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14 Larlee Creek Hullabaloo organizers cancel 2020 events COVID-19 ends plans for August music festival in Perth-Andover

RIVER VALLEY SUN

The 13th annual Larlee

Creek Hullabaloo scheduled for August 5 to 9 in Perth-Andover has been cancelled in consideration of the current public health concerns surrounding COVID-19.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the cancellation of the 2020 Larlee Creek Hullabaloo,” festival organizers said in a press release issued April 14.

The release explained health and safety was the driving force for the tough decision, saying they couldn’t proceed under such unprecedented public health concerns.

“Of utmost importance is the well-being of our community, organizers, audience, artists, volunteers, partners, and anyone participating in our festival week.”

“We have not taken

this decision lightly,” the release said. “This year promised to be an incredible one for the festival— lucky 13! We’ve worked hard over the last eight months to bring you a Hullabaloo to remember, but have no doubt ‘The Little Festival That Could’ will return even stronger

in 2021.

In addition to the cancellation of our festival stages, the release also announced the cancellation of the 2020 Rock n’ Roll Boot Camp for local youth.

Larlee Creek organizers said support from the community is the backbone of the event, and their hearts rest deeply with all those who are feeling the impact of COVID-19. The release also issued a reminder to save the date of August 11-15, 2021.

By Darius Shahrokhi

OFF THE GRID

I remember one particular day when I was bored out of my mind and complaining to someone

It was the year 2000, the year before I went back to school, and the year I started my digital photography/videography business. I remember having a difficult time convincing people that this was the future.

that while the Internet had been around for a few years, I was disappointed with it. It had been a letdown for me. I knew there were interesting groups, organizations, and people out there that shared the same interests as me, but I wasn’t able to find them. This was because, back then, there was but a fraction of the number of the sites on the web as there are today.

Now fast forward to the 2020 worldwide web. I bet there are just many websites as there are people with cell phones. Yes, some people have more than one cell phone, but some people also have more than one website. Some have websites and

What direction will you choose?

Facebook pages and blogs.

Even with these options, it is still hard to find what you are looking for in the first place. Sometimes this is sadly due to folks doing whatever it takes to stay ‘first’ on search engines, no matter how unethical, nonsensical, insane, costly, and timeconsuming that is.

“By the way, I have decided to boycott any website that bombards me with advertising on their pages. I understand that everyone needs money, but come on now, six blocks of irrelevant advertising following you as you scroll and some with videos? No, thank you.

With so much infor

“We can’t wait to gather with all of you again.”

mation and websites out there, what we read/ watch/consume is still our choice. If you look for war, bad news, doom and gloom, sensationalism, angry debates and angry people, you will find them. Similarly, if we choose to look for inspiring people, groups, organizations, and others that are doing good, making positive changes, are mindful, happy, moving, and positive, you will find them. You may have to look a bit harder, but they are there.

Personally, I’m hoping that we take this unprecedented gift of time as an opportunity to consider making real changes – seek-out sustainable living, embracing and en

couraging the renewable, nourishing our minds, bodies, and spirits with a more holistic approach this time. Maybe we will all begin to respect the natural world and other inhabitants on this earth.

I believe this is an opportune time to assess toxic jobs or people that surround us. It’s time to look at what we eat, or what we do that isn’t conducive to living a healthy lifestyle.

Cell repair only takes place when we are asleep. Similarly, in this time of forced quiet, we have a chance to reflect, recognize, and vow to repair the damage. If you can’t tear yourself away from social media or the mov

FINDING ME

Darius Shahrokhi is an inventor, writer, environmentalist, foodie, technology enthusiast, gardener, and photographer. He works as a sustainable living coach and consultant and lives off-grid with his family near Knowlesville. Reach him at greenearthling@gmail.com

Finding your identity: not a ‘once and done’ matter

By Rebecca Dykeman

One of my favourite novels to contain this theme is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It tells the story of Charlie, an introverted 15-year-old who writes letters to an anonymous friend about

Identity. It’s a central theme of many books created for young adults.

his experiences of navigating high school and teenage life. By the end of the book, he comes to terms with some personal trauma and learns to accept himself for who he is.

It’s a touching story, and there are many more out there that are similar. But as heartfelt as these books are, I feel their portrayal of self-discovery isn’t entirely accurate.

These novels make it seem like figuring yourself out is a linear process. The main characters always seem to have an “a-ha” moment where everything clicks.

They figure out who they are, and then they can live happily ever af

ie streaming sites, then at least use your time to search for positive movies, self-help sites and reach out to people who might be able to help you with positive changes you are looking for, or need.

So what will you choose? What direction do you want to go? What will it be?

ter without ever having to think about it again.

For me, it hasn’t been that simple. While I enjoy high school, the past few years have been a whirlwind.

I’ve been exposed to spectacular new experiences, interests, ideas, and people. I’ve also been through some notso-great things, like drama within my circle of friends, stress, poor self-esteem and low confidence.

Grade 10 was the year I struggled the most with my identity. I was going through some personal issues, and I felt lost.

In some ways, I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. I felt confused and frustrated. I wondered when my ‘’a-ha’’ moment would come.

Everything settled eventually, and life went on. Sometime after, I was going through some old pictures. One was my yearbook photo from Grade 8.

My first thought when I saw it was, “Wow. I looked so different. I was a completely different person.”

The more I thought about that, the more it began to make sense in my head. I realized that I genuinely wasn’t the same person I had been a few years ago. I wasn’t even the person I was two months before.

At that moment, I realized that people continuously change throughout their lives. Because of that, finding yourself can’t just be a once-andyou’re-done deal. Identity isn’t fixed. You have to keep re-discovering yourself as you grow. So why was I putting so much pressure on myself to figure everything out right away?

My life isn’t like The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

My journey to find myself will take place over a lifetime, not in one chapter of my story. I finally learned to be okay with that.

“A-ha” indeed.

Illustration by Rebecca Dykeman.

Rebecca Dykeman is a Grade 12 student at Woodstock High School. Last fall she interned with the River Valley Sun through her school’s co-op program.

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