourself moving and build up your speed through your own strength. The product of the runner’s mass and speed is what is considered momentum. Much like momentum, motivation can’t be achieved from a starting point; it needs to be fed and grown, and will only be experienced once you’ve reached a certain momentum in your goals and achievements.

Hopefully that makes sense and I haven’t muddied the waters. Too often, I’ve spoken to people who have said, “I’m just not motivated to do it, anymore…” Of course, you’re not! Because you haven’t achieved any of your goals or seen any progress. You won’t be motivated until you do. So if you feel yourself “unmotivated” in any particular thing you’ve undertaken, don’t believe that this is a reason why you should be determined to stop or walk away. A shout out to my friend, Ricky, for the idea to write about this! ☯️

Walking Off Into The Sunset…

When people think of quitting something, they usually associate it with giving up. On the extremes side, people associate quitting with cowardice or abandoning something they should keep hammering at. That’s why we always see little quips like “winners never quitting” and such. And while I can agree that one should never quit something if it will compromise one’s goals, there are circumstances under which walking away from something is not only acceptable, but ideal.

When one decides to undertake something important in their life, it can become all-consuming. For example, if you decide to work on your fitness and get into shape, there’s a lot of perseverance and sacrifice that needs to happen. Quitting will prevent you from reaching your goals and it’s important to work through the obstacles and difficult aspects of that particular goal if you expect to achieve it. This can be the same with work goals, dietary goals and any achievement-based art, such as karate.

When I joined karate in the late 1980’s (Yes, I’m old as time. Moving on!) I did so with the intention and motivation to save my own life. Type-1 Diabetes was consuming me and I had complications that put me in very real danger of losing my life. My goal in joining the martial arts was two-fold: increase my overall health and learn to defend myself. I can admit that over the past 34 years, I have not only accomplished those goals but I’ve exceeded them in ways that I never would have expected.

What’s important with something like karate is that you CAN’T quit if you expect to progress and learn the art. But you should only be doing the art if it lights a fire inside you and you’re passionate about it. If that fire goes out and the passion dwindles, it becomes tedious and almost onerous to try and continue, and it can lead to being more of a hindrance to the overall art than contributing to it. It is at that point where one needs to take a serious look at oneself and consider that walking away may be the viable solution.

At some point in life, and I’m specifically referring to myself, one reaches an age and state of physical being that also no longer accommodates the stresses and rigours on the body required to actively participate in the martial arts. Granted, I never assumed I would reach that point in my 40’s but Diabetes is a hell of an inhibitor. Recent injuries and health matters have brought me full circle to where I understand that maybe fighting people half my age in the dojo is no longer a goal of mine. I’m still passionate about the martial arts but I fear the fire inside may have gone out.

At some point, this happens to all martial artists. Even Sensei, decades ago, had a point where he simply stopped coming to class. The dojo was managed by a couple of the senior belts in his absence. It was a scary time, since none of us knew if he’d come back. Eventually, he found his perspective and renewed sense of purpose and came back. In my early 20’s, I gave up and quit karate for several months as a result of my body no longer keeping up with the same speed as I had in my teens. I went back, of course. But if that was in my 20’s, can you imagine what my body feels like now?

I guess the point is that nothing in this life is ever truly over until one chooses it to be so. I may be walking away right now, but I will never truly QUIT karate. I can’t. I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s in my blood and part of my DNA. This is proven by watching how my 3-year old throws a punch without ever having been taught. So, who knows? Maybe after a period of reflection and contemplation, I will see fit to return to the dojo and train with others. I’ve been walking this journey alone for so long now that maybe the dojo is no longer a suitable environment for me to train. Time will tell.

A person’s reasons are their own. If you feel the need to quit something, whether it’s that job you hate or a sport or hobby you no longer wish to participate in, be true to what you need for yourself. My karate training will continue. The arena in which I participate will simply be different. I’m not fading away, I’m simply walking away; potentially to start a new chapter. ☯️

Let’s “Tip” The Scales, Shall We?

People’s money is usually quite important to them, and for good reason. For most of us, money is something we spend at LEAST 40 hours a week trying to earn and in most cases, much longer. So it stands to reason that the majority of people don’t enjoy losing some of their hard-earned cash for reasons they are forced to. This would be why everyone and their dog complains about paying bills and taxes. But there’s one form of monetary loss that is often written about in media that gets my core temp up: tipping.

Tipping is a controversial subject in most circles, with many people against it, some are for it and some believe it’s subjective to the service they receive. I fall in the latter category, which is why this blog post is categorized only as an “opinion.” My thoughts on this topic may not be popular but in the interest of free speech, I’ll share them anyway. Buckle up and feel free to scroll past, if this is not something you want to read about. I promise we’ll be back to the status quo tomorrow.

So what is tipping? Simply put, a tip or “gratuity” is the act of providing a small amount of money to someone who has provided you with a product or service. This is usually above and beyond whatever the total cost is for the product or service. Tipping is nothing new. In fact, an article I read well over a decade ago once said that tipping originates from England in the 1700’s, where customers could drop coins in a box that was labeled “To Insure Promptness,” or TIP. The idea was that you would receive a tip in exchange for better service.

It’s application in the modern world and in recent years has become a bit more ominous. In many circles, tipping has almost become a mandatory practice when visiting particular business where a consumer is served in any way. To be clear, tipping is not mandatory in Canada but it’s become an expectation and in some Provinces, a server’s wages are based on the expected receipt of a percentage in tips from customers, which is a bunch of nasty nonsense. I first experienced this back in 2006 when I travelled to Ottawa and stayed in Gatineau, Quebec, for the first time.

I made my way out with some friends during that first evening and ordered a beer. When it arrived, I was told by the others in my party that each drink had to be paid individually and at time of service. Fair enough, I paid. Then the waitress, with far more rudeness than what one would expect from someone asking for such a thing, promptly told me the tip wasn’t included in the cost and stood there, obviously expecting a tip. I looked at her blankly for a second, completely taken aback, before dropping some remaining change on her tray to accommodate her.

So shocked and taken aback was I by the interaction, I only had the one drink in order to avoid a confrontation. I was much calmer and more timid back then, than I am now. If someone tried that bullshit on me now, they’d get a surprise, alright. It just might not be a tip. I was later informed that wages in Quebec were often lower in anticipation of tips. I was floored. Tips are not meant to be part of a server’s salary! Are you kidding me? No wonder that Province has to do absolutely everything different from the rest of the country. And why I only lived there for roughly a year or so. Foolishness.

Realistically and traditionally, a tip is intended as a means of thanking your server or supplier for the excellent service they provided and shouldn’t be expected. If the service was sub-par or poor, the expectation was that a tip wouldn’t be provided. Beyond that, providing a tip is meant to not only be the choice of the consumer but how much is left also is not meant to be debated or expected. If all I happen to have on me is an added dollar and I choose to leave it, that added dollar should be appreciated as opposed to considered rude because it isn’t a certain percentage of the total bill.

And let’s address that aspect for a moment, shall we? When did it become a thing to consider it RUDE not to providing a specific percentage of one’s hard-earned money to someone else, ABOVE and BEYOND the total bill? Some of y’all need a serious reality check. The part I dislike the most is when a tip is expected BEFORE the delivery of a service, such as having pizza delivered. There’s always a tip portion to the online payment, which is comical since I have no idea yet what the service of the food will be like or if my order would be deserving of a tip. Did I say foolishness yet?

So why is this a problem? Well realistically, the practice of tipping has drastically changed over recent decades. Where leaving a tip was once the consumer’s choice and considered a compliment to one’s service provider, it’s almost become a mandatory expectation, with many people posting online things like, “Don’t tip your server and see what kind of food or service you get…” Excuse me? I’m pretty sure I’m still paying for that product or service and am still entitled to the same level and quality of product as the person who may have 20% available to provide their server.

Although not necessarily the server’s fault and while it’s not always possible to just “get another job if you’re not paid enough” (everyone’s circumstances are different, after all), the root problem is two-fold. On the one hand, employers shouldn’t be paying a lower wage because their employees receive tips. Tips are intended as an added reward for good service, not as part of their salary. On the other hand, consumers shouldn’t be almost bullied or cornered into tipping by virtue of that, either.

Did you know that there are places where tipping shows up on the bill without the consumer choosing it? Some retail locations now, even have a tipping option on the display tablet when paying. Nothing more awkward than being asked to tip and choose a percentage while the retail worker is awkwardly watching and knows what button you’re pressing. No pressure there. Although the consumer should never be obligated to tip, nor should the server or employee be paid based on tips, either.

Folks, I have absolutely no illusions of winning this battle. It’s one of those things where going against societal expectations is like holding a napkin against an ocean wave. What needs to happen, what should happen, is employers should pay their staff and employees a reasonable salary that allows them to live without depending on tips to do so. And customers should only be expected to pay the actual cost of the product or service they’re trying to obtain. Making it feel like an obligation goes against the intended purpose of a tip. Food for thought… ☯️

A Little Respect…

This is a point of contention that comes up for me, every year. I totally understand the thinking behind some of it and the lack of logic that many may have in regards to it, but it burns my ass no less. We’ve creeped into the month of November and with that comes a very special day that’s near and dear to my heart. I’m talking about Remembrance Day on November 11th.

Remembrance Day is a Memorial Day that observed on movers 11th in Canada and in fact, in most of the countries who are part of the British Commonwealth, to honour the soldiers and military members who fell in the line of duty. The day has been observed since the end of World War I but has grown to incorporate any and all fallen soldiers and members of the military. In Canada, it is usually observed with memorial parades, reading of the scroll of fallen soldiers and with moments of silence.

The reason I bring it up and why it’s important, is because it always seems as though as soon as Halloween has come and gone, everything starts to steer itself towards Christmas. Even though I’m not the biggest observer of Christmas, although this has changed significantly since I had children, I enjoy Christmas as much as the next person and I have a fondness of the lights, music and festivities that accompany it.

That being said, none of that should be happening until AFTER November 11. Some retail locations have already started to set up their Christmas wares as a result of Halloween supplies having sold out and the holiday passing. As much as I can understand the need to ensure a retail location’s shelves aren’t sitting empty, respect should still be shown to those who gave their lives to ensure the many freedoms we enjoy today, no matter how much everyone complains they want more.

I come from a family with a significant military background. My grandfather was a combat soldier in Europe during World War II. The majority of my mother’s siblings all served in the Canadian Armed Forces, with many of my cousins choosing to do, as well. I was one of the exceptions who went the federal police route by virtue of my Diabetes. People don’t fully acknowledge the kind of things that a soldier experiences during active duty. Most are content with having their heads in the sand and simply enjoying their freedoms without acknowledging how they got there.

Let’s show our respect this month. Wear a poppy until the end of the moment of silence on November 11. keep your Christmas enthusiasm in its pants until November 12th. For those who gave their lives, it’s the least we can do and the least we show. Food for thought…☯️

A Diabetic Halloween…

Today is Halloween, which is celebrated in different ways by different cultures and has different backgrounds and origins, depending on who you ask. For the majority of children in North America, it represents a night where they can dress up in their favourite costume and canvass their neighbourhood for free candy and chocolate handouts. I could try and choose my favourite origin for this day but rather, I think it’s more important to describe my perspective from the Diabetic standpoint.

As a child, I would be brought out for Halloween with my mother and older brother. I would receive at every door and fill this small, plastic pumpkin bucket that my brother and I both had. It would be loads of fun and I remember that as a child, I would love trick-or-treating. That is, until I got home and reality came crashing down… Although I made my way out for Halloween when I was 3-years old, I was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes when I turned 4, permanently altering my level of involvement and enjoyment with the holiday.

No matter how much or how little candy was collected, the process would involve dumping our collected goods on the kitchen table where my mother and father would sort and go through everything to determine what I could have and what I couldn’t. Sounds reasonable, right? This is what most parents do but in my case, it meant removing ALL of the candy and leaving only a couple of apples and some chips. My parents were unfortunately oblivious to the fact that both of those items had carbohydrates and sugars in them.

It would seem like a cruel twist that I would be permitted to walk in the elements all evening, knocking on every door and actively collecting all that goodness, only to have it all taken away from me because I had Diabetes. Oh sure, there would be times of low blood sugar where I might get lucky and enjoy a piece of my hard-gotten candy but it was pretty rare. Especially once my parents and family got into the stash and helped themselves.

It may not seem like the worst thing that can happen to a person but for a child, it can be reasonably upsetting, which meant that by the time I reached my oldest son’s age of 7, I outright refused to celebrate or participate in Halloween. This only contributed to my loner persona as I wouldn’t even wear a costume to school. “You do know that a costume won’t affect your blood sugars, right?” Yeah, small consolation for the young child who sees everyone else gorging themselves with candy.

It created a bit of a hatred on my part for the particular holiday, especially since the main focus in Western society is on the trick-or-treat aspect. That is, until I had children of my own. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of walking out in the cold while my kids are trying to get free candy. But I an certainly appreciate their enthusiasm and excitement and I get the benefit of knowing that they don’t suffer from the same condition as I do, so I get to live vicariously through their eyes as they get to totally enjoy the fruit of their efforts. Or rather, the candy of their efforts. Sometimes, perspective is ALMOST as important as participation. Happy Halloween! ☯️

Movember 2022

That’s right, folks! There’s only one day of October left so I’m pitching for donations to raise money for Movember. I did this last year and my work colleagues and I were able to raise over $500 for this fantastic initiative by growing our moustaches and asking for donations from friends and family. This year promises to be even more fun as I’ve agreed to grow out ALL of my facial hair, including a full beard as well as growing out the hair on my head.

So for those who may not be in the know, what the hell is “Movember?” It apparently started in 1999 when a group in Australia came up with the idea of growing their moustaches for charity. By 2003, Movember was established as an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s overall mental health.

Movember is a registered charity in Canada and raises funds for a cause near and dear to my heart, considering my grandfather had prostate cancer. Besides participating actively as a donator and growing my moustache, I’m hoping that some of my loyal followers out there will see their way into donating as well. Even if only $5 or $10 dollars, any and all donations are appreciated and help.

So how can you donate? Well, the easiest way would be to visit the Movember website, clicking on “Donate” at the top right corner, select “Find a person or team” and enter my name (Shawn Cook). From there, you can click on the donate button and follow the prompts. Easy as that. There’s often a stigma out there that mental health isn’t an issue with men but I can tell you for a fact that this is inaccurate. We need as much help as everyone else. Help me keep men from dying too young. What you grow will help save a bro. Thanks for reading. ☯️