Wanderlust and Words

Based on PresentationZen: simple ideas on presentation design and delivery by Garr Reynolds (2008) PresentationZen by Garr Reynolds challenges individuals and organizations to rethink how they use PowerPoint to enhance their presentations. He insists that “A good oral presentation is different from a well-written document, and attempts to merge them result in poor presentations and poor documents.” "Communication is about getting others to adopt your point of view, to help them understand why you’re excited (or sad, or optimistic or whatever else you are.) If all you want to do is create a file of facts and figures, then cancel the meeting and send in a report. Make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them. Create slides that demonstrate, with emotional proof, that what you’re saying is true not just accurate.” (Seth Godin, author of Meatball Sundae ) Reynolds urges us to skip the bulleted lists and screens full of information. PowerPoint presentations are visual and s...

Mexico City – large, crowded, ancient, modern. I have just finished reading First Stop in the New World: Mexico City, the capital of the 21st century by David Lida, and I am both fascinated and repelled. David Lida is a freelance journalist who moved to Mexico City 20 years ago. He has a voracious curiosity and wide-ranging interests, and his book provides a window onto life in this city of 20 million inhabitants (8 million in the Federal District - the central core - and another 12 million in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Topics range from indigenous saints to shopping malls to wrestling matches to modern art. The chapter on the justice system reminded me of how fortunate we are in Canada. Our justice system isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly far superior to the system in Mexico City. Investigative police pay for their own bullets, and many police ‘rent’ their bulletproof vests from their station chiefs. Three out of 10 people arrested have never been told what crime they have been...

In the 70s, I spent many contented holidays with cousins in England. They had young children so I have happy memories of pantomimes and Dr. Who and The Wombles. I was delighted when Jurgen Gothe played the Wombles' signature tune on his CBC radio show Farrago . I am somewhat amazed that a family of fat, furry creatures who collect litter was so popular with children. I wonder if it would be nowadays. However, as an adult, Uncle Bulgaria still delights me. And the show’s message of picking up litter certainly fits with modern-day concerns about the environment.

Resume writing is often difficult for people because they are uncomfortable listing their skills and accomplishments – it feels like bragging. In addition, people often view resumes as functional documents rather than the advertising tool that they really are. I’ve helped a number of people revise their resumes, and I really enjoy it. It’s a positive, satisfying task to help people showcase their talents and abilities. There are a number of techniques which are helpful: Focus on Your Skills and Accomplishments Focus on the most important information by organizing your resume around your key strengths Take advantage of the added flexibility to include volunteer and personal experience and to highlight the relevant information from different jobs Define your primary strengths and then provide examples of how you excel in these areas Provide Concrete Examples Provide concrete, measurable examples (e.g. increased sales by 10%) Include volunteer experience (leadership training, ch...

The human brain is awesome. It’s ability to process and store information amazes me, and I’m always interested to learn more about how it functions. As a result, My Stroke of Insight: a brain scientist’s personal journey by Jill Bolte Taylor has been a fascinating book to read. The author, a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist, is 37 when a blood vessel explodes in the left side of her brain and she experiences a massive stroke. The book documents what she experienced during the stroke, her eight years of healing, and the lessons she gained from her experience. She offers hope that the brain can heal itself as well as really practical advice about how to help someone recover after a stroke. In addition, Taylor explains what she learned about how the left and right sides of the brain work: “When I lost the function of my left brain’s neurological functions, I lost not only function but also a variety of personality characteristics that were apparently associated with these circuits of aptit...

I chose my first CD by Battlefield Band because I liked the cover image and the title (as in "dookin' for apples'). But I continue to buy their CDs because I really enjoy their music. It’s harmonious and lively, and the words are haunting. Celtic music seems to capture that blend of sadness and joy that is the essence of human life. Battlefield Band (named after the Glasgow suburb of Battlefield) started playing together 30 years ago. Their music is a mix of traditional ballads and new songs played on a mix of ancient and modern instruments - bagpipes, fiddle, synthesiser, guitar, flutes, bodhran and accordion. One of the constants has been Allan Reid who has written a number of original pieces for the band. The Road of Tears , the band’s 2006 album, is about emigration over the centuries – from Scottish people forced off their land to modern-day asylum seekers. Here is one verse from the title track (music and words by Allan Reid). (listen) We crossed the sea to flee t...

I am often frustrated trying to read a manual or using online Help – it’s difficult to understand, or it just doesn’t address my problem. And yet, I’ve been writing software documentation for Axon Development Corporation for the past five years so I know just how challenging it can be to write useful documentation. Axon provides Canadian and US trucking companies with an integrated trucking and accounting software package. It covers everything from choosing a delivery route, to paying drivers, to sending out invoices, and evaluating profit and loss. Axon upgrades its software weekly so the documentation is constantly being revised. It’s a complex but fascinating task. No one person at Axon can give me all the information I need to write the documentation. I learn the details of new features from the programmers, but I find out exactly how the customers use the program and the problems they’re having by talking to the support staff. It’s often a balancing act between what the programme...

I am frustrated by newspapers - they don’t give me enough information, and they’re always geared to the latest crisis. I want in-depth coverage that includes the background and the consequences of an event. I want high-quality writing and a global perspective. Subscribing to The Economist has proven an effective way to meet my need for information about current events. The Economist is a dense, information-packed publication. Each weekly issue is over 75 pages and covers politics and economics in every corner of the world. Like many news magazines, they had a special holiday issue. But instead of relying on photos for a recap of the year’s events, The Economist had a variety of articles on so-called “light” topics ranging from the history of cookbooks and the appeal of music to the relationship between Sufism and the Islam of the Taliban. There was a fascinating article about Mexico City’s mayor and his attempts to make the city more livable (from the world’s largest artificial-ice...

I watched The Italian Job , a 1969 adventure movie starring Michael Caine with Noel Coward and Benny Hill in cameo roles. It is well worth watching. The movie starts out slowly, and it reminded me of how much faster-paced movies are nowadays. But then the action picks up, and there is an absolutely wonderful car chase involving three Austin Mini Minors as they race along sidewalks, through shopping malls, and up and down stairs. It's a funny movie and good entertainment.

I love to travel. And because my budget doesn’t extend to flying to foreign destinations every month, I read a lot of armchair travel books. Some of my favourites discuss setting down roots in a foreign country by renovating a house. Part of my fascination is with the process of building or renovating a house and the stories the stones tell of previous lives lived in that house. Renovating a house also means that you’re no longer a tourist, and you begin to interact and establish relationships with the local people so there is a greater in-depth understanding of how they live. Peter Mayle and Frances Mayes have gained an international following for their books about renovating houses and living in France and Italy. Here are some other authors who may be less familiar. Tracy Kidder, House (This isn’t a travel book, but it provides a fascinating insight into all the different trades that are involved in building a family’s first home in the United States) Angela Murrills, Hot Sun Cool S...