• Senior citizens jogging in their Speedos.
• A Drivers Ed car (driven by the instructor) parked randomly in the middle of a four lane traffic circle.
• A group of singing dumpster divers.
• And a lamb eating garbage on our busy street.

I remind you what my neighbourhood looks like:   nine story, high-rise apartments with bars and bakeries on the ground floor, heavy traffic, and just a stone’s throw away from one of Europe’s busiest container ports.

Not exactly pastoral hills.

This little lamb demonstrates nature’s power of adaptation.  The lamb has adapted to city life and I’ve adapted to seeing him.  A guy walking his pet sheep through my high density neighbourhood and I haven’t blogged about it before?  I’m so used to this stuff now that it seemed like a yawner.    I don’t even have any decent photos.  It was only when I saw Mr. Bo-Peep without his sheep, then heard him whistle at little lamb to use the cross walk that I realized I was beholding a sight to be thankful for.

The sheep lives in a garage in my in-law’s building.  His Bo Peep takes him for leisurely strolls through the neighbourhood in the afternoon.  I imagine them stopping at the bank, chatting with passing neighbours, having a coffee, but in reality I think they just walk and munch on garbage.  The lamb that is.

Word on the street is that he is fattening him up for Eid al Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) on November 6th.

I’ll let you know.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian peeps!

This song Little Bo Peep…. is a rhyme telling the story of sheeps who went out for grazing, and how they come back home even when their master Little bo Peep could not find them.

Little bo peep,

Has lost her sheeps,

And doesn’t know where to find them.

Leave them alone ,

And they will Come home,

Wagging their tails,

Behind them.

This song Little Bo Peep…. is a rhyme telling the story of sheeps who went out for grazing, and how they come back home even when their master Little bo Peep could not find them.

Little bo peep,

Has lost her sheeps,

And doesn’t know where to find them.

Leave them alone ,

And they will Come home,

Wagging their tails,

Behind them.

In the case of the three sisters, the words came first.

“It was the eldest sister’s idea. I had nothing to do with it.”

In the case of Little Bo Peep, I just drew a sheep and it was so fat and furry that I had imagined what it would look like if someone sat on it.

And when I am out of ideas, I revisit my old ones. Limit has been a friend to me since the early days of high school.

I spent a long time on her feet.

]]> http://columbiapa17512.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/what-i-saw-may-7-2011/ Sun, 08 May 2011 00:04:00 +0000 Cole Umber http://columbiapa17512.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/what-i-saw-may-7-2011/

Brand new album by In The Nursery. Released via the band‘s ITN Corporation label it also means the band’s 30th anniversary release celebrating the band’s live debut at Sheffield Art College (June 1981). Also this year the twin brothers Klive and Nigel Humberstone turn 50.
I like this a lot. Darkwave blended with modern classical and som gothic.

………Or is it? Networking is a systematic proven formula which has been trialled and tested over time and when mastered can help your business blast off!!

In 1962 there was a rocket called Mariner 1, which had to be destroyed at a cost of millions in outer space as the steering and navigation failed, when the investigators looked into the incident they found that a single hyphen in the coding caused the crash!

Do you have a hyphen which is stopping your networking getting to the next level?

Little things make a big difference when Networking…What do you want to get out of attending a networking event? Did you ever come back from an event and think “What is all the big deal about networking, I didn’t come back with even one sale, what a waste of my time” If indeed your goal for attending a networking event was to sell your products and services then indeed it was a waste of your time! Why? Because networking is not direct selling, it is about building quality relationships with other business professionals. It is these relationships and connections that make all the difference.

Perhaps you can help someone with their business, you can recommend someone, or you have a contact for them. There are lots of ways you can build relationships, all relationships start with two people meeting, getting to know, like and trust one another. Some simple tips to start when networking:

1. Listen – you have two ears and one mouth, use them in proportion
2. Ask questions, questions lead to conversations, and conversations are a great start when building relationships
3. Follow up with people you meet, the golden rule of networking, do what you said you were going to do, if you promised to call someone early next week to arrange a coffee, and then make that call!!

Have a look at your networking strategy, look at your goals, your results to date, is it helping to launch your business or are there some hyphens getting in the way?

All too often this is just the way business owners are with referrals for their business. Relying on existing customers to refer more customers just like them! We think, wow if that person really liked my product or service then others will come along just like her, because I gave that person 110% service, so they will be telling all their friends about me, now I can just stay at home and watch that phone ring or that email order come in!!

Not always so! Think about the last time you got great service as a customer yourself, actually think about the last time you got exceptional service, what about the last great experience you had in a restaurant. Did you tell every person you have met since about it? Not quite everyone, why? Maybe because you didn’t think they would like that type of food, or it was too far from their home, maybe it didn’t come up in conversation. Anyway bottom line you probably didn’t tell everyone and it is the same with your customers, they are a valuable source of referral, however you are not sure of exactly when or how!

All is not lost however, there are other ways of finding referrals other than from people who have already bought your product or service. So, back to Little Bo-peep, she did have something going for her…. first, she knew who she was looking for… and second, she knew what she wanted them to do…. go home.

Knowing these two simple things can make all the difference to helping people find referrals for you.

1. Who is your target market?

Who would you like people to refer you to? Think about your target market, could you paint a picture of what your ideal client does? Knowing who your target market is, is crucial to you being able to get referrals. Why? Because if someone wants to help you they need to know who would be a good referral for you.

2. Where do you want them to go?

Where does your target market go now, what do they do, what other products and services are they also buying when they are buying yours? Sometimes people do not buy from you because they don’t hear about you. Having referral relationships with trusted people who are also in contact with your target market is an important step towards finding those referrals you are looking for.

When you are networking, think about how you can help those around you and who to start building relationships with!

Here is the beautiful cover art from Bill Willingham's novel, "Peter & Max."

Because the name “Peter” crops up in so many familiar fairy tales and nursery rhymes, Willingham is able to combine all of these stories into the life of one individual, masterfully placing the stories of “Peter and the Wolf” (which is not actually a fairy tale), “Peter Piper,”  and “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater” on a logical time-line.  These stories are also woven around the tales and misadventures of Max, who is the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

As with his Fables comic series, Willingham’s book offers us a seamless blend of magical and modern.  He describes both the skyscrapers of New York in the twenty-first century and the intricacies of ancient and mystical worlds with ease.  Not only that, but he brings his customary twist of darkness and tragedy to every familiar tale he incorporates.  Although they retain their flavors, these stories are anything but predictable.

Willingham also makes it possible for both old fans and new readers to enjoy his book.  The details of the Fables world are quickly described at the start of the novel, making this a book I would recommend to any lover of fairy tales or fantasy.

Image via Wikipedia

  I think this is another rhyme by Mother Goose.  She was a lady who lived a long time ago, hundreds of years.  Her real name was Mary Goose and she wrote some and collected other poems and stories for children to read.  She lived in England, some people say she lived in Boston.  Here is a poem about Mother Goose herself.  No one can say for sure who mother goose really was or if she was just made up.  Who ever or what ever she was, she wrote or collected some great and fun rhymes and stories.

OLD MOTHER GOOSE

Old Mother Goose,
When she wanted to wander,
Would ride through the air
On a very fine gander.
Jack’s mother came in,
And caught the goose soon,
And mounting its back,
Flew up to the moon.

Hey diddle diddle

Everyone needs a little,

And right now wouldn’t be too soon.

The Little Woman laughed

Giving me the shaft,

And walked right out of the room.

*

Old Gay Giles

Walked seven miles

To see his friend James Clover.

And Old Gay Giles

Was filled with smiles,

When James said, “drop trou and bend over”.

*

Little Bo-Peep, couldn’t get any sleep

Fore she was always playing with her hymen

“Leave that thing alone, what ya need is a bone”

With that she begot to smilin’.

oh no!

Now that is a Barbie I would not be interested in playing with!  Gross!  You know what Barbie I would buy, though?  Peepshow Barbie!  I think Mattel should call me, because I have some good ideas for Barbie.

Holly Madison as Bo Peep

That is a Barbie I would buy!  Here are some other ideas I have for cute Barbie’s:

• Roller Derby Barbie
• Pharmacist Barbie
• Garden Gnome Barbie
• Flapper Barbie
• Playboy Bunny Barbie
• Mardi Gras Barbie

Whip It!

I think Barbie could be made into a totally cute Roller Derby girl!  She could come with skates, a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards!  And she could wear a cute pink tutu with a corset or something.  Super cute!

Flapper!

I am pretty sure that a Flapper Barbie has been done before, but it has been quite awhile.  I am ready for another one, an updated version.  I love the 1920′s flapper look!  I think it is so gorgeous!  The fringe, the fish nets, the feathers, the heels, the jewels….I love it all!  Flapper Barbie would be so beautiful! 

What profession do you think would be good for Barbie?

Deepa Gurnani Pearl Bow Headband

Berne Lace Bottoms

Rhinestone Bow Tieback

Brushstroke bow scarf

Chocolate Diamond Designer Bow Ring-Laurie Sarah

Let them alone, and they’ll come home, And bring their tails behind them.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, And dreamed she heard them bleating:

But when she awoke, she found it a joke, For they were still all fleeting.

Then up she took her little crook, Determined for to find them;

She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, For they’d left all their tails behind ‘em.

It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray, Into a meadow hard by;

That she espied their tails side by side, All hung on a tree to dry.

She heaved a sigh, and wiped her eye, And over the hills went stump-o,

And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should, To tack each again to its rump-o.

Image via Wikipedia

A look at the highest grossing film of 2010: Toy Story 3!

Disclaimer: The author of this post has been reading too much Sherlock Holmes, and writing far too much in the mystery genre. As a result, this post may resemble a detective novel, rather than a movie review.

Is Toy Story really the number one animated film, or is there another story behind it? This question plagued me as a Toy Story 3 promotion flashed across the television. I had to find out.

My investigation led me to Wikipedia, searching the articles belonging to Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and at last, Toy Story 3. It did appear that each film was number one in the box office during each of their releases – and Toy Story 3 did indeed accumulate a fame even greater than it’s predecessors. But what did the charts say?

It certainly appeared that Toy Story 3, in itself, already had quite a solid case. Therefore my conclusion – by deduction and observation, led me to believe it was indeed “#1.” Now onto the review!

Toy Story 3 is everything that it’s box office performance reveals. It follows in the footsteps of the previous two films, and establishes a satisfying finale to the film franchise.

Image by Jerrod Maruyama via Flickr

Toy Story 3 retains it’s terrific appeal to the family. It is throughly entertaining, and should prove satisfactory to the critic. It’s storyline picks up shortly after where the second film left off. The audience may observe that many toys have disappeared from the scene, including Woody’s beloved Little Bo Peep. In a brief history, through family videos and the filming of family videos thereof, we witness the growth of Andy, until at last stopping at the approximate age of eighteen, where he is preparing for college – a fact which instills dread into the remaining toys. What will be their fate? To the attic, forsaken for years to come? Or worse? At last, Cowboy Woody rallies the troops, revealing the simple truth that, as his toys, they should be there for Andy no matter what. With this encouragement however, chaos still manages to find it’s way into the mix, and the toys end up “mistakingly” being donated to Sunnyside, a children’s daycare. Amidst the joy of finally having the chance to be played with, the toys soon find out there’s a dark side to this daycare. For it is run by the evil Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear aka Lotso, who, through being left behind by his owner, has become a wicked tyrant. Will the toys get free and return home to Andy? Or will they be trapped forever – forced to stay in the toddler’s domain (where they are torn apart, and thoroughly mistreated) while Lotso’s gang enjoys the elementary-middle school side?

Image via Wikipedia

Regardless of the seemingly “dark” storyline, the movie is (in conclusion) an altogether positive and happy tale, exploring the aspects of true friendship, teamwork, and Disney happily-ever-after’s.

For fans of Japanese anime, a character from My Neighbor Totoro (that is, Totoro himself) by Hayao Miyazaki makes a cameo appearance among the toy’s belonging to the daycare owner’s (or caretaker)  child, a girl named Bonnie (who plays a dramatically [and most unexpectedly, at first] important role in the plot).

If you liked this movie, be sure to check out…!

In order of relevance,  release date, and other factors…

Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom [May 27, 2011]

Green Lantern [June 17th 2011]

Captain America: The First Avenger [July 22nd, 2011]

Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World [August 19, 2011]

Sherlock Holmes II [December 16th, 2011]

National Treasure III [Christmas 2011]

Ice Age: Continental Drift [July 13th, 2012]

How to Train Your Dragon II [Summer 2013]

2010 Favorites:

Disney’s A Christmas Carol [Available on DVD]

Despicable Me [Available on DVD]

Kung-Fu Panda [Available on DVD]

How to Train Your Dragon [Available on DVD]

Adventure Writer Favorite: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader [In Theaters]