Wednesday, October 5, 2011
"I feel strongly about" - my second Rostrum speech
My Dad was the adventurer in his family.
He was the middle child in a family of 11 kids. He is Irish, Northern Irish.
And living up to his name as the adventurer in the family, my Dad bought a cheap, one-way ticket to Australia when he was 18.
I don't think Dad intended on staying in Australia long-term. But, as the story goes, he fell in love with a beautiful woman - my mother - and the rest of his life was pretty much mapped out.
With all the excitement and adventure of a new life, a new love and a new homeland, it slipped my Dad's mind to contact his family back home in Ireland.
Well, that's not entirely true. Dad did write a letter to his mother. He even put the letter in an envelope. He sealed the envelope. He addressed the envelope. And he even put a stamp on it.
Some time later - years later - Dad found that letter in with all his other documents. He had forgotten to put it in the post.
Five years after Dad first set foot in Australia, he decided to go back to Ireland to visit his mother, whom he loved very much.
So without a word of warning, without even a phone call, my Dad arrived on the doorstep of his family home. And who should answer but his loving mother.
Well, you could've knocked her over with a feather. For she had not seen, nor heard from, her favourite son in five years. She didn't even know if he was alive.
It was at that moment that Dad realised the immensity with which his mother loved him.
I strongly believe that we should all take stock of where we are in our lives. We should consider our priorities and make time for our loved ones.
While I never met my paternal grandmother, I have always been relatively close to my maternal grandmother.
Nan is 86-years old. She is frail. And sadly dementia is kicking in. She repeats herself four or five times in a conversation.
And when phoning Nan is just one of the items on my endless to-do list, it's easy to get frustrated with the constant repeating. I have been guilty of putting off that phone call to Nan.
Perhaps we've all been guilty of something similar at some time in our lives. We can get so wrapped up in our own lives - having a great time, trying to make a name for ourselves, trying to get our careers just where we want them. And sometimes we forget about the really important things in life.
I urge you to take stock of where you are in your life right now. Consider your priorities. And if you tell me that your priorities lie with your family and your close friends then don't leave it five years between visits.
He was the middle child in a family of 11 kids. He is Irish, Northern Irish.
And living up to his name as the adventurer in the family, my Dad bought a cheap, one-way ticket to Australia when he was 18.
I don't think Dad intended on staying in Australia long-term. But, as the story goes, he fell in love with a beautiful woman - my mother - and the rest of his life was pretty much mapped out.
With all the excitement and adventure of a new life, a new love and a new homeland, it slipped my Dad's mind to contact his family back home in Ireland.
Well, that's not entirely true. Dad did write a letter to his mother. He even put the letter in an envelope. He sealed the envelope. He addressed the envelope. And he even put a stamp on it.
Some time later - years later - Dad found that letter in with all his other documents. He had forgotten to put it in the post.
Five years after Dad first set foot in Australia, he decided to go back to Ireland to visit his mother, whom he loved very much.
So without a word of warning, without even a phone call, my Dad arrived on the doorstep of his family home. And who should answer but his loving mother.
Well, you could've knocked her over with a feather. For she had not seen, nor heard from, her favourite son in five years. She didn't even know if he was alive.
It was at that moment that Dad realised the immensity with which his mother loved him.
I strongly believe that we should all take stock of where we are in our lives. We should consider our priorities and make time for our loved ones.
While I never met my paternal grandmother, I have always been relatively close to my maternal grandmother.
Nan is 86-years old. She is frail. And sadly dementia is kicking in. She repeats herself four or five times in a conversation.
And when phoning Nan is just one of the items on my endless to-do list, it's easy to get frustrated with the constant repeating. I have been guilty of putting off that phone call to Nan.
Perhaps we've all been guilty of something similar at some time in our lives. We can get so wrapped up in our own lives - having a great time, trying to make a name for ourselves, trying to get our careers just where we want them. And sometimes we forget about the really important things in life.
I urge you to take stock of where you are in your life right now. Consider your priorities. And if you tell me that your priorities lie with your family and your close friends then don't leave it five years between visits.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
'About Me' - My first Rostrum Speecch
I bet a few of you have seen the movie Anger Management.
By starting a sentence in that way, perhaps you're all thinking I'm about to tell you I have anger problems.
I don't.
But there is a particular scene in the movie Anger Management which helps to illustrate just how difficult it is for me to tell you 'About Me.'
As the scene goes, the character Dave, played by Adam Sandler, is participating in his first of many Anger Management group therapy sessions, led by Dr Buddy Rydell, played by one of my favourite actors, Jack Nicholson.
The group of approximately 10 is sitting on chairs in a circle. And as it's Dave's first session, Dr Rydell turns to him and says, "Tell us about yourself, who are you?"
To which Dave answers, "Well, I'm an executive assistant at a major pet products company.
Dr Rydell interrupts: "Dave, I don't want you to tell us what you do, I ant you to tell us who you are."
Dave tries again, "Oh, alright, um ... I'm a pretty good guy, I like to play tennis."
Rydell butts in again: "also, not your hobbies Dave. Just simple, tell us who you are.
This twoing and froing between the two stars of the film continues a little longer until the point where Dave really loses his cool.
You see his leg start to shake and the agitation on his face builds.
"I don't know what you want me to say," he cries, in pure frustration
This outburst is basically the end of the scene.
It's a good scene to illustrate just how difficult it is to describe who you are.
I can tell you about my hobbies: rowing, hiking, drinking coffee, visiting bookshops and wineries, being in th country.
I can even describe my personality: typically easygoing but not afraid to stand up for what I believe in.
Apparently these answers wouldn't stanud up to Dr Rydell's interrogation.
But in all honesty, I'm a work in progress. I guess I'm still working out who I am. So you may just have to read a few more of my blogs so I can tell you more 'About Me'.
By starting a sentence in that way, perhaps you're all thinking I'm about to tell you I have anger problems.
I don't.
But there is a particular scene in the movie Anger Management which helps to illustrate just how difficult it is for me to tell you 'About Me.'
As the scene goes, the character Dave, played by Adam Sandler, is participating in his first of many Anger Management group therapy sessions, led by Dr Buddy Rydell, played by one of my favourite actors, Jack Nicholson.
The group of approximately 10 is sitting on chairs in a circle. And as it's Dave's first session, Dr Rydell turns to him and says, "Tell us about yourself, who are you?"
To which Dave answers, "Well, I'm an executive assistant at a major pet products company.
Dr Rydell interrupts: "Dave, I don't want you to tell us what you do, I ant you to tell us who you are."
Dave tries again, "Oh, alright, um ... I'm a pretty good guy, I like to play tennis."
Rydell butts in again: "also, not your hobbies Dave. Just simple, tell us who you are.
This twoing and froing between the two stars of the film continues a little longer until the point where Dave really loses his cool.
You see his leg start to shake and the agitation on his face builds.
"I don't know what you want me to say," he cries, in pure frustration
This outburst is basically the end of the scene.
It's a good scene to illustrate just how difficult it is to describe who you are.
I can tell you about my hobbies: rowing, hiking, drinking coffee, visiting bookshops and wineries, being in th country.
I can even describe my personality: typically easygoing but not afraid to stand up for what I believe in.
Apparently these answers wouldn't stanud up to Dr Rydell's interrogation.
But in all honesty, I'm a work in progress. I guess I'm still working out who I am. So you may just have to read a few more of my blogs so I can tell you more 'About Me'.
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