Monday, June 30, 2008

On the dock, Canada Day Weekend

YAY for Sarah having a cottage. And a beautiful one at that. On their own island.

YAY for her also having her mom's car for the weekend so we could drive up.

YAY for her awesome family and awesome food and drinks and company and games.

YAY for the time to sit on the dock and do nothing or read or talk.

YAY for paddling about in the canoe and for starry night skies.

YAY for an awesome extra long Canada Day weekend.

BOO for mosquitoes who love me too much.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Social media mastah!


Well, it was a great week for social media. I was at Social Tech Training at MaRS Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, I was at a Toronto Geek Girls Dinner which featured Jane from eHarlequin discussing online communities.

These two events conspired to inspire me on the social media front. And not a moment too soon, as Thursday I gave a talk to the staff at MaRS about social media and Web2.0 and about what I do in general.

Recently, I've been thinking more about the importance of online communities and their interaction and it's started to rival my love of the technology and the cool tools. And it was amazing to explain that to people who can do something about it: the community. What was also amazing was to remember that there are people out there who don't KNOW this stuff. I feared that it would be boring because it's old hat for me. It's same-old, same-old, blah blah blah. I know it. I live it and breathe it. But that's just me and the people I hang around and listen to. It was amazing to pass on something that I know so well. I just hope that I managed to get through and communicate the excitement.

I'm excited about the web. I'm excited about the possibilities. There is so much I want to do, I'm frustrated by the silly roadblocks that stand in the way of me NOT doing all of those wonderful cool fun things for and with my community.

I get so fired up that I get frustrated with the slow pace of change, with the lack of understanding. I have to take deep, calming breaths and remind myself that it WILL happen. I just have to keep going and keep changing those tiny things that are within my grasp today. Do that one small thing that wasn't done yesterday. Keep plugging away. Chipping at the wall. And someday in that bright-light future, there will be a perfect (or at least more-perfect) online state.

So today I am acknowledging all that is good.

I am acknowledging that I have learned so much about social media that I might be a Social Media Mastah. I am at least an evangelist. And the things I have done have made our online state better. They're not perfect nor even near-perfect. But they are better. And better means I have effected CHANGE.

And change is good.
Hurrah for the Social Media Mastah!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Weddings Rule!

I think I just had one of the best weekends ever.

My cousin had a wedding up near Huntsville, so we all trekked up and took over Pow-Wow Point Lodge. It was GORGEOUS. We had access to all manner of boats and water activities including an awesome trampoline.

We drank and frolicked in the water and laughed and ate and hung out with family and danced. Totally great! Lots of fun.

I would totally get married in a place like that if I got the chance!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Stuff I've done lately

I can't believe it's been so long since I wrote a blog. This is truly sad. And it's not like I don't have anything to write about. Conversely, it's that I have so MUCH to write about that I'm so often not at home to turn on my computer. And when I'm at work, well, I'm at WORK.

So here I go:
  • At right, it all started with Luminato. I went to the opening night at Dundas Square. Saw Count Basie Orchestra and jazz prodigy Nikki Yanofsky. Seriously awesome.
  • Distillery Jazz Festival, Art of Jazz - saw some pretty fantastic a cappella singers. Had some nice wine on the patio of the Mill St. Ate the best burgers at Allen's on the Danforth.
  • More Luminato. Scottish music festival, funk festival, Joni Mitchell photos, 80s music. Played the wii and Guitar Hero. Good times!
  • BBQ at my brother and sister-in-laws. Gorgeous weather. Cute baby. My sister arrived from Calgary. Lots of family good times, shopping and yummy food. Mm, steak. And a small hike. Did I say cute baby? Seriously cute.
  • Nature Network's Toronto Group Pub Night - met lots of interesting people.
In between I've been playing soccer, teaching literacy, working and house hunting as usual.

This weekend I'm off to my cousin's wedding in Huntsville. For more family fun! I love long weekends!

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

It's going to be OK


I know myself. Sometimes I have to sleep on things. And bounce my ideas off someone I trust. And then it's really just OK.

My house will sell. I will buy a house. The agreements will be signed and the money will change hands and suddenly I'll live somewhere else. And someone else's house will now be mine.

It happens all the time, every day. For most people, at least several times in their life. And so I'm sure it will also happen for me. Without too much bother. Some bother. But not too much. And it will be different and different will be good. An adventure.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

decisions

The thing about decisions is that there's no one to tell you whether they're right.

At work, it seems so much easier. You are or have or pay an expert to inform you about the recommended course of action. You have requirements to deliver on or some sort of goal with specific measurable outcomes that you're meant to achieve.

Easy.

Personal decisions are the tough ones. At least for me. Maybe it's that I don't trust myself as the "expert" in my life. Maybe I haven't done enough research to verify that a decision is the right one. And then there are those pesky "externals" to consider: like emotions.

So then panic ensues and suddenly you're writing blogs when you should be going to sleep. At least I can smile about it. And I know that, given time, I will be fine. It will become no big deal. Because I've always already made the decision. And I know the decision to be the right one. But I'm just not yet comfortable with it. Because I have no one to tell me, "Ya, right on, that is such a kick ass decision, you frickin' STAR!" And so I just have to live with the panicky feeling for a bit and it will all be fine.

Is this why people get married? So they can have that person to reassure them that they're doing the right thing? That they're not screwing everything up?

I mean, cavemen didn't marry. And let's face it, they were working on instinct a lot more than using those overgrown noggins for any big decisions. Lucky them. Not about the marriage bit, but about the decisions.

I guess that's what it is to be an adult. You just stand on your own and just say "ya" or "no" and then something happens. You sign on a dotted line or not and a whole cacophony of action is kicked into motion. Weird how that happens. Wish they would have asked me if I was ready to start making decisions. I might have said "sure" to deciding on Thai for dinner but declined the more intricate cacophony-mobilizing stuff.