May 2012
4 posts
2 tags
8 Tips for People Who Want to Have a Stellar...
Summer is funner. Yes, I know, funner is not a word, but that’s still an axiom I’ve subscribed to my whole life. And because I am someone who sincerely believes that expectation determines experience, the idea that May-August, 25+ temperature weather will always be more enjoyable than a Canadian winter is something I’ve always believed in, and it always ends up being true. But for those of you my...
3 tags
Prelude to Summer from New York City
Out of all the extended weekends we Canadians are afforded annually, the May long weekend is surely the most satisfying. Once we’ve made it to just over a third of the way through a year, it’s time for a break. And I’m pretty sure there’s no better way to celebrate Victoria Day, the Queen’s birthday, than by leaving the country—*smirks*
Traveling is a necessary part of life, but not just because...
2 tags
Are Your Trivial, Unsolicited Comments Affecting...
You all have some relation to the type of person that I’m going to talk about here. Every workplace, every group of friends and every family has them. These people must comment on everything. Not on the news, events, issues or controversial topics though. Just on everything that you’re doing—how you work, how you’re cooking, how you clean, how you sweep, how you sleep. (Okay maybe not that last...
3 tags
Does Learning Lead to Happiness? It Depends.
As a young teenager, you probably weren’t that doubtful when told by both your parents and teachers that getting an education would probably lead to a longer and healthier life. But you may have been skeptical had they said that learning leads to happiness. After all, your teachers didn’t seem happy, and they had meta-educations; and you weren’t necessarily happy at school. So how...
April 2012
2 posts
3 tags
The Company You Seek
A Note on Why You May Need To Make Some New Friends
Reality vs. Possibility
If you are unhappy with the way things are, it’s expected that you will try to change things. If we can imagine a better way to do something, and we are truly invested in our idea, we’ll take the necessary steps to see it come to life. This is where innovation comes from. When it comes to the realms of digital technology,...
3 tags
On a Living Spree
Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities. The idea that you can do anything is absolutely terrifying. - Austin Kleon
Like many people I know, I first heard the phrase ‘living spree’ in The Good Life, a 2007 hit song by Kanye West. In it, he raps, “The good life, let’s go on a living spree; shit, they say the best things in life are free.” On the surface, these...
March 2012
2 posts
3 tags
Stop Wasting Your Mental Energy On Things That...
We think about a million different things every day. We worry too much. We have far too much on our minds. What should I wear today? What will I have for lunch? Am I ready for this presentation? I can’t forget to call my mom tonight. What will I wear tomorrow? … and so on. These things are pretty standard, and they do not actually take much thinking to deal with. There are, however, many things...
1 tag
Why You Need To Meet The People You Like Online...
I interact with a lot of people online every day, but I can really only think of handful of those people who I can say that I know and could honestly vouch for their character if asked. This is because all the tweeting and Liking and blog commenting in the world can’t make up for genuine face-to-face interaction with people.
Research has shown us for years that nonverbal communication, including...
December 2011
1 post
2 tags
Would Your Current Biography Be Worth Reading?
Would a stranger read past the first chapter of your biography? Not likely.
I know that sounds harsh, but think about it. Think about your life and everything that you do day-to-day. Are your actions worth talking about? Would somebody describe you as an interesting individual? Do you approach life in a way that’s worth noting?
Are you special? And I don’t mean special in the way that your...
November 2011
1 post
1 tag
Goal Setting, Risk and Guaranteed Return on...
Remarks given to the student body at the North Dundas District High School Junior Achievement Awards Assembly on November 2, 2011. Slightly edited, of course.
This morning I’d like to talk to you about high achievement, setting goals and risk. Specifically, I’d like you to leave here today with the idea that setting lofty goals, and putting as much effort as you can into achieving those goals, is...
October 2011
1 post
2 tags
"What's New And Exciting?"
Always have an answer to that question—especially when it’s asked in reference to your work. Don’t answer with something like, “Oh you know, it’s busy around here” or “All sorts of stuff; you know, it’s that time of the year.” (Nowadays, it’s always “that time of the year.”) Say something interesting, assuming you are actually working on some exciting stuff.
When someone you meet asks you that,...
September 2011
1 post
3 tags
Twitter should provide a secure way for users to...
I’ll start out with the big (actually mediocre) idea: Twitter should provide a secure way for users – people or companies – to buy and sell usernames amongst one another.
Now, here’s why I’m writing a blog post about this.
It started with a conversation with Taylor Jones, the founder of popular Tumblog DearPhotograph.com (which you will instantly love) at the Spin Kitchen and Bar (Kent St.,...
August 2011
2 posts
Stop being impulsive with ideas
Are you impulsive with ideas? I know I am.
What do I mean by this? I mean that when I’m working on a project (e.g. designing a webpage, writing a tagline or crafting a Facebook page strategy), I have a huge tendency to get stuck on the first good idea I have and fail to consider any others.
As a hard worker (generally), I like to make progress and move forward on projects, so when I have a good...
Branding [as] innovation.
The term ‘brand’ has come to mean a lot of things, and it should. After all, in an age of consumer individualism, the term we use to describe the types of entities that both define and drive our idiosyncratic lifestyles is bound to have a meaning that’s subjective and continually evolving.
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as such:
A name, term, design, symbol, or...
July 2011
3 posts
3 tags
Who are the most powerful people in your...
The answer is simple: the secretaries and administrative assistants. But a better question is this: do they receive the respect and appreciation they deserve? They probably don’t, but there are a million reasons why we should be putting them up on a pedestal. In many ways, they keep offices running.
They’re the only ones who know how to book a meeting or conference room.
When was the last time...
The WWC final breaking the tweets/second record is...
The WWC final breaking the tweets/second record is barely news.
Seriously though, let’s think about it.
Japan winning the Women’s World Cup is a big deal. And congratulations to them. But if we consider Twitter’s explosive growth, and the fact that as more and more people sign up and begin to use the service that the number of overall tweets sent will inevitably increase, it is likely that...
June 2011
1 post
2 tags
Don’t confuse indications of social media's scale...
In an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Business Joins the Party,” Nick Clayton explores the idea that online social networks have revolutionized the way that businesses operate, even if few really understand social media’s opportunities and true impact. Clayton himself unintentionally validates that very notion in the first paragraph by making the common mistake of confusing indications...
May 2011
3 posts
6 tags
A different ethos: Drawing parallels between Apple...
“Think different” – Apple via TBWA/Chiat/Day in 1997
Innovation…
Absolut Vodka’s success began in 1879 with 14-year old entrepreneur Lars Olsson Smith, who would later be called “The King of Vodka.” He invented ‘rectification,’ a method of distillation deemed revolutionary at the time and still used today. With this pioneering method of distillation, he introduced “Absolut Rent Bränvin”...
3 tags
On foursquare: My new 'check-in' policy
I used to Check-In everywhere I went. I’d check-in to my work at Carleton University every-single morning. If I left for lunch, I’d check-in to the restaurant I went to, and then when I returned to work I’d check-in again. Why didn’t someone tell me I was being a douchebag, making the service look to non-users as a broadcasting platform for narcissists and making my Facebook friends and Twitter...
4 tags
The hype machine
Apple is a marketing company.
Yes, they make good products, but their specialty is generating hysteria among their cult and in the media.
When they didn’t allow pre-orders for the sale and launch of iPad 2, people were forced to line up for hours to get their hands on one. Apple could’ve allowed pre-orders or simply manufactured more devices initially, but this would have taken away from the...
February 2011
1 post
5 tags
Why there's no problem with the PMO's use of...
Yesterday The Canadian Press posted a story with the headline “Harper government chooses Twitter to release information,” as if almost to suggest that Twitter is still some form of obscure communication.
The article lists a few announcements – including Harper’s upcoming trip to Washington, concerns about the CRTC’s recent ISP service charge decision, and updates on the evacuation of Canadians in...