This past summer at the folk fest, one of the performer's was telling a story. I know what you are thinking, someone telling a story at a folk festival? Yup, it happens. Anyways, the story he was telling (I say he, because I can't remember his name) was about his time touring with Stompin' Tom Connors. For those of you who don't know, Stompin' Tom is a Canadian folk legend, whose most famous for "The Hockey Song". So, the story though was about the way Stompin' Tom toured. He told this guy who will remain nameless until my memory gets better, "If you want to see the real Canada on tour, stay away from the highways. Take the side roads through the small towns. No one ever saw Canada from a highway". Well, at least this is what I think he said, as I mentioned before, my memory is foggy at best.
Appropriately, Stompin' Tom's road is off the beaten path.
This really resounded with me though. It's very true. I've driven all over this country, but most of it was from the view of the 400 series, and then the Cross Canada Highway. You really don't get to see the real Quebec when all you can see is giant moose fence.
So, I started venturing off my normal routes. I only live about an hour from home, and I make the drive a few times a month. It's gotten a bit mundane to take the same old route every time, even if it is the most efficient. One day when I was driving home, I thought, you know what, why don't I just drive in the right direction and see where I end up. It's surprising to see what you miss when you take the same route every time. There are amazing ranches that I had never seen before. All of this just beyond my sight from my normal route.
It's almost become a quest of mine now to get lost. Luckily I've been unsuccessful so far, but what I'm more surprised of is what I've found. Trips seem faster even though they take longer, simply because you can't believe what you have been missing. Even in my own neighborhood I've been surprised by how many amazing houses, and parks are around, that I would never have known about without bidding farewell to efficiency.
Next time you go to drive somewhere, why not turn on "avoid highways" on your GPS. Its amazing the number of lives you can drive by at high speed on the highway, but its even better how much you can learn by taking in the scenic route. Real life isn't lived on a highway.
This summer I got to go to the Grand Canyon. The canyon itself was pretty remarkable. It's hard to describe until you get there and see that it goes for as far as the eye can see. This isn't about the canyon though. While travelling around Arizona I was blown away by the diversity of the state. From the scorching heat of Phoenix, the wilderness in Flagstaff, and the never ending supply of breathtaking mountains, it's a fascinating place to visit.
Little Known Fact - Grand Canyon is French for Big Canyon
Now, I've had the debate before that travelling can be dangerous. I'm not talking about movies like Hostel or Taken which tell of the dangers of being abducted. What I fear of travelling is the effect it can have of demistyfing the world. A majority of my knowledge of the world comes from documentaries, friends harrowing tales of adventure, and history books. However, when people go to Paris, they don't typically talk about the long lineups at the Louvre, abundance of dog poop, or the smell.
Why Not Dance at Hopewell Rocks?
Like meeting your idols, only to find out that they are mortal too, is travelling a dangerous trip for your mind? Is the idea of ignorance is bliss truly the best? Well, I've gone back and forth on the idea that staying home, and believing that Aladdin taught me all I needed to know about Arabian nights is the best way to travel the world. However, when you see the amazing landscapes that this world has to offer, it becomes apparent that you really have to get out of your pajamas, and see the world first hand. Let me apologize in advance and tell you that David Attenborough will not be there to narrate your every discovery, but you won't need him to.
or.. Dance in Quebec City?
Now, I'm a terrible person to travel with. I am terrified of bears, spiders, snakes, oh, and travelling. However, sometimes you just have to say life's too short to watch reruns of Futurama, get in a car with your friends, and journey into a part of the world unknown.
So I ask you, what travelling experience has changed your life?
I think one of the most common question someone get's asked is simply, "So, what do you do for a living?". Seems like a simple question, which ideally, would warrant a simple answer. However, it took me four months at my full time job with tbk Creative, before I was finally forced to come up with a title for what I do, and that's just the title. With all of the emerging technologies, there have been equal numbers of new job titles. I settled on something that I thought would help explain things a little better; Conversion Expert. Still shrugging your shoulders? I'll explain.
Essentially my job is to take an new idea, like a website or social media, and show a business how it is actually useful for them in growing their business. So where do conversions come into play? Well, anytime someone does something on your website that deem valuable to growing your business, that's a conversion. What conversions are can widely vary from a simple purchase on a site, to registering for a charity run. What I do, is utilize the tools at my disposal and increase those.
The internet can really be a confusing place. With so much information accessible at any time, picking what's important can be challenging. The true test of a successful website has become beyond just having a nice looking website, but has moved into the realm of having a website that you use as a tool. Yes, we've had websites for a long time, but it's really only been in the past few years that we have been able to study how people interact with those websites, and improve on them so interaction has become easier.
So where do I fit in? I'm your websites equivalent of a city planner. I make sure that the store what you want people to find isn't buried in some dark corner at the end of town. Once they get into the store, I make sure they find what they are looking for and help grow your business.
Still not sure what I'm talking about? Check out some of the websites I've worked on at www.tbkcreative.com and notice the difference.
When I was picking what University to go to, I have to admit I didn't put a whole lot of thought into the fact that I would not only be picking my program, but I would be choosing to become part of a new culture for at least four years of my life. It never occurred to me to become involved in the city that I was going to University in, because when you are part of the campus bubble, you feel more like a temporary resident, than someone that can actually have an impact on that city.
However, it has become quite apparent to me now, how naive and irresponsible that was of me. I lived in Windsor for four years of my life, but I never really became overly involved in what that city had to offer until after I had graduated. It wasn't until last December that I went to the award winning Phog Lounge for the first time, and that was only because I had a show there. After playing another show there this past weekend I realized just how much I was missing out on by not engaging in the city that I lived in. Sure tons of students might venture to the downtown and contribute to the thriving bar scene of your city, but that's akin to taking a road trip on highways through the country. You only get to see the real country by taking the back roads.
There are so many gems in any city that go mostly unnoticed by a transient population. I grew up coming to the London area for concerts, but it wasn't until I became an intern at the Aeolian Hall that I attended my first concert there. Students miss out on so many amazing events that go on in this city that occur during the summer months when the majority have gone home. London really does have festivals that go on every single weekend in the summer.
Home County Folk Festival
These situations aren't exclusive to Windsor and London where I've gone to school, but happen in every city. Student's can contribute to the economy and the culture of the city just as well as anyone else. It's a huge challenge for most businesses to constantly appeal to the ever changing student populations of their cities.
So I make this challenge to the returning students, and students attending school for the first time in the fall: get out of your dorm rooms, the over populated student housing you live in, the student bubble you occupy, and the downtown or nearby bar district. See the real community that you are living in. Experience the culture, and maybe even contribute to it. Explore the different neighborhoods, side streets, and markets. See the real city you have been missing, and you just might be pleasantly surprised.
I am often times reminded of a particular episode of "Family Matters", where the father, Carl, was having a fight with his wife Harriette. She is driving him nuts and the fight is only resolved, when he realizes that the things that are driving him crazy, are the same things that he fell in love with her for. Cheesy? Absolutely. Was Family Matters amazing? Yes.
Now, the reason I bring up one of the greatest shows ever is not to reignite Jaleel White's career, but is to ask a question? Why did you originally come to London, or where ever you live, in the first place? The reason I ask this is because I find that I hear more people having to rationalize staying here, than staying out of love for this city. So there must be some reason why you came here in the first place.
Earlier today I was talking to someone and she turned the question on me, "Why did I pick London in the first place?" Well, I was fresh out of University, and there wasn't sure where to go, and my group of friends from high school were all spread out all over London going to Fanshawe and Western, and it seemed like as good as time as any to all live under one roof.
Also, when I was growing up, I lived in a town right in between Sarnia and London, but as I got older, I began to gravitate more towards this city than Sarnia; but why? Well, London had an amazing music scene when I was in my teenage years. The Embassy was still putting on nightly shows, Call the Office had incredible shows every night, and there were always shows going on at houses across the city. It was the playground for a teenager that loved music.
While the London that I knew then has changed (the Embassy is now a pile of stones), you need only take one look at our website, www.londonmusic.ca , to realize that the shows never stopped, but some of the venues may have changed.
What Would Carl Do?
I know it may seem like a tough decision for many as to why would you stay in this city when it may be much easier to find a job elsewhere, but I would ask you to examine the roots of why you chose it. Heck, even if you don't live in London, and find yourself struggling with the city you live in, ask yourself, What would Carl Winslow do? I love London because it isn't as big as Toronto. However, with that means that there simply won't be the opportunities. Sometimes what you loved about the city, is the same thing that drives you crazy.
There have been few inventions that have caused my life ease over the past year than Skype. What is Skype you might ask? Well, according to that ever so clever Wikipedia;
Well, that is true, what Skype has done for my industry, is to allow thousands of people to work from where they want to, primarily their homes.
This has been a big year for me. Me and two of my friends started a web design business together. It was a lot of hard work, but we managed to move into an office, where all three of us can work together. The thing is, that there are usually only one, maybe two of us there. One of the guys has never lived in London, spending half the year in Toronto before moving to Forest. However, thanks to Skype, he is basically in the office with us.
Which of These Guys Looks like a Scientist to You?
It is hardly fair to say that Skype invented the technology they use. What they did was make it easy to use, fairly reliable, and pretty. Sure it is built on the century old ideas of the telephone (allegedly invented by Alexander Graham Bell, but that too is up for debate), and film (evolving from Thomas Edison's Kinetoscope... who may or may not have invented it... starting to see a bit of a trend) but like any great invention, it's not about creating an idea out of nowhere, but of consilience; the unity of knowledge.
Literally right now as I'm writing this, I have my two colleagues on a Skype call as we work through the night on a website. Not sure if you are doing something wrong on your end? Why not just share your computer screen with a developer and have them tell you that, yes, you in fact are doing it wrong on your end.
I know that there are other alternatives out there (Google + Hangouts are actually pretty amazing), but until the next ride starts, I just wanted to express my thanks to such a great invention.
I got married in August of last year, and after that my wife and I didn't have the time for a full blown honeymoon, so we went on a smaller trip, camping and hiking through southwestern Ontario. Eventually, our trip took us to Tobermory, the tip of the Bruce Peninsula.
Now, why is this a noteworthy story? Well, I'll get to that.
The Start of our Hike
Our last morning in Tobermory we got to talking to someone who worked at our hotel. We told them that we were thinking about going to Mantoulin Island, and they seemed hesitant. They said that it was a lot more boring we thought it would be, and instead made some recommendations of some trails that "only locals know about". We thought this seemed like a great idea, and mapped out our route.
My first indication that this was a bad idea, should have come from how far it was to even get to the start of the trail. It was roughly 15 minutes of driving from the entrance of Bruce Peninsula National Park to the point where the trail started. Also, because this wasn't part of the main park, there was an honor system for parking payment.
So we set out on our estimated 10km hike in high spirits. It's not too bad at first, and there are some amazing views of the cliffs. however, maybe 2km in, the trail gets remarkably more difficult in the vertical sense. The once flat path had become an onslaught of 90 degree rock walls. So after wall after wall, in the summer heat mind you, we were both pretty pooped. We took a brief rest, and kept going. However, the walls kept going too.
After another couple kilometers of hiking that could defeat even Chuck Norris, my wife was calling it quits. She said, we could turn back now and know how far we have to go, but we don't know how much farther this trail goes. I took a look at the map, and figuring that we had already gone more than half way, assured her that the most reasonable idea would be to keep going, as it was shorter, and couldn't possibly be more treacherous. While we were stopped, we ate the tuna that we had brought, and like any responsible hiker, I took our Garbage with us. I guess at this point it would be good to tell you about my fear of bears....
We finally get to the turning point in the trail after about another half hour of hiking, however we are also met with a sign, "Danger, Bear in Area". At this point my heart sunk. Bear's and tomatoes are my only down fall. If I saw a bear eating a tomato, I don't know what I would do. So we kept on trucking, but at this point I said, it would probably be wise to continuously talk about anything just so we made noise.
Next, we reached another fork in the road. However, there wasn't supposed to be a fork in the road. After careful examination of the map, we realized that the trail back we had chosen, was not a hiking trail, but in fact a snow mobile trail. However, we did believe that it led back, so we chose that, and started our trek back.
As we were walking, extremely exhausted by this point, we start to hear this rattling sound from the side of the path. Ohhh.. so this is probably a good time to tell you that Tobermory is home to the only venomous snake in Ontario, the Massausauga Rattler. So what was that coiled up a mere foot from me? A frog. No, it was a Massausauga Rattlesnake. Now, I at first thought it was just a squirrel, because the sound was pretty much the same. My wife however, was the one that looked back, and saw the snake ready to strike. Now, she didn't grab me as she sprinted away like Usain Bolt, however, luckily I noticed the cloud of dust where she once stood, and took off too. It was only after we stopped that I found out how close I was.
So now we are at our stress limit, and every vine on the ground looks like a rattlesnake, every jumping frog a lethal attack. It was then that we came across the incredibly fresh bear poop. How do I know this was bear poop? It was pure evil, that's how. And fresh? Oh yes. So now, we are on incredibly high alert, and no idea where we are. Our dollar store compass has surprisingly stopped working (unless every direction really was north from there). It was at this point that we relaunched our, never stop talking campaign.
After another couple kilometers, we finally we got to the end of the trail, to the road we had come in on, and after a short walk we ended up back at our car. Never had I been so happy to see that car.
My entire life I loathed pineapples. It went beyond a simple dislike, because unlike most foods you don't like, pineapple juice lingers. That's right. Someone orders a Hawaiian pizza, guess what? You can't just pick those pesky things off, the juice has tainted it forever. It was a bombshell moment for me then, when I found out that I actually do like pineapples.
You see, taste buds are interesting things. Scientifically, taste bugs can change as a reaction to chemotherapy, with age, with a healthy lifestyle, and most famously with pregnancy. The one they never explain in scientific journals, is why do so many university kids become lethargic and adopt a predisposition for Doritos and Kraft dinner?
The fabled pineapple experiment happened because of a lunch place next to our new office. They include a fruit salad with your sandwich (this is riveting stuff, I'm telling you). To my surprise it was chalked full of pineapple. So the first day I left all the pineapple for the other guy I work with, but the next time I went for it. In a feat of courage that hasn't been seen in years, I ate a piece of pineapple, and it was delicious.
So is the point of this blog? Well, its been a busy week for one. ALSO, try new things. Your taste buds will change for the rest of your life, and something once thought you hated, you might love.
Last week it was announced that the City of London will be undergoing a website redesign. This seemed long overdue, but incredibly welcoming news to all of us working in the technology sector in this community. However, my excitement was short lived, as I soon found out that the estimated $350,000 project would likely be going to a Toronto firm that had handled similar sites in the past.
As someone that is aspiring to start my own company in this city (Consilience Creative), this news was bleak for several reasons. There are four major web design companies that I know of in this city that could have at least put in a bid for a project of that size. Digital Echidna has worked with numerous not for profits and for profits of all shapes and sizes. rTraction's qualifications go beyond their experience with web design. They are the most civically engaged company on this list. Asides from being involved in organizations like Unlondon, they have built my favorite website in the whole city, LondonTrash.ca. ResolutionIM have built sites for companies like Samsonite before, but more importantly for this, they have done sites for St. Lawrence College, Algonquin College, and Trent University. A website for a city would be a step up from these sites, but it's a similar framework. The fourth is the newest on the stage, tbk Creative, however, in their short time, their work with social media has even landed them on the front page of Yahoo.
Now, the city has said that none of these guys are certified to handle the Microsoft content management system requirement. For those not familiar with web design, that's kinda like saying you won't get your car fixed because the mechanic isn't qualified to fix a Model T. This system, while once dominant, isn't a requirement for building a site as large as the cities anymore, and is incredibly expensive for the licensing fees alone ($32,000-42,000 per year). Do you know how much the equivalent system that all of the London firms are experts in costs? Zero. That's right, all of the London firms are experts on content management systems that have no expensive licensing fees.
There's another aspect to this though. While we may never know if a London company could have done the site for $350,000 because there was no public tender, that money, and the size of the site that it is for could create jobs not only for now, but in the future for whatever company gets it. The money alone, and the scope of the site would allow all of the companies to hire more employees; creating more tax paying citizens of this city, whose talent we would could retain. However, it would also give a London firm the experience so that the next time this comes up, they have done a site of this size, and can continue doing sites of this nature for years to come.
While it is hard to take a stance on this because all of the details are not entirely known, it is disheartening to myself, and any other young entrepreneur in this city that is thinking of starting a web design business. We have a city that struggles to retain talent, and when our own city council says that they don't think that London firms are good enough, and that they don't want to showcase the talents of this city, what kind of message do you think that sends to me, or anyone else that has the "London vs. Toronto" decision to make? When even our own council picks Toronto, I think we have a problem.
Today I did something that many Canadians have done, and more and more continue to do every day; abandon Blackberry. Now, I still have my Playbook, their tablet which I think is amazing, but I had to stop making excuses for my now long out of date Curve, and get something that I wasn't embarrassed to show in public.
I remember the first day I got my Blackberry thinking it was amazing. It was my first smartphone, and by virtue of that alone is was amazing. However, as time went on, it was too old to upgrade to the new operating system (which wasn't very good anyways), I found myself constantly making excuse after excuse for non-existent apps, and my phone began to fall apart, I said enough was enough.
My old Phone vs. My New Phone
It isn't that Blackberry was always a horrible device, but there were just so many little things along the way. I remember last year during TSN's coverage of the NHL trade deadline (called tradecentre) they mentioned that they were sponsored by Blackberry. While the anchors may have all been using the devices, I found it incredibly odd that the only tablet app available, was for the Apple iPad.
Even worse, the CBC tablet app, the Canadian publicly funded organization, their tablet app? You guessed it, iPad. I know it's not the CBC's responsibility to support a failing Canadian business, but I guess I'm saying, if they won't who else will? Blackberry was once the darling success story of Canadian technological achievement. I mean, in their hey day, Jim Ballsillie, their former CEO, almost brought a hockey franchise to Hamilton. If that doesn't spell success in Canada, I don't know what else will. However, just as Mr. Ballsillie's arrogance lost him that opportunity, his ignorance to the demands of the consumers lost him his own business.
The Tradecentre App, Available only for iPad
Now, I thought about staying with Blackberry until the new phones and long overdue operating system came out, but they have even managed to shoot themselves in the foot on that. Not just the constant set backs, but what about the fact that their current ad campaigns are about not being able to send a thousand emails a day on a touchscreen, but their new phone is a touch screen?! It seems like they just don't get it.
Summer always seems to be the perfect time for reading. Whether it's putting your feet up at the cottage, or just relaxing on your back deck on a nice day, here's my list of some books to make your summer a bit more interesting.
I was actually on a mini quest to find out who I had lent this book to, when my old prof lent it to me without me asking for it. It's what I imagine having a conversation with Kurt Vonnegut would be like.
My wife got this book, and she has been banned from reading it in any public place because she can't help laughing out loud while reading this book. I would recommend this book if for nothing but the cartoons and the graphs.
Hunter S. Thompson's lifestyle often times over shadows his writing. This book really makes you question what you think you know about what a human being is capable of.
My generation will never know war like those who lived through the first and second world wars. I found reading this book really gives you an in depth perspective on the first world war, which I never saw before. It's war through the eyes of a medic, but the battles take a back seat to his romance with a nurse.
You know how people always say the book is better than the movie? Well, this is the epitome of that. Don't get me wrong, the movie was not the worst movie in the world. That is a distinction I hold for Gentleman Broncos. I just think it's impossible to capture all of the subtle things that make this series amazing.
I know when most people think about marketing and advertising, it is often met with a shudder or a cringe. This has gotten worse in recent years as adveritising has ventured online, and you now have to wait through an ad before watching a Youtube video, or listening to Grooveshark. My focus here is going to solely rest on video.
In recent years there have been more and more services coming out that make having cable or satellite less and less appealing. Things like Netflix, Hulu, and Tivo are legal services. You can watch tons of television shows and movies, whenever you want to. What a novel concept. Now these are only the legal alternatives, I won't get into the multitude of illegal outlets people use.
What does this mean for advertising? What about the networks? Well, it means that it is very hard to get an accurate account of how many people are actually watching your shows. I can't remember the last time I watched a TV show when it was actually aired. There was a time when competing with shows like Friends, or Seinfeld meant doom for any competing shows, but I would argue that is blown out of proportion in most cases now. Sure, for time sensitive things such as sports or American Idol, this might matter, but now a sitcom.
In recent years there has been a huge change in the way we collect information online. This practice, known as analytics, applies in numerous areas from how users interact with websites, videos, and can even include phone calls. Video is an interesting one, because they offer incredible data. You can find out how many people watched your video, for how long, what the peak interest points were, and more and more, you can find out basic demographic information. Our current methods don't tap enough into the evolution that technology has undergone in recent years.
With the introduction of Smart TVs, it seems to become more feasible for networks to begin to abandon the old model of collecting information, where there is a box on top of your television, which family members log into before they watch a program. Networks can now start to look at doing less intrusive advertising, that you might actually find of use to you. That's right, at its core, all advertising is doing is letting you know about something that you might want to buy.
Networks would have more in depth, and accurate information, which means that a show like Community might not have been cancelled in the first place. Think about your market that watches Community, isn't it odd that they are also the age that are primed for downloading? The out cry at the shows cancellation makes me think that maybe Community has a bigger fan base than was reported, and it was just the nature of the shows fan base, that old methods of ratings analysis just don't apply.
Here is what I think could be a cool turn. What if networks start to see that people are pirating their content, and that if they aren't, they are simply watching it on things like Netflix. All of a sudden, what is stopping the networks from simply giving their content away for free on something like their website? The network would be able to charge more for advertising, and also it would be more specific, so its a better experience for the user?
I think this sounds like an amazing idea. What if advertising wasn't obtrusive, and was for products that you were interested in? What if this meant that you got cable for free?
Leave your feedback in the comment section below.
What I'm Listening to This Week:
If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone - The Wooden Sky
Christopher Columbus was believed to have been in his early 30s when he began planning his voyage search of India, and instead found a whole new world. Charles Darwin was in his early 20s when the historic "Voyage of the Beagle" took place; a historic journey to the Galapagos islands that would change Darwin, and science forever. Yuri Gagarin was in his mid twenties when he became the first human to orbit the earth. Mark Zuckerberg was barely in his early twenties when he created Facebook, and last week, and the ripe old age of 28, his estimated net worth was $19.1 billion. Last week I, at the tender age of 24, built a shelf in my kitchen.
Ok... so that might seem like the most inspiring bit of information, but let me get to my point. I have had this speech with three of my friends now, who were all setting off for their great adventures. While taking a risk on something might seem like a daring and daunting task, why not see it as your own great Columbus voyage? Your Darwin moment? Were these individuals any different then you or me? I would argue not. I think everyone has the capacity for greatness, and it's all about seizing the opportunity when you get the chance.
There is more to it than that of course. If you have read Malcolm Gladwell you would know the idea that success is not merely about effort, but also has a great deal of luck involved. Had Bill Gates not been able to access a computer at a time when they were incredibly rare he would never had been able to gather the skills to be successful. Columbus wasn't just some guy with a boat, he was believed to have started sailing as early as 10 years old. I remember a quote with George Stroumboulopolous where he talked about not just being in the right place at the right time, but also having the right skills. While surely it is great to have the opportunity for greatness, what if you don't have the skills to pull it off?
A great example of this is every musicians's dream story. In 1973, a 19 year old Scott Haplin had gone to see The Who play. Keith Moon, as notorious for his ability to ingest copious amounts of alcohol and drugs as his drumming, decided on this occasion to ingest horse tranquilizers. Let me say that again, horse tranquilizers. Anyways, of course after a few terribly executed songs, Moon of course collapsed on his drum kit. Then comes the dream, the band calls out for anyone who can play the remaining songs. Haplin's friend volunteered him for the duty, and he was picked out of the crowd and finished the set. What if Haplin didn't know how to play the drums? I know this seems like a silly question, but I'm just trying to make the point of keeping your skills honed because you never know when your opportunity for greatness will come.
Worth millions.... Thinks horse tranquilizers are ideal for recreational drug use
The point of this is to never give up on your dreams. Sometime's they may seem more trouble than their worth, but don't give up. What if Columbus had just decided to go fishing instead of getting lost and "discovering" a new world? While it might seem easier sometimes just to stay home, take a chance. Keep your skills and knowledge of your craft at their peak, and when the opportunity arises, or when you make your own opportunity, seize it.
I remember having this conversation with a friend of mine in University. The idea that happiness was paramount, and so long as we could enjoy what we are doing, that was all that mattered. He's now in culinary school, because he realized that it was what actually made him happy.
I'm lucky at this point in my life that I have the opportunity to do what I love to do, with two of my best friends. I've known both these guys basically my entire life, even though we all went in different directions for school, somehow we all ended up working together. Life's kinda crazy like that.
Life for me, has always been about the little things. I've never been one that wanted the crazy big car, or huge house, so when it comes to success for me, I think simply going to work, doing what you love to do, with people that are awesome, well, that's pretty snazzy to me.
Yes... that is corn.
Success for me though, doesn't stop when the clock does. I was lucky enough to find someone that understood my sense of humor. Now, for some of you more clever folks out there, there may be an abundance of people out there that get your jokes; ask anyone that knows me, I only got one. So I married her.
Don't be fooled though; simply because my success isn't primarily focused on money doesn't mean I'm not competitive. The exact opposite is true. I am incredibly competitive, it's just I am competitive at doing the best work I can possibly do, and being the best at what I do. The problem is that I chose something that is ever changing. Digital strategy is something that changes every hour of every day. That's why I love it.
So I guess to me success is having a roof over my head, a home filled with laughter, work that is rewarding for its impact, and coworkers that are fun to work with.
My hockey story isn't like "The Hockey Sweater" or many other Canadian's stories of playing as a youth. I grew up in a hockey town, but didn't start playing hockey until after I moved away for university. My town was dominated by people who loved the Maple Leafs, but I liked the Red Wings, because my dad worked in Detroit, so those were the games I got to see.
When I started university I was seventeen, and not the most sociable. I maybe left my room in my off campus residence once during the first week. However, over time, I got to know the group I was living with, and that there was a shared interest among many of them; ball hockey. Now, you might say ball hockey isn't quite as serious as the real deal, but trust me, these games got intense. There were lines drawn up, rivalries, and even fights during games.
Now, I wasn't the most athletic person, I played soccer growing up, but I was always more a music kinda guy. So I didn't join the ball hockey team. Although I did play a couple games, and was asked as nicely as possible to not come back.
That winter came though, and I was lucky enough to live with a guy who had taught little kids how to play hockey at his dad's hockey school. In reality, those little kids were probably better suited than I was for the task, however, he suited me up with a bunch of his old equipment, and we went to public skating to practice. I may have forgotten to mention that in addition to not playing hockey, I also had only skated a handful of times before.
So my first year of hockey may not have been a huge success. I was the guy that everyone avoided because I couldn't stop, and even when they let me shoot, I would just fall over (I think this actually happened again this year too). However, I was determined to stick with it. I was lucky enough that I played with a bunch of guys that were fine with me coming, so long as I payed my ten bucks.
My next year wasn't much better. I could now stop, but I was as slow as molasses, and I couldn't shoot or pass, or, well anything. This was the year in fact where my girlfriend (now wife) started taping our games, and where we all realized that while we felt as though we were moving at NHL speeds, we were actually moving at a quarter of their pace (and that's being generous).
After university, I basically took a year off of hockey. However, I picked it up again through a summer, and then last winter I played twice a week. Hockey has been one of the funnest things I've ever taken up, and I think it's gotten a bad rep in some ways. When you are purely playing for the fun of the game (no fighting, no hitting, none of the clique stuff) it takes on a completely different meaning. You feel connected to all of the players before you, and you really start to understand why it is our national pastime.
This summer I am playing in my first actual organized league. I am captaining my team by virtue of having a functioning email address. Although I'm never going to be the best out there, I am always happy that I stuck with it, and can at least contribute in some way to our country's great game. It's important to keep in mind I am the furthest thing from a "Jock" you could imagine. To quote Mitch Hedberg, "I'm not into sports. If I had athlete's foot, my first reaction would be, 'that's not my ... foot!". However, I think this experience has taught me a sense of competitiveness, camaraderie, and determination that I didn't know before. So whether you played as a kid or not, I would highly recommend trying out hockey, or whatever sport. You can never know if you like something or not without trying it.
There are a ton of reasons why you should blog, but here are my top five.
1) Keep up your writing ability
Every year at the end of school, I remember finding that my vocabulary would start to slip rapidly, until I picked up another book. I tend to notice that same pattern if I go a long period of time without writing, or, if I am just writing reports.
2) Show employers the real you
With resumes, and even cover letters it is often difficult to showcase who you really are, and stand out from the rest of the pack. Often times I include a link to my blog when I am applying for a job because it gives a more complete picture of who I am over time.
It also can show that you take pride in what you do. For instance, my friend Frank is a fisheries and wildlife specialist, and he writes "Frank Kirkey's Wildlife and Aquatics Blog".
3) Connect with Like Minded Individuals
Since I started writing my blog, I couldn't imagine how many people shared the same views as me. It can serve as a way to connect with people you would never have met otherwise, or a blog can act as a catalyst for great conversations even with friends who didn't realize that you felt the same way as them.
4) Inspire
There was a great blog last week by Shawn Adamsson (NSFW Title: Pardon the language):
On days when you need that little pick me up, sometimes blog's can act at that motivator to keep you moving.
5) Because Its Fun
I remember even as a little kid I used to write tons of short stories, and even a couple of terrible novels (keep in mind a little kid writing a novel means it is more than 2 pages in length). Then in high school when social media came around, I even wrote a few short stories and published them on Myspace.
It wasn't until recently when I started writing this blog, that I realized again just how fun writing can be. I always keep lists of things I want to talk about, and then I get to think about just how I'm gonna say it. I'm not sure if it would be fun for someone that always found writing painful, but I would encourage anyone to at least give blogging a shot. Everyone has valuable stories to share.
