Goodbye Mikhael Gorbachev

August 31, 2022
by Rodney Olsen
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The former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev has died at the age of 91.

Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended the Cold War without bloodshed but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union, has died aged 91, Russian hospital officials say.

The Central Clinical Hospital said in a statement that Mr Gorbachev died after a long illness. No other details were given.

Mr Gorbachev’s office said earlier that he was undergoing treatment in hospital. – ABC News

I once shared a stage with Mr Gorbachev.

When I say ‘shared a stage’ what I really mean is that we were both on the same stage at the same time. Gorbachev was speaking to an audience and I was carrying his cup of tea.

It was May 1999 and the World Masters of Business was at the Burswood Dome in Perth. Some friends were staging the event and so I not only recorded all the voiceovers to introduce the guests, I got to be the stage manager on the day.

One of the things Mr Gorbachev requested was that he would have a very hot cup of tea placed on a table off to the side of his lectern.

At the last minute we realised that the cup of tea quite wasn’t ready so there was a lot of frantic activity to get it made and to a small table to the side of the main presentation area of the stage. It was essentially a storm in a tea cup.

By the time the tea was ready, my voice was already booming through the venue to introduce Mr Gorbachev to the stage so I couldn’t walk on and place it in full view of a crowd expecting to see a world leader appear.

We decided the best option was to let the introduction run, let him walk on stage and then while the attention was on him, I would quickly follow, put the cup on the table, then get off as quickly as possible.

It all went to plan and Mikhail Gorbachev was warmly welcomed.

He never drank the tea.



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Wendy Cunningham – What if You’re Wrong?

February 3, 2022
by Rodney Olsen
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Wendy Cunningham is all about gaining perspective and looking more deeply at not only the ideas and beliefs that we hold but where those ideas and beliefs are formed.

Wendy is a wife, an author, an entrepreneur, and a homeschool mom of three. She also hosts the Gaining My Perspective podast. Her current book, What if You’re Wrong? explores a massive change in her own thinking.

As an atheist who critically thought her way to faith, Wendy Cunningham believes it’s important to evaluate where our beliefs about God come from as we consider where we might be mistaken. This is Wendy’s first solo book project—she co-authored the book Success Through Failing—but she’s been a writer for more than twenty years.

It was my pleasure to welcome her to my podcast Bleeding Daylight recently. You can hear our conversation on Bleeding Daylight, wherever you listen to podcasts, or click the play button on the audio player below.



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Kim Sorrelle – What is Love?

January 24, 2022
by Rodney Olsen
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Kim Sorrelle is an entrepreneur and the director of a humanitarian organization. She splits her time between her home in Michigan and the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

In a world that uses the word ‘love’ to describe our connection to everything from people close to us to our favourite food or TV show, Kim decided to look more deeply into what love truly means. Her book, ‘Love Is’ tells the story of her year-long experiment of truly living out love.

The minute you want something in return for your love, it is no longer love. It is something that you’re doing because there’s something that’s in it for you.

Kim is my guest on this week’s episode of my podcast, Bleeding Daylight.

You can hear her story wherever you find podcasts or click play on the audio player below.



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Three Minutes to Change the World

December 16, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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Can you spare me three minutes to watch this video?

I don’t know what goals you have for 2022 but mine are fairly huge. I want to invite you into those goals.

Once you’ve watched the video, if you want to accept that invitation, you can follow this link.



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What if they say, no?

September 9, 2021
by Rodney Olsen
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It’s R U OK? Day. It’s the day that we’re encouraged to ask friends, family and colleagues if they’re OK. It’s an acknowledgement that a conversation could change a life.

Of course we’re encouraged to ask the question more than just once a year and this year we’re being asked to dig a little deeper to ask if others are ‘really’ OK.

I wonder though, how would you react if someone you asked admitted that they weren’t really OK. What if you asked if they were OK and they said, no? Would you know how to help or at least walk with them towards some kind of help?

Do you know how the people in your world are really going?

Life’s ups and downs happen to all of us. So chances are someone you know might be struggling. Your genuine support can make a difference whatever they are facing, big or small.

So, don’t wait until someone’s visibly distressed or in crisis. Make a moment meaningful and ask them how they’re really going.

Are they really OK? Ask them today. Your conversation could change a life.

Thankfully, the R U OK? website has resources to help you have those conversations.

Asking others if they’re OK should be a year-round conversation. I’m grateful for a particular friend who often digs a little deeper beyond the ‘how’re you going?’ kind of conversation. While I haven’t had cause to share any deep pain with this friend, his questions let me know that if I’m in trouble, I’ll have somewhere to turn.

Do you know how to ask someone if they’re doing OK? Do you know how to check on their mental health and then be the support they need today and throughout the year? Maybe the best thing you can do for those close to you on R U OK? Day is to visit the R U OK? website and learn how to ask and where to go from there.



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