Saturday, October 27, 2012

Make A Difference Day

 Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead
 As a committed volunteer, and a long-time volunteer coordinator, I have often used the above quote.  It is very relevant today on Make a Difference Day, a day of service and volunteering.  Millions of people participate in volunteer efforts in communities around the world.  Volunteers contribute their skills in projects large and small and they use their time, talent and energy to make a difference. 

Get out today and join the movement to make a difference.  Find a project in your area or create one of your own.   Pick up garbage.  Help build a home or a school.  Visit someone who is lonely.  Advocate for change.  Collect funds. 

Volunteer year round by sharing your skills.  Build. Recycle. Fundraise. Teach. Read. Join a board.  Manage a website. Write a Letter.  There is something for everyone regardless of experience, interest or available time.

Things to do:
  • Visit your local volunteer recruitment center or website.  
  • Contact an organization that interests you and offer to sit on a board or committee.
  • Plan a volunteer vacation.  Get some tips in this article from Frommer's.
  • Visit your university or college student center to ask about opportunities in your area of study.
  • Look for volunteer opportunities in other areas with an organization like Get Involved or GetVolunteering.

Do you volunteer?  How long have you been volunteering? Where? Why?  What got you started as a volunteer?

Volunteer.  Make a difference today and every day.


Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren’t any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn’t be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life’s challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person.
Richard Buckminster Fuller

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Ch-ch-changes

I'm going to be moving this blog sometime next month and in the meantime will probably be writing less frequently.  I am in the process of restructuring my business and reorganizing my office and, truth be told, my life in general.  That is going to involve some home / office renovation and is going to have my workspace in a bit of disarray.  it is an exciting but nerve-racking time.

While I'm in transition, I do not anticipate being inspired or inclined to blog every day but I'll be developing ideas, creating a new site and looking for new ways to tell stories.  I will pop in when I can and hope that you will join me when I relaunch, likely in early December.

As I mentioned in a recent post, I might have slight indications to perfectionist tendencies. Ok, we're beyond that.  It might be more than slight.  If you'd like, you can read my Case for Imperfection and let me know where you stand on the whole perfectionist thing.   I have become increasingly aware that I am often guilty of letting perfection become procrastination,  partly because it takes me too long to do everything so that I just run out of time.  I'm working on it.  Really.  I've stopped thinking and planning what I'm going to do about it and started taking steps.  Thus some of the motivation for the whole reorganizing thing. 

One of my ongoing struggles with letting go of perfection is not trying to do everything in order and being stuck moving forward because I didn't finish everything that I think should be done first.  Like journaling or blogging every day and having to go back and fill missed days.  I have managed to become quite good at taking that approach with scrapbook projects.  I now do single pages or albums and the spirit moves me and not having to do things in some designated order.  I'm getting many more stories down.  The next thing will be to stop taking so long on each page. Although I do enjoy the process, I am starting to try for more speed scraps.  That being speedy for me, I expect, rather than in a truly fast way in the scheme of things.  Anyway, I'm now looking to apply that approach to other things as well.

All of this is a rather wordy description of why my taking days off from blogging could actually be a kind of test - a challenge to keep things moving forward with missed days and inconsistent posting schedule.   So, I'll see you around in the next while.  Sometime.  Who knows?  I'm a free spirit so I will write when the spirit moves but maybe not too far apart.  Hmm, maybe I should just make a schedule with less frequent postings... no, no.  Definitely going to get better at this.  Time to listen to the wisdom of Yoda  "...there is no try".

What will you do today to better tell your stories - or to create new stories? 


Monday, October 22, 2012

Fallen Heros - changing stories

oct 22

It's a sad day for cycling fans. Today, the International Cycling Union ended the Lance Armstrong saga.  There will be no more appeals.  The ICU has found sufficient evidence to prove that Armstrong doped during his record-breaking 7 consecutive wins of the Tour de France.  As a result, he has been issued a lifetime ban from competitive cycling for life and has been stripped of his Tour de France titles.

I don't know what to think.  I'm a cycling fan in the original sense of the word - a fanatic following the progress of the grand tours and the daily classics. But the Tour is my first and favorite. Come July, you'll find me glued to the TV for every hour of coverage. I started watching the year after Lance had his first win and became hooked, in part, because of his dominance of the event.  For those years, the Tour was Armstong's event. His training regime was legendary, his knowledge of the sport's strategy undisputed, and his control of the field complete. And, of course, there was the inspirational story of his comeback from cancer especially with all the assertions of riding clean.

That is where many of his supporters now feel a sense of betrayal.  We all wanted to believe in the power of hard work and dedication, believe in the possibility of the human spirit to overcome seemingly impossible challenges.  And we wanted to believe in Lance Armstrong riding clean.

When the talk started in recent weeks about another investigation, my first reaction was that they should be leaving it in the past.  Armstrong hasn't won since the 2005 Tour and not ridden since his second retirement in 2010.  He has been tested countless times with no positive results.  Sure, he always had his detractors but supporters pointed to his training routine and single-minded focus on the one major event.  And there were all those spot checks.  Why, I wondered, do they need to go after him again?  Why can't they leave it in the past and focus on cleaning up the sport in the future?

But as it becomes painfully clear that he was involved in some level of drug use, the question becomes more of how it important it is to the future of the sport to ensure the cheaters of the past are punished.

I still don't know what to think.  I wonder whether this news will dampen enthusiasm for the sport of cycling, especially for the Tour de France.  I also wonder if it will damage the work of LiveStrong, an important organization that supports those whose lives are affected by cancer.  I hope neither of those happens in the long term but some immediate negativity is probably inevitable. I have seen and heard many reporters suggest that the fall of Armstrong is different than of many other fallen sport heros because of his status.

Officially, Tour records will now show no winner for 7 years.  But anyone who watched during those years will remember Lance's iconic moments - his first post-cancer win, the time trial on l'Alpe d'Huez, the impromptu field crossing, the strength of his teams, 'the Look', his reigning in of breakaway riders, and so many more.  Regardless of official rulings, he was amazing to watch on the race.  And the power of his achievement coming back from his cancer can not be denied.  But now, all that will be tainted with today's official ruling.

It's a sad day for cycling fans.

What do you think?

Should there be a statute of limitations for past violations or is it important for sports to punish past violations?  Is there a time for leaving the stories of hope and triumph or is it more damaging to leave untested? What will this mean to cycling - and to LiveStrong?  Is Armstong's fall different than other fallen athletes?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A case for imperfection


Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.
Henry van Dyke

I have been accused of being a perfectionist.  I have always fought that characterization because, after all, nothing is ever perfect.  On the other hand, I am frequently aware that I take waaaay too long to do just about everything, usually as a result of redoing or overthinking or restarting or even not starting.... all pretty strong evidence of perfectionist traits.  I know that I am taking too long and tell myself to stop - you know, right after just one more little adjustment.

In the past, I have tried to start journals on multiple occasions but inevitably I miss a day and then feel that I couldn't just skip those days.  Instead, I would feel compelled to go back and try to include notes for every day before moving forward so the gap would build and it would become stressful.  Instead of being relaxation or catalyst, the journal keeping became a burden.  I'm not helping my case here, am I? 

I would try to argue that I am a recovering perfectionist but not even sure that I could sell that since maybe I'm not yet recovering.  Still, I'm better than I used to be.  No really.   In the past year, I have managed to become much less rigid a journal keeper.  I no longer feel compelled to backtrack to missed days.  Well, not very often anyway.  And I'm getting pretty darned lax about organization if I do say so myself.   It is time to...

Embrace imperfection

Perfection stifles creativity AND productivity.  Aim for excellence but be realistic. That includes realistic about the time available.  Set deadlines and keep them, even if they are your own self-imposed time limits. 

Start today

Don't procrastinate or wait for the perfect time.  Start now, today.

If you have stories to tell, don't let perfection be an excuse for getting started. The stories do not depend on getting all the details exactly right or on finding the perfect font and the ideal picture.  Focus on getting it down.   That is what matters.  You can always expand, edit or refine later.

Where do you fit?

How would you characterize yourself on the perfection scale? Are you a perfectionist and proud of it?  A sometimes or situational perfectionist?  A denying or recovering perfectionist?   Or perhaps you are the polar opposite of a perfectionist - would that be an unperfectionist - or maybe anti-perfectionist?

What strategies do use to make sure that perfection does not become procrastination?




Monday, October 15, 2012

In the garden - year by year

Several years ago, I bought a 10 year gardening diary with the intent of daily recording  changes in the weather, wildlife visitors and outdoor activities.  Shortly after, we moved to a new home and the book  was packed so I didn't follow through with the plan.  I'm disappointed about that... the best of intentions.

I need to start it again.  Then I would know for sure details like when we first started feeding our little feral cat what day he first showed up on the deck - and when he stayed instead of running away.  Or we'd have we'd be able to track when the first snow fell each year or the day that we saw 4 racoons - and when the baby pheasants show up each season.  With regular recording, we would know the last day of snow, the chores we accomplished in the yard,  the output of our garden every season and so much more about the day-to-day details around our little corner of the world.

I definitely need to try again with my garden journal.  As the saying goes, saying you'll start tomorrow is never starting so I'll start today with the round-up of what I've got out of the garden this year:

Digital supplies from the Alluring Autumn Collection at scrapgirls.com

Garden Bounty 2012

This year, I've so far "put up":
blackberries -  ~ 4 cups frozen + 6 x 250 ml jars of jam
blueberries - ~ 7 cups frozen
green beans - ~ 4kg. frozen + 10 x 250 ml jars of dilled beans
pumpkin - ~ 3 cups of puree (we've eaten two pies and two different loaves)
tomatoes / peppers  - 6 x 500 ml jars of marinara + 5 x 500 jars of garden salsa + 6 bowls of soup
carrots - 3 large containers of soup frozen (several servings already consumed)
squash - 10 x 250 ml jars of squash and onion relish

We ate fresh lettuce almost every day for most of the summer, raspberries and blackberries daily for about 3 weeks and blueberries for about 2 weeks - and beans and carrots that just keep coming.  We also gave away about a dozen squash, probably 4kgof beans, and about 2kg of carrots. 


I still have quite a few pumpkins and squash to process so I've been collecting recipes - and welcome any suggestions.   I've also got about 2 kg more of beans, which I just picked and quite a few more carrots still to use.  I thought that the beans were done because the last batch was not great but they bounced back again, even after frost and despite the fact that their trellis blew down two weeks ago.  Beans are most definitely foolproof - and so tasty.

Do you have garden stories to share?

What are you growing or making from your garden?  What do you recommend growing?  Have you discovered great harvest recipes.  Do tell!!  Share in the comments.

Do you keep a garden journal that shows annual patterns?  Do you have other things that you track through the year?

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Written or digital storytelling


How you choose to tell your story can be as individual and unique as you are.  Here are some resources that might help you to write or record stories that keep people reading or listening.

General writing tips

Want to write fiction?  Here is step-by-step process that you could also apply in your own stories.
http://www.storyjumper.com/main/starter

Writing tips that are helpful whether you want to write biography or fiction.
http://goinswriter.com/writing-tips/

Quick tips for telling your story - public speaking or otherwise.
http://csi.gsb.stanford.edu/how-tell-your-story-impact


Some reasons you should tell all your stories.
http://michaelhyatt.com/tell-your-story-the-good-and-the-bad.html

Resources and tips for preserving your life story.
http://www.your-life-your-story.com/whatandwhy.html

Oral history and digital storytelling

A not for profit organization dedicated to preserving oral histories for Americans of all backgrounds.
http://storycorps.org/about/

Helen Bartlett offers plenty of links to sites with digital storytelling resources.
http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory/

Center for Oral History and Digital StoryTelling
http://storytelling.concordia.ca/

Seven elements of digital storytelling.
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/7elements.html

Blogging

Resources for bloggers at all levels of involvement.
http://www.problogger.net/

Why tell your story?

There are two main reasons to write or record or otherwise represent the stories of your life.

Write for yourself. 

Expressing your stories can help you document your experiences, recall pleasant moments, uncover lost memories, release anxiety, put things into perspective, process learning, [re]discover insights, clear your mind, overcome challenges, inspire creativity, drive action or any of a myriad of other  emotions and benefits.  Whether your story prompts positive or less positive reactions, the process of telling them can help you better understand and appreciate who you are and what makes you one-of-a-kind. 

Write for others.

You are unique and your story might help others to better learn about you but also about themselves.

Your story might:
  • help your children and grandchildren know you better.
  • lead family members to understand more about their personal history and influences.
  • encourage people battling similar challenges or roadblocks that you have met or overcome. 
  • inspire new ideas, new approaches or new appreciation.
  • make someone laugh, smile, cry, scream, rage, dance, run, write, share, think ...
 

Why do you tell your stories?

What stories do you want to tell and why do you want to tell them?

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Oral Histories

Do your parents have a box of old photographs with no identifying features?  Does your favorite aunt keep trying to give you memorabilia from her days as a roving reporter?  Does your grandfather regale you with stories and offer you tokens of his adventures?

You might not want the collections but you don't want to lose the stories. 

Sit down with Mom and Dad and have them tell you about the people, places and events in those old images. 

Interview your aunt about her days on the beat and have her tell you about the people she met and the meaning of all that memorabilia.  Otherwise, that history might be lost forever.

It is not really that long ago that the source of much of our family histories were from the oral tradition and reminiscences of people who lived it.  Maintain that tradition and speak to older family members to learn about your family history.

Tips for conducting an oral interview

  • Ask permission to take notes or record the discussion.
  • Have a list of questions to start the conversation but don't be too tied to a specific list or order. Be able to change course according to the whims of the speaker.  Ask follow-up questions and be flexible. 
  • Start with brief, biographical questions for context and to help your subject relax.
  • Use open ended questions that invite a detailed response rather than a yes / no answer.
  • Give the person time to think and answer.  Be prepared to wait and learn to be comfortable with silence.
  • Be an active listener and check understanding of words, phrases and references.
  • Rather than one long marathon session, plan on multiple smaller ones.
  • Make notes shortly after the conversation while it is fresh in your mind.

Most people welcome the opportunity to share their stories. For you, it can be gift, a chance to spend some time connecting with family and friends.  I remember a few sessions when I encouraged my parents to label pictures and they brought out one of the boxes then went back and forth with stories while I noted details on the backs of the photos they described. Those were fun evenings with lots of laughter. I feel lucky to have shared that time with them and only wish we had done it more often. Now they have both died and I have found more boxes of unmarked photos from their younger days.

Time to connect and gather the stories is never wasted.
So, decline the generous offer of a stuffed swordfish and invite Gramps to pose with his trophy and tell you again about the day he caught it - and how it fought the good fight.  You'll be glad that you did!

A few resources

Oral History Toolkit from DoHistory

Genealogy at About.com

Canadian Oral History Society

International Oral History Association

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

World Mental Health Day



October 10 is Mental Health Day, a day intended to increase awareness of mental health.  It encourages people to have open discussion and to advocate for support like funding in programs aimed at prevention and treatment to improve the lives of people living with mental disorders. The theme for 2012 is Depression: A Global Crisis.  According to the World Health Organization, "Depression affects more than 350 million people of all ages, in all communities, and is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. Although there are known effective treatments for depression, access to treatment is a problem in most countries and in some countries fewer than 10% of those who need it receive such treatment."

People who have physical illness or disability get sympathy and support from family, friends and the community at large; people with mental disorders, however, are more likely to receive comments like 'just get over it' or worse, be avoided by people who don't understand what it means.

During my university studies, I worked for several summers at a facility for the treatment and care of people with mental health or addiction challenges.  Many of them spoke of their fear of telling anyone about their mental health concerns, making it more difficult to get much needed support or treatment with the result that their suffering was more severe or longer than necessary.

If you or anyone that you know suffers from mental illness, tell the stories of your experiences.   Help change the perception and get rid of the stigmas of mental health disorders.

Some shared stories

More than 100 people participated in a World Mental Health Day blog party, sharing their stories.  Click on the image to read those stories.

I blog for World Mental Health Day






TED Talks

Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds.
Who do you think made the first stone spears? The Asperger guy. If you were to get rid of all the autism genetics, there would be no more Silicon Valley. 

Elyn Saks: Seeing mental illness
Portray [people with mental illness] sympathetically, and portray them in all the richness and depth of their experience as people, and not as diagnoses.

Joshua Walters: On being just crazy enough
Maybe no one’s really crazy. Everyone is just a little bit mad. How much depends on where you fall in the spectrum. How much depends on how lucky you are.

Ruby Wax: What's so funny about mental illness?
People who say … they're perfectly fine [are] more insane than the rest of us.

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Using social media

Do you have stories that you want to tell through social media?  

Whether you have business or personal stories to share, the best time to reach your audience is when they are active and using the tools.  So many things are posted every hour that a post will quickly get lost in a flood of messages and be missed if people are not active for a long period of time.  Consequently, timing is an important element of social media strategy.

It used to be said that the three most important things in business are Location - Location - Location.  That is not true in the global world of social media and these days it might be said that the most important things are Timing - Timing - Timing.  Below is an interesting graphic with guidelines about when to post in various social media to get the greatest level of engagement.  The source is on the bottom of the graphic.

Share your stories when you can most effectively meet your intended audience.  Of course, these times just offer guidelines and don't account for different time zones.  You might have to post your message to reach several time zones.  Also, it would make sense to try to asses the validity with your target audience, which might have different usage patterns than the average.

What do you think of the times indicated?  I was surprised that Twitter traffic fades so early in the afternoon - I would have expected it to be busy late afternoon and early evening.  I seem to get lots of tweets at that time of day.

Do you have favorite times that you have found especially effective for your personal or business messages?  What tips do you have about timing of your social media postings?

More tomorrow - probably between 1 and 4 pm AST. 


Monday, October 08, 2012

Giving thanks

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada.  A day when many people gather with family and friends and take time to be thankful.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.  - Melody Beattie


Most of us have many stories to tell about holidays and family gatherings.   Family pictures are often part of telling the stories so I thought that this would be a good day to share some photo tips for family gatherings.

Photo Tips for Family Gatherings

Family gatherings provide lots of times for group pictures and special moments.
As with all photos, remember to:

  • Identify the subject
  • Compose your picture to draw attention to the subject
  • Eliminate distraction
Here are some ideas for things to photograph at family gatherings:
  • Try to get a full group shop - double check that you can see all faces.  If you don't have opportunity to get everyone in one shot, be sure that you get everyone in individual or small group pictures so you can put them together to tell the story.
  • Take multi-generational groupings.
  • Photograph things like special food, unique traditions or the annual sport challenge that make your celebration special for your family.
  • Mix it up - combine candid photos  with ‘scripted’ shots that you organize.
Celebrate the stories of your family and friends today and be grateful for your time together.

Mary Elizabeth

Sunday, October 07, 2012

3 steps to letting go

When I worry about things in the past, people often say to 'just let it go' and move on but I have noticed that the people making that suggestion rarely, if ever, offer a strategy for doing so.  Those of us with the tendency to hang on know that it is easier said than doneIt isn't like you can hit the delete button or even more simply, just stop thinking about it.  I wish that I could do that.  Believe me, I have tried to just stop but that never worked for more than a short time.

So I started asking people what they do, how they 'just let it go'.  Most people I asked replied that they didn't know, they just do it.  My husband, for example, was somewhat baffled by the question.  He said I don't understand how you can't.    Hmmm.  That caused me to wonder the same thing and then, again, consider  what specifically I can do to can stop - or at least do it less often.  I do hate it when he makes me think like that.    

I did get some more direct responses to my query.  One person told me that when she finds herself starting to dwell, she repeats a little mantra to herself.  She simply says "quack quack - like water off a duck's back" and it helps her put things in perspective.  Another told me she felt foolish to admit that she would shout at persistant problems that she was through thinking of them and it was time for them to leave.  Sounds simplistic but that is the beauty of it.  It doesn't have to be a complex solution, just something that reminds you of the goal to let go of the negativity and prepare to move forward with more positive energy.

My 3 Step Strategy


Step 1: Describe the event.  Be realistic.  (read more here)

  • Be realistic and objective about the event / issue / comment.

 Step 2: Replace regrets with positive action.

  • Can you 'fix' it?  Is there something that can or should be said or done?   This is not the time to do something that will stir up old anxieties, regrets or rivalries so before you say anything,  ask yourself is it true? is it kind? is it necessary?  is it helpful?  If not, do yourself a favor and make it part of what you are letting go. 
  • If you believe you can still do something, do it.   Make a call, write a letter or extend a hand.  Make the first move.  You'll feel better for taking action if it has the potential to make a difference.  
  • If there is nothing that can change the source of regret, learn from it.   What will you do differently the next time or with the next person?  How can you share with others and help them avoid the same mistake?  
  • Replace regrets and self-doubt with something more positive.  How can you break the pattern?  Try to- move from regret to learning, holding to action,  recrimination to forgiveness of yourself and others.  

Step 3: Create a ritual. 

Give yourself a signal that it is time to let go. Don't worry if it seems silly or too simple or a waste of time.  It is just for you and if it makes you relax, forget or laugh, all the better.  Here are a few ideas.
  • Write it down using the name you gave it in Step 1. Tear, shred or burn the paper. 
  • Write your story in a journal - and literally close the book on it. 
  • Write it on sand and let it go as the waves wash it away.   
  • Talk or shout it away, as my friend did.  You might want to do that on your own where nobody will hear you or you might decide to share it with friends.  Maybe share a meal or a few drinks and make it an event.


Those are my three stepsThe process is still evolvingLet me know how it works for you.  And please share any other strategies that work for you.

Good luck.  And here's to new days, new beginnings.

Mary Elizabeth

Saturday, October 06, 2012

Let go of regrets

Tomorrow night is nothing but one long sleepless wrestle with yesterday's omissions and regrets.  
 William Faulkner

There are some stories that we need to let go.   That is not to say that it you should forget the experiences or the learning but it can be unproductive and even unhealthy to hold on to the regrets, omissions or errors. 

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should admit that I struggle with letting go.  I'm always reviewing, reliving and reprimanding myself over things that other parties have typically largely forgotten.  Truth be told, that is one of the things that prompted me to take on this blog topic.  That and the previously described tendency to hold on to physical stuff that you can read in an earlier post, if you are so inclined.  My husband, who helps me to lighten up and put things in perspective, has come to accept that I will not easily move on from something I have perceived to be a mistake.  He once told me that the difference between the two of us on that front is that I always think that I can still fix things.  He might be right on that (don't tell him that I said that) and it definitely gave me something to think about as I become [more of] a free spirit unfettered by regrets.

I am determined to not make tomorrow night a sleepless wrestle with yesterday's regrets.  Here is my plan and maybe it will work for you too. Tell yourself to:
  • Let go of memories that hold you back by prompting feelings of anxiety, anger, jealousy, regret, envy or any of a myriad of other draining emotions. 
  • Track the learning that you want to take from the experience and let go of the rest.

 STEP 1

Get a realistic picture of an event that you are reliving, one that is not focused only on what you did / didn't do and wish you hadn't / had done. 
  1. Name the event so you can catalog and let it go (more on this later).  
  2. Describe the event / situation.  Try to be objective.  Use as much or as little detail as you like to paint yourself a picture.
  3. Identify what you did wrong (by your reckoning) AND what you wish you had done differently.
  4. Try to objectively consider whether it would truly have resulted in a 'better' outcome, with 'better' meaning one that would not have caused you to have regrets.
  5. Consider how other parties would feel about the situation   Try to be realistic. How did they react?  Would they even still be thinking about it?  It is quite possible that they didn't notice or place the same value on what you said or did.

 
Tomorrow, strategies on how to let it go and move on to new chapters.

Have a great day.

Mary Elizabeth
  

Friday, October 05, 2012

UN World Teachers' Day

The 2012 theme for World Teachers' Day is Take a Stand for Teachers. 


On this day, we call for teachers to receive supportive environments, adequate quality training as well as ‘safeguards’ for teachers’ rights and responsibilities...We expect a lot from teachers – they, in turn, are right to expect as much from us. This World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity for all to take a stand

       Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General

Teachers help students learn to read, write, calculate, analyze and  work in teams.  The best teachers also help their learners to create, innovate, question, dream - and believe in themselves and the power of life-long learning.

Almost all of us have stories of a teacher who has influenced the direction of our lives.

What stories can you tell about your teachers?
  • Who was your most influential teacher - a classroom teacher? a family member? a friend?
  • How did they influence you?  
  • Do you have single memorable experience that changed your course?
  • Has a teacher made a difference to someone close to you?
 I have had many wonderful teachers, starting with my Dad, who taught me that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing right - the first time.  One of my favorite elementary school teachers was my Grade 7 homeroom teacher, Miss Comerford.  She was the first teacher I had who accepted and encouraged variety in assignments, letting people choose to do pictures or writings or plays - and ensuring that we didn't always choose the same method of delivery.  I remember her taking the time to write cards and notes of encouragement to each student at various times through the year and making a point of writing on birthdays, even for students who had holiday birthdays and weren't in school on their special day.

I am grateful for my teachers throughout my many years of formal education.  They all taught me something about what it means to be a teacher.  They are probably the reason that I became and educator myself.  And since becoming a teacher, I have worked with many more wonderful, dedicated people at all levels. 

Write the stories of your memorable teachers.  And if they are still around, take a few minutes to share your memory with them through a card, an email or a call.    Thank a teacher today.  And take a stand for teachers.

William Arthur Ward
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”    ~ William Arthur Ward

Thursday, October 04, 2012

World Animal Day

I love animals but this is the first that I have heard of World Animal Day, although this is the 81st time it has been celebrated.  According to WorldAnimalDay.co.uk, it started in 1931 at a convention of ecologists in Florence as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered species. October 4 was chosen as World Animal Day as it is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.  I know that because I looked it up after reading a reminder post from WWF Canada earlier today.  Live and learn right?

Animals are a vital part of our lives.  In celebration of World Animal Day, think about keeping the stories of animals in your life.

We have two calico cats.  It is the first time that I have actually owned a pet.  That is mainly due to the many years of a rather nomadic life style but, again, that is a story for another day.  But back to my point.  Now that I am a pet owner I have a better appreciation for what a difference animals can make in a home.





I did that layout not long after we brought home our kitten, k.d. with the misguided idea that Sasha would like the company.  Poor girl would probably have been quite content to live in a one-cat household as k.d. does tease her as little sisters do. They do have their moments of apparently reluctant acceptance and now tend to hide under the same bed when there are guests in the house - I guess that is something.  As I write this, k.d. is curled up on my lap watching Sasha who is sitting on the window at the birds at the feeder.  When either my husband or I work from our home offices, both girls will check in regularly; if we are both out for the day, they come running when they hear us return - though they disappear as quickly if we happen to have anyone else with us.  k.d. loves to be picked up and when we watch TV, she'll sit between us on the sofa.  Sasha, on the other hand, still does not like to be picked up, though she will tolerate it briefly.  She does, however, love her floor time and will run ahead of me and flop on the floor until I get down to give her scratches and rubs.

And I should mention that we also have an outdoor cat - a feral that comes by twice a day most days for a meal but won't let us get too close.  I'm starting to worry about him as winter approaches and have been looking at designs for cat houses. 




Tell you pet stories

Pet owners tend to see their pets as part of their families.  If you have a pet in your life - or a wild animal that you watch in your yard - tell their stories too.  Here are some questions that you might want to answer:
  • What are your most memorable animal stories?
  • What was your first pet?  
  • Where did your pet come from - was it a rescue? a gift? a stray?  part of a line of family pets?
  • How long has / was your animal around?
  • What is your pet's name?  Why?  What is the origin of the name?
  • Does your pet have a job (like catching mice, herding sheep or guarding the house)?
  • What are the animals special characteristics?
  • Is your pet still with you?  If not, why not?
Tell the stories of your pets or other animal friends.  Share the stories and the memories.

Taking pictures of your pets

If you want to take better photos of animals, you might want to check out some of these resources:

http://www.wikihow.com/Photograph-Pets

http://digital-photography-school.com/9-pet-photography-tips

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-pets

http://www.photography.com/articles/taking-photos/pet-photography-tips-photographing-pets-personalities/

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/ten-tips-for-photographing-wildlife-like-a-pro/

http://www.noupe.com/photography/35-truly-dramatic-examples-of-animal-photography.html

Share your stories

What is your animal story?  Love to hear about your pets in the comments.  And if you have any other tips or resources, please share those as well.

Have a great day.  I have to go feed my cats - indoors and out.