Comments on: You never know…

By: Managing with Aloha Coaching

Managing with Aloha Coaching — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:00:36 +0000

Didja know that today is Joe D.Cool’s birthday?

Hau‘oli la hanau to Dwayne Melancon! There are certain birthdays that deserve all my attention; they are my feelin’ the gratitude days. Today is my gratitude day for Dwayne; Hau‘oli la hanau my friend. Dwayne is one of my spirit

By: Dwayne Melancon

Dwayne Melancon — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 12:08:40 +0000

Thank you for the kind words, everyone. I’ve been traveling and off-line for most of the past week, but have been able to catch up on the comments and the other learning posts this weekend.
I think the great think about the learning forum is the variety of perspectives, insights, and “flashback” feelings the posts give me.
What would my life be like without the connections I make through blogs? I am glad my reach has extended, courtesy of the internet.

By: toni

toni — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 02:50:06 +0000

Dwayne, I, like the others, feel your pain of the typing class and the illict joy of the encyclopedia reading. I even memorized every joke in the Professor Egghead series and proceed to entertain my family at every opportunity!
What I enjoy the most of your wonderful article is your “looking back” perspective for your children right now. It makes me want to approach those in my life who are older and ask them what they wish someone had told them at my age. The learning just continues!
Mahalo for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

By: Starbucker

Starbucker — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:10:20 +0000

Dwayne, I’m with you on this encyclopedia reading thing – my mother told me I was reading them (sort of) when I was 3! I was the “information source” in my household and it still carries over to today with my teammates at work. Rosa nailed it – they were the “Google” of our time. As for typing, I had the same experience in HS and now I really wish I had applied myself to that class! Just like Rosa, this post sparked a few memories that helped me “trace” my learning experiences. Thanks!

By: Rosa Say

Rosa Say — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 04:52:22 +0000

Dwayne, the part of your learning that jumped out for me? Reading the encyclopedia. My goodness those books opened the world to us!
You know, I don’t think that Google and the other search engines have been able to duplicate that element of surprise and delight we would feel sitting cross-legged on the floor, closing our eyes and reaching forward for one of those hard-covered volumes ”so heavy, they were always on the bottom shelf of the bookcase… The book would end up cradled in our laps, opened to a random page which magically you’d never opened to before, even though it seemed like you’d gone through those exact same motions a hundred times. There would be the most profound quote, or the name of some exotic place we never would have imagined existed, or a picture of an animal not found in our zoo —even the fierce ones managed to look so charming!
My brothers and I would daydream of being in those pages so easily! Sometimes we’d have contests and heated debates about who had found the most interesting page. We always got called away to our chores, a meal, or to bed before any boredom could possibly set in, for there were so many volumes, so many pages, so many wondrous possibilities to be discovered in our treasure hunting. Reach, open, savor. Over and over again.
Mahalo nui Dwayne; thank you for a very meaningful memory.

By: Dwayne Melancon

Dwayne Melancon — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 03:39:13 +0000

Thanks for sharing that cool story, Dave. There’s nothing like the unexpected surprises we get from our kids.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:24:52 +0000

Dwayne! I had typing for three years thru high school…and I hated it! Typing has been a part of my job for the past twenty-one years and I am so thankful that I know how to type (minus looking at the numbers), that I cannot sufficiently express it. Right on!
What a challenge that we have as parents. My lesson learned from daughter #1 was that it paid to just try and set the example. It worked. Eleven years later, daughter #2 who is in high school, pushes us to the limit. So here is Rosemary and Dave trying to set the example and what happens? Good things.
Daughter #2 has always required extra help in reading and english. Rosemary pulls up Word on her puter to write something and notices that #2 has written a story. Shock! Where have these expressive abilities come from?
Out-of-this-world connections Dwayne!

By: Greg Balanko-Dickson

Greg Balanko-Dickson — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 12:11:40 +0000

I never took a typing copurse because I never saw how I would use it. I learned to type on a telex machine and now 2 books and 700 pages later – I was wrong, great observations and insight. Keep up the great work.

By: Dwayne Melancon

Dwayne Melancon — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:06:34 +0000

Steve, I highly recommend Mavis Beacon’s typing program – it is a great, CD-based learning tool and takes you from any typing level and helps you improve.
I bought it a couple of years ago at the advice of David Allen and probably increased my speed by at least 25%.

By: Steve Sherlock

Steve Sherlock — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 09:24:24 +0000

Ah yes, typing was one class I missed taking. It was not offered at my high school but now I wish I had taken it somewhere along the way. Like you, I have been typing something everyday. My sorta hunt & peck method has developed some speed (with practice, anything can be improved) but I would not win any speed awards.
I wonder if there are any on-line typing classes? There used to be software programs to help. I’ll have to go looking.