Ganns Deen

Why Boys’ Schools Succeed for Many Boys

Ganns — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 20:36:35 +0000

THERE is irrefutable evidence that boys and girls respond to the world differently, they require different approaches to help them grow, says Matthew Hutchison, headmaster of Marist College Canberra, a Catholic school for boys from Years 4 to 12.

“When comparing the average boy to the average girl, the gender differences in the area of language, emotions, impulse control and sensory reaction are due to differences in brain structure and its rate of development,” he says.

“Additionally, gender differences in cognitive skills such as verbal fluency, reading, spatial skills and learning styles most certainly are the result of changes to the brain, which are shaped by environmental influences of family, school and society.

“As the body of research grows supporting the notion of cognitive gender differences, so do the strategies for helping students learn in ways that best suit their ability. Research would further suggest that those strategies work best in a single-sex environment.”

Mr Hutchison says this has vast implications for learning, teaching and emotional development and reaffirms his belief that boys’ schools succeed for many boys.

“Despite such evidence, the role of single-sex schools in the present educational climate remains hotly debated,” he says.

Mr Hutchison, who is in his second year of leading Marist College Canberra (MCC) after eight years as head of school at Sydney’s St Augustine’s College, says: “We know boys need a safe, supportive and connected place where they can develop the skills to become confident and competent men.

“We believe at MCC that this happens best in an environment that gives boys the support to explore a variety of masculinities and avenues of endeavour without the limitations placed on tradition.

“MCC provides a place where students can learn in ways that match their capabilities, develop skills in communication with many different people, explore a wide variety of opportunities without limitation and discover what sort of man they will become.

“At MCC, the entire school community is organised programmatically and culturally, specifically in response to boys’ needs and potential. We seek to make our single-sex culture work for the good of the men these boys will become and together, we proudly create fine young men.”

Original article published in City News.

Real World Role Models Shaped by Schooldays at Marist College

Ganns — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 20:34:12 +0000

The old adage, “it takes a village to raise a child”, has never been truer than in these trying times, says Matthew Hutchison, of Marist College.

“For parents looking to prepare their children for their various roles in life, finding that village, whether at home or at school, is absolutely imperative,” says the boys’ school headmaster.

“Boys, in particular, need a supportive environment that celebrates them, finds them worthy of interest and provides mentors and leaders as role models.

“They are always searching for clues for manhood and it is critical that they have good and diverse examples to emulate.”

For more than 50 years Marist College Canberra has partnered with parents to create fine young men, ready for the roles that await them beyond the school gates, says Matthew.

“A rich tradition of academic excellence, pastoral care from dedicated teachers and support staff, and a supportive learning environment accompanies boys on their journey from boyhood to manhood,” he says.

“Preparing boys for their roles in life takes time, care, and a deep understanding of each individual boy. An old Irish proverb goes, ‘we live in the shelter of each other’.

“It’s a splendid image that represents us as a community that deeply cares for the boys in our care, our staff and parent community. Together, we create fine young men.”

To learn more about the Marist experience, meet three old boys: Eugene Haigh, 32; Greg Lally, 32; and Gene Schirripa, 25.

EUGENE HAIGH
“My relationships with fellow students left a lasting impression on me,” says Eugene, director at Pichelmann Custom Building.

“Marist breeds a comradery I have rarely recognised elsewhere in society and I remember this sense of mateship being easy to find there.

“Marist’s emphasis on community and social aspects of life helped me find my confidence to push through my comfort zones.

“In Year 12, I was put in charge of putting on the industrial arts end-of-year function with two other classmates to showcase everything that had been built that year. I remember being amazed that a student could be given this much freedom over a school event.”

Eugene, a self-professed introvert, believes Marist’s emphasis on leadership and social interaction is put to good use at Pichelmann Custom Building, where he works with clients, subcontractors, and employees to build some of Canberra’s most spectacular homes.

GREG LALLY
Greg, a chartered accountant, entrepreneur and charity fundraiser, appreciated the Marist mindset that encourages boys to create impactful relationships inside the school as well as in the community.

“My time at Marist developed the core principles that guide my social and professional interactions and my sense of connectivity with family and community,” he says.

Greg wears many hats; apart from his chartered accounting work, his portfolio includes two hospitality venues (XO and Morning Glory) and a cosmetics company (Infamous Gentleman). One hat he is proud to wear, though, is that of charity fundraiser; he has helped raise more than $3 million in funds since 2006.

“I maintain strong ties to the Canberra business community and various philanthropic causes both locally and nationally,” he says.

“I am currently treasurer of Canberra-based charity Raize The Roof as well as being a Canberra-based member of Starlight Children’s Foundation.”

This “heart for others” mindset is a treasured part of the Marist philosophy.

Headmaster Matthew says: “We not only seek to form young men of genuine values who will not only simply fit into the world, but who will seek to make a difference to it by the quality of the lives they lead.

“We want to create the best conditions to allow boys to nourish their spiritual lives and form a relationship with Jesus who we hope will be a great companion on their journey.”

GENE SCHIRRIPA
Gene, a solicitor at Snedden, Hall and Gallop, appreciates how Marist builds faith into the fabric of the school.
“Faith at Marist is more than about attending mass, as important as that is,” he says.

“Youth Ministry, for example, connected me with church and service activities well after school. This is important for ongoing formation, which shouldn’t wind up just because ‘school is over’.”

Apart from creating a caring and compassionate environment that inspires boys to commit to their faith, justice and the wellbeing of others, Marist’s culture of high expectations and quality of teaching challenges boys to be intellectually ambitious and fiercely independent.

When Gene was at Marist, he was a member of the Youth Ministry team and the football club, but also participated in debates and mock trials, which he says gave him confidence for a career in law.

“My favourite classes put me in good stead for the academic rigours of university,” he says.

“The classes were interactive and there was a genuine exchange of ideas between the teacher and students, rather than just a lecture from one end. This created an engaging and encouraging classroom dynamic, raising the standards of the entire class.”

Apart from academic activities, this trio of old boys enjoyed sports – soccer for Gene, basketball for Greg, rugby for Eugene – and a range of other activities that enabled them to discover and then pursue their talents and interests in a safe and nurturing environment.

“Marist really does cater to everyone equally well,” Eugene says. “Whether they’re athletes, academics, artists, or those who haven’t quite found their purpose yet.”

Gene agrees. “Marist strives to celebrate every boy for who they are while trying to ensure they can be the best version of themselves each day.”

“In my experience, the Marist environment is a powerful way to set up your kids for a genuinely fulfilling adolescence and young adulthood,” Greg says.

“It’s about building foundational relationships between your peers and working together to help each other and help the community.”

Original article published in City News.

On Whom do we place our trust? | Virtual Hug from Ganns

Ganns — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 02:02:06 +0000

Let’s face it, 2022 was a terrible year, and from the looks of it, 2022 isn’t shaping up to be much better.
But you know what? I’ve found one of the most amazing things about humanity is our ability to be resilient. No matter how horrible an experience may be, no matter how badly it battered us, most people will “dust ourselves off and try again,” to quote Aaliyah.

Humanity also has the ability to be hopeful. The challenge is what we place our hope in. If there’s one thing that the past two years of COVID have taught us, is that everything is in flux. My wife calls the situation “precarious.” And it is. Nothing appears to be completely safe; nothing feels completely secure. So what is steady in the midst of all this uncertainty? What can we place our hope in?

In the Bible, the title character in the book of Job loses virtually everything. From his children to his property and even his health to within a hair of his own life, Job literally has only a nagging wife and a shard of pottery to scratch his boils. Despite all that affliction–foisted on him by Satan but given the go-signal by God–Job still placed his hope and security in God. He had doubts, but he never “cursed God and died,” as his totally unhelpful and bitter spouse advised him to do. At the end of the book, we learn that God restores everything to Job and then some.
Not all lives have happy endings like this; there is tragedy all around us. But there is something about hope–and placing it in a source of security that will never waver, like God–that inspires us to go on. It’s understandable for people undergoing an extremely trying season to simply turn their back on their faith. But when we place our faith in God, when we place our hope in Him, when He becomes our source of security, it changes how we live.

Kindness becomes more natural; compassion becomes par for the course; forgiveness becomes easier to bestow. Trials become opportunities to rely on Him more; tribulations are precisely those, tribulations, situations that will come and go.

We all have our crosses to carry, our hells to plod through, and our journeys to navigate. Whoever is with us on the journey can help us navigate the trip, and I choose to go wherever God takes me. That’s just me. And I struggle with it as much as anyone else out there. I’ve prayed through bitter tears; I’ve begged and pleaded and bargained, as much as my own limited understanding of His love, mercy and grace will allow. Some prayers were answered with a resounding Yes; others were answered with a quiet No; yet others are still being processed.

I hope that God will answer them the way I want them answered. But I know that He will answer them in a way that’s best for me. Shaping me to become the best in whatever role I’m playing: son, husband, father, friend, working professional, writer, volunteer. I can only hope to mirror, as best as I can, the compassion and kindness He’s shown me.

I hope that whatever you’re going through, I hope that you’re journeying through it with God, or someone who mirrors His compassion, kindness and love. And frankly, I hope this post encourages you somehow. Social media often is a curated library of the best and the brightest, and people don’t really see what other people are going through. And when they do, they can be judgmental, critical, and disastrously unhelpful in offering up tired platitudes and empty Bible verses (I imagine a few of you are probably thinking that of this post right now). But for whatever it’s worth, even if I can’t necessarily say to you that I know exactly what you’re going through, do know that I feel for you, I understand your pain, and I am praying for you.

Stay secure, stay resilient, and stay hopeful. I declare it will be a year of healing for all of us. God bless, my friends.

Terrian, “Wake Up”

Ganns — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 02:10:56 +0000

Diverse City vocalist and gospel singer Terrian has released Wake Up, the follow up to her last single You Still Do. Written by Terrian with Kyle Williams & Darren Mulligan, Wake Up is a pleasing mid tempo jam about reliance on God on taking us out of our comfort zones and doldrums, and moving into the destiny He has planned for us. The video showcases the importance of support in the middle of one’s mental health challenges, and it’s accompanied by a short film that’s worth watching as well to get additional insight into Terrian’s music.

Musically, Wake Up is unlike anything that’s currently playing out there, which bodes well for radio and ultimately chart performance. Terrian’s voice is quite solid and lovely, and I believe that Wake Up will only help get her name out there. Its message is a positive one that will definitely appeal to many people in the midst of this pandemic.

WAKE UP Lyrics
Terrian

I made a deal with fear you keep me warm I’ll stay here
Been addicted to comfort, and it’s not even real
I know complacency it is a silent kill
In all transparency I love the way that it feels, man

Give me a box and I’ll stay in it
Deal me the cards and I’ll play with ’em
Lord deliver me from my apathy
Tired of living for myself ya know it’s killing me, yeah

Help me Lord, I need to wake up, oh yeah
Put that fire under my feet
Fell asleep I need to shake up, oh yeah
Cause I’ve been settling
Wasted time I gotta make up, oh yeah
I need You to set me free
Help me Lord, I need to wake up, oh yeah
Wake up, wake up, wake up

I’ve been waiting on God, but He been waiting on me
Complaining that I am blind, but never wanted to see
I give you so many words, they be as vast as the sea
But they return to me void, cause I don’t move my feet

Lord, I need reiteration, I’ve made it complicated
When it’s so simple, I need an alteration
Lord, deliver me

Rise and shine, give me that high five, high five
God, with You it’s gone be alright, alright
We can take it one step at a time, at a time
But first I gotta wake up
Rise and shine, give me that high five, high five
God, with You it’s gone be alright, alright
We can take it one step at a time, at a time
But first I gotta wake up

Twice, “The Feels”

Ganns — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 10:05:38 +0000

Korean girl group TWICE has released its first English single, “The Feels,” in anticipation of their upcoming sixth album.

Admittedly, the JYP-managed girl group has earned for itself a reputation for cute, cheerful, high energy pop songs like “Heartshaker,” “TT,” and “What is Love.” The group’s latter discography, though, seems to be moving into more contemporary pop territory, with more mature pop-driven tracks like “Fancy” and “Alcohol Free.”

“The Feels” sounds like the perfect marriage between the early aegyo sound and more contemporary sound that the girls are now offering us. Taking some inspiration from the feel-good almost retro-disco sound of crossover hit English singles “Butter” and “Permission Dance” from fellow K-Pop phenomenon BTS.

The song is an irresistibly upbeat track about the feelings one gets when they fall in love with somebody. The chorus’ hook, “Boy I, boy I, boy I know, I know I got the feels,” utilises a key phrase easily recognisable to today’s youth, and singable regardless of your age. In the hands of less confident girl groups, it almost crosses over into cheese territory, but the TWICE girls pull it off with aplomb and self-congratulatory bravado. The video takes that confidence even higher, with bursts of colour and slick choreography that will undoubtedly take Tiktok by storm.

Hopefully, pop radio will join ONCEs all over the world in embracing “The Feels” and bring even more deserved success to one of Kpop’s most recognisable acts of the past five years.

Rye Cafe Braddon

Ganns — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 01:04:04 +0000

Rye Cafe stands out among other cafes in cafes in Braddon for the quality of its coffee and its food. I first learned of Rye on Instagram and subscribed because its Instagram feed gave me life! Despite the pandemic, it offers its delicious coffees and sandwiches for takeaway, and so I made time to swing by.

I ordered a Five Senses mocha and a sensational Avo and Halloumi sandwich served on a brioche burger bun. It was large and flavourful, with plenty of avo slices, perfectly roasted halloumi, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo, I believe. A great vegetarian option that I absolutely loved. It was altogether such a pleasing breakfast!

Avo & Halloumi Sandwich

Rye Cafe Braddon

Specialty Beans at Rye Cafe Braddon

Rye Braddon Cafe

Who doesn't love avo & halloumi with a hot cuppa?

Muesli for the win!

I want the Ora Punk Cat in Australia!

Ganns — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 14:36:02 +0000

Earlier this year, Ora, the electric vehicle subsidiary of Great Wall Motors, unveiled the Ora Punk Cat, an electric car that stole the limelight from other established car brands at Auto Shanghai 2021 in April and the 2021 Chengdu Motor Show, due to its striking similarity to the iconic Volkswagen Beetle.

I personally have wanted a Volkswagen Beetle since I was a teenager. Since I have a family consisting of a wife and two teenagers, none of whom can drive, convention and practicality dictate that I need a more spacious vehicle to shuttle this trio around. In about six years, though, my younger child will have completed university, and I will be at a place where I may consider a Volkswagen Beetle for my wife and myself. The only issue? Most Beetles will be at least two decades old by that time, since Volkswagen has discontinued this model.

Enter the Ora Punk Cat.

The Ora Punk Cat is decidedly Beetle-esque, and ticks all my boxes for retro look and feel. Ora has already secured European Union exterior design patents for the Punk Cat–and its sister model, the Ballet Cat–and the rumour making the rounds on Aussie electric vehicle online fora is that either or both of these may make it to Australian shores to duke it out with other small electric vehicles like the Hyundai Kona and Ioniq, the Tesla Model 3, the Renault Zoe, and the Nissan Leaf. Volkswagen doesn’t appear to be contesting the design at this point in time, so it appears to be all systems go.

So let’s look at the Ora Punk Cat and what makes it a must-have car for people considering an electric car in Australia. The initial set of images you’ll be seeing are from the concept car showcased at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show.

The Ora Punk Cat exterior offers a decidedly retro look and feel that definitely hearkens back to the days of the Volkswagen Beetle. This potentially Australian electric vehicle is longer than the Beetle, with four doors instead of the original two. (It will be noted that the Volkswagen New Beetle did have a four-door variant, but the Ora’s retro design inspiration is clearly the original.) It accomplished this by slightly over-extending the roofline, and sloping the two-toned colours gently down the back, giving it a modern yet vintage flair.

The rear of the Ora Punk Cat is sleek and satisfying. The roof of the car appears to be black panoramic, with white on the sides, then another colour proceeding from the bonnet through the lower half of the car, extending towards the rear bumper. A panoramic roof! The A-line

This Chinese electric vehicle appears to be two-toned and, from the banner below from one of the China shows, may be available in a variety of colours. The colour schemes displayed in the banner don’t match with the initial concept car images, so until the car is actually released, the jury seems to be out on the final colours of the Ora Punk Cat and which parts of the car will retain that and which parts will keep the sleek black curvature we initially saw on the concept car.

Also noteworthy are those retro tail lights, which I absolutely love! I recall seeing brake lights like those on Beetles back home in Manila and it absolutely works for me!

Having stepped into both Classic and New Beetles, I noted wistfully that the interiors were rather austere–read: bland–which was a hallmark of the German model. The Ora Punk Cat takes this mindset and blows it to smithereens. It’s almost as if the designers thought to themselves, “the Beetle was supposed to be fun but the insides were dull AF, so let’s smoke some crack and see where it takes us!”

According to Ora promotional material, the Ora Punk Cat is envisioned as a car for “princesses,” although believe you me, I know that this retro feel and the Beetle influence will speak just as much to men as women, so I would caution the Ora marketing team to explicitly market this car as a vehicle for women.

This princess feel carries over into the interiors of the car. While key features include creature comforts that may speak to women, like seat warmers, a “magic mirror and chrome or rose-gold trim, the Ora Punk Cat’s interior is a retro-meets-the-future kitsch-fest and I am here for it. From the parquet floor mats to so many circles across the dashboard that you’d be tempted to find a hidden Mickey, it is a lot. And I love it.

The vintage feels are strong in the Ora Punk Cat, from that Beetle-esque three-spoke steering wheel (with touchscreen buttons presumably to control the sound system) to the gold-trimmed round air conditioner vents and instruments. The two-tone colours of the exterior carry through to most of the dashboard, with accents in cream and red. A digital touchscreen display sits front and centre of the dashboard.

Because of its strong retro influence, a lot of the bells and whistles that you would otherwise see and expect in Australian electric vehicles is done away on the Ora Punk Cat, and replaced by chrome–lots of it. The chrome and rose-gold accents of the car do give it a rather feminine feel, but it shouldn’t have to be a deal-breaker for someone looking for a Volkswagen Beetle with a 2021 touch.

Because the Ora Punk Cat is longer than the Volkswagen Beetle, we know there will be slightly more seating room in the former than the latter. I’m also sure that at least one of the seats will come with a warming feature.

At the moment, we don’t appear to have final specifications on the Punk Cat, but many EV websites are placing their bets on the car’s being built on an all-electric power train and a frame similar to the Ora Good Cat, which comes with a 47.8 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack or a 59.1 kWh ternary-lithium battery pack. Depending on your usage and weight–ahem!–you could run up to 400 km on a single charge.

The production image of the Ora Punk Cat (below), released sometime around the time of the Chengdu show, shows some difference from the Shanghai concept car, and I’m half-and-half on the changes. On the plus side, they’ve updated the bumpers to a more retro feel. They’ve thankfully kept the headlights and tail lights–unlike the Ballet Cat, which has rather ugly tail lights IMHO. The licence plate holder is now positioned atop the bumper. On the negative side, they did away with the two-tone look across the body and applied the colour instead to the headlight and wheel area, which I feel made it lose some sleekness. And they replaced the cute retro side mirrors with a more generic and bland mirror. But we can’t all tick our design boxes–and the Ora Punk Cat is a smorgasbord of designs that will appeal to a certain kind of driver i.e., me.

What I’m naturally hoping for is a price point that will make the Ora Punk Cat very, very attractive in Australia. At the moment, the Hyundai Kona is the cheapest name-brand EV on the market at $28,990, which is a great price for a small EV. According to Ora, though, the Punk Cat may start at a little less than AU$16,000 and top up at $22,000. At a price like that, everyone can have access to and reap the benefits of driving an electric car.

Now should Ora bring the Punk Cat to Australian shores, you can bet I’ll definitely want a chance at reviewing–and hopefully buying–one of these bad boys. I’ll keep you posted!

Forest Toast

Ganns — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 03:33:05 +0000

Gungahlin restaurant Sunday in Canberra has a new item on their menu that I couldn’t resist trying: Forest Toast! Delightfully earthy, this dish from chef Anj Sulit features smashed avocado, mushrooms, haloumi, cherry tomato confit, asparagus, pesto, pangrattato and a balsamic reduction on sourdough.

That same day, my wife had a chimichurri croissant with poached eggs, avocado, cheese, a kransky, Pico de Gallo and hollandaise sauce. But since I was massively focused on my dish, I forgot to take a picture of hers! Ah, the perils faced by hungry Canberra food bloggers!