• About Me
  • DEBQ
  • The Other Bottom Line
  • Why I do Friday Pick
  • About My Blog

talktodiana

~ Igniting the power and passion in others…

talktodiana

Tag Archives: facebook

Oxford House is on Facebook and Twitter!

27 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

addiction, Alberta, Calgary, Canada, caring, community, compassion, connecting, Diana Schwenk, dry housing, Edmonton, facebook, home, Hump Day Chronicles, non-profit, Oxford House, recovery, stories, Twitter

Oxford House

Meet Earl, Oxford House’s Program Coordinator and Tracey, Finance Coordinator and Vince, Support Worker and yup, that’s me at the end as we appear on our new Oxford House Facebook page!

See that yellow oval circle I drew around the sign up button? That’s where you would click on our Facebook page to sign up to receive awesome emails from us. And that’s just what I’m asking you to do. Sign up and like our page. You can also find us on twitter @OxfordHouseAB!

It just blows my mind that as of today, I’ve been at Oxford House for 271 days and I’m feeling very grateful to be here. I’ve participated in two events. Arranged for three plaques to be given to generous funders. Developed and implemented a monthly donor program. Sent out a media release for needed items during the holidays. Created an annual report. Thanked countless folks for their generosity. Pulled and analyzed loads of data and…and can you tell I’ve been in up to my armpits in stats???

Yet stats are only what we use to back up our incredible stories and that, as you know if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, is what really turns my crank. Because stories are what connect us.

Like Janice who told me in a matter-of-fact way, “I’ve been a low-life my whole life.” Heart-breaking words, but it’s not unusual for people to feel this way when they first come to Oxford House.

“I love it here,” she said while we chatted on the phone.

Believe it or not, it’s also something she has to get used to – living in a sober house, free from the pressure of people enticing her to have a drink, that is.

Last year Janice was in a serious car accident that resulted in brain damage leaving the whole left side of her body numb.

She spent a month of her four-month stay at the hospital in a coma. “It was a wakeup call.”

More determined than ever, Janice signed up for a six-week treatment program and then applied for housing with us.

Since living here, Janice is grateful to have a place to call home. “It is hard sometimes, I feel lonely.” But she’s working on that too, having recently signed up for an art journal course and registering with a job placement agency.

Janice is not a low-life. And we will stick by her until she knows this for herself and is ready to move on.

I think we can all relate to Janice in the sense that we’ve all had wake up calls, we’ve all felt lonely and deficient in some way. I know there have certainly been times when I’ve felt that I didn’t quite measure up.

Our stories and your stories and their stories form a beautiful tapestry of our collective human experience.

And that’s why we want to share our stories with you. And we really, really want you to share your passions and stories with us.

So what do you say?

Will you connect with us on Facebook and Twitter?

I hope you say yes by clicking the links above!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Thank you

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by dianasschwenk in Humour, Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 51 Comments

Tags

Birthday, Diana Schwenk, facebook, growing up, half a century, happy, laughter, The Big 5-0

Tomorrow I turn 50 – where has the time gone?

I’m surprised, but I’m actually OK with it.

If I had an opportunity to be 25 again, I don’t think I would take it.

I like where I am in my life. And maybe that’s one of the secrets to happiness.

It gets a little dangerous with this many candles!

It gets a little dangerous with this many candles!

On Monday night I was talking to my uncle from Germany and he told me that turning 50 is a big deal in Germany, like the ‘no turning back’ point or the pinnacle of life, the half-way milestone so to speak.

Well my friends, on the eve of the end of my 40’s, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who shared the ways they give or pledged to give in honour of my birthday on my post here.

Some of you made a donation to the cause you believe in and some even donated to the place I work!

It really does mean the world to me. I learned a lot about you.

You also pointed out that there are many other ways to give as well and I whole-heartedly agree!

Thank you for the lovely gift of “YOU”

In an effort to take away the sting of my ‘no turning back now’ milestone, here’s a birthday poem I found online – with my responses in brackets. It is one of many that won a contest about turning 50.

Happy Half 100

              by Kayla Metoxen                    (Green Bay, WI, USA)

Turning 5-0 is nothing to fear! (I bet a 25 year old wrote this)

It all goes downhill from here. (going downhill is easier than trudging uphill right?)

You’ll soak your teeth next to your bed (I’m hanging on to my teeth – thank you very much!)

You’ll thin out atop your head (luckily I’m blessed with lots of hair)

You’ll slow down and hate loud things. (except when I’m cranking Santana while doing housework)

Your underarms will look like wings. (Yeah, that happened a while ago)

You’ll never have to wait in line. (In what universe?)

You’ll even make a Tom Jones shrine! (I don’t think so!)

Happy half a hundred! (Thank you!)

Happy Half a lifetime! (Oh Shut Up!)

click here to read the other birthday poems that won.

~ THE HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Totally unrelated, I saw this video on facebook the other day and it really moved me, I just had to share it with you.

It’s well worth the 10 minutes it takes to watch.

The last word on the last word…

29 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by dianasschwenk in Humour, Hump Day Chronicles

≈ 47 Comments

Tags

blogosphere, community, Diana Schwenk, facebook, friends, last word, laughter, texting

I started my blog just over 5 months ago.   I’m so enjoying the challenge of writing and adore reading your posts and learning from you.

But there’s been an unexpected benefit as well. This incredible sense of online community has been a huge blessing.

I have particularly enjoyed all the laughing I end up doing.

Today I want to focus on two people. One is a face-to-face friend who reads my blog and the other is a fellow blogger. Both seem to be afflicted with the same neurotic disorder I have:

Obsessive Compulsive Last Word Disorder. (OCLWD)

I tip my hat to you Sandra and Bill. You are formidable opponents.

Sandra and I communicate mostly by texting when we are not in each other’s company and sometimes even when we are at the same place!  We are self-proclaimed Soul Sistas and we both have a huge love of dancing.

Typical communication between us goes something like this:

Sandra: Hey what are doing Saturday?

Me: No plans, why?

Sandra: Such and such band is playing at Mikey’s!

Me: No way!

Sandra: Yup!

Sandra: Wanna go?

Me: Hell ya!

Sandra: Meet there? Or should I pick you up?

Me: We can meet there! Want to go early and eat there?

Sandra: Yes!!

Sandra: 8? (She’s usually late so I’m planning my day around how I will be there by 8:30)

Me: Sure, see you then!

Sandra: Ok! Ciao xo

Me: Bye! (By this time my thumb muscles spasm – do thumbs have muscles?)

Sandra: Love you!

Me: Love you too!

Sandra:  🙂

Sandra: What’s not to love?

Me: LOL

Sandra: Ok bye, I have to cook dinner now.

Me: Ok enjoy your dinner!

Sandra: Thanks I will!

Me: LOL you’re trying to have the last word again right?

Sandra: Nope.

Me: OK LOL

Me: haha

Me: Have a great night!

Sandra: You too!

Me: Ok byeeeeeeeeeeee

Sandra: C ya on Saturday!

Me: LOL OK you can have the last word!

Sandra: thanks! 😉

…you get the picture.

~

Sometimes I’m amazed at the number of comments I get on my blog. That is until I realize that a large portion of them are between Bill and me. By the way, you can check Bill’s blog out here. I really enjoy his posts and the way he able to say so much with so few words.

Scroll down for some classic examples of OCLWD

Duh! It takes one to know one!

You got me there!

Don’t judge – it’s a disorder!

Maybe I should re-name my blog The Last Word?

Oh my gosh I really am sick! This affliction doesn’t just happen with texting and blogging!

I’m obsessed!

I have to answer every email I get too! I hear that ping on my blackberry that alerts me of new mail and I have to look!

Sometimes I try to hold back, but it’s like an addiction…my heart starts to beat a bit faster…

I feel droplets of sweat forming on my temples…

I just have to read the email and answer.

And facebook!

I have to answer every comment…

At the very least I have to like every comment…

I guess there’s one saving grace…

I’m not a huge fan of talking on the phone…

So y’all can have the last word there…

I seriously entertained the idea of closing my comments on this post so that I could have the last word…

But how would that be any fun?

Ok byyyeeeeeeeeeeee  😉

Talk to Diana


"I RELATE WITH, PROMOTE AND SPEAK COMMUNITY WHEREVER I AM..."

Flag Counter

Enter your email address to follow my blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,977 other followers

Categories

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Top Posts & Pages you’ve been reading

  • Generosity or Charity?
  • Are You 'The Talker' or 'The Observer'?

Archives

Links you've been clicking on...

  • None

Red Deer Alberta

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Blog Stats

  • 104,181 hits

Posts I’ve liked recently…

  • Farewell my dear friend on Dare Boldly

My Online Community

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • talktodiana
    • Join 2,977 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • talktodiana
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...