Joseph Ranseth & Social Media

One of my favorite quotes comes from the Scottish explorer W.H. Murray (18 March 1913–19 March 1996). Though a part of the quote is commonly cited and attributed to Goethe, the entire passage is taken from Murray’s book The Scottish Himalayan Expedition (1951).

In proper context, we understand the power of commitment. Speaking of the beginning of his expedition he expressed that they hadn’t done anything yet, but then clarifies:

But when I said that nothing had been done I erred in one important matter. We had definitely committed ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put down our passage money–booked a sailing to Bombay. This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!’

(emphasis added)

What dreams do you have that are waiting for your commitment?

Living in Canada is really cool. It’s probably close to what Heaven is like, honestly.

(If you are uncertain about this yourself, you can check out this post for 50 good reasons to agree with me.)

I will be honest… It does have it’s disadvantages, though.

For example:

Rogers wireless, my Canadian cell phone provider, reminded me (with an $1100 bill) that calling the USA is an “international” call.

Ouch.

So, deciding to put my Mensa card to use (joking… ), I devised a workaround.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. SKYPE
   1. Register for an Unlimited US & Canada Skype subscription. Total cost = $2.95/month
   2. You will also need a Skype Online Number. This costs $30/year or $9 for 3 months. Make sure this is a USA number.
   3. Open your skype application and set your forwarding to your Canadian cell phone:
      1. Click on: Tools -> Options
      2. Click on: Calls and check “Forward calls when I’m not on Skype” and and your cell #
      3. Set it to: “Forward calls if I do not answer within [0] seconds”
2. Google Voice
   1. Create a Google Voice account.  You will need an invite from someone who has one if you don’t already have one. (I can sell you one for about $1100…j/k) You will also need to do this from a US-based IP address. If you aren’t in the US while doing this, it won’t work. Hire a Virtual Assistant in the USA to do it for you.
   2. Go to Settings -> Phones and add your Skype “online number.”  Set this as your default phone to call when you use Google Voice.
3. Your Canadian Cell Phone Carrier
   1. Having the Unlimited Incoming Call option on your cell phone plan is ideal if you are making a lot of calls.
   2. You’ll need web-access on your phone. Some carriers require a data plan, others will charge you per use.

Those are the tools and settings. Once that’s in place, it’s really easy.

Making Calls

When you’re ready to make calls to the USA, or anywhere in Canada, just:

1. Open up your browser on your phone and visit https://www.google.com/voice.
2. Click on contacts and then choose your desired contact.
3. Click call and wait… your phone will ring – answer it, It’s Google! Once you answer, Google Voice will start dialing your chosen contact.

Since the call begins with an incoming from Google Voice, you don’t have to worry about watching minutes if you have the unlimited incoming option.

Limitations

The only limitations to consider are this:

• Your skype subscription has to be active to forward
• The mobile version of Google Voice will only let you call contacts that are already existing in your contact list. You’ll have to add them from your regular browser before calling from your phone.

Other Awesomeness

Your American/US-based friends can also call/text your Google Voice number without having to pay the international fees that it would cost if they were to reach out to you via your Canadian number.

Does this help? If so, please digg it or pass it along to your Canadian friends!

Advance confidently in the direction of your dreams and you will meet with a success unexpected.

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings.
In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

Henry David Thoreau, Walden (Chapter 18)

My name is Joseph, I am Canadian. (if you don’t get that inside joke right away, check out this post)

Anyway, this is an exciting time for just about everyone… it’s the 2010 Winter Olympics!  It is an especially exciting time for Canadians for 2 obvious reasons:

1. This years Olympics are on Canadian soil: Vancouver, British Columbia (See the map if you are new to Canadian geography)
2. Canada is going to clean up in the medals

To help everyone stay in touch with up-to-the-minute information on what is happening on the Canadian Olympic circuit I have compiled a list of Canadian Olympic Athletes on Twitter. Check it out here: http://twitter.com/JosephRanseth/canadian-olympians

I love how willing each of these athletes are to share with the world what is happening in the Olympic games.. the inside view is something that we haven’t been able to see in previous games, and it gives a new perspective on what the Olympics are all about. Best of luck in the competition!

This is perhaps the greatest commercial ever made… Originally an ad for Molson Canadian, it has become a national icon and declaration of all that is good Canadian.

My name is Joe, and I am Canadian.
Hey, I’m not a lumberjack or a fur trader.
I don’t live in an igloo, or eat blubber, or own a dog sled.
And, I don;t know Jimmy, Sally or Suzie from Canada, although I’m sure they’re real nice.
I have a Prime Minister, not a President.
I speak English and French, not American.
And I pronounce it ‘about,’ not ‘a-boot.’
I can proudly sew my nation’s flag on my backpack.
I believe in peace keeping, not policing. Diversity not assimilation.
And, the beaver is a truly noble animal!
And Z is pronounced Zed, not Z. Zed!
Canada is the second largest land mass, the first nation of hockey, and the best part of North America!
My name is Joe, and I am Canadian!