End of the year

It is now the end of yet another year.  What have you accomplished and what didn't you quite get done?

For me, I can say that I have grown through my writing as I continue to write as much as I can.  Of course, there are days when the schedule just doesn't work for me to sit and write, but at least I am seeing that I can write a lot more without sitting and dealing with writer's block.

I know that I didn't reach all of my goals for 2013, but I will review them either tomorrow or early in the new year.  I can say that I am happy with what I have accomplished and look forward to writing out my 2014 goals as well.

Time to sit back and enjoy a bit of time with people you love.  Tomorrow is another day and a start to another year.

No Solicitation

Solicitation – In criminal law, it most commonly refers to either the act of offering goods or services, or the act of attempting to purchase such goods or services. (wikipedia)

Yesterday we ran into a situation where people don't respect the No Solicitation sign that is up in our building.

A knock came at our door, and it was a lady asking for money for disabled children in the 3^rd world countries. Of course, she just had a laminated piece of paper and didn't show any confidence when she was asking for money. I do not give any money at the door because there are so many scams where people have causes, and it's either them or someone else that gets all the money, and nothing goes to where they are saying it is to go.

Shortly after that knock we got another knock at the door (less than 5 minutes apart) and this time we were handed a gift which was a book and CD from a religious group. Again, another interruption to our day which was frustrating. Before we could get back to the kitchen another knock, and it was the same group, and it was because the girl thought she had given us her clipboard. I did yell “What now” before we opened the door because it was frustrating. Of course, the girl had found her clipboard before we answered the door.

People do not understand what they are doing and why it is wrong. We have had situations where people tell us they live in the building, so it's OK for them to knock at our doors and ask us to buy things or donate time or money.  We continue to try and explain what is wrong and people quite often apologize to us, but we then hear them knocking on the next door as soon as we close our door.

NO SOLICITATION means do not knock on someone's door asking for their time, soul, or money. Also, do not knock on my door to offer me something for FREE. Free is never free when you are standing at my door.

Ice Storm 2013

This past Saturday evening, the Toronto area was hit by a major ice storm. The storm has resulted in hundreds of thousands of homes without power. The trees around the city couldn't handle the weight of the ice, and the old trees breaking brought down the power lines.

It has been a challenge for everyone in the city over the last couple of days to manage due to no power or knowing someone that has lost their power. Today we were out for a bit to try and assist in getting the family some supplies only to discover that all the salt, deicer, batteries, and flashlights were sold out. Of course, everyone figures that they live in a city, so batteries and flashlights are something that we normally have to think about. I am glad that we had some batteries, so they can be used in the flashlights that the family has.

As I am writing this there is still almost 200,000 customers in the city of Toronto without power, and it is almost 42 hours since the power first went out for some people.

To everyone that is working to restore power to the city, THANK YOU, and know that you are appreciated. For those that are without power, I hope you will get your power back soon. To everyone, stay safe.

Conferences and follow-up emails

When you register for a conference, they normally ask you to give them your email address so that they can communicate with you. What also happens, most of the time, is the vendors and sponsors of the conference also get your email address.

I don't totally understand giving all the vendors my email address because there may be some vendors that don't meet the needs of my company or my clients. The reason I don't like this is that the vendors also normally have the scanner where they can scan your name badge to get your contact information. If they are scanning you, it means that you went to the booth and made contact with someone.

Recently, I missed a conference that I had registered to go to because of other commitments. Now I am receiving emails from the various vendors thanking me for attending the conference and stopping by their booth. It is amazing because I know I didn't go to the conference, so it is frustrating to get all these emails that if the vendors had done the work correctly I wouldn't be receiving.

In the past, I also received phone calls from vendors wanting to know if they could assist me and my organization by answering questions. Normally during this call, they also thank me for dropping by their booth at the conference. The funny thing is some of these vendors are the booths I intentionally didn't drop by at the conference because they don't meet the needs of my company, or my client's needs.

So, if vendors really want to do their job, they should only be contacting the attendees that dropped by their booth and not the entire group of attendees or worse the group of registered attendees.

Do As I Say

“Do as I say, not as I do” is a saying that so many of us have heard.

I have recently dealt with just that myself, and figured it was time to write about why I think this is so wrong. A friend of mine was on Facebook one day complaining about being unfriended by someone without an explanation. I understand that it is frustrating to try and communicate with a person only to discover that you are no longer friends on Facebook, but those things happen.

Now just a couple of weeks ago this friend got upset with me for reasons I do not know and guess what she did. She unfriended me on Facebook without an explanation, so I guess her thinking is everyone is supposed to give her an explanation, but she doesn't have to give others an explanation.

If you are going to complain about someone else's behaviour, and you do this publicly, you should remember that you should act the way you think the other person should have acted. Yes, the saying should be “Do as I say, and I do”. Don't complain and then do exactly what you complained about.

Presentation and mobile devices

At the beginning of a presentation, the presenter asks for all devices to be either muzzled or turned off. Within minutes, you start hearing the devices notify the various users that they have messages. Why can't people do as they are asked. I think part of the reason for people not turning devices to vibrate is because they feel that their email is more important and bothering people isn't something they care about.

Another thing people do is put their device on the table and let it vibrate, but of course that disrupts other attendees. If you put your device on vibrate, put it in the holster or a pocket and that way it will contact you but not disrupt those around you. It is interesting to hear the different sounds that people have for their settings.

Of course, I am at an all day conference, and it is fun to see what people do at breaks. Besides the basic personal needs, everyone checks their email and voice mail. A 20-minute break seems to disappear very quickly when you do this. Of course, at sponsored events, the 20 minutes is supposed to be used to talk to the sponsoring vendors. Nowadays, to take time away from the office means you still need to contact the office at breaks and at lunch. Even for consultants, the breaks are used for talking with clients.

Agendas are very important for attendees. I am at an event where the agenda was not talked about at the beginning of the day. The agenda is available online, but not visible for those attending without an internet connection. I, for one, decided that I would print the agenda before coming to the event and am glad I did. The agenda does help know when you are going to be able to contact that person who contacted you during the presentation.

It is very important to go to the various conferences and seminars as it does keep you update on what is happening in IT. Most people have a focus, but it is a good idea to attend some seminars outside your focus so that you know what is happening in general. Having a focus is great but remember if you don't think outside your focus, you may lose your focus and have nothing to fall back on.

Computers at presentations

There seems to be more and more computers going to presentations and various meetings. I understand that people use their computer to take notes, but what is frustrating are the individuals that seem to do everything else while at the meeting.

I go to a monthly meeting, and it seems that people do a lot of other things on their computer while attending that meeting. What these people don't understand is that they are distracting to the people around them because of the constant flipping between screens. If you are going to put the time and effort to go to an evening presentation, please respect other people's time as well. A lot of us are trying to pay attention to the presentation, but it is hard when screens are flipping in front of us.

I understand that there are times when you quickly have to move to something else because a thought has come to you, but it is the constant flipping between various applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and all the other applications people go to. Last month I noticed one guy that seems to spend his entire session working on various applications on his computer. It got so bad that I could tell you he was checking stock prices, and he was sitting a few rows ahead of us.

Computers are a valuable means of taking notes, but they should be used for taking the notes and not as a distraction to those around you. When at a presentation, remember, you aren't the only one that is seeing your computer screen unless you have a privacy screen on it. For me what I do when taking my notes at a session is at the bottom of the page, I have the other thoughts that have come to me during the session and then will put them in the appropriate spot after the meeting.

So next time you go to a presentation and want to take notes, please remember that the flipping of screens is distracting to others around you. Please keep your flipping to a minimum, and it will make a lot of other people happy.

Saying goodbye again

This past June, I had to say goodbye to yet another person that was very special in my life. It is so hard even when you know the end is coming, but in this case, it did come too quickly.

The women I am talking about was a business owner, designer, and a wonderful friend to a lot of people. With her, you knew if she liked you or not and where you stood. I know that I liked her a lot, and she was someone I could talk to about a lot of different things that I couldn't talk to some family members about. She also inspired me to try and do some designing, but also to be a stronger person.

It is hard for me to think about going into the store and not seeing her again there, especially when I need to talk to her about something. I am determined to make her proud of me no matter what because I know she is watching over me.

Saying goodbye is only saying goodbye to the physical person and not the person that will always live in my heart. I am a stronger person for having her in my life, and proud to be able to say she was a friend.

Back to routine

It is amazing how one simple date on the calendar can make such a big impact on so many people’s lives.  The date I am talking about it when school starts again after kids have been off for two months.

I don’t have children that are going back to school, but of course my schedule is also impacted.  Bus route times change, and even how many people are on the buses and subway really changes.  For people with children going to school, there are so many different things to think about, such as what time to get the kids up in the morning to if all the homework is completed each evening.

What amazes me about the date on the calendar is just how many people one day can effect, even when they don’t have children to consider.  Now we all have to consider the children out on the street going and coming home from school, as well as all the school buses that are now on the road again.

Yes, the day after Labour Day is a sign of change for so many of us.  The weather may be getting cooler, and the days are getting shorter, but more importantly, we deal with more people on the roads for the next 10 months.

Our routine is impacted by others so easily, and sometimes we don’t even think about that change until it happens.  So, remember, beware of the extra people on the roads as it will impact your timing each day.

Escaping with music

I am one of those individuals that sometimes needs to hide and enjoy some relaxing music to refocus and be able to get back to everything that life has been throwing at me.

Today is one of those days when I am sitting and listening to some of the music that helps me forget about everything around me and regain my focus. I do like a variety of music but when I am feeling a little lost you will hear me listening to:

      Il Divo

      The Tenors (originally named The Canadian Tenors)

      Josh Groban

      Michael Buble or

      John McDermott

The other thing that I have found very useful is having a nice pair of ear-bud noise-cancelling headphones. I have used my headphones sometimes when I just need to focus and don't even have music playing because it cancels out a lot of the difference sounds that are going on around me.

Everyone is different in how they can regain their focus, and for me, it is my music. I have known individuals that will go for a long walk to regain their focus, and other people will exercise or just sit quiet. For me, listening to the music and escaping all the other sounds around me has helped me learn how to relax and how to tune out all the other things.

Whatever your escape you need to figure it out and when life gets a little crazy you just need to do it.

Dealing with none IT individuals

In the IT field, there are always times when you have to deal with someone that has no understanding of computers or internet.

Even now, there are individuals that do not own a computer and never will because it is something they just don't want to have to deal with.  I understand this as my mother doesn't want to use a computer because, as she says, at her age why bother learning it.

For people that work, a computer is something that they have to deal with almost on a daily, if not daily basis if they work in an office environment.  A computer is something that is now part of ever office, and knowing the basics is very important.

Yesterday I got to hear a very interesting comment from someone that uses a computer but has no understanding about a computer and where things are stored.  This individual wanted a new monitor because she was having problems with her existing monitor.  A new monitor was found for her, and then she says, "I can't change my monitor because all my bookmarks and files are on the old monitor."  I was only hearing this comment and have to admit that I was surprised to hear that comment and I ended up laughing because of it.

Yes, nowadays if you have an all-in-one-computer, you can't just replace a monitor, but most computers still have an independent monitor, and it is not where the files and bookmarks are stored.  So yes, we get to hear different comments from end users, and we have to understand that there are generations that grew up with computers and there are some generations that didn't have computers until they were working for a while.

Mobile devices

I have noticed lately that more and more people are walking while looking at their mobile devices.  It gets very frustrating to deal with this type of person.

If you need to deal with a message, step aside and deal with and don't try and walk and type as it doesn't work.  I am saying this because this morning, a man reading his mobile device walked into me and blamed me for not watching where I was going.  I was trying to avoid him, but it is hard when someone cannot walk straight.

At least years ago, when people were only listening to music when they were walking around, it wasn't quite as dangerous to other individuals.  These people normally had their heads up when they were walking and listening to music. 

Now it seems that the constant flow of emails or instant messaging seems to be more important than the actual movement of the individual.  Yes, I do carry a mobile device, but if I get a message I will try and step aside to read it instead of trying to walk and read.  I know that the police were trying to get people to stop reading/texting on mobile devices while crossing the road because people were getting injured.  I have seen people start to cross the road against the light because they were too busy on their mobile device to pay attention to where they were.  I have yelled a few times to get someone to notice that the light is against them.

Yes, everyone is busy nowadays because we seem to have more demands on us, but when moving around, please remember you aren't the only one moving about.  A message can wait a couple of minutes, and it will be a saver for you as well as for others.

2013 Goal review - midpoint

It's hard to believe, but the year is half over, so I figured it was time

2013 Goals:
1. Blog four times each month: 4 months of 4 posts and 2 months of 1 post each
2. Complete 3 course toward Fundraising Certificate: have completed 2 and currently taking 2 more
3. Write a minimum of 15,000 words a month.:  have writing lots and as of June 30 have exceeded the 15,000 per month total
4. Take time for myself on a regular basis: still working on this

I am working hard on my writing, and I want to ensure that I am getting into the habit of writing most days.  In May, I was very happy because I only missed writing one day that month.  Some months have been better than others, but at least I can say that overall, I have exceeded 15,000 words a month.

Now to see if I can get my blogging up to 4 posts a month.

Following Other People's Blogs

I am one of those that enjoys reading a variety of different blogs. In my blog list I have some craft sites, IT sites, general thinking sites and even some writing sites. It is a lot of fun to see how often people post on the various blogs. Some individuals post on an almost daily basis and others seem to post whenever.

For me, what is interesting is those that start a blog and on their first post they state how often they are going to post. I think the best thing is before you can state how often you are going to post is actually get into a routine of posting first. Once your routine is established, then you might think about posting something about when people can expect posts. For me, I know that I have set a goal of posting around 4 times a month, but sometimes all my posts are near the end of the month and other times the posts are spaced out. It all depends on what time I have for writing the posts and when ideas for the posts come to me.

For me, reading other individuals blogs helps inspire me to write my own blog more often, and it is also a great way to see different writing styles. Some blogs always have pictures attached, and other blogs never have a picture attached. I know that this blog doesn't normally have pictures, but when I find that the blog is enhanced by a picture, I will include one.

A blog is a great communication device, and for me, it is also a means of keeping track of my thoughts and making them easily accessible to even me. I know I have looked up something I have written on a blog, and it has helped me explain something to someone else. My blogs are my way of expressing my thoughts to others.

Off to read a couple more blogs today.

What is Really Important

What is important to one person can be unimportant to someone else. Respecting others is what is necessary, and you need to know what is important to them. It could be as simple as knowing not to call after 9pm. Even the little things can have a high value to someone.

For me, what is important is having the opportunity to write when I have the thoughts flying around in my head. To someone else that doesn't think writing is important, won't understand the importance to me.

Understanding those around you and what is important to them can make a big difference. To some people, having tons of friends is important, while others just having a few close friends is important. Knowing and respecting what is important to those around you can make a big difference.

What is really important to me is knowing what is also important to those close to me.

Taking Time For Yourself

It is very important to remember that most people need to take time for themselves. Sometimes this time can be easily achieved, while other times it may need to be schedule. When I say scheduled, I mean booked so that something else cannot take that time away from you.

I have booked sometime in my calendar occasionally to ensure I have time for me. It can be a challenge sometimes to take some time to recharge the personal battery. In some cases, the taking time can be a half an hour here and there, while other times it can be a few hours or even a few days.

For me, taking time for myself has meant taking a bit of sleep time away so that I could have some quite time to myself. I can find that I want to write late at night, and I need to do it then sometimes. If I don't get the thoughts written down, I don't sleep, so I might as well get up and get the thoughts onto paper.

Taking time for yourself, is very important to ensure you are there to help others and even do your own job. Remember, when time starts to go crazy, book a little “me time” for yourself.

One Step At A Time

Almost everyone has a goal that they want to achieve. It could be something small or something that could take years to achieve. Having a goal is great, and knowing how to achieve it is also important. Realizing that there are a number of steps to take to achieve a goal can really help.

In some cases, documenting the various steps can help in achieving the overall goal. Also, if you end up not achieving the overall goal, you can at least see how far you go and even figure out why you didn't achieve the overall goal. For some individuals, they don't write down the steps and just plow ahead and get frustrated when they don't achieve a goal because of a major obstacle. At least by writing down the various steps you might discover the major obstacle before putting a lot of time, energy and maybe even money into something.

For small goals, it isn't always necessary to write down all the steps because there aren't lots of steps. At least clearly thinking the goal through can help.

I have goals that I want to achieve, and some are small while others are larger goals. There are times when I can't achieve a larger goal, but at least having the steps documented, I can see how far I actually got. In some cases, it has taken years to get back to working on a goal and in some cases the steps have changed.

For me, achieving a goal is done one step at a time.

Balancing Work, Personal/Family and School Life

Before anyone can say anything, I admit that I do enjoy taking courses. I finished college and my parents jokingly said I was going to be a professional student, and I can say yes, I am. There is something about the actual learning that I really enjoy. Yes, I get stressed and sometimes frustrated, but I normally enjoy the learning.

So balancing all the different parts of my life can get a little difficult. Running a small business with my husband does mean a schedule that does fluctuate with demands from clients. This means that standard work hours aren't always there. So the balancing of even personal and work sometimes can be a challenge and now add on assignments, exams, and weekly reading for school, and it can be very difficult.

I am one of those individuals that gets frustrated when I feel like I don't have control of my life. I am known to have long to-do-lists, and that is because I break things down on the list, so I can see progress. My to-do-list is sometimes the only way I can manage everything that is going on in my life, and I do put even the smallest things on it sometimes to ensure that I don't miss them.

As I am writing this blog, I am balancing two courses, lots of work and personal and family demands that I need to deal with over the next little while. Knowing that I have done this in the past does help, but there are still days when I want to just give up and hide and not deal with any of the items that I have on my to-do-list.

Balancing work, personal/family and school life can be a challenge, but it can also be very rewarding. Knowing that I can do everything that I need to do and still have some time to relax occasionally does really help. So, before I realize that there is something else that I should be working on today, I am going to do and relax for a bit.

Appointments

Why is it so difficult to know when to call and make an appointment with a doctor. I understand that with specialists that appointments are normally made months ahead. I am talking about making appointments with family physicians.

My father called his doctor two weeks ahead of when he wanted, only to be told, “that's too early to call to make an appointment.” To me if he called then it shouldn't be a problem. He was able to make an appointment but was told “next time just call a week ahead.”

For me, I normally have to call at least a week, if not more, prior to when I want an appointment with my doctor. It is very difficult to make an appointment for the same day. How do you know when you are going to get sick and need to see a doctor.

My husband is the luckiest because if he calls for an appointment, he normally can get an appointment either the same day or the next. He is the luckiest because he has the most flexibility when making an appointment.

I am not saying that you should always be able to get same day appointments for non-urgent appoints. What I am trying to say is, it would be nice if there was a standard for when calling to make normal appointments with family physicians. There should always be a few available if someone needs same day appointments, but it is the follow-up or planned visits I am talking about.

For people that work, it is sometimes important for them to make appointments a couple of weeks in advance, so meetings aren't scheduled and prevent them from getting to see their family physicians. For other people, even just a couple of days in advance is good enough. I think if people have a wider time frame for booking appointments, it would be the best of all worlds.

So, if I want to make my appointment two weeks in advance, please let me also know that there are people that will call within the last couple of days wanting appointments.

Knowing who you are

Lately, I have spent a bit of time thinking about what makes me happy and what doesn't.  It can be very difficult to face some of the things that you have hidden in the back of your mind for way too long, but it does help.

Being able to accept that things aren't always going to work the way you want is important when you want to make yourself happy.  Knowing that you are going to hit some bumps in the road is another thing to accept.  The outcome can be that you are able to face the things that have bothered you in the past and put them back in the past instead of dealing with them continually.

For so many years, I have been a person that put everyone else before me and never did things that I wanted.  Lately I have started to do things for myself and does it ever feel good.  Having the strength to say that I am important has been something I hadn't done in the past.  Now I am saying I am important, and I need to focus some time on things for myself instead of always for someone else.

Knowing what makes you happy can really make a difference on how you deal with things.  I continue to run into situations that get me frustrated and down, but I know I am who I am.  The situations may set me back a little bit, but at least the setback isn't nearly as far back as it was in the past.  I continue to think of the goals that I have and want to achieve in the future, and now I can say the future isn't so far ahead anymore.

New projects are now on the horizon for me, and I think I am finally able to say I am ready to accept these new projects.

Demanding perfection

I am one of those individuals that has demanded perfection from myself in whatever I do. I am not saying I just need to get something done, I need to have it perfect before I am happy with it. Ok, what I am saying is I basically demand 125% out of myself and a lot of the time 100% out of anyone else.

So, you can see there is a major problem with this thinking, and it is very stressful on me. I was brought up being told if you can't do your best, why do it at all. So, I have developed the need for perfection out of myself and those around me. Over the last little while I have come to realize that 100% isn't always achievable and time will just not allow it to happen. Knowing that I can handle not being perfect has been very difficult for me.

I know that I get really upset sometimes when I can't achieve even close to 100% when I am working on something. I take courses and so often I exceed what is expected on the assignment because I have to do what I think is enough. Currently, I am taking a course, and we are given a word count for our assignments, and it is very difficult for me. I want to write a lot more than I am allowed because I think I need to include more detail before the assignment is good enough.

Yes, I still demand a high level out of myself but have realized that as long as I try my best it is good enough. Trying to be perfect all the time isn't what I try to achieve any longer, as I realize my 100% far exceeded what others expected of me.

So, remember 100% is great but it is very difficult to achieve.

Being a friend

Being a friend means a lot of different things to different people.  A friend can be someone you hang around with all the time, or it can be someone you rarely see.

A friend should be someone that is there for you in good times and bad times.  You should also be there for that friend in both the good and bad times as well.  A good friend is someone you can talk to, and they listen.  This person is also there to support you when you need that support, but is also there to give you the kick when it's needed.

It is amazing when you find friends in ways you never expected.  It can be an online friend who you rarely see or a co-worker that you sit nearby.  Having a friend when you need one is very important.  It is also important to be a friend when you are needed.

Knowing who your true friends are is very important, because you don't know when you could need them.

Just remember, being a friend goes both ways.

Understanding others

Lately I have been extremely busy trying to get a lot of things off my to-do list.  I have also gone through something that affected me personally, so it did take quite a bit of my time and energy.  The personal thing meant that I haven't been as efficient as I would have liked to be, but things do happen that change what you can do and how quickly you can assist others.

This week I have been trying to get back to normal, but I am finding it rather challenging.  Yesterday was when I think I hit the frustration wall.  People are telling me to take it easy, and I will get things done when I can, but in the next breath they are asking for more and more things to get done now.  I understand that part of this is because things need to be passed onto me so that I am aware of them, but if I have answered the question, please don't keep asking me when it will be solved.  I have told you it has been solved, and it is just going to take a bit of time for the effect to finally calm down.

It is so amazing to look at what I have been able to accomplish even in the last few days.  Sure, it isn't as much as I would have liked but at least I am getting small things done.  Now to see what I can get completed today, and then maybe I can say I am getting back to normal.

Stepping back and rethinking

There comes a time when you need to step back and rethink all your different priorities. This has happened to me, and I have had to rethink some of my goals as well as my priorities. I was one of those people that had to please everyone in the past, and I didn't care if I was happy or not. Doing this causes a lot of problems because you don't really feel happy when you are doing some of the things you have agreed to do.

Being able to rethink your goals is a project because you have to think of why you are aiming for that specific goal, was it to please someone else or to please yourself. It does take some time because it can also mean redoing the goal so that it is more for pleasing yourself. Some goals just get deleted because when you realize you aren't going to achieve it and be even a bit happy, there is no point in doing it.

I was one of those people that had to please everyone, and I would forget about pleasing me. I came to realize that there are some people that no matter what you do you will never please them, so why try. This step was a huge thing for me to realize, and since doing that I have felt better and have given up trying to please these people.

I now have goals that are for me and help me be happy. I am not saying that you put yourself first all the time, I am saying you need to remember to do things that please you as part of your life. How you feel is very important because if you aren't happy, you can't really make others happy, or at least the people that count.

Where has the word "thanks" gone

Yesterday, when we were out and about, I heard a very interesting comment from someone.  "Where has the word thanks gone."  That is so true because so often people don't remember to say a simple thanks when you do something for them.

Maybe I think about this the wrong way, but I think part of this is the "entitled generation" that expects people to do things for them without having to say thanks.  I know not everyone in that generation is like that, but it is frustrating when such a simple word is missed.  A simple word can really make a difference on how you are dealt with and respected.  The situation yesterday was an eyeglass salesperson adjusted a girl's glasses that had been bent out of shape.  Something that does take a few minutes and meant the girl could see better once it was done.  Neither the parent nor the girl said thanks, and considering there were no cost, thanks would have been really nice.  The sales person then after not getting a thanks turned and said "you're welcome" making it known that the family hadn't said anything.  The father looked a little shocked and then said thanks, but the girl never did.  I guess it really says a lot about how people deal with others.

I know the word "thanks" isn't a big deal, but it can make such a difference to how people respect you and deal with you.  Maybe just acknowledging what someone did for you with those 6 letters could make a big difference.  I know when someone says "thanks" to me for something that I have done, I feel appreciated.  Sometimes what I did wasn't such a big deal, at least I know the person appreciated what I did for them.

Remember, say "thanks" and let someone know you appreciated what they did.

Some days

Well, there are some days that I think I should just go back to bed and hide and let the day just pass me by.  Today was one of those days and I have to admit that after just two hours of working I wanted to turn off my computer and blackberry and let the rest of the day just happen without me.

I think everyone has those days every once in a while, and I just happened to hit it very hard this morning.  I have been able to deal with all the issues that have hit my desk the best way I could.  I know some of the issues still aren't resolved, but at least I have started that process to ensure everyone is happy and all the issues have been dealt with.

Knowing that I can get things resolved does make me feel happy, knowing that even when things are going crazy around me, I can still get things accomplished.  I may not be working as quickly or efficiently as I normally do, but at least little things are getting done.  OK, my to-do list today has just got longer, but at least I know what I need to work on and hopefully will figure out a plan of attack later.

Some days are crazy, but at least I know that things will get better, and I will get things accomplished.

Snow

It's amazing to watch people drive when it snows out.  Ontario got a lot of snow on Friday, and some people drove like it was perfectly dry out.  I was able to watch one truck fishtail a couple of times, and I am not sure if he made it to where he was going or not.  The media kept saying to drive slowly and be patient, and you would get to where you were going.

For me, it meant a day to watch people through a window instead of being out in it.  The most amazing thing was listening on Saturday to people complaining about the roads not being plowed on Friday.  I had watched the plows go by at least 3 times during the day trying to keep ahead of the snow but considering we got between 25 and 35 cm in under 24 hours it was a lot for a city to handle.

The city seems to be able to get the roads cleared as much as they could, but it was the cars that were parked on the sides of the roads that made it difficult.  Lots of cars parked on the roads meant that the plows couldn't get close to the edge of the road, resulting in narrower roads.  Hopefully now that the snow has started to melt, things will start to get back to normal.

My advice when it snows like it did on Friday, stay home if you can and avoid being out on the roads and dealing with the individuals that don't know how to drive in snow.

Slippery weather

Today was a day when people that couldn't drive in slippery weather should have just stayed home.

The weather has been very up and down lately and today was one of those days when we woke up with 6 cm of snow and the forecast was for freezing rain and then rain.  The temperature was just at -1 C, so it meant that the snow was heavy and hard to deal with.  While waiting for a bus, which was probably the best mode of transportation today, I got to watch people and vehicles go by.  One bus that seemed to have problems stopping and going around curves in the road was interesting to watch.  It made it to my stop without too much problem, but that was it.  It got to the next stop with some difficulty but leaving that stop is when it got stuck.  I am so glad that I wasn't on that bus because everyone had to get off it and onto another bus, so they could continue their trip.

People walking didn't seem to have too much problem, but not sure how long that is going to last because if we do get any freezing rain it is going to make the shovelled sidewalks very slippery.  So people that wore running shoes may find it hard to walk if it does get slippery.

The good news is this afternoon we are supposed to get to +4C, so a lot of this rotten snow should start to melt.  The bad news about the melt is if the sewers are blocked with plowed snow the water will have nowhere to go, so it will mean big puddles which drives seem to like driving through and seeing how high the water will spray.  So, let's hope that the temperature rises slowly, so it can make its way to the sewer so that puddles are very small.

So, for people that don't like driving in slippery weather, just wait until tomorrow, as we are supposed to have really nice weather and all of this snow and slippery stuff will be gone.

Using a word to blanket everyone

Recently, I was on Facebook and noticed that someone had posted that "Everyone lies".  Using the word everyone really frustrated me because she was saying that everyone, she knows, doesn't just tell little white lies but outright lies.

If you are upset with individuals, that is one thing, but it is very important that you don't use the word "everyone" when you only mean certain individuals.  It is understandable that you may not want to point fingers and name the individuals but using the word "everyone" is not right.

I know I don't outright lie, so that was frustrating to see that I was considered as someone who did by this person who I thought was a friend.  Yes, people can up upset and be frustrated but saying statements like she did really bother me.  If you are upset, take some time, and think before you post something on Facebook or any other social media because remember, once you have said it, it's out there.

Remember if you are going to paint everyone with a single brush remember that you are going to greatly affect how people think of you.

Snow

Our car covered in snow - Dec 27/12

For a lot of people around the world, snow is something we deal with a few months of the year.  Other people never see it as their country is a lot warmer and closer to the equator, and then there are others that deal with snow most of the year.

This picture is of our car buried in snow after 27 cm of snow hit just after Christmas in 2012.  The car was pretty covered in snow and all around the car looked the same.  It took DH a while (almost 30 minutes) to dig out the car but thank goodness the driveway was plowed out before we tried to move the car.

For some people the thought of snow means an enjoyment of skiing, skating, tobogganing and other winter events.  I don't mind some snow but have to admit that when we woke up to that much snow and when travelling I could have had a lot less.  I love seeing snow outside, but I don't like the slippery conditions that result when it starts to melt and then freezes.

So, for those of you like me, just remember it only lasts a few months each year.

Goal setting and goal review

It's hard to believe that 2012 is over, and a new year has started.  It's now time to review my 2012 goals and set some new goals for 2013.

2012 Goals:
1.  Blog four times each month - didn't achieve this
2.  Write content for company website - tried to do this and ended up with draft items
3.  Achieve CAPM - achieved February 2012
4.  Learn to take time for myself - ongoing

2013 Goals:
1. Blog four times each month
2. Complete 3 course toward Fundraising Certificate
3. Write a minimum of 15,000 words a month.
4. Take time for me on a regular basis.

My goals this year a little different but of course there are some courses involved just like last year.  I really enjoy taking different courses, so figured it was time to do something a little different.

Now to see how things go over the next little while.  I know that work is picking up for me, but I enjoy being busy, so that is fine with me.