Tag Archives: time

The Funny Thing About Eye Contact

eye contact, looking, communicating, communication, attention

The funny thing about eye contact is that it remains so critical in communication, yet few put in the effort and interest required to achieve it.

In the neighbourhood where I grew up in West Hamilton, there was a charismatic kid a few years older than me named Steve Lewis. I feel safe in using his surname because I have only positive recollections of him. He was a popular guy who was fortunate to have perfect hair for the times: it was longish and straight and was feathered perfectly in the middle.

The one thing that Steve could do better than any kid we knew was talk to parents. He didn’t talk down to them; he actually carried on conversations with them. I don’t recall the contents of these conversations but because of them, parents liked him and trusted him. My mom knew that if we – my brother Rob and I – were at Steve’s house (where all the neighbourhood kids congregated) everything would be okay. It always was.

I don’t know what became of Steve. He’s not on Facebook, as far as I can see. What I remember about him specifically was his knack for making direct eye contact with everyone he met. He had no airs about him so eye contact came easily to him. He followed it up with talk that was relaxed, casual, polite and positive. Unlike a lot of the other kids, Steve rarely swore. Continue reading

A Freelance Writer And Wasted Time

The time on the wall is important to a freelance writer

The time on the wall is important to a freelance writer

There’s a very simple formula for what ticks off a freelance writer: time wasted = freelancer upset. This formula proved true for me recently, as I dealt with an interview subject who didn’t check his facts with his boss, and wasted my time because of it.

When you are in the business of freelancing, your time is especially valuable because no one is paying you for: 1) not working, 2) your benefits, 3) your vacation time, 4) your sick time, and 5) the extra time you may spend trying to make them look good. Continue reading