one little cog

That’s what Centennial College’s president stated to us 2006 graduates at convocation.  It was amusing … to us and to her as well.  Of course, she meant it in an entirely other context.  However it is good to hear a speech where an lead figure and administrator for an institute of education demonstrates a kind of energy that is rarely seen in the industry or at least is not visible enough to students.

Regardless, school is over for quite some time now for me.  I doubt I will be starting any full-time schooling anytime soon, unless I want my parents to freak out.  And I figure I have had enough school, although I still want to take part time courses because there are a number that really are quite fascinating.

Centennial’s president stated something that had resonated in my own heart and mind ever since I started working as a freelancer and assisting people with their own businesses, or even simply teaching them how to utilize the world wide web or use the computer.  It is simply to give back, no matter where you are and to whomever it may be.  I consider myself fortunate enough to live in a country like Canada … and I consider myself lucky to have parents that really don’t care too much what I do … although there are pros and cons to that story!  … and of course I consider myself lucky that I have the option to act independently and have the ability to learn about all the worldly topics and subjects I want.  I think what I really love about what I do is that I can help people achieve their dreams.  My end objective for all my projects is to assist everyone in achieving their goals.  Of course along the way, I get to utilize creativity and thought to attain that objective.  That in itself is a reward to me.  Perhaps that is why I enjoy the publishing industry.  But in addition to publishing, I seek to push forward with my own ventures and joint ventures with others.

If there is pay, that is fine … but if there isn’t … think about the person’s objective.  What about their dream?  What about your dream?  Helping someone attain their dream or objective is ultimately about freedom.  Freeing someone from the dream of a mere idea is vital to our livelihood.  Whether it may be simply teaching someone about a topic, or creating a website for someone.  It is about levelling the playing field so that we may all be able to live the dream or rather turn the dream into reality.  We must recognize that we cannot live our dream without the work and help of others.  If we study the work of scientists, philosophers, authors, artists, photographers, doctors, teachers, businesspeople, accountants, etc … everything that we know today exists because people inadvertantly, intentionally and unintentionally worked together.  When we level the playing field, it is not to make us equal.  Never are we ever to be equal despite what multi-culturalists and the international community continues to strive for … no one is ever born as an equal in this world … rather the ultimate purpose will be to strive for fairness.  We are provided with the freedom to make the decisions to ensure that fairness is obtained and continue to exist for ourselves and for others.

Now that i’ve managed to confuse myself (not a difficult task), I will go lay down on my bed, sleep and ponder away…

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and you’ve got recall of memories!  That is besides the point though.  So things are great and I am saving up to get a new digital SLR (finally… once again) and I am working to developing a brand new book review site!  That’s right… keep an eye out for it.  I just think there haven’t been good review sites out there.  They all just regurgitate the same old thing and really don’t focus on people who just don’t have time to go into a book store that is over populated with books (and people) and try and figure out the next book they want to get.  Thus, this is my new initiative that I am working towards with a number friends (who happen to also be former classmates).

I am also preparing for a big project.  A few of us are putting together a business plan for that one.  It’ll be some time before I can release the details into the public, so for now, just be satisfied that it is B I G … or … H U G E ?

Some cool news though.  As some of you may know, I am a big big big huge fan of Gordon Korman’s books and I do collect them.  Perhaps I should take a picture sometime of them for everyone to see.  Anyways, Book Expo Canada is taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from June 9th to 12th and Korman will be signing his newest book there!  I hope I do have a chance to get an autographed book.  Since I am actually working during that time, I am not sure if I will have that opportunity.  Book Expo really is just an industry event that allows publishers to focus on the sales of their new books this season to the booksellers in Canada.  As effective as I think that may be, there should also be one that is open to the public.  There is a growing debate about changing the current Book Expo into an event that is open to the public.  But my opinion is that what you end up with is something along the lines of Word on the Street, which is an event that takes place from city to city celebrating literacy, except book publishers usually utilize the event to sell off a lot of their stock at discount directly to the public rather than going through booksellers.  The benefit is that I believe a portion of the sales goes towards a charitable cause?  Regardless, I have a feeling a Book Expo-like event for the public may turn into something like that although there would be more focus on the frontlist books of the new season.  I’ll be interested to hear more of what happens… there would be an insane amount of preparation for an event like that.

But… what fun it can be!  More to come soon…

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