Clicks, Chicks, and Connections

It’s been an amazingly synchronistic few weeks during which I’ve widened and deepened my network of amazing women around the world.

I’ve connected with new friends, reconnected with some old ones, and explored different ways to relate to others.

Here are a few examples:

I stole the title for this blog entry from Deb and Cher, two photographer friends who live on opposite sides of the world. They came up with a unique way to keep their friendship alive, while practicing their passion. They choose a topic or theme, photograph it from their own unique perspectives, then post the results on their cool blog called 2 Chicks, 2 Clicks, 2 Countries.

I LOVED one of their most recent efforts – the theme is PINK! And if you’re ever in Texas, be sure to check out Deb’s awesome B&B, it looks absolutely stunning.

Last night I had dinner with the amazing Jacqueline Throop-Robinson, whom I first met 18 months ago in Toronto at a conference, and who simply fills me with laughter and joy every time we’re together. Jacqueline runs her own company PassionWorks!, which has developed and now delivers a highly effective set of products and workshops to help businesses foster passion amongst their employees (for their work of course, not for each other!).

Besides being an astute businesswoman and an engaging facilitator, Jacqueline is also mother to three-year-old Taylor, whom she and her husband Evan adopted in China. They’re in the queue to adopt a second Chinese baby.

My friend Lois, who founded and runs Calgary-based Scout Communications, is also an amazing Mom and animal lover, in addition to being a wise and empathetic friend. Lo and I have been friends for years, but we’ve been out of touch for awhile, probably because msn messenger doesn’t work for me anymore and she hasn’t gotten around to getting Skype (lol).

This week she sent me a video on inflammatory breast cancer, a silent killer that all women should know about.

I came across Vancouver-based personal coach Loretta Cella on twitter, and I knew as soon as I did that we had lots in common. She helps young women stay on track by providing them with social development and life skills through The Passion Foundation (hmmm, seems there’s a thread running through all of this… naturally I’ve connected Loretta and Jacqueline).

Loretta is writing a book on phenomenal women – I’m first on the list to buy a copy when it comes out. As if that’s not enough on her plate, Loretta went to Kenya last year on a project that increases the amount of time girls spend at school by giving them better access to sanitary products. Apparently, many African girls don’t go to school when they are menstruating, because they are too poor to buy sanitary pads.  Loretta’s blog entry about the trip is a real eye-opener.

I met Sarah Hepburn in Dubai at a Table for Six event last year sometime. When she and I became facebook friends, it didn’t take me long to realize that, besides being talented, beautiful and full of fun, she’s a great writer to boot.

I asked her to share some of her thoughts on the AWR member blogs (which I’ve just managed to make happen after months of trying!). I really enjoyed her most recent post about volunteering at a marathon run.

My American friend Laura Klos Sokol lives in Poland; she ALSO runs her own company Klos Training, and I was lucky to catch her surfing on AWR last week when she thought no one was looking!

If you need outstanding, interactive and engaging workshops anywhere in Poland and environs, Laura’s the one for you. (Laura: I’m coming to Poland one day, really I am, right after I go to Croatia to stay at Adina’s place.)

Mary Hills made my day (and may have brought you to this blog through Amazing Quotes) with this comment about AWR: “I am looking forward to feeding my soul with you. It’s amazing what you have put together,” she said. (Mary, will you be my new best friend? lol)

Mary is a senior-level communications consultant and lecturer at Keller Graduate School of Management, Oak Brook, Illinois; she has a list of qualifications as long as your arm and is an International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) Silver Quill award winner. I can’t wait to get to know her better.

Mary found out about AWR from Silvia Cambie, who I met an IABC conference in Spain 18 months ago in Spain.

Like Mary, Silvia is an accomplished communicator AND she's a consultant, journalist and founder of Chanda. She has a cool blog and has co-written a book (International Communications Strategy: Developments in Cross-Cultural Communications, PR and Social Media) with Yang-May Ooi of Fusion View fame, who I met at the same conference, and about whom I’ve blogged before.

(By the way, Yang-May’s grandmother’s recipe for soy sauce chicken is excellent.)

Phew! We’ve all been busy creating new possibilities with each other. What have YOU been up to?

This week and next I’m meeting a whole new group of amazing women in Malaysia, which, OMG, is where Yang-May is originally from! I wonder if that's a coincidence...?

One thing for sure, I'm gathering more chicks, clicks, and connections to share with you in the future.