Unflinchingly female
Catherine Deveny MAD Women July 29, 2011 saw ex-Age columnist, Catherine Deveny take to the stage in Mansfield. Larger than life comedian, writer and commentator, Catherine pulled no punches and we loved her funny and unflinching take on all things female. Some gems to remember: Our world is being controlled by dead men, i.e. lawmakers from hundreds of years ago. Isn’t it time we updated? Is anyone really benefitting from the status quo? Where are the women? As you’re reading newspapers and watching TV, notice how few women are having a say....
read moreSex lives of sea creatures
Sheree’s unique approach to environmental ‘infotainment’ was both funny and inspiring. The MAD crowd was blown away by the beauty and diversity of sea life in our own Port Phillip Bay – we can expect a convoy of Mansfield families heading down to Rye next summer to snorkel around Sheree’s Octopuses’ Garden, Victoria’s first snorkelling trail.
read moreWhy writing for business lights me up
When a client says to me ‘you nailed it’ I know I have been able to translate their (or their organisation’s) personality, ideas and offer into words that resonate with their audience and generate new possibilities for everyone involved. That is intensely satisfying for me – and for them.
read moreA man is not a plan
March 9 2012 Australia’s legendary feminist Anne Summers visited MAD Women with worrying news: our economic security is getting worse, not better, and the gender gap is widening.Gender-Equality-Stats-2009 Lively discussion at this event seemed to run aground on the issue of stay at home mums Vs staying in the workforce. To me it’s not either/or but rather what we can do to ensure women are INDEPENDENTLY financially secure throughout their lives, whatever choices they make. It’s clearly confronting to consider what would happen if hubby...
read moreQuality is an amazing tool
I just helped a client breeze through the Quality Assurance ISO 9001:2008 accreditation process by documenting their Quality Management System according to the International Standard. These guys had been handballing this job around the organisation for 2 years. With my help they coasted through the Stage 1 Audit with only very minor adjustments required before the Final Audit. QA addresses the principles and processes around the design, development and delivery of any product or service. I love it that the whole process is focused on the end...
read moreWhy women’s issues still matter
CELEBRATED feminist Dr Anne Summers will be catching up with Mansfield and district (MAD) Women for International Women’s Day at Highton Manor on Friday 9 March. EVER WONDERED WHY WE STILL NEED TO FOCUS ON WOMEN’S ISSUES? Statistically women in Australia are going backwards – losing ground in the workplace, politics and health. Why is this happening? Does it matter? How can we help? Anne Summers discusses the social, economic and political issues effecting women with astounding intelligence and clarity. Her personal journey is equally...
read moreTiming is everything
What a week it’s been: MAD Women tickets selling slowly, looking at absorbing quite a loss on the Anne Summers night (note to self, pre-xmas is a difficult time to sell tickets) then this morning Anne offered to come for International Women’s Day next year instead. Apart from the disappointment (I have been very much looking forward to this Friday) WHAT AN AMAZING OFFER – quite a coup for Mansfield to have Australia’s leading feminist here to celebrate International Women’s Day! In Anne’s words: “It seems that’s what the goddess has in mind...
read moreCandles and elephants
I just spent an hour showing my Scottish friend, client and business associate Eileen Conway of Conway Alliance how to add posts and edit pages on her own WordPress site. It took candles and a lucky elephant beside the mouse to keep her calm and focused. Not so long ago I was in her shoes, negative self talk drowning out all rational thought – I’m too old to learn, this is too hard, too confusing, I’ll wreck the site… But I battled on and pretty quickly the penny dropped. Never give up! Website management is not as hard as it...
read moreRecycling words
RECYCLING is a well established practice in our lives – paper, aluminium, glass, green waste, clothes. But have you thought of recycling words? ‘Re-purposing copy’ is the industry jargon. Article marketers do it all the time. They chop up and mix articles to create new articles to multiply your content and links across the web. When it’s done without integrity it’s pretty trashy – the articles created have little use or meaning beyond generating backlinks for your website. But when ORIGINAL COPY is written to reflect your...
read moreDeveny tickets selling fast
MAD Women events are held in Mansfield every few months, profiling entertaining and inspirational women who are sticking their necks out to make a difference in their own lives and others. It’s a chance to get out and meet like-minded women and, of course, have a good laugh. On July 29 2011 we’ll be welcoming Catherine Deveny. Comedy writer, comedian, author, social commentator and broadcaster, Deveny is perhaps best known for her work as a columnist with The Age newspaper and the ABC’s The Drum. She also has an impressive list of TV credits...
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