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To Speak or Not to Speak

This week I heard a radio commentator refer to the time-honoured, greatest dread of people (supposedly): the fear of public speaking.  The host noted how importantly the skill of being able to deliver presentations could impact one’s professional opportunities.

He then alluded to a just released story of a teenager who has confronted his own trepidation, by sending out an entreaty to educational authorities that he be spared from having to make presentations to other students in class.  There has been reaction to this quickly in social media.  No doubt, ‘experts’ on both sides of such a debate are aplenty. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Opinion, Personal Development, Uncategorized

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Cruising for Options – Part Two

In part one I noted that the temporary lifestyle of a cruise on the high seas (such as the Mediterranean) provides a wave (pun intended) of experiences, which in turn mean opportunities for reflection.  Whether partaking in activities on board, or on shore excursions, hopefully high points resonate stronger than miscues and challenges.

When it comes to what to do while on board, cruise lines are prepared with plenty of options, scheduled or otherwise. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Behaviour & Relationships, Business Commentary, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Uncategorized

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Cruising for Options – Part One

I imagine anyone who has experienced for the first time the temporary lifestyle of a cruise on the high seas (actually in this case, the Mediterranean), has numerous reflections.  Like with almost any vacation, ideally, the high points resonate stronger than the inevitable issues one encounters. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Behaviour & Relationships, Business Commentary, Lifestyle & Travel, Opinion, Uncategorized

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The Trail of ‘Dog Days’ 

It’s early August, well into the ‘dog days of summer’, a period considered to start early in July and run through the first third of this month.

The expression comes from long roots in history, attributed to the ancient Romans.  They associated the hottest, most humid days of summer with Sirius, the ‘dog star’, leading to the adage of ‘dog days’. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Opinion, Uncategorized

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SLEEP ON IT

If the average person was asked what trace mineral in the body…

  • Is found in muscles, eyes, the brain, and other major parts of the body
  • Plus, helps regulate our body’s immune response, and is essential to brain development
  • Plus, helps promote sleep
  • And, is the second most common trace element in the human body

…probably not many would confidently answer, zinc. (more…)

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Arts commentary, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Personal Development, Uncategorized

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Insightful(?) Dichotomies

A brief article in the August issue of Psychology Today looks at the current state of affairs of personality tests.

The inconsistency of some of their standards has given rise to doubting the value of results.  Indeed, popular ‘Temperament Sorter’ and ‘Type Indicator’ programs include undesirable features such as “ambiguous language and false dichotomies”. (more…)

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Arts commentary, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Personal Development, Uncategorized

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Life Lessons from ‘The Intern’

In September 2015 a comedy-drama film called “The Intern” was released in theatres.  Starring Robert de Niro and Anne Hathaway, it told the story of a retired, 70 year-old widower (de Niro) who returns to the work-force as part of a new senior intern program launched by a highly successful, internet clothing company, run since its start in her kitchen 18 months earlier, by its hyper-active founder (Hathaway).

The film’s overall box-office gross overall was close to $200 million (budget approx. $35 million).  It was a financial success, but tended to be overlooked by many in the industry because of its being tagged as something of a ‘chick flick’, and which didn’t feature IMAX worthy special effects. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Arts commentary, Behaviour & Relationships, Business Commentary, Humour, Opinion, Uncategorized

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What is More Fun than Hot & Humid Weather?

It’s early July, and the times (i.e. morning and night), they’re only limited respites from hot and humid.

What could be more fun?  According to some pundits in the media in Canada, we should be grateful for whatever we get, because it’s much better than the cold of mid-winter.  Indeed, they consider the extremely uncomfortable conditions in eastern Canada this past week, outside the protection of air-conditioning, are simply part of the price to pay. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Uncategorized

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Where Can I Get a GPS Tattoo?

We have become party to a panoply of leisure travel destinations, embellished by baby boomers entering the retirement lifestyle mode in ever-greater numbers.  With this comes the need to satisfy an ever-widening array of interests or concerns, while communicating with a range of cultures.

There is an abundance of information in both printed and on-line forms, not to mention anecdotal tips one may encounter.  Books in full size to pocket size offer flexibility and quick access for travelers on the move, who do not want to be dependent on connecting devices.  (Of course, many younger trip takers prefer the latter.) (more…)

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Art of Communication, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Social & political commentary, Social & political humour, Uncategorized

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Reserved Seating Not Needed Here

Our most recent taking in a movie, at our local cinema house, exposed a new wrinkle in the ticket buying experience.  Notwithstanding that my spouse and I were attending a less than half-filled show in the afternoon, we had to select our seats in advance, like choosing concert or airline tickets on a laptop screen.

Apparently, this has become de rigueur at least at some local screens in the last month or so.  One would have thought some warning or notification, if only for public relations sake, would have been justified. (more…)

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Art of Communication, Arts commentary, Business Commentary, Humour, Lifestyle & Travel, Opinion, Social & political commentary, Social & political humour, Uncategorized

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