First of many (I’m sure) “driveby shootings” (mobile video shoots, that is), courtesy of the http://XShotPix.com team!

I’m reviewing the “Pocket XShot” (http://xshotpix.com/iphone4case.php) and “XShot iPhone 4 Case” (http://xshotpix.com/pocketxshot.php) just received in the mail, and this video shows my initial reactions to it. Will be sharing a formal review shortly.

Thoughts and feedback? Could you see yourself using these products?

For those who don’t know, I live in Canada. Today, Oct 12th, is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. I’ve just returned from our 3rd turkey dinner this weekend. As you can imagine, I’m all turkeyed out, but thankful for the wonderful hospitality and company of friends and family.

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In light of this festive season, I’d like to share what I’m thankful for that has transpired over the last 12-18 months. I’ve organized my 12 items of thanks into the acronym – T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G.

For my American friends, your Thanksgiving holiday comes around next month. This activity of pondering what blessings you’ve received this past year will be time well spent. Join me in counting your blessings?

For my European and Asian friends, we can be thankful and count our blessings without a holiday to remind us, don’t we? You can try this activity too!

Here’s a quote I’ve come across recently…

“We tend to forget happiness doesn’t come from getting something we don’t have,
but rather recognizing and appreciating what we do have”

T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G.

Teaching my 11 year old son how to create YouTube videos and recently, how to setup and publish to his first WordPress.com blog. My son is an avid gamer and I’m proud to witness his passion expressed in creating video and blogging about it.

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Hiring my personal assistant, Christina, in late 2008, who has been instrumental in saving me time and my sanity with her “mad skillz” in client and project management. I treasure her friendship and how she makes me look good! Thanks C!

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Appreciate “being alive” after my emergency flight home from a business conference. I’m thankful for this experience as it has given me a strong reminder of what really matters and to be “alive in the NOW”, not to live in the past or too far into the future.

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Navigated work/life balance where Sarah and I consistently safeguard our weekly dates and time together. In addition, we cherish time-away with our children and I always look forward to our family trips.

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Kept my “Huddle” live video show running for more than 50 episodes, with positive reviews and a loyal following. I paused the show during this past summer to take a break and unsure how or when the Huddle will return.

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Spoke at 2 Family Life 1-Day Marriage Conferences with Sarah twice this year. It’s always satisfying to speak on stage with Sarah, sharing our challenges and victory stories with other couples. It’s interesting to observe couples who’ve been married for 3 years or 30 years share the same relational challenges, and gratifying when they walk away with value and strategies to grow their relationship.

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Generated new business via my Huddle, trusted business colleagues and ventures, speaking engagements and other creative marketing strategies. I’m thankful for my clients and proud to work with a group of good people who have trusted me to help them breakthrough to new heights and results.

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Invited to be MC at my sister’s wedding in Whistler this past September and it was the best MC job I ever performed (even though I’ve only MC’d 1 wedding before!). It was a gorgeous wedding and reception, and I’m thrilled to add more super-cool family members to the mix!

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Visited fashion-forward Montreal and peaceful Parksville, BC as these were locations for our marriage conferences. Sarah and I had a brilliant time enjoying local sights and meeting new people from those areas.

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Increased my tennis game play this year, not as often as I’d like to, but still an increase over the last year.

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Nurtured new friendships this year in business and also personally. It’s rare that Sarah and I will find a couple where both of us get along with both guy and gal, and we’re thrilled to have developed new friendships this year.

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God’s blessings of grace, miracles and open doors. We’re humbled by the ups and downs in our journey, but we’re thrilled to witness so many miracles and opportunities revealed to us this year.

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There’s my T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G list of gratitude.

Why not take 5-10 minutes to ponder what blessings you’ve received this past year to “recognize and appreciate what you do have”?

If you’re game, I’d appreciate any feedback or what you’re thankful for in the comments below

I’m still constantly reminded of how blessed I am to have a second chance. What flashes through my mind? My recent emergency flight scare.

In fact, I welcome it. It reminds me of how precious “this” moment is. And it motivates me to treasure and appreciate my wife, Sarah, and my children – right now, this moment.

If you are living with a second chance, how has it been for you?

If you haven’t, piggy-back on my experience, and start fresh this moment.

To Us & Second Chances…

Our Air Canada AC161 plane nose dived to 10,000 feet in a hurry.

“F**k me!” exclaimed Norm, the neighbour to my right. He’s Daddy to a 6-week old baby boy. Our previous conversation revealed baby and Mommy stayed back in Toronto for a couple more weeks but Norm had to get back to work.

Just moments before, everything was normal for the 220 passengers on board. No turbulence. No drama.

The peaceful drone of our Toronto to Vancouver flight was punctured by a loud bang and the opening of our overhead compartments, exploding oxygen masks through the ‘flood gates’ holding them back from years of neglect, now dangling right in front of our confused faces.

The pilot – in his professional but hurried tone – pierced our confusion with alarming news over the loud speakers, ”We’re experiencing loss of cabin pressure. We need everyone to be seated and buckled. Please put on your oxygen masks now…”

He informed us that the plane needed to make an emergency descent down to 10,000 feet as soon as possible, and a few other details I failed to catch due to the commotion of seat belts buckling and nervous muttering from passengers throughout the cabin.

Looking to my right, Norm wrangled the oxygen mask over his face. I followed suit. Looking past him, I saw a concerned Mother, deep-tanned from her vacation, assisting her 2 young children with their oxygen masks. The other passengers, now adorning their own masks and tightening seat belts, looked around the cabin, perplexed.

Passengers in shock and disbelief held on with nervous anticipation as the plane performed its steep descent. The emergency door seals in the back of the plane had loosened and caved to loud wind noise pushing its way into the cabin.

The passengers were surprisingly quiet. No one was screaming or freaking out, not aloud anyways. It could have been our response to the shocking reality of our situation.

“It’s like a scene in the movies…”, I thought to myself.

“Is there anything in my carry-on that I need?“, my thoughts ramble on. How silly. Like anything could matter at this time.

“Am I ready? Is this it?“, as flittering images of my Sarah and our children flash through my mind.

NO. Damn it. I hated admitting to myself I wasn’t ready to go. It can’t be, not now. I want to see Sarah and the kids again. I had one more connecting flight before savoring the embrace of my wife of 14 years and the delightful hugs of our two children. We were starting a one-week vacation together as soon as I arrived from my weekend conference in Atlanta.

Norm’s sniffing interrupted my thoughts. His oxygen mask was off his face and he sniffed the air, curiously.

Interrupting the smooth flow of oxygen to my system, I lifted my mask to sniff the air too.

“Fumes!”, I blurted.

Squishing my face on the window to my left, I squinted my eyes at the wing to hunt for any fire dangers or blown engines. All safe here. Norm and I figured the fumes exited from the much neglected oxygen masks compartment.

The pilot burst through the speaker system again.

“We’re requesting everyone stay seated and buckled. We apologize we cannot make it to Vancouver and have to make an emergency landing in Winnipeg. Ground crews will inspect the plane there. Emergency vehicles will be on the tarmac awaiting but just as a precaution.”

Minutes passed, and finally, we could feel the touchdown onto the Winnipeg tarmac about to unfold. We’re coming in fast…

Rubbing my hands on my jeans, clammy from nervousness, I was glued to the view outside my window. “God, help us!”, I prayed.

I’ve never been so thrilled to hear tires kissing the tarmac…Screech…Bump…Whurrrr…TOUCHDOWN!!

We’re safe! We made it! Thank you, God, we made it! I joined the other passengers in clapping and cheering for joy.

“Can I kiss the ground now?”, I asked Norm jokingly.

Speed-dialing Sarah, I shared the good news of our safe landing with her. It felt good to hear her voice again.

“Thank you… thank you… thank you…”, I repeated to the flight attendants and pilot – who seemed quite shook up after this ordeal – and shook their hands with deep appreciation as I walked off AC161 with the other 220 passengers, blessed to be alive to see another day.

It would take another 6 hours before another plane and crew could be ready to fly us out of Winnipeg. Our midnight flight flew with many exhausted passengers to Vancouver, many happy to be back home. My connecting flight to Kelowna early the next morning only gave me 3 hours shut eye. It didn’t matter. I really missed Sarah and wanted to hold her in my arms again.

Upon arrival in the Kelowna Airport, I raced to meet Sarah. We embraced, kissed, and shared tears of joy. I savored the warmth of her embrace, and the thrill of kissing my lady once again. Hand in hand, we walked out of the airport to be greeted by the bright morning sun, fresh air, and a new day.

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Have you (or do you know someone who has) lived through a terrifying life-and-death experience? How did the experience impact you (or them)? How do you (or they) approach life, family, friends, work and pleasure now?

During the one snow fall this Christmas 2007 before it quickly melted away the next day, my family took advantage of this time to sled down a little neighbourhood hill, along with other families in the area. Lots of fun!

Hi friends, over this past weekend, Sarah (my wife) was at a retreat, and I was left at home to be Mr. Mom. Missing my wife terribly along with playing card and board games with my children gave me an insight.

It dawned on me that I take my most precious treasures – my family, my health, my journey – often times for granted.

That’s when an idea struck – and this video is the result of it. If you’re familiar with what I produce, this is a departure from the style of videos you’re used to seeing on this blog. This video is the path less traveled for me. It’s not about new media training. It’s not about creating a personal family video.

It’s one for you.

And for me, as a reminder to remember and reflect. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it. I would love to hear your thoughts & feedback at AreYouThankful.com. Thank you.