Month: November 2007

Into Great Silence

 into_great_silence.jpg A colleague of mine recommended a documentary film that was just released on DVD, Into Great Silence. The filmmaker, Philip Groning, lived for six months with the Carthusian monks at the motherhouse of the order, the Grande Chartreuse, in the French Alps. Unlike most Catholic religious orders of monks, the Carthusians have maintained their strict discipline for almost 1000 years, after being founded by St. Bruno in 1084. The film is very strong, as it invited me into a world I knew existed but which I had never seen. Carthusians do not entertain visitors, and there has never been a documentary about their lives. This is not so much to be secretive, but rather to maintain the quiet needed for the contemplative. The video captures their work, prayers, community, and humanity in a way that has never been captured and shared so openly before. I wonder what effect this may have. Will they have more vocations? Attempted visitors? Donations? Influence among dedicated laity looking for a more reflective religious meaning to life? For me, I felt almost like a voyeur; one so riveted by seeing the heretofore unseen, I was mesmerized. I wonder how this may affect me in the long term?

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Michael Storrings’ Ornament Signings 2007

Michael Storrings has a number of new hand-painted Christmas ornaments this year, and he will be signing them again at Saks Fifth Ave. (5th Ave. at 50th St.), on the 8th Floor from 1:00-4:00 each day. The dates for this are 11/23, 11/24, 11/25, 12/8, 12/9, 12/22, & 12/23. A selection of his new mugs, dessert plates, coasters, placemats, and stationary will also be available at Saks.

He will also sign his ornaments and mugs at the Lincoln Center Tree Lighting on 11/26 at 5:00 (located in the Metropolitan Opera Shop at the Metropolitan Opera).

Additionally, he has a new, limited edition book of watercolors depicting various sites of Christmas throughout all 5 Boroughs of NYC. This is available exclusively at the Top of the Rock Shop at Rockefeller Center and Saks Fifth Ave.

I am planning to attend most of these signings to assist and offer support, so perhaps I will see some of you there as well?

These are the postcards he created to promote the events:

Michael Storrings

Michael Storrings

Technorati Tags:

Northern Voice 2008

I am so happy to see the folks at Northern Voice will again hold the 2-day blogging and technology conference on February 22-23, at the main UBC campus’s Forestry Science Centre (the same location as last year). I met so many great people at that conference last year: Nancy White (finally!), Lee LeFever (finally!), Robin Yap, Arjun Singh, Kris Krug, Aidan Henry, Chris Lott, Chris Heuer, and on and on. While I am trying to stabilize my finances, I know that this past year’s conference changed the way I approach technology as more of a social and educational experience rather than a me-alone-at-my-computer one. I can’t wait to see the new promo image for this year!

Technorati Tags:

PodCamp NYC 2.0

I'm going to podcamp nyc 2, feb 29 - mar 1, join meAfter the wonderful success of this past year’s successful PodCamp NYC (now re-branded as PadCamp NYC 1.0), it appears there will be another one in 2008. Listed as PodCamp NYC 2.0, this one promises to be even bigger (i.e., it is now 2 days instead of one) while still being free. This is an amazing feet, in that last year as an unconference (which had formal presentations, somewhat unconferency-like) it attracted 800 people. It is branching into Brooklyn this time, and will be held at Polytechnic University, which is in the process of formally merging (being bought?) into New York University. I know that I learned a lot last year by attending this, and while I am still not a podcaster and do not listen to many regularly, I am looking forward to learning a lot more. Hey, maybe I will podcast at some point after all!

Technorati Tags:

9th International Conference on Human Resource Development across Europe

So, here goes another conference proposal.

I am working on a research paper on post-modernism and HRD (Human Resource Development) for this conference in Lille, France, in May, 2008. The last paper I presented in the world of HRD was an overview of the literature which I presented in Halifax, Nova Scotia, last year. The theme of the conference this year is Developing Leaders and Managers, where an exploration into HRD and how it has been influenced by post-modern concerns and views cannot be underestimated. I just hope that the reviewers will agree with me!

I usually do not mention papers I am working on until (and if!) they get accepted, but December 14 is closer than it seems, and I can use all the encouragement I can get!