Friday, August 31, 2007
I Didn't Make the List...
...but another Stacey did. Check out the latest ranking of the most powerful women in the world here. There were some surprises for me!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Celebrity Blogs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
As if they don't already get enough publicity, celebrities are increasingly joining the ranks of the blogosphere. Here Fast Company writers spotlight some of the best -- and some of the worst.
A Conversation Between Friends: Are You Willing to Look Inside Yourself, Friend?
The following is an excerpt from The Monday Morning Memo for Aug. 20, 2007, Roy H. Williams, the Wizard of Ads
Do you ever ask yourself hard-to-answer questions like, “What am I trying to make happen?” “How will I measure success?” “What is holding me back?”
Rarely do we question our own objectives. Even more rarely do we question our emotions.People whose feelings ride close to the surface are quick to use words like “passion.”
My good friend Marley said it one time too many the other day, so I interrupted, “Define passion for me please, but accurately, not poetically.”
“What do you mean?”
“Name the ingredients of passion.”
I listened to my buddy ramble and fumble for a minute, then interrupted him by holding up a finger and saying, “One ingredient would be desire, don’t you think?”
“Yes, desire is part of passion.”
“What would be the second part?” I asked.
Marley looked at me blankly for a moment, then raised his eyebrows and turned both his palms upward.
I held up a second finger, “Commitment.”
When Marley speaks of passion, he’s referring to desire with commitment. Unlike most people, Marley is willing to pay the price, suffer the consequences, live up to the obligations of the things he loves. But most people who say “passion” refer only to a desire that provides them escape from boredom.Have you chosen a purpose? Is your commitment to your purpose higher than your desire for personal comfort? Most people drift across the surface of life without ever seeing the guiding beacon of purpose. They fail to see it because they’re not looking for it.Purpose is more often chosen than appointed.Do you want to experience the joys and pains of it?Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
Roy H. Williams
Do you ever ask yourself hard-to-answer questions like, “What am I trying to make happen?” “How will I measure success?” “What is holding me back?”
Rarely do we question our own objectives. Even more rarely do we question our emotions.People whose feelings ride close to the surface are quick to use words like “passion.”
My good friend Marley said it one time too many the other day, so I interrupted, “Define passion for me please, but accurately, not poetically.”
“What do you mean?”
“Name the ingredients of passion.”
I listened to my buddy ramble and fumble for a minute, then interrupted him by holding up a finger and saying, “One ingredient would be desire, don’t you think?”
“Yes, desire is part of passion.”
“What would be the second part?” I asked.
Marley looked at me blankly for a moment, then raised his eyebrows and turned both his palms upward.
I held up a second finger, “Commitment.”
When Marley speaks of passion, he’s referring to desire with commitment. Unlike most people, Marley is willing to pay the price, suffer the consequences, live up to the obligations of the things he loves. But most people who say “passion” refer only to a desire that provides them escape from boredom.Have you chosen a purpose? Is your commitment to your purpose higher than your desire for personal comfort? Most people drift across the surface of life without ever seeing the guiding beacon of purpose. They fail to see it because they’re not looking for it.Purpose is more often chosen than appointed.Do you want to experience the joys and pains of it?Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
Roy H. Williams
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Who am I not!?
I found this quote in one of my marketing journals this morning:
"To better understand who your employees are and what drives them to succeed, perhaps it's easiest to understand who they are not."
Cam Marston, author, Motivating the "What's In It For Me?" Workforce
I realized however, that this is a critical point not only in the awareness of others (and not only in an employee/employer relationship) but also critical in my own self awareness. As I work through the process - again! - of asking "who am I?" I must also - and, fortunately, am - ask "who am I not?"
The catch, of course, is not asking "what am I not?" for the sake of dredging up weaknesses or beating myself up but, with an attitude of acceptance, removing the barriers of things I'm not so that, in the process, I am free to discover who I really am.
For example, I know that I am not a morning person. I don't think a day should really start before 7:30 if not 8am. Why on earth would I want to get out of bed at any point before that? In fact, for me to truly be satisfied, I should be waking up somewhere between 8:30 and 9:30 without an alarm. On the flip side, I do my best work in the afternoon and can go long into the evening hours. This is a bit of self awareness I have gained and so I try, within the limitations of "the real world," to structure my day accordingly, so that I can function at my best. I answer emails first thing in the morning or work on stats and reporting first thing. While I do have to be detailed, I can move at my own pace. Meetings, however, are saved for the afternoon when I'm at my best.
I give myself the freedom to "not be" certain things for the purpose of discovering and releasing who I am.
Typically, however, our world does not work this way. We look at self improvement as finding our weaknesses and eradicating them. Our entire education system is about making us better in all areas, equal in all as possible. We don't admit weakness. Success is often defined as being able to eradicate them.
What if, instead of focusing on what we're weakest at and trying to improve, we looked at what we have natural tendencies toward or abilities in and worked to enhance those areas of our lives? Can you imagine the talent that could potentially be released? The level of true success and satisfaction people would achieve?
That's what I want. I'm excited to continue on this discovery of myself, embracing both what I am and what I'm not....because that's the way I'm made.
The catch, of course, is not asking "what am I not?" for the sake of dredging up weaknesses or beating myself up but, with an attitude of acceptance, removing the barriers of things I'm not so that, in the process, I am free to discover who I really am.
For example, I know that I am not a morning person. I don't think a day should really start before 7:30 if not 8am. Why on earth would I want to get out of bed at any point before that? In fact, for me to truly be satisfied, I should be waking up somewhere between 8:30 and 9:30 without an alarm. On the flip side, I do my best work in the afternoon and can go long into the evening hours. This is a bit of self awareness I have gained and so I try, within the limitations of "the real world," to structure my day accordingly, so that I can function at my best. I answer emails first thing in the morning or work on stats and reporting first thing. While I do have to be detailed, I can move at my own pace. Meetings, however, are saved for the afternoon when I'm at my best.
I give myself the freedom to "not be" certain things for the purpose of discovering and releasing who I am.
Typically, however, our world does not work this way. We look at self improvement as finding our weaknesses and eradicating them. Our entire education system is about making us better in all areas, equal in all as possible. We don't admit weakness. Success is often defined as being able to eradicate them.
What if, instead of focusing on what we're weakest at and trying to improve, we looked at what we have natural tendencies toward or abilities in and worked to enhance those areas of our lives? Can you imagine the talent that could potentially be released? The level of true success and satisfaction people would achieve?
That's what I want. I'm excited to continue on this discovery of myself, embracing both what I am and what I'm not....because that's the way I'm made.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Please Pray
I got to meet my friend Dayna's little blessing today. His name is Caleb and he is cute beyond words. I could tell by watching her with him that she is blessed by his very presence. There's something nearly magical about the addition of a little one to a family. There's a reason we call it a miracle! It's easy, in those moments, to be reminded that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above.
Another friend's story, however, is a lot harder to make sense of. Dan and Laura Collins (Dan has been a fellow recruiter up until recently), recently suffered the loss of their little one. It's a heart breaking story, one I encourage you to read to get the full picture of, and yet through it, Laura writes that it's like the song "Blessed Be Your Name" and quotes the lyrics of the song, "He gives and takes away." To me, that is the miracle of this story. The faith when life doesn't make sense. The hope when even tomorrow seems like too much to bear. The willing surrender to One who is faithful even when we hurt. The strength that endures in the midst of grief unimaginable.
If you think about it, please pray with me for Laura, Dan and their extended family.
Another friend's story, however, is a lot harder to make sense of. Dan and Laura Collins (Dan has been a fellow recruiter up until recently), recently suffered the loss of their little one. It's a heart breaking story, one I encourage you to read to get the full picture of, and yet through it, Laura writes that it's like the song "Blessed Be Your Name" and quotes the lyrics of the song, "He gives and takes away." To me, that is the miracle of this story. The faith when life doesn't make sense. The hope when even tomorrow seems like too much to bear. The willing surrender to One who is faithful even when we hurt. The strength that endures in the midst of grief unimaginable.
If you think about it, please pray with me for Laura, Dan and their extended family.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Franz Ferdinand...pirates?
We all know that the digital age has changed the music industry. From mp3's and itunes to file sharing and pirating, it's a whole new ballgame. Most in the music industry, it seems, find the changes implorable. Franz Ferdinand, on the other hand, seems to have a taken it as a challenge for higher quality music and are encouraging fans to download their newest tracks. Check out their views here.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Just a Reminder
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
~Marcus Aurelius
~Marcus Aurelius
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Current Read
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K.Rowling
...just about caught up so that I can go see the most recent Potter movie to hit theatres!
Have Patience...
"Without patience there can be no real self-denial nor true submission to the will of God in adversity. Without it there is no contentment in every state, no thankfulness for every mercy."
~John Gill (A Body of Practical Divinity, 1769)
~John Gill (A Body of Practical Divinity, 1769)
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Calling all Mac Users
I have a question. I'm using a mac now and, while I'm likely a mac user for life, I'm finding Blogger a little more difficult to find the commands I want, particularily when composing. I'm using the Safari browser and I don't think Blogger likes it too much. Any of you run into the same thing? If so, how did you get around it
The Strong Silent Type
I have to admit that yes, I know, I've been a bad blogger as of late. The strong, silent type. I feel like I just haven't blogged at all lately, definitely not up to my usual caliber. I know many would find this hard to believe but I just haven't had all that much to say...or maybe that there's just a lot going on inside my head and I'm not sure how to say it...or a combination of the two. Anyway, I promise to raise the bar on my blog soon. Until then, consider this a little reprieve, a bit of peace and quiet. I just haven't been blogging...then again, I haven't been watching the news, reading the paper or generally keeping up with the world either. Perhaps that's why I have nothing to say....
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Bundles of Joy
I'm excited to make a public welcome to two new little friends.
Caleb Chu joined us on July 26, 2007, surprising his mommy and daddy by arriving 5 weeks early but we sure are glad to have him here safe and sound. You can see pictures on Dayna's blog.
If that wasn't enough excitement, today, my dear friends Kelly and Al Klassen became mommy and daddy! Logan Murray Klassen made his arrival this afternoon. He's just a little guy, just over 6 lbs, but is loved like crazy! I'm sure pictures will follow!!
I can't wait to meet you both!
Welcome to our world, little ones!!
Caleb Chu joined us on July 26, 2007, surprising his mommy and daddy by arriving 5 weeks early but we sure are glad to have him here safe and sound. You can see pictures on Dayna's blog.
If that wasn't enough excitement, today, my dear friends Kelly and Al Klassen became mommy and daddy! Logan Murray Klassen made his arrival this afternoon. He's just a little guy, just over 6 lbs, but is loved like crazy! I'm sure pictures will follow!!
I can't wait to meet you both!
Welcome to our world, little ones!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)