Underwear in the Mail

Last week I received underwear in the mail. From a man on Twitter that I didn't even know. While that would probably sound creepy to most people, it was actually pretty awesome. The man is a well-known music agent and the underwear had a band logo on them and were accompanied by a band tshirt and CD. They were prizes I had won on Twitter.
I've won lots of good stuff on Twitter. And its always exciting. I'm bad at sports, not competitive and can't even bowl well, so when I do win things it sends me over the moon. Plus I seem to have pretty good luck on Twitter with winning.
My loot so far consists of tickets to Jays games, tickets to the Leafs Fan First game, a pair of cool gloves that I can use with my iPhone (still waiting for those to arrive... ahem @dotsgloves), the aforementioned band swag, tickets to the fantastic @womenspost Baycrest fundraiser. Hmmm.. I'm probably missing some, but that’s not bad right? And at every event I attended I've met fantastic Twitter folk. Its like the winning just keeps on going.
But… the best and most amazing thing I've won on Twitter is the connections I've made with people I otherwise wouldn't know. I've made friends with some pretty amazing folk. Some of whom I haven't even met in real life. But they're there.
Seeing how people's days are going, the ups and downs, learning about events, fundraisers – it breaks the bubble we all get caught up in. Twitter humanizes us. We get to share our internal dialogue – the good, the bad, the crazy – and people listen.
Twitter doesn't replace the in -person world. It enhances it, helps make it sharper and clearer.
For me, having Twitter around helps me to live in technicolour. Plus I get the chance to win lots of cool stuff.
And yeah, I'm gonna say it - Twitter makes me a winner. ;)

What are you afraid of?

I had a fabulous walk this afternoon. Found new streets and sights I didn't know existed. I was well-dressed against the cold. I actually enjoy walking in the cold more than the heat – easier to layer up for cold than dress down for hot (there's only so much clothing you can take off in public!).
And on my walk I came across a cemetery I hadn't noticed before. The Goel Tzedec cemetery – which I later found out is the second oldest Jewish cemetery in the city.
Passing a cemetery on all hallow's eve, Samhain, Halloween, got me thinking about fear. About what scares us. How we tempt fear to come for us – by doing things like walking in a cemetery on Halloween. Or doing things that we know will cause us to be afraid.
And as I walked I thought about all the areas of my life. The ones that felt comfortable and the ones that had that rush of fear attached to them. Acknowledging the recent shift in some areas from safe to fear. Finding areas that were too safe and needed that jolt of adrenaline that fear produces. Also finding areas that were just too scary right now and needed some safety.
As I walked I made plans on how to shift things around.
And I was surprised to realise that I am welcoming the fear. Now, don't get me wrong… I'm scared, absolutely! But I know that with fear comes growth and change. I also know that being afraid means being brave.
And that all it takes is one step from safety and then that rush of adrenaline hits you and you're no longer afraid cause you're doing it.
So… what are you afraid of?

Bubba and the Amazing Twitter - #Cakes4Bubba

I love Twitter. If you know me, you know thats not a surprising statement.
I've met all kinds of wonderful people on Twitter. Seen amazing things happen. Won a bunch of cool stuff. And also had the honour of being able to participate in some spectacular fundraising for very worthy causes.
Without the magic of Twitter and the wizards behind the magic (yeah... I'm talking about you!) there's so much that would go unnoticed, unattended and unloved.
And what I love most about Twitter and love itself, is the more you nurture and feed it, the bigger it gets; and the bigger it gets the better it gets. Magic.. pure sweet magic... that sends my little heart soaring.

So let me tell you a magic twitter story:

My dear friend Mari (@marimoreshead) likes to read the craigslist pet section. And I've never asked her why, but I think so we could get to this point today is why.
Mari came across an ad about Bubba. Bubba is a 4year old bulldog who needs cruciate ligament surgery. Bubba's owner is a university student putting herself through school. Trying to make it on her own. Bubba is her family. The surgery costs $4,000.
So Bubba's owner put an ad in craigslist asking for help. She wrote that she knew it sounded like a scam, but she was willing to provide the name of the vet so people could follow up if they weren't sure.
And all she wanted was for Bubba to have his surgery and not have to be put down.
So Mari sends me the ad about Bubba and asks "what do you think?". And follows up with an email to Bubba's owner. Mari confirms everything with the vet. Finds out that $1,300 has been raised so far. Bubba is seeing the vet on the 25th of October and then a surgery date will be set.
Bubba's owner is doing whatever she can. She's been fundraising, asking friends, family, strangers for help.
And so Mari and I thought... if Bubba's owner is willing to put it out there to ask for help, why not use that awesome Twitter magic to help Bubba?
As simple as it seems, I think Mari found this ad and showed it to me so that we could help Bubba. Thats the feeling I get.
And the only way I know how to do this is to ask all those awesome people I know to help us reach the goal of $4,000 to pay for Bubba's surgery.
So Mari has collected some delicious cakes from some equally delicious bakers and we're offering them up for raffle! Make a donation and you'll have a chance to win a cake!
And if you can't give anything, then if you can help spread the word and send some good thoughts Bubba's way, that would be equally incredible.
Visit our website to make a donation. And we've got a facebook page to keep you updated on Bubba and his progress. You can find that here.
Just so you know, we've kept the name of the vet and Bubba's owner confidential, for privacy and safety, so if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

A Lesson in Customer Service - Clout vs. Klout

I want an iPhone4. And I want it badly. Have since the day they came out. But not enough to stand in line for one. My strategy was to wait patiently until there were more available.
Then my current iPhone 3 started to fade. Sucky battery life and my home button barely works. Thus my need for a new phone started to become an issue. I wasn’t about to get another iPhone3 and I was running out of patience. But there still wasn’t an iPhone4 to be had. I tried calling Fido stores, Apple stores. Nothing.
(Given how differently the iPhone4 release is compared to the iPhone3 release, I personally think the issue is with Apple and Fido is doing the best they can with the situation. But that’s a different story…)
So I began engaging with @fidomobile on Twitter. Fidomobile was responsive but not very proactive in helping me. Answer basically was “sorry. I can’t help you. Call the stores”.
While I really appreciate that @fidomobile interacted with me and was quick to respond, as a customer service avenue it really wasn’t helpful and did nothing to alleviate any of my frustrations. I’ve told Fido this, and I think its an area they could improve on for sure.
So I called Fido and in all my frustration I told the customer service rep that I was so unhappy I was considering changing my phone service.
And this is where I hang my head in shame, because really that was an idle threat I wasn’t going to follow through with. I never should have said it. I said it because I was unhappy and frustrated.
I apologise to Fido for being so unthoughtful. It was a lesson for me in customer service.
I love Fido and have always loved my service with them. I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I don’t want to be anywhere else. It was unfair of me to say that, when I knew I wasn’t going to follow through. That was a humbling moment for me. Customer service is about being fair, and as a customer I also need to be fair to the company I’m dealing with.
So thank you Fido for putting up with my bad attitude. I apologise.
I ended up speaking with the lovely S in Customer Relations at Fido. I told S that I was initially willing to wait for an iPhone, but I couldn’t do that anymore given the current condition of my phone. S then made me happy. Very, very happy. She took a look at my account. Saw that I’ve been a good customer for 8 years. Never cause any problems. Pay my bills on time. And what might be on my file but S didn’t mention is that when I do have an issue and deal with Fido, I usually call back to let them know that I received excellent customer service from the person I was speaking with and I ask to have that put on the person’s file.
The end result of my conversation with S is that I’m getting an iPhone4. As well as some savings on my bill after S helped me figure out how to restructure my billing. And I’m almost reluctant to say this, because I don’t want everyone calling and demanding an iPhone too. That’s not the point. Please leave Fido alone.
When I called Fido with a genuine issue, I received excellent service because I’m an excellent customer (if I do say so myself!). Andy my reputation as a good client gave me the clout (not Klout) I needed.
We should always get good customer service. No question about that. But if you want your service to be extraordinary, you need to be an extraordinary client.
I think, with so many options available for products and services, and with so many avenues of expression around (twitter, blogs), its easy to try to start using what you think is clout to get what you want. But your clout isn’t just how much pull you have, its also your reputation.
So when you start asking for stuff, first ask yourself: are you really being fair? Are you using your powers for the greater good? Or are you just using them because you can and you want something?
Basically, are you being a good client?
- Do you communicate with your product/service provider and let them know when you’re happy? Do you let others know? I without fail tell people how much I love Fido. And I let Fido know it too.
- If you’re unhappy, have you taken the time to clearly articulate what the issue is and asked for or suggested solutions? Are you being nice while you do this? Being mean and/or yelling really isn't fair.
- Are your expectations realistic? Are you sure about that?

But, really, mostly…. How are you using your clout? Are you being fair?

How Good Should a Good Neighbour Be?

Like a lot of the interesting things that happen in my life, it all started with a tweet... I had said no to pizza and beer on the beach and come home for an early nights sleep.
Which was not to happen, given the sirens, sirens and more sirens that started after midnight.
And being the curious creature that I am, I tweeted about it… "what's up with all the sirens in Leslieville?" Add the smell of smoke out my back window to that, and my tweets became a bit more urgent. There were a few replies from the hood – people who could also hear and smell it, or hear it but couldn't smell anything.
And then there was a tweet from a local who's running for city council and a little more connected than me (just marginally – I'm working on that!). Its on X street, between Y and Z.
Wait a minute!! I'm on X street! What the what??
Sticking my head out the window and looking up the street – sure enough – there are fire trucks! Now, I know you're going to ask me if I went out to talk to all the nice firemen.. but I know better than to disturb them when they're busy, you know.. saving lives and stuff.
But further news from Twitter let me know that the fire was under control, nobody was hurt. And I finally went to bed well past my bedtime.
The next morning – being the curious creature that I am – I started to wonder how the homeowners were dealing with the fire. I can only imagine how devastating it can be to lose everything in a fire. Then I started to wonder if they were getting any help, since I hadn't heard anything about it on Twitter or on the local yahoo group.
So, I went for a walk past the house, and saw a huge portion of a family's entire possessions out on the lawn and an older gentleman cleaning up. I wasn't comfortable approaching him alone, so when I got back home I sent an email to the local who's running for city council and asked him to step in and see what was needed.
He visited with them, found out its an older couple, living on pensions. No real family around to speak of. And yes, they could use some help.
Twitter, as usual, responds with all kinds of love and offers of help. By the end of the day, they've got some money and a living room full of furniture when they're ready for it. Yeah for Twitter!! xoxo
I drop by the house to say hi and see how they're doing. Their electricity is off and can't be turned back on until an electrician
gives the okay. The phone isn't working – will only make outgoing calls. There's no word from the insurance company.
But the husband, J, has done a great job of organizing all the debris – trying to make it safe as this hood is notorious for people rummaging through anything left outside.
And I should have seen the bigger problem then, but I think I wasn't ready to see it and the debris from the fire was so overwhelming.
I tell them what I'd like to do to help – Can I sort out the phone issue?
No, they don't want that dealt with until the insurance adjuster has come and seen everything.
Well, how about I talk to the insurance adjuster? I've got a knack for getting things moving.
Yes. They'd be grateful for that help.
And I make the call. Turns out the insurance adjuster had tried to call back (phone's not working) and hadn't been made aware of how urgent the situation was. He'll be there within 40 minutes.
I take my leave and offer to come back when the adjuster arrives. In fact, I gotta get away from there. As lovely as this couple is, J has a habit of just talking and talking and talking when he's nervous. Its making me crazy.
And its then, when the insurance adjuster is there, and I finally go with him into the house for the first time, that I see two things:
1. The fire caused a lot more damage than I realized
2. J is a hoarder.
So, while the fire is obviously a big problem, there is a way bigger issue that's going to affect everything. The insurance adjuster is a really nice guy and makes it clear to J that he's got to clean some of this stuff up for his guys to get in there to work. And he makes it clear that he'll deal with the fire issue, he won't deal with the hoarding.
It seems pretty obvious at this point that the fire was started by something else, and not the hoarding, but I'm sure all that stuff in there didn't help matters much.
I can see the shame on the face of J's wife. They're afraid the hoarding is going to affect the insurance claim. I'm sure the hoarding is probably why they live so isolated.
But now they're talking about how this is a chance to clean everything out and start fresh. Maybe this fire was a good thing, and they can just get rid of it all.
And I see that my good neighbourliness has put me knee deep in a big, big pile.
Sure, I could walk away. I helped them with the insurance, got that rolling. I'll just move on. I've done way more than a good neighbour would. But I can't. My heart's too big, and my conscience too loud.
And as Wallabina Luck would have it, the only person I know in this hood who works in social services showed up at my work that day. I was able to ask her for information about support for J and his wife.
Doesn't seem like there's a lot out there. There is a private company, but at $1,600, that's not really an option. Plus, I think that's just a bandaid solution. They need more than a cleanup, they need support.
I did find a social agency but its geared towards older adults living in rental units, not homeowners.
Right now, they're the only lead I've got at the moment, so they'll be my first call. And I'm about to put on the hip-waders and head out into the murky waters of social services and support for hoarders and seniors. To be a good neighbour.
I'll keep you posted! Wish me luck! And if you've got any suggestions or tips, please let me know!

We are what we become

I had this epiphany while teaching a class the other day.
As I stood there, at the front of the class, I thought about how much I love talking, telling stories, engaging with people, being a bit of a goof. And that's part of what I love about teaching, and its part of why my clients like me as a teacher.
And then I remembered how much trouble I got in for doing that when I was in school.
More specifically, the year it caused the most torment was grade 6. I had the most horrible teacher in the world in grade 6 – Miss Wilson. I think Sue Sylvester in Glee was modeled after her. Short hair, gym teacher, mean as a snake.
I always – seriously, always – got in trouble with her for talking in class. My report cards that year all said "talks too much in class". Now, of course, this problem had been noted earlier by other teachers, but Miss Wilson had a bee in her bonnet about it. She nicknamed me "motormouth". Then she told my family that. And my family is a tough, tough crowd… and so I endured the torture and the teasing for ages afterwards.
But yet, here I was, 30 odd years later, talking, telling stories, being a bit of a goof… and thoroughly enjoying it. And getting paid for it!! I love the energy of a class. I tell ya, the more people in the class, the more fun I have and the better I teach. I feed off of that energy. And I'm a goof. And I'm getting paid for it!! Did I mention that?
Yet for Miss Wilson… and the many, many, many teachers before her who felt the same way, but less violently so… my chattering, my engaging with others, my loving the energy of a class – these were bad things. To be brow-beaten out of me. And the journey for me to find them and get them back myself took years.
And so this thought process made me wonder how many else out there… who got in trouble for stuff as a kid… are now doing exactly what they got in trouble for. And love it. And live it. And are happy. And how much nicer the route would have been, if we were truly appreciated for our gifts when we were younger.
Oh… and there was Miss Mott. In grade 1. who tormented me for my poor penmanship. As a leftie, with an unusual pencil grip, my printing was wretched. My cursive writing even more so. My exercise book would be a sea of red after Miss Mott and her red marking pen were done with them. I hated her. with all the seething fury that a 6 year old can possess.

But I just wanna say – screw you Miss Mott and Miss Wilson – cause here I am! Writing. Being a goof. Engaging with people. And talking ALL THROUGH class. That's right! and I'm loving it!!!

And if you're reading this… and you're not doing what you love with your life, look back at yourself as a child. Find whatever it is and bring it home!
Xoxo
Walalbina

Early Morning Rain

In the early morning rain
With a dollar in my hand
With an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home
And I miss my loved ones so
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Head pressed against a cool window.
Can be a plane, train, car, bus, airport, hotel, home.
That unsettling ache for a person or place. Or sense of being.

Gordon Lightfoot got that feeling exactly right with Early Morning Rain.
I'm sure at the time he wrote that song, all he had on his mind was that ache and getting the expression of it out and onto paper.
He wasn't thinking about how it would take him to the next level in his career. And its that twist of fate with this song that gives it even more depth and meaning for me.
Gordon recorded it in 1965. Peter, Paul and Mary made it famous in 1966, bringing more attention to his already growing reputation as a singer/songwriter.
And that little spark took Gordon further along his path. Did he know that at the time he was writing? Nope. But he knew he had to write it.
The last time I heard this song, I was in a little boutique looking for a party dress with a friend. It was Paul Weller's version (one of my favourites to be sure). It instantly brought that ache to my heart.
But it also carried with it a sweet little smile of knowing.
That little ache, properly expressed and valued, will likely take me someplace great.