SUMMER SOLSTICE AT THE BEACH

It was the 21st of June this past Saturday, and it was the longest day of the year. With the setting of the sun and the turn of the clock each day hereafter is progressively briefer once again. Christine and I drove in that rich Pacific air to Crescent Beach and parked our Miata on the Beach. We took out our lawn chairs, binoculars and Squires coffee to await the sunset.

A couple of yachts anchored in the Bay with friends aboard sitting, chatting and sipping vino on the water. Over our heads the periodic flight of aircraft made their arc toward the distant Vancouver airport, talking them over the ring of mountains that silhouetted the distant Burnaby skyscrapers at the skyline.

Sometimes we bring a novel to the beach and other times, like this one, we write our own. In front of us a young couple with a small child and a professional photographer and his assistant made memories. A well-chosen moment and location. Standing at a wood rail fence, they were profiled dramatically against the sea and the sunset sky. She was young and lovely and very slim, and we surmised their story. These were pre-marriage or wedding shots and this was a second marriage for him because her body had never experienced childbirth. As they moved their photo session further to the right and away from us they joined their party of friends and family.

The sky was now transformed into a canvas of sweeping theatrical brilliance as distant clouds reflected the yellows, oranges and reds. We waited, we walked, we talked and we appreciated the three-hour light display. Then packed up we drove to tomorrow and a shorter daylight. The circle of life.

MISSIONS FEST 2013 - A MINI REUNION & MUCH MORE

This is the logo of Mission Fest, recognizably registered and used here simply to draw attention to a remarkable gathering of Christian agencies, service organizations, schools, camps and missions both local and international.
Each year a three-day conference is held under this name here in Vancouver and in other major cities across Canada. Informative programs, seminars and exhibits interest, enlighten, and recruit thousands of people because there is something for every age group.

Personal Branding

A NEW LEARNING
I met an interesting man the other day. He and is wife made the decision many years ago to live on a sailboat at False Creek in Vancouver. A 42 foot sailboat is their home and also their RV when they choose to navigate coastal waters and beyond. It can also serve as an office for his new employment as an environmental real estate agent. Having retired from a different occupation he is now seeking to market himself effectively and that is why he came to mind now.

I alluded yesterday to the importance of personal branding in order to enhance one’s reputation, credibility, recognition as an expert and to advance one’s career. Personal branding describes a process where individuals differentiate themselves from a crowd by articulating their unique value proposition, whether professional or personal, and then leverage it across platforms with a consistent message to achieve a specific goal.

And here is the stunning reality. At 66 years of age if I want this kind of recognition, I either have to research the ways or higher someone to assist me. Other responsible adults similarly find personal branding impossible to fit into already busy lives. Generation Y however knows how to brand themselves instinctively using media tools such as blogs and social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Brazen Careerist. They become well known this way.

Gen Y is marketing itself without thinking about it. It goes online more than any other generation and cell phones are an extension of their hands. It instant messages and Skypes and podcasts and blogs and twitters and YouTubes and is getting the word out about themselves and so are we every time we use one of these networks. The fact is Generation Y needs to be good at these marketing tools because as it matures, jobs are declining, industries are downsizing and cutting back. They are under pressure to rethink how they are perceived and how they can stand out from the pack.