Writing...Just because!

Part of who I am includes a deep-seeded passion for giving back. It started when I was nine years old and did a craft sale with my best friend from which we gave the proceeds to Rainbow Haven a summer camp for poor kids. That passion has followed me through life and I really don’t feel complete unless I’ve got a volunteer gig underway. When I was in Dubai I started the local volunteer chapter of Room to Read with a fellow Canadian I had met at the American Women’s Association (no, there wasn’t a Canadian Women’s Association). Naturally, after the dust settled following our move to Thailand, I set about finding the charity I would embrace as my own. After a quick Internet search I found the Phuket has Been Good to Us Foundation that does English language programs for children at a government school not far from where I live. The program started initially to serve orphans of the Tsunami but has expanded to include all students at two schools. I looked to see if any of the princi...

This book is such an amazing resource for anyone who works from home and uses the internet for marketing their business, or anyone who is contemplating doing so.  I've been working freelance for almost 5 years now (after almost 20 years in PR) and I started underlining and making notes in the margin on the first page! Each page is chock full of advice and links to online resources and there are case studies at the end of each chapter of people who are not only making it happen but to a huge level of success.  I suggest you read this while sitting at your laptop so you can test things out as you go. When researching how to make money on the internet the authors say themselves that "it's easy to drown in the shear quantity of this information." But, they chunk it up into digestable bits so you can just take it one chapter at a time and decide your next best step.  They outline loads of options and every one is not right for every "Laptop Entrepreneur".  Ho...

Lately I've been writing more about my new book ( @Home in Dubai ) and what's happening in the world around me in my new life in Thailand. I thought I would throw a business-type blog in as I myself am back to the 'main course' of what I do... writing copy for clients . The Press Release It doesn't matter how many new media crop up, the good 'old fashioned' press release (the meat and potatoes of PR) always seems to have a place.  It's the central tool that's used to share 'news' with any audience through the conveyers of information whether it's a blog, newspaper, magazine, television, radio or ezine.  Of course, there's always the pitch letter too but that's another blog! Optimizing Releases Of course, technology has hugely improved the possibilities for reach way beyond what the old 'pop in the mail paper press release' of a previous era did.  Then you had to rely on it reaching the right person and having a gripp...

Living in a foreign country brings a litany of adventure and excitement, challenges, frustrations, elation and sometimes just downright weirdness!  After a while, for the veteran expat, the unusual becomes commonplace. This thought occurred to me the other day while I waited at the Thai Department of Land Transport to take my driving test for the second time (driving on the left hand side of the road sitting in a right-hand drive car…So, what’s the big deal, my British friends would ask, right?). It did take a few tries but you’ve got to cut me some slack. It’s been 30 years since I’ve had to do a driving test so it sort of caught me by surprise.  After spending two full days at the licensing place in Phuket Town (getting there was a feat in itself) I finally walked away with both car and motorbike driving licenses in hand (or should I say ‘drove away’ on my Honda Click…finally legal to drive it)!  It was high-fives and smiles all around for the ‘farang’ (me...

On my walk today I came across a little pink thistle.  It reminded me of the movie Horton Hears a Who and I paused to smile and wonder if this little thistle happened to have a 'spec' on it where there was a whole civilization living. Then my mind took a sharp turn to the media frenzy that is now surrounding an organization called Invisible Children that is working towards arresting one particular individual who has been abducting children for many years and forcing them to become child soldiers. My smile faded and I could feel the tears prick behind my eyes. Really, we are all specs on this planet, aren't we? Every spec, big or small, deserves a chance to grow and prosper. The organization has produced a film that has quickly gone viral. "The 29-minute video was watched by an astounding 2.7 million people on Tuesday alone," according to a Globe and Mail article , that ran yesterday.  It went on to say that by Wednesday, 14 million people had seen it and th...

I’ve just returned from a whirlwind 10 days in Dubai, visiting friends and promoting my book @Home in Dubai .  A realization came flooding in as I was wined and dined, housed and loved by so many Dubai friends that, home is not only where the heart is (mine is spread all over the world) but also where you are at peace. The main purpose of my trip was to launch my book in Dubai by way of a book signing and coffee chat at my favorite coffee shop ( Central Perk ), where the manager I had met before when attending an event for Room to Read , welcomed me with open arms and allowed me to take over half the shop. I felt at home. Book signing at Central Perk I also took the opportunity to meet with book buyers from all the local bookshops (some of which are international). I was met with very encouraging words as they all forwarded sample copies to the National Media Council in Abu Dhabi, which must approve the book before it’s sold in the UAE.  I am hopeful that t...

I've been back in Dubai a little over a week promoting my book, @Home in Dubai, and I'm staying in my old compound with a very dear friend.  She still uses Mohammed, the same gardener we both used while I lived in Dubai and it reminded me of a little story I wrote about one day when I pulled in my driveway and he was up in the palm tree in the front yard.  I thought I would share it for a little change of pace! Dates...They Grow on Trees! Our first summer living in Dubai brought with it the harvesting of dates.  What a novel idea.  I had never really thought about where dates come from.  I’m not a big date fan so I never had a burning desire to find out...and then one day… I drove into the driveway on hot and steamy day and saw Mohammed the gardener up on a ladder on one of my palm trees in the front yard.  I adore Mohammed.  He has a great smile and infectious laugh.  Every day he would come to take care of my yar...