Happy Labo(u)r Day! Celebrate work by taking a holiday!
Here are two snippets to contemplate on your day off and even tomorrow, when you return to regular September life.
First, in the U.S., people out in the boat should be wearing PFDs--personal flotation devices. I have heard these things called "life vests" and "life jackets" south of the border.
I've also heard them called PDFs, as a joke, in reference to the computer file, and let me just say, you do so at your peril. It's one of those things that you say so often that it becomes what you really say and then you sound truly ignorant instead of just jokingly ignorant.
Anyway. In Canada, the same things (not the computer files) are called "life preservers," at least in the popular media. This is one of those things my mother used to say that we all thought was "weird" but turned out to be Canadian. Like pronouncing pasta "pass-ta" instead of "pah-sta."
Second, in the U.S. organizations send out "press releases," or "media releases" if the PR person works in the Web 2.0 world. Small businesses, large businesses, nonprofit organizations, run-to-cure-cancer organizations, you name it--they're all sending out media releases. Because they're trying to be news.
In Canada, nonprofit organizations release PSAs--public service announcements. Obviously, the U.S. has PSAs too, but mostly on commercial TV. Remember "This is your brain on drugs?" That was a PSA in the U.S.
But here, PSAs are the norm for nonprofits. Because putting out information about nonprofit organizations is viewed differently by the media, apparently. Still learning about the "why," because it's actually the "what" that's important to me.
And now, I'm going out in the boat and I will wear my PFD, because it's the one my sister left here and it's purple and teal and cute.
Here's to working!!
