Smartie Smart-Speaker Pants
“Alexa, please write a blog post about yourself for me?”
…Working
Writing for Lifestyle
Freelancing means working for a lot of different people. Some are one-offs, some are repeat customers. It’s always exciting when someone hires you for the first time.
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Audiobook Availability
My first audiobook – the first one I was hired for that’s legit, paid for and I’m proud of – is on the market!
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Managing the Manager
Why are so many managers so terrible at their jobs? I mean, really, let’s be honest, when you work for an excellent manager, it’s a relief, like the beating has stopped.
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Unnecessary Complications
Every bank and financial institution claims it can make things easier for us. Simplify your life! Make saving money a breeze! We’ll guide you through the process! My recent experience doing a teeny weenie bit of work for one of them was a wet mackerel to the forehead. Not easy at all.
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Go Away & Get Paid
Until I started working for myself, I always worked for traditional companies with fat HR do-and-don’t binders and strict rules. Truth is, I kind of like rules. When parameters are set you know just how far you can push. The motto, “Beg forgiveness, don’t ask permission” works well in this environment, especially where creativity is involved.
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Shaky Money-Maker
I’ve been having trouble with my voice. There, I’ve said it. It’s difficult to admit that after decades of using my voice to make my living, I can’t count on it to be there when I need it.
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Robot Judge
Later this year, robo-judges will begin making rulings in Estonian small-claims courts. Robots will only be used in cases involving less than about $8,000. This is what clogged court systems have come to.
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Spring Ready with Frankie Flowers
Since we moved in December, I’ve only given passing glances to the outside part of our new home. There are gardens. A deck. A patio. Outdoor furniture left by the previous owners. (Thank you!) Stuff we have to get rid of. And a lawn that appears to need some TLC.
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Our Values
One of the best parts about my new, freelancing life is that I can take a couple of minutes to expand my mind. Who’s going to tell me that I can’t watch a five-minute video or read a long-form article? My boss says it’s fine!
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Throwback Thursday – Audition Flashback
I don’t know Gerry Forbes well. We crossed paths professionally a couple of times and had lunch once, with another colleague. It was his brother, Marty, who got me out of Wingham by hiring me at CKFM (soon to become MIX 999, now Virgin) nearly – gulp – three decades ago. I don’t know Marty well, either. He left pretty soon after hiring me, but I chose not to take that personally!
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Writing Wheat and Chaff
This came to my email last weekend. My initial reaction was disgust. Who is this guy and what gives him the right? But I investigated.
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Beautiful Bride & Radio Reunion
CJBK morning co-host Loreena Dickson got married on the weekend. She invited the CJBK morning crew to the reception and I’m so grateful that I was included, despite being an ex-crew member.
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Sorry, Not Sorry
Ever wonder why we Canadians – especially Canadian women – say we’re sorry so much? It’s like we want to excuse ourselves for just…being.
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Weekend Vacation Mode
Here comes the weekend! Assuming you work Monday to Friday, how you perceive those two days off affects your level of happiness.
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International Women’s Day – On Being Liked
On this International Women’s Day, I suggest to you, my sisters, that we need to stop worrying about being liked. I stopped some time ago.
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Sentiment and Sensibility
It’s not really possible for journalists to be unbiased. Everyone has a bias. The goal for journalists is to overcome their bias for their work. They can do it. And I’ll show you how.
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