My Strengths and Weaknesses test

I took this very fun test....and here are my results!

Your Top 5 Strengths Are:

Faith (94%): 

* Make efforts to discover your true passion and tie it to your work, no matter what you do.

* Align, but don't compromise, your values to that of your organization.

* You respect others for learning about your family and community - give them the opportunity.

* You give more value to greater levels of service than more money - let others know this.

* People may not share your beliefs, but you feel they need to understand & respect - let them.

Self Motivation (88%): 

* You don't need your hand-held; help others understand you need space to make meaningful decisions.

* Seek to take on a role where persistence is essential to success.

* Continually take on roles that demand an aura of certainty and stability.

* You have a strong self-concept that you are an agent of action - nurture it.

* You are most effective when you feel you are in control of your world - be aware and help others understand this.

* You need clear feedback to develop your instincts - review your failures and successes for lessons learned.

Curiosity (88%): 

* Actively take on roles that require you to stay current in a fast moving field.

* Always stay hunting for a richer learning environment - the process keeps you energized.

* Track your learning progress and celebrate milestones along the way.

* Challenge yourself to be a resident expert or master of trade on a subject.

* Request to work beside someone who will continuously push you to learn more.

* Learn by teaching others - do discussion groups and presentations at work and in your community.

* Set aside money to support continued education, training, seminars, and e-learning.

Resourcefulness (88%): 

* You thrive on responsibility - sign up for opportunities that foster it.

* Capitalize on your talent to be a manager or supervisor.

* You are good at figuring out how to fit others' strengths into the team - help them.

* You thrive in situations where many things are happening at same time - seek them.

* Make efforts to figure out other ways to do things - you enjoy this.

* Reject working with someone who you believe is dishonest or shoddy worker.

Strategic Thinking (81%): 

* Be on the leading edge of your organization, groups, and strategic plans.

* Be involved in organizational planning and risk management efforts.

* Always give yourself plenty of time to think through a situation.

* Read books, take a training course, or attend a seminar in strategic planning and futurism.

* Seek chances to share your ideas in writing and presentations.

* Seek solutions that worked in other places, learn from them, and try to apply them to your life and work.

Your Remaining Results Are:

Adaptability (81%): 

Visionary (81%): 

Communication (81%): 

Innovation (81%): 

Focus (81%): 

Ambition (81%): 

Salesmanship (75%): 

Teamwork (75%): 

Leadership (75%): 

Problem Solving (75%): 

Integrity (75%): 

Purpose (75%): 

Optimism (69%): 

Risk Taking (63%): 

Determination (44%): 

Your Bottom 1 Weakness Is:

Balance (38%):

* You bring structure to chaotic situations - you don't rest until order restored. Seek teams that need your help.

* Clutter will greatly annoy you - make every effort to enhance your organizational and planning systems.

* Always seek advance notice of deadlines, meetings, and project milestones.

* Surprises are distressing to you and can ruin your day - help others understand the way you operate.

* Actively take time out to prioritize your tasks and goals.

* Offer to help with time management and department processes.

* Continually work out possible outcome paths ahead of time to prepare for the unknowns.

My summer reading challenge!

I have challenged several people on THE FACEBOOK to read along with me, and I will read any book that they are trying to accomplish to read this summer.  I let them pick from this list (or suggest a good alternative!)

So far I am reading:


Visit From The Goon Squad with Anita
Armada with Desirae

and I assume more as the week goes on!  ^_^

Join me, if you dare!  Yarr!

What a long day!

Work was busy, new diet, watched Working Girl for the first time...made me remember what made movies great in the 80s!

Goals!

It's been so busy...I haven't even had time to write on here!

More importantly, I've been so busy accomplishing things on my list that I hadn't really had time to record a lot of them.  So here's a little personal report!

Total planned goals for Dec-March 2016: 75
Total completed goals: (drumroll please) 46

Completed goals:

I got a lot done, and part of that had to do with giving up video games for Lent.  You don't realize how much time you do certain things until you remove them and have to replace them with other things.  For me, that was reading books.  I ended up reading almost 25 books over Lent.  It was almost a book a day.

There were also some surprises.  One of my goals was to text my brothers more.  Doing so has been really fruitful for me...I've gotten a lot closer to them considering that I don't see them very often. 

Practicing drawing has also been really good for me.  I had forgotten how much I liked learning to draw.  It's been a good investment.

The biggest surprise for me has been has some goals completed themselves without too much work from me.  I ended up having a party at my house...but it was me and Celine planning it, not just me.  Some goals are better with others!

Not completed goals:

A lot of the small goals I didn't complete.  Some were really silly.  (eg. make a milkshake) But I did want to do them.  Some of them wouldn't really let me complete them in the timeframe I wanted. (e.g. My PR website had huge problems in the back end.  I still plan to redesign it and invest more in it, but well, it needs a major overhaul!)

Some were things that weren't that important but would have been nice (get a new curtain rod and curtains)

The one I'm sad I didn't complete is taking a french class. I just couldn't seem to find the time required for investing in a language class.


Overall:

I think I'm getting better and making lists of things I want to do and working towards them, even when they're difficult, multi-stepped items. (Like finishing two online courses in the past couple months!)

Time to make a new list!

Goal #53: Go to a classical music concert

 

I went to not one, but THREE classical music concerts this week as part of the TSO's New Creations festival.  Great, sometimes weird music.  I enjoyed a lot of it, and I got to all of them with different people. Lots of great cultural learning!  I had a blast. 

Goals update!

I've managed to cross quite a few off the list!

Goal #3: Go to a networking event

Met several young entrepreneurs this weekend.  Next!

Goal #13: Volunteer for something

Taught a social media class to said young entrepreneurs.

Goal #19: Write 10 Blog posts 

This is 10.  Next!

Goal #22: Go to a job interview.

Just interviewed for my permanent position this Thursday at CAMH.  Next!

Goal #23: Take a Marketing or PR course

This week I'm finishing my SEO online course.

Goal #25: Hold a HUGE Party!

Roommate brunch: Spring edition was 8 people.  So much fun! Laughed, caught up, had nice food.

Goal #37: Make someone's day

Bought a cupcake for a coworker on her birthday and sang her happy birthday.

Goal #57: Volunteer somewhere new

I'll be starting to volunteer with RISE in the fall.


Goal #66: Learn a little Russian

Paka means goodbye, and Zdravstvvuyte means hello.  Mehn-yeh zau-voot Brennan!

Goal #71: Brainstorm content ideas

I'm currently working on a new little side writing project.  Excited about this little secret 'o mine! 

 

Goal 26: Read 10 books

This goal turned out to be seriously easy.  Sometimes I forget how much a read on a regular basis.

More than that, I gave up video games for Lent.  I can't sit still for too long, so instead of movies, it left me with books.  And I've always loved reading, and I read quite a few books per year, usually 20-60, depending on the year.  I picked most of them from top lists in 2015 in fantasy and sci-fi, since I have been in the mood for things from my fav genres.  Here's the list of books I read:

1. The Great Gatsby
2. The Five People You Meet in Heaven
3. Mort(e)
4. The Shadow Revolution
5. Prince of Fools
6. Throne of Glass
7. The Queen of Tearling
8. Iron Axe
9. The Knight of Swords
10. A Spell for Chameleon

I read a few other random books, but these are the ones so far that I enjoyed the most.  I read about a book every two days, which tells you how I've been spending my free time lately!  \

I highly recommend 1, 3, and 7. 

Goal 29: Text brothers 20 times

I noticed I wasn't connecting with my brothers as much as I used to....and I realized I didn't put a lot of work into contacting them, which is probably part of the problem.  So, I made extra efforts to reach out to them. 

And lo, and behold, it was one of the best things I could have done.

I send ridiculous Snapchats back and forth with Tyler.  I would ask Clayton about trips him and his girlfriend were taking.  I asked Martin and his fiancee about their upcoming wedding. Adam and I texted back and forth about when I had a one-hit wonder punk band in high school.  (Me, in a punk band!)

I am glad I got back in touch...but I also think it was good I waited.....I'm not sure that I would have been in a good position to explain to my brothers what I was trying to do with my life for the last couple years.

But now that everyone's growing up, it's a little nicer.

I've been listening to a lot of Celine Dion lately

And I've decided if I ever get married, maybe I'll choose this song as my wedding song....I can imagine myself slow dancing to this song.

Goal #74: Go Skating

So I wanted to go skating.  And it's been beautiful this weekend, so I managed to drag Karl skating with me.

 

Little did I know Karl did not know how to skate.  I mean, he said he wasn't very good. but that was a GRAND exaggeration. He couldn't skate to save his life.

However, with the small lessons from Brennan-the-mighty teacher, he learned and learned well!  By the time he finished, he could skate without falling flat!  It was a really fun moment! 

I had such a nice night with Karl....it's been a while since he and I have had that much fun.  And it was good to be able to help him get better at something as well.  

Goal 69: Finish After Effects Course

So I have been working on an Adobe After Effects course for the last two years or so.  It was 8-10 hours of coursework, and I finally finished it!  Woo!

After Effects is one of the hardest programs for a creative professional (imo) to master, since it's better if you have a strong understanding of both vector graphics (Illustrator) and layered documents (Photoshop) as well as understanding video composition (Premiere) to really get some of the full effects out of the program. 

Needless to say, working in this program, which while the industry standard, is still a piece of garbage, made me take longer than I normally would have to complete this course. I'm waiting for the day when the industry standard for a pro-sumer is something not only more user-friendly, but less prone to crashing, or waiting to load previews, and has the capability of integrating sound properly.

Anyways.

I'm a lot more confident with AE than before, and it's only going to help my editing skills in the future.

TOW: Learning from mistakes

Two years ago, (and a few extra days) I was under a lot of pressure at work, and I screwed up, big time.  The whole scenario was so terrible, and in retrospect I still feel embarrassed, probably more than anything by having to explain over and over again how a simple mistake turned into a giant, marketing effort ruining mistake.  I still have regrets about that moment, and how it shouldn't have happened.  When I think about it, I do think it was a good lesson in learning something about me.  Namely, that even when I screw up in a large way, I can still function and I still want to correct what I've done wrong.

Fast forward to today, when I was part of a planning committee that helped launch Portico Network in a 'media ready' kind of way, life is a lot different.  I am surrounded by interesting, intelligent people.  And I managed to fix similar errors before they blew way out of control.  I would like to say I've learned from my mistakes, but I think it's more accurate to say that I know what to look for, and to look for it constantly when under tight timelines and pressures.

One of the videos I created for this event is a culmination of work between me and very overworked, top-tier graphic designer. I storyboarded the entire thing, scripted it, she animated and designed the look and feel, and I hired the narrator and cut the video as well as did all the timing and music.  It was an extremely collaborative effort. 
I'm really proud of being able to do things like this in my career path.  It's moments like this that make me super happy....creating things that are fun....at least fun for me....and well received by people who want products like these.

I will probably make many more mistakes in the future..but I'm looking forward to gaining experience in my industry of choice, and doing my best to provide the best possible to those around me. =)

New list!

I have a new list of 100 goals for this year.  Here's what's been accomplished so far


14) Get a new cell phone:  It was time!  I now have a giant phone.  

17) Spend some quality time with Graham:

This is me trying to look like we're having the best time in the world!!! In reality, we just ate a lot of sushi.   I think Graham was calling Kendal back.


33)  Buy a new suit:  Now in alterations!

42)  Do a painting workshop:  This painting is only $400!  Buy now! =)

I'll keep going with my list of updates here....one of the was also 'finish Christmas shopping' which definitely happened!

Thought of the Year: Return

This holiday season has been, for me, a return. 

I think this year is going to be a big year of change for me.  A lot of important change. I can feel it...some work changes, some lifestyle changes, hopefully some positive changes, maybe some big changes...but I want it to be interesting...good, fun, challenging. 

Coming back home this year has made me realize I have certain values that I need to reaffirm, relationships I need to mend and revisit. Part of me that I need to rediscover.  A little bit of amor fati, if you will.

But I also think there's some things I need to give up.  Some things in my life I need to change.  Some parts of me I need to revisit and rebuild. 

I'm doing an inner journey to remember who I was, when I was younger, so that I take those best parts to the future.

If anything, this has been a year of 'return' to return to who I could have been and knowing that what I could be, can't be, until I start making some big, positive, real change in my life.

Hanging out with my older brother today

Had a blast!

(And of course with my super cute niece as well.)

Feeling

It just how I feel! Sigh.

Mexico!

Some fun images from my trip! :)

 We leave!

Arrived!

Pool time!

 

Time for dinner!  The food was amazing!

 

Shopping!

Chichen Itza!  Was so amazing!

 

Weird Halloween dance party!

And that was pretty much it! :)

 

 

100 Goals for my 32nd birthday

So here we are.  (And accomplishing Goal #80 in the process!  12 blog posts: complete!)

It's been a fun four months, trying to get all of these things done.  Some of them I was finishing as late as yesterday, trying to make these things happen. 

I often make lists like these, trying to accomplish things that are fun, some things that are serious, and some things in between.  I really challenged myself this time, though, with 100 things to complete by my 32nd birthday.

In the end, I managed to complete 60 out of 100 goals in four months.  Believe it or not, I was actually pretty disappointed with that.  When I look at my list, it's covered with stars.  It's just all those in between ones that seem to bring my numbers down lower than expected.  If I had anticipated how many I had left, I might have changed things around slightly.

Some of the ones I didn't accomplish, I have to admit; I just put them off for other goals, or just decided I didn't feel like doing them.  (Also, I repeated a couple of them.  Some like, 'Go for a painting class' are pretty similar to ones like 'create a piece of art.')  I really wish that I had given myself a little more time, or come up with some different, perhaps some slightly more 'summer themed' goals, since this year, I did a lot of summer related activities, which was really nice...and very different for me!  I wish 'go swimming' had been on this list, since that's something that Alex and I did this summer, and it was a blast.

Some of my goals were either unobtainable, or, looking back, had too many parts.  Writing 12 blog posts as one goal was a good goal, but reading 20 books as one goal, that was perhaps much too ambitious for four months.  Of course, it wouldn't have been, if I hadn't also had goal 35: do three online training courses on Lynda.com, as well as take a class (which I did, through skillshare, on illustration.)

Some goals turned out differently than I expected, as well.  I had a day of fasting when I didn't plan it (Goal 25) and visiting my family doctor meant I got my yearly physical (goal 45).  I also had to plan out getting proper amounts of sleep in higher numbers (goals 50 and 51) but meeting a firefighter was a bit of a happy accident at the taste of danforth festival (goal 17). 

Some goals, I think, were downright too ambitious for four months.  Goal 94, finish bottle of daily vitamins, would mean I would have to remember to take a vitamin daily for three months straight.  That goal was sabotaged by the fact that I often would feel ill after taking one of the vitamins first thing in the morning, which was often the most sensible time to take it.  Next time, I should probably just stick to chewable vitamins. 

Also, some creative goals, I just didn't have time for.  I wanted to do a video shoot and a photo shoot this summer, and do a really professional set up.  Unfortunately, there just wasn't time....I was too busy doing summer activities during the times that would have been best.

Probably the biggest gap in my goals list were the 'financial' areas.  I was planning on opening RRSPs (goal 29) and also trying my hand at investing in a stock or two for fun (Goal 69).  I had a bunch of other goals...but I have recently restructured my financial so I am paying down rather aggressively some student debt, and that has made me adjust over the last few months a bit more.


The one thing I have learned from this goal list, is that some of these I would like to carry over to my NEXT goal list (before 2016!) and some of them I need to complete, even if just for myself.  The creative ones that I didn't get to, I either have planned in the next week or so (timing) and things like 'visit the dentist' were reliant on my health benefits being kicked in, which they finally are, after waiting for three months.  I now have stuff I need to back claim.  Perhaps my next goals should be to find someone else to do my admin work on all this stuff! 

But overall, I'm very happy with my goals for this year....I think I accomplished quite a bit that this list doesn't reflect.  Next time, I may leave an open 'bonus section' so that I can accurately capture growth in my life! =)

TOW: Freedom

I've heard the word free a lot lately.  An evangelist in chinatown was saying, "I know God!  I'm free!  Free from religion!  Free from capitalism!"

A homeless man as I passed him (and Syrian refugee protest today), said, "More things need to be free!  Like gum.  And love! THEN WE'LL BE HAPPY."

I'm not sure what love and gum have to do with each other, but perhaps one day I'll learn the secret. 

As I walked by both men, (perhaps the former more than the latter) there seemed to be a slightly misplaced understanding of freedom.  One that I'm quite partial to some days, but overall I think is flawed.

Freedom is not a concept of being loosened from responsibilities, needs, difficult people, etc.  Freedom is not being freed from something so that we can do as we please.  Freedom is the freedom to be.  To act.

And freedom is not a concept that lives by itself, within us as an ultimate mover.  It must be cultivated by other virtues to exist in us.  And a society built of responsible people, is one that can choose religion, that can have an economic system and be happy (indulging, to an extent) and still be free.

There is no freedom without responsibility.  Freedom without a place in the world is not freedom at all.  It's aimlessness.  Neither human morality nor human society at large benefit from aimless individuals.  These people will never find love.  Nor gum.

Goal #22: See a Shakespeare Play

Karl and I went and saw Julius Caesar in High Park.  This is something that Karl and I now think we will do as an 'annual thing.'  I have to agree, since both of us seem to really enjoy the culture and the vibe.  Also, it's a pay what you can environment, which is really great!  The concession stand is also quite reasonable.

I have few thoughts about this particular play because it was done so well.  Brutus seemed so believable and virtuous, Cassius was very well done by the woman play her.  Marc Antony, was naked for half of the play, which was a bit weird.  But overall, very fun!!