In between all the midterms, assignments, the projects and papers, sometimes it’s really nice to find the time to breath. Just breathe. To relax, calm down, stretch, clear your mind, and tune in to your body. That’s exactly what I experienced when I attended the free yoga session offered by the Atheletics Centre last week. It was my first time trying Yoga, and in case you’ve also never tried it, I would highly recommend that you attend one of the free weekly sessions to get a taste. It’s calming, relaxing, and invigorating: a very positive overall experience. Why not? It’s free!

The Atheletics Centre offers weekly sessions of Yoga Fit, a low stress Yoga routine. You can sign up at the Athletics Centre main office or you can just show up. Mats are provided for you, so just come in comfortable clothing.
When: Every Friday, 12:10-12:55pm.
Where: Upper Gym at the Athlectics Centre. Finding the Upper Gym is a bit of a quest, but just follow the signs and you should be fine.

Also, the First Nations House and the Graduate Student Union partner to offer free weekly Hatha Yoga classes. Registration is NOT necessary, so just bring your own mat, towel and wear comfortable clothing.
When: Every Thursday, 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Where: GSU Gymnasium, 16 Bancroft Avenue.

Nothing heralds the coming of spring like the sweet lilt of choristers. The legions of choir girls in neatly pressed white blouses… the boys, with their collars and cuffs… ah misspent youth…

The University of Toronto Hart House Chorus presents their Spring Concert this Saturday. With conductor Brad Ratazlaff, accompanist So Takei and guest soloist Agnes Zsigovics, they will performs Poulenc’s GLORIA and shorter pieces by Duruflé, Fauré, and Debussy.

Attend for the choir girls (or boys. We like ‘em classy and effeminate!), stay for the music, and stay longer for refreshments.

When: Sunday, March 25 – 3:00 PM
Where: Hart House Great Hall
Details: can be found at the facebook group
Ticket information: Free!

Thursday, March 22, 2007 – students at the University of Toronto, Ryerson, York and Centennial College will be holding a city-wide call-in day on March 22, 2007. The event, called “Dial for Darfur,” is being organized by chapters of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) across Toronto. The aim of this day is to highlight the need for sustained pressure on the Canadian government to take strong and tangible action in the Sudanese region of Darfur.

Throughout the day, students across the city will call the Prime Minister’s office from booths set up around all 4 campuses to demand that Canada take a leading role in ending the atrocities currently occurring in the Darfur region.

When: Thursday, March 22, 2007, 10 – 5 pm
Where: Sidney Smith Hall, Wolfond Centre, and Bahen Centre
Details: Please visit www.standcanada.org for more information on STAND and the situation in Darfur. Facebook event page here.

If you’re interested in reading more about the Darfur crisis, you can start with these two articles on CBC and BBC.

So that messy white stuff has pretty much cleared away, and the temperature is a-rising. So put on your biking hats (aka helmets) ladies & gents and let’s get pedalling! But wait, oh no! What’s that squeaking sound when you pedal?

If you’re like me, you stored your bike during the winter by tossing it outside and letting it fend for itself in the rain and snow… (yes, I know, I’m a horrible bike owner… but hey, I think it builds character for my bike). Now it’s spring time and it could definitely use some polishing up.

Just in time for biking weather is BikeChain‘s Spring Tune-Up Basics workshop, happening this Thursday, March 22, 6-8pm. You’ll learn how to clean your gears, align your chain, and other fancy bike tune-up stuff that I don’t know about… yet.

Where: International Student Centre (33 St. George Street)

P.S. In addition, Bikechain is open weekdays from 12-5pm. If you missed the workshop or have any problems with your bike, you can drop by and get one of the friendly and knowledgeable BikeChain staff to help you.

You really have to love the diversity and multi-culture at this University. Okay, this one’s for the anime/manga fans out there. The good people at U of T’s Japanese Information Exchange Community bring you a Japanese Athletics Festival.

Ever wondered what it’s like to be part of the Japanese School Festivals that you see on Anime and Drama? If so, this Sunday, March 25 will be your best opportunity this year to experience a traditional Japanese athletics festival at U of T. Prizes totalling more than $100 will be given to every member in the winning team!

For details of the event, read on! (more…)

We’ve heard of Party for a Cause, so why not Fashion for a Cause? Well, the good people at Hillel of Greater Toronto are putting together an event just along those lines: No Shvitz, A Fashion for Passion Event.

It’ll be a great night of fashion, music, silent auction, and after-party, with money raised going to Save a Child’s Heart. But that’s not all. The event is also to raise awareness about fair trade products and the unionized fashion options we have as consumers. To that end, there’ll be the Canadian debut of an American “sweat free” clothing line No Sweat Apparel.

A fashion show with the hottest fashions out of Israel, a silent auction with fair trade items, and an after-party. With proceeds going to a charity. Do you feel the passion yet?

When: Sunday March 25, 2007. Doors at 7, starts at 7:30
Where: Six Degrees Nightclub, 2335 Yonge St. (map here)
Details: Student ticket are $5 ($10 regular), available by calling 416-913-2424. Tickets also available at the door for $10. For more info, contact orly@hilleltoronto.org. Oh, and here’s the Facebook event page.

We’re interrupted mid sentence by the timer going off. I deduce this marks the end of 3 minutes. I lean over for a hug. She smiles, kisses me softly on the cheek and we say goodbye. I grab my coat to leave, smiling self-consciously and waving a shy farewell to my now-ex-girlfriend. How do I feel about our 3 minute relationship? I feel strange, a little disoriented, somewhat relieved it’s over, but also slightly regretful that it is.

So this all started with a blogTO post about artist Zeesy Powers’ performance art piece aptly named 3 minute girlfriend. I thought it’d be neat to have a girlfriend for 3 minutes, so I went. (more…)