I was lucky enough to take part in the dress rehearsal of the 21st Vancouver Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies. The same ceremonies that will be viewed by some 3 billion (with a b) eyeballs later today. I spent most of the time with tears coursing down my face. If you were there and if you … [Read more...] about A sneak peak of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies
Operation secret (Vancouver) Valentine
In response to Kelly Diel's Operation Secret Valentine, here's my not so secret Valentine. As the world turns its gaze upon Vancouver to feast on the 21st Winter Olympics, and as the season for pink cupcakes draws near, I thought I'd share my love affair with my home town Vancouver. From the … [Read more...] about Operation secret (Vancouver) Valentine
Start small & think big; creme brulee over soya sauce
A taste of two worlds. And a time honoured lesson. I was trying to put soya sauce on my sushi the other day and having a devil of a time. The little package of soya sauce didn't have a small pre-cut in it designed to make it easy to open. While yesterday my taste buds were watering in … [Read more...] about Start small & think big; creme brulee over soya sauce
Myles Horton & the Olympic Flame
Myles Horton was a famous adult educator in the Appalachian mountains. He rode the rails with the hobos and learned valuable lessons from them, lessons that I'm applying during my volunteer work at the 2010 Olympics. Fire was valuable to the vulnerable men who hitched a ride by train. Fire kept … [Read more...] about Myles Horton & the Olympic Flame
Old men who wear hats are really bad drivers
Say what?!?! Those exact words came out of a participant's mouth during a training I was giving. The entire group agreed. Wholeheartedly. Emphatically. Vehemently. As strong as the moon's pull is on the tides, their belief was unshakable. Seeing patterns in the waves of information we process … [Read more...] about Old men who wear hats are really bad drivers
Why do we (need to) travel?
I love to travel. Really love to travel. And now I know why. Jonah Lehrer in his post called 'Why we travel' says travel puts distance between who we are and what we know. When we're surrounded by the familiar we're surrounded by associations and assumptions that are as hard to get rid of as … [Read more...] about Why do we (need to) travel?
Are you using all your strength?
You can be sure the people in Haiti are. Using all their strengths that is. Sometimes we are oblivious to our most obvious strengths. A little girl was having difficulty lifting a heavy stone. Her mother came along just then. Noting the girl's failure, she asked, "Are you using all your … [Read more...] about Are you using all your strength?
Cookie dough & the delicate balance of today & tomorrow
Before I can blink, with a shake of his shaggy head, my teen inhales food. All the food. All the time. Hence I hoard. (Much to his shock, horror and dismay.) "Moooooooooooooooom!" (drawing out the vowel as only a kid can do) "Where is the cookie dough?" (Confession time; I love to make … [Read more...] about Cookie dough & the delicate balance of today & tomorrow
