Author: jessicasteingard

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Know Your Rights: Renting in Alberta

Meet Alex.

Alex is 18 years old. She just finished high school and is moving to the big city for university. She’s both nervous and excited!

It’s the last week of August. School starts in just one week! But not only does Alex need to buy her textbooks, she needs to find a place to live. And hopefully a part-time job close to school.

Where will she live?

Alex searches online and finds a few basement suites advertised for rent near school. She messages the landlords to schedule viewings. And she’s off!

The first place isn’t great but Alex really likes the second one. The monthly rent is within her budget and the location is perfect. She tells the landlord she is interested.

The landlord responds that she must fill out an application form. The landlord says they expect to get about a dozen applications. Whoa! Looks like it’ll be tough competition!

Once Alex is done with the form, the landlord tells her she must pay a non-refundable application fee of $100 to be considered as a tenant.

Wait, what?! This fee was not noted on the application form!

Is an application fee allowed?

Alex is not prepared to hand over $100 without more information. She wants to know if the landlord can request such a fee.

She quickly pulls out her phone and googles “application fee apartment Alberta”. The first result is for a website called Laws for Landlords and Tenants in Alberta. This sounds promising!!

Google search results for “application fee apartment Alberta”.

Alex clicks through to the information. The website tells her that landlords can charge an application fee, even if she doesn’t move in. This is news to Alex. The website also has a few tips for tenants.

After reading the webpage, she decides she does not want to rent this place. First, the website warns that application fees should be in writing – which was not the case here. Second, she doesn’t want to be out $100 if the landlord does not accept her application. She’s on a tight budget after all!

With a sigh, Alex politely tells the landlord she is not going through with the application process and leaves.

What does she need to know about being a tenant?

After this incident, Alex realizes she does not know ANYTHING about the laws for tenants and landlords. When she gets back to her hotel, she decides to spend a little more time learning about her rights and responsibilities as a tenant. After all, she doesn’t want to end up in a legal problem if she can help it.

She goes back to the website from earlier and starts reading. And reading and reading.

Screen capture of Laws for Landlords and Tenants in Alberta website.

So what did Alex learn?

Here’s a sneak peak.

Check out Instagram for The Full Video!

DISCLAIMER | The story and characters described are not real. Any resemblance to real life persons or situations is coincidence. The information provided is legal information only and does not constitute legal advice.

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Four Things to Think About Before Telling a Story

We are constantly telling stories. All kinds of stories. Some stories are fiction, others promote lifestyles or products.

But some stories are better than others. If you have a story to tell, what can you do to make yours stand out from the rest?

Do you want to make your story great?

I’m guessing your answer is an enthusiastic “Yes!”

Check out the infographic below highlighting four things to think about before telling your story:

  1. Structure and purpose: Does your story have a clear structure and purpose?
  2. Relatability and emotions: What emotions do you want your audience to feel?
  3. Length and content: What information does your audience need to understand the story?
  4. Appropriate medium: How can the medium enhance the storytelling experience?

Keep reading the infographic for more information!

While there are a million other tips and tricks out there to make your story great, these four tips should get you started.

Now it’s your turn to tell a great story!

Go on, you’ve got this …

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Turning On the AC

This story is not as simple as it might sound.

I mean, it is a story about turning on the AC. But it’s a story about much more than the push of a button or flip of a switch.

I shared today’s AC adventure live on Twitter. Because what better place to share unfolding action?!

Let’s set the scene: This story takes place in Leduc, AB today, where the afternoon temperature peaked over 30 degrees Celsius. The last few weeks have been unseasonably warm here. Climate change anyone?!

In short, the AC works … kind of. Just not in a convenient way. Apparently there is one little piece that regulates the unit and keeps it from freezing out the coils in the furnace. Who knew?!

The suspense builds …

Are you on the edge of your seat yet? I realize this story is not the most scintillating on its own. But somehow telling it in snippets helps to create suspense without much effort!

I pondered venturing out to figure out how to turn on the unit myself …

See this story is partly about turning on the AC unit and partly about my relationship with my fiancé.

My skillset is not one that lends itself to figuring out mechanical issues. And my fiancé knows me too well. Within seconds of me texting him to tell him I was going to try turning on the unit, he called. Oh ye of little faith. But also … smart man.

Not a joke. He literally started his instructions with:

I’ll walk you through this. First, go outside and walk towards the AC unit.

Thanks, tips. I had figured at least that part out!

And now for the climax …

Every good story has a climax. Even this one!

It turns out the turning on of the unit was actually pretty easy! (With good instructions, of course.) Opening a small door, pulling out a piece, flipping it 180 degrees and putting it pack in. And he reminded me at the end to “close the small door again”. Yes, sir!

Immediately, the unit started up. And scared me a little, if I’m being honest.

Good news!

If you got to the end of the thread, you know this story has a happy ending.

The AC is on and the house is now delightfully cool! And I can happily report that it has thankfully not gotten too cold. Thanks in part to the whole freezing concern which means the AC cannot run for more than a few hours at a time!

Now while this story is not likely to take off on Twitter like @sixthformpoet’s story did, it’s nonetheless been fun sharing my adventure with you all!

Stay cool!

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Am I a pout-pout fish?

Photo by herrantrimgerman from Pixabay

I have two nieces under 2 years of age right now who LOVE reading. Which means I spend some of my time with them reading cardboard books. I must admit though, I don’t mind the change of pace from the legal text I read during the day at work.

My sisters and I grew up reading The Berenstain Bears and stories by Robert Munsch. And I figured my nieces would do the same. When books by seemingly random authors appeared in the bookshelf, I was hesitant. I felt like I was betraying my childhood favourites. But instead, my world grew bigger.

I remember the day I picked up The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and illustrated by Dan Hanna. I casually started to read it, wondering what simplistic message it would share. But there is nothing casual about this story. In fact, I think it’s just as appropriate for adults as it is for kids!

In the Beginning

Before I go on, spoiler alert! If you want to discover the story for yourself first, enjoy Auntie Lee’s reading.

Okay, let’s get to the story now … In the beginning, we meet Mr. Fish, a “glum gloomy swimmer with an ever-present pout.” To (hopefully) avoid copyright issues, here is a look-alike image of Mr. Fish from a user on Pixabay:

Photo by herrantrimgerman from Pixabay

Over the next several pages, we see Mr. Fish’s interactions with other creatures in the sea. They each comment on how he should cheer up and how his sulking is unattractive. Each time, Mr. Fish responds that it’s just the way he is:

I’m a pout-pout fish

With a pout-pout face,

So I spread the dreary-wearies

All over the place.

Until one day … a shimmery fish comes along that no one has seen before. And instead of speaking to Mr. Fish, she kisses him! Mr. Fish is “most astounded”. He thinks about it and then decides:

I’m a kiss-kiss fish

With a kiss-kiss face

For spreading cheery-cheeries

All over the place!

And just like that, Mr. Fish’s whole perspective changes. Now, he’s smooching everyone instead of frowning!

Now why is this one of my favourite stories?

First, I love the rhythm of the story – a literary tool many children’s writers use. And I love the alliteration as well as the colourful images. Having read through the course materials, I now better understand these elements as essential to storytelling.

Ashley Fell identifies colour, picture and movement as three components of a great story. I see each of these at play in the story, especially movement – the movement of Mr. Fish through the sea as he engages with each sea creature, but also the movement in the words themselves.

But most importantly, I love the way the story makes me feel. I can relate to Mr. Fish. And relatable characters is one of the most important elements of a great story.

#21: You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?

Emma Coats’ “nuggets of narrative wisdom”

There are times when I am a pout-pout fish. I move through my day with a scowl on my face. Others may try to cheer me up, but I just say, “I’m having a bad day” or “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.” I justify my behaviour.

Until something comes along that changes my perspective. Now, it’s usually not a shimmery fish kissing me! But whatever “it” is, the external force challenges me to look inside. Do I have to be like this? Can I change? The answer is always yes. I can choose a different behaviour.

Now I realize this is a children’s story. Its purpose is to teach children about their emotions. But how awesome is it that the same story resonates with an adult? (Or is it a bit sad this is the case?!)

In any case, I think The Pout-Pout Fish is a great story. So much so that I cannot wait to read the other books in this series and go on more adventures with Mr. Fish.

Wait … isn’t coming back for more another sign of a great story? 

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