François, Geneviève, Sandrine, Amélie et Roger, des comédiens de la pièce «Path» de TVWaska en 1995.

TVWaska is currently working on a play to be performed in front of a live audience and, simultaneously, recorded on digital media and edited into a series of webisodes on YouTube. The video clips will be posted on the extended Waska.org Network.

Ana, Mik, Lili, Hugo and Kev are young, unemployed adults, depending on government money for their survival. Tired of living a constant hell without hope for a change, they enroll this program offered by a non-profit organization in their community: “Accès-STAR”.

Disillusioned, they have lost all motivation for what they view as a ‘rehab’, yet another moralistic lecture from a so-called professional. School advisors, social workers and family members keep insisting, pushing, judging…They just don’t seem to understand the full situation. These young people have good will, they just feel that all this talk about getting their act together is easier said than done.

What a surprise when they find out it’s a reality-TV sort of apprenticeship! In fact, it is broadcast on the Internet instead of TV. It’s way cooler than boring – and oftentimes useless – government programs!

Zoé is also in her early twenties. She’s the Guide, the group leader. The participants find it easier to deal with her, considering that she is practically in their age group. As the plot unfolds, we later find out that Zoé benefits from this program as much as the participants. They share similar fears and idiosyncrasies. The story is a road movie and the destination is socioeconomic prosperity.

This comedic drama does not portray the characters in a caricatural fashion. The accent is placed on the funny situations, the personalities of these individuals and their humour. The characters are engaging and sympathetic, and the play shows their struggle to regain dignity. It’s all about empowerment. This comedic format helps rendering this greyish topic more colourful and appealing to a more pro-active audience. And posting the webisodes on social media is only logical in this on-line era; that is where the ‘interested’ public evolves.

TVWaska members are all volunteers. All of them are motivated by concrete, immediate actions helping the cause – building socioeconomic prosperity in their community. This play is contributing to promote the message, to increase public awareness on both what the unemployed goes through daily and the devotion of the volunteers helping them.

By posting this play on social media, TVWaska members contribute actively to informing the unemployed that help exists, how and where to get it and that hope and perseverance leads to prosperity. It’s a recipe – you just need to follow the instructions and make sure you have the right ingredients. Programs like Accès-STAR provide both the technique and the ingredients. The members also contribute to making volunteering and community actions appealing. If it sets a new trend and makes volunteering cool, mission accomplished!

Where and how to get involved

Go to TVWaska’s Facebook page and “like” it. All meet-up dates and times will be posted there (and on this blog too).

You need to register as a Waska.org member; payment of annual membership is optional. The play’s structure is all ready, it’s waiting for you to make it better and make the characters live.

Picture 1: TVWaska
Pictures 2 & 3: Many many thanks to Photo-Libre.fr!

It all started with the Big Bang

My colleague and good friend Louis enthusiastically introduced me to this bunch of “beautiful minds” — Leonard, Sheldon, Raj and Howard — engaging scientists working at CalTech. Of course, I am speaking of the characters of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.‘s Emmy-winning sitcom The Big Bang Theory, airing here in Canada on CTV, Thursday at 8:00 PM and weekdays at 7:30 PM (re-runs).

These scientists and geniuses nurish mostly geeky interests and live in their technocentric universe. Then appears this attractive, streetwise, and socially aware woman, Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco, who moves in across the hall from the apartment shared by Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Emmy-winning Jim Parsons). While Penny geeks up a bit, she helps bring the geniuses back to more normal social conventions. She is also fond and protective of them.

Kaley Cuoco plays a profound Penny without falling in the sitcom archetype of the dim-wit female counterpart to the starring characters. She embodies Penny and inputs a Kaley heart to the role, projecting her as “relatable to”. I also agree Penny needs to grow up and mature her emotional self… But that’s just me.

In true web-2.0 enthusiast, I searched the Internet to read more about the cast of the show and what other work they have done.

2 simple incentives

Now I remember this face! My stepkids are watching Touche pas à mes filles, the French version of also award-winning sitcom 8 simple rules on Vrak-TV.

I have two major incentives for watching 8 Simple Rules. First, there is the late John Ritter who, along with his friend Henry Winkler, was litterally my English teacher. Secondly, I feel that the show is — for me, as a parent — a guide to better understand the relationship my loving children and I sail through. I am relieved by the “I hate you” that means or is followed by an “I love you”. And there is Kaley Cuoco, playing the older teenage sister Bridget in the Hennessey family. Personally, I strongly believe she merits many many many awards for her dramatic performance in episodes 4 to 9 of the second season. I’ll make sure she gets them.

The show often winks at humanitarian and humane awareness. Even the cast took part in non-profit events and promotion on various media. Kaley‘s co-star, the ever-so-endearing Amy Davidson, promotes humanitarian endeavours and attends charity events.

8 Simple Rules is contributing to community awareness as an education vehicle. And it’s fun!

Waska.org’s tribute to Kaley Cuoco (and — of course — Christopher French) highlights her involvement and her nice participation to promoting non-profit eandeavours.

To be continued… …in part “deux”

Jean-François “Tuxdequébec” Néron

Still working at improving my English. Please, do not hesitate to point out my poor use of my second language. Thank you for your understanding.

________________

A special mention to Carla and Mark’s great site Fluffy Tails that entered in my family’s traditions and even bedtime stories.

Other references:

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/gala08/post2006_2.html

Nature keeps itself balanced with what is called “equilibrium”. It will allow a cute, little lamb to be eaten by a ferocious wolf… But, in the end, everything comes even. The laws of chemistry, physics, ecology and – for that matter – the whole Universe all revolve around these principles.

Mankind pokes a stick in Nature’s wheel. Humans seeking to take matters in their own hands, to do themselves justice… That’s the creation of injustice.

Equilibrium is a complex, logical and autonomous process, meant to take care of itself. It dictates a set of rules and paradigms that keep the process going endlessly, effortlessly. Nature is set to adapt, to react to feedback, to sense and equilibrate. It revolves, lives in cycles and eras. Every component of the ensemble exists and acts in respect and responsibility towards its peers, and itself.

This free-standing regulatory system can be observed when a group of players gather to enjoy a board game such as chess. Each and every player has an interest in the game being played fairly and according to the rules. Equilibrium is a two-way street. The individual is responsible for the group to remain functional and benefits from collective stability. Noone really has to play bad cop.

Happiness and health are ruled by equilibrium. Not by justice. Any sane scientist will tell you that.

__________

Waska.org‘s regulatory system is a free-standing, self-maintained set of “responsibilities and priviledges” well respected by its members. Obligations and prohibition call for anarchy and major investment in police action, legal turmoil and abuse.

SHELDON WANTS PENNY TO GIVE HIM ACTING LESSONS, ON “THE BIG BANG THEORY,” THURSDAY, FEB. 3

“The Thespian Catalyst” – Sheldon hopes acting lessons from Penny will help him become a better teacher. Meanwhile, Koothrappali fantasizes about his best friend’s girlfriend, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, Feb. 3 (8:00-8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

SERIES REGULARS:
Leonard………………………………………………….. Johnny Galecki
Sheldon……………………………………………………….. Jim Parsons
Penny………………………………………………………… Kaley Cuoco
Wolowitz…………………………………………………. Simon Helberg
Koothrappali……………………………………………… Kunal Nayyar

RECURRING CAST:
Bernadette………………………………………………… Melissa Rauch
Amy………………………………………………………….. Mayim Bialik

STORY BY: Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn & Jim Reynolds
TELEPLAY BY: Bill Prady & Steven Molaro & Maria Ferrari
DIRECTED BY: Mark Cendrowski
GENRE: COMEDY
RATING: To Be Announced
Photos now available at http://www.cbspressexpress.com/.

Released by and copyright of CBS.

Waska.org members like the word “DO”. Concrete, constructive actions can be very motivating once you’ve had a taste of it. Also, feeling useful and needed builds your dignity.

Yes, dignity is something you build. You can also restore it, strengthen it, promote it. It is also possible to see your dignity corrode, fade or collapse when you enter a lifestyle where you end up feeling useless and incapable.

Members ask: “What can I do to contribute to Waska.org?” They want to be part of the action, the party. They want to proudly show they can make a difference. They want to see their input to society’s dynamic growth be taken seriously and seen as important by their peers in the community. That wish is shared by benevolent Humans.

Waska.org answers to the many Tweets and emails. Here’s a preview while I’m preparing an “official” page.

YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO WASKA.ORG’S CAUSE BY:

• assisting other members in their learning,
• writing articles on Waska.org’s blogs and pages,
• publishing and sharing Waska.org’s articles on your social network,
• joining us on Twitter @waskaquebec, @gtilquebec, @comquebec,
• showing your support to our Facebook pages Waska.org, Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires, Mouvement Waska / Waska Movement, Communauté Québec, EquAEST-Autonomie, GTIL Québec,
• clicking on “like” or RT,
• criticizing!
• commenting posts published by the members,
• coming to our events,
• helping organize our activities,
• meeting us at meet-ups: Focus 20, @qctu, SWAFF,
• becoming an active member on our workgroups Théâtre vidéo Waska, GTIL Québec,
• joining Waska.org’s board of Directors,
• promoting YOUR humanitarian endeavours on Waska.org’s blogs…

“Doing” is what Waska.org does best. Doing is also the members’ motivation to join the team. The expression “what can you do?” has a whole new meaning in our workshops. I can do what I learn as I’m learning it.

Neat, huh?

Jean-François Néron