Ellen Dykes to teach Contra Dancing

Stacey and I know some truly lovely folks, and Ellen Dykes is one of the loveliest. When I first met Ellen at a brief gig working for a theatre, I knew that smiles as bright and kind as hers were rare, and decided that I had to get to know this pleasant new girl. Genuinely kindhearted, her friendliness is matched by sharp intelligence and a ridiculously intoxicating sense of fun. This is definitely *the* girl to go dancing with. An accomplished graphic designer and recent graduate of the visual communication design program at South Carolina's Winthrop University, Ellen has lived in Toronto for almost a year and we hope she will soon make Canada her permanent home! 

Prior to our Decision Making skill swap at the White House this Thursday, she responds to some of our questions about how she makes decisions here:

TT - Do you consider yourself a good decision maker? 

ED - I would say no, unfortunately I am a terrible decision-maker. I like to consider possibilities from all angles, get lots of advice, and I tend to agonize over decisions big and small, from "what should I do with my life" to "what should I eat for lunch?"

TT - What decision making strategies do you use? 

ED - I am a big fan of pro-and-con lists, so I can get the list of possible outcomes out of my head and onto paper and see everything visually. I also seek advice from lots of different people, which helps me see things from other perspectives.

TT - What is the hardest decision you've ever made? 

ED - Right now I am a typical 20-something struggling with what to with the next chapter of my life...

TT - What's your favourite tool of the undecided: Rock paper scissors, Eenie Meenie Minie Moe, or a coin toss? 

ED - Eenie Meenie Minie Moe is always fun!

TT - And finally - Heads or tails? 

ED - Tails!

Thanks Ellen, we are looking forward to contra dancing with you on Thursday!