Archive for February, 2010

I remember the days where Internet browsers only had one “tab” for each website you viewed. Remember those? You had one page, one browser. If you had more than one page, or three, or eight – you had that many Internet browsers open. I feel as though it really helped in terms of keeping things sane on the PC desktop. As soon as the computer started to drone and move like molasses between tasks, I knew something had to be done in terms of choice and what I really needed open on my operating system.

I think three to five browsers were my limit; depending on what research project I was working on at the time.

Now, as I’ve just gotten back from lunch to a lovely article about multitasking and the horrors of doing your job poorly – I look up and began to count the amount of “tabs” I currently have open in my Google Chrome browser and it stands at nine. Nine (now ten after my Tweet Deck informed me that Emily Brydon of Canada will be skiing next in the Ladies Downhill competition and I proceeded to search for a live stream of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics …..).

It’s now twenty minutes later – I still haven’t been able to find anything that will play live on my computer; I haven’t continued writing anything on here and I’ve been trying to focus all afternoon. There’s something about today – this week, that’s made me uneasy. I don’t know how to explain it, but it has.

Maybe all this multitasking is catching up with me, and – like the article suggests, I’m doing more juggling than multitasking.

(article written February 17th – but too many things got in the way and it wasn’t posted – go figure.)

I heard a song called Oh Canada on my way to work this morning. It was by Classified (ie. someone I’d never heard of before) and I have to say – I kind of teared up a bit as the lyrics rang on and on. It’s how I felt with this I Believe song that’s blasting every which way from Sunday since the Olympics started last Friday.

It makes me have this unusual outpouring of pride that I reside in this country. The same kind of pride I have when travelling overseas and people find out I’m Canadian and not American. It’s like the look on their faces makes me proud to be a part of a country that produces that kind of stereotypical response.

It’s the reason that I made it my mission last year to see all Canadian provinces (I only have two left) and Territories (all three left :/ ). It’s such an amazingly beautiful country that many of us never see because we can’t wait to get out to the hot vacation destinations or Europe (don’t get me wrong – I love those too). But we need to remember that we’re not just Canadian during the Olympics and there’s a deeper reason that we’re so proud when some person we’ve never heard about before slides down a mountain on a snowboard and beats the “favouring” American. Or bounces up and down on a mogul path and becomes the “first Canadian to win gold on our soil”.

What’s your reason?

mom: I think that R is just really learning and having all these experiences on you that one day, he really is going to be that amazing guy – to somebody else.

… long pause.

me: …. I don’t think so. I think he’s just a jerk.

mom (interjecting): No … maybe you’re right.

Social Media.

Two words, many, different enormous meanings. I’ve always been a fan the latest social media trend and always interested in the amazing ways it’s utilized within our society. I sporadically become fascinated with learning about them and figuring out how it changes the way people communicate with each other. It’s like I’m writing an essay every time I do this, but I can’t help it.

I used to be told this made me “creepy”. What was the point? What does it matter – you’re not living your life. Okay, so it never really got to intervention status, but my knowledge of computers, technology and love for social networking has definitely put me in hot water with friends, family and boyfriends in the past.

Recently, I’ve been in touch with so many people from my past, in my line of work, or just – random, interesting people. I find it invigorating. This connection I’m able to sustain with them when I don’t have time to breathe throughout the day. I’m busy. I’m working. I’m building websites. I’m researching businesses. I’m calling businesses. I’m calling people. I’m making PowerPoints. I’m grabbing my fifth coffee of the day – whatever. All the while communicating with all these people, the city I live in, the city I used to live in, potential clients, new clients, old friends, new friends, you get the idea.

I feel as though I’ve been awakened recently, however. As I discovered a world in which other people don’t find it creepy. In fact, if you were to use the term to describe their actions – they’d be ten hundred times creepier than I could ever hope to achieve! It’s great!

Where have I been, honestly, with fighting twitter for so long? Why did I bother? I know the answer to this; it was because I was told it was wrong. Weird. Impersonal. Secretly, I knew the answer – it’s not. It’s evolution of communication. I learned all about it. Personally, I’m kind of pissed off that I’m not in school while all of these changes are going on because I feel as though I’d rock it on my essays on communication in the new media world. I would rock them. Then again, I get to experience it now – and not feel guilty that I’m wasting my time on “useless” sites instead of studying for my upcoming exam.

I’ve been trained to feel guilty about these sites – that’s really it. It begins with the notion that social media is a waste of time, this notion that stems from people who are afraid of change. Afraid of these 24 year old kids bored on a Friday night getting these ridiculous ideas that work out and five years later have books written about them calling them “The Accidental Billionaires”.

Maybe social media is a waste of time for some people, but not for me. It’s bringing me back from a bit of a down spell and opening my eyes to all the different opportunities there are out there. All the people there are to meet. All the things there are to learn.

And who doesn’t love a twitter mention every now and again? It makes my heart flutter, just a tiny bit. So maybe that’s a bit creepy. I’m okay with that.

I have felt as though my life has been in limbo for the past few months. I’ve called them “the prospecting months” as I’ve spent countless hours prospecting people, places, marketing agencies, advertising opportunities, events, networking, dates and places to live.

This weekend was jam packed of relaxing work – which sounds more oxymoron than it really is. I’m grabbing more control on my routine and lifestyle and getting into a groove – most days. I’ve been thinking about my life and future so much (even though I know I should only be thinking of the present) and I can’t believe it’s been almost four months since I left Calgary. It blows my mind how much my life has changed since driving east on Highway 1 (16th Ave) and not looking back on October 13th 2009.

After how much everyone’s life has changed since I left, I realize that my life may have been easier if I stayed in Calgary, but I would be internally torn inside with a lot of things in my life and the thought of moving back to Toronto would have become a bigger choice than it was when I left.

It may sound confusing, and truthfully, it is. But I’m still excited. I’m excited for a lot of things because every day, I think while driving home for work and categorically go down a list of all the things I’ve learned that day. That technique in itself was worth the move, the big break up, the separation of the things, the wear and tear on my car, the missing of my friends – everything. Because when I drove home or took the bus from my position in Calgary, I didn’t do that. I didn’t do anything even close to that. I was at a standstill, constantly looking at the bottom corner of my computer screen praying the time to fast forward to 4:30 pm. Every day.

For the first time in my life I’m working hard every single day because I have to. There is no room for slacking in this position because if I slack, I don’t get the feeling of a closing sale; I don’t get the internally proud feeling of accomplishment; I don’t get the satisfaction of knowing that I learned a new way to strengthen a bond or relationship.

I’m doing that, every single day. And because of that, I know that in ten years, when I look back on my 25th year, the year that I moved back from Calgary to begin a new chapter of my life – I’ll remember how I took charge of my life, refused the 9 – 5 job routine, took a beating, took a pay cut, took a new look at the word “humbled” and learned every single day.

That – I believe – is the most important thing.