Tuesday, June 23, 2009
And the prediction was ...
... wrong. For now, at least. Which is, of course, why I don't bet on the races or gamble at casinos.
The moral to this prediction is - leave predictions to the experts ... and get back to work!
The moral to this prediction is - leave predictions to the experts ... and get back to work!
Monday, June 22, 2009
The silent blogger
So, I started this blog a few weeks back and, for the most part, didn't tell anyone. Well, anyone except Peter, who promptly asked, "Why would anybody want to read anything you have to say?" Thanks, mate!
There is, however, some truth in that comment. Being somewhat of a neophyte in the whole world of e-communication, I figured that if I wrote it, they would read. Alas, that is apparently not the case.
Undaunted, I will persist, but I will take steps to let it be known that I have a blog, whether anybody wants to read it or not - a note on my soon-to-be-updated website, and then maybe I'll say something on my Facebook page. And since I firmly believe that word of mouth is still the most effective means of communication in any language, I'll try that as well.
Essentially, I started writing this because I had to start writing something. Call myself a writer, eh? Well, that only counts if you actually write something - other than business letters, brief editorials, shopping lists, and notes to self.
A blog provides a forum, a deadline, and a speedy publication date, is fun and challenging, and pushes me to think before I write. That the forum is public warrants accountability, good spelling, and something of interest to someone somewhere. It's a great tool of communication, even if it's only for me to get out of my head.
The interesting thing is that I've finally begun working on other writing projects - a play, a screenplay, two books, and lots of speeches. It's exciting to feel the pen in my hand, to see the words spill out onto the page, and to live the stories being told. Cathartic and rewarding!
So, Peter, whether anyone reads this or not is immaterial. That I am actually writing is the real point of this exercise. But thanks for giving me pause to consider the real purpose of my blog, and to delve even further into the world of e-communication by at least letting people know I am here.
PS Having said all that, if anyone is reading this, feel free to send me a comment, if only to let me know that you are out there.
There is, however, some truth in that comment. Being somewhat of a neophyte in the whole world of e-communication, I figured that if I wrote it, they would read. Alas, that is apparently not the case.
Undaunted, I will persist, but I will take steps to let it be known that I have a blog, whether anybody wants to read it or not - a note on my soon-to-be-updated website, and then maybe I'll say something on my Facebook page. And since I firmly believe that word of mouth is still the most effective means of communication in any language, I'll try that as well.
Essentially, I started writing this because I had to start writing something. Call myself a writer, eh? Well, that only counts if you actually write something - other than business letters, brief editorials, shopping lists, and notes to self.
A blog provides a forum, a deadline, and a speedy publication date, is fun and challenging, and pushes me to think before I write. That the forum is public warrants accountability, good spelling, and something of interest to someone somewhere. It's a great tool of communication, even if it's only for me to get out of my head.
The interesting thing is that I've finally begun working on other writing projects - a play, a screenplay, two books, and lots of speeches. It's exciting to feel the pen in my hand, to see the words spill out onto the page, and to live the stories being told. Cathartic and rewarding!
So, Peter, whether anyone reads this or not is immaterial. That I am actually writing is the real point of this exercise. But thanks for giving me pause to consider the real purpose of my blog, and to delve even further into the world of e-communication by at least letting people know I am here.
PS Having said all that, if anyone is reading this, feel free to send me a comment, if only to let me know that you are out there.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
And the prediction is ...
... that Jon and Kate will announce they are staying together and wrapping up their show at the end of the season - all for the good of the family and in an effort to mend their apparently ailing marriage. Tears can work both ways - sad because of all their 'troubles', and sad because they have had to pretend for the sake of ratings. According to Kate, "We can't go back now. We can only go forward and that's what we're going to do." No dispute there, but there are two meanings afoot if you read between the lines. Good luck to those kids, whether I'm right or wrong.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Crossing pedestrians
When I first came to Winnipeg, I was intrigued by crosswalks. Nothing like that in Oz, I said to myself. Looks a bit dangerous, I cautioned myself. And yesterday, I was reminded just how dangerous these tools of the road can potentially be.
Some years ago, a friend was hit by a driver speeding through a crosswalk while she was in the middle of it. She still struggles with the physical and emotional scars.
Yesterday, I saw, on separate occasions, drivers zipping in front of the person crossing, rushing behind them the second they stepped out of the way, and swerving dangerously in front of another car who had actually stopped to allow the pedestrian to cross. Tsk! Tsk!
But it's not only the drivers who tempt fate. In the past, I've seen pedestrians not pushing the button before they cross, not waiting until it actually starts flashing, and not looking before stepping off the curb. Scary stuff.
Lots of excuses on both sides of the issue. "I didn't see the crosswalk" or "I didn't see the pedestrian" or "I have the right of way; the cars should stop - period". Whatever the excuse, it seems to me that paying attention and a healthy dose of respect would go a long way to making crosswalks a lot safer for everyone. So, here are a few 'must knows'.
For drivers ...
Know that crosswalks are out there and keep an eye out for them.
Know that where there are crosswalks, there could be pedestrians. Watch for them approaching or standing at the step-off point - and be ready to stop when the light flashes or the person starts to cross.
Know that if a car is already stopped at the crosswalk, they might see something you don't, so stop beside them rather than charge through.
Know that just because a pedestrian has crossed out of your view, doesn't mean there isn't another who has stepped off the opposite curb and you simply haven't seen them.
Know that if you wait until the pedestrian has completely crossed either to the centre median strip or all the way to the curb, it might delay you for a few extra seconds, but it will mean the pedestrian has crossed safely.
For pedestrians ...
Know that sometimes drivers aren't watching and can be distracted for a split second, so cross with all possible care.
Know that dawdling doesn't help anyone, so cross without delay.
Know that crossing completely in the crosswalk increases the likelihood of being seen. Avoid meandering and angling.
Know that pressing the button, waiting for the lights to flash, and checking before you step off the curb increases the likelihood that you will cross safely.
For both drivers and pedestrians ...
Know that vehicles of all kinds travelling at any speed on the road can main and kill. Enough said about that.
A little 'knowing' by everyone on both sides of the equation will go a long way to respecting these tools of the road and making them safe for all of us.
Some years ago, a friend was hit by a driver speeding through a crosswalk while she was in the middle of it. She still struggles with the physical and emotional scars.
Yesterday, I saw, on separate occasions, drivers zipping in front of the person crossing, rushing behind them the second they stepped out of the way, and swerving dangerously in front of another car who had actually stopped to allow the pedestrian to cross. Tsk! Tsk!
But it's not only the drivers who tempt fate. In the past, I've seen pedestrians not pushing the button before they cross, not waiting until it actually starts flashing, and not looking before stepping off the curb. Scary stuff.
Lots of excuses on both sides of the issue. "I didn't see the crosswalk" or "I didn't see the pedestrian" or "I have the right of way; the cars should stop - period". Whatever the excuse, it seems to me that paying attention and a healthy dose of respect would go a long way to making crosswalks a lot safer for everyone. So, here are a few 'must knows'.
For drivers ...
Know that crosswalks are out there and keep an eye out for them.
Know that where there are crosswalks, there could be pedestrians. Watch for them approaching or standing at the step-off point - and be ready to stop when the light flashes or the person starts to cross.
Know that if a car is already stopped at the crosswalk, they might see something you don't, so stop beside them rather than charge through.
Know that just because a pedestrian has crossed out of your view, doesn't mean there isn't another who has stepped off the opposite curb and you simply haven't seen them.
Know that if you wait until the pedestrian has completely crossed either to the centre median strip or all the way to the curb, it might delay you for a few extra seconds, but it will mean the pedestrian has crossed safely.
For pedestrians ...
Know that sometimes drivers aren't watching and can be distracted for a split second, so cross with all possible care.
Know that dawdling doesn't help anyone, so cross without delay.
Know that crossing completely in the crosswalk increases the likelihood of being seen. Avoid meandering and angling.
Know that pressing the button, waiting for the lights to flash, and checking before you step off the curb increases the likelihood that you will cross safely.
For both drivers and pedestrians ...
Know that vehicles of all kinds travelling at any speed on the road can main and kill. Enough said about that.
A little 'knowing' by everyone on both sides of the equation will go a long way to respecting these tools of the road and making them safe for all of us.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The truth is out there
Stories pack the newspaper, generate a buzz on the television, fill the airwaves. They are part of our conversations, our communications, our learnings, our lives. They are funny, sad, helpful, informative, disturbing. Sometimes they are the truth; sometimes they are lies.
"The truth will set you free" (The Bible) is often loosely translated as "... free to change the truth as you see fit or as serves your purpose". Some of us use a sprinkling of that in our stories; others use it as a licence to lie. Both teeter on the fence of precariousness.
Because we believe in the inherent goodness and honesty of people, we generally believe that what they are telling us and showing us is true. We laugh with them, sympathise with them, and retell their stories, often as if they were our own.
Unfortunately, sometimes what we are reading, seeing and hearing is not the truth, yet we believe that it is. And that is not completely our fault.
The truth is often cloaked, misconstrued, invented, altered for the benefit of the teller, expanded for the sake of a laugh, emoted to generate tears or to win support or an audience. Not technically lies, not actually the truth. And at the end of the day, we do feel somewhat cheated when we discover we've been had.
These days, with all the media available to us for the dissemination of stories, truthful or otherwise, it can be difficult to uncover the truth. And when we do, it is often hard to set things right. We don't like to think that we have been deceived, set up, lied to. We don't like to call the author out when we've exposed them. We don't have the time to pen letters to the editor every time we spot an error or a lie.
So, what can we do?
"The truth is out there" (X-Files), and it is up to us to be vigilant, to weigh the evidence at hand, to consider the facts, to understand the words, to look for hidden meanings and intent, to make up our own minds, to think before we believe - and to set the wrongs right, if we can. The truth should not be merely an accessory in our lives; bland acceptance should not be the norm.
In the words of Mark Twain, "If one is honest, there is no need to remember." I believe that applies to all aspects of our lives, whether there's a story to be had or not. And I, for one, have made that a truth I can live with.
What about you?
"The truth will set you free" (The Bible) is often loosely translated as "... free to change the truth as you see fit or as serves your purpose". Some of us use a sprinkling of that in our stories; others use it as a licence to lie. Both teeter on the fence of precariousness.
Because we believe in the inherent goodness and honesty of people, we generally believe that what they are telling us and showing us is true. We laugh with them, sympathise with them, and retell their stories, often as if they were our own.
Unfortunately, sometimes what we are reading, seeing and hearing is not the truth, yet we believe that it is. And that is not completely our fault.
The truth is often cloaked, misconstrued, invented, altered for the benefit of the teller, expanded for the sake of a laugh, emoted to generate tears or to win support or an audience. Not technically lies, not actually the truth. And at the end of the day, we do feel somewhat cheated when we discover we've been had.
These days, with all the media available to us for the dissemination of stories, truthful or otherwise, it can be difficult to uncover the truth. And when we do, it is often hard to set things right. We don't like to think that we have been deceived, set up, lied to. We don't like to call the author out when we've exposed them. We don't have the time to pen letters to the editor every time we spot an error or a lie.
So, what can we do?
"The truth is out there" (X-Files), and it is up to us to be vigilant, to weigh the evidence at hand, to consider the facts, to understand the words, to look for hidden meanings and intent, to make up our own minds, to think before we believe - and to set the wrongs right, if we can. The truth should not be merely an accessory in our lives; bland acceptance should not be the norm.
In the words of Mark Twain, "If one is honest, there is no need to remember." I believe that applies to all aspects of our lives, whether there's a story to be had or not. And I, for one, have made that a truth I can live with.
What about you?
Monday, June 15, 2009
The best laid plans ...
... often go awry, and sometimes with little reason or warning.
However, the Peak Performers Toastmasters Club's 21st birthday party was the grand exception to that likelihood, and proved to be a fantastic event without a single hitch! Wrapping up only a few hours ago, more than 70 people mixed and mingled with friends, colleagues and past acquaintances, and reminisced and rejoiced in a club well lived.
Special thanks to Gerry Gordon on didgeridoo and Mitch Dorge on percussion - great music, guys. The perfect combination, the right sound, and a talking point for days to come!
Congrats as well to the donors and winners of the marvellous door prizes, and thanks to everyone, whether you helped with the organising, stepped in when asked or without being asked, or merely turned up for the party.
And in answer to Friday's question, "What's the worst that can happen?" Apparently nothing. A feat worth celebrating on its own!
However, the Peak Performers Toastmasters Club's 21st birthday party was the grand exception to that likelihood, and proved to be a fantastic event without a single hitch! Wrapping up only a few hours ago, more than 70 people mixed and mingled with friends, colleagues and past acquaintances, and reminisced and rejoiced in a club well lived.
Special thanks to Gerry Gordon on didgeridoo and Mitch Dorge on percussion - great music, guys. The perfect combination, the right sound, and a talking point for days to come!
Congrats as well to the donors and winners of the marvellous door prizes, and thanks to everyone, whether you helped with the organising, stepped in when asked or without being asked, or merely turned up for the party.
And in answer to Friday's question, "What's the worst that can happen?" Apparently nothing. A feat worth celebrating on its own!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Party planning 101
Hats off to all professional party planners!
After spending the last two months organising a relatively small event - the 21st birthday party for the Peak Performers Toastmasters Club - I have to say that I have a whole new level of respect for those who tackle this as their profession.
Definitely not my forte, it is because of the help of many in the Club, as well as Chris Hartley at the Norwood Hotel in St. Boniface, that we were able to pull it all together. Of course, we won't know until Sunday whether it's a success, but with 70 people planning on celebrating the occasion with us, digging into the delicious buffet, sampling the chocolate fountain, and enjoying the didgeridoo and percussion duo of Gerry Gordon and Mitch Dorge, who agreed to band together for the event, it should be a humdinger!
All of which means that just because it isn't your forte, it doesn't mean you can't give it a try. So, my advice for budding party planners? Just do it! Get others on board and just do it. You'll learn lots about what you and others can and can't do, and you'll find that a lot of people you didn't expect will step up to the table in one way or another. Good things to add to your "must remember for next time" list.
Besides, what's the worst that can happen? I'll let you know ...
After spending the last two months organising a relatively small event - the 21st birthday party for the Peak Performers Toastmasters Club - I have to say that I have a whole new level of respect for those who tackle this as their profession.
Definitely not my forte, it is because of the help of many in the Club, as well as Chris Hartley at the Norwood Hotel in St. Boniface, that we were able to pull it all together. Of course, we won't know until Sunday whether it's a success, but with 70 people planning on celebrating the occasion with us, digging into the delicious buffet, sampling the chocolate fountain, and enjoying the didgeridoo and percussion duo of Gerry Gordon and Mitch Dorge, who agreed to band together for the event, it should be a humdinger!
All of which means that just because it isn't your forte, it doesn't mean you can't give it a try. So, my advice for budding party planners? Just do it! Get others on board and just do it. You'll learn lots about what you and others can and can't do, and you'll find that a lot of people you didn't expect will step up to the table in one way or another. Good things to add to your "must remember for next time" list.
Besides, what's the worst that can happen? I'll let you know ...
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Birds of a feather
Forget about Susan Boyle and the economy and swine flu and what Madonna is doing these days and who's with who and what movie is tops at the box office. Instead, look for something truly amazing and uplifting and oh, so cute. Go to www.cbc.ca/manitoba/features/falcon and watch a family of endangered Peregrine falcons on a downtown ledge in Winnipeg. Trey and Princess and their three chicks - yet to be named - are the stars of our version of reality television, which has hooked viewers from around the world. There is no million dollar prize at the end and no possibility of divorce. Just a young family doing their best to survive in the midst of all this attention. A sure-fire cure for all that ails you. Recommended viewing for all ages!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Time to start down a new road ...
When the business name renewal application came in the mail, I asked myself, do I really want to renew it?
"get it write." was my first business name, started way back in 1994 when I was a newcomer to Canada. I had the name long before I actually started the business - seemed a natural for a freelance editor and writer. And over the years, as my interests and pursuits evolved, I continued to hold onto the name for nostalgic reasons, even though it didn't completely represent everything that I was now doing.
Then when it accidentally lapsed in 2003, I quickly secured the name again before anyone else nabbed it. Yes, I was operating under a different business name, and yes, I was mostly focusing on book editing at the time, but it was tough to simply let it fold. It was, as I said, my first business name.
Unfortunately, it seems I was a bit late. Even though I could register the name in Manitoba (Canada), "get it write." already seemed to belong to a lot of other people - it was the name for an online service, a book, and several others were using it for their companies. It simply wasn't mine anymore.
Today, when the renewal application arrived, I was momentarily torn. And then it became clear. These past few months, I have been making changes, big changes in my work, and I think that it's time to let an old friend go. Time to distance myself from my past work and to look forward to the future. Time to start down a new road.
Stay tuned ...
"get it write." was my first business name, started way back in 1994 when I was a newcomer to Canada. I had the name long before I actually started the business - seemed a natural for a freelance editor and writer. And over the years, as my interests and pursuits evolved, I continued to hold onto the name for nostalgic reasons, even though it didn't completely represent everything that I was now doing.
Then when it accidentally lapsed in 2003, I quickly secured the name again before anyone else nabbed it. Yes, I was operating under a different business name, and yes, I was mostly focusing on book editing at the time, but it was tough to simply let it fold. It was, as I said, my first business name.
Unfortunately, it seems I was a bit late. Even though I could register the name in Manitoba (Canada), "get it write." already seemed to belong to a lot of other people - it was the name for an online service, a book, and several others were using it for their companies. It simply wasn't mine anymore.
Today, when the renewal application arrived, I was momentarily torn. And then it became clear. These past few months, I have been making changes, big changes in my work, and I think that it's time to let an old friend go. Time to distance myself from my past work and to look forward to the future. Time to start down a new road.
Stay tuned ...