Dappled Air

Maven - Connector - Salesperson

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:41:00 +0000

I am in the middle of figuring out to describe myself and my business and have been working on it since the start of 2012. It is a slow process that seems to go in waves. March with Mercury retrograde was slow as molasses. With Mercury moving forward again on April 4 there is movement again and this morning I discovered this information from a book called "The Tipping Point" by Malcom Gladwell from 2000 where he talks about people as Mavens, Connectors and Salespersons.

So who am I? Before I even knew about this information I have been calling myself a "creative maven" and after reading the 3 categories, I have to say that "yes, I am a Maven with a bit of Connector and Salesperson mixed in".

Mavens

Mavens are "information specialists", or "people we rely upon to connect us with new information." They accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace, and know how to share it with others. A prototypical Maven is "almost pathologically helpful" and "he can't help himself". "A Maven is someone who wants to solve other people's problems, generally by solving his own". Mavens start "word-of-mouth epidemics" due to their knowledge, social skills, and ability to communicate. "Mavens are really information brokers, sharing and trading what they know". [1]

Mavens are the ones who tell Connectors about what’s hot. They always have the newest inside scoops on gadgets and specials. The upside of Mavens is that they amass a vast store of knowledge and are eager to share it with others. The downside is that Mavens can sometimes be a bit geeky and awkward around people.

Here are some questions that will help you decide whether you are a Maven:

Do you enjoy reading junkmail?
Do you seek out the specials in your local supermarket?
Do you tend to watch trends and know what’s ‘in’?
Do you study the market before buying a new gadget?
Do you tell your friends about special deals?
If you said ‘yes’ to four or five of these questions, you are a Maven.

Mavens want to educate, not to sell.

Maven's take delight in finding out the special deals that will save them money. And they are interested in new technology. They are the ones on the Internet who are the first to investigate new software, or a new laptop or mobile phone. And they don’t keep what they find to themselves. They publish articles about their findings or let their social media friends know what they think. [2]

The definition of Maven
ma·ven also ma·vin (mvn)

A person who has special knowledge or experience; an expert.

Connectors

Connectors are the people who "link us up with the world ... people with a special gift for bringing the world together." They are "a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack [... for] making friends and acquaintances". These individuals have social networks of over one hundred people. (the book was written in 2000 before social media exploded). The social success of Connectors is due to "their ability to span many different worlds [... as] a function of something intrinsic to their personality, some combination of curiosity, self-confidence, sociability, and energy." [1]

Connectors are people specialists

The following questions will help you decide whether you are a Connector:

Do you know a lot of people?
Do you like people?
Do you tend to remember peoples’ names?
Do you enjoy going to parties and meeting new people?
Do you collect acquaintances?

If you answered ‘yes’ to four or five of these questions, you are a Connector.

They also tend to associate with other Connectors. Because of their rich network of friends and acquaintances, Connector are trendsetters. The upside of a Connector is that he or she is able to create and maintain long-lasting friendships. The downside is that Connectors can be dazzled by their vast collection of acquaintances, without investing in real friendships.

Gladwell explains:
Connector are people who link us up with the world. People with a special gift for bringing the world together.

The power of Social Media on the Internet is the power of connectors.
Power-users of StumbleUpon or Digg are Connectors. They can make or break the success of a blogpost because they are people specialists who cultivate a network of online friends. [2]

Definition of Connector
Connectors are said by author Malcolm Gladwell to be people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions. A connector is essentially the social equivalent of a computer network hub. Connectors usually know people across an array of social, cultural, professional, and economic circles, and make a habit of introducing people who work or live in different circles.

Salespeople

Salespeople are "persuaders", charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills. They tend to have an indefinable trait that goes beyond what they say, which makes others want to agree with them. Gladwell's examples include California businessman Tom Gau and news anchor Peter Jennings, and he cites several studies about the persuasive implications of non-verbal cues, including a headphone nod study (conducted by Gary Wells of the University of Alberta and Richard Petty of the University of Missouri) and William Condon's cultural microrhythms study. [1]

Salesmen are charismatic

They are able to build instant rapport with another person and gain their trust. That Salesmen are able to build rapport implies that they can tune in to others. But there is also another dimension: others find it easy to tune into the emotions of Salesmen. Gladwell explains that some people are very good at expressing emotions and feelings, which means that they are much more ‘socially contagious’ than others.

Here are some questions that will help you find out if you are a salesman:

Do you find it difficult to sit still when hearing good dance music?
Do you have a loud laugh?
Do you touch friends when you talk with them?
Are you good at seduction?
Do you like being the center of attention?

If you answered ‘yes’ to four or five of these questions, you are a Salesman.

Salesmen make good politicians, spiritual teachers and pastors, and, well…salespeople. Salesmen are larger than life and can make others feel good with their high spirits. The downside of salesmen is that they can be dangerous if they use their charisma in order to manipulate others. [2]

[1] Wikipedia entry about the book "The Tipping Point"
[2] Info from Lifehack.org article
Productive Flourishing article
Escape from Cubicle Nation article

History about Swiss Mercenaries

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:47:00 +0000

Swiss Mercenaries

I was just looking through my quarterly magazine called 'Swiss Review" that arrives regularly like clockwork in my house and an article about the history of Swiss Mercenaries caught my attention.

In school we were taught that the Swiss soldiers had a reputation of being fierce. The Swiss guard at the Vatican started out like that a long time ago. As the center Cantons are primarily catholic it stands to reason that only catholic men can join the guard and many are from those central Cantons.

I am not sure for how long this article is going to be reachable through this link as I had to go searching for it, I am putting the content here:

Switzerland – a warfare service provider
Mercenaries do not have a good reputation. The Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi attempted for months to prevent his fall from power in October 2011 with foreign troops. The UN recently warned of a worrying rise in the number of mercenaries in Africa. The use of “external military forces” is outlawed in Switzerland but that has not always been the case. The Swiss were among the most sought-after mercenary forces for half a millennium. Well over a million Swiss mercenary soldiers fought on the battlefields of Europe. They were renowned for their brutality and boldness, which made them much coveted and feared in equal measure. They served almost every European power. At one stage, one in three of the French army’s infantry came from Switzerland. And in the 19th century, liberation movements were often confronted with Swiss troops serving royal dynasties in decline. Swiss mercenaries of old are a far cry from the idyllic image of the modern-day papal Swiss Guard as an historic relic.

Probably no other phenomenon had a stronger influence on pre-modern Switzerland than its mercenaries. Journalist Jost Auf der Maur points out that it is strange that there is little general awareness of this extraordinary historical phenomenon. Extensive research has been carried out into mercenaries in military history, but the cultural history and socio-political dimension has largely been overlooked. In his book “Söldner für Europa” (Mercenary soldiers for Europe), Auf der Maur highlights this black hole in Swiss history. He felt obliged to do so as many of his direct ancestors were officers in the pay of foreign powers.

In one respect, it was a “dirty business”, one that established an aristocracy founded on the mercenary trade and wielding political power. The book’s illustrated annex impressively shows the financial gains of Swiss mercenary entrepreneurs, which were turned into architecture – stately homes built on blood in the truest sense of the word in many parts of Switzerland. Mercenary soldiers who avoided death on the battlefield often returned home in poverty, mutilated and suffering from alcoholism. Switzerland suffered huge population loss.

On the other hand, the long periods abroad resulted in a transfer of knowledge. Those who managed to return home in good health and perhaps even with some prosperity brought culture and knowledge from many foreign countries with them. Auf der Maur even claims that Switzerland would not have survived without its foreign mercenaries. The courts of Europe had become so dependent on Swiss troops that they refrained from attacking their supply line of soldiers. The Swiss were able to call their troops home whenever they needed them for themselves. A mechanism was practised here that gradually became an ever stronger commitment to neutrality.

Based on his family history, Jost Auf der Maur provides new, fascinating and sometimes disconcerting insights into a turbulent and underappreciated chapter in Swiss history.

JÜRG MÜLLER

Here is another article about Swiss Mercenaries

The "Swiss Review" keeps me abreast of what is happening in Switzerland and more often than not I learn something that I never knew or was even aware of. Why do I receive it? Every Swiss citizen registered with their local embassy is automatically subscribed. I guess, that is how Switzerland keeps track of its citizens living abroad.

Sleep Tip from the Mentalist TV Show

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:32:00 +0000

I like watching the Mentalist TV show and yesterday I got finally around to watch my latest recorded show. To my delight and surprise Patrick Jane's character gave this tip to help you fall asleep:

If you have falling asleep you can count sheep or on your in-breath say or think 1 and then when you breath out say or think 2. On your next in-breath say or think 1 and when you breath out say or think 2. Keep on repeating this and you will be surprised that when you wake up it is morning.

Give it a try and then connect with me on Facebook and let me know what happened . . .

counting sheep

Found a Great Site: Practical Tips for Productive Living

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:11:00 +0000

Just recently I came across this treasure trove of a site. It is called Marc and Angel Hack Life - Practical tips for productive living. The put together lists of helpful information for a productive life.

Here are just a few of tips of the list: "101 Simple Truths We Often Forget"

1. The acquisition of knowledge doesn’t mean you’re growing. Growing happens when what you know changes how you live.
11. Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone. Stepping outside of your comfort zone will put things into perspective from an angle you can’t grasp now.
20. Having a plan, even a flawed one at first, is better than no plan at all.
33. Being successful is a journey, not a destination.
39. Everyone you meet is better than you at something. We all have different strengths. What worked for someone else might not work for you.
47. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
57. Screaming at people always makes things worse.
65. Family isn’t always blood. They’re the people in your life who want you in theirs – the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.
82. Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go.
99. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

Now don't you just want to know what the other Truths are? Follow this link and check out the post.

Connect with me on Facebook and let me know that this article did for you ...

What We Can Learn from a 108-Year Survivor of a Nazi Concentration Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Just came across this powerful 12 minute video about Alice Herz Summer a 108- year-old survivor of a Nazi Concentration Camp. Her positive outlook is what helped her survive.

Alice Herz Summer Quotes from the Video

Complaining doesn't change things or people.
Be grateful for everything in your life.
Learn from your mistakes. Learn from the bad and focus on the good. That's the way the life works. That is the essence of optimism.
Smile a lot.
Hatred eats the soul of the hater not the hated.
Everything is a present.

{ [ Watch the video here ] }

I once read this quote that totally agrees with what Alice says.

"We live our lives looking forward,
but we make sense of our lives by looking backward."

Connect with me on Facebook and let me know that this article did for you ...

You Get What You Feel and Think, Not What You Want

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:25:00 +0000

I haven't posted here for a long time, but when I came across this video I just had to share it. Your life reflects your thoughts and feelings. If you don't like what you see in your life, change your thoughts and feeling.

After I found this video, I this quote appeared in my inbox from Abraham:

What you do is miniscule in comparison with what you choose to think, because your vibration is so much more powerful and so much more important. ~Abraham

Love Is Energy - Everything is Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Everything is energy and the strongest of them is Love. If we are aware of it or not our energy is always affecting others around us. Animals and young children are much better at picking up other's energy. So if you can change your mood in the blink of an eye you can change your whole life.

When you are in down mood or a funk it is much harder to change. The first step in getting out of the bad mood is to just smile. If even that is too hard, take a pen or straw and put it sideways in your mouth. Your body will think that you are smiling and you should automatically feel a little better. If you still have trouble I suggest that you try meridian tapping.

The important thing to remember is that you always have a choice of how you feel. Others are just mirrors reflecting back to you the energy you are sending out. So, if you don't like what you receive, change your transmission to one of love.

This video explains it very nicely:

The Art of Allowing

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:11:00 +0000

The Art of Allowing is not easy to practice. The following Abraham quote sounds so straight forward and easy, but really following it is a totally different story.

"We practice the Art of Allowing. Which means reaching for the thought that feels best, not the thought that is the real thought, not the thought that is telling it like it is. Telling it like it is only holds you where it is: "Damn it, I'm going to tell it like it is. I'm going to tell it like it is, because everybody wants me to tell it like it is." Tell it like it is if you like it like it is. But if you don't like it like it is, then don't tell it like it is—tell it like you want it to be. If you tell it like you want it to be long enough, you will begin to feel it like you want it to be. And when you feel it like you want it to be, it be's like you want it to be."
~Abraham

From the youngest age we are taught that we have to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Then one day I started to question what the truth really is. There are some general truths that are true for everyone, but personal truths are based on my perception alone and that perception can be very different from another person's perception. That's when I realized that I have to differentiate between what is real and what is the truth.

The truth is my opinion based on the way I see the world or what I believe to be what has happened from my perspective.
What is real is what is happening at the present moment and that can change from moment to moment.

My work with Reboot Tapping has helped me a lot with these two aspects. What I belief to be true is my truth, that might not be your truth. And it is those beliefs that keep us stuck in a kind of programming. If we find a way to let go of this programming, we can then go on and begin to tell it the way we want it to be and start the ball rolling towards getting what we truly want. The law of attraction works best when we work with our feelings and emotions.

Meditative Time-laps Video taken on El Teide in Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:33:00 +0000

Just came across this delightful time-laps video taken on El Teide the highest mountain in Spain. I thought it was perfect for today. Happy Easter to everybody.

Sit back and enjoy!

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

What Do You Focus On - The Positive or the Negative?

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:25:00 +0000

Late last month I had cold and didn't feel so well. One night around 3 or 4 in the morning I woke up with the song "Always look at the bright side of life" going through my mind.

I view it as a strong reminder to pay attention to where my focus goes. The Law of Attraction says that what you focus upon you draw to yourself. From my experience with Reboot Tapping (emotional acupressure) I have discovered that more than our thoughts it is our feelings that are the magnets that attract things into our lives.

Change the way you feel and you will change your life. It does not mean that you are happy all the time, but that when something unpleasant happens, you just acknowledge it and let it go and move and find the good in things, like the song says: "always look on the light side of life".

Can we change our feelings?

Yes, we can quite easily. I use a simple technique that taps on the Chinese acupuncture points and so creates a disruption in the body's energy system and triggers the brain to reboot. After a reboot the troubling feelings or memories have changed and are no longer there. It is really this simple and gives amazing results. It can be used for physical, emotional problems or a combination of both as it makes the mind - body connection.

You can learn more about it here at my work website: Meridian Vitality.

Happy Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:57:00 +0000

Today is Valentine's Day and I wish everybody a wonderful day. What does this day mean? According to Wikipedia it is the annual day celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after the early Christian martyr Saint Valentine.

When I grew up in Switzerland in the 60s and 70s, we did not have Valentine's Day. But I was aware of it because they had it in England. In today's world the Swiss have it now also. This got me thinking. Wikipedia explains this day as the day celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. We naturally think of our loved ones, but what about our love to ourselves? How can we love somebody else, if you don't already love and cherish ourselves? You can only give to another what you already have in yourself to give.

Then there is this one special day thing. Why can't we do this everyday? Why does it have to be limited to just one day? As I see days meld into each other, I just don't see the differentiation between the days. I say the days more like pearls in a necklace, all the pearls together make up the necklace. A necklace with just one pearl is ok, but just not something special.

Think about and decide to live your day like it is one super special loving day for everybody you meet and everything you do. Can you imagine the ramifications if everybody would live this way? We could change the world with being loving.

Understanding How to Inspire Others

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:13:00 +0000

I just watched this video from Ted Talks. In the past I have watched a number of videos on the site. The site is full of ideas worth spreading.

In today's world where many of us are looking for ways to learn how to sell our products, this talk explains it in a very simple way that is easy to understand. Now it is up to us to apply it.

Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

Links

Unusual Way to Smile and Feel Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:54:00 +0000

I stumbled upon this interesting video about smiling. Have you ever noticed that when you just pull your mouth into a smile it makes you feel differently, happy? Well this video shows a very unique way to achieve this whenever you need a pick me up.

What a Delightful Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:58:00 +0000

It is the end of November and a glorious morning. At 9 am the temperature is around 0°C, no wind and sunny. I just had to go for a walk around Oat Hill Lake. As usual, I took my camera with me in case there was something that would grab my attention. And something did grab my attention. On the western side of the lake there was a small area where dead reeds were sticking out of the water where the water was frozen. I bent down low and tried to capture the ice with the open water.

Oat Hill Lake - November 2010

As I continued walking on the grass, I realized that the ground was frozen and it felt different walking on it than earlier in the year.

Once I made it home, I shrank the photo for the web and then tried my newly discovered Pixel Bender Oil Paint filter in Photoshop.

Oat Hill Lake photo as an oil painting

I feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful area.

2012 - The Twelve - The Mayan Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:39:00 +0000

Mayan Day Keeper

Saturday, September 4, 2010 hurricane Earl arrived in Halifax as a category 1 storm. It went directly over the city and left us without power for about 10 hours. The evening before we watched the "movie 2012", which we thought was appropriate in light of the upcoming hurricane. The movie was great from a movie effects perspective, but nothing to crow about from the story line.

For the last 10 years I have been interested in the Mayan Calendar and so follow the steady stream of information about what we can expect in 2012, but I don't believe in all the hype. I believe that things will turn out totally different than expected.

On Sunday after the storm I went to the local Chapters bookstore and came upon a book that seemed to talk to me. It is called "The Twelve" by William Gladstone and has something to do with 2012. I am only halfway through the book and find it an enjoyable read and can't wait to find out the ending. I haven't peeked yet at the last few pages, which is what I usually do. I will report back when I have fully read the book.

Here is a summary of the book I found on Amazon.com

From Publishers Weekly
Gladstone's meandering debut, the latest thriller tied to the mystical date of December 12, 2012, when Mayan legend predicts the world's end, charts the life of Max Doff, starting with his conception in 1949 in Tarrytown, N.Y. After Max dies briefly at the age 15, he has a vision of 12 people. On returning to consciousness, he begins a decades-long quest to find them. His path takes him to Yale, where his radical philosophical ideas lead to his forced departure from campus. A formulation like 'A is, and is not, equal to A' as the ultimate equation in explaining how to penetrate the impenetrable intellectual domain of 'understanding understanding' is symptomatic of Max's difficulty in getting his message, whatever it actually is, across. Max then begins globe-trotting as part of the production team for a documentary on ancient astronauts. Serendipitous encounters with the twelve will strike many readers as more contrived than magical. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

I would love to hear from others who have read the book to find out your views.

Fruit & Berries In My Neighbourhood

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:07:00 +0000

rosehips

Where has the time gone? On my walks in my neighbourhood I am amazed at the variety of fruit and berries that grow here in Nova Scotia. There are wild one and cultivated ones.

This year the rain and sun combination was just perfect and everything is just so lush.

These rosehip are just so big and inviting. Growing up in Switzerland I used to love to have rosehip jam on my bread. I can't describe the taste. It is not very well knows in North America.
Bavarian Rosehip Jam (12 ounce) by igourmet.com

ornamental red currents

Next I came across an ornamental hedge and to my delight discovered that they were red currents. They are cousins to black currents. My parents had red and black current bushes in our garden and it was my chore to go pick them. Black currents are very strong tasting while red currents look like tiny bunches of red grapes and have a much milder taste.
Pioneer Valley Gourmet Red Currant Jelly

wild blackberries

The wild blackberries are only just starting to be ready for picking. They are free and organic and very yummy. When I got married in 1975 blackberries were only ripe in September here in the Canadian Maritimes. This year hubby found the first ripe blackberries at the end of July. On the street where I live about 100 m higher in elevation the season started last Wednesday, August 11/2010 and it is is not in full swing yet.
Success with Soft fruits

mountain ash berries

The neighbouring street is called Mountain Ash Court. The mountain ash tree is found all over the neighbourhood. I often find little tress that have started from seed the birds have dropped. It is a lovely tree whose berries turn bright red when ripe. The ones in the picture are just starting to ripen.
The Genus Sorbus: Mountain Ash and Other Rowans

All the photos were taken during the month of August 2010 by me.
Digital Photography For Dummies

I would like to know if you go wild berry picking in your neighbourhood? I think it is such a great teaching experience for parents.

Homemade Deodorant

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:56:00 +0000

After switching from shampoo to no-shampoo, ie. I use 1 heaping teaspoon backing soda in a glass of warm water and 1 teaspoon cider vinegar in half a cup of water. I was ready to tackle the deodorant.

I have been using deodorants, not anti-perspirants, all my life, but this year I noticed that they did not seem to work as well any longer. That sent me on an Internet search for recipes to make my own. After reading tons of info and searching for what they had in common, I found my recipe and I must say for the past 2 months that I have been using it, I am very happy.

Homemade Deodorant Recipe:

2 tablespoon baking soda
6 tablespoons cornstarch

Combine and mix well. Works best by shaking in a closed container. Now put in a smaller container.

Apply with powder puff. That's where I ran into a snag, where do you get a powder puff? You make one! I crochet one that's washable and will post the instructions shortly.

Note:
Some recipes call for half baking soda and half cornstarch. I found that the baking soda portion was too strong and left red marks. So try it out and then adjust the blend.

The Invention of Lying is a Delightful Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 00:44:00 +0000

I don't watch movies when they first come out, I watch them when they make it to the TV screen and this is one such movie that I found absolutely delightful. It is called "the Invention of Lying". I like they way they portray a world where everybody says the truth and how one guy discovers that he can stretch the truth and everybody believes him.

The movie made me think of how much what we believe to be the truth is based on what we have been told and have blindly accepted. How often do we really try to understand if it is really true or if we just simple accepted someone else's belief. Doing that will change our world view and our life.

Memories - Folk With Jack

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:43:00 +0000

I tried to remember the name of the show I used to listen to in Switzerland in the early 70s on ORF3 (Austrian Radio 3). It was called something 'Folk with ?', but I could not remember the name. Then last week I suddenly remembered. It was 'Folk with Jack'.

Jack Grunsky was born in Austria, grew up in Canada when his parents moved here and then returned to Austria where I heard of him. I always liked his songs and a stroll around YouTube lead me down memory lane. When my twins were young I got a children's tape by Jack Grunsky with the song 'Dreamcatcher' on it.

Now that my kids are all grown, I had totally lost track of Jack and to my surprise discovered that he's still producing interesting music. So I could not help but introduce him to others.

More Information about Jack:

June Bugs Are Now May Bugs

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:19:00 +0000

It is official, June bugs are now also May bugs in Canada. Last night they appeared and flew into my bathroom window. They are attracted to the light. Last year I was wondering if they are turning into May bugs in Canada and now I know it is true. In Switzerland the same bugs are called May bug, because they come out in May.

Searching for some new pictures of May bugs, I came across chocolate May bugs. I had totally forgotten about them. I also came across a blog post called "Swiss are still weird" about chocolate May bugs.

The First Ducklings of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:01:00 +0000

On Friday's walk around Oat Hill Lake we came across the first ducklings of the season. That's why I always take my camera along on my walks. The ducklings must be very new as they still have yellow in their plumage from the egg.

Found Another Piece of My Dyslexia Puzzle

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 09 May 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Talking to my mom yesterday I discovered another piece of my dyslexia puzzle. She casually mentioned that she was watching the election of Mister Switzerland and that last year's winner said that his biggest problem was spelling and that many men then wrote in and said that they had the same problem. I wonder if boys have a different learning style regarding spelling than girls? Is the teaching style geared towards girls and not boys?

Well, that brought our conversation to me and learning to read in Grade 1. My mom explained that in 1960 I was taught the whole word method and not sounding out the words. I vividly remember telling the teacher that reading sucks and that I was never going to learn to read and would not take my homework, a box with words to make sentences, home. What was the teacher to do? She found an older neighbour's girl and asked her to bring my homework home for me and tell my mom. According to my mom is jumbled the letters b and d and everybody assumed that I did not know my ABC, but that was not true. I did know my ABC but the letters like b and d that are mirror opposites confused me and made reading difficult. In 1960 nobody knew what Dyslexia was.

I also recall when I was in Grade 6 going shopping for fruit and ordering a 'pilo keaches' rather than a 'kilo peaches' and I was very embarrassed about it. I don't seem to have much trouble with letter mixups any more, but sometimes come across mistakes when I re-read something I wrote.

One way how my dyslexia shows itself if that I find it very difficult to follow when somebody is spelling a word fast, on the other hand I have no trouble spelling a word for somebody. The most trouble I have with following spoken numbers like telephone numbers, I really have to concentrate. Telephone banking is just about impossible. I am still on the 2nd number when the whole number has already be said, I have no trouble with online banking which is visual.

I remember when my son was learning his ABCs his teacher asked me to help him at home as he found it difficult and she didn't have the time. For about 3 months we spent about 15 minutes after lunch practicing the ABC with a Fisher Price magnetic alphabet board. I found out very quickly that he knew his ABC but when I showed him a letter he could not tell me what it was, but if all the letter where jumbled on the table and I asked him to give me an 'H' he had no problem finding it.

My conclusion is, that a cookie cutter teaching style might leave some kids behind. I notice this when I am teaching how to use the computer. I have to find the right teaching style to get the information across.

Dyslexia articles:

When is too early to teach children about sex?

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:55:00 +0000

In today's news from Ontario, the government announced that sex ed will now start in Grade 1. Now there is a big controversy going on. I am surprised, because after all we are in the 21st century on hone hand and on the other hand we are still in the dark ages when it comes to sex ed.

Looking back over the years I have these key memories about my twins (boy & girl, now almost 32 years old) growing up. We were visiting my parents in Switzerland when they were 3 years old and happened to come across a TV show in the afternoon where a woman gave birth. My daughter was very intrigued, my son could not care less. For the next few days our daughter gave us very graphic replays of what she had seen. It was all very natural to her. Then her attention was captured by something else that was it for giving birth.

The twins went to kindergarten in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and they had sex ed. So for the next 3 months my daughter drew mommies with babies in their tummies. Then one nice Sunday morning at breakfast, the two of them must have been talking about it between themselves, they came and asked how does it feel to have sex? Well, my mouth dropped and I had to quickly think how to answer that. I was not going to lie, but I was also not going to tell them too much. So I answered, I will not answer that question as they are just too young, but I also admonished them not to try it. They looks at me with big eyes and asked why? I told them that they could hurt themselves. They accepted the answer and that was the end of it.

My conclusion about sex ed is, if the child can ask the question, he or she has the right to an answer no matter what age. Only answer the child's question, don't give long explanations, the child is not interested in a full birds and bees story. All the child wants is an answer to the specific question. That way you keep the channel of communication open.

And the Winner of the Augusta Masters 2010 is:

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:43:00 +0000

Phil Mickelson - 272
Lee Westwood - 275,
Anthony Kim - 276
K. J. Choi - 277
Tiger Woods - 277
Fred Couples - 279

Here are the scores for April 8/2010, April 9/2010, April 10/2010

Fred Couples (Oct 3/59) - 66 - 75 - 68 - (209)
Tom Watson (Sep 4/49) - 67 - 74 -73 - (214)
Lee Westwood (Apr 24/73) - 67 - 69 - 68 (204)
Phil Mickelson - (Jun 16/70) - 67 - 71 - 67 (205)
K. J. Choi (May 19/70) - 67 - 71 - 70 (208)
Tiger Woods - (Dec 30/75) - 68 - 70 - 70 (208

My predictions for the winner was right on, read yesterday's blog post to see.

Biorhythm info on my main website.

Day 4 of the Augusta Masters

noreply@blogger.com (Marlies Cohen) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:03:00 +0000

The Augusta Masters course has 18 holes, 72 par and is 7500 yards.

Here are the scores for April 8/2010, April 9/2010, April 10/2010

Fred Couples (Oct 3/59) - 66 - 75 - 68 - (209)
Tom Watson (Sep 4/49) - 67 - 74 -73 - (214)
Lee Westwood (Apr 24/73) - 67 - 69 - 68 (204)
Phil Mickelson - (Jun 16/70) - 67 - 71 - 67 (205)
K. J. Choi (May 19/70) - 67 - 71 - 70 (208)
Tiger Woods - (Dec 30/75) - 68 - 70 - 70 (208

Score Order for April 10/2010

Lee Westwood - 204, Phil Michelson - 205, K. J. Choi - 208, Tiger Woods - 208, Fred Couples - 209

Biorhythms for April 11/2010

Player	Emotional	Physical	Intellectual	Intution	Score
Tiger Woods	95%	81%	72%	50% c	69
Chad Campbell	5%	43% c	31%	2%	71
K. J. Choi	89%	69%	87%	80%	69
Fred Couples	61% c	97%	95%	19%	70
Trevor Immelman	50% c	56% c	27%	73%	72
Zach Johnson	95%	37%	1%	58% c	75
Phil Mickelson	71%	90%	1%	0%	67
Tom Watson	50% c	90%	1%	58% c	73
Lee Westwood	95%	50% c	84%	98%	71

c=critical day

After observing the player's biorhythms and their scores over the past 3 days, I realized that each player has a different way of dealing with those biorhythms.

Tiger Woods - is very much an intuitional player that relies on his physical cycle as back up. What Tiger will need to win is to close the gap to Lee Westwood by playing at least 4 under par (68) or better depending on how Lee's day turns out.
Lee Westwood - is also very much an intutional player, but in contrast to Tiger does not depend on his physical cycle as backup. For Lee emotion and intellect take on that role. I think he has a pretty good chance of wining.
Phil Mickelson - is a player who's emotional and physical cycles influence how good he plays. His intellectual and intuitional cycles were low or absent the whole tournament and he did just fine. The winner will be either Phil Mickelson or Lee Westwood
K. J. Choi - on this last day of the tournament he is in great shape and alls cycles are high, but like Tiger Woods he has to play up at least a 4 under par or better to catch up to Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson. Between him and Tiger Woods I give Choi a better chance as Tiger Woods is in a critical phase for his intutional cycle (a cycle that gives him strength).
Fred Couples - is a physical and intellectual cycle player and should play a great game today, but not good enough to close the gap to Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson. There is the possibility to catch up and surpass Tiger Woods and K. J . Choi.

Biorhythm info on my main website.