As soon as the clock strikes 4pm, I’m planning on dashing out of the office, getting into my car and onto the road for a solid 4 hour drive from Toronto to Ottawa.  In an ideal world, it should take about 4 to 4.5 hours.  However, it will realistically take longer.  It once took 7 hours over the Thanksgiving holidays!

I find that there is a very distinct point during this trip at which Toronto drivers seem to disappear and a calmer, less erattic driver remains on the road.  There are a couple of relatively uneventful hours and then you begin to encounter Ottawa traffic. It may sound odd to notice the traffic personalities of different cities, but I really believe that each city has its own traffic personality. 

I have been driving in Toronto for about 3 years now and I find myself taking transit more and more.  To travel 100 meters in 20 minutes, consistently get cut off by people thinking that getting one car ahead will let them get anywhere faster and to listen to the car behind me lean on the horn because I’m waiting for pedestrians to cross the street is just not worth the time or effort to drive.

I often wonder what it is that makes people so angry.  Are they really in such a hurry that it’s worth it to encounter at least a couple of near death experiences before arrivingat their destination?  Maybe not.  But apparently it’s worth creeping into the intersection up to the car in front of them on a red light and blocking half the intersection.  Didn’t you know that will save you 10 seconds?!

I know that Toronto traffic is tame compared to many other cities in the world and so I really shouldn’t be complaining.  I’ve experienced traffic in major cities such as New York, Jakarta and Rome.  But just because you’re better at something than someone else, doesn’t mean that what you are doing is good.

Toronto’s traffic issues may be related to volume.  It’s frustrating to sit bumper to bumper for more than half an hour then have to let someone else merge in front of you.  I haven’t even mentioned the constant construction in the city, nor the cyclists that drivers share the road with.

So perhaps the question isn’t what makes people so angry before they get in their cars.  It may very well be that being in the car is what makes people so angry.  What a vicious circle and one with no end in sight.

All I can hope for is that people take it easy tonight.  All I can actually control is my own reaction to others on the road and to remain cautious for my own safety.

I hear that Ottawa traffic is no longer as calm as I remember.  But then again, it’s all about perception.  How do you perceive your city’s traffic personality?

My to-do list had grown again since last Friday, and all I could think about was how much I’d rather still be in bed.  Suddenly, I seemed to hear a voice saying “Someone’s got a case of the Mondays!”

Let’s start with a clip from one of the most genius movies, or should I say documentaries, I’ve ever seen.

Seeing this movie as a student in high school, I enjoyed it for it’s comedic value, it’s seeming exaggeration of the workplace environment that I was striving to be a part of, and the movie’s ability to bring lightness to what I realistically thought might simply be monotonous days at work.

As someone who now works in an office environment, I can appreciate this movie so much more.  And while I don’t advocate bringing the fax machine outside and smashing it to bits, I think we can all relate to the frustration, the monotony and the repetitiveness that sometimes comes with working in an office.

Another genius creation is the TV sitcom The Office.  While I think the forced situations and uncomfortable colleague encounters are utterly hilarious, my parents have a very different view of the show.  They simply cannot believe that this show is an exaggeration of real life situations.

Whether these two examples are completely fictional or actually real-life exaggerations, they do highlight some issues that are of significant concern to many employers; mainly productivity.

I tend to think that productivity is simply a nice word created by employers to mean, Get 100% out of our employees, 100% of the time that they are on our watch.  Perhaps this is a little cynical or jaded.  But when it comes down to it, employers generally seem to fear the fact that their employees are not completely focused on work-related items for the entire workday.

Lucas McDonnell describes two unintended consequences that may result when companies try to restrict the freedom that employees have to “waste time while on the clock”;.  While restricting employees from certain websites may provide a short-term solution to preventing employees from wasting time, employees will ultimately find other ways to avoid, ignore, walk away, etc. from work for at least a few minutes of the day.

However, at the end of the day, the main message that is being sent to employees is that the employer doesn’t trust their employees enough to treat them as adults and allow them to manage their own time appropriately.  I highly doubt that this is the intended message of today’s employers.

It would do companies good to realise that they are in mutual relationships with their employees.  Just like any interpersonal relationship, both parties need to give a little in order to get a little.

Best Buy took an incredibly innovative approach to creating an open work environment and providing employees with the trust and respect that many workers crave. What is key in this example is that emphasis is placed on what employees are able to produce as opposed to how long they are able to sit in front of their work computers during the day.  The distinction between being present and being productive may seem ambiguous at first, but is an important distinction to make when managing people.

As far as I know, the Best Buy experiment has worked wonders at improving “productivity”.  I would be curious to know how the Best Buy experiment has evolved in the two years since this article was published.  If anyone has any info, or knows of any other companies who have addressed the issues of productivity differently, I’d love to hear from you.

Employers essentially need to realise that life happens.  Give employees the respect and trust to allow them to live their lives and I think companies will be pleasantly surprised at how much employees are willing to give back.

I didn’t think it was such a bad strategy as we all know that when you have been away from physical activity for some time, it’s always best to start slowly.

After noticing that some skills were coming back more quickly than expected, my coach pulled me aside last week and asked me “What do you want to get out of this?”.  I quickly responded with a blank stare and a shrug of my shoulders.

I was just having fun jumping around.  Why’d he have to make it all serious by asking me this question?!

However, it did make me stop and think for a while.  It made me think that this is a question that I, and perhaps many other people, tend not to ask ourselves.  Whether it’s a matter of avoiding the question or simply not realising the importance of such a question is a topic for another discussion however.

This simple question reminded me that we often participate in activities or do things with no clear picture of what we want to get out of it.  Perhaps we have been thrown into certain situations as a result of circumstances that are beyond our control.  We do things because we may feel obligated to do them.  Or we may do things because we think it’s “just for fun”.

Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing things just for the fun of it.

But then again, there is no situation in which this question does not apply.   Never forget that by asking yourself this simple question and setting some simple goals, something fun or unexpected can very quickly become something accomplished.

I’m not sure if my friend was just a great salesman, or if I just happened to have a bad experience, but I have to say that I was not impressed. No wonder people don’t like to eat their veggies!

My unhappy tastebuds also had a buddy in my unhappy wallet.

Taste aside, why is it that to go out to a supposedly “healthy” restaurant is significantly more expensive than going to the local pub? Shouldn’t we be trying to make it easier for people to grab a quick and healthy meal at an affordable price?

I’ve been noticing several of these “niche” type of healthy restaurants and cafes pop up in my neighbourhood recently. By “niche”, I mean that a bowl of lettuce is $15, a cup of soup is $7, and a small healthy fruit-based energy smoothie is also $7. Is healthy food only meant for the financially well-off?

I think I’ve lost something in translation.

The other thing I’ve noticed is that these healthy food chains seem to be designed and marketed to an upscale and trendy population. A great effort at reaching a certain demographic, but also an arguably sad effort at reaching a group of people who would benefit most from such a diet.

We all know that the best option for a healthy meal is to go to the grocery store to buy the healthy ingredients for the healthy dish that you will make. But I can’t help but wonder whether dining out for a healthy meal is simply not an option for a large majority of the population. A healthy meal shouldn’t be limited to those who can afford it, nor should it be limited to those who have bought into the latest fad diet or fashion trend.

Perhaps I am being naive in thinking that such restaurants and cafes can exist without the branding and marketing efforts that have so far resulted in their success. But am I naive to think that barriers to accessing such healthy options can negatively impact an individual’s health?

If anyone knows of any tasty and budget friendly healthy restaurants or cafes, I’d love to hear from you!

Nobody is denying that obesity has become a significant health crisis in the western world; and one that needs to be addressed in short course, no less.

However, I can’t help thinking that a letter home to parents is a pathetic attempt at addressing the real issue. Let’s see how well it goes over when parents read a letter essentially saying “You’re child is fat!”.

We have all heard the ever increasing percentages of obesity rates in the western world. Click here to see an estimate of worldwide obesity rates based on BMI in 2005 and a prediction of rates in 2015, courtesy of WHO.

Though the efforts to combat obesity have gone global, there is a part of me that feels like we have heard the word “obesity” so many times in recent years, with solid education programs only beginning to be put into place, that I fear some of us have lost the fear that used to be associated with the word.

Remember when your mom kept telling you to clean your room? At some point, her pleas began to fall on deaf ears. We learn to tune things out when there are no immediate consequences or necessary involvement on our part.

In any case, I got to thinking about how difficult it would be to read a letter telling you that you have essentially not been keeping your child’s best interests in mind and have put his/her life in such grave danger that immediate action is required to prevent the unimagineable.

Then I began thinking about what positive steps a parent may want to take once they’ve let this horrible piece of news sink in, and how huge that mountain of “lifestyle change” must seem without any idea of where to begin or where to get support or information.

So, with a mountain looming before me, I began to do a little bit of research about what types of information are available and how people can access information and programs within their own communities. Let me tell you, I was amazed at what I was able to find.

The internet is a great resource for information; just be careful about the source of the information that you are looking at. Government based websites are always a good place to start. For example:

• HealthyOntario provides some great articles on different health-related topics so that you can get a better understanding of certain health problems. There are also some interesting tools here that allow you to do a self-assessment of symptoms you may be experiencing as well as test some health measurement tools.
• Active2010 is a government strategy to increase physical activity in Ontario by 2010. This website provides many activity-specific resources that are available in your area. There is also a link to the Pause to Play website that is geared toward kids.
• 211Toronto is also one of my newly discovered internet resources for health-related information as well as community based services and programs in your area. If you weren’t able to find what you were looking for online, feel free to call 211 in the Toronto area and you can speak with someone in person who can provide you with information on what you are looking for. Note: 211 is currently only available in select cities. However, a strategy is in place to make this service available to all canadians by 2011.

Another phone number that has been made available to Ontarians is Telehealth Ontario provided by the Government of Ontario. You can dial this phone number to speak with a nurse who can assess symptoms, provide advice and/or information on any number of health related topics. This service 100% free and confidential and you do not need an OHIP card to access this service.

For those of us who prefer in-person information, your local community health/resource centre is always a great place to start. They will have information on programs in the area in which you can participate in. Many of these programs are free of charge and they often allow you to physically participate in programs, rather than simply provide you with information. The YMCA is an example of a community resource centre that many of us are familiar with.

Finally, the good old community public library often has information on community activities that you may find helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask the librarians for information as they can also point you in the direction of the types of resources that you are looking for.

I realise that all of these resources are very Toronto/Canada-centric. However, my point is that all the information and resources you could possibly want are out there and it is a matter of having a starting place to look for it all. Once you’ve started your search, there’s no guessing where you may end up.

Don’t let yourself be a victim of the boy who cried “Obesity!”. There is help, information, resources and programs galore. You’re not alone in climbing the mountain of “Lifestyle Change”.

I think I have been reading up diligently on the news updates that are released about Gardasil, the new HPV vaccine that has been released by Merck that is supposed to prevent the majority of HPV related cervical cancers. Despite my efforts, I still feel that I am missing a large part of the picture.

Thank goodness I am not a parent who has been forced into the position of needing to make a decision about having my pre-pubescent daughter vaccinated from potentially contracting this virus; and all before the government decides to stop funding the vaccine or before my daughter becomes too old to be eligible for the government-funded vaccines.

We are suddenly being told that we have an epidemic of cervical cancer on our hands. And while I do not want to minimize the seriousness and life-altering changes that occur with such a diagnosis, I feel as though the powers that be may be witholding valuable information from me.

Are we really in the midst of a cervical cancer crisis for which blanket vaccinations are needed immediately?

According to HPVOntario.ca, there are “approximately 500 females diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ontario and 140 deaths each year”.

My gut feeling is “No”.

There is a part of me that wants to agree with the prevention initiative, as I whole-heartedly believe that more emphasis needs to be placed on the prevention of disease. Surely anything that can prevent cancer in any way, shape or form would be beneficial to the general public. But is this initiative really reaching out to the general public for the right reasons?

First of all, HPV can infect ANYBODY!; not just the pre-teen to mid-20s female population at which Gardasil is aimed. Gardasil is currently only approved for use in Canada with females between the ages of 9 and 26. There have been many questions as to why this vaccination has not been made available to boys of the same age, or why the maximum age at which Gardasil is considered to be effective is a mere 26.

The vaccination of young girls with Gardasil is being touted as a cancer-prevention strategy by the government of Canada. What it does not clarify is that HPV and cervical cancer are two separate things. The contraction of HPV does not automatically mean a diagnosis of cervical cancer. It seems that Merck, and the government supported program, is counting on this point becoming mixed up with the rest of the hazy information that is being released to parents.

The bigger the fear that can be created about developing cancer, the bigger the profit that Merck can reap. Perhaps I am being too cynical?

I have to admit that I have not done a thorough search into how the relationship between Merck and the government began, nor how Merck was able to convince the Canadian government into pouring $300 million into developing a vaccination campaign and program in a matter of months.

(I say “convince” because I’d like to think that the government generally has the public’s best interest in mind and would certainly not be persuaded by any ill-intentioned corporations who are out to benefit themselves…??)

In any case…

I can’t help but think that a huge opportunity to educate the public about sexual health was missed. Rather than providing clear and concrete evidence of the efficacy of this vaccination, the public was presented with an overwhelming question with very little supportive evidence and background information. I think many parents have been left to their own devices in trying to uncover useful information about this vaccination.

Gardasil’s story has been spun in such a way that it seems we would be naive and almost stupid to think that this wasn’t the cure for cervical cancer. Why is it that we do not hear of the legitimate sources who sit on the other side of the fence, or even those who sit ON the fence? The Canadian Women’s Health Network published a paper in June describing the reasons why we should, without stopping the vaccination initative altogether, slow down this initiative while we attempt to answer the many questions that remain unanswered.

I am not arguing the potential benefits of such a vaccine, I would simply like to know the whole story before making a decision for myself. If the government has taken it upon itself to provide this vaccine, it should also take it upon itself to provide the education and information to those affected by the implementation of this program. Without such information, it is like herding cattle into a barn. Give us some credit!

After a quick google search for “Johns Hopkins cancer update”, I found the official Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Centre at Johns Hopkins Medicine website stating that they had no involvement in the email hoax regarding cancer.

I know that this email was forwarded to me by a friend who genuinely thought that this information would be informative and useful. It is only by chance that I have a personal interest in this type of information that I feel able to question the validity of such pieces of information.

But what do other people, who have no prior interest in or knowledge of this type of information, do when they receive this from someone they know and trust?

I have even come across other blogs who have written posts regarding this “Cancer Update” with the intention of providing useful information to their readers.

I am reminded of a tv commercial that I have seen recently advertising a new program in Ontario called Medscheck. The commercial begins with several seniors sitting down for brunch at a cafe. As one person pulls out his medication, another informs him that he heard that you shouldn’t take that medication if you’re taking this one too. As nods of agreement go around the table, another lady knowingly says that she heard from someone else that you should be taking another medication instead.

I think this commercial describes exactly what happens when people are not provided with reliable resources to obtain accurate information. Often times, it is not that the correct information is unavailable, it is simply that we don’t know where to look for it.

Like many others, I generally turn to the internet as my primary source of information for just about any topic under the sun. I won’t deny that I think the internet can be an invaluable resource. But readers beware!

If you are unfamiliar with a certain topic, be sure to obtain information from reliable sources. By reliable, I mean official sources. For example, if you are looking for information on heart health, a good Canadian resource would be to go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They are a not-for-profit organization that is supported by physicians, hospitals, and researchers across Canada.

Another good starting place for health information is your family doctor. If you do not have a family doctor, you can ask the doctor at your local clinic or your local pharmacist. They are trusted resources who we generally turn to when we have already been afflicted by whatever ailments. Do not be afraid to ask them where else to find more information.

At the end of the day, it is up to us to decide where to look for information and to question the information that we do find. We may feel that we do not understand what this information means, so who are we to question the validity of it; I know I do.

But remind yourself that this information is for your own health and protection. Have the right information so that you can make the right decisions.

I have recently started to wonder what types of considerations we make and what finally makes us decide to journey down that new path of uncertainties.

I suppose a clearer and more simplistic question would be “What motivates us to do the things that we do?”.

Let’s take an example that I’m sure everyone can relate to.

After having worked in my current position for a year, I have started to think about future career options. Some questions that I have begun to ask myself are:

• Do I feel that there are opportunities to grow and expand within this company?
• Is this an area that I want to pursue?
• Would furthering my education provide me with the opportunities that I am looking for?
• Am I able to continually further my education within my current organization?
• Am I able to wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work because I believe that I am making a positive contribution to society and/or the global community?

These are only a few of the questions that I have been asking myself; none of which lends itself to an easy answer.

In asking myself these questions and in questioning my motivation for moving forward in life, I am reminded of something one of my teachers once said to our class.

“People can be both externally and internally motivated. Some people are more strongly motivated by one or the other. Neither is better or worse, but it is important to understand your motivations when you choose to make a change in your life.”; or something along those lines!

I think this is an important thing to remember. Sometimes it may not make a difference what influences your decision to do certain things. Other times, the reasons for your decision may be extremely important and can impact the outcome.

An example that comes to mind as being a personal question that I am currently considering, is pursuing further education. For years, I have had encouragement from my family and friends to pursue graduate studies. Though I had no arguments against the value of such a decision, I did not feel prepared to commit to such an undertaking. Not to menion the fact that I had no idea what type of studies I was even interested in!

Had I listened to these external motivators at the time, I honestly feel that I would not have succeeded in completing such an endeavour.

Today, several years after completing undergraduate studies, after having “bummed” around for a few years without much to show for it, and after having returned to school to complete a college diploma, I feel far more prepared to take on the daunting task of graduate studies.

Whether this was a question of maturity, or of realising that dreams don’t just happen without some hard work, who knows?

Either way, I know that my next step in life is motivated by what I want and what I feel prepared to take on; and because of that, I know that I will succeed.

The clusters of people surrounding the huge Reuters TV screen at the StandardLife centre in downtown Toronto last year have been replaced by an exodus of fans decked out in full fan gear, painted faces, hats, loud horns and their favoured flag tied around their necks trekking toward the new soccer stadium at Exhibition Centre.

Never really having been a soccer fan, I never quite understood the frenzy that accompanied international soccer. It’s a game! What’s all the fuss about?

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

A couple of weeks ago, I joined the exodus of soccer fans to watch the Uruguay vs USA match at the new soccer stadium in Toronto. The fact that I have no ties to either Uruguay or the US made absolutely no difference.

Hockey may be Canada’s sport. However, the consistently sold out games for this international sporting event is a testament to the global love of soccer.

Soccer seems to have crossed all borders and is a language that everybody in the world can understand. It is a language that brings people together to cheer on, to cry over, to discuss, or just to watch. It’s a sport that is played throughout the world, across all demographics, for leisure or competitively. It is a topic that, regardless of which country may have the best team, brings people together.

Though I’d like to think that this universal language is a positive thing, there are inevitably some negatives that rear their ugly heads (Read: Chilean Team clashes with Police, and on a more local level, Irate Soccer Mom Brings Game to Screeching Halt).

Let’s hope these incidents are the exception to the rule.

As a rule, at least in my limited experience, the soccer world seems to be a global community that is able to put aside life’s difficulties and differences and sit back and enjoy the game that is life.

Well played Argentina!

Can childhood obesity be considered a form of abuse? I believe it can.

As a parent, is it not your job to act in the best interest of your child? Claiming that you did not know better, that your child wanted it, or that other people keep treating your child is no excuse for allowing such a detrimental outcome to occur.

I am still unsure how I feel about taking the child away from his mother in this situation. However, drastic times call for drastic measures. Removing the boy from his current environment may be a short-term solution to addressing his immediate issue of obesity. However with the ever increasing rate of childhood obesity, authorities certainly cannot go around addressing all instances in this way.

A more long-term solution will have to include widespread education on healthy lifestyle habits. Some may argue that the information is available through all sorts of government public health agencies, but that if the individual chooses not to educate him/herself, then what is a government to do?

People are “educated” everyday through advertisements they see on TV, in the subway, on billboards, etc. The information contained in these pieces of education are sometimes questionable and it is unfortunate that social marketing campaigns for improved public health and education are usually outnumbered by corporate marketing campaigns for the newest fashion trend or hot new car.

In the end, it will always be up to the individual to take responsibility for him/herself and acquire the education and information that is available to them.

Here’s one of my favourite ads for the promotion of education (Click on the “As seen on TV” in the top right hand corner with the picture of a chalk outline) proving that ignorance not only isn’t bliss, it can kill.