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I am still on my car theme … a few weeks back when I was looking through my car’s log books I had one of those smack on the side of the head, lightbulb going off moments. I realised my car had had better maintenance than my body ever had.

Every few months because a little sticker on my windscreen told me to, my car went off to get checked, adjusted and sorted – no questions asked. But for some reason every year when I was due for an annual physical check-up I always managed to find other reasons not to do them.

Sure, I saw an acupuncturist (thanks Charmaine from Banskis Healing Centre) and chiropractor (Arana Chiropractic) every month to help manage the damage on my body of having my computer hot-wired into my veins, but orthodox medicine check-ups sort of had fallen by the wayside.

So with trepidation I booked a complete series of appointments, sort of like one of the “big” car services where your car is in for a full day and emerges with your wallet significantly lighter for the experience. Dentist – check, optometrist – check, doctor – check, mole scan – check, pathologist – check. I understand from speaking with each specialist that this is a common problem for business owners -they tend to look after everyone else before themselves.

And the result? Well mostly positive. All the core systems are working beautifully but the peripherals need a bit of work. From next week I will be wearing the new graduated lenses (bi-focals in the old school) – and I have a stock of ginger tablets on hand to deal with any sea-sick feeling.  Seeing the computer clearly will certainly help but I am not too excited about learning to see in a new way!

I’m also booked in for some day surgery to remove 4 rather nasty  looking moles. In Queensland skin cancers are an unfortunate by-product of our love of the sun, so these ones need to be dealt with promptly and skin checks done annually (I missed a year – doh!).

I am now on every bring-up system for each specialist, so can expect to see wonderful reminder letters popping into my letterbox and this time I will act on them. After all – surely a car’s maintenance is not as important as looking after my own health.

So … for your own health … does your car get more attention than you do?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance copywriter

Bright Star kids Christmas Tree Wall Art

One of the great things about my job is I get to work with a range of brilliant clients who have really innovative products and ideas. One of my newer clients is Bright Star Kids.

The funny thing  is I have been a client of theirs for the past few years as I really love their personalised school book labels and pencil labels. They are the only pencil labels that lasted the distance with my two cherubs.

When I was writing for them this month, the team showed me their newest fantastic product. A massive stick-on wall Christmas tree. You just find a bare wall, and then peel and stick the tree and colourful decorations.

Why would you do that? Well, I can remember when my kids were little, the traditional tree just didn’t work as they were constantly pulling bits off and putting them into their mouths (my puppy did the same thing a few years later).  I wish I had had this tree back then. It is truly gorgeous!

I can easily see this stick on christmas tree in daycares, prep classrooms, doctors surgeries, even tiny apartments. Add a bit of whiteboard texta to each bauble and then each kid can have their name on a decoration. Its one of those “what a great idea” type products.

And no … there has been no payment for this blog post and no commission for any sales … I just love the product and the people behind it.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writer

This week I had family business in Sydney which meant we needed to drive down and back rather than our usual flying visit. While we were in Sydney and drowned in red dust, we decided to take the long way home … the VERY long way home. Normally the drive either via the coast or the New England route takes about 13.5 hours. This time we decided to head far inland and enjoy the journey over a week rather than just racing the clock.

What struck me along the way was the difference in the country towns. Towns like Katoomba and Lithgow were like faded dance hall hostesses – you could still see glimpses of their early 1900s hey-day in the many boarding houses and hotels, but the paint was a little thick and the dancing a bit forced. Nature was as beautiful as always – but the towns that supported them were past their prime.

Then there were the towns that were functional, but seemed to be struggling – Orange and Dubbo fall into this category. Lots of ‘for lease’ signs in the shops and things looking a bit tatty. These are still pretty towns – and worth a look, but something was missing.

Some towns were straight-out frontier towns, with an underpinning edge of violence. Walgett was one of these towns.

Others were quirky and fun – Parkes and Lightening Ridge fall into this category.

But Bathurst kicked the mould. It was positively buzzing. Every shop was leased. The town centre was packed with people all buying things and chatting with each other. The houses were all well cared for and there council infrastructure seemed sound.

Bathurst is definitely a town/city on the way up and was the pick of the towns we visited. They have retained a huge majority of their historic homes and buildings, and added new buildings that don’t seem to clash with the history. We ended up spending more time there after falling in love with historic Sofala and Hill End gold mining towns (even with the gravel roads to get to them), and the brilliant Mineral & Fossil Museum.

So what makes the difference? It seems some of the country towns have retained their soul. Why?  I have no idea to be honest – but the difference is palpable. It is sort of like checking out a number of  businesses. Some have soul and you love being there, and others you want to walk right by.

What do you think? Why do some country towns keep their soul and others lose them?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

OK – one from the proud mum album here. My eldest started High School this year and I had to admit I was worried. In primary, my eldest was a misfit – didn’t seem to fit in anywhere. Going to High School is confronting for anyone – especially a massive school with nearly 2000 kids in it. It is easy to get lost in the crowd. I was worried about what would happen with her.

She started at Ferny Grove High School and joined the choir (after much nagging from yours truly).  You see, Rachel had a bad experience of singing and music at primary school – the “music” teacher sucked all of the fun and enjoyment out of music, leaving Rachel with the belief she was untalented and couldn’t sing (in primary school!)  Rachel told me she had learnt not to bother pursuing your dreams because you will fail anyway. This teacher was the ultimate dream stealer. It was from this base that Rachel joined the choir at High School.

From day one something changed in her. Stephanie McCaw and Grantley Sutch loved music. They lived for it and had as much fun as the kids. They mucked around and made music the joy it could be. Everyone in the choir was seen as talented and everyone was welcomed with open arms. This choir has over 300 kids in it and the sound is amazing when they all sing.

Rachel loved it and music re-entered her life. She started to sing again in the shower and around the house, before one day announcing she was going to try out for the audition only Chamber Choir. Only the best of the best were accepted into the choir – with only 3-4 kids per year grade being accepted.

She went to the audition with knocking knees, and churning stomach. But she went … and was accepted. She walked home like she was 10 foot tall. She was accepted. Think about it – something that she was told she was no good at by a dream stealer, Rachel suddenly discovered she was accepted in. She was OK. She was better than OK. She was one of the best.

Her marks across the board picked up. Cs became A’s and B’s in all her subjects. Rachel tried out for debating and learnt from the experience. She now volunteers in the school library during breaks.  She is part of a few solid friendship groups that span all years in the school. She is a confident and active participant in the school – all from that one moment of acceptance.

Chamber Choir works hard – two mornings a week we are at the school at 7am for rehearsals. Before performances lunches and weekends are willingly sacrificed. But every rehearsal is filled with fun and joy. And the results shine through.

These kids are talented and great – but they could not be brilliant without the dedication and passionate teaching of Ms McCaw and Mr Sutch. Talent + Talent = Brilliance

This combination of brilliance was recognised this morning when the Ferny Grove State High School Chamber Choir won the 612ABC Brisbane school bands/choirs competition from public and private schools across Brisbane. (My youngest also competed in her primary school band, and did a great job for a primary band. I am also super proud of her achievements but this post is not about her journey).

Listen to the Ferny Grove High performance of the Maori version of Ave Maria and you will get goosebumps. You hear the passion. You hear the emotion. You hear the brillance.

Even if Rachel does nothing else with her music than simply love it and enjoy – a positive foundation has been set for her future thanks to two talented teachers.

So, the next time you find a dream stealer attacking your dream – think of Rachel. Think about the difference a talented mentor who believes in your ability can make. Think about the difference learning with fun can make. Think about having one more go. Think about the difference acceptance can make to a life.

If you want to hear the Ferny Grove State High School choir perform, they will be at the Racecourse Road Street Party as part of the Brisbane Festival this Sunday afternoon in Brisbane. Hope to see you there!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

I admit it. I have been distracted lately as I have been watching my mother age before my eyes. You see just 2 short years back my mother was a vibrant active member of her community. The church organist for two local churches, choir master for her community choir, and a support to other aging people in the community. Then suddenly something changed – and her world started to shrink.

As I have watched mum and how she interacts with the world I couldn’t help think about the psychology of aging. When we see old people we often forget their lifetime of experiences, attitudes and beliefs. We just see them and their behaviour in a present day vacuum – forgetting what it took to get them there.

What do I mean? Well … think back to when a child is first born. Each milestone they achieve is met with hoy and celebration. The first time they learn they have fingers and can wave them. The first time they get up on wobbly legs and start to walk. The first time they can use a spoon by themselves. Successfully using a “big boy or big girl” toilet. Being able to make their own sandwich.  First day at school. Getting your license … and so on.

Each milestone is met by a huge upwelling of pride and a sense of achievement. Photos are taken and the adoring family audience applauds.

Aging is this in reverse. I call aging “the unknowing”. Suddenly things that you have done all of your life and which were a major achievement at the time – are instantly unknown. You no longer know how to walk on steady feet. You no longer can drive safely. Decisions that took seconds now take days. Adult nappies join your grocery list along with a growing list of medications.

But unfortunately with the body’s unknowing, if the mind is still sound then the sense of loss is profound. This time there is no pride – there is no achievement – there is no adoring family applauding in the wings. This time there is only shame, embarassment and frustration for what used to be so easy.

Is it any wonder that our aging people “fight the signs of aging”.  Why do we wonder why someone doesn’t want to accept meals on wheels or to go to a nursing home. There is no celebration – only loss. That is why the words dignity and respect are the most important words when you deal with elderly people and clients.

My mother is in this fight at the moment. She went back into hospital yesterday after yet another fall and really needs full time care – but she has yet to accept this fatal blow to her pride and sense of who she is and who she was. We will not push her – just like parents can not push a child to walk. She will make this decision in her own time and in her own way.  We need to respect her timing no matter how hard or how much we worry – it is her time and her decision.

But gee it is difficult to not try to take over to make it easier for her. Patience is not just a lesson for the aging person – but it is also one for the children of the aging person. To learn to wait – to learn to allow time – to learn to support without taking over. Patience was never my strong point – I guess this is something I will be learning more of in the coming months. I need to take a leaf out of mum’s neighbours books – their constant gentle support and respect for mum has been wonderful to watch. They are the true heroes in this story.

Why this post? Well the next time you look at an elderly person – consider the unknowing and remember the loss. It may help to understand why they are crabby, frustrated or zoned out. These are coping mechanisms. Your role is to understand this and help take the sting out of the issue as much as possible. After all – we will all be in that situation in years to come.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

People love to read great content on blogs. I often get emails from people telling me about how much they valued something that I had written, or I go to a networking event and people tell me how much they love reading my blog. This is fantastic – but what would be even more fantastic is to get comments and discussion happening about something I have written on this blog itself.

Every day I delete up to 100 comments that involve the selling of viagra or other pharmaceautical products or sites peddling pictures you wouldn’t want to show your mother through my Akismet filter.

As I morosely trawl through the blog spam folder each night, I wish for real comments and discussion. I crave to read and respond to comments from regular readers, people who may be too shy to normally comment on things, blog lurkers and generally nice people. People like you.

So … I would like to invite you to take a step forward and say g’day.

I would really love to hear what you have to say. Is what I write about useful? Is there a point that I have missed that may help other readers? Is there a different way I could have looked at the issue? Every comment is welcome and useful.

And are there any rules for this blog? Well I think the brilliant social media commentator Laurel Papworth has the best blog rules I have read anywhere – so I have reproduced them in total (with names changed where appropriate) to give you the ground rules for commenting.

1. Thou shalt show each other respect. I don’t care if the other commenter is a moron. Thou wilt not call them a moron.
2. You can however criticise a thought or idea. As in “that is a moronic idea”. Criticise the idea, not the person.
3. Unless it’s someone we all universally hate and revile. The Ruler of the Free World is one such being you can feel free to slam. Criticise the office or position, not the person.
4. Don’t write anything that is defamatory or breaks copyright or is threatening. Firstly cos it breaks Rule One. (show each other respect) and Secondly cos then the policeman will come to my house. In uniform. Looking gorgeous. And how can I concentrate enough to hand him over any details I may have about you? Which I will do so willingly. Unfortunately I won’t have any cos Google doesn’t give me IP addresses etc. So think of me, and don’t do anything illegal.
5. Did I mention that personal attacks are prohibited? This specifically means any comment that is blatantly attacking another person on or off the blog, especially in a personal way.
6. Trolling is prohibited.Trolling is whenever someone is clearly, deliberately posting in a manner for the purpose of angering and/or insulting the other participants of the board. Trolling DOES NOT encourage further discussion in the long run, it only encourages personal attacks (if left unchecked).
7. I think you are getting the picture. Play nicely.
8. Participant shall not post comments containing personal phone numbers or addresses. I choose to show my personal details. Others may or may not. If you accidentally call someone Ingrid instead of say, Heartharmony that’s ok. But inciting people to ring a telephone number to tell that person/company how awful they are? Not allowed.
9. No spurious advertising. Free the Content doesn’t mean Free the Spam. Yes this means you Mr Viagra and Ms Anonymous. Friends can post links to interesting products. That’s called information and the subject matter should be linked to the blog post. Nothing else allowed.
10. No spam.
11. I don’t get paid to write this blog. I don’t take money to write stuff. Sometimes people take me to lunch and I may or may not talk about their cool/uncool site afterwards. Get over it, I need to eat.
12. If you only buy me coffee, you only get a coffees worth of posting.
13. Posting details of bugs and exploits in such a way that others are able to perform said bug or exploit is prohibited. This includes software cracks. Unfortunately.
14. Posting of pornography, racist or otherwise discriminating remarks, threats to cause physical or mental harm, extreme offensive language, material that breaks any law or otherwise totally unacceptable posts or links to pages that contain the aforementioned material may result in me becoming extremely annoyed.
15. My (Heartharmony aka Ingrid Cliff) word is final. This is not a democracy. If I delete a comment don’t keep coming back to repost. My blog my space, my subjects: go pollute your own blog, facebook, twitter, Myspace or whatever. You are free to take the conversation elsewhere. Stick a billboard up with Heartharmony is a Moron on the Harbour Bridge if you must. Just don’t do it here.
16. My word is FINAL. Did I mention that? I did? Good.

I really look forward to reading and responding to your thoughts.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your businses into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

The Queensland Tall Women’s Club invites all tall people (yes tall blokes are more than welcome) to a fun social event on the Kookaburra River Queen, Brisbane.

Lots of tall singles to meet eye to eye, as well as attached tall people to make new friends with. There are also stacks of trade providers who specialise in tall people’s clothes, shoes, physio and other great stuff.

When: Friday 1 May 2009

Time: 7.30pm – 10pm

Cost: $49 includes canapes throughout the evening, welcome drink & DJ for the evening.

Bookings: 07 3221 1300 or book online www.kookaburrariverqueens.com

For other tall women’s events visit www.tallwomensclub.org

Looking forward to seeing you there – yes I will be one of the many fabulous tall people there!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writer

Recently when I talked about the 20 year web anniversary, some people wanted to know what would be next … so I went to check out TED. TED stands for technology, entertainment and design, and while originally a conference where leaders in thought would meet annually, it now hosts TedTalks, where the best and brightest speak and share their ideas. It is worth getting the RSS feed of their blog to stay across some brilliant information.

http://blog.ted.com/

Here is a fascinating February 2009 presentation by Patti Maes on an amazing human interface under development. Watching it gave me lots of clues as to possible direction of technology – where information on the net becomes an integral part of your everyday decision making. It is worth watching and then thinking about the implications for your business and the words you use on the net.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriters

This morning I woke to a chorus of congratulations from friends, colleagues and clients. I had just made the cover of the Working Women’s Magazine – a fantastic national publication by the WNA.

http://www.womensnetwork.com.au/page.cfm?pageCode=magazine

Long time readers of my newsletter know that WNA is a great Women’s Networking group, with branches across Australia.  The magazine has a circulation of over 20,000.

I suspect the cover was partially due to my brilliant photographer’s work www.fullframe.com.au - but whatever the reason I am very grateful.

If you would like a copy of the Autumn edition of the magazine, drop me an email and I will organise one for you. (BTW – the magazine is a great place to advertise if you want to reach professional women in Australia).

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writers

One of my clients is a brilliant personal stylist in Brisbane - Bettina from Kahootz. She is also a very talented patternmaker, dressmaker and women’s clothes fashion designer so when she said she wanted to be let loose in my wardrobe I did what every self respecting woman did – I panicked!

Luckily for me Bettina is very persistent and persuasive and I finally let her into my wardrobe (it took 4 months for me to get up the courage). Guys – if you don’t know, having a trained fashionista cast her eye over a woman’s wardrobe is akin to the feeling that wandering around naked in peak hour in the centre of town would give you. Actually it is very similar as most of the time I was in bra and undies between changing outfits. It was terrifying!

It was also the most educational things that I have ever done. Having Bettina look  with a critical but caring eye over my figure good points (yes, apparently I do have a few) as well as my challenge areas, and then make me try on everything ( … everything including the raincoat!)  in my wardrobe, was brilliant.

I found out why I liked some clothes (even though I only wear them to costume parties), why other clothes didn’t quite work, why some needed to be shortened and others lengthened and which necklines worked.

She came up with combinations I would never have dreamt of in ten thousand years and new ways of wearing clothes I thought were only to be seen again in the dress-up pile.

I even finally had a name for my personal style – corporate bohemian (as a writer I need a funky label for everything).

Years ago I had my colours done by an image consultant. Bettina finally made me realise what the colours actually meant and the difference the right shades on the right outfits made.

Yes … 1/4 of my wardrobe is now going to St Vinnies (figured that was going to happen), 1/2 is off to get adjusted  and I am living with a few OK outfits until all the fab ones come back. We are also going to get some great new outfits made that actually fit my long legs and arms (a miracle!)

Did it feel good – yes … at the end of it all. I also am armed with knowledge and a whole lot more confidence.

So ladies … invest in a full wardrobe audit with Bettina. It is worth every cent and then some!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writers