Lynda Sez » inspiration

One thing I miss from Mississauga

rgdaniel — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:57:26 +0000

The irrepressible Hazel. Long may she reign. and skate. and boogie.

Hope is a good thing

rgdaniel — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:18:10 +0000

Our news is so full of the US inauguration festivities, bearing no small resemblance to a coronation, it would be easy to be cynical and disparaging. But I feel hopeful and uplifted. It made me think about all the Americans I know personally, and feel excited and optimistic for their lives and their country. Such an outpouring of pride and joy is infectious even for a bystander, as we Canadians are. Americans have waited a long while for some good news, and I don’t begrudge them this day one bit.

Here’s the list

rgdaniel — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:48:16 +0000

This year’s theme will be Less and More, summarized as follows:

Dance more.
Write more.
Let go of more.
Regret less.
Risk more.
Eat less.
Sleep more.
Get outside more.
Procrastinate less.
Celebrate more.

The Mores win.

Laura

rgdaniel — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:29:17 +0000

I finished enough of my office redecorating to hang a few pictures, including one by an acquaintance of mine from an editing job a few years ago. Hanging her lovely watercolour made me wonder what she was up to and, as she has a name that is a little out of the ordinary, I looked her up first on Facebook. Imagine my dismay when I discovered, not her profile, but a group formed to honour her memory at a service in Toronto just over a month ago. Dear talented Laura, way younger than me, died from cancer. What a sad shock. I can’t do art like you did, Laura, but I promise to spend more time in my garden.

Sometimes we need inspiration

rgdaniel — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:50:16 +0000

One of the blogs I follow offers this selection of videos as the most inspiring on YouTube. Note that the first features Randy Pausch, who died recently. I dare you to watch them all without getting out your hankie.

Another great, but short, TED talk

rgdaniel — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:46:29 +0000

This TED Talk was a nice treat to bring my brain back to life after a demanding week-long session of teaching information architects in Saint John. And it takes less than five minutes to enjoy!

An idea worth spreading

rgdaniel — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:21:17 +0000

I’ve been meaning to make time (good grief, it only takes 20 minutes!) for this TED talk for a while, and finally did it today. This is Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist who powerfully describes her experience and her discoveries from her own stroke.

More TED Talks coming

rgdaniel — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:57:56 +0000

The TED conferences are wildly expensive and not open to everybody, but their makers are generous about sharing presentations, as I’ve written about before. While I wait for the latest to be posted, I’ve been reading Mark Frauenfelder blogging from the conference last week. Here’s my favourite: training crows.

It’s a brand new year

rgdaniel — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:12:36 +0000

Let’s start the year off right, with inspiration from one of my favourite sources, TED Talks. The 2007 conference included this presentation by Chilean novelist Isabel Allende. Sitting alone in my office, I found myself clapping with the rest of the TED audience.
Resolutions? Well, of course, but I won’t tell you all of them. This satisfies one, though: Seek inspiration every day.

What the Internet is good for

rgdaniel — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 20:17:57 +0000

It should be easy to keep focus on work when I’m here in Toronto, away from distractions of dogs, garden, and the nearly finished kitchen, but it’s not. I’m still a procrastinator at heart and it is undeniably a Friday afternoon before a long summer weekend. Here’s a thoroughly worthwhile diversion for the rest of you like me. It’s another great clip from past TED talks, a performance by piano prodigy Jennifer Lin. Even if you’re not a classical fan, stick with it to the last half, where she takes her cue from Goldie Hawn in the audience to create a new piece, then finishes up with Bumble Boogie.