Merry Secular Holiday!

My blog has been sleeping for a while, but it’s time to wake it up. As busy as life can be, I’m going to try to keep to some kind of blogging schedule, so let’s see how it goes...

MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!  I hope you’ve enjoyed the season so far and that you’ve been spending quality time with family and friends (and pets). My family has shared in loads of Christmas cheer with wonderful people. I am grateful that my snowbird parents came home from Florida for the holidays, that my brother and sister are close-by, as well as other relatives and good friends. This year I’m particularly mindful of my blessings because I have a number of friends who are going through difficult times right now and the festive atmosphere is not necessarily helping them feel any better.  However, I hope that Christmas will still bring comfort despite the commercialism and superficiality surrounding the season.

As you may have noticed, there is a strong movement towards eradicating the word “Christmas” from the public realm.  For the sake of political correctness “Merry Christmas” has been replaced by ‘Happy Holidays,’ Christmas trees replaced by ‘holiday’ trees (sometimes banished altogether), and Christmas parties have become ‘holiday’ parties. The Christmas traditions that so many people cherish have been relegated to private homes and private Christian schools. It seems that ‘Christmas’ has become a bad, bad word.

I take issue with this for many reasons. Notwithstanding our beliefs, the holidays and festivities at this time of year all take root in the Nativity story, a story that celebrates the birth of Christ. Whether we take it literally or not, this time of year is meant to be a joyous, yet reflective time, where we consider the transformational power of a new beginning. Over the centuries, Christmas has been embellished with many festive traditions like trees with lights and decorations (borrowed from pagan practices), Santa Claus, Christmas songs, presents, and lots of good food. But at the heart of these customs is the spreading of peace, joy, and love, evoked by the story of the birth of Jesus. Whether we are believers or not, this message is at the core of what these holidays are all about. Why try to hide its historical origin by changing the title? People of all faiths are invited to join in, as I would hope they would invite others to join in their celebrations. To me, this is what it means to be inclusive.

Recently, I heard a CBC radio interview on the topic of language used in Federal government offices. It seems that if you are a federal government employee you can no longer say, “Bless you” when someone sneezes or “Oh my God!” when you are surprised by something. “Merry Christmas” is an absolute no, no. If you do say these banished phrases, the federal word police will give you a warning. I’m not sure what the consequences are for repeat offenders. When the interviewer asked the federal representative, who was emphatic in her views, what people should say instead, this was her response:  When someone sneezes, you should say, “I heard that!” to acknowledge the fact that they sneezed. As for OMG, you should say, “Wow!” as an alternative. Aren’t you glad that your tax dollars are being used for such important matters?

A few minutes ago, as I was writing this, a friend of my teenage son, who had stayed for the night, came into the kitchen to say good-bye. “Merry Christmas, Spencer!” I said. He said Merry Christmas back and then laughed and said, “I mean, Merry secular holiday!”

So, to avoid being reprimanded for using the offending word on a public site, I wish you all a merry holiday while celebrating with your family and friends, and that you enjoy your holiday meals, holiday gatherings, holiday decorations, holiday music, and holiday cheer! 

UNORRUPTED a novel

When atheism and faith meet at her mother’s deathbed, twenty-one-year-old Clare McTavish learns how opposing beliefs can bring people together.

From her comfortable home in Boston to the slums of Kenya, Clare investigates stories of clerical abuse, human rights corruption, and unforeseen loyalties that touched her mother’s life. As she continues to uncover dark secrets—her mother’s role in deposing a pedophile priest, and her absent father’s double life—Clare realizes that the world is not always as it appears and that decency is more prevalent than she'd ever imagined.

Many thanks to those who attended my book launch for "Uncorrupted" on Feb. 1, 2012. I couldn't have been more pleased with the evening - such friendly faces, great conversation, and keen readers! By purchasing the book you helped me in my writing life  and you made a contribution to "Water for Life,"a charitable organization that brings clean water to African Villages. Thanks also to friends and reading enthusiasts who could not come to the launch but bought books anyway. 

I enjoyed seeing so many people from the community as well as those who made the trek from afar. I just wish I could have chatted with you longer. You were a fantastic audience during my presentation and you asked excellent questions during the Q & A. 

I'd love to hear from you once you've read the book and to know your thoughts. Please feel free to email me at csandrin@rogers.com or leave your comments below. There is no shortage of perspectives when it comes to literature and spirituality!

If you wish to purchase a print copy or an e-book, you may do so directly through me or order through: Amazon.com or The Blurb Bookstore

UNCORRUPTED - a novel by Carla Sandrin

Dear Blog friends,

I am sorry to have abandoned this blog for so long. I am grateful to all my faithful readers and to all those who have asked me, "What happened to your blog? I used to look forward to it." Well, I've been preoccupied with getting my book ready for publication, among other things. It's been a busy period of life, filled with good, not so good, and a smattering of angst (not to mention turning 50 recently, which has created a mid-life whirlwind for me). 

I'm launching my book UNCORRUPTED in a couple of days and  my wish is that people will enjoy reading it and will find themselves thinking differently about spirituality and religion. It is a book about transformation, renewal, reconciliation, struggle, and hope. 

For those who read the novel and feel inspired to enter into conversation about it, I will soon be starting a new blog for that purpose. It will be a like an online book club, where we can share, discuss, and debate - a place where you can voice your opinions and ask questions, either anonymously or openly.

I hope you'll read the book, share your views, and keep the conversation alive!

If you are interested in checking out the book, you can review the first chapter or place an order at The Blurb Bookstore. Thanks for your support.

Many blessings and best wishes,

Carla

Risky Business or Crazy Business?

Have you ever watched the TV show, The Dragons’ Den? Five multi-millionaire venture capitalists, with backgrounds in Technology, Marketing, Oil and Gas, Finance, and Franchising, listen to pitches from entrepreneurs and then decide, based on many factors, whether the investment is viable. Sometimes the Dragons argue with each other, sometimes they compete for the opportunity to invest, and sometimes they humiliate the candidate with a dressing down, such as “That’s the stupidest idea I have ever heard.” They can be sentimental and kind, encouraging and supportive, or scathing and downright nasty. They can make grown men cry.

I think it’s a great show! Not because they make grown men cry, but because we get to see a multitude of fascinating ventures and hear how the entrepreneurs got their businesses off the ground. These are wonderful case studies even though we only get a snippet of the picture. You never know how the Dragons will react to the presentation or to the person. They can love you or hate you and they don’t hold back. After all, they have the power and you are just a squirming little bug. Of course, they are much more inclined to like you and your idea if you know your business, have made some money, and have already achieved a respectable level of success. They are not interested in mere potential, but, rather, want to see that the groundwork has been done, that you’ve made decent headway, and that you haven’t been spinning your wheels and wasting your money.

I would never go on this show. Why? Because

a) I am not much interested in the spotlight and
b) I wouldn’t want to be crushed like a bug (especially on national television)

Even if I had a successful business that needed a cash infusion, I wouldn’t go to the Dragons. Maybe I don’t have thick enough skin. However, I think the show can do a great service to the candidates, as they get exposure for their products and free advice from shrewd, successful business people. Sometimes the Dragons take an active role in an investment and bring additional value through their goodwill and knowhow.

The most investively (I just made up that word) active and often the nicest Dragon, Brett Wilson, has recently left the show after four seasons. Apparently he and the CBC couldn't agree on the terms of his new contract. The show will not be the same without him. But now, he—the dragon with the heart—will be hosting a new show this fall on slice TV called Risky Business.

Here is the premise from a news release published on Brett Wilson’s personal website:

In each episode of Risky Business, Brett will give the daring couple a chance to risk big and win big. As host, he will guide the investors as they choose between pitches made by two different entrepreneurs, each looking for capital and offering a big return. The options will be unusual – such as investing in undervalued vintage wine labels or betting it all on a high stakes one-night-only event. The duo will stake their life savings on one investment, and Brett will invest in the other. It isn't until the end of the episode that it is revealed how each investment performed. Will the risk-taking couple win big or lose it all? Do they out perform Brett? Or does Brett prove he can make money just about anywhere?

I’m glad to see that Brett Wilson will be back on the screen as he is a shrewd (and seemingly affable) businessman with a sharp wit, but I do have concerns about this show. Are they really calling on people to invest their entire life savings? How can amateurs make an intelligent decision to invest in a venture based on a quick pitch? Great for those who succeed, but detrimental for the others. Not everyone has the wherewithal to carry on after that and, in this economy, it’s not simply a matter of moving on to a new venture or a new job.

I think Brett Wilson is great - loved him on Dragon’s Den, but his reputation as “an investor with a heart” may be seriously compromised here.

It’s one thing to solicit people to invest, but it’s another to expect them to gamble with their life savings. I’m wondering if the network has considered what the stakes truly are and what the fallout from this show could be. Why not do a show about people gambling their life savings in Vegas? Or putting all their money into one stock? There is risk and there is risk. And to me, gambling all your hard-earned cash for a possible win (which you have little control over) and a few minutes in the spotlight is far from worth it, even with the nicest dragon prodding you on.

The Director of Casting and Research for "Risky Business" told me in an email that I needn’t worry. He said, “We are taking all people’s interests into account and are maintaining the highest level of respect and concern.” I hope this will be the case; otherwise, the network will be spending a lot on lawyers and psychologists.

I wish them the best of luck and I hope I'm wrong about my concerns. Stay tuned!

Writing tips to help your message stand out

In school we learned general grammar rules and writing principles. For our essays we were taught to include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. For fiction we may have learned about character development, dialogue, and point of view. But teachers often neglected to delve into the mechanics of writing. Written communication is as important as ever and following a few simple rules will lead to a more concise, clear, and cohesive message.

These tips apply to all writing styles, from web content to business reporting (even emails) to fiction:

1) Use active rather than passive language

The meeting was being chaired (passive) by the marketing director. Instead write: The marketing director chaired (active) the meeting.

2) Use strong verbs rather than an adverb with a weak verb

When she realized she was late for the meeting, she ran quickly to the boardroom. Instead write: When she realized she was late for the meeting, she bolted to the boardroom.

3) Use one strong adjective rather than two adjectives with similar meanings

The shy and quiet trainee gave an interesting and thoughtful presentation. Instead write: The introverted trainee gave a compelling presentation.

4) Avoid unnecessary repetition

Don’t hit the reader on the head with your point.

Times are tough; we are all reeling from this economic slump. If only we weren’t in this crippling recession we’d be able to hire more people.

5) Use simple, straightforward language

The best way to lose your reader is to over-complicate the message:

Due to unforeseen budgetary circumstances, ABC Ltd. will not have the resources to continue implementing the advertising schedule, which was previously determined by the communications committee (too wordy).

Instead write: Due to budgetary constraints, ABC Ltd. has revised its advertising schedule. (simple and to the point)

6) Vary your sentence structure (and rhythm)

I had my performance review. My boss said I was brilliant. He gave me a raise and a promotion. I celebrated with my friends (monotonous).

Instead write: At my performance review, my boss said I was brilliant. I celebrated my raise and my promotion with my friends.

7) Don’t use clichés; they give the impression that the writer has no imagination.

The sales team gave their competitors a run for their money in landing the account, and the effort paid off in spades.

Instead you could write: The sales team competed vigorously to land the account and the effort was well rewarded.

A Christmas Wonder

Almost two thousand years ago, a remarkable child was born. But even before he was born, his mother was told by a heavenly visitor that her son wasn’t going to be a normal human being—he would be the son of God. There were supernatural signs surrounding his birth and as a child, he showed himself to be a prodigy. In later years he performed miracles to demonstrate that he wasn’t a mere mortal and his followers believed him to be divine. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. Eventually, his enemies tried him before the Roman authorities because of his subversive ideas. Some people claimed to have seen him alive after he’d ascended to Heaven, and this convinced them that there was life after death. Some of his followers went on to write books about him.

His name was Apollonius of Tyrana.

Professor Bart D. Erhman, New Testament Scholar, and head of Religious Studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, teaches about this pagan philosopher—a worshiper of the Greek gods. Apollonius and Jesus lived during the 1st century of the Common Era, each having followers who thought the other was a hoax. As strange as such events sound to us today, people in the ancient world were familiar with stories about divine men who had a connection with the divine realm.

Tom Harpur, theologian and former religion editor of The Toronto Star, has a radical take on the subject in his controversial book The Pagan Christ. He claims there was no such historical figure as Jesus Christ and that his entire existence is a fabrication, based on Egyptian mythology. Harpur writes, “The compilers of the New Testament missed the point entirely that the whole thing was meant allegorically.” He goes on to say, “What all of this means is that the manger of the Christmas story existed in Egyptian mythology as the birthplace of the messiah, or anointed one.”

How do these insights affect people’s beliefs about the birth of Jesus?

Harvard graduate, Christian author and pastor, Dr. Mark D. Roberts, says in his blog series The Birth of Jesus: Hype or History?, “If I didn’t think this really happened, if I thought that the early Christians invented this crazy idea, then I wouldn’t be able to preach the good news on Christmas Eve, or at any other time either.” He continues, “This isn’t just a nice story made up by some creative early Christians. It’s the true story of what God has actually done “for us and our salvation.”

There are over a billion Christians in the world today, many who believe in the literal virgin birth along with the angels, the wise men, and the star of Bethlehem. Every Christmas the Nativity story is presented in all its glory at church pageants and on stages like Radio City, where live animals feed into the spectacle. Priests and Ministers preach about the birth of Jesus, often conflating the accounts of the Gospels, which tell different and sometimes conflicting versions of the story.

The former Prime Minister of Britain and devout Catholic, Tony Blair, recently debated the prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens in Toronto about whether religion is good for society. Tony Blair claims religion inspires people to do good. Hitchens says it’s all bunk and very destructive (but he does have a Christmas tree in his home).

Whichever way we look at it, we cannot deny that Christianity has influenced Western Civilization more than any other religious or political institution in the world. Whether we believe that an anointed child was born in a stable that day, or that the seed of a new religion was planted around that time, we cannot avoid the message that the Christmas season brings—peace, love and goodwill to all.

Kindles for Kids: will they read more?

Some kids love to read. Some kids hate it. My two teenage sons fall somewhere in between. Electronics, on the other hand, engage them more than a book ever could.

Give them the internet, their iPods, and video games, and they are as alert as a hungry fox eyeing its prey, but give them a novel, especially one that’s been assigned to them at school, and they suddenly become weary like they’ve just had a long, hard day.

The fact is boys are generally less avid readers than girls, particularly when it comes to literature. This is not a good thing and it definitely will not help them get into university or college.

According to a study on Canadian Adolescent Boys and Literacy “Boys are often disadvantaged in academic literacy as a result of current curricular emphases, teacher text and topic choices, and lack of availability and acceptability of texts that match their interests...they don’t like to read, some don’t read very well, and a growing percentage of boys are “failing” at school.”

How can educators and parents encourage boys to read more books? Providing them with more gender appropriate choices definitely helps as does letting them make their own selections.

But will boys go to the library or a book store and sift through various titles before they find one that appeals to them? Not likely. Would they peruse the choices available on an electronic reader? Much more likely, I think. Many of the books are free and some new titles cost less than $5.

Not everyone can afford an eReader. And I’m sure it would not be at the top of a teenager’s Christmas wish list. Considering how quick parents are to fork out Christmas funds on other electronic gadgets and video games (the new Call of Duty game for Xbox costs over $70, including tax), would it not be expedient for them to make the extra $70 investment in a device that might inspire reading rather than raging in a war game?

Some people may not agree. The novelty will wear off and the teen will end up losing it, misplacing it, or breaking it, objectors might say. But cell phones and iPods are more likely to meet such a fate.

A skeptic could also argue that kids who don’t read books will not start to read now simply because they have a new way to do it. I’d argue that with over 750,000 books in the electronic library, even a stubborn non-reading teenage boy would find something of interest.

Almost everyone would prefer to have an iPad. You can download books as well as use the internet, watch YouTube videos, TV shows, and podcasts. Given a choice between the various applications, we can guess where a boy’s attention would be directed. And the price—almost $800 can be a deterrent in itself.

Back to the eReader. The price of the Amazon Kindle has already come down from last year’s US $189 to $139 while its Canadian counterpart, the Kobo, sells for CAN $149. The Sony Pocket Reader, another alternative, but more pricey, costs CAN $179.

I asked two of my fourteen-year-old's friends when they last read a book outside of school. One said a few years ago, the other said in the summer. (To be fair, they were all playing scrabble when I asked them this.) Would they read more if they had an electronic reader? They both said yes...they think so.

Teachers may be restricted by the curriculum, but if parents are pro-active and make reading choices more accessible to their kids, perhaps it will show up in the grades. And who knows, before long, we may see eReaders in the classroom (with text books costing $100 each, the thought is not a huge stretch).

If it takes a Kindle to kindle an interest in reading, I say, forget those video games or latest gadgets and invest in an eReader for your son. By the way, I’m sure the girls would be happy to receive one too.