Category: Watching The World

Sometimes we just need to sit back and watch the world spin.

Effects of stroke, Moving through the world, participate in your own life!, reaction time, Stroke Recovery and Background, Stroke Timeline, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

Just a speed-bump, not a full stop

rbspecht

I took a break from my ‘day’ job, and the re-deployment effort for this blog for a while there.  Why?  Because for a while there, it wasn’t coming as easily and the white noise was overwhelming. What wasn’t coming easily? ; My ability to get things done from a cognitive point of view.  Huh?  What does that mean? Here’s a somewhat snooty answer to the question “What wasn’t coming easily?”: Responding to complicated instructions with a sense of comfort, and in a demonstrably confident, repeatable, concise, clean manner was becoming clumsy; Holding up my end of a detailed conversation, assimilating … Continue reading Just a speed-bump, not a full stop

Observations, Travel, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

The shift in space and reality because of a shift in Geography

rbspecht

 These photos don’t actually reflect the time and place when I’m writing this, but were taken several days earlier in the English city of Bath.  At the time of writing, I am sitting just outside a café in Merseyside, also in the United Kingdom, reflecting on the differences between the culture I live in, and the cultures here.  It is odd that there are so many differences, on one level, because my family is a Canadian reflection of the culture here, being offshoots of families that still live in England, Wales and Ireland.  Yet the way we approach life in … Continue reading The shift in space and reality because of a shift in Geography

My Cancer Journey, Stroke Recovery and Background, Watching The World1 Comment

Send me a note to call me on my behaviours!

rbspecht

If you find that this blog has not been updated within a two week period, please send a note or comment to that effect.  the blog was intended to connect with others who have had the same challenges, or just generally to stay ‘in the world’ rather than retreating into some sort of intellectual hibernation.  Not to remain as current as possible in this day of social media is just plain silly.  Help me to stay current… give me a virtual poke, a pinch, a kick in the pants, to remind me. Thanks!! Continue reading Send me a note to call me on my behaviours!

Command and Control, Moving through the world, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

Command and Control culture doesn’t translate well…

rbspecht

The Command and Control culture that is the military, that is law enforcement and to a lesser degree that is fire fighting’s backbone has severe limitations when applied to organizations that require innovation and transformation to thrive or even just to survive.  In spite of what the gurus over at the Harvard Business Review have to say, the Command and Control culture cannot be layered over the existing culture of an organization successfully simply because the new CEO/CIO/CFO/COO is from another organization with a long standing Command and Control culture.  It doesn’t seem to matter what post graduate degree they’ve … Continue reading Command and Control culture doesn’t translate well…

Tiguan, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

Buying a new car…Volkswagen in Canada, Norden Autohaus, and the Tiguan

rbspecht

We’ve recently had a most satisfying experience buying a new car.  We hate buying cars.  The experience usually leaves us angry and totally frustrated with the concept of ‘commission’ sales and extremely disappointed with the salesman, the sales manager and the dealership in general.  We’ve been ‘burned’ in the past and resolved not to go through it all again.  In fact we had threatened to make our son-in-law handle our next vehicle acquisition.We’ve been dithering around this decision for the last year but we did finally decide that it was time to seriously investigate replacing our ageing Jeep Liberty.  Our Jeep has served us well.  Imagine … Continue reading Buying a new car…Volkswagen in Canada, Norden Autohaus, and the Tiguan

Stroke Recovery and Background, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

And it keeps turning…

rbspecht

Well, in spite of the silliness of so many of the world’s leaders, their inability to engage with the people whom they govern, and their clumsy interactions with the other leaders they absolutely must deal with, the world keeps turning.  Yes, well, we’ve got a volcano with renewed activity out there showing that the planet is developing indigestion likely from the antics of its parasites, and some pretty confused and confusing weather patterns. But on the home front, things are becoming a bit more stable and the future is looking far less bleak.  We are exercising regularly, in fact it … Continue reading And it keeps turning…

Stroke Recovery and Background, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

I don’t mind a challenge or two, but this morning we’ve reached the point of ‘enough!’

rbspecht

I guess that just challenging fate by surviving cancer and working through the effects of this damned stroke isn’t enough… the universe has to pile it on higher and deeper. So, with the stroke comes the responsibility to tell the ministry of transportation that there has been a life altering change in my medical status.  I did that yesterday.  Now it’s official; I cannot drive until the doctors sign off on my ‘fitness’ to get behind the wheel. Let’s layer on the mess with my disability benefits coverage for the mortgage.  Add the general embargo on ‘working’ which will eventually … Continue reading I don’t mind a challenge or two, but this morning we’ve reached the point of ‘enough!’

Stroke Recovery and Background, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

The question of privacy on the Internet and in this blog…

rbspecht

I was reminded this morning that this blog is open to the world.  I had three images on it which contained way too much personal information, so I have taken those images down, to be reposted when I can make a couple of edits to trim the more sensitive material from the images. We’ve all heard the reviews about internet privacy, that once its up there, or out there, its there forever.  Obviously the big caution is for young women, for those interested in a career in politics, and anyone whose behaviours could be considered career limiting if they were … Continue reading The question of privacy on the Internet and in this blog…

Stroke Recovery and Background, Watching The WorldLeave a comment

Its not necessarily as bad as it seems; so just to add some clarity…

rbspecht

So I had occasion to send a note off to a friend just to put some things in perspective for him about how I’m doing and feeling.  Maybe it will fill any gaps for the rest of you as well until I can compose a proper note to each of you, or until I can draft the post that puts it all into perspective for you: The note to my friend starts here>> Good morning, dude!  I do have to laugh at the way that my wife and designated household communicator presents things.  Based on some of the communiques that … Continue reading Its not necessarily as bad as it seems; so just to add some clarity…

Watching The WorldLeave a comment

Has Google’s march towards world domination stalled?

rbspecht

Google’s attempts at world domination through the subversion of the efficacy and productivity of the individual user will never have even the limited success that Apple has enjoyed because the Google organization does not have a charismatic front man like Steve Jobs who can convince the individual that by placing their trust in Apple and allowing Apple to control their user experience they will be better off and enjoy something that no other organization can offer.  Google just doesn’t have the talent to make that presentation a convincing one.  And the marketing of Google’s capabilities, how the individual user benefits … Continue reading Has Google’s march towards world domination stalled?