Archive for the ‘Work’ Category

From playing footsies as a contact sport to hosting the Olympics? I love the British!

I just realized why 686,000 Canadians visit Britain each year. Obviously for 2012 there are the London Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee, but once the Olympic medals have been doled out and Her Majesty the Queen has been royally feted for her 60-year reign, what's there to do?

Of course, you can tour The Drawings Gallery at Windsor Castle, watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, or head to Coventry to tour a 1,000-year-old cathedral, or spend a week touring amazing highlights of Wales). But if you're caught up in the Olympic fervour and would like to witness Britain's other great sporting traditions, you're in for a few surprises.

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace: traditional, not-to-be-missed tourist fare (Courtesy: Visit Britain)

Some of you who've been following this blog for a while will remember how I was gob-smacked last year when I read reports of a cheese-rolling derby in the Village of Stilton, England. That was only the tip of the ice-berg. Here are five slightly off-the-wall (and definitely off-my-radar) "sporting events" popular in the United Kingdom.

Note: wellies, adult-size bibs and cushion-y vests could come in handy. Just saying.

1. Toe Wrestling, Fenny Bentley, Ashbourne. On August 25 the Bentley Brook Inn in Derbyshire will sponsor Ben & Jerry's World Toe Wrestling Championship. The event was conceived in a pub in 1976 when barefooted rivals locked their big toes together and tried to push their opponent’s digit to the ground. Word has it that a Canadian won the grand prize in the mid-1970s.

World Toe Wrestling (Courtesy: World Toe Wrestling.com)

2. Shin-Kicking, June 1, 2012, Dover's Hill, near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. The Olympick (not a misspelling) Games-hosted Shin-Kicking tournament originated in 1612. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the sport whereby two rivals stuff straw into their pants to reduce the pain and bruising.

3. World Coal Carrying Contest, April 9, 2012, Ossett, West Yorkshire Held each year on Easter Monday. To prove their strength and stamina, men carry 50kg bags of coal and women tote 20kg bags of coal up a mile-long course. For me, this would definitely be a spectator sport.

4. World Gravy Wrestling, August 27, the Rose & Bowl Inn, Bacup, Rossendale. Sounds fattening. I'll quote directly from their publicity bumf, "Teams slide around in lukewarm gravy and attempt to wrestle on another to the ground."

Gravy Wrestling Championships

5. Black Pudding Throwing, September 9, 2012, Royal Oak, Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, Lancashire. This Lancashire delicacy apparently includes tripe (cow’s stomach) and elder (steamed cows’ udder). The aim is to throw a black pudding (wrapped in a pair of ladies underwear) at a stack of Yorkshire puddings. Let's give it up for Rambsbottom.

World Black Pudding Throwing rivals take to the streets of Ramsbottom

I remember being shocked and bemused some years ago to attend Sleepy Head Day in Finland, when the laziest soul in the house is either drenched in cold water upon awakening or is chased into a lake, sea or other nearby large and cold water body. Personally, I'll throw my lot in with the Black Pudding Throwing crowd in England. They stick to dry land and head to a pub after the game!

This is definitely the year to visit Britain. For regal or raucous tourist activities, check out Visit Britain or Visit England, the web site for the English Tourist Board.

Reader question: An astute follower of this blog recently asked me about the difference between the terms "Great Britain" and the "United Kingdom." He, like many, thought they were interchangeable terms. Click here for a quick 'n' easy answer!

What's the quirkiest festival you've attended in your travels?

My 7 Criteria for the Perfect Winter Getaway. Destination: Anguilla

I was raised in the Ontario snow belt. I grew up loving snow. Winter was my favourite season. Then something happened in my early 40s. I became one of "them." You know who "they" are. They're those Canadians who must have their dose of sunshine each winter, beach time, and a few nights of being lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the waves.

But I don't need a lot. I just need to tell myself that before the end of winter, I will have enjoyed four or five days languishing on a beach, with nothing but the sound of my dollar store flip-flops slapping a well-worn pathway to a beach-side cafe and the unfolding of a deck chair as I park myself under a palm tree. I look for a destination where I can spend 4 to 5 days relaxing, soaking up some natural Vitamin D.

As laid-back as I am on these short winter getaways, my picky side rears itself in the planning. I have 7 specific criteria for short winter getaways. I'm happy if I can satisfy five or six, but last year I discovered a new destination that met all seven criteria: Anguilla, a jewel in the northern Caribbean that hadn't been on my radar.

Viceroy Anguilla: a few days in the lap of luxury is the best antidote to winter (Courtesy: Anguilla Tourism)

Here are my 7 criteria for short winter getaways and 7 good reasons you need to park your butt on the next plane to Anguilla for a 4- or 5-day winter getaway:

1. Sunny destination. That means beaches, swimming, days spent in T-shirts and shorts, a little exercise, some sun... And Anguilla beaches are among the best in the Caribbean. Activities are plentiful: snorkel among parrot fish and sea turtles, or join a game of cricket, tennis or soccer, cycle around the island (it's mostly flat) or play a round of golf. There is no gambling on Anguilla and no all-inclusives or noisy sea-doos!

2. Easy to get to. Key for me on a short getaway any time of year is a direct flight. I don't want any airport transfers. My maximum travel time for a short getaway: 4.5 hours. West Jet offers direct flights from various Canadian airports to St. Martin – St. Maarten, where you'll disembark and hop a quick speed boat or ferry.

It's actually an enjoyable and, depending on the passengers and crew on the speed boat, highly entertaining jaunt to Anguilla once your plane lands. From French St. Martin, you take a quick shuttle to the Marigot Port on the French side of St. Martin/St. Maarten, and then board a boat or ferry to the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal on Anguilla. (Ferries and speed boats run frequently.)

3. Same time zone (give or take one hour). For short getaways I don't want to face jet-lag or red-eye flights. I want to hop on a plane, arrive, and have my body clock still working fine. Anguilla, depending on season, has only 30 minutes difference on the world time clock. I can handle that, no problem.

4. No visa required. Short getaways, winter or any time of year, are sometimes last-minute. Often, I just want to get away with as little fuss as possible. For rejuvenating winter getaways, I don't want the hassle of VISA line-ups, couriering my passport and money order off to some office that's only open three half-days per week. I want to grab my passport, cab it to the airport and be gone. Canadians do not need a visa for Anguilla. Lucky us!

Anguilla: 33 beaches on one beautiful island

5. Option of Carry-on Luggage Only. I'm a firm believer that humungous suitcases are verboten for short getaways. My packing philosophy: if it can't fit into a carry-on, then I don't bring it on short jaunts. Casual clothes, shorts, one good shirt and a pair of semi-dress slacks for nights I want some fine dining - that's all I need.

Packing light for a destination like Anguilla means I can book a meal at the elegant Cap Juluca - or buy some local grub at one of the famous food trucks in The Valley (the quaint capital of Anguilla). I want to pack in less than 20 minutes. My goal is to hop off the plane, go through customs and exit the airport asap.

For short getaways I aim for two things upon arrival: (a) no time wasted at the luggage carousel, and (b) no lost luggage!

6. Island time. By that I mean peace and quiet, but also, a relaxed ambience. You can find that all over Anguilla. A must-visit is to Sandy Island, which makes for a great day trip or even just the afternoon. Think Gilligan's Island with Captain and MaryAnne. You can walk the circumference of Sandy Island in less than 14 minutes. Picture a colourful shack, some beach chairs, snorkelling gear, good food, fresh drinks, and some music.

Sandy Island is big enough for a couple dozen holidayers and a smattering of locals (Photo: Doug O'Neill)

It's only a matter of minutes by boat to Sandy Island from from the pier at Sandy Ground Beach. Cost when I was there was around $10 for return fare. Can't beat that.

Another daytrip option in Anguilla is Prickly Pear Island. Bluebeard Charters and Aqua Mania Adventures both run daytrips from Simpson Bay.

7. Mix of accommodations. Okay, I can be a bit fickle. Sometimes I want a resort-style getaway, and other times I want the option of something more modest where I can cook on my own. Anguilla offers all of that -- and there are no all-inclusives on Anguilla which can make for a refreshing change.

By all means, splurge for a couple nights at the beautifully appointed Viceroy Anguilla but then seek out Gayle Enzel from mycaribbean.com for the scoop on renting local villas. I interviewed Gayle, a transplanted Canadian, in an earlier blog post.

Viceroy Anguilla: infinity pools, sunset cocktails and four-star service

If you have the perfect short winter getaway, I'd love to hear about it. What's your criteria? What makes or breaks a short getaway for you?

You're ready to begin another workday, you start up your computer and you're greeted with a password prompt. A few keystrokes later  -- Yes! You're in.

You launch a browser, enter another password to enable your Internet access and -- Yes! You're in again.

The dreaded password rejection notice
And then you visit Facebook. (Let's not pretend like that's not the first thing you do at the office.) Or Twitter. Or Stumble Upon?

You enter your username and password and then you're slammed with rejection. It's the dreaded "incorrect password" message. How rude!

Perhaps it's not Facebook's fault
Maybe you changed your password recently. You try something else. Incorrect password. Drat! For a moment, you think it's Facebook's fault. They're locking you out. Gah, Facebook! Eventually, you accept that it's probably you, not them.

With a flicker of shame, you accept defeat and click the silent, smirking "Forgot your password?" link. (I'm sure it smirks.)

Changing your password
You enter your email, apologetically asking Facebook to help you to clear this little password mishap and let you in so you can catch up with what your friends are up to. Addicted. Who you?

After receiving an email from Facebook (Yay, Facebook!), it's time to change your password. Whatever you do, don't type the world's worst password!

Nope, it's not abc123. That's the 5th worst password.

Nope, it's not 123456. That's the 2nd worst password.

According to smart phone application developers SplashData, cited in the 25 worst passwords of 2011 article at Mashable, the worst password is simply: password

So many passwords, so little memory
As the senior web editor of Canadianliving.com and a journalist with more than 10 years of work-related online activities under my belt, I have a collection of about 100 active passwords that grant me access to various servers, software applications and administrative accounts. I'm happy to report that "password" is not one of them. Phew!

How about you? Is "password" one of your passwords?

Don't be a hacker's dream come true. Change those risky passwords now. And change them often.

Create the best password
To create a password that's hard to crack, use combinations of letters and numbers, and special characters, if allowed. Favour a long password of eight characters or more.

Don't use the same password everywhere and especially take care to use a unique password for banking. According to Microsoft's advice on how to create strong passwords, hackers may gain access to passwords on less secure sites and then use them on more secure places like banking sites.

And with all that password-changing, you might need to revisit Mashable for 5 tools for keeping track of your passwords.

Care to share? How do you keep track of all your passwords?

I have one simple question for you today, lovelies.

Would you take your coworker seriously if she was dressed like this at the office?

That's me! Senior web editor Jen Melo, embracing the Halloween spirit at Canadian Living offices today.

And what if she wore these?

Yes, these are WAY more comfortable than office-appropriate high heels.

Hoppy Halloween!

I've recently been fighting fatigue, a nasty cough, congestion and even a fever -- yes, it's hard to see the bright sides of fighting the flu.

The office plague strikes again
It seems that about half of my colleagues have also be fending off what I've dubbed "the office plague." There's sickness in the office air and it's looking for warm bodies to take up residence in. Yikes!

Going to work when you're sick puts your coworkers at risk when you're contagious. And I don't care how self-disciplined or how strong your work ethic, you're not going to do your best work when you're under the weather. Sometimes you need to take sick leave and take care of yourself so you can get better and then get back to business.

The mobile office minimizes time off due to sickness
I'm fortunate to work at a job that enables me to work remotely when needed. I can get just about everything accomplished from home, without having to infect and offend my colleagues while flu-fighting. Even so, it's important to know your limits and listen to your body's cues that indicate it's time to rest and recuperate.

My recent sickness prompted me to ask: When should you take a sick day and when should you tough it out and go to work?

Here's what I think:
1. If you suspect you're contagious, please stay home. Please.
2. If you're feeling so uncomfortable that you'll be distracted and productivity tanks, you're sick. Stay home.
3. If your sick self would be a nuisance to coworkers (excessive coughing, nose-blowing, whining), stay home.

Why do we work when we're sick?
But if your work policy doesn't allow for a generous allowance of paid sick days and you can't work remotely, you've probably found yourself going in to work when you should be in bed instead. If being sick and not going to work means taking a financial hit, you've probably worked when sick. And love 'em or hate 'em, we all know those headstrong folks whose ambition and drive has them working when they really shouldn't be.

On the other hand, taking a sick day when you're just fighting off a sniffle or some mild discomfort isn't a good sign either. When you're motivated and engaged in your work, you'd rather go to work and be productive than stay home, right?

Your attendance record reveals clues about job satisfaction
Take a moment to think about your workplace attendance record. Have you taken many sick days but you haven't suffered a significant health challenge? If so, it's probably time to consider a career change.

Here's a parting thought: If ______________, you should take a sick day.

Use the comments section below to fill in the blank.

Forty-five minutes to an hour. That's how long it typically takes me to drive to work each morning. And that, my friends, is 19 to 34 minutes longer than the average Canadian's commute time of 26 minutes.

Canadians' average commute times
It's no surprise that Canadian cities (by census metropolitan area) with a population of more than 1 million reported the highest average commute times.

Here are the country's top three cities with the longest commute:

A little Toronto traffic in action.

33 minutes - Toronto
31 minutes - Montreal
30 minutes - Vancouver

I live in Toronto but on behalf of my city, I'd like to offer up the title of longest commute time to another great Canadian city. Montreal? ...Vancouver? ...Any takers?

Road rage just might begin with a full bladder
When traffic moves nicely, I enjoy my commute. It's a precious piece of "down-time" when I can listen to the radio and ease into and out of work mode. But I've come to learn that the frustrating combination of nasty traffic, inconsiderate drivers and a full bladder can bring me to the brink of tears.

I've learned a thing or two three four about dealing with a frustrating commute.

1. Relax! Yes, you're frustrated but unless you can wave a magic wand and command cars to float up into the sky and out of your way, accept that there's nothing you can really do about the situation. Breathe. Accept that things are out of your hands and you'll be better equipped to relax and then decide whether to stay the course or take another route.

2. Create a diversion. Distraction is a treasure when you're stuck in a traffic jam. Play Bumper Stumpers if the licence plates around you are accommodating, admire your fellow road warriors, day dream (that image of cars floating up into the sky at my wand's command didn't  just hatch itself, you know )

3. Turn up the radio -- but not so loud that you can't hear sirens from emergency vehicles. I find that listening to music that reminds me of a vacation works best for soothing the savage beast (a.k.a road rage). That's why my car is always stocked with reggae and Latin music. My car tunes have healing powers.

4. Pee before you flee. Yep, that's right. Expect the unexpected on the way to and from work. While you might expect that you'll be home with full access to your private bathroom in 20 minutes, a traffic jam could make your ride home very uncomfortable if you need to use the restroom.

Now it's your turn to share. What are your best tips for dealing with road rage? And how long does it take you to get to and from work?

What are you naturally good at? What do you love to do? Merge the two and you have valuable clues about the job that's right for you.

I received this great career advice from a practical stranger one day, while working at part-time job I didn't exactly love. That job would eventually help me to pay my way through journalism school and land the job I currently occupy and thoroughly enjoy, as CanadianLiving.com's senior web editor.

What was I naturally good at? Spelling. (Don’t snicker, please.) What did I love to do? I enjoyed reading, watching or acting out stories. Knowing these two things about myself helped me to narrow my job options and pursue a career in a field that keeps me excited and challenged.

The wisdom of the crowd is a powerful thing so I asked Canadian Living's Twitter and Facebook group members to share the best career advice they ever received. My favourite responses make up the following top-10 list.

Join the conversations in our Twitter and Facebook groups

From @canadian_living Twitter followers:

1. Find a way to make money doing something you love. -- @newtothekitchen

2. Listen 10 times as much as you speak. And when you do speak, make it count. -- @Mailatale

3. Be patient. Success doesn't happen overnight. -- @Nicole_Leaver

4. Dress for the job you want; not the job that you have. -- @flourishcakes

5. You can't change everything so choose which mountains to go up against that are still in line with your values. -- @t_d_duker

From Canadian Living's Facebook friends:

6.  Never be afraid to learn. Our limitations are the ones we put on ourselves. Be honest and of good character. Always be ready to extend a hand in service. -- Nicki Bennett

7. Your career is yours. Don't sit back and wait for other people to do something for you. If you want something, go for it and keep trying. And networking is very important (you never know who can help you later.) -- Olivia Lamarre

8. Treat others with respect. Whether it's over email, on the phone or in a meeting. Whether it's a client, coworker or a boss... -- Olivia Lamarre

9. Volunteer in the field that you are going for. You make tons of contacts that way, and it's great on your resume! -- Jessi Merritt

10. Give your best to any job you take on. There are no small jobs; only small people. -- Patricia Pieper

Now it's your turn to share. What's the best career advice you ever received?

Uh oh! I committed a fashion faux pas today. Yes, I did. And, no, I'm not ashamed to admit it.

You see, I'm a bit...how should I put it?...height-challenged, so I wore my 4-1/2-inch high wedge sandals to the office today. But those wicked -- and cute -- shoes made my feet ache so I changed into a pair of back-up, "emergency" flip flops I keep stashed at the office. Comfort cured any shame I might've felt about my footwear choice as I easily strode to the local pub for lunch today.

But my little footwear switcheroo could damage my professional image and, come to think of it, it must annoy my office mates as the steps I take go, "Flip. Flop. Flip. Flop." Not cool.

With the first day of summer finally here (helloooo, summer! I missed you so much!) you're bound to spot some summer fashion don'ts around the office.

I asked our dear, sweet Canadian Living Twitter followers to share their thoughts on what not to wear to work. Together, we share this list of seven things you shouldn't wear to the office this summer.

My emergency office flip flops

1. Flip flops
Flip flops belong on the beach and not at the office. OK, fine. I'll pack up a pair of ballet flats to substitute for my emergency office flip flops. Or I could promise to just wear more sensible shoes to work and then I wouldn't need a back-up pair. Yah, like that'll ever happen.

2. Visible bra straps
Maybe, just maybe, your colleagues don't want to peek at your lingerie. Maybe? Try a cardigan, jacket or light-weight sweater to cover up those straps.

3. Crocs
You know the rubber shoes with gaping holes that look like a crocodile chewed on 'em ? I think it's safe to say that these shoes have gone out of fashion. Some might argue Crocs never were in fashion -- I might have to agree with them. If you happen to like Crocs -- then clearly, I'm insane. Carry on, then. Nothing to see here, unless you're guilty of the following fashion don'ts.

4. Too much skin
Even if you have killer six-pack abs you worked hard on at the gym, don't wear cropped tops to the office. Same goes for backless shirts, super low-cut tops, or that micro mini skirt that rides up when you sit down (you know the one!) Club wear belongs in the club.

5. Workout wear
Just as club wear belongs in the club and flip flops belong on the beach, workout wear belongs at the gym...or maybe at home, at the park and at the grocery store. Yes, many offices adopt a business casual policy but running shorts and hoodies probably don't apply.

6. Perfume
Shower? Absolutely! Apply anti-perspirant? Yes, please. Drown yourself in fragrance? No! No! No! Perfume can irritate your colleagues and some folks are allergic and/or sensitive to fragrance. If you simply must wear perfume, remember that one spritz goes far.

7. Accessory overload
You know that colleague who wears the dangly earrings, the tinkling bracelets, the oversized watches, the knuckles full of rings and the bright rainbow scarf? All at once. She might've said something in that meeting last week but you can't remember what it was because you were distracted by her accessories. You're not her, are you? Surely not.

It's your turn to weigh in now as I kick off my office-inappropriate flip flops and slip back into those wedges. What's your top pick for inappropriate office wear?