BEATLEMANIA HAD NOTHING ON THIS

A few weeks ago I popped into HMV on my way to work, at around 8 in the morning. Clearly, I wasn't the only one anxious to get to work because there were a number of people in the store. But they weren't buying anything - well not anything in the store. They were pre-ordering the new INXS CD. Two. Weeks. Early.

Are these INXS fans really that die hard that after waiting 11 years for a new album, they can't wait the two more weeks? Or have people's music purchasing habits sunk to such a new low that they are pre-ordering a CD of a band that had to find its new lead singer on reality TV?

Then again, I was there to buy the new U2 DVD that came out that day. At. 8. AM. Only because I didn't leave close enough to an HMV to buy it at midnight the day before.

DAS KAPITAL

Each week, for 3 hours one night, I meet with a bunch of high school students. These kids get together to run their own small for-profit company, and me and a group of other business people act as advisors to these kids.

By running their own business, these kids are learning first hand what business is really all about. It's a great practical component because textbook learning is just that - it's a much better way to learn by doing. It's like our own Apprentice reality series.

The kids do everything a real business would. They elect an executive, brainstorm product ideas and choose a product, conduct market research, they source supplies, manufacture then market and sell the product. Eventually, at the end of the 18 weeks or so, they liquidate the company and pay out their shareholders (themselves).

These kids are doing more than just learning about business. By taking part in this, they are learning skills that are essential to them for the real world too - communication, leadership, teamwork, goal setting.

What do I do? Well I act as an advisor. Most of these kids are in Grade 9 and none of them have ever done this program before. I'm part of a group of advisors and we guide them along the way - use our experiences in business, and in my case from having volunteered with this program previously. We give them ideas for products, where to find the products and where they can sell it. We act as role models and resources for these kids.

Why do I do this? I find this to be very rewarding. I'm helping the next generation of business leaders, the future Bill Gates and Michael Dells of the world. These are the kids that are going to be captains of industry. Kids involved in Junior Achievement programs are more likely to go on to post-secondary education. So I guess I'm doing my part to keep kids out of trouble, and helping them make a future for themselves.

So I challenge those who are reading this to find some sort of cause that they think is worthwhile and donate your time, or your money, and help make this world a better place.

THE LEGEND OF ZORRO

Deciding to be very productive today, I sat down to watch parts of Zorro in between football plays.

Watching Antonio Banderas get trained by Anthony Hopkins was reminiscent of Obi-wan training a young Luke Skywalker. I realize that I wish I was an expert swordsman like Zorro and able to somersault, fight, jump, move and take on a plethora of ne'er-do-wells the way Zorro does.

Then again, maybe I just want to run around in a cape and mask.

AND I THOUGHT TECHNOLOGY WAS SUPPOSED TO SERVE US?

I decided to jump into the 21st century and get an iPod. It's a lot easier to carry around 1000 songs in my pocket than to lug around 60 CDs on my back.

The iPod is supposed to be easy to use - for me it's been a technological nightmare.

After owning it for less than 24 hours, I managed to somehow set the language to some sort of Chinese dialect. And I couldn't reset it back to English using the instructions on the screen because I was not versed in any Chinese dialect...

Last week, after managing to eventually get most of my CD collection onto my iPod, and trying to copy it onto another iTunes, I managed to erase all 971 songs that I had on the iPod and synchronize it with an iTunes library that had but 1 song on it. Shuffle doesn't work so well with only 1 song on the iPod.

Although, I've since managed to replace all my songs onto my iPod, and am enjoying the wonders of shuffling all 971 songs again, I sometimes wonder if I should just go back to my phonograph.

A LIFE OF SHOULDS

Over brunch with a friend recently, she mentioned that our alma mater had called her asking for a donation towards a bursary fund. She said she donated $40, to which I immediately replied "Sucker". She said that she should give more money to charity, up to 10% of her salary. I'm not one to complain, one of my causes was a benefecator to the tune of $59.

What she said got me thinking... that we should give more money to charity. And it's true. I only made two donations of $20 and $10 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the United Way, respectively in 2004.

But we should do a lot of things.

Very importantly, we should vote. People in other countries die for the right to vote, but only 61% of Canadians vote.

We should exercise more. But how many of us get enough, let alone any exercise?

We should volunteer more. In 2000, 27% of Canadians volunteered, and that was down from 31% a few years before.

We should read more. What was the last book you read?

We should gossip less. Simple people discuss people. Intelligent people discuss events. Great people discuss ideas.

We should eat healthier. But look around a food court - ever notice that the people eating McDonald's is directly proportional to their body mass. Put down the fries and pick up a salad for once.

We should know what's going on in the world, but how many times have you read the Economist, the New Yorker or even the Globe and Mail.

We should pay for our music and movies. These artists work hard and we need to encourage them to make more music and movies. Pirating is for pirates. Usually of the Caribbean.

We should watch less TV. Too many people are watching Reality TV - watching other people live their lives instead of actually living their own lives.

We should be more cultural - take in a symphony, visit an art gallery or a museum.

So tomorrow instead of saying "I should" actually go out and do what you say you should do. You'll feel a lot better. I promise.

MOBILE ANNOYANCES

There's an epidemic infecting the public and there does not seem to be a cure - the cell phone call in public.

When the cell phone first came out it was this bulky object that resembled those communication systems that they used during World War II - you know the ones where you need a whole other man to carry the system around on his back. Thankfully, after years and millions of dollars invested in R&D, making a cell phone call is no longer a 2-person job.

But because now people can carry their cell phones around without running the risk of a hernia, it means that they do. People use their cell phones everywhere now - on the bus, in the mall, at the gym, and most impressive at all during the movies. Nothing really adds to the effects of the cinematic experience than hearing a personalized ringtone go off during a particularly climactic scene.

Now in the past, I've been guilty of talking on my cell phone on the bus, but now I just find it annoying to have to hear someone else's half-conversation. And those who use their cell phones to have full-length conversations while on the treadmill. I think these people are a bit confused about why they're supposed to be at the gym.

So I propose a moratorium on using your cell phones in confined public spaces, like the bus. You can use it to confirm a location, time, or say "I'm on my way" but that's it! And at the gym, try exercising those other muscles in your body, instead of your tongue.

Optimizing My Optimum

I have a bit of a problem, I'll admit it. I'm hooked on Shoppers Optimum points. I've surpassed the 34,000 point level (the highest level) on at least 4 occasions I can remember.

I'll buy stuff I don't need at that moment, but is offering bonus points. I figure one day I'll use that can of shaving cream, that stick of deodorant, or that box of tampons. I have enough toothpaste to last me until 2010.

I'll buy the name brand Qtips when the store brand is a better value, only because the name brand is offering 100 Shoppers Optimum points, which I figure would normally cost me $10 to buy, so I rationalize it as a good deal. When someone has a problem, that's what they do - they rationalize their behaviour...

One night I lay awake in bed, figuring out that if you buy a Shoppers Gift Card for $25 you get 250 Optimum points, and then if you turn around and buy $25 worth of merchandise paying for it with that $25 gift card, you collect another 250 Optimum points, giving you 500 optimum points for only spending $25! That's twice as many points! When I first redeemed my $75 worth of free merchandise I got $75 worth of gift cards, which when I eventually redeemed, I collected 750 points, so I was collecting points on free points. Shoppers eventually closed these little loopholes, forcing me to toss and turn at night to figure out another cockamamy scheme to collect even more points.

If this isn't a cry for help, I don't know what is...

The Biggest Idiots

Everyone complains about the idiots on the road. Quite frankly, I don't think there are that many idiots on the road. If you really want to see where the idiots are in this world - then look no further than the left side of any escalator.

Most escalators post a little sign that reads "Walk left. Stand right." This sign may as well be written in Swahili because it seems that nobody reads it. Nothing is more frustrating than getting on an escalator and having to slow down my pace because someone decided that they wanted to violate social protocol and stand on the left side. The left side of the escalator should be like the left lane of the highway - for passing only. And if you feel the need to make your visit to the mall or TTC subway as leisurely as possible, then please, for the love of God, use the right side of the escalator.

It's always tough to say goodbye to people that are leaving, especially when they mean so much to you. This past year alone, I've had 3 such people move away and recently I found out that a 4th is leaving. This last person is someone very dear to me, so while I'm sad to see them go, I'm comforted by the thought that I know that they will be very happy with their move. Still, it's always hard to let go of the ones you really care about.

Now, even though I don't speak to this person very often, and will probably speak to them about the same once they leave, there was always that comforting feeling knowing that they were just around the corner from me and there were chances for those little things - a movie, a cup of coffee, a walk.

If I don't say goodbye, maybe they won't go?