Journeyman Stories

Here I am again in New York. I just started another series of four trips in seven months in the Big Apple. If things go as planned, I will add another trip to San Diego in February, a trip that will come handy as it will be freezing in Toronto (I would make an excellent weatherman). We got to New York early today, and boy is this city alive! The traffic is crazy and people are everywhere. Our room will only be available at noon and my fellow travelers are going for breakfast. I decide not to go so I can write this blog. You blog readers are so important to me that I can afford to skip breakfast (you don’t see me, I am writing so fast so I can join them before I die of hunger lol) This trip comes at the right time for me. I needed an escape. Although I know it will be a busy week-end, at least I know I will be focused on one thing. The last few weeks felt as though I was part of “Cirque du Soleil”, overwhelming but fun week indeed. I made sure to keep my commitment about being in shape ...

Last week-end I took some time off. It was so cool to relax and do nothing (if you call “watching movies” doing nothing). On Saturday a great friend of mine came to visit me and we spent many hours together. When I told my sister in law who was coming, she laughed and said: “it is going to be a great meeting between two intellectuals.”. I laughed a lot and I was also honored as my friend is such a brilliant guy. Every time I am with him, I always learn something new. As it has been a long time without seeing each other, we took time to catch up a little bit and he asked what I was up to. He knew almost everything about me as he is a great fan of my blog. There was really nothing new he was going to learn from me. However, as I was telling him my stories, I realized something. I have been creating my life the way I wanted it without even noticing. Here is an example 1. In 2008 I decided I wanted to be a professional speaker 2. The same week, my coworker introduced me to Toastmasters (s...

One of the commitments I made and that I need to accomplish before the end of this year is to get back in shape. I think it was about time I do something about it. I have been in Canada for 8 years and in those 8 years I have gained 55 pounds. Don’t you dare laugh at me. It sure isn’t because of lack of discipline, besides I have my reasons, number one being my retirement from the game of Basketball lol (see Charles Barkley). I remember sending a picture to my mom two years ago and she couldn’t tell which one is her son (I was with some friends in the picture). Funny moment. She sent me an email the next day saying “That’s a nice picture. You must be the one who took it because I didn’t see you”. I had to explain I was the one on the far left side, she couldn’t believe it. I had hoped that working on my book would make me shade a few pounds (by the way, my editors and I are putting some serious work in this. I never thought it would take this long). What an illusion! My best bet is hi...

If I were to choose a theme for this week, I would call it “last minute week”. Everything was done at the last minute this week. . I had been planning my days so well for quite some time now, but this week has been quite an experience Yesterday I had no idea what the topic of this week’s blog would be, and my very efficient editor (whose name I won’t mention because she likes to keep her privacy) sent me a reminder that it was the blog. I was honest with her that I had no inspiration at all. A few suggestions from her and I was ready to go. However, I did not get to work right away so my ideas flew thick and fast and I ended up losing them. Today was another “last minute” event again. I was scheduled to be the chair of the Toastmasters meeting, and 24 hours before the meeting I was not ready with my agenda (what a well organized chair I was!). Fortunately the president of our club came to my rescue. She agreed to be the chair provided I be the speaker. I immediately said yes, but still...