I came to Emily with the notion that there was something bigger out there I wanted to be doing, but I wasnt sure how to get there. For people who arent sure what they could get out of working with a career coach, Moyer explained it to me perfectly.

The women who choose to work with career coaches are ready to make a major shift into purposeful, meaningful work, she said. Theyre ready to stop following others expectations. Theyre sick of feeling undervalued and underpaid. Theyre feeling called to forge their own path instead of doing whats safe. Or they just want to feel inspired and excited, rather than miserable and demotivated. Balanced, instead of harried and spread too thin.

All of that resonated with me, in particular the part about wanting to feel inspired and excited. Sure, I knew that I could churn out copy on any given topic, but what I really wanted was to be using my writing toward something that felt more fulfilling. Moyer told me that it is possible.

We began our video chat session with a moment of meditation followed by an oracle card reading. (Moyer is located in Chicago and Im in New Jersey but no matter, she had such an easy way about her that it seemed like we were in the same room.) Moyers approach to career coaching is holistic, incorporating Western organizational strategy and Eastern philosophy and ancient wisdom not your typical approach to career counseling, but I decided to be open-minded and give it a try.

As we both closed our eyes, it quickly became apparent that this brief meditation was an effective tool to clear the space for us to focus on the time we had together. In a world where we are constantly available and responding to beeps, rings and bells, it felt great to ensure that this time we had set aside for a specific purpose was sacred.

Emily told me that she would select a card for me but that there would be no bad cards to worry about. My card was Freedom and she read me the description and we used it as a jumping off point to get into the root of why I was seeking career help.

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The ice breaker worked, and I found myself opening up to Emily, telling her about the bigger dreams I had for my writing: to publish a book and write movies. I wanted to do more of the style of writing that was actually in my own voice.

After listening attentively, Emily gave me the encouraging news that I was already way ahead of the game in that I knew what my passion was. She was right. I knew plenty of people who had the vague notion that they wanted to be doing something great, they just werent sure what it was. For me, I know that when Im writing I feel most like myself. Call it a passion or a calling, but when Im in the zone and the writing is flowing, I know its what Im meant to be doing.

The second thing Emily told me I had going for me was that I understood that focusing on advancement in my career would actually have a positive effect on all the other aspects of my life. I know that for a lot of women, especially mothers, the idea of focusing on work can feel almost selfish. But I already knew that by being fulfilled in my work, it would just make me an even happier, more productive mom, wife and friend.

Moyer said that while women now have so many options when it comes to career and lifestyle, often the availability of options can feel overwhelming.

Many of us are trying to do it all, weighed down by having too much on our plate, she said. Others are just unsure what choices are right for us, out of the myriad options. Additionally, we tend to take on an extraordinary amount of additional emotional responsibility for other people in our lives. Any of this can lead a person to feel stuck, confused or lost.

Still, Moyer said that stuck is really not such a bad place to be.

It means youre in a position to make a change; to decide that you want a different life experience," she said. "Feeling these things means you're able to acknowledge that its time for purpose and meaning to be prioritized.

Moyer asked me if there were things in my life I set aside dedicated time for, and I said yes. Ever since becoming a mom, Ive prioritized my workouts, not just because they help me be fit but because I need them for reasons that have nothing to do with how I look, like keeping stress at bay and feeling energized. Moyer pointed out that I was already accustomed to setting aside time for something thats important to me, so could I do that with my writing? She made the distinction that we were talking about creative writing, the stuff I want to write. She encouraged me to schedule an hour a day for what she called soul writing.

The idea of that felt simultaneously luxurious and anxiety-provoking. On the one hand, I loved to write but thinking about the outcome of my work often made it feel like a chore or something to avoid.

Moyer explained to me the yogic concept of "aparigraha" which translates to non-attachment. Do the work for works sake, she told me. Because it is your gift. Because it is why you are here. Because you must. Release the outcome. Release the attachment of what will come from your writing time. Write to write.

By the end of the session I surprised myself by tearing up how had I let the thing that made me feel most like myself, creative writing, become something I dreaded doing? Moyer sagely smiled at me: It wasnt like she had outlined a new life trajectory for me, instead she had helped me change my own mindset about my work. It was something that on the surface seemed so simple, but the shift had eluded me until working with her.

Since working with Moyer, I feel a renewed energy for writing and real excitement about the possibilities. Im the one in the drivers seat, deciding which opportunities to devote my time and attention to and which ones to decline. I know that anything is possible if I put in the work.

If youre considering working with a career coach, take the time to make sure the person you choose to work with is a good fit. Most coaches will offer a getting to know you call so you can see if youre on the same wavelength. Unlike therapy, career coaches usually work with clients over a shorter period of time, and though some emotional stuff may come up, the work is more goal-oriented than explorative.

Its time to work with a career coach if you are ready to both invest in and do the inner work your career coach will challenge you to do, said Moyer. Working with a career coach usually requires you to face some tough stuff and you need to make sure youre in a place in your life where youre ready to do that.

Although it wasnt easy to confront the old patterns and beliefs that were holding me back, in the end I was so glad that I did. Now, instead of ending the week wondering what Ive done, I wake up each morning ready to rock n roll and do the things I love the most. Next up: penning that screenplay.

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I was feeling uninspired at work until a career coach gave me this one tip - NBC News

John believes that the growing disconnect between parents and children can be easily fixed (Pic: John Pradeep JL)

Most of us may have crossed paths with people who completely regret the career path they have chosen, lamenting that they did not get to pursue their passion and cribbing the rest of their days away. They dont say, If you love what you do, youll never work a day in your life for nothing and making this message loud and clear to parents is Chennai-basedJohnPradeepJL, who is Indias first theatre-based life coach for children and parents. It took 15 years forJohnto figure out what he really wanted to do in life and now, he does not want others to wait long for that realisation to dawn upon them. He believes that every child is good at something and that their skills need to be developed around their area of choice through proper guidance.

We can understand that children need guidance, especially if they have to figure out their area of interest with respect to choosing a course that would steer them towards their career goals, but why include parents? Parents are an essential part of childrens lives and if I coach children and send them home to their parents who may not be on the same page with them, then all my training and guidance goes to waste. This is why I hold sessions to benefit both the child and their parents. One is not mutually exclusive of the other, saysJohn,who tells us that he has designed an array of programmes that includes theatre training, personal coaching and theatre performances to help children grow up to be responsible and well-rounded individuals through theatre that takes lessons from varied experiences and struggles that he went through in life from being sexually abused as a child to figuring out that theatre was his true calling at age 27. Excerpts from an enriching conversation:

How exactly did you discover that you could use theatre as a medium to help children? I was 27 when I figured out that theatre was what I wanted to pursue in life. I used to be part of the drama team in school, regularly performing in plays. I remember being so passionate about it that even being sick could not stop me. But my parents wanted me to become a doctor and so I put my theatrical aspirations on the backburner and continued focusing on my studies. But unfortunately, I was not able to secure a seat in a medical college as I had initially planned. So, I took up Physiotherapy instead but quit it a few months later. Then I took up Biotechnology and became a part of my college drama team in Tiruchy. Even though I was actively a part of it and was getting rave reviews for my performances, I did not think of it as a career option. Later, after graduating in Biotechnology, I took up a job at a call centre in a bid to become salaried and independent. That did not work out and I went ahead to pursue an MBA. I did not like it and went to work at a training centre. Again, it was not what I was interested in so finally, I went to work in a Montessori school where I received training and also learnt how to interact with children. I did not receive any certification but I was able to develop a theatre-based curriculum for kids. I moved to Chennai from Tiruchy soon, finally understanding that I wanted to combine the two greatest loves of my life theatre and children. I took up a job at Evams Happy Cow, the childrens division of Evam Entertainment, and I have not looked back ever since.

Could you give us an overview of the programmes that you conduct? I conduct a range of theatre-based programmes for children of different age groups, through puppetry, shadow theatre, clowning, mime, plays and also good-old conversations! The first programme is called Happy Children, Happy Families for toddlers and their parents. The main aim of this programme is to devise a proper routine for kids, wean them from technology and help them learn kindness and gratitude. The second programme is for pre-teens and teens called Real-life Incredibles where I identify their core passions or strengths and nourish them with hand-holding and a lot of guidance. I encourage them to give back to society by making use of their passions. For example, if a child is very good at dancing and also believes in leading a plastic-free, zero-waste lifestyle, then I encourage the child to choreograph a dance routine that inculcates the message of living a green life and perform it at their school to create awareness. Yet another programme called 'Bridge' is a platform for both teenagers and adults to start conversations about uncomfortable stuff. It is a safe space for them to talk about any traumatic experiences they have had or even something that they have never shared with anyone before. I believe it is a great opportunity for both parents and kids to get different perspectives on life and expand their minds truly.

Do you believe that both parents and children should have support systems of their own? Yes, of course! I think that parents have a tendency to think that they are enough for the child and there is no need for anybody else to interfere in their childs life but that is so problematic. In fact, through my Real-life Incredibles programme, which is inspired by DisneysThe Incredibleswhere each family member is a superhero, I encourage parents to designate trusted adults as their childrens mentors. Supportive peer groups for both adults and children are necessary too so they can have age-appropriate discussions. Both parties (children and parents) should never feel like they are alone. This concept is also inspired from my life. I was sexually abused as a child and did not tell anybody of my ordeal because I did not have a support system. I was scared. I do not want any child to go through the same horrors that I went through and I strongly believe support systems can help because the child will confide in someone or the other, if not the parents.

Tell us about the theatre performances that you conduct at schools. How are they helpful to children? Currently, I have four shows that premiere at different schools and other organisations, out of which two are clowning shows that are just meant to provide pure entertainment. My play,Oru Oorularevolves around a father telling stories to his daughter every single day without fail. What is so great about that you may think but the fact I want to emphasise on is that this storytelling session not only helps strengthen the father-daughter bond but also helps set a proper routine for the child. This is based on the storytelling sessions that I have with my 6-year-old. She cannot sleep without listening to my stories and it has helped in stopping her from falling asleep to YouTube videos that many children do these days. Yet another play is titledThe Greatest Fairytale Ever, which has been devised to break stereotypes set by all fairy tales the princess waiting for the prince to come save her or the notion that all stepmothers are evil. I think it helps children get an unbiased view of stories that will help them become non-judgmental.

What do you think are the causes of the problems in the teenager-parent relationship today? First of all, I think parents should realise the fact that most problems that they think they have with their teenagers are not problems in the first place! Teenage is a time when the children are suddenly identifying themselves as individuals and a lot is going through their mind and body already. They are at conflict with themselves, so obviously they may be prone to conflicts with their parents too. Parents should just think of teenage as a phase that will go away soon and give them substantial projects to work on individually. Try empowering them and see the positive changes for yourself!

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Meet John Pradeep JL, who's giving kids life lessons using the power of theatre - EdexLive

In 2003, a lanky kid from Melbourne with a bleached curtain haircut resembling Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys led Australia to victory at the FIBA Under-19 World Championships.

His name was Andrew Bogut, who already stood 69 tall at age 18. Bogut picked up tournament MVP honours with averages of 26.3 points and 17.0 rebounds per game, en route to the gold medal.

Edit: This is the last gold medal that any Australian mens team has collected at a World Championships event.

Boguts talent alerted the University of Utah, who promptly offered him a scholarship. Throughout his two-year collegiate career, the Victorian would grow to a height of 7 feet and elevate his game to a new level. In 2005, Bogut was named the best player in NCAA Division I basketball, with averages of 20.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He remains the only Australian to win this honour. Following a stellar NCAA career, Bogut was a touted NBA prospect and entered the draft, where Milwaukee selected him with the first overall pick.

Bogut recently caught up with Kane Pitman on the Locked on Bucks podcast to talk all things Milwaukee. The interview provides an insight into the pressures Bogut faced as the number one overall pick, Scott Skiles coaching and that horrific arm injury among other topics.

Bogut spoke of the isolation and pressures he faced after the Bucks drafted him with the first overall pick. Initially a big fish in a small pond at the University of Utah, he now had to start from the bottom in Milwaukee.

Getting drafted to Milwaukee and becoming a professional, basically, its your job now. I felt a lot more isolated and kind of by myself, Bogut said.

The big man averaged 9.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest in his debut season, leading to a First Team All-Rookie selection. These are typically impressive numbers for most rookies, but par course for a #1 pick.

I wouldnt say I had an outstanding rookie year or bad rookie year I think I was quite average, He said. I had some good games and showed potential. Not knowing how to handle it was the hardest thing. I think maybe having a closer knit group at the time would have helped me a lot more. I didnt know how to handle it and hadnt spoken to anyone that had been through it.

Although Bogut averaged a healthy 28.6 minutes per game, he didnt possess the infinitely long leash often given to high lottery picks on struggling teams.

It wasnt a situation like most #1 picks, playing 35-40 minutes and winning 15 games, where theyre going to blood you as much as possible.

Rather, the Bucks were competitive in Boguts rookie season, finishing with a 40-42 record and sneaking into the playoffs with the eighth seed.

Bogut made strides in his second NBA season, with per-game averages of 12.3 points and 8.8 rebounds. Unfortunately, it wasnt enough to lift a struggling Bucks team, and coach Terry Stotts paid the price. With Milwaukee sitting at 23-41 and out of playoff contention, Bogut endured his first change in coaching personnel. The Victorian also experienced his first taste of the NBA as a business making strategic decisions, when he was shut down following a minor injury.

I was playing on a mid-foot sprain, playing through it and playing fine, Bogut shared. The franchise basically tapped me on the shoulder and said hey, wed rather you not play the rest of the year and get your foot right. I thought my foot was worse than it is, not realising that essentially it was time to shut up shop and try to get a higher pick in the draft.

Milwaukees revolving door of coaches continued when Scott Skiles was hired ahead of Boguts fourth NBA season. Skiles would coach Bogut for the remainder of his tenure in Milwaukee, at a time when the Australian centre reached his peak. Speaking about his former mentor, the big man credited his commitment towards defence as follows:

I really learnt a lot from [Skiles]. He was the first coach that held me accountable defensively. I got labelled as a defensive bust coming out of college in college I couldnt afford to foul out, because I was a 20/12 guy. I probably couldve been better defensively but I couldnt really afford to foul. He really got my defence to an elite level.

Bogut also lauded Skiles tactical knowledge, calling him one of the best Xs and Os coaches hes ever had, and paid compliments to the former Milwaukee head coachs understanding of the game.

However, Skiles was known to be a hard taskmaster who demanded discipline and full effort. The one thing that he struggled with maybe was toning it down a little bit at times. A lot of guys obviously did get frustrated and burnt out from it, and struggled to play for him after an extended period of time.

In the Scott Skiles era, Milwaukee struggled to make progress, making the playoffs only once. Bogut expressed his frustration towards the organisations inability to maintain a stable playing roster.

To be honest, after my third year with him it was a little bit tough, because it was the same old thing. I think the franchise was stuck in this revolving door where it felt like everyone that we got in a trade or signed in free agency was coming in and getting their numbers up to go elsewhere. I was the only guy on a long-term deal and it was very frustrating, Bogut said. I cant fault what Skiles did. I think he turned that place around for what he had and the resources that he had. We just couldnt form any stability as far as the playing roster [went].

In the 2009/10 NBA season, Boguts fifth campaign as a professional, the Melbourne native finally justified his draft selection. He averaged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game and claimed an All-NBA Third Team selection. To date, Bogut remains the only Australian to ever make an All-NBA team. At his peak, in 2009/10, the 7-footer was arguably the NBAs second best centre behind Dwight Howard.

Unfortunately, in a cruel twist of fate, Bogut would never hit these heights again. Towards the end of his breakout 2009/10 season, he suffered a sickening arm injury against the Phoenix Suns. After going up for an emphatic breakaway dunk, Bogut received a slight push in the back from Amare Stoudemire. He then lost his balance, falling with the weight of his body on an outstretched right arm.

It was a demoralising injury. I finally lived up to that number 1 pick and averaged 16 and 10 a night. I really felt like it was all coming together. I felt confident out there and consistency [started to develop].

The injury was in Boguts shooting hand, resulting in a profound setback on the offensive end. His free throw numbers in the ensuing years are quite telling, as the big man struggled to regain his shooting touch.

I lost all of my shooting touch and any kind of potency with my right arm. I was told by some doctors that I probably wouldnt regain that touch for a number of years.

Bogut remarkably returned from his career-defining injury in just seven months. He was back in time for the opening tip of the 2010/11 season, missing a total of just six games due to injury. Looking at Boguts career statistics for games played, you wouldnt even know he had such a gruesome injury, given that his rehab coincided with the off-season. However, reflecting on his rehabilitation, Bogut acknowledged that the window might have been quicker than it should have been.

I probably rushed back from it to be honest, Bogut admitted. I came back way too soon. It was essentially a 6 to 9 month injury, but I was back in four months.

The decision resulted in Bogut playing through injury, something that required additional surgery after the season concluded.

Every fifth shot Id feel like someone stabbed me in the elbow. I knew something was wrong and in that offseason, I went and got a scope/clean out on it. I had surgery again on it and there was a massive chunk of bone just floating around in my elbow joint. Playing through that for a whole season was [tough].

When asked whether there was any pressure to get back on the court promptly, and who may have generated that pressure, Bogut attributed it to a variety of factors, starting with his contract.

Probably 60/40 me, The big man shared. They gave me a big contract the year before and that was going into the first year of the contract. There was also me being hard-headed, when the doctors said 6-9 months.

Bogut still averaged a double-double in the 2010/11 season, in spite of his premature return from such a devastating injury. With averages of 12.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, he was still one of the leagues premier centres. Bogut focused his energies on defence in the wake of his injury, leading the league in blocked shots with 2.6 per game.

I started to get really good mentally, Bogut said. I was like, you know what, my offence has dropped a little bit because my touch is gone. But Im going to try and dominate the game defensively. I started blocking a lot more shots.

The NBA was a very different league in 2005. In Boguts rookie year, the average NBA team would attempt 16 three-pointers per game. This number has now more than doubled to 33.7 treys per game in 2019. As a 7-foot centre residing firmly in the paint, three-point shooting simply wasnt a priority for Andrew Bogut.

I wasnt shooting 3s. Probably should have just been more confident and aggressive with it coming in. It just wasnt a thing back then. I probably should have taken more onus on being confident with it and keep on shooting it, Bogut said.

After the arm injury, the three-point shot became a distant thought. Bogut understandably lost the confidence to even step out for a mid-range jumper.

That arm injury basically changed all of that for the mid-range. Things went south as far as having the flexibility to do it, and also just having the confidence to get the mobility back to shoot it.

Andrew Bogut shot 69.2% from the charity stripe in his sophomore year of college, with six attempts per game hardly a small sample size. He would never reach this mark in the NBA, making just 62.9% of his free throws in his best season (2009/10) and 55.6% for his career overall.

Bogut believed he was making progress prior to his horrific arm injury in 2010.

I think for me, early on, it wasnt horrible but it needed some work I felt like I was getting there.

That horrific arm injury changed everything, and the big man described how it affected his free throw shooting.

I didnt work on shooting the whole off-season because I couldnt, Bogut said. I couldnt line my elbow up with the rim for a long long time and get under the ball. Funnily enough, towards the end of my career now, playing over here in Australia, I feel way more confident at the line. Im confident to go there and shoot 70% this year.

Bogut was right to be confident in his free throws. He is currently shooting 78% from the foul line, through 14 NBL games in the 2019/20 season.

When questioned about his favourite moment as a Milwaukee Buck, Bogut recalls a game winner against San Antonio in 2005. The then-rookie sunk the defending champions with a quick-release shot off a Toni Kukoc inbound pass. Bogut, who is of Croatian descent, idolised Kukoc in his youth.

Probably my rookie year, I hit a game winner against San Antonio, Bogut recounted. People that know me know an idol of mine was Toni Kukoc growing up. So if you go back to that play, Toni Kukoc was the inbounder. So he actually inbounded it to me and I hit the game winner from just outside the block. That was an unbelievable feeling playing against Tim Duncan, [Spurs head coach Gregg] Popovich and the Spurs.

When asked if he has ruled out returning to the NBA, Bogut indicated that anything is possible.

Ive never put the line through anything. If there is a good opportunity with a good team to hitch my trailer on to get a championship, I would probably definitely listen. There has been a few teams that have been kicking the tyres already about (my) availability.

Obviously Ill finish off this season here in Sydney. If there is something that is both appealing to myself, my family and the team well look at it. But it wont be a case of going back at all costs, just to anybody I can. If there is a genuine opportunity to try and extend the resume and compete for a championship Id do it. If not, Ill take a much needed two or three months of training and rest before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

At 35 years of age, Bogut has reached the twilight of his career. The Tokyo Olympic campaign will likely be his last one, and is hence a priority for the Victorian. Bogut has little to gain by returning to the NBA, unless a strong title contender seeks out his services.

Originally posted here:
Andrew Bogut on life in Milwaukee and the injury that changed everything - The Pick and Roll

When Travis Green was a rookie with the New York Islanders there was one dreadful night when he thought his NHL dream was going to end.

Each time he stepped on the ice, he felt like something went wrong.

His team lost and he was certain blame would be directed his way, the teams checking-line centre, and hed be shipped off to the AHL, never to be heard from again.

This is going to be my defining moment as a professional hockey player, he said in June, while sharing the tale in a Vancouver ballroom filled with coaches from the pro and amateur ranks, all gathered for an NHL Coaches Association clinic.

As he stared down at his skates, still in his sweaty Islanders uniform, he realized there were a pair of shoes in front of him.

He looked up. It was legendary Isles head coach Al Arbour. Here it comes, Green thought. The coach hadnt spoken with him much up to that point.

Call the interaction a defining moment for Green the player, and person. Arbour sat down, stared right at him, and told him to forget about the game.

It was almost like a father to a son, Green recalled.

Travis, these are great players, Hall of Fame players and they have these kind of nights. And they had one tonight. And for you its going to happen again and you need to understand that. I need you to understand it and your team needs you to, too, Green recalled Arbour saying.

Youve got Mario Lemieux coming in Saturday night and we need you to get some rest, have a good skate tomorrow, learn from this and be ready to play against him, Arbour added, according to Green.

Here was a man who cared enough to make sure that one of his younger players was OK, Green said. That gesture that Al made will stick with me forever.

The culture of hockey hasnt always been one driven by empathy toward players.

But it has been for Green. Empathy, caring, understanding, listening and communicating are the five words he highlighted in what he believes drives a successful coach.

Youre not only coaching to help the players become better, but also to inspire them, the Canucks bench boss said. If you make better hockey players and you help them to become better people, Ive got a feeling youre going to win a lot more hockey games while youre at it.

There are things he mimics from coaches hes liked in the past just as there are things he avoids from coaches he didnt like.

Travis Green: Dont let your passion for winning overwhelm your coaching Jason Payne / PNG

You take tidbits from everyone, he said about his evolution as a coach. In his early days behind the bench he would get mad at his team after a loss.

But after a while it dawned on him how he was getting overwhelmed by his hatred of losing and had lost sight of how his team had played in the game.

One morning after a loss he watched some game film and realized his team had played pretty well.

I was the jackass who came in guns a-blazing, he admitted, realizing then he had to change his approach.

So, he started writing down a hoped-for score before games, something hed be happy with, so that post-game he could measure his own reaction against something hed spent time reflecting on.

It didnt change how he coached, but it became a way for him post-game to have something to look at that would force him to focus on his coaching, while helping to keep his passion for winning in check.

Thats still a fine line, communicating and being honest with players while still also being hard enough to get points across when you need them I like to talk to my players, I like to talk in general. I also like the team to have fun, which I think is very important.

Green: I like talking with my players. Nick Procaylo / PNG

Ernest Hemingway once said, more or less, that change happens gradually, then suddenly. Thats some of what were seeing now in coaching, according to Lorraine Lafrenire, the chief executive officer of the Coaching Association of Canada.

The flash points that were seeing are coaches who still behave the way they did 10 years ago, 15 years ago, she said, adding the coachs behaviour is a top-of-mind issue now.

You can bet your bottom dollar all the other coaches, GMs are talking about this. And they should be talking about this in the boardroom.

Lafrenire added this week: Theres a reckoning happening in hockey. I think there is also a reckoning happening in sport, in terms of the need for coaching styles to change. I think the conversation is a good thing.

There are the recent stories of the actions of Mike Babcock, Bill Peters and Marc Crawford. In the past theres the abuse on players by former junior hockey coach Graham James. And outside hockey there have been stories of abuse, many of them horrific, in a broad swath of sports.

These are catalysts for change, a painfully positive thing, Lafrenire said. It needs to continue. We cant go back to sleep.

When Sheldon Kennedy first started talking about his junior hockey experiences with James in 1996, it sent shock waves through the hockey world.

There were significant strides made in coach education, she said. The CAC continues to work in partnership with Kennedys Respect Group, which empowers people to recognize and prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.

Whats really important is the support of the witness, Lafrenire said. Were trying to shift to a place where the bystander has more of the power in the moment, when something is occurring.

Creating whistleblower programs that demand independence on the investigating end and trust in the process on the reporting end, is the next important step.

The whole concept of duty of care belongs to everyone in the clubhouse, not just the coach and the player.

Don Cherrys year in Colorado wasnt a happy one for just about anybody. Steve Babineau / Getty Images

Coaching has, for the most part, come a long way from the days of Don Cherry abusing the few good players he actually had on his woeful Colorado Rockies 1979-80 squad. Cherry once yanked Mike McEwen, a skilled defenceman acquired early in the season from the New York Rangers, off the ice, literally: he reached out off the bench and pulled McEwen off the ice by his collar, then roughed him up.

The former minor league defenceman, who improved his stock coaching the highly talented Boston Bruins of the mid-70s, won just 19 games with Colorado that season.

Don Saleski, a checking forward who won two Stanley Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers, once said that Cherrys approach that season was in stark contrast compared to what he experienced with Fred Sheros Flyers.

Shero, he said, was tough, but rarely raised his voice. And he knew how to handle young and old players.

He knew how to coax his players. He got us to understand exactly what he expected of us, Saleski recalled a few years ago for Philadelphia hockey writer Bill Meltzer.

Saleski said Cherry didnt know how to handle young players.

Don had no clue what to do with them. No clue. So hed just scream and try to intimidate the guys by acting tough, he said. There was no self-reflection on his approach, it would seem.

One young player on the squad was Mike Gillis. The Cherry experience was an early lesson in how not to run a hockey team or how to treat people, Gillis said.

After a long, successful run as a player agent, he was hired in 2008 as general manager of the Canucks.

Mike Gillis in 2011: The former Canucks GM said he has long believed in having players involved in team decision-making. Ric Ernst / PROVINCE

He wanted his players to find themselves in a trusting, positive environment, one that reflected the diversity of modern society.

There has to be more opportunity for players to have a place to go that they can trust and rely upon, that theyre going to do the right thing, he said. Everyone is coming from different socio-economic backgrounds, different countries, different experiences.

The Canucks became a tight-knit group, which created a strong, trusting support network.

They were willing to open up with each other, with us. They werent concerned with being betrayed by us, Gillis said. I saw first-hand that when you remove the stigma of betrayal, they grow exponentially.

In gaining respect, you walk a fine line. You still have to be able to lead, to make the hard decision, while being transparent in doing so.

Modern players are wired by their school experience, which puts them at the centre of their learning process.

As students, they werent just told what to do, they were allowed to understand the whys and hows behind their lessons. And this process was, more often than not, also found in their sports life.

Lafrenire points to this shift in education as another catalyst for change.

Young people have had a hand in shaping their life, she said. Think about the practices teachers employed in the classroom 30 years ago, theyre no longer relevant now. What was acceptable then is not now. Command and control is not acceptable now we see that in the workforce. Were not building robots.

We wanted the players to feel they were included in the decision making, Gillis said. Every year wed sit down with our leadership group and ask is there anything we can do better? Can we communicate better? Can we treat you on the road better? Can we treat your families better?

Bo Horvat: accountability and positivity are the traits of a good coach. Gerry Kahrmann / PNG

Canucks captain Bo Horvat has had a number of coaches hes appreciated in his hockey career, who have been hard, but fair. And their reasoning has always been transparent.

I think what makes a good coach is holding guys accountable but at the same time being positive toward your players, he said. And every player is different. The coach has to know what buttons to push, whats going to motivate different players.

Players come to the NHL already knowing so much of the game. In the old days, perhaps, they had much to learn but now, between the coaching they get even before theyre teenagers and then the amount of time in the off-season they get to prepare, theres not much they dont know about the game, Horvat pointed out.

The other thing that cant be neglected: as todays players become tomorrows coaches in a reshaped culture, the screamer and-or abuser, will be harder to find.

I didnt want to forget, ever, what it was like to be a player, Green said.

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Patrick Johnston: Culture change in hockey coaching has been a long time coming - The Province

World Class, the market leader in Romanias wellness industry, opened on Thursday, December 12, its 30th club in Bucharest.

The new health and fitness club is located in Expo Park, a new office campus in northern Bucharest, close to the 1 Mai subway station.

We are today celebrating the opening of our 30th World Class club in Bucharest and the 39th in Romania. This is a milestone for our movement, which is growing in a good and healthy way, said Kent Orrgren, CEO World Class.

World Class Expo Park is a Bronze category club that covers an area of 1,480 sqm that includes a functional training area, aerobics studio, cycling studio and group fitness classes.

World Class has three more openings scheduled this year and in 2020, which will increase its local network to 42 clubs. The operator has over 65,000 members.

World Class Romania is owned by Polish private equity fund Resource Partners.

[emailprotected]

(Photo source: the company)

For a decade,Romania Insiderhas been your platform of choice for reliable information on all things Romania. We have always been proud of our ability to bring you bias-free reporting but this hasn't always been easy. We have been thinking about making some changes and can't imagine doing this without your feedback. For this, we would appreciate it very much if we could borrow2 minutesof your day to fill out this survey. Thank you for reading Romania Insider!

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Fitness network World Class opens its 30th club in Bucharest - Romania-Insider.com

From Liza Minnelli and her lamp to Too Much Tuna, its been a great decade for sketch comedy.* Illustration: by Ari Liloan

From Liza Minnelli and her lamp to Too Much Tuna, its been a great decade for sketch comedy.* Illustration: by Ari Liloan

Sketch comedy has always been one of the genres trusted forms, but as comedy has evolved grown shorter, longer, bigger, stranger, launched numerous podcast networks where does that leave good old-fashioned sketch comedy? Surely not in the dust. But sketch comedy has shifted in the wake of our far-too-online era, and often for the better. Over the last decade, the internet era opened doors to writers, creators, and comedians who didnt come up through the traditional (and perhaps dated) comedy-theater route. As a result, it would be too vague to call sketch more diverse; what it is is more specific and in a lot of cases, more cinematic. Thats how we wound up with Inside Amy Schumers 12 Angry Men or Key & Peeles Aerobics Meltdown. Even SNLs oddball favorite Darrells House is mostly built on a joke about, well, editing. What has endured from the decades sketch comedy, then, is not so much timely and immediate satire but well-made, frequently contextless, and joke-heavy material.

Weve worked to alphabetically (its only fair!) round up some of this decades best comedy sketches. Weve limited ourselves to sketch-comedy TV shows a list of the decades best internet and late-night sketches would be far bigger and stranger than can be catalogued though longform sketch shows like Documentary Now and At Home With Amy Sedaris make appearances below. Saturday Night Live, the behemoth of the sketch show genre, makes up a majority of the list, though the show transitioned out of the goofy Hader/The Lonely Island/Rudolph/Wiig era into the sharp and strange current era of the show. The decade also bid farewell to some of the old and beloved Key & Peele, Portlandia and welcomed the new and exciting A Black Lady Sketch Show, I Think You Should Leave. The list below ranges from popular favorites (Did you think you could end the decade without one more viewing of David S. Pumpkins orContinental Breakfast?) to bizarre marvels (Sammy Paradise is a highlight, though the singular Maya Angelou Prank Show is worth a revisit) and everything in between.

Have you ever seen 12 Angry Men? Amy Schumer asks a pedestrian at the end of her episode of the same name. Yeah, he says, to which Schumer then asks, Wouldnt you love to see a remake of that? and the man grimaces. No, he says, wincing. And yet Schumers remake in all its black-and-white, star-studded glory would go down as one of the more audacious and well-made pieces of comedy of the decade. Twelve men including John Hawkes, Jeff Goldblum, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Giamatti, Vincent Kartheiser, and Chris Gethard argue behind closed doors about whether Schumer is hot enough to be on television. Its tempting to say its thesis is dated some four years later, but the conversation over what types of bodies, especially womens bodies, we see on TV still echoes, and Schumers take is the funniest of them all.

Donald Glovers 2018 SNL episode is one of the decades strongest featuring another favorite, Friendos and its his turn as the bizarre 80s crooner Raz P. Berry who punishes himself to get back at the woman he believes is cheating on him that won the night. Berry goes on and on about everything hes gone through, only to learn that his cool-guy sunglasses have prevented him from seeing that its not his girlfriend after all.

Having to keep high-kicking in the face of unspeakable tragedy feels like an apt metaphor for the decade, no? (Both Key and Peele are wonderful in this mostly dialogue-free sketch, but its Clint Howards panicked cue-card holder that steals the show.)

Next decades Best Comedy Sketches list is no doubt going to be full of A Black Lady Sketch Show, but for the time being, watch as one woman in the Bad Bitch Support Group (led by a majestic Angela Bassett) almost undermines the entire beauty industry by realizing that once in a while she may want to just be an okay bitch.

Black Jeopardy, written by Brian Tucker and Michael Che, has been one of SNLs most consistently funny recurring sketches this decade, led with a rarely better Kenan Thompson as host Darnell Hayes. Contestants guess their way through categories like FidNa and Bye, Felicia! (and, as always, White People), with the host of the episode playing the games wild card. From Drakes Black Canadian (Yo, theres thousands of us!) to Tom Hankss MAGA hat-wearing Doug (who recoils in horror at Hayess handshake), Black Jeopardy always hits.

Steve Buscemi stars as a hapless celery salesman who, on his mission to get more people to buy and eat celery, gets in way too deep with all the wrong people.

Nude Tayne is this generations cellar door.

The premise is simple: A white patient (Sue Galloway) visits a black doctor (Rothwell, accompanied by a male nurse played by Gary Richardson) to learn how to treat a case of chiggers she got while camping. The rest well, Im sure you can piece this together. Rothwell, Richardson, and Galloway shift in and out of conversations about stereotypes and gentrification and, yes, bugs, all with the grace and fortitude of dancers. (Watch it on Netflix.)

Continental Breakfast is perhaps the silliest of all of the Key & Peele sketches, a lovingly light send-up of chain hotels subpar breakfast buffets. Peele is the star here with his amused enchantment at all of the food options, his self-satisfied chuckle, and the way he coos, Arent you a tiny plum? to an unwashed grape. The profound joy he takes in the Continental breakfast builds to an absurd yet almost unsurprising ending (one not worth spoiling if youve somehow made it through these years without having seen it).

Darrells House was something of an anomaly for Saturday Night Live: a perfect cocktail of the shows and its host Zach Galifinakiss sensibilities. Galifinakis plays Darrell, a man taping an episode of his local-access television show in which he invites someone over to his house for the first time. Part One of the sketch, which aired relatively early into the nights episode, was full of mix-ups, mistakes, and stand-ins, and Galifinakis alternates between aw-shucks, upbeat enthusiasm, and utter rage. Its one of the most unique sketches not only of the decade but in the shows history. The Well fix it in postproduction joke of the sketch became Well fix it during the episode as it airs, and later in the episode, the incoherent, jumbled, wonderful Part Two of Darrells House pays off every setup.

Airing October 23, 2016, the general confusion around David S. Pumpkins Is he from something? Beck Bennetts character asks was the last thing to unite and delight the country.

Come for the satire of pseudo-hyperliterate logged-on types, stay for the plaintive nods that crescendo into rapid, manic head jerks to confirm, yes, theyve read it, but they did not like the ending.

Diner Lobster might really be the sketch of the decade, especially because it took almost the entire decade for John Mulaney and Colin Josts sketch to come to life. Pete Davidsons character makes the mistake of ordering lobster at an old Greek diner, and what follows, naturally, is a full-scale rendition of Who Am I? from Les Miserables. Kenan Thompason, waist-deep in a tank and dressed as a giant lobster, is one of the funniest sights in the history of SNL. Its a loving tribute to Les Miserables, ramshackle barricade and all, and an all-out insane gamble that pays off a thousandfold.

(Do It on My) Twin Bed was an all-star showcase for SNLs female cast: a joke-packed pop song in the style of an early-aughts girl group. The track was written by Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, who would co-author a number of the decades best SNL sketches before going on to create The Other Two. Each lyric is more quotable than the one before it, but Lil Baby Aidys moms feud with her friend Jean takes the cake (and makes another appearance in the videos sequel, Back Home Ballers).

From the names (Xmus Jaxon Flaxon-Waxon) to the universities (California University of Pennsylvania) to the various vocal modulations (Keys staccato delivery of Hingle McCringleberry and Peeles sultry, mysterious presentation of The Player Formerly Known As Mousecop), the East/West College Bowl rosters never, ever (Grunky Peep!), got old.

An escalating prank war between co-workers shot like its Michael Clayton.

Giving us You have no good car ideas in the last year of the decade is the most generous thing anyone has done!

If you dont have time to sit through The Wolf of Wall Street, this is a fine substitute.

Hamm & Buble is an oft-cited favorite of many fans of the show with a premise as simple as its name a ham-and-Champagne-themed restaurant run by, well, Jon Hamm and Michael Bubl. Hamm, who has shined not only as a host but as a frequent walk-on guest of the show, and Bubl, hilariously game, have incredible chemistry as a menacing restaurateur and the pop crooner hes holding hostage. Its not just that the restaurant seems awful or just that Bubl says, wincing, His eyes went black and he slapped my face about his new employer, but that a joke so simple could pay off in such a menacing, wonderful way.

Ian Rubbish, the Thatcher-loving punk rocker in SNLs tribute to the late PM, is an all-time great Fred Armisen character, and the note-perfect touches from behind-the-music documentaries lays the groundwork for his collaborations with Bill Hader in Documentary Now.

The gleeful mania of At Home With Amy Sedaris, with its deranged crafts and costumed guest stars, is often at its best when Sedaris is with her friend Chassie (Cole Escola, certainly one to watch in the decade to come). Season twos Hospital-tality is an incredible showcase for the two of them, as Chassies fake blindness makes her bedridden, and Amy has no choice but to invite over Chassies family, played by none other than Ann Dowd, Juliette Lewis, and Taryn Manning.

What is there to say about comedy other than sometimes you just want to see the same two guys over and over again in the form of the SNL opening credits? Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim alternate classic New York scenes getting a dollar slice, waving down a cab, going to a strip club in an attempt to deliver comedy in a funnier and faster way to their audience.

I Think You Should Leaves Instagram sketch is one of the few in the show that feels like legitimate satire (including, I suppose, both of Robinsons self-important rants about being on our phones too much), poking fun at the way in which people rush to put self-deprecating captions on otherwise nice photos of themselves with friends. Vanessa Bayer shares several of her caption options, heightening in both absurdity and vulgarity, for a picture of herself with friends at brunch, including, Slurping down fish piss with these wet chodes.

Good comedy sketches about comedy itself are few and far between, but heres a great one.

David Cross and Bob Odenkirks deconstruction of the good-cop-bad-cop interrogation scene blossoms into a reconciliation between two co-workers who no longer have any idea how to communicate with each other, except through a suspect. Its oddly touching, as well as a good lesson on how to use obsequious in a sentence.

Can Scott Aukerman and his team transform a man cave thats looking more like a mans grave?

Though late into the Lonely Islands tenure at SNL, Jack Sparrow was one of their most unexpected Digital Shorts. Michael Bolton, as the featured artist who promises the gang a really sexy hook, derails whats meant to be a heavily produced club hit with his admiration for the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Boltons enthusiasm both for the Pirates movies as well as the other films mentioned in the song is gorgeously paired with the Lonely Islands feigned frustration and annoyance. Andy Sambergs deflated what in the midst of Boltons first chorus builds to reluctance acceptance with his resigned Turns out Michael Bolton is a major cinephile at the end of the song.

Documentary Nows loving parody of Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Chefs Table about a man named Juan making arroz con pollo 40 minutes away from the nearest road, complete with near-impossible ingredient preparation and absurd rituals (Juan needs to chase and grab the chicken in a pen, otherwise hell leave it off the menu), sticks its landing with such elegance and grace that it transcends the material its riffing on.

Last Fuckable Day, directed by Nicole Holofscener, was one of the hallmarks of the third and final season of Inside Amy Schumer: an outdoor gathering of Schumer and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tina Fey, and Patricia Arquette, in which the three older actresses reveal to Schumer that there comes a day in every actresss career in which the public deems her no longer fuckable. The women commiserate and toast to reading for the part of Mrs. Claus, which went, as it turned out, to J.Lo (Oh, shell be good, Louis-Dreyfus simpers). The sketch literalized what had long been a conversation about ageism in Hollywood: that when women reach a certain age, they no longer become objects of desire, which, in turn, liberates them to eat dairy and grow their pubes out. Mazel!!

This one speaks for itself, really.

Maya Rudolph, an impersonator extraordinaire, plays the late poet with charm and levity and gravitas as she pulls practical jokes on her esteemed colleagues, all of whom are just honored to share space with her.

Thats five fingers, Tina Fey explains to Taran Killam about the child, soon to be his characters second wife, onstage. I believe shes trying to say shes 5. Of all the absurd game shows to come out of SNL this decade, Meet Your Second Wife is one of the bleakest and best.

I actually said, thats not a good idea for a show, John Mulaneys Stephen Sondheim stand-in Simon Sawyer says at the opening of this episode, but one whole cast recording later, its safe to say it was the perfect idea for a show. Co-op, featuring the vocal talents of Alex Brightman, Rene Elise Goldberry, Richard Kind, and Paula Pell, was Documentary Nows take on D.A. Pennebakers Company documentary. It feels absurd to praise the level of specificity of just one episode, especially because so much of the show depends upon it, though composing a fictional Sondheim musical is Documentary Nows greatest accomplishment to date. Though it might hit the hardest with musical-theater fans, its impossible not to marvel at the level of genius and sheer number of jokes packed into a single episode.

Liz B.s (Jenny Slate, offscreen) niece Denise (Jenny Slate, onscreen with the funniest set of fake teeth imaginable) shows up at the PubLIZity offices, and Liz G. (Nick Kroll) takes it upon herself to take her for a day in Hollywood. Kroll and Slate have always had incredible comedic chemistry together, as proved time and time again across multiple shows this decade, and this particular pairing of characters is rife with laughs. Liz G. is the perfect guardian for awkward, shy Denise (who, when invited out for a girls day, asks, Is this a prank?) up until the moment she abandons her with a skeevy male photographer (Will Forte).

Seth MacFarlanes 2013 episode was a solid showcase for its host including this underseen 10-1 sketch with Tim Robinson, Wooden Spoons but its the deranged Puppet Class that goes down as a decade best for Bill Hader. Hader plays Anthony Peter Coleman, a veteran working through his PTSD by dissociating into his puppet Tony. Try as he might, Coleman and Tony cant seem to shed the memories of Grenada, even roping other classmates puppets into their flashbacks (Please do not act out any murder scenarios with each others puppets, MacFarlane pleads). Haders sternness and seriousness in both human and puppet form is haunting and hilarious.

Its almost impossible to believe now, but there was a time in this very decade where birds were on everything, as exemplified in Portlandia duo Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownsteins most famous sketch. After Bryce and Lisa decorate a variety of homegoods with hand-painted birds to maximize tweeness, theyre terrorized by a live bird, reminding the viewer that what is adorable is often extremely frightening.

I guess its true what they say: Soon as a black man gets some moat money, he turns his back on the hood. Astronomy Clubs revamp of the classic Robin Hood story, in which the titular thief tries to rob the richest black family in Sherwood, quickly and hilariously spirals into a discussion about intersectionality.

Is this Marriage Story?

What if they dont wave back? Mark (Bruno Mars) asks, before donning a vague patriotic mouse costume and heading out into Times Square. The Matt & Ozdirected Digital Short brought depth and melancholy to the world of costumed Times Square mascots. Sad Mouse plays like the wordless first act of WALL-E, culminating in the heartfelt and star-crossed final meeting of Sad Mouse and a character that can only be described as Luau Frog.

Tim Robinsons episode of The Characters, which aired three years before I Think You Should Leave, opened with Sammy Paradise, a Vegas crooner serenading Lady Luck, only to lose all his money not once but twice in the same evening. Its go-for-broke (pun intended) peak Tim Robinson screaming, his voice straining itself as he bellows NO! for four whole seconds.

Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisens pop ditty about Brownsteins sister who floundered from job to job (I thought shed end up in politics / She was always really into Kucinich, remember?) until she started making jewelry is a loving send-up of independent artisans and Etsy-site-havers. Consider Armisen yelling What time does the post office close? a warning to anyone thinking about turning a hobby into a full-time job.

A community rallies behind a sweet terminally ill child with one wish and one wish only: to never meet Macklemore. Its not just the music, Arturo Castro explains as the boys father, tears in his eyes. He just hates the guys whole vibe.

Keegan-Michael Keys ability to harness and project rage in the form of frustrated educator was honed during his tenure at MADtv and perfected in this sketch, where he plays an experienced, inner-city substitute teacher stumbling over milquetoast, suburban white names. Time will pass, decades will change, but few things bring more joy than Key snapping a clipboard over his knee.

Before their IFC run, the Birthday Boys presented their terms for air, including preferred fonts for each of its cast members. Something to note for all sketch shows to come: They shouldnt air at the same time as other programs on whatever channel theyre on.

John Earlys episode of The Characters weaves in and out of sketches (including Vicky, which has gone on to be one of the comedians most memorable characters) and a wedding party going achingly, hilariously awry upstate, but its his botched toast, full of self-aggrandizing statements New York is my home, he states, before clarifying, and sometimes, you know, L.A. I do go back and forth for business that feels like the pinnacle of the episode. Earlys overwrought speech bombs, and when his characters fianc, Mahan, delivers a simple, to-the-point declaration of love to their friends and family, Early viciously steals the spotlight back, fainting like a 1940s starlet. (Watch it on Netflix.)

Good luck finding another comedy sketch this decade that went to Broadway.

Saturday Night Lives Totinos runner, in which Vanessa Bayer plays an eager-to-please but ignored and putdown housewife whose sole purpose is making Totinos for her husband and his friends, builds to a beautiful, sensual conclusion. Enter Sabine (Kristen Stewart), the first person to enter Bayers (Whats your name? I never had one.) house and really see her and love her for who she is.

The Canadian sketch show starring Aurora Browne, Meredith MacNeill, Carolyn Taylor, and Jennifer Whalen is full of zany, often female-centric sketches, like the searing Girls Gay Night Out, where they cant help but compare Taylors character to Ellen before patronizingly adding, I wish I could be gay! Its We Care that feels most true to life, however, as a group of friends after a happy, normal hangout cant help but immediately talk shit about each other the second one of them leaves. Every cruel thing they say, of course, is because they care, and isnt friendship the best reason to be hateful to someone?

Some boys live unexamined lives, but this ones heart is full of questions. Jeremy Beiler and Julio Torress Fisher-Price commercial parody lovingly captured the melancholy and loneliness many young, and often queer, boys face in their childhoods, and as the boys mother, Emma Stone delivers, Everything is for you, and this one thing is for him with all the power and nuanc of, say, an Oscar-winning actress.

Whats That Name? in all its iterations has always preyed on the innate social anxiety of forgetting the name of a person known to you, but [Stefon voice] this Whats That Name? has everything: John Mulaney and Bill Hader, Lil Xan, an exploration of institutional sexism, Cecily Strongs Mama whimper, Hader saying the squad in the most menacing voice imaginable, and, of course, Youre not seeing double, thats three women.

*Illustration key (clockwise from left):Romantic scene with Kristen Stewart and Vanessa Bayer from SNLs Totinos; eating a magazine from Portlandias Did You Read It?; SNLs Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks; Liza Minnelli playing with a lamp from SNL; Bad Bitches Support Group with giant makeup items from A Black Lady Sketch Show; an overfilled tuna sandwich for Kroll Shows Too Much Tuna; a lobster costume in a Greek diner for SNLs Diner Lobster; and Key and Peeles Aerobics Meltdown.

More here:

The 50 Best Comedy Sketches of the Decade - Vulture

We would walk into the swimming pool and the baby would burst with excitement. Photograph: iStock

Im just going to come out and say it, because Lord knows no one else is likely to: small babies are boring.

They cant talk to you about reality TV (mainly because they dont know who anyone is, and they cant talk); they cant get a round in (owing to not being allowed to drink, plus no money); and they dont laugh at your jokes (which I suppose makes them like everyone else).

Im nostalgic for the days of maternity leave, when Isola was a tiny, non-crawling, non-jumping-off-the-changing-table thing. It was hard work, certainly, keeping her fed and changed, but once the visitors scattered to the wind, filling the days seemed to require a degree of effort. After a couple of hours, wed both be tapped out on cuddles and cooing. Id look at the clock, and there would be four more hours until B was due to walk in the door. Its a strange kind of benign solitude, but we certainly needed something to do.

A friend had mentioned Water Babies as a potential activity and lo, there were beginner classes in the next neighbourhood over. The baby would learn to swim, I would get some semblance of exercise, and best of all, wed be doing something together. There was nothing not to like in this plan.

Except on the first day, I damn near gave up on the whole thing and fled in my half-on, half-off swimsuit. Have you ever tried to dress a baby in a swim nappy and too-tight shorts, while also trying to get yourself into a swimsuit? On the first day, a half dozen of us were trying the same polite, tricky feat. Id been running late, so was already sweating like I was due in court. I peered into the bag. In the rush of it all, we were one clean pair of knickers down.

Im never leaving the house again, I shouted, exasperated. Finally, and with much ado, we were ready for the water.

Reader, the baby absolutely loved it. After a few minutes of oh, this is new suspicion, shedecided that she was fully committed. She splashed and flailed, trying to break free into the big blue. It was such fun, seeing my fearless little adventurer want to become independent and give this swimming lark everything she had. She shrieked and laughed and screamed and it was wonderful. She didnt even hold it against me when I sent her underwater a couple of times.

The Water Babies classes are roughly a half-hour of gentle water aerobics, singing cute nursery ditties and, after a while, dunking the babies so they learn how to deal with being underwater. All told, I was a little self-conscious of breaking out the Twinkle Twinkle in public, but after a few minutes I, too, was fully in.

The changing/showering/drying got easier in the end (top tip: have a rice cake to hand). The exertion and excitement of the morning would send the baby straight to sleep, meaning I could have a peaceful post-swim coffee. In the weeks that followed, we would walk into the swimming pool and the baby would burst with excitement.

This has been one of the most gratifying parts of becoming a new mum: watching this tiny personality unfurl and bloom. Seeing her react to small challenges and new experiences. Standing back (well, not in the pool as such) as she becomes her own little person.

And what a person she already is. At the risk of sounding like one of those insufferable parents, sheis already a cooler person than both her parents put together. She stares at all strangers, hoping to catch their eye and lob them a charming smile (this, I suspect, is a trait she inherited from B, who starts conversations with every stranger he can, even on the Luas). She is a keen watcher and appraiser of people; she enters every room with her head held high, uninhibited, looking for the action. I hope it will always be this way.

Best of all, she glares in an absolute state of you fashion at toddlers having tantrums in the supermarket who are in the midst of a biscuit-aisle meltdown. This gives me no end of hope for the near-future.

The year has felt molasses-slow in some ways, and like a finger-snap in others. Isola changes all the time; behind my back and then right in front of my eyes. She is burbling now, and the words are doubtless the next thing to come.

What a time that will be.

Read this article:

I nearly gave up on Water Babies on day one, but Im glad I didnt - The Irish Times

Sri Lankan authorities delay on whether to prosecute award-winning writer Shakthika Sathkumara By Vimukthi Vidarshana 16 December 2019

Sri Lankan police told the Polgahawela magistrates court last week that they are yet to receive the attorney generals decision on whether to prosecute Shakthika Sathkumara. The acclaimed writer was arrested on April 1 and illegally held in remand for 130 days for allegedly defaming Buddhism.

Released in August on strict bail conditions, Sathkumara is accused of violating Section 291B of the Penal Code and Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act (ICCPR) No. 56 of 2007. According to legal procedures, the author should have been released on bail by the Polgahawela magistrate as soon as the case had been filed.

If the attorney general decides to indict Sathkumara, he will be prosecuted at the Kurunegala High Court and, if found guilty of the bogus defamation charge, could be sentenced to ten years jail. The next hearing in the Polgahawela magistrates court will be on May 19 next year when the attorney generals decision will be announced.

Questions are being raised about the attorney generals impartiality, given that he has been listed to appear for R.D.M.Syril, the officer in charge of Polgahawela police. Syril is a respondent in a fundamental rights case filed by Sathkumara over his arbitrary arrest and the violation of his freedom of expression and other constitutional rights.

Sathkumara was arrested following a complaint by a Buddhist monk, who is affiliated with a right-wing extremist organisation, over Ardha (Half), a short story by the author published on his Facebook page.

The monk claimed that the story, which included a reference to homosexuality among Buddhist monks, insulted Buddhism and Buddha. Extreme-right Buddhists are acutely sensitive to any exposure of the pseudo-sacred pretences of the religious establishment.

In his objections to Sathkumaras story, which were filed belatedly on August 15, Polgahawela police chief R.D.M. Syril did not present any substantive evidence to justify Sathkumaras arrest. One of the documents submitted by the policea statement from the inspector of police on April 1reveals that the police arrested the writer and brought him before the court on the request of the Buddhist monk.

Counter-objections filed by Sathkumara in a fundamental rights case argue that Polgahawela police organised protests in support of extremist Buddhist monks in order to bring pressure not to grant bail for the author. A hearing on Sathkumaras fundamental rights case, which was last heard on September 30, has been postponed until July 28 next year.

The Sri Lankan police are closely linked to the religious establishment and notorious for promoting the extreme-right Buddhist organisations, and have directly and indirectly backed racist assaults on minority communities. Recent communalist attacks included mob violence against Muslim-owned shops and houses in the Minuwangoda area on May 13 following the Easter Sunday bombings this year by a local ISIS-inspired terrorist group.

On October 24, Sathkumara was assigned to work at the Irrigation Department by the Director of Combined Services. However, in a blatant violation of the authors democratic rights, this was overruled by a senior official who is reported to have said that someone who wrote a book against Buddhist monks is not fit for this department.

On December 2, Sathkumara was reappointed as a development officer at the Maspotha Divisional Secretariat but on the condition that he may have to face a disciplinary inquiry into his authorship of the short story. The civil administration, however, has no legal mandate to conduct such disciplinary inquiries into this non-service related matter.

The state witchhunt of Sathkumara has been condemened by prominent Sri Lankan artists and international figures, including most recently a letter of support by Sahidul Alam, a renowned photojournalist.

Alam was arrested by Bangladesh police in August last year for condemning violent police attacks on students and for voicing his concerns on the al-Jazeera network. He was later released following local and international protests. Alams letter to Sathkumara is part of a campaign being organised by PEN International, which defends writers internationally from all forms of government repression.

Sathkumara responded to Alam with the following reply:

The repression I am facing is not limited to this country alone ... We are being driven to a magical world of after-life beyond the objective world, to hide the real causes of the social catastrophe of the crisis-ridden capitalist system. To meet this end, religion and the religious establishment has been a critical tool for the bourgeois ruling class. They have used religion as a weapon to defend their predatory system.

In countries like ours, even the Constitution has given religion the foremost place. This is a legal weapon used by the ruling class to divide the oppressed masses along racial and religious lines and defend capitalist rule. The ruling class is consciously cultivating lies, social and cultural backwardness and reaction against the masses. So, the attacks on journalist Julian Assange, who is being hunted due to his exposure of the crimes of US imperialism, and on yourself and myself are essentially political.

State attacks on artists and journalists have been stepped up following Sathkumaras persecution. On the eve of the recent presidential election, film director and playwright Malaka Devapriya was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department over alleged violations of the ICCPR Act.

On November 25, following his appointment as Sri Lankan prime minister, Mahinda Rajapakse referred to Article 9 of the constitution, which gives the formost place to Buddhism, and declared, We will take legal action against those who defame Buddhism or any other religion.

Mahinda Rajapakse is also Sri Lankas minister of Buddha Sasana, which exists to protect and guarantee the dominance of Buddhism and the Buddhist religious establishment in Sri Lanka.

The judicial verdicts on the fraudulent defamation allegations against Sathkumara and Devapriya are being made in an increasingly communalist atmosphere. Sri Lankas ruling elite is whipping up religious divisions to counter the development of unified strike action and mass demonstrations of workers, youth and the rural poor against government austerity policies and attacks on democratic rights.

The Action Committee for the Defence of Freedom of Art and Expression, which was organised by the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), has issued statements and launched a Solidarity Petition campaign in defence of Sathkumara and Devapriya. Its defence of democratic rights is an integral part of the SEPs political struggle for the independent mobilisation of the working class for a workers and peasants government based on a socialist and internationalist program.

2019 has been a year of mass social upheaval. We need you to help the WSWS and ICFI make 2020 the year of international socialist revival. We must expand our work and our influence in the international working class. If you agree, donate today. Thank you.

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Sri Lankan authorities delay on whether to prosecute award-winning writer Shakthika Sathkumara - World Socialist Web Site

The symbol of India in Indian passports and Indian currency notes has been a lion and a spoked-wheel or chakra, both from the Ashoka pillar. Now the government has introduced the lotus on the passport, as part of security measures, we are told, to be replaced by other national symbols in subsequent months. But many see this as a political move, yet another path of saffronisation, as the lotus is the political symbol of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party which values the Hindutva ideology-based Hindu Rashtra over the more secular Idea of India. This draws our attention to symbols, and how politicians have reduced it to signs.

A sign has a singular meaning. A symbol has multiple meanings, shifting with context. For example, the red colour is a stop sign in traffic, but a fertility symbol in Hinduism, and in China, while being indicative of the devil, scarlet women or Santa Claus in Christianity. Was the lion and the chakra chosen as a sign of India, or symbol? Does it have a specific meaning or a contextual one? One is constantly reminded it is not just any lion, or any chakra, it is that of Ashoka, which connects it with the first historical empire of India, the Mauryan, and to a king who found peace in Buddhism after years of violence. Did Ashoka see his symbols the same way as Indians did during the freedom struggle?

Ashokas India was very different from India under the British Raj. He lived in times when Buddhas body was never shown in art, but was represented as a lion (Sakyasimha or lion of sakya clan), or even as a wheel (Dhammachakka, or wheel of doctrine). Was the image on Ashokas pillar then that of the Buddha itself? Could the symbol then be construed as religious? Or was it imperial? Either way, why was it suitable for a secular republic?

Two hundred years ago, historians did not know anything about Ashoka or Buddha. Ashoka tales were found in folktales and legends. And Buddha was at best the ninth avatar of Vishnu as per some Hindu texts, but certainly not a popular sage or god at least not to European imperialists and colonisers who were slowly dominating the world with their new technologies. It was the rise of the subjects such as archaeology and philology, that led a great interest in ancient history and the discovery of Ashokas inscriptions and Buddhist manuscripts, that told the world of a revolutionary philosopher who lived five centuries before Jesus Christ and an emperor who lived shortly after Alexander the Great, who spoke of his subjects as his children, and expressed remorse over past violence.

This was when Edwin Arnold wrote the book The Light of Asia and The Song Celestial that introduced the world, and many Indians studying abroad, including Ambedkar, Gandhi and Nehru, to both Buddha and Krishna. The non-violent Buddha was found to be more appealing than the complex theology of Krishna that seemed to valorise war. This was the time when Indians were rediscovering India, and Hinduism, which appeared grand in its polytheism to 18th century Orientalists, but was seeming rather vile, barbaric and brutally hierarchical with its adherence to caste system to 19th century advocates of liberty and equality. Knowledge was being discovered, and framed, by European colonisers who were arguing the case for British colonialism as being the White Mans Burden of civilising.

It is important to see Ashokas pillar in this light: indicative of a lost good India. Buddhism was glamorous in the mid-20th century. Nehru and Gandhi admired the Buddha. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism finding it more egalitarian, rational and revolutionary. Even Savarkar admired the Buddha, though he did feel that Buddhist pacifism caused the downfall of India, as it led to invasions and incursions, that could only partly be resisted by the rise of Rajputs. It is only now that academicians are pointing out to the deeply misogynist and homophobic nature of the Buddhist doctrine, and to its role in legitimising kingship, which played a key role in its rivalry with Brahmins.

No one 70 years ago saw the lion or the wheel as a symbol of imperial power, the lion being the alpha predator, and the wheel indicating the sun, with the kings power located in the centre and the kings authority stretching out like spokes of the wheel to the boundaries. Was that subliminal messaging to establish Delhi as the seat of power in the new Indian order? Is this excessive centralisation being taken to the next level by the Modi government, angering people in Kashmir, and Northeast India?

The lion is also a Jain symbol of Mahavira, a contemporary of Buddha, and last of 24 Tirthankaras of this era. The wheel is also a Jain symbol of time and space as well as kingship, found atop every Jain mandir. Ashokas grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, mentioned in Greek chronicles, converted to Jainism, as per Jain legends. Mauryan rock cut caves show great value placed on monks and naked ascetics, who could belong to numerous sects, including Ajivikas, not just Buddhist or Jain. These shramanas, or strivers in Sanskrit, known as sammana in Prakrit, travelled to south, which is why across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra and Odisha we find mountains and caves associated with Jain and Buddhist ideas, overshadowed by later Puranic and Vedantic themes. Despite so much value placed on monasticism in Mauryan times, great value was also placed on Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and her symbol lotus. Lakshmi is one of the earliest goddesses to be carved in India, first in Buddhist shrines, also appearing in dreams of Jain mothers and being invoked in Vedic mantras.

That makes the lotus not just a BJP symbol, just as the lion and the wheel are not just Buddhist symbols. The palm is also not just a Congress symbol; it is a gesture indicating protection (abhaya mudra) common to Buddhists, Jains and Hindus, and a common emoji indicating stop, or face-palm, i.e. a slap.

Devdutt Pattanaik writes and lectures on mythology in modern times

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Spot the difference between sign and symbol - The Hindu

(Editors note: This article is reprinted here from MIT News.)

Independence movements are complicated. Consider Burma (now Myanmar), which was governed as a province of British India until 1937, when it was separated from India. Burma then attained self-rule in 1948. Amid some straightforward demands for autonomy from India, one Burmese nationalist, a Buddhist monk named U Ottama, had a different vision: He wanted his country to break free of Britain but remain part of India, until Burma could become independent.

Why would a Burmese Buddhist want independence from one country, only to seek a union with a much bigger and majority Hindu neighbor to achieve this?

At the heart of Ottamas politics lay a spiritual and civilizational geography that framed his argument for Burmas unity with India, says MIT historian Sana Aiyar, who is working on a book about Burma and India at the time of the independence movement. As Burmese nationalists increasingly defined their nationhood in religious terms to demand the separation of Burma from India, U Ottama insisted that since India was the birthplace of Buddhism, Burma was inextricably linked with India.

That this vision found an audience hints at the extensive connections between Burma and India. From 1830 through 1930, an estimated 13 million Indians passed through Burma the majority of whom were migrant or seasonal laborers making the city of Rangoon a cosmopolitan capital. Many stayed and married Burmese women which helped spark an anti-immigrant, anti-Indian backlash that became one driver of Burmas independence movement.

The complexity of the political fault lines of Burmese self-rule makes the topic a natural for Aiyar. A historian of the Indian diaspora, she generally examines how migration, nationalism, and religion have fed into 20th-century anticolonial politics.

Aiyars work has another distinctive motif. She specializes in illuminating figures like U Ottama, who were once influential but are little-known now.

The core interest that I have is in political history, says Aiyar, who was awarded tenure earlier this year. But Im interested less in the big event, the obvious narrative, and the big leaders. What has always fascinated me are the alternatives, the possibilities that did not get a chance to see complete fruition the person who didnt become Gandhi, didnt quite get the same following, but seems to have really mattered in the moment.

In Aiyars 2015 book Indians in Kenya: The Politics of Diaspora, for instance, a key figure is Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee, a trader who, in another complex scenario, became a leader for Indian rights in British-occupied Kenya, even as many Indians never became fully aligned with the British or other Kenyans. But even people strolling through Jeevanjee Gardens, a park in central Nairobi, are unlikely to know much about its namesake.

In all of my research, Ive been following those kinds of elusive figures whose long, shadowy presence emerges in fragments in colonial and national archives, Aiyar says. They allow me to ask questions about the dilemmas and dynamics of the moment.

Old and new in Delhi

Aiyar grew up in Delhi, in an intellectually minded family; her mother was a journalist, and her father a diplomat and politician.

Even around the dining table, history and politics were always there. It was just part of growing up, Aiyar says.

History and politics were always there in Delhi, too.

Growing up in a city like Delhi youre surrounded by history, Aiyar notes. Its almost impossible to look out of the window when youre driving anywhere in Delhi without seeing historical sites and the outcomes of historical processes in peoples everyday lives.

Aiyar received a BA in history at St. Stephens College of Delhi University and then a BA and MA in history at Jesus College in Cambridge, U.K. Aiyars stay in England was also the first time she had observed Indians abroad, which made a significant impression on her: I noticed the way the diaspora made itself visible in Britain, especially in a multicultural state, was not by presenting itself as secular, but through religion, she says.

At that time, politics within India had also taken a turn away from the secularism of the post-independence era, opening up, Aiyar says, the question of what defined Indian nationhood, who is Indian.

Aiyar attended Harvard University for her PhD in history, originally planning a dissertation about the rise of Hindu nationalism among the Indian diaspora in Britain. She started her research examining the first group in Britain to assert their right to belonging through religion Indians who had arrived in the U.K. from East Africa in the 1960s. Aiyar became fascinated by the migration of Indians to Kenya in the 19th and 20th centuries, a little-known history at the time, and the relationship they had to both sides of anticolonial politics. Visiting Kenyan archives made clear there was abundant material on hand involving Jeevanjee and many other figures.

Methodologically it always comes back to the archives, where I find a person or an event that calls into question what we think we know about the past, Aiyar says. I wonder what is this person doing there, and then I start digging up all the files I can find. I am really an archive rat and the thing about dealing with South Asian history in the colonial period is, theres just files and files and files of documents the Brits really liked their paperwork! If one likes the joy of discovery in the archives, theres so much to piece together.

After completing her dissertation, Aiyar took a postdoc position at Johns Hopkins University, then served on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin at Madison for three years. She joined MIT in 2013.

Partition project

At MIT, Aiyar appreciates her students They are curious, they are open-minded, and a lot of fun to teach and enjoys being part of a history faculty with global scope.

One of the things I absolutely love about being here is how international our world history section is, she says. For a small department, we really pack a punch. We have every region of the world represented with top-rate scholars.

While teaching, Aiyar is pursuing two long-term research efforts. One project is about the encounters between African soldiers and civilians during World War II, in Burma and India. The other, about Burmese independence and titled Indias First Partition: Recovering Burmas South Asian History, is her second book project.

The title is an indirect reference to the division of Pakistan from India in 1947, which almost exclusively holds claim to the world partition in South Asian history. But Aiyars contention is that this term applies to the separation of Burma from India in 1937.

It is a partition, Aiyar says. Its the very first time a carceral border is created in South Asia, and immigration laws are introduced that literally prevent the millions who moved in and out of Burma from crossing over without paperwork. The border creates a surveillance state. All of this takes place a full decade before Pakistan is created. I am arguing that 1937 was the first partition of India.

In writing the book, Aiyar is also digging into literature, diaries, and other documents to reconstruct daily life in Burma and show the many interconnections among people of Burmese and Indian heritage.

The history of the mundane, the everyday, I think will really complement the political history of conflict and tension, Aiyar says. Ive always been interested in how people live together with difference.

Or not live together, as the case may be. In South Asia or elsewhere, then and now, as Aiyar recognizes, separatist identity politics can also be a powerful animating force for individuals and political factions.

We can look to history to understand what these questions are about and why people are that invested, Aiyar says. Ive always found history is a really useful way to understand what is going on in the contemporary world.

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MIT historian Sana Aiyar sheds new light on the complexities of independence movements and global migration - India New England