Hello Reader, I am so sore! This past weekend I worked on building a dresser we picked up at IKEA for my kids. I must say that IKEA instruction manuals SUCK. (Sorry if you love IKEA instruction manuals..maybe my mind just doesn't understand them well.) I had to backtrack on my build progress several times because I had not correctly understood the instructions. Backtracking on an IKEA build means unscrewing and pulling apart things you had just screwed and put together. It sucks time and...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Last Sunday afternoon I went on an hour long road trip to visit my Dad because I didn't get a chance to see him at Christmas. We had a nice time visiting and eating together. He showed me a painting he was working on restoring. Pretty cool! And, as many of you know, I'm an avid podcast listener, so I had my podcast app LOADED with shows to keep my ears and brain busy on the road. I've been looking for new shows to like so many of the episodes I downloaded were brand new. Never...
21 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Speaking Task 6—dealing with a difficult situation—can feel like one of the tougher speaking task questions you'll face on the CELPIP exam. The challenge? How to stay firm without sounding rude? Here are some ideas from one of my most downloaded speaking skills focused podcast episodes, with over 6,000 downloads. In it, I share how one of my clients handled a challenging speaking task question. She had to refuse a customer's request, and she nailed it by following these three...
24 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, But first, I wanted to quickly reach out and say how much I appreciate you. Thank you for being a part of my newsletter community, and for letting me pop into your inbox each week. I pray that you are able to have some time off over the next few weeks, and that you are able to enjoy some time with your loved ones. My prayer for you is that you sense God's perfect peace, His great comfort, and joy. Being on your own or away from family during this time of year can be especially...
28 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, I read it again this week over on Reddit: how do I stop myself from saying "Um" and "Uh" all the time when I'm giving my speaking task responses on the exam. Here's the short answer: Notice your habit: You can’t fix what you don’t hear. In this podcast I share a simple exercise using your phone to catch those sneaky “ums” (and reveal my own weird “filler” habit that my wife had to point out!) - by the way, don't feel bad about having filler words. We all use them! Embrace the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Last week my van broke down in the middle of the night as I was on my way home from, get this, helping my son jumpstart his car because his had broken down. That's a double break down, if you're keeping score! (I felt a little like this gif 👇 ) and you get huge bonus points if you know what movie this gif is from. star wars no GIF The crazier part? My van was sending me warning signals that something was wrong, but I was ignoring them. Our body can also be talking to us, and it...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, We had back to back - two nights in a row - major Christmas events in the two locations where I work in my day job. We served nearly 200 meals, and did all the dishes - God bless high speed industrial dishwashers! But each and every dish had to be carried and set, picked up, cleaned and put away. It's been a crazy week. A crazy past two days. I still work on Sunday for part of the day, leading special Advent services for residents of one of the facilities where I work, but I'm...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I had a few people reach out to say they were struggling with burn out, so I know this is a hot topic. And if you are dealing with it right now, know that you're not alone. I've continued to research on the topic - I think it might turn into a podcast episode - but here's one take away from today's learning that I hope will help you: If you're struggling with burnout, give your spouse, your significant other, your child, a friend - someone you trust and care about - a good hug....
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, This time of year is THE BUSIEST season where I work, and it's only going to get busier as we enter December - which I still can't believe is just a few days away as I write this, can you? Holy fast! I know you're busy, too. I know some of you are working multiple jobs. I know some of you are working on learning French while keeping your English skills going at the same time. I know some of you are chasing your PR, trying to do everything humanly possible to get your points...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read