It’s the little differences
It was 45 degrees outside, humid as hell. I had just gone for a run in the gym on the ex-pat compound I was staying at in the Middle East. As I walked back to my friends Colleen and Mike’s home, I was thinking about how I would describe what it was like here when I got back to Canada. And then I heard Vincent Vega’s voice in my head (John Travolta’s character in Pulp Fiction). “It’s the little differences.” In this classic scene from the 1994 cult movie favourite, Vincent tells Samuel L. Jackson’s character about the little differences between […]
We are small
Travel should transform. And be more than a change of scenery. Every trip should challenge your mind, your heart, your tastes, your fears, your body. While that doesn’t sound like the recipe from most people’s typical all-inclusive vacation, even the most routine and common destinations can be more. I recently traveled to the Grand Canyon and went from top to bottom over two days. And from the moment I arrived, the Canyon made me feel small. Insignificant. Inconsequential. Exactly how a vacation should make you feel. At 6,000 feet or a mile-long, the Grand Canyon isn’t the deepest canyon in the world. […]
Happy Birthday: Lessons from a 1-year old blog
Today is the first birthday of my blog, This is Actually Happening. In the past year, I have learned a lot about the benefits and challenges of having a blog – actually, several blogs. In addition to Actually Happening, I also have my Freestone company blog, and I am the editor and author of blogs for two of my clients. Needless to say, I jumped head first into blogging this past year. Trial by fire; learning at mach speed. I get asked by clients and colleagues about what it is like to have and upkeep a blog. So in honour […]
Lessons from a Gogo
I had a Gogo. If you had met him, you’d wish you had a Gogo too. My Ukrainian heritage dictated that I had a Gido (Ukrainian for grandfather). Except when I was little, I couldn’t say Gido. I called him Gogo (pronounced Go-Go). A nickname that started with me, got picked up by my brother, and then the 6 other grandkids and 2 great grandkids after that. Gogo he always was. Maybe it was because Gogo rolled off the tongue pretty easily, or maybe it was because he just couldn’t be anything else. Gogo simply stuck. I feel pretty lucky […]
My Favourite Books in 2011
I know this post is very Oprah-like (and we all know how I feel about Oprah), but one of the things I love is to find and share a great read. If I measure my year by the number of good books discovered, 2011 ranks highly. So many authors, both new and always loved, captured my attention. And my new Kobo Touch was so much fun to use, it made me read more and took my love of reading to a whole new level. Be forewarned: most of the books listed here are woman fare and are all fiction (the […]
In extraordinary company
Humbled. Flattered. Honoured. Touched. Thrilled. Inspired. I am running out of past participles in response to Avenue Magazine Edmonton selecting me as one of the Top 40 Under 40 for 2011. As was the case in the previous two years, the list of Edmontonians they have recognized in 2011 is an impressive one. Professors. Media celebrities. PhDs. Creative gurus. Presidents. Artists. Technology leaders. Educators. And one rockstar chef. I like to think I work hard, and give back whenever I can. And while we all love to be appreciated, I think many of us just live our lives always choosing […]
“To bare or not go bare?”
That is the question. My answer lies somewhere in between. There is lots of buzz about minimalist running. And no, it’s not about running as little as possible (even though I know many people would be all over that trend). Minimalist running is all about running with as little as possible on your feet. Including nothing. I have never been a big trend follower when it comes to running. I have been running for over 20 years, long before those overdone Running Room “cover your ass” coats and before running became a highly social activity. But, I am always keen […]
The Old Boys Club: A Memo to Members
Dearest Club Members: Recently there has been discussion in the media about the Old Boys Club. I write this memorandum to reaffirm the rules surrounding your membership so the Club can continue to be a thriving, secretive force dedicated to upholding tradition. For all communications with non-members, you are asked to dispute the Club’s existence. When asked about, or when you hear reference to, the Old Boys Club, casually state, “The Old Boys Club no longer exists. The times have changed”. The presence of women of various ages and younger men in business, government and community circles provides us with […]