I’ve been glued to Olympic coverage pretty much since the opening ceremonies. I’ve been following a lot of sports and watching as much as I can. During this time I’ve seen the entire range of human emotions. People winning and losing. Achieving their personal bests as well as performances they rather forget.

I paused to consider the success I’ve had thus far in life and the people I know who are also successful in what they do in terms of the Olympics. I’m pretty sure that the chances of me ever making it to the Olympics, much less getting a medal, are slim to none, but in terms of what I do their is no reason what I can’t reach my own podium. Think about what you do. Think about what you want to do really well. Now think about watching Olympic calibre athletes.

The first thing I noticed is that they are so good that their performances seem effortless. That sliding down a sheet of ice on little more than some tubes and plastic at 140+ km/hr is just another thing to do. That skating around for 4 minutes, gliding, spinning, lifting your partner into the air with style and grace…just like you’d do that anywhere, anytime.

The next thing I noticed was that these competitors are laying everything on the line. It’s the cliché “it all comes down to one moment…” saying. A half-hearted effort gets half-hearted results.

So how often do we do that for ourselves?

What in our lives can we put down and say…I do this because I love it and every time I step up to the plate, I’m swinging for the fences. I know that no one can say they feel that way all of the time. Even these champions we’re watching have days where they’d rather do anything other than their sport.

But that feeling doesn’t last long, does it?

Maybe it’s because I’ve entered middle-age that I am looking for those things that inspire and push me to be better at what I do.

Notice that I haven’t said “work” or “blogging” or anything like that thus far.

And certainly I can apply all of what I’m talking about to both my personal and professional life.

I think we can all look at these athletes not with “wow I couldn’t ever do that” but with “wow I can do that in my own life…”

Now, when does your Olympic training begin? Tomorrow?

We knew they were coming, as inevitable as the torch run itself, protests during the Olympic Games here in Vancouver. The blessing, and sometimes curse, of a free society is the right for people to gather, march, and protest to voice their objections and concerns about the state of things. It is our right. It is our duty. And people have died, and have died today, defending that right. However the right to object. The right to say “this is wrong and should change”, does not come with the right to hurt, maim, destroy, and vandalize as an expression of indignation.

Today in Vancouver one of the stories I awoke to were riots downtown. Protesters, who have a point to make, and thugs, who hide behind masks to incite and destroy, marched through town and were met, as expected, with a hefty police presence.

I aplaude those who peacefully march and ask us to consider how our government spends our tax dollars. I cast shame upon those who think dragging newspaper boxes (including the ironic choice of the Georgia Straight) into the streets and smashing windows helps the cause for justice and humanity in our world.

I have become decidedly more moderate as I’ve gotten older. I don’t decry the actions of government or business as every turn. Sometimes there are issues that just aren’t worth me raising my blood pressure over. I also carry within me generations of ancestors who have died in protest of things that were not right. Jan Hus was the first Protestant martyr, and the only one to be burned at the stake conscious. I stood on the spot where he died. Cognizant of the irony that when I was in college and grad school I was very active in the Church that executed him. My ancestors sunk their ships as part of the Great Stone Fleet during the American Civil War to help the Union. My ancestors were whalers and merchants, sending your ship to the bottom of the ocean wasn’t a trivial sacrifice.

I have no acts of protest that come close to what my forefathers did. I send a letter or email now and then. I write posts like these. I vote.

Perhaps, tempered in my more centrist few of the world, which is a long way from my Reagan-era “you make Attila the Hun look liberal” world view (as my father once told me) and my much more liberal views of my twenties and early thirties, I don’t see protest on the streets as the way I want to work for social change. It doesn’t mean I’m blind to it, I merely choose to do things differently.

So, to the protesters who stand firm and steadfast and in peace for their beliefs, I applaud you. To the protesters who cause harm and destruction, stay home and off our streets. We, the majority of Canadians and Vancouverites, see no place for you and your violence in our world. While I don’t agree with most of what the Olympic protesters are protesting about, I will agree they have a right to do it.

Now, let’s enjoy watching people do amazing athletic feats and cheer Canada to gold!

When I’m helping people first start blogging, one of the first objections (fears, concerns) is that no one will be interested in what they have to say. In nearly six years of blogging I have yet to find someone start a blog that didn’t have some kind of audience.

Think about it this way, no matter what your topic, issue, hobby, whatever is there has got to be at least one other person (and most likely more) in the world who shares your feelings/experience/passion. The world is a huge place and we all share so many common experiences that coupled with the global reach of the Internet you are sure to find an audience.

The fact of the matter is that if you write about what you love, from the heart, and with passion readers will connect with you and the post. People like to connect. People like stories and understanding others just a little bit more. There are so many amazing stories out there yet still to be told and I hope and over time, more and more people will contribute their stories to the world-wide library of humanity: The Internet.

Feeling a little anxious about posting something to the world is completely understandable. I still feel that why when I’m writing a post on the edges of (or outside of) my comfort zone. I worry that people will stop reading. I worry that what I write will go over like a lead balloon and there will be just the sound of virtual crickets chirping after I hit “Publish”. If you’re starting a new blog, don’t worry, for the first while you’re writing for yourself. People won’t likely find your blog unless you link to it from Facebook, Twitter, or just plain tell people about it. It’s not that people won’t ever come it’s that they don’t come right away. Consider this your safe time to write and get your feet under you.

Relax. Just write and post and find your voice. People will come, don’t worry.

You might also try using Google Blog Search to find other blogs in your niche. Just go there and search for your hobby or interest. Let’s say you’re really into watching planes and like to know which ones are which. A quick search for plane spotting came up with some great results. Adding your local airport code (for me it’s YVR) gives you local results. Now not only do you have more blogs to read, but you also have a potential audience. Read their blogs, leave comments, link to their posts from yours.

Before you know it not only will people be wanting to read what you’re posting, they’ll be begging you to post more!

Remember, blogging is supposed to be fun and about your passions. The rest will just work itself out.

If you’ve being wondering how good Create Your Own Blog really is, now’s your chance to find out because I have a free sample chapter for you (the Introduction is also included, though I’m not sure I’d call that a bonus or not). Pearson has made Chapter 3, Writing and Creating a Conversation (1.5 MB, PDF) available for you to read and enjoy.

Chapter 3 is one of my favorite chapters in the book and I chose it because I think it is a great piece of work on its own. When my editor asked which chapter to offer for free, I had an internal debate, I wanted to offer a good, solid, interesting chapter so that people would get something out of reading it, but I also wanted to hook people in to want to buy the rest of the book! I think Chapter 3 is a great balance between the two ends of the spectrum. I feel that you are getting some great information without buying the book, which is giving back to the community that has helped me so much over the years, but also missing some of the “good stuff” like how to get your blog going, set up a podcast or sell things on your site.

Enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think in the comments.

Today, as you might have gathered from Google—Newest Google Doodle- falling apples for Sir Issac Newton—is Sir Isaac Newton’s birthday.

A brilliant chap he was, tad eccentric towards the end of his life I gather—mental_floss Blog » The Quick 10: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Isaac Newton—but his work affects us all. I’ve always wanted to do a video explaining the basics of Newtonian Physics playing pool, but I’ll save that for another day.

You all know by now that I have my own eccentricities, which include a fondness (née preference) for fountain pens. I have a lot of pens (over 12) and I generally carry a pen and pad with me all the time. My favourite pen to carry in my pocket is this one:

Which happens to be my Sir Isaac Newton fountain pen. Styled after his walking stick including the crest at the top. I carry it because it’s solid brass and has a twist off cap so I can carry it in a pants pocket without worrying about the cap coming off (okay, go ahead with the “Is that a pen in your pocket…” jokes).

It was sold by Levenger, but doesn’t seem to be available any longer. Course I often carry a second pen in my shirt pocket and right now it’s one of these babies.

What does your workspace look like? No, not the color or how many file cabinets you have, but how is your laptop or monitor positioned? What does your neck feel like at the end of the day? How about your arms, wrists, fingers? Having had my own brushes with carpal tunnel problems, not to mention a long standing back injury, I am always trying to find newer and better ways to layout my workspace.

Lifehacker has some simple (and inexpensive) ideas for getting your workspace up to snuff. Your first step is going to be getting that laptop screen up to the right height…

It’s easy to forget about your body’s needs when you’re deep into your work or the net—until your body offers a painful reminder. Save your physical shell some strain with these cheap, customizable ergonomic workspace upgrades.

[From Top 10 Ergonomic Upgrades for Your Workspace - Ergonomics - Lifehacker]

Once your laptop or monitor are at the right height, you’re going to need to work on that keyboard and mouse combination. With your laptop at the right height it’s pretty hard to type on it, unless you’re standing of course. Desks are only now coming around to getting keyboard drawers, table heights and chairs to mesh up together. All too often I haven’t been able to get the right position together because I can’t get the chair at the right height and the other things matched into place.

Remember: you should be able to sit up straight, arms relaxed, and head up to be able to work most comfortably.

If you have looked at all of Lifehacker’s recommendations, then the final one to remember is taking breaks. Stand up, stretch. Even set up your workspace so that you can type standing up.

Once you have all these parts in place, then you can start getting good writing done. Only when I have my work area ready am I able to write for the hours that sometimes just happens. When you’re going, you’re going. Sure there is a lot of popping and cracking when I stand up, but a lot less than if I was hunched over the laptop for the same amount of time.

Are you ready to make a change?

This Saturday I’m teaching my full-day audio/video podcasting course at UBC Robson Square (9-4)—UBC Continuing Studies—and there is still time to sign up and room available for in the class.

The first class was a huge test for me. I could have (should have) been a lot better prepared for it. Now, however, I have had the benefit of having taught my full-day and half-day WordPress courses (don’t forget my full-day WP class at UBC is Halloween!) several times and have a much better sense of just how I need to teach tech stuff in general.

Not to mention, this past weekend I finished my author review of Chapters 7 & 8 of my book, Create Your Own Blog: Six Easy Blogging Projects, which just so happens to cover audio and video podcasting. So fresh from putting the spit and polish on those two chapters, I have a lot more cool stuff handy in my brain to use in class.

If you have questions about either class shoot me a line or leave a comment on this post.

See everyone Saturday!

This past June I taught a couple Continuing Education courses at UBC Robson Square and they were so well received that before the end of June they were scheduled again for this fall. Now that you’re settling into fall, how about learning how to podcast (audio or video) or build a website with WordPress (for the non-geeky set)?

I promise that you’ll come away from my classes learning at least a couple new tricks and maybe even a radio show or website. So, here are the details:

Intro to Audio and Video Podcasting:

Course Description: Learn the basics of audio and video podcasting from one of Vancouver’s social media specialists in this one-day, hands-on workshop. Students learn how to record, edit, encode, and post audio and video podcasts. Topics include: hardware, software, how to add music and titles, where to post your podcast, search engine optimization and how to host a live Internet radio show. One day is all you need to get on air and podcast with confidence and ease!

link: UBC Continuing Studies

Building Websites with WordPress (for non-geeks):

Course Description: Learn how to make a professional looking website using the WordPress blogging platforms. Beginning with WordPress.com with little to no coding required, students learn the basics of how to turn a WordPress blog into a website, how to tune it for search engines and how to choose the right theme for your website. Wordpress.org will also be covered to delve into advanced tuning for search engines, basic theme and CSS edits, transferring files, installing themes, and how to choose and install plugins. Led by one of Vancouver’s WordPress and social media experts, this workshop teaches you how to use WordPress to build dynamic, elegant and professional looking websites quickly and easily. You don’t have to know how to code to have a great website, you just have to know how to click.

link: UBC Continuing Studies

The Websites with WordPress course is now a full day course instead of the original half-day format, so we’ll have a lot more time to get into things than the June session.

All the classes are held at UBC Robson Square in the computer labs there. Yes, there will be an individual workstation per student, but if you want to bring your own laptop that’s great.

Time is short, so sign up now! For those who wished they could have taken the courses in June, well now is your chance!

If you have questions, just leave a comment or zap me an email:

Later this week Shel Israel is going to wrap up his Canadian tour for Twitterville with a stop here in Vancouver–SEPT 17: Shel Israel launches “Twitterville” in Canada – Third Tuesday Vancouver (Vancouver, BC) – Meetup.com–and I am honoured to have the privilege to both introduce Shel and moderate the questions at the end of his talk.

I’ve known Shel since the pre-Naked Conversations days, when he was “the other guy writing a book with Scoble”. Of course what this really meant was that we didn’t know Shel yet. Shel is the first social media storyteller I knew. He sat down with people (like SAP) and tried to get to the heart of what social media was all about for them.

In the time between Naked Conversations and Twitterville Shel undertook an ambitious project to interview people around the world. I think he covered a fair bit of the world and in doing so, opened our eyes to worlds beyond our own.

Shel’s influence isn’t something you can just point out. He spends a lot of his time advising big players in industry, so they aren’t really going to go out there and be tweeting about their meeting with Shel that day. What is important is the subtle sea change in business attitudes about social media. It’s taken folks like Shel, me, and many others years to get social media to a place where it is now.

I’m proud to consider Shel a friend, and prouder still that he considers me one as well. Thursday will be a great opportunity for me to wax poetic about someone who might not grab headlines, but whose influence is deep and vast.

Posted via web from Tris Hussey’s Lifestream

Posted via web from Tris Hussey’s Lifestream

via tuaw.com

Unfortunately the default out-of-the-box action is still set to look everywhere on your Mac. But don’t worry, it’s easy to change. 1. Make sure Finder is your active app (either click on the Finder icon in the dock, click the desktop or a visible Finder window, or cmd-Tab to switch to the Finder). 2. Choose Preferences in the Finder menu. Or you can just use the Command-comma key combo to invoke Preferences. 3. In Finder Preferences, click on the Advanced tab. 4. Choose your desired search scope from the drop-down menu under the heading “When performing a search.” 5. Close the Preferences and enjoy a search or two. That’s it. Just one example of the many little changes in Snow Leopard that make life with the OS easier and more efficient. I hope you find what you’re looking for!

One of the most annoying things about Leopard was that when I search within a folder the default was actually “This Mac”…not helpful. Now you can force it to be the Current Folder, but it isn’t the default setting…

Posted via web from Tris Hussey’s Lifestream

If the old way was to write a post for each service, is the new way to write once, post everywhere? If this is written here on Posterous, but also posted to my blog, what are the SEO implications?

For posting to my blog, does it just leave out tags and categories?

And yes, this will show up on Twitter twice.

Posted via web from Tris Hussey’s Lifestream

As many of you all know I love to teach and give talks. It’s in my blood to teach (both my parents did) and is something that gives me great personal satisfaction. So when I got a call last week from BCIT asking if I knew of someone who could teach 4 all-day classes on WordPress my answer was: “Yeah, me.”

I’ve been trying (badly) to keep this under wraps since then, but it’s official now–starting Friday morning and for the next two Fridays (I’m out of town for the last session, so I’m lining up guest lecturers), I’ll be teaching the ins and outs of WP to eager young folks.

Excited?

Yeah, that’s an understatement.

One of my goals in life is to be on the faculty of BCIT or UBC in their business or technology programs, this brings me a lot closer to that goal than I was only a week ago.

So after teaching at UBC–UBC Computers, Media and Technology – Multimedia Summer Programs 2009 – Summer Workshops–planning classes with M2O–Classes | Vancouver New Media School–and tonight’s class with Kontent Creative–Kontent Summer School Workshops | Kontent Creative Group Inc.–I think it’s pretty clear that teaching social media and technology is going to figure prominently in my future.

If you’re wondering if you can get into the WP intensive course, I don’t know but I have asked. I do know that it isn’t a graded course but is part of a larger program. Check back here for updates.

Now it’s time for me to focus on work, then polish my notes for tonight. Tomorrow … lesson plan-o-rama.

I had such a great time teaching my Building Websites with WordPress (for normal people) half-day at UBC that M2O and I thought we’d offer the class as well.

After teaching the class at UBC, I realized that a half-day course isn’t enough and maybe offering an intro, advanced, and full-day options might be a good idea. So this is how I’ve structured the courses…

The morning intro class will use WordPress.com to build a regular website (with or without an attached blog) and also get into what makes a good website (titles, writing, what to offer, etc). It is intended for people who have never built a site before and want to dip their toes in the water.

The afternoon advanced class is going to be all DIY. We’re going to install WP from scratch and Fantastico. We’ll do upgrading WP and plugins. Picking and installing themes. Get into tweaking CSS and PHP code. I’ll also cover workflow, FTP, running a local server for playing, etc. It’s all going to be great fun.

Of course if you’re a real keener you can sign up for both classes and get the full day experience. In fact we even discount the full day versus signing up for each on their own.

Both classes will be held at the über convenient and über cool BICT Downtown campus (on Seymour) in the call centre training room.

There are workstations in the room (these are hands-on courses), but you may also bring your own laptop with you. There will be free wifi (of course).

If you’d like to sign up head on over to the page on our new education site (built on WP of course): Classes | Vancouver New Media School or our Eventbrite page for all our classes.

I hope to see you there!

And in case you might have forgotten … I’m teaching a seminar onusing social media for competitive intelligence on Tuesday the 28th!