Posts by jaredhunt:
- that some of the zany things we’ve been doing as a family are of interest and value to other families (gotta love validation)
- that social media marketing is a big world that can be tackled in small bites (this is coming from the ‘stickie note queen’)
- that you have to ask for help – no one has all of the answers and there are people out there – like Crystal – who have answers and/or know people who have answers
- that creating a new product and an app doesn’t make me more interesting but it does give me some new things to talk about
- that my kids can learn from the process too. As an example, Spark! has been downloaded in 36 countries. Every morning I check my itunes account to find out where Spark! is being used. Then I run to the map with my kids and we find that country on the map. It boggles our minds that the questions we use around our kitchen table are being used in Saudi Arabia, Poland and Brazil!
- The pressure to get started is often the element that prevents us from doing our best work.
- It might look like slacking to an outsider, but an unrelated creative exercise might be exactly what you need to reach the right mindset for the real task at hand.
- Copy: Command-C (Control-C for Windows)
- Paste: Command-V (Control-V for Windows)
- Cut: Command-X (Control-X for Windows)
- Undo: Command-Z (Control-Z for Windows)
- Bold: Command-B (Control-B for Windows)
- Italics: Command-I (Control-I for Windows)
- Underline: Command-U (Control-U for Windows)
- Skip to the end of a line of text: Command-Right Arrow (End for Windows)
- Skip to the beginning of the next word: Option-Right Arrow (Control-Right Arrow for Windows)
- Skip to the end of a paragraph: Option-Down Arrow (Control-Down Arrow for Windows)
- Select Text: hold down Shift and use the arrow keys (same for Windows).
- You can also select blocks of text by holding down Shift while using any of the shortcuts for skipping. For example: holding Shift while pressing Option-Down Arrow will select an entire paragraph.
Feature Friday Success Story – Tamara Vukusic
April 29th, 2011MEET TAMARA VUKUSIC
Tamara Vukusic is an all-Canadian mom-on-a-mission having called the prairies, the nation’s capital, the high arctic and the west coast home.
She worked in the world of journalism and media relations for more than a decade. Her most memorable career experience was working as the Director of External Relations for the 2002 Arctic Winter Games co-hosted by Iqaluit, Nunavut and Nuuk, Greenland. This is also where she met her playful husband and busted her fantastic dog – Gromit - out of dog jail.
As a volunteer, Tamara has chaired committees in the Community Living movement, with the United Way and for Humane Societies across Canada. She has volunteered as a fire fighter and hockey coach.
Tamara is a graduate of Carleton University’s Journalism Program. She also holds an honours degree in political science.
There has been no greater fodder for creating or making sense of the world than in her current role as mother of four and six year-old boys and wife to a kid-at-heart husband. And don’t forget Gromit-the-dog!
They live in Kamloops, B.C.
TAMARA IS ONLINE AT:
and
www.facebook.com/sparkyourimagination
CHATTING WITH TAMARA
What was/is your dream or goal?
I was curious. We were having a blast using playful, ‘out-there’, imagination-bolstering questions around our dinner table. Our kids begged for them. Our friends asked us to fork over some questions. I had just turned 40 (somehow that’s relevant) and I was curious to see if they could be useful to other families. And, admittedly, I wanted to see if I could actually finish something. For me being a mom involves a great deal of being in the moment but rarely having the satisfaction of completion.
And man-o-man it feels sooooo good!
What did/do you find most difficult about getting started?
Watching so many young kids around me play on iPhones piqued my interest in creating an app. It was a bit of a counter-movement to be truthful. I liked the idea of using the technology to bolster the imagination of kids and connect them to their families. It goes against the stereotype of handheld devices: I like that.
The question was how do I create an app when I only just learned how to download the darn things on my new iPhone. In comes Crystal (see below).
What have you done/are you doing to work towards this goal?
I have created a product called Spark Story Starters which is the debut product of Spark Your Imagination. The guiding principle of Spark Your Imagination is to nurture creativity in kids and promote family unity.
Spark Story Starters is a deck of cards and and Spark! is an app – Spark! for iPhone/Spark! HD for iPad/iPod (these are the same products in different formats – the app title was abbreviated in the interest of cramming a brand into that tiny space they give you for your app on an iPhone).
I have also created an app called KidCart that mimics what I have done for years when I give my kids a clipboard with some items to find in the grocery store. The catch is that on the iPhone they get illustrations as a visual cue and the list can be translated into French or Spanish (if chosen).
What have you found most rewarding about going after your dream?
I love that my kids see me working on something that is somewhat of a mystery to them. As an at-home mom for the past seven years, I have become predictable through the eyes of my kids (okay, so 6 a.m. front yard picnics during the first snowfall aren’t exactly predictable..). But now I am carving out a space for myself and, although my kids contribute to my creativity, I am the one who owns it. They have come to respect my space and my business. They also seem to appreciate that we have created something that is being enjoyed beyond their own family. I think they feel good about that. And I feel good about that too. So, you see, there are a whole lot of good feelings happening around our house (most days anyway).
Do you feel the process of going after your goals has changed you? In what ways?
The process has absolutely changed me.
I have confirmed that I am capable of finishing something. As a parent I’ve worked hard to be in the moment. Maybe I’ve worked too hard at this because there has been a lot more ‘being’ than ‘doing’ around my house (at least by me). I haven’t actually finished much in the past seven years. It feels so good to be able to hold something up in my hand that I started… and finished.
I am learning to be unapologetic about asking for creative time – from my husband, my kids and my friends. The more I do it, the easier it gets.
What have you learned/accomplished so far during this process?
Wow, I’ve learned a lot when I stop to think about it. I’ve learned…
What piece(s) of advice would you give to people who are working
towards a goal similar to yours?
You can learn anything. Self-teaching is admirable but it can take a lifetime (or at the very least a great deal of time). Figure out what you do best and find other people to help you navigate the rest. It’s far easier to learn from another person than to rely solely on trial and error.
Having said that, trial and error is absolutely necessary. Don’t be hard on yourself when you make a mistake. Move on and consider the time, money or energy you spent on your mistake as ‘life tuition fees’.
Were Crystal and/or Jared helpful to you in some way, and if so how did Crystal and/or Jared help you to get closer to your goal?
Crystal is a star. She has a battery of skills gathered from her many professional and personal experiences. If that weren’t enough, she has a rolodex (okay, this is the stickie note queen way to say… database? – I’m pretty sure the high tech savvy Crystal doesn’t own a rolodex) full of people who she has worked with and holds in high regard. She has the ability to match you with the right person to realize most any dream – illustrators, developers, programmers, writers.
When you are with Crystal your dream is the absolute most important thing to her in that moment. Her interest in helping others to realize their dream is genuine.
And, in your moment of glory when you realize your dream, Crystal lets the victory be your own.
Would you recommend Crystal and/or Jared’s coaching, service or workshop to others? If yes, what would you tell them?
The first time I met Crystal she was speaking in front of a room of 100 people at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference. I liked her immediately. She is genuine, approachable and has a great deal of information and insight to share. And, this isn’t stuff from a book. She has lived it and learned from it.
Why does this make a difference?
Because she has been in your shoes. She remembers what it was like to start at the beginning and to work through it – piece by strategic piece – to the realization of a dream.
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If you think the Spark Story Starters cards sound interesting, ask for them at your local book or toy store. I am just starting to contact retailers across Canada and your interest would help.
The product has received rave reviews from kids, parents and grandparents. Interest is quickly spreading to include teachers, counsellors, drama & art programs and speech therapists. If you can think of someone who might be able to use the cards, please spread the word. I’m always happy to send some free sample questions or a promo code for the download of the app.
The Spark Story Starter cards can be purchased from my web site – www.sparkstorystarters.com – or from one of 20 retailers across BC (listed on my web site). The cost per deck is $11.99 (free shipping).
The app version for iPhone is called Spark! ($.99) and for iPad/iPod is called Spark! HD ($1.99) and can be found on the App Store or on iTunes. A version for android phones is also available for $1.99.
KidCart has been created for the iPhone and can be purchased for $1.99.
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The Spark! app (for iPhone) hit the #2 best-selling educational app spot on the App Store twice since its release at the end of January 2011.
Spark! now lives in 36 countries.
Spark Story Starters have been featured on Global TV BC, Global TV Calgary, CTV News, CBC Daybreak South, CBC-BC radio regional news, CFJC-TV (Kamloops), The Kamloops Daily News, The Vancouver Sun and on national on-line parenting magazines savvymom.ca and yoyomama.ca. All of these clips can be viewed on my facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/sparkyourimagination.
I took 2nd place in the Kamloops Fast Pitch Business Competition. The audience was four guest judges (including Dianne Buckner from Dragon’s Den) and a live studio audience of 300. You can check out the YouTube clip here.
The cards were created and printed in B.C. as were the apps (all B.C. talent).
A New Fitness Regime
April 25th, 2011Though our Well-thy Living posts often focus on tips and tricks to make you more productive, we also consider health and fitness an integral part of a Well-thy lifestyle. Better fitness not only helps you to be more productive, it also enhances your enjoyment of the fruits of your productivity!
During my time as a personal fitness trainer, I worked with 20-25 different clients with goals ranging from weight loss to qualifying for a world-class rowing team. I estimate that another 40 people approached me with the intent to begin a workout program, but failed to follow through, often quitting after only one or two workouts. A common thread I noticed in the clients who didn’t keep up with their fitness goals was that they were attempting to make too drastic a change, too suddenly. As a result, I developed a test that helped people introduce fitness into their lifestyle gradually while also determining if they were really committed.
The test is to do two push-ups, two crunches and two lunges every morning for 30 days. If you feel like doing more than two of each, go ahead, but your commitment is just two.
Even if you’re really in a hurry, you can honor your commitment in less than one minute each day. You’ll soon find that you feel like doing more than two of each exercise, and that’s great. The important thing, however, is to make fitness a part of each and every day – even if you only have a minute.
Here are some videos to show you proper form for each exercise:
Push Ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh00_rniF8E
Crunches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyd_fa5zoEU&feature=fvwrel
Lunge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUy8BNfhkeQ
(Always double check with your doctor before beginning any new fitness program).
Do you have what it takes to meet the first Well-thy Living Challenge and introduce fitness into your lifestyle? We’d love to hear from you!
Beating Writer’s Block
April 12th, 2011One way to overcome writer’s block is to eliminate as many distractions as you can. A good starting place is to use a distraction-free writing tool like Byword. I first heard about this program via an article in MacWorld and, though I haven’t tried it yet, I really like the concept. A quick search turned up another great article on the subject over at lifehacker.com. Well worth a read.
I’ve also found that my iPad offers a similar experience since you can only view one application at a time. If you want to push the distraction-free element even more, there are a number of writing apps designed just for that purpose. For example, iA Writer for iPad provides you with a very simple, elegant interface that will allow you to focus your energy and attention on writing instead of formatting.
Do you have any tips on beating distractions and writer’s block? Use the comment form below to share them!
Getting Started
April 11th, 2011Whether it’s a novel, a new business or a new fitness routine, starting a new project can seem totally overwhelming. There are often dozens of things to consider and dozens of places you could start. I call this the “mountain” problem. When you look at a new project as a whole and think about how much time it’s going to take or how many tedious details you’ll have to deal with, it can seem impossibly large – like trying to move a mountain. The fact is, however, that even mountains can be moved – as long as you don’t give up before you start.
I came across a great article on Rands in Repose about the difficulties creative people can face when we’re getting started on a new project. I recommend giving the whole article a read-through, but some of the points that stood out to me were:
Do you have any tips on getting started? Use the comment form below to share them!
Keyboard Shortcuts
April 4th, 2011Whether you’re using your computer for communication, information, writing or as an integral part of your business, you can get a lot more out of the time you spend if you develop efficient habits. One particularly useful habit to form is to reduce your dependence on your mouse (this is even more true if you use a trackpad on a laptop like I do).
Most-Used Actions
There are a few keyboard shortcuts that are fairly universal, and you may already be familiar with them. Just in case, here’s a quick list:
Why Bother?
How much difference can keyboard shortcuts make?
Well, for simplicity sake, let’s assume that each time you use a keyboard shortcut instead the mouse, you save two seconds (this isn’t perfectly accurate as different commands require different amounts of time, but it’s a reasonable average). If you’re a typical user, you’ll perform one of the above actions an average of twice per minute. That adds up to 4 minutes saved per hour or 32 minutes in an eight hour day.
Naturally, not everyone will be typing for eight solid hours, but this simple calculation does demonstrate how small improvements to efficiency can really add up.
What Next?
The shortcuts I’ve pointed out are primarily concerned with text formatting. If you’re hoping to take your efficiency to the next level, you should also check out this article from MacWorld for some tips on using shortcuts to move between programs and on creating your own shortcuts.
If you’re a Windows user, check out this page for a list of shortcuts built into the operating system.
Set your Twitter account name in your settings to use the TwitterBar Section.
