They say you shouldn’t take business dealings personally. It’s been at least a decade since a client has tried to skip out on my bill. But I also know it often goes on. Because some companies put entrepreneurs, especially those in creative professions, at the bottom of the payables pile.
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Prince Harry said he held back stories about his brother, Prince William, in his new memoir Spare because he didn’t want them “out there”. What he did share surely embarrassed the heir to the British throne. And exposed William, their father, and other members of the royal family as cunning, manipulative twits.
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I recently finished reading Jody Wilson-Raybould’s 2021 book, Indian in the Cabinet. I heard her speak eloquently and candidly on the podcast Women of Ill Repute. Wilson-Raybould is an Indigenous lawyer and leader who served as a Liberal Cabinet Minister in Trudeau’s first term as PM. She left the Liberals after a scandal known as the SNC Lavalin affair.
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We talked about it a hundred times. We’ve been teasing about it via social media. And finally, a podcast featuring Erin Davis and me is out for the world to hear. Gracefully and Frankly, episode one HERE.
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We mention gratitude, or its cousin “luck”, in this house every day, never taking our circumstances for granted. It’s Thanksgiving weekend for our friends in the US where being grateful is the order of the day. The challenge: to keep that perspective all year long.
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In Roz Weston’s raw and intimate memoir, A Little Bit Broken, he writes about his first experience with therapy. (I don’t know whether he had more experiences. I’m still reading the book.) Tiny spoiler alert: Roz clearly needed therapy but didn’t return after one session. I get it. I didn’t go back after my first session either. My mom wouldn’t let me.
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I spent last weekend in Toronto attending the VO North conference; a gathering of voice-over pros and those who want to be.
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We’ve had a TV show about nothing. (Seinfeld) Much ado about nothing. (Shakespeare) Now, there’s Japan’s “man who does nothing”, professionally.
…The last time I attended a production at Port Stanley Festival Theatre, I was living in Toronto.
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Listen to the audio version of this post or skip it and read on as usual.
I’ve been sitting with this for a while. Broadcasting sisters message each other. We share stories of the horrors we’ve endured and how we tried to get our managers to do what was right. And how all too often, those managers squelched us. Treated us like we were trying to cause problems. Sent us back into the situation with no new tools to resolve it. No intervention from our so-called “leaders”.
…The Sounds of Silence From Broadcasting’s Corner OfficesRead More »
Music is in the air. We are almost ready for summer. My husband and our neighbour Bill recently built our backyard fences. Our pergola is partway up, soon to be completed. It won’t be long before we’re spending warm evenings outside enjoying the ambience. Is it just me or are winters getting longer?
…Music, Fresh Fish & Parking News – ImPort StanleyRead More »
Update: Although this post reflects a moment in time, I feel it’s important to update my thoughts on the Depp/Heard case. I ought to have mentioned that I feel conflicted about my reaction to the testimony. I believe in believing women who allege abuse. Heard’s unlikability, desperation (as heard in recordings) to stay married to Depp, and many other factors have contributed to my perception. Her knowledge of what a Bruise Kit is, although she used the term incorrectly, is also a part of it. But I remain open to the possibility that I am wrong. The jury will ultimately decide.
Today, you have a choice! You can read the blog post below, or listen to it by clicking on this audio link. I would also love your feedback on whether you like the audio option. Thanks.
…Comedy is much more difficult than tragedy. It’s much easier to make people cry than to make them laugh.
Vivien Leigh
ImPort Stanley is weekly series about life and discoveries by a recent “import” to Port Stanley, ON.
Every time I’ve gone to see a small-town theatre production, it was worth it. Port Stanley’s Festival Theatre included. It’s been many years since I’ve seen a show there. The last time, I drove from my home in Toronto. Now that we live here, it’s time to rediscover this gem of an attraction.
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If we’re flipping channels or clicking through the offerings of a streaming service and this movie comes up, we’re watching it. Again!
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I was looking for some info about my first book, Celebrity Tantrums, and hit up Google. The book was published in 2003 so some of the details are fuzzy in my memory. Google never forgets. One link seemed a little strange so I investigated further and that’s how I found out about a mistake I’d made in the manuscript.
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Even people who don’t follow football heard about Colin Kaepernick the first time he took a knee during the American anthem at an NFL game in 2016. I believe he will go down in history alongside Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as one of the courageous few who changed the conversation around racism. I think he’s a frigging hero off the field. Unfortunately, that’s where he’s been: off the football field. Taking a stand for what’s right came at a high price. But now he’s on Netflix and his show is fascinating, difficult, beautifully crafted, and important.
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