Sitting and watching the world go by at a lower pace. It is amazing that once you are in a small town everything seems to change, the pace is slower, the air is cleaner, and people take time to stop and say hello even to perfect strangers.
The chair I am sitting in is a "Muskoka chair" and there is something about these chairs that is so different. Maybe it's most of them are made of wood, or maybe it's the chair seems to hug you and lets you relax. An excellent spot to use a muskoka chair is where you can sit and watch life go on around you, but preferably facing a lake.
Sitting and overlooking a lake gives you the opportunity to slow down and even dream. There is something about seeing a muskoka chair by the water, it is so welcoming and inviting. Curl up in a muskoka chair and let your mind drift as it may, and enjoy the feeling.
My dream time in the chair is over for today, but I will return to one of these chairs soon.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sound of a train whistle
Off in the distance I can hear a train whistle and it sounds so welcoming. I wonder where the train is heading and where it's coming from.
Taking a train instead of another mode of transportation can be such a change. It may not be any faster than driving, but it gives you a chance to relax and see things differently. A train can sometimes take you through areas where there isn't a road close by, and other times you will be right beside a road.
Trains have been around for years, and it is amazing how many people have never taken a train other than their community trains, such as Go Transit or TTC. A train will get you to small towns and communities where commercial flights don't go, and show you a different view of things.
I have taken a train between cities, and I found it so relaxing, and it gives you time to think, work or recharge. Listening to the sounds of the train can also be a soothing sound.
The whistle blows again in the distance, and now it fades away. An adventure is happening for someone and someone else may be left behind only to see the train fade away in the distance.
Taking a train instead of another mode of transportation can be such a change. It may not be any faster than driving, but it gives you a chance to relax and see things differently. A train can sometimes take you through areas where there isn't a road close by, and other times you will be right beside a road.
Trains have been around for years, and it is amazing how many people have never taken a train other than their community trains, such as Go Transit or TTC. A train will get you to small towns and communities where commercial flights don't go, and show you a different view of things.
I have taken a train between cities, and I found it so relaxing, and it gives you time to think, work or recharge. Listening to the sounds of the train can also be a soothing sound.
The whistle blows again in the distance, and now it fades away. An adventure is happening for someone and someone else may be left behind only to see the train fade away in the distance.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Running in the rain
Children seem to have so much fun playing in the rain. Why, when an adult is running through puddles and laughing, do other adults look shocked and/or displeased?
This is something that has always amazed me, and it recently happened to me. We were out, and it started to rain while we were in a store. Yes, I could have maybe waited under an overhang to see if the rain let up or stopped, but what's the fun in that. What is a little bit of rain when it's hot out. So, instead of waiting like others were doing, we decided to run to the car. Running through the parking lot and splashing through puddles made me start laughing as it brought back wonderful memories. Of course, everyone that saw us running either looked displeased or shocked, but it was fun.
Being able to find joys in the simple things in life can add so much joy to your life. So, maybe, the next time it rains, and it's warm out, run through some puddles for fun. Who cares what the other people's reactions, and know at least you are having some simple fun.
This is something that has always amazed me, and it recently happened to me. We were out, and it started to rain while we were in a store. Yes, I could have maybe waited under an overhang to see if the rain let up or stopped, but what's the fun in that. What is a little bit of rain when it's hot out. So, instead of waiting like others were doing, we decided to run to the car. Running through the parking lot and splashing through puddles made me start laughing as it brought back wonderful memories. Of course, everyone that saw us running either looked displeased or shocked, but it was fun.
Being able to find joys in the simple things in life can add so much joy to your life. So, maybe, the next time it rains, and it's warm out, run through some puddles for fun. Who cares what the other people's reactions, and know at least you are having some simple fun.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Blogging and why I do it
Blogging is a method of expressing yourself while also sharing your thoughts/activities with others. Some individuals put everything out on a blog, while others put just highlights of specific activities.
A blog can also be used as a method of getting feedback from others on ideas for articles or stories. If you are going to use a blog in this manner, you must be prepared for both positive and negative feedback.
Blogging can also help in resolving writer's block, as it's a means of getting ideas documented and available for future use. A blog can be a public method of tracking ideas which can be easily accessed no matter where an individual is, as internet access is all that is required to retrieve information. Looking back through even a personal blog can spark ideas and bring back memories.
One thing I see people forgetting is that once they post something on the internet, it's available for everyone to see. Some memories are best to be documented privately and not through blogs, as they will be around for years to come. An example of this is writing about a child and their activities, as this information will be available when this child grows up, and would they really want the embarrassing stories/activities known by everyone.
Blogging can be a great method of sharing information, but it's important to think about what you are posting. A blog if on the internet can be available to search engines, so it can be found by anyone, not just by those who follow you.
A blog can also be used as a method of getting feedback from others on ideas for articles or stories. If you are going to use a blog in this manner, you must be prepared for both positive and negative feedback.
Blogging can also help in resolving writer's block, as it's a means of getting ideas documented and available for future use. A blog can be a public method of tracking ideas which can be easily accessed no matter where an individual is, as internet access is all that is required to retrieve information. Looking back through even a personal blog can spark ideas and bring back memories.
One thing I see people forgetting is that once they post something on the internet, it's available for everyone to see. Some memories are best to be documented privately and not through blogs, as they will be around for years to come. An example of this is writing about a child and their activities, as this information will be available when this child grows up, and would they really want the embarrassing stories/activities known by everyone.
Blogging can be a great method of sharing information, but it's important to think about what you are posting. A blog if on the internet can be available to search engines, so it can be found by anyone, not just by those who follow you.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
To Do Lists
How many of us have the "To-Do List" that we look at from time to time. If your list is anything like mine is, it just keeps growing. My list gets some items marked off, but then more items get added, sot the list never goes away.
Sometimes I think I should have a bunch of different lists to help me see I am getting things accomplished. Maybe the lists should be: today, this week, soon, at some point, possible future items and dreams. Maybe splitting things out like this would help me feel that I am truly getting things done.
If I had a To-Do for just today, maybe I would see results while the other lists could grow. I know, in perfect time management, you make your to-do list for your work day late in the day before. I find in IT we write up a to-do list the day before only to have it totally destroyed the next day due to issue that need our immediate attention. Maybe in real life a weekly to-do list is the best because then you can concentrate on getting things done but still have some structure to your week.
A To-Do List is supposed to assist you in accomplishing things, not adding additional stress to your life. As both an IT and a non-IT professional, I need to be flexible to meet the different demands on my time, but also get things off my to-do list.
Sometimes I think I should have a bunch of different lists to help me see I am getting things accomplished. Maybe the lists should be: today, this week, soon, at some point, possible future items and dreams. Maybe splitting things out like this would help me feel that I am truly getting things done.
If I had a To-Do for just today, maybe I would see results while the other lists could grow. I know, in perfect time management, you make your to-do list for your work day late in the day before. I find in IT we write up a to-do list the day before only to have it totally destroyed the next day due to issue that need our immediate attention. Maybe in real life a weekly to-do list is the best because then you can concentrate on getting things done but still have some structure to your week.
A To-Do List is supposed to assist you in accomplishing things, not adding additional stress to your life. As both an IT and a non-IT professional, I need to be flexible to meet the different demands on my time, but also get things off my to-do list.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The road ahead
Who really knows what's on the road ahead or where it's going to take us. Some people are not able to handle sudden changes, while others just accept the change and move on.
Accepting the change can be a challenge because of all the unknowns that are involved. I know I am one of those that likes to know some of what is ahead. In our life as IT professionals, we must try and foresee what's ahead sometimes, so we can handle the change and run with it.
The current road for IT professionals has lots of different curves and bumps involved, but it's the handling of them that sets people and companies apart. Having the ability to accept some change and learn about it is extremely important. Individuals or companies that just stick with the old ways of doing things will either fail or will eventually have to adjust and have a hard time doing so to meet the needs of their clients, or they risk losing their clients.
Being able to slowly adjust to the current changes in IT makes it a lot easier to handle. Knowing that IT is going to keep evolving is something to accept and is a road that needs to be taken, and how to handle the changes is up to you.
Accepting the change can be a challenge because of all the unknowns that are involved. I know I am one of those that likes to know some of what is ahead. In our life as IT professionals, we must try and foresee what's ahead sometimes, so we can handle the change and run with it.
The current road for IT professionals has lots of different curves and bumps involved, but it's the handling of them that sets people and companies apart. Having the ability to accept some change and learn about it is extremely important. Individuals or companies that just stick with the old ways of doing things will either fail or will eventually have to adjust and have a hard time doing so to meet the needs of their clients, or they risk losing their clients.
Being able to slowly adjust to the current changes in IT makes it a lot easier to handle. Knowing that IT is going to keep evolving is something to accept and is a road that needs to be taken, and how to handle the changes is up to you.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
How open a book are you to strangers?
This is a question that started being asked while looking through social networking sites. The article was titled this because of what people are doing through the social networks. It is totally amazing how much information a person posts thinking that only their friends will see it.
We decided to watch what a couple of our friends posted, and boy did we ever learn a lot, even when looking as just an anonymous connection. Examples of what we saw were being able to locate them at various times during the day as well as figure out their upcoming events. One person even posted what they would be doing on the Labour Day weekend, so people knew when they would be home and away, therefore communicating when their house was empty. This post was sent a couple of days before the weekend instead of after the weekend. If people want to post their events in their status line, it is best to post them there afterwards.
So many posts are telling people when their house will be vacant. One social network site did tell people to stop posting their whereabouts, but it still continues. These are the people that if something happens to them are going to say I didn't realize what I was doing. Posting where you are at various times of the day makes you very traceable. Can someone tell when you leave your home, arrive at work, leave work, attend other events and then arrive home? If you post your location more than once a day, the answer is likely "Yes". Some people are even using applications that map where they are at a given time. If you do this daily, people can monitor it for a couple of weeks and therefore know your daily and weekly routines.
People want to tell their friends what they are up to, but not everyone on the social networks are there for good. On some social networks, you don't even have to be connected with an individual to see what they post. Even if you believe your posts are private today, there is no guarantee that they won't be made fully public tomorrow.
The management of posting on social networks needs to be communicated to employees of companies as well, so that staff is not posting confidential information on the social networks. So many people figure that they can trust everyone who can see their posts, but that isn't true. Some people try to friend everyone and some of these people they don't really know, so how can they really trust these people. How many people friend anyone even if they don't know them, just so they have hundreds and hundreds of friends or followers (too many)?
Another interesting item is that people use their corporate identity for their personal comments. Remember, if you say something in fun to someone, it could damage your professional identity as other people do see it. Never post comments about a company on the internet if it isn't part of your job, as it could be there forever. A company's identification should be used for professional use, such as announcing different events, example restaurants or retailers announcing events. It is very important to remember that a single comment on a social network could damage a person both professionally and personally, such as get you fired (or worse).
A key piece of information that people don't realize is that if they post their address and/or their date of birth including year or your mother's maiden name, they are giving away enough information for identify theft. If you want to include your date of birth, just post your day and month. Your friends will know how old you are, and other people don't need to know this information. Other pieces of information that you should not post are where your children go to school, activities they are involved in, or their date of birth. Imagine their surprise if, when they try to get credit in the future, they find out that someone has been using their identification for years and no one knew. A second reason for not posting a lot of information about your children is that this information then is totally available for people that could harm your children.
So before you become a victim, please limit what you post on social networks sites because you don't know who sees it. Remember, even your blog can be read by anyone, so a lot of the tips apply to blogs as well.
A door with a lock is no more secure than a door without one, if the lock is not engaged. Are you using your locks or are you leaving your doors open with banners overheard saying "pick/steal me"?
We decided to watch what a couple of our friends posted, and boy did we ever learn a lot, even when looking as just an anonymous connection. Examples of what we saw were being able to locate them at various times during the day as well as figure out their upcoming events. One person even posted what they would be doing on the Labour Day weekend, so people knew when they would be home and away, therefore communicating when their house was empty. This post was sent a couple of days before the weekend instead of after the weekend. If people want to post their events in their status line, it is best to post them there afterwards.
So many posts are telling people when their house will be vacant. One social network site did tell people to stop posting their whereabouts, but it still continues. These are the people that if something happens to them are going to say I didn't realize what I was doing. Posting where you are at various times of the day makes you very traceable. Can someone tell when you leave your home, arrive at work, leave work, attend other events and then arrive home? If you post your location more than once a day, the answer is likely "Yes". Some people are even using applications that map where they are at a given time. If you do this daily, people can monitor it for a couple of weeks and therefore know your daily and weekly routines.
People want to tell their friends what they are up to, but not everyone on the social networks are there for good. On some social networks, you don't even have to be connected with an individual to see what they post. Even if you believe your posts are private today, there is no guarantee that they won't be made fully public tomorrow.
The management of posting on social networks needs to be communicated to employees of companies as well, so that staff is not posting confidential information on the social networks. So many people figure that they can trust everyone who can see their posts, but that isn't true. Some people try to friend everyone and some of these people they don't really know, so how can they really trust these people. How many people friend anyone even if they don't know them, just so they have hundreds and hundreds of friends or followers (too many)?
Another interesting item is that people use their corporate identity for their personal comments. Remember, if you say something in fun to someone, it could damage your professional identity as other people do see it. Never post comments about a company on the internet if it isn't part of your job, as it could be there forever. A company's identification should be used for professional use, such as announcing different events, example restaurants or retailers announcing events. It is very important to remember that a single comment on a social network could damage a person both professionally and personally, such as get you fired (or worse).
A key piece of information that people don't realize is that if they post their address and/or their date of birth including year or your mother's maiden name, they are giving away enough information for identify theft. If you want to include your date of birth, just post your day and month. Your friends will know how old you are, and other people don't need to know this information. Other pieces of information that you should not post are where your children go to school, activities they are involved in, or their date of birth. Imagine their surprise if, when they try to get credit in the future, they find out that someone has been using their identification for years and no one knew. A second reason for not posting a lot of information about your children is that this information then is totally available for people that could harm your children.
So before you become a victim, please limit what you post on social networks sites because you don't know who sees it. Remember, even your blog can be read by anyone, so a lot of the tips apply to blogs as well.
A door with a lock is no more secure than a door without one, if the lock is not engaged. Are you using your locks or are you leaving your doors open with banners overheard saying "pick/steal me"?
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