Hi Folks Went to the The Flower Festival at St Paul's church at De La Beche Road, Sketty Swansea was held on July 30th to August 2nd 2016. It was themed around Swansea at Work and covered all the many work related subjects in the area.
You may be interested to know that I need new equipment to carry out this project together with my other community filming and that I am currently looking for funds through crowdfunding. If you have enjoyed this and the other films coming along and you feel like making a donation of any size please go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Future-Past.
Hi Folks This short film was made at the opening ceremony of the new Seventh Day Adventist Church at 55 Gower Road, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 9BH UK on 30th July www.adventistswansea.org.uk led by Pastor Jovan Adamovic. Many people from local churches and community attended. The ultra modern halls are available for community use.
You may be interested to know that I need new equipment to carry out this project together with my other community filming and that I am currently looking for funds through crowdfunding. If you have enjoyed this and the other films coming along and you feel like making a donation of any size please go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Future-Past.
Video number three. And this one is an event that took place recently at the Grand Theatre in Swansea.
87 artists contributed works of arts to be auctioned off by the Friends of the Glyn Vivian Art Gallery. The event was held on Friday 29th July in the Grand Theatre Swansea.
The Gallery has been undergoing extensive renovated and refurbishing and will be opened in just a few weeks. A multi-million pound redevelopment project funded by the Arts Council of Wales, the Welsh Government, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Cadw and Swansea Council has been undertaken at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery.
The project includes a new lecture theatre as well as conservation, library, exhibition, collection display, learning and community spaces. There’ll also be a new store for the art collection and the fully accessible entrance that means more people than ever will enjoy greatly improved access to the artworks. A new state-of-the-art extension will link to the historic buildings, including the Grade II* listed 1911 gallery, which has benefitted from complete restoration and improvements to facilities and access, all of which will ensure the Glynn Vivian is fit for the 21st Century. Other work on-going at the Glynn Vivian in preparation for re-opening includes the installation of artworks soon to feature in public exhibitions and displays. The learning, shop and café areas are being fitted out to offer a new visitor experience for our communities in Swansea and Wales.
Looking forward to the re-opening Mike Leahy
You may be interested to know that I need new equipment to carry out this project together with my other community filming and that I am currently looking for funds through crowdfunding. If you have enjoyed this and the other films coming along and you feel like making a donation of any size please go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Future-Past.
Make a donation of any amount and you'll be mentioned in the credits on at least one film.
Give £50 and be invited to the premier showing. Venue, date and time to be announced but it will be in the Swansea area.
Give at least £100 and receive a personalised DVD of a selection of completed films and invitation to the premier
Give £1000 and we'll make a short film for you subject to feasibility.
Enjoy this very short film of the Gower Show. There was so much going on and to see that I was disappointed to have to leave so early due to other commitments. This show, celebrating it's 99th anniversary is a real draw and was packed with crowds drawn from far and wide. There are fewer shows every year around the UK but the support in here in Gower does mean that the future looks good and with the centenary coming up next year I'd be surprised if it wasn't really special. It's difficult to imagine life around a century ago when this was the major highlight of the year for the the local population. When life was hard and days were long. When there was no television or radio so entertainment was home grown and communications were difficult. Meeting up at the Show was to hear about births and deaths, marriages and more. Where the church or chapel and market were central to village life. Where the best clothes saw the light of day and men attended the Show, even on a sweltering day, dressed in the Sunday suit, shirt and tie, and of course the obligatory hat.
The above video was produced in 2011.
I am building up a collection of 100 short films celebrating life as seen from grass-roots. So if you have a hobby, an interesting story, an achievement, belong to a group or want to tell me about your memories then get in touch. Once I have reached the 100 target I will consider the next level. Your support is most appreciated. You may be interested to know that I need new equipment to carry out this project together with my other community filming and that I am currently looking for funds through crowdfunding. If you have enjoyed this and the other films coming along and you feel like making a donation of any size please go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Future-Past.
Make a donation of any amount and you'll be mentioned in the credits on at least one film.
Give £50 and be invited to the premier showing. Venue, date and time to be announced but it will be in the Swansea area.
Give at least £100 and receive a personalised DVD of a selection of completed films and invitation to the premier
Give £1000 and we'll make a short film for you subject to feasibility.
Do you want to be a better person? I guess we would all answer "YES" but what do I have to do? And will I want to do that? And that is the problem for most of us. We set ourselves targets but don't reach them because we give up or don't even start. Look at New Year Resolutions. Lots of us make these at the beginning of the year - go on a diet, do more exercise, take the dog our for longer walks, learn a language, save some money, give up or cut down on alcohol or sugar. We start in earnest but by the end of week one we are already slipping. Week two starts and you are tired after work: can you not go to the gym just today! Ok. It'll be fine. The following week the same happens and in week four you are down to going twice a week. After that you just give up. There are too many other priorities. You have to plan your habit and follow through. The saying is plan your work and work your plan. The beginning of the year is probably the worse time to start anything. The Spring is the best. Holidays are only a few months or even weeks away, the weather is better for outdoor activities, we want to throw off the winter blues. So Spring is good. And guess what! Its Spring now. So lets put a spring in our step - and in our minds and start.
Max Depree once said that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. If your goal is to become a better person by being a better leader, businessperson, entrepreneur parent, mentor, friend or teacher, then the first step is to learn to do better. And doing better is something we all can aspire to, wherever we are, whatever we're already doing.
That aspiration--to constantly improve, to always be changing and growing, to keep doing better--is what keeps us moving forward. However successful we already may be, it's how we prepare the way for tomorrow's success. The alternative is a sad one: to look back one day and wish you had done better.
The time to start is today. So I'm suggesting that you start some new habits over the coming weeks. Someone suggested starting a new habit every day for a week but I gave that a go and was finding it difficult by day two!! A journey starts with a single step. The long haul isn't a sprint then being exhausted and dragging yourself for the rest of the way, or giving up. So I'd suggest starting a new habit weekly.
That might still be a struggle but it does mean 7 new habits in 49 days. And they say do something regularly every day for a month and it will become a habit so after just 4 new habits, the first one will become natural to you. I'm calling this the 49 Steps, a challenge I hope you'll take up with me. Write a comment below and join me on the Facebook page, click here where you can also comment or write posts. My first video goes up today and here is the text.
Today’s habit is to select your thoughts and changing the way to speak to be optimistic, positive, accepting and happy.
The first thing to do is to start the day listening to something happy. For most people the first thing they see or hear is the TV or radio. And the news pops up with negative bad stuff. National disasters, deaths, loss of jobs, misery. Even when you are listening to a music show the news creeps in. If your first contacts with the outside world are negative then your whole day with start that way.
So I’d suggest selecting your own choice of music and listen to this, either through your home equipment or your mp3 which is probably your smartphone today.
Good music in the mornings has a good beat because this will raise your soul and heart-beat. It will also get you moving faster and feeling positive. Feeling positive will make you be happier in your skin and accept more who and what you are. Feeling positive will make you optimistic. And when you talk to others you will speak to them in a positive optimist way.
If you are a perfectionist you need to think about living for the moment. Think. Is it better to do something that is your best effort but possibly flawed, than strive for perfection, because with some things you will never reach perfection. And learn from each experience so the next is better and improved. Think! I don’t make mistakes, I have learning experiences that will enhance my appreciation of life, make my next shot better and leave me feeling I have done my best at that moment.
If you just do your best in that moment you can come away feeling that you accept yourself and all your strengths and weaknesses. And you will feel good about yourself.
As you meet others show this new positive side by smiling, greeting them where appropriate and talking in positive way. If the weather is bad say “looks like its going to clear soon” rather than isn’t it awful today.
And listen to yourself. You can think about what you are going to say before your open your mouth. Check and be careful. A recent survey actually showed that we have a better feeling towards others if they talk positively.
And when you speak positively you’ll stand up straighter than when you are talking negatively. And first impressions count so give a good first impression.
And make this your new habit that you will use every day from now. Good luck. Please leave a comment.
So why don't more people use video on their websites, blogs, Facebook page and landing pages?
Is it because many are afraid of video? Don't realise how easy it is? Don't want to feature on video? I believe it is a mixture of these and many other factors. So they are losing opportunities to increase orders for their business. Video helps potential customers get to know you, get to like you, and get to trust you. Video also lets you demonstrate products. Seeing someone on your website handing a product is almost as good as them holding it themselves. And holding a product gives you a feeling of possession. So this is very important.
I've discovered a brilliant video editor which is quite unlike any I've ever seen. It's easy to use and is the most versatile low-cost video editing I've ever seen. Take a look just click here
Just take a look and you'll be as impressed as me. I must tell you I may be paid a commission by the seller if you decide to purchase. I will have some examples to show you in a day or so but I wanted to tell you immediately.
You may also be interested in the video training I shall be covering in this blog over the coming weeks,. This will cover using smartphones to produce outstanding video, composing shots to be more interesting, how to talk on video, how to make a good selvid (video selfie), what you should include, titling, setting up a YouTube page and much more. So why not click here or copy and paste this link http://jvz6.com/c/376557/123757 and see how with Explaindio you can make watchable videos with or without people and even without using any video.
You may think that you could never be a in a top job but you can if you want.
Often you hear the expression "You can do anything you really want" But that just isn't true. Right now its not possible to jump off a building a fly without some sort of aid. You will find it impossible to be a Call Centre Telephonist if you are totally deaf. But you can do anything that is physically within your capabilities but that might stretch your mind. So you can start at ground level and become a leader. Ok. It's going to be tough and even more difficult if you are a woman (that's a fact) but if you totally focus you can achieve.
But every achievement starts with a single step, single action that will start the ball rolling. And that is where 99% of people fail. They dream, the dream so more, then dream about what they have dreamt about. But they don't take any action to turn that dream into a reality.
But YOU CAN. You can be that one in a hundred. Just take that first step.
May be you have been out of work for some time . . . . and feel you'll never get a job. You are on a loser twice over. You are now feeling negative about your chance of ever getting a job and this will spill over on everything you do. And you will look like a loser so when opportunities do come along you wont be considered.
How can you over come this?
By changing your mind-set to being positive and by taking dynamic action. Sounds simple! And after making the decision to change it will become easy. But that first step certainly isn't. So make that decision then fake it til you make it. Act in a positive way. Talk and act in a positive manner. No matter how you feel. Banish those negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
The First Steps to Success.
So try this:
Make some prompt cards. These are small cards or pieces of cardboard about 7cm x 12cm.
Write a positive thought on one piece such as "I am only going to think positive thoughts today" or "I will spend every moment taking action"
Carry this card with you for a week and look at it at least every hour of each day whilst you are awake.
Do what it says on the card throughout the day.
We all waste time. We all have negative thoughts rushing through our heads. To change you must really want to. And if you have something to help you it will be easier. I used to write on the mirror in my bathroom "You are looking at a winner" or "You will get that order today" when I was a salesman. The card that you carry is a vital tool. Look at it when you wake up and just before you turn off the light to go to sleep. Look at it throughout the day. Set the alarm on your smartphone to every hour and this will remind you and keep you focussed. It will be difficult and you will find that (a) your mind will keep dwelling on negative things and the bad things that might happen in your life (b) you will want to give up and think this is a waste of time. BUT DON'T GIVE UP. Because when you look back after just a week you will begin to see a change in yourself. It can be this quick.
Once you start having positive thoughts I promise you good things will start happening to you. Just like when you've been having negative bad thoughts nothing seems to have gone right.
That is the next step. Just concentrate on becoming positive this week.
If you are looking to get , change or upgrade a job this is certainly going to help. The other thing that will certainly give you the edge is by buying a copy of my e-book pdf self-help programme Just the Job. Go to www.gettingajob.org.co right now and order your copy. And get that job.
You can do it. You can be that one in a hundred. There is a job out there waiting for you.
Unemployed? Not happy with your job? Want to upgrade your job? Of course you do. You'd be in the majority. Too many people are out of work or on a zero hour contract or unhappy with their job. But most won't or don't know how to find the job they want. They don't know how to succeed at interviews. They don't know how to persuade the person interviewing them to give them the job. Mike Leahy's new e-book is called Just The Job and is available now and will take you through the whole job seeking process. Take a look at www.gettingajob.co.uk where, for a small investment of just £9.95 you can start you future straight away.
Getting a job isn’t just turning up at interview. The whole process is getting yourself into shape, having a process for finding likely jobs, being successful at the interview and closing to get the job offer.
Here are the opening paragraphs
I have been shocked that so many people I have met and talked with just do not know how to go about looking for a job and securing it. It seems that many think that the only way is to look on the internet. You can buy anything through E-Bay or Amazon, you can find out about anything through Google, but you can’t find a job so simply. This book will show you what you have to do and how to do it. It isn’t a magic formula that will give you a job. You have to work for it. Put the work in and you’ll get that job, money and self-respect. Remember! Getting that job is a full time job itself.
Redundancy, downsizing, cut backs, inflation, devaluation and internet shopping are all terms that have connotations for everyone but strike fear into the hearts of many workers because it could mean that they lose their job. The changes in society mean that a job for life has completely disappeared even in banking and national and local government. So we now have lifetime learning and often the need to re-train for jobs. This does lead to problems where you might train up for the type of work you’d like to do then can’t get a job in that sector so you go back and re-train for something else. And even when you get a job you don’t know how long it will last. Some companies just have short contracts that they keep renewing so there is so is no security there. Others just offer part-time jobs so you’ll not earn enough to live or you’ll have to take two jobs just to get a full-time wage. And some companies such as Amazon actually cut shifts when the staff arrive. So you get up early to start at say 5 o’clock and when you get inside and change into your boots then you’re told that there’s no shift. Companies go bust and the first thing the staff know is when they read it in the paper, see it on Facebook or go to work and find the doors locked.
Only buy this book if you are not afraid to take action. Too many people but programmes and never implement the ideas.
Back in the saddle with lots to talk about over the next few weeks.
Last year I started preparing my e-course "The 42 Day Challenge To Get a Job" Well I did move away from this project but am now back finishing it off.
And now I'm determined to finish this and get it out there for anyone who wants a workable plan that will help them get a job. There are still many people out of work but much more urgent is the number of people in a part-time job trying to exist.
The government unemployment figures are massaged to look good. Many
groups of people who were once included as unemployed are now not included but
worse, far worse is they count you as being employed whether you work full time
or are on a Zero Hour contract. Is this fair? Should they count part time jobs
as half jobs. It looks as if everyone is being paid for a full days work but
the reality is that many people aren’t earning much and are on the poverty
line.
If you are working voluntary or part time but want a full time job then
this book is for you. You are on the first rung of the ladder. You can do
better.
Beware of government unemployment figures but don’t worry too much about
them. You must only be concerned about you and your job. The job that is
waiting for you right now.
One of the very worse job deals is a “Zero Hours” contract. Yes folks.
If you are working and they think they are overstaffed they can tell you to go
home right away. If you are doing regular work of say 16 hours a week don’t
expect this to continue. You may suddenly find you get no work for a week or
two. And this is legal!!! But the good news is that this will come to an end
soon. The government have promised (what! You don’t believe the government!).
The big problem is that you have commitments. You lose benefits because
you are doing regular work and you become complacent. You think “I’ll soon be
back on track again. I’ll be able to pay off those debts and get the water and
electricity paid. Then bingo! It all stops. Sometimes there is no work but the
hours should be distributed equally between all workers. In reality in many
businesses there are favourites who always seem to get more hours or better
shifts. That my friends is life.
So watch out for this exciting project. If you want a better job this can really help you. This is full of projects you can do to help yourself. Help you gain confidence, write a CV, be good in an interview, get motivated and have an Action Plan that you write for yours.
TOUGH TIMES
It is tough out there right now. We are constantly being told that things are getting better but have you found it easier? We read that the UK is now producing more than before the long recession was made official. I do find this difficult to believe. One major problem is that there are people making money out there but the gap between the Haves and HaveNots is widening all the time.
You can see it when you walk around town. Prices are dropping. People are carrying less shopping bags. More shops are being boarded up. And there is a growth in Betting Shops, Money Shops and Pawn Brokers. It's like going back to the Thirties.
One street in Swansea. On the left Bookies and Money Shops: on the right a whole block of shops empty.
I see that Swansea Council last week proclaimed their new project "To make the City a vibrant exciting place". Some way to go. If you live in the city have you been asked for your views.
What do you think? Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
On a more cheerful note we have fantastic beaches, a First Division Football Team, busy theatres such as the Grand, Dylan Thomas and Taliesin all staging a variety of performances. And in addition there are the outdoor performances. We have the superb LC with a variety of pools and other facilities, the Marina, the Dylan Thomas centenary celebrations, the Waterfront Wales National Museum, Swansea museum and the very interesting 1940 museum (if you haven't been then I highly recommend it). The two multi-screen cinemas, a variety of pubs and eating places. There are events weekly including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Race this weekend at Mumbles. There are sporting events at the University and the new campus is growing at a fast pace.
And views to live for. Not just the panoramic view across the Bay but the fantastic flower display, both as in this photo but also the hanging baskets.
I was at the Cenotaph on 4th August to take some video to commemorate the centenary of the start of World War One and was surprised and pleased to see the poppies. There are wild poppies sown and grown across the city, seeds given out by the local authority.
And whilst writing about the First World War there is an interesting exhibition at Swansea Museum including a life-like trench which you can walk through. Take the kids, they'll find it interesting and it might give you an opportunity to tell them about this catastrophic event that left over 900,000 Allied soldiers dead and hundreds of thousands of other seriously wounded. THis war has had serious consequences for the world ever since and I believe we are still suffering as a consequence. We went in as a world dominant Empire and came out as a debt ridden country.
Hope you've enjoyed. Look out for the 42 Day Challenge. And watch out for more.
Celebrating the excellence and innovation from across Swansea Bay’s tourism, leisure and hospitality industry…
Last Thursday night the Winning & Highly Commended businesses of the 2012 Swansea Bay Tourism Awards were announced at a prestigious and glitzy awards ceremony and dinner at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea.
The evening was well attended with over 430 people from the finest tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses in Swansea Bay, celebrating their success since the last awards in 2010; guests included Steve Webb, Director of Visit Wales, both the Mayors’ and Leaders’ of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, the Regional Tourism Partnership, ‘so many to mention!…
Becoming a finalist and then becoming a WINNER or highly commended business is one of the proudest moments for any business – demonstrating commitment and dedication.
A complete list of the Highly Commended and Winning business is below or can be found on the awards websitewww.swanseabaytourismawards.co.uk.
Congratulations to all who took part!!
Photos from the awards can be found on the Facebook page of All About The Image –click here. For those of you that don't have a Facebook account, photos will be on the Swansea Bay Tourism Awards Website later in the week - www.swanseabaytourismawards.co.uk.
And of course SwanTV were there to capture the moment so watch out for the video coming up on our new website. We are anxiously seeking university students to direct, be camera-men, edit and produce material. So if you want the experience just get in touch at ask@swantv.com
