LinkedIn

 

 

Just a quick post to say that I (Scott MacLellan) am now on LinkedIn. I recently joined after a couple recommendations, and have set it up as another step to professionalism, and to promote my speaking, writing, and advocacy. Any invitations would be greatly appreciated!

I'm still trying to figure out some of LinkedIn's features, but it seems to be going well (a friend just endorsed me and some of my listed skills, which I guess is a good thing!). Excited to see what comes out of it.

Cheers

Dream Nothing

Twenty seven years ago (that's all the way back in 1988!), my mom started writing about me in a journal called The Dream Nothing book. She started in '88 when I was three and continued until 1995. The book goes from my birth all the way up to past my tenth birthday.

My mom writes mostly about surgeries, doctors, therapies, and other bits of medical or developmental info. But there's a lot about me growing up, as well. It's kind of funny going from one paragraph about a certain major surgery to another about the Terrible Two's, or from a major milestone like my first steps to my first boy-girl school dance!

The Dream Nothing Book also revealed a lot of things I hadn't known about myself, some kind of shocking. I've died at least once, after my lungs collapsed after an MRI. I also learnt that I had shockingly low self esteem when I was younger. On the lighter side, I learnt that my first word was platypus and my love of pigs started at barely four years old after seeing pig farms while camping in Prince Edward Island.

My mom's last entry was November of 1995. Flash forward to Spring of 2009. I knew this book existed, but I had never actually read it until this point. So, I read it and was pretty amazed. I was so moved that I decided to add to it myself!

As a gift for her birthday (in July), and as a way to stave off boredom while I was home doing next to nothing (this was before I took Scriptwriting), I began writing about almost fifteen years worth of personal, medical, and family events. From the beginning of Grade 5 through college. I chronicled numerous birthdays, surgeries, Christmases, vacations, Tae Kwon Do tests and sledge hockey games and sadly, even a couple deaths and screw ups.

I gave the new material to my mother as a present on her birthday that year, which she read while on vacation.

I've added a couple more entries over the years. Each time, I say it'll be the last entry and each time something new and exciting happens that's worth writing about. My mom has even said that she'd like to start writing again as well, so maybe in another couple years, I'll pick up the dream nothing book and get to read a bit more.

Cheers!

Wow, I've Done A Lot!

I just sent off an email to my local hospital network for potential speaking/advocacy opportunities, and while reading it over I realized just how much I've done speaking and writing-wise. Articles, presentations to university classes, hospital committees, and international conferences, blogs, and even discussion groups.

Sorry if this sounds a little egotistical, but I was just kind of amazed and felt like sharing.

Cheers!

Plans For 2016

The new year is here, and it's time to make some plans.

The first thing I plan to do is to get fit. My goal is to lose weight for my usual trip to Toronto in May. Outdoor activity isn't really optimal for me this time of the year, but I do have a treadmill I've been kind of ignoring. Plus, I've started to collect X-files on DVD which should be good entertainment for walking. So, nine seasons of 24 one-hour episodes, and four months until TCAF. Yeah, that should work!

Second, I'm going to go full-steam ahead with writing stuff for the book. I'm going to set up a weekly writing day where I can get out and plan topics/chapters to write in full later. This might also be the year I finally give in and buy an iPad. And more blogging, of course!

Lastly, for now, is travel. I've already written about wanting to attend TCAF in Toronto again this year, but for now that looks to be it. I'm planning and saving for a big trip to Phoenix in 2017 for the next Joubert Syndrome conference, and probably Vegas for a couple days before that, so 2016 looks like it'll be mostly time at the cabin and staycations in and around the city.

I'm sure certain plans will change, but this is what's up so far.

Cheers!