To be financial secure:
– Spend less, earn more.
To lose weight:
– Eat less, exercise more.
To have secure relationships:
– Talk less, listen more.
To be happy:
– Take less, give more.
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Today the Canadian Association of Journalists urged the prime minister to redouble efforts to secure the release of Canadian journalists kidnapped abroad.
Today marks six months to the day since Amanda Lindhout was abducted in Somalia and more than three months since Khadija Abdul Qahaar was taken on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
“We once again call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to focus his undivided attention and all resources possible on finding and rescuing Amanda and Khadija,” Welch said.
Amanda was abducted in Somalia on Aug. 23, 2008, along with Australian photographer Nigel Brennan who is also still missing. Lindhout’s kidnappers threatened to kill her unless a ransom was paid by Oct. 28, a deadline that passed with no word from her captors. One month ago, on Jan. 23, her kidnappers reportedly lowered their ransom demand.
(The picture is of Amanda and I circa spring 2008)
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Today I reached a milestone I am personally very proud of… I made the top 50ty of the “Top Recruiters” in the “Hall of Fame: Support The O Campaign for Cancer Prevention“
Over the years I have done what I can to support “Cancer Research, Prevention and Awareness”. I used to have a fairly popular website (e-pauly.com), over the 5 years the website was open all the proceeds I earned from the website was donated to “Cancer Research”. I also sold a few pictures taken for the website to various news organizations, both print and broadcast. I swapped these organizations for the right to use my pictures for a hefty donation to cancer research.
WHY
When I was a child I had a real super hero in my life; my Aunt Ange. She was my cool Aunt, my brother and I totally adored her. She was actually my Great Aunt on my mother’s side. When I was about 10 years old, my Aunt Ange died of “Brain Cancer”. It was my first experience with death while growing up and it left a mark on me. Ever since, 30ty years later, I do whatever I can to help other “10 Year Olds” not lose their favourite Aunts to cancer.
If you feel like joining the facebook group “Support The O Campaign for Cancer Prevention” just click on this link: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/210/1620366?m=cc366e79
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I have received several emails today… to paraphrase … thanking me for having ‘think skin’ in regards to the comments made by Andre (on the facebook group: let’s pray for a safe return for Amanda Lindhout )… To be honest Andre’s words do not bother me. He has his opinions and I have mine. This situation bothers me. I am not a pray and hope for the best kind of guy.
Although I don’t agree with the course of action Amanda’s parents have chosen. We have exchanged e-mails on this very topic (Amanda’s mother and I). I perceive they believe in the advice they are getting from the ‘Canadian Government’. I also believe they think they are doing the right thing. I know personally and have talked to some individuals who currently serve and have served in the ‘Canadian Government’. The ‘Canadian Government’ has a play book that does not include the option of ‘Paying’. There (from what I understand) is very little wiggle room for the ‘Canadian Government’.
I also doubt very much that Amanda’s parents are asking the tough questions or wanting to hear the even tougher answers.
But the key here is the phrase ‘from what I understand’. I have talked to, read, and researched this situation and other situations. The so-called experts outside of the ‘Canadian Government’ don’t agree with ‘HOW’ this is being handled. They say ‘Pay’. [This is well publicized in 'McCleans' and other print publications. So please don’t tell me the Kidnappers are reading Facebook and this comment will not help Amanda. If they read Facebook they also read 'McCleans Online' and 'The Globe and Mail Online'... give me a break].
Not to remove hope. There are hundreds of people being held in Somalia. It has ‘only’ been six months. Again from ‘from what I understand’, Amanda and Nigel have not been in captivity for what would be considered an ‘average’ stay in Somalia.
I am personally conflicted with my desire to act. I could cause a ’shit storm’ in the media. I know how to do that… actually as a ‘New Media’ consultant I know how to create a ‘Buz’ on the internet… usually to sell or promote a product.
What I don’t know is if that would be the right thing?
That is my conflict. I could raise money to …
- have Amanda rescued,
- have Amanda memorialized,
- have her kidnappers punished (not via the typical law enforcement mechanisms)
With or without her parents, if I really had ‘thick skin’ I would just raise the money. If I did, I would not use it to ‘pay a ransom’. I would higher Blackwater to deal with this. Rescue Amanda and/or deal with the kidnappers… make a grand statement about kidnappers who kidnap Canadian’s will get punished…. if I really had a ‘thick skin’.
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I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I never listen to music on my iPod. Seriously. I keep a playlist of 50 songs on it just in case I get the urge to listen to music, but I rarely do. And yet, I listen to my iPod for a minimum of 30 minutes every day and often for several hours.
Instead of music, I fill my iPod with audio books and podcasts.
Like most people, I am incredibly busy, so how can I possibly listen to my iPod for several hours a day? The secret lies in multi-tasking. Here is my quick criteria for whether I am doing an activity that is iPod friendly. I can listen to audio books if I am doing a task that:
1. doesn’t require deep thinking and analysis
2. forces me to be away from my computer and
3. has a minimized danger of tangled headphones (yoga is not an iPod approved activity).
For me, this means: getting ready in the morning, riding the bus, shopping, putting away groceries, running errands, working out (see above caveat about tangling), walking between meetings, doing dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, organizing and more.
Maybe I’m not as “hip” as the cool people in the iPod commercials, but I am a more productive with my time as a result.
What’s on your mp3 player? How do you use it to increase your productivity?
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