copyright © 2010 gapingvoid gallery - reprinted with permission
Not long ago I discovered this wonderful cartoon and its accompanying text by Hugh MacLeod. I found it inspiring and thought to myself, … Read more.
It’s time to stop the rushing and working and worrying. You can always pick that up later. For now, as we come to the end of another year, let’s all take a deep breath and calm ourselves. As my holiday present, I’ve put together a little virtual retreat for you. You’ll find some wonderful calming images, music, books, and quotations below… Read more.
Posted in Holidays, How to, Inspiration, Personal Care
Tagged calmness, end of year, Holidays, How to, Inspiration, personal care, reducing stress, stress reduction
Mom at twenty-three
Those of you who are regular readers of my blog know that every Monday is devoted to Monday’s Link Roundup. This Monday is different. Yesterday Mom died at Victoria Hospice at the age of ninety-three.
Mom always believed that when she transitioned to that other side, she’d be met by my Dad, Ed Curtis, who died in 1990. I like to think she was right. And whether by coincidence or design her death took place on their seventy-second wedding anniversary. They were married December 18, 1939.
Throughout my life Mom was one of my biggest fans and supporters. In many ways she introduced me to story telling at an early age. An avid reader, her favorite activity before going to sleep was to read a few pages from her latest book. Every morning I would eagerly run into her bedroom to sit by her bed. There, she would relate the latest installment – no doubt censoring some of the racy bits for the ears of an eight-year-old.
She also regaled me with stories from her teenage years when her family homesteaded in the wilderness of northern British Columbia. Eagerly absorbed by a young boy were tales of encounters with grizzly bears, hunting, and snowy winter nights, hunkered down in their log cabin.
People have remarked that it’s sad that Mom’s death came so close to Christmas. In part that’s true. I certainly haven’t had time in the past few weeks to think much about the holiday season. But central to this time of year is the message of peace, comfort, and joy. And I’ve experienced all of those in a personal and profound way. Mom and I were surrounded at Victoria Hospice by loving and compassionate care. Her final days brought her comfort and her death was blessedly peaceful. And we had joyful moments – reminiscing about Christmases past, enjoying cups of her favorite tea from her favorite cup, and laughing at this comedy called life. One of the last things she said to me, opening her eyes briefly was, “Having fun?”
I miss her dearly. My world has changed forever. But surrounded and supported by my loving partner, friends, and colleagues I’ll carry on doing honor to those values she tried to instill in me – kindness, loyalty, grace, and a good sense of humor.
Thanks, Mom.
Posted in End of life, Holidays, Inspiration, Palliative care
Tagged Christmas, death, End of life, holiday, hospice, Inspiration, memories, Mom, Palliative care, Victoria Hospice
Last year I had the privilege of hearing First Nation elder STOLȻEȽ ( John Elliot) of the WASÁNEĆ (Saanich) territory address the 16th Annual APH Conference in Victoria, B.C. He spoke reverently of the stories that were passed down to him about the land and sea and animals and the values to live by… Read more.
Posted in Inspiration, Personal historian, Songs
Tagged Inspiration, memories, Personal historian, reflection, Resources, songs, yesterday
Posted in Inspiration, Personal historian
Tagged Annie Dillard quote, core values, Inspiration, Personal historian, work
1989 Emmy Awards
Who doesn’t love Betty White? I’m a huge fan, first encountering her as the sugar-coated tough cookie Sue Ann Nivens on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. This past weekend I was reading an interview with White.
I was struck by the fact that her life has lessons to teach those of us who run personal history businesses. I’m not for a moment suggesting that we can all possess the good health and talent of a Betty White but we can certainly learn from her example.
Betty White has been working hard for over six decades. She’s done it all, constantly reinventing herself. She started out in radio in the 1940′s. Her first television appearance was in 1949 with Al Jarvis on Hollywood on Television which she later hosted.
Through the 50′s she created, co-produced, and starred in the syndicated comedy Life With Elizabeth for which she received her first Emmy Award. Through the 60′s and early 70′s she appeared regularly as a celebrity panelist on game shows.
Her big break came in 1973 with The Mary Tyler Moore Show where she was a regular until the series ended in 1977. Her next starring role, for which she received her second Emmy Award, was on The Golden Girls from 1985 through 1992.
Through the 90′s, White guest starred in numerous network television programs. She also lent her voice to a number of animated shows. Most recently she’s hosted Saturday Night Live and is starring in the comedy series Hot in Cleveland.
LESSON: Success doesn’t happen overnight. As a personal historian you’ll need to put in many years of hard work. You might have to take on a second job to pay the bills. Like Betty, who continually reinvented herself, you’ll need to learn new skills such as public speaking, book production, blogging, or workshop design. Doing all this with determination and a positive attitude will help you through the tough times just as it did Betty White.
Betty White embraces her age. She makes no apologies for being old. From the Golden Girls to Hot in Cleveland she’s demonstrated that you can be old and still be funny, smart, outspoken, and sexy.
Receiving a lifetime-achievement award at the 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards, she gushed sincerely about how lucky she’s been to work with so many in the room, and then seamlessly added, “And I may have had some of you, too.” Back on that podium again in 2011, she stroked the statuette’s bare bottom and smiled lewdly.
~ from the Globe and Mail The Betty White tornado
LESSON: Be yourself. As a personal historian, I bring decades of experience as a documentary filmmaker. I value my graying beard and wrinkles. I see my “advancing years” as a plus in this business. Age suggests experience and a life lived – all valuable and marketable traits for a personal historian. Look hard at what makes you special and unique. This will be a selling point with your potential clients who are not only looking for competency but also authenticity.
“You have to stay interested in things.” White said in her Globe and Mail interview. “There’s so many things I want to know more about that I’ll never live long enough to do. But it’s something to reach for.”
Betty White is a marvelous example of life-long learning. Starting in radio, moving to television, then becoming a producer, starring in feature films, hitting the quiz show circuit, and now releasing her fifth book If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won’t).
Given her six decades in the entertainment business she could have easily succumbed to its changing technologies and tastes as many did. But she rose to the challenges, got even better, and survived without any bitterness. As she says, “Sickeningly optimistic.”
LESSON: To survive in the personal history business we need to adapt or be swept aside by the the digital revolution. E-books, print on demand, social media, and HD video all require learning new ways of doing our work. Sure, it’s not easy at times but sticking our heads in the sand or complaining bitterly won’t work. Grab on to your inner “Betty White” and just do it!
Have you noticed that throughout her career Betty White always looks fabulous and stylish? She’s not afraid to show some flair and sassiness.
LESSON: Hire a designer to ensure that all of your marketing materials – business cards, brochures, and website are first class. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone to come up with a design that speaks to your uniqueness. And don’t forget your own appearance. Looks do speak volumes whether we like it or not. You want your business attire to read confident, impeccable, trustworthy, and appropriate.
Photo by Alan Light
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Posted in How to, Inspiration, Marketing, Personal historian, Self-employed, Tips
Tagged Betty White, How to, Inspiration, life lessons, Marketing, Personal historian, self employed, small business, Tips
We lay aside letters never to read them again, and at last we destroy them out of discretion, and so disappears the most beautiful, the most immediate breath of life, irrecoverable for ourselves and for others.
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Last week I was doing some spring cleaning and came across a collection of letters I had written to my parents some forty-five years ago. At the time, I was a young man teaching in Ghana. After University I’d joined CUSO, a Canadian voluntary organization similar to the Peace Corps, and had been assigned to the West African country for two years. I’d asked my mother to keep these letters as a partial record of my experience.
Dan and the staff at Sefwi Wiawso Secondary School, Ghana
Last week was the first time I’d looked at them in over four decades. As I read through these tissue thin blue aerograms, covered in tightly composed script, I was deeply affected. My younger self was speaking to me across the years not only about his wonder at this new place and culture but also about his hopes and dreams.
I feel that I want a role in life where I can work to benefit those among us who are not so privileged. I have long given up the idea that I alone can solve world problems. But I do feel that I have something and that I can contribute a little to working out some of our problems.
In a powerful way I came to see that the life I had hoped for has been lived. The values I held then are still close to my heart. It gives me encouragement as I look ahead to the “third chapter” of my life. I suspect it will be a time every bit as challenging and eye-opening as my days in Ghana. And I hope I’ll face the future with the same degree of passion, curiosity, dedication, and openness as that young man did all those years ago.
The letters also confirm how much detail and texture of our past is simply lost unless we have journals or letters to refresh our memory. I was surprised at the events, people, and places that had faded from my mind. In fact, it turns out that the Ghanaian secondary school compound where I lived and taught wasn’t exactly how I remembered it at all!
My letters home illustrate the great value that memorabilia play in unlocking the stories of our life. But not just the stories. Those letters also helped me understand something of the person I am today.
Here are a few random thoughts:
Photos from Dan Curtis collection
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Posted in Inspiration, Life stories, memoir, Personal historian, Writing
Tagged aerogram, CUSO, Ghana, How to, Inspiration, letters, life story, memories, memory triggers, third chapter, Tips, West Africa, Writing
copyright © 2010 gapingvoid gallery - reprinted with permission
SOULS
You can take this as a guide for work or relationships.
I think it’s about life.
Kindness, Gentleness, Generosity, Grace, Purity of Intent.
To touch the souls of others is as much gift to yourself as it is to the person you are touching.
Yes, you can also through a product.
Whatever it is, Do it with love.
____________________________________________________
Not long ago I discovered this wonderful cartoon and its accompanying text by Hugh MacLeod. I found it inspiring and thought to myself, “This is what I do, as a personal historian. I touch souls and am in turn touched. The work we do as personal historians is both substantive and enlightening.”
This is the perfect time to share this with you. We are at the beginning of another yearly cycle and with it an opportunity to reflect on our life and our work.
I hope Hugh MacLeod’s “Soul” resonates with you as it has with me.
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Posted in Inspiration, Personal historian
Tagged gapingvoid gallery, Hugh MacLeod, Inspiration, Personal historian, relationships, souls, work
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