Tag Archives | Life Change Blogs

Armchair Activists

The Australian

March 27

I WATCHED the manager of a prestigious beauty salon handle a client who fronted up with a six-month gift voucher that was about to expire. She wanted to make an appointment. At such short notice, there was “no way” the salon could squeeze her in before the expiry date. And no, they wouldn’t extend the gift voucher a week or two. It was policy. It was written in the fine print. The woman had her reasons for not coming during the six months. The manager would have none of it. Continue Reading →

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Grandparents on Facebook

Recently my mother, a true Life Changer, started sending me emails. In her latter years (I am sworn not to reveal her age) she has gone back to study computer skills, and she and her older sister send all manner of unwanted spam emails to members of the family who write back begging them not to pass on any more bad jokes or warnings about the danger of drinking from plastic bottles. My mother has rediscovered a large family back in her native city of London who she talks and sends photos to regularly. She and my aunt aren’t alone in their embracing of the Internet.

Photo: ‘Older Life Changers Embracing the Internet’

The fastest growing users of Facebook are not tweenagers but people over the age of  74 according to social media expert Laurel Papworth. The number of such users has almost quadrupled in two years. These true Life Changers are not sitting at home and knitting, or playing golf following retirement, they are out reinventing themselves, using their brains, growing synapses by getting their grandkids to teach them the art of social networking. They are blogging, tweeting and writing reviews, they are on Facebook and all sorts of social networking sites keeping in touch with family and friends.

Papworth says, “Retirees and residence of nursing homes are not watching sport or playing bingo any more. Across the USA nursing homes are installing computers. And the trend is coming here.” Continue Reading →

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Balancing Act

The Australian

BALANCING ACT
I WAS at an appointment the other day with a person from whom I required graphics work.

I asked if I could have a discount as I’d only allocated a certain amount of money to the job and at her rates, we were going to run over budget. “No,” she replied, simply and without emotion. “I don’t do discounts.”

She went on to explain why. I found it a most interesting observation. “People tell you they need a discount because they’re short of cash, or they haven’t budgeted on such an amount. But here’s the truth. Most people have some spare cash lying around, it’s just that they prioritise how they’re going to spend it. You might say you only have $50 an hour to give me, then go and spend $200 on a new dress. Continue Reading →

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The Ultimate Life Changer

Went to see my friend, and colleague Brian Sherman this week; founder of Voiceless animal rights activist group; former Director of Channel Ten and still a hot shot business identity. I interviewed him in the 80s when I was a finance journalist at the Financial Review. He was a young finance high flyer; I was an eager ambitious reporter. Both of us were obsessed with money, career and ego. 25 years later we meet again in Byron Bay and we have lunch. He was by then a staunch animal rights advocate, having moved from earthly concerns to a deeply spiritual position on the ecology of life; at the time I lived in a rainforest and had embraced Buddhism, preaching in my weekly column: “First do no harm!”

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Time Management for Life Changers

It’s been a wild few days. Bought an Apple Mac because so much of the University course I am doing is based on using it. Another change after twenty years of being a PC user. Such a sad and funny sight, me squinting over the keyboard, losing the page and my place every other minute. A metaphor for this new world I find myself in. The main focus for me is getting a handle on time management: What to do and when? My homework, helping my daughter with her HSC homework, getting my column in each week? Eating? What should take priority? Trying to read time management guru Tim Ferriss’ best seller and Blog, The 4 Hour WorkWeek but who has time?? Continue Reading →

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