Holiday greetings: the multi-part e-mail saga

It is a real treat to receive a holiday greeting that clearly shows the effort put into creating it. From conception of the greeting to delivery, the sender goes through a multi-step process:

1. what do we want to share? message, photo, music, art, story, video
2. how do we want to create or package it? online format (PDF, e-mail, jpg, mp3, mp4) or offline (hard copy)
3. how do we want to send it? e-mail, web page, youtube, post
4. who do we send it to? mailing list

We go through the same 4-step process in our line of work: arranging concerts.

1. what do we have to offer?  the programme, the repertoire
2. in what format do we want to deliver it? concert, lecture recital, master class, workshop, individual lessons
3. how do we want to publicise it? posters, e-mails, snail mail, website, social media network (Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter)
4. who do we send it to? mailing list, people who have not received our emails or attended our events before

There are innovative ways to imprint your own ideas in each step.

In the past two days, I received a 6-part e-mail with photo attachments from a classmate I haven’t seen in since high school. Karen is one of the few people I know who has managed to create a satisfying career from family life. Besides being the wife of a medical doctor, she has also home schooled her kids. Home schooling requires that a parent take on an additional role as teacher. I’m guessing that it can be very challenging but also rewarding at the same time.

Karen introduced her five children in her 6-part e-mail in a way that made me want to meet them in person. The good news is — they will be coming to Maui in April.

Her life is a contrast from that of two other friends in Singapore. Both have five kids also but not home schooled. One is a stay-at-home mother. The other is a full-time career woman. I need to catch up with them to see how they are.

I suppose this blog is like a multi-part e-mail. I don’t seem to be running out of things to say. I do want to end the “holiday greetings” posts so that I can start blogging about how to organise a concert tour.