COLOURFUL WORDS by Natalie Green: November 2016

6 of the Best: Biden, Mac, celebrity trees and more

Pinterest and the White House and You Tube oh my. This week my cup runneth over with work and ideas galore. Six sources of thought fodder as follows:

1. 19 Times Joe Biden understood what TF we were going through
I found this spoof Instagram account while I was looking around on Pinterest. One of those random, puerile joke things that everyone just picks up and runs with that are as funny AF. Find the rest of those 19 here.

2. MacBook Pro – Bulbs – Apple
You know? I really don't mind this ad. Sure, it doesn't scream BUY A MACBOOK! But, I think MacBooks are currently cruising around on their own epic desirability spurred on by Mac lovers and cool kids. I'm predicting that like the iPhone, MacBooks will have to work harder for popularity in coming years, but until then, let's go nuts with fun, vaguely relevant iconography (*smiley face*)

3. Trees made famous by movies, music, art and literature

God, I've become a total tree tragic and in desperate need of a real life in recent years (#Iusedtobefun). No, there is no punch-line. I loves me some pretty trees. Which explains why this ode to trees that found fame in popular art and fiction caught my eye. The ultimate in product placement. Go on, tell me where this one is from ...?

4. Aussiest. Interview. Ever
There is just so much to love about this - the guy, his accent, his commitment to the lores of mateship and his storytelling. I'd also like to express my admiration of the interview-style of Jessica Miller. She obviously knew she had TV gold but was warm and encouraging without being patronising (a rarity on channel 9).

5. Top 10 mistakes managers make managing people
Rather than focus on the failures of bad managers, I can't help but read this post and think of all the great managers out there (we all know there are a shit tonne of bad ones ... because it sure aint easy) - look at all they have to navigate to get right.

6. Book: The Mud House by Richard Glover
Four people. One block of land. No power tools. Read it in two days. Easy. Beautifully written. Interesting (even to someone with no interest in building a mud house). Also, realised right at the end that the Debra, his partner that he refers to, is none other than Debra bloody Oswald (legend writer). Buy it here.

Buon fine settimana!

XOX

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, by Natalie Green

6 of the best

6 of the Best: colonics, Gilmore Girls, the British and more

6 items of note from 6 different channels

Considering all of the many sources of merriment, myth and maudlin I chug through all week I can tell you for free that there is much gold in them thar hills (and by hills, evidently I don’t mean Clinton).

There is so much epic content to be had - from The Twits, interwebs, Insta, poddies, the Book of Face, idiot box streaming, music streaming, mags, the bookiverse, LinkedIn (a serious platform requires no nickname) and even from real life conversations.

Here's what took my fancy this week:

1. Netflix: Gilmore Girls

In the lead up to next week's 4 new episodes (marked in big letters on my calendar ... sadly, for real), for the past four months I have made my way back down memory lane and through seven seasons of Gilmore Girls. At 22 episodes per season, it’s been a big commitment, people. Along the way I have recruited one of my children who is now just as hooked on the adventures of Lorelei and Rory as me. My - some might say brainwashed - offspring has suggested that I walk down the aisle to the Gilmore Girls theme song at my wedding next year. Alas, my fiancé - who has been privy to the opening song every time we watch an ep - has promised that in the event it is played at our nuptials, I will pass him on his way out.

The second last scene of the final episode nearly 10 years ago says it all. *sniff*

2. Conversations – Dick Braithwaite on coming to terms with his father's history

If you’re not familiar with this podcast - Conversations with Richard Fidler - make yourself acquainted. STAT! Whatever you’re into, it has your back. Whatever you’re not into, you will rethink your interest. Bow down to the interviewer du jour, Richard Fidler.

This episode got me thinking on so many levels. It features the late Dick Braithwaite speaking about his father’s experiences as a POW in a Japanese camp in Borneo – and his life after. Fascinating.

It's also an insightful discussion about processing and trying to overcome feelings of post-war hate.

As someone who's never had time for narrow-minded bigotry, I’ve always been dismissive of people with racist views and I suspect that will never change. But, this reminded me that you can never judge someone unless you've walked in their shoes and that whether you agree with another person's standpoint or not, you need to give them the benefit of compassion.

Listen to the whole conversation here.

3. Twitter

(Still a better logo IMO)

4. Instagram

In short, I want this 'effin' book.

5. LinkedIn: These four words that may offend you ... may also just save you by Louis M. Profeta MD

My take:

I’m in two minds about this article, but I couldn’t help feel warmly towards Dr Profeta all the same. However, understandably, many of her audience members did not feel the warm and fuzzies after Dr P uttered four particular words at a conference. Four very provocative words as it turned out.

It’s hard to say where to draw the line between professional passion and losing perspective. Months ago, my attention was drawn to an international content agency seeking new freelance writers. I got in contact and was pleased to receive a reply saying they liked my style and I might be a good fit for them.

Then the clanger.

They wanted me to write a piece which they would upload (to an unspecified site), and if I received lots of good feedback and click-throughs they would add me to their stable of hundreds (not exaggerating this, they actually said ‘hundreds’) of other freelancers and when and if a job came up that they thought suited my writing, they would engage with me. The initial, trial piece from me would be unpaid.

I replied with a respectful decline of the offer; explaining that while I understood why an up-and-coming writer might find the process valuable and if they had so many people writing for them, it might be a worthwhile system, as an established professional writer I had a policy not to write for free but many thanks for the opportunity. This agency head emailed back almost immediately saying (and I quote) “I can’t in sound mind pair writers with companies like [Big Name], [Big Name], [Big Name], [Big Name] and [Big Name], without evaluating their ability to write engaging content …”

I had two thoughts about this: a) I have written for two of those Big Name companies with great results and my portfolio could be a very good clue as to how engaging I can (or cannot) write; and b) mate, you’re not curing cancer.

Which brings me back to this article. Doctors do cure cancer. Was Louis M. Profeta MD out of line for downplaying the importance of that particular profession? TBH, I don’t think so. But, what do you think?

Read the article here.

6. Trinny London gets a colonic

I truly love this woman and I applaud her bottle. I just couldn’t look away, except for quite a few times. Not rushing out to get a colonic any time soon but I do appreciate the education.

Watch it here.

Turn offline. Tune life in.

Happy Friday 💖

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, by Natalie Green

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