Editorial – Year’s End

Welcome to the final issue of The Voice Magazine for 2013. Next week we’ll be enjoying Christmas, and I’m hopeful that you will be too. So The Voice Magazine will be on hiatus. That will take us into 2014, with the first issue on January 3rd being the Best Of issue for 2013. All of which means that the next all new issue of The Voice Magazine won’t be reaching you until January 10th.

In the new year, I hope to start a series of tutor interviews, and perhaps bring some short fiction into the mix. Barbara Godin has also returned and will be writing an advice column to help out with those tricky personal situations, because sometimes an outside opinion is exactly what’s needed to clarify the smart course of action.

We’ll of course be keeping our usual batch of insightful and useful columns including The Writer’s Toolbox that, this week, takes a look at helpful tips for ensuring your season’s greetings are correct. Also this week, S.D. Livingston’s Primal Numbers explores just what happens to all those electronic gadgets that we’re finding under the tree, and some alternative ways of dealing with them. Barbara Lehtiniemi reminds us of the importance of tradition, both old and new, and Hazel Anaka’s From Where I Sit watches the movies of the season and how they can tie us to our lives.

Elsewhere in this issue you’ll find the true final part of Wanda Waterman’s interview with Kamal Benkirane, in french. I know I said last week was the final installment, but there was just so much to go over that she wasn’t able to fit it all in three. This one is particularly interesting to me as it speaks about his opinions on the new Quebec Charter of Values. We round out the issue with our Antboy comic and an installment of the Mindful Bard if you’re looking for something a little more thought-provoking to watch for Christmas fare.

I strongly encourage you to check out this week’s Did You Know? section, as Code.org is not only a pretty good organization, but the site is chock full of activities both educational and interesting, no matter what your age.

One thing you will not find in this issue, however, is the winner from our Voice Survey. The name has been drawn, the email has been sent, but as of this moment, I’ve yet to receive confirmation of the address or that I can publish the name of our lucky reader. I will tell you, though, that the winner needs to check the gmail account they have listed in their AUSU membership information and get back to me at voice@voicemagazine.org

So enjoy this last issue, and have some happy holidays, folks!