The original version of “on being” was a web log that came out of an intrigue with the "blogging" phenomenon. I wanted to learn more about this/them/it. I signed up for a "Blogging Basics" class with HWG/IWA (the HTML Writers Guild / International Webmasters Association) and through the short and rather intense (in surprising ways) course (which I highly recommend for anyone so inclined), I began to set up a web log.

Not a fan of lingo, not a consumer of information in whichever form "I" would have it, still not successful with blogging software that makes it all ‘easier’, I am definitely a fan of voice and will admit to being a little hooked by it all.

And who am I? Well… I suppose as is true for most of us, I am a bunch of different things to a bunch of different people. I am a mom to and of two beautiful children. I am a daughter to/of two inspiring people I have the pleasure of calling my parents. I am the foodgiver and ear-scratcher of four four-legged beings and one two-winged one (whose ears are tough to scratch but who loves to ‘talk’ :o) with whom we share our home. I am a recent-now-ex-colleague to/of some great people at the place I called "work" for over two decades. And, I hope that I am a good friend to the people I hold close. (And, yes, I am also an "ex" partner to some but will avoid qualifying any of us with respect to that beyond saying that I bet we could have done that better :o) My name is Ines Hardtke. Although I pronounce this in the way my parents gave it to me, most don’t :o) but I continue to try to be "her", "me" as best I am able anyway (and any way). (And, no, I don’t always find doing this obvious.)

I was born in Bonn, Germany, grew up in a small town outside of Ottawa in Ontario and now live in a larger town outside of Montreal in Quebec. Yes, the latter two places are in Canada although some of the folks around me now would rather it not be this way.

I studied "formally" for a bunch of years — too many and not enough — and have degrees in science (from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario) and math (from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario). I also went for a short while to the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto, Ontario and oh so very much enjoyed that. Too.

My passion is the expression of life, in all forms. So, beyond what this means for my family and friends, you can see some of where this has lead me at my web site Created Expression (and you can get to some of the rest from there :o)

Implicit to everything I do and am is my profound belief that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and I guess I live by sort of two mantras… “If you’re going to do something, you may as well ‘do it’.” and “At least leave things as they were before you, at best make them better for your having passed there.” In other words, I try to remember to show up for my life and I try to remember to bring along my “best” intentions. It is indeed always up to us what we choose to do (or not do :o) with and about anything.

I never have enough time. I look forward to resting at night and I can’t wait to get up in the mornings. I have the good fortune of knowing good health and a loving, caring, supportive context. Particularly given this, I believe that we — collectively — can all be "more" and I certainly hope that we, in the majority, are trying to so be. (And, yes, I write that despite the few, very small people currently weilding mighty big guns and because of the many Great people who are weilding their hearts, intelligence and abilities to much better ends.) I dream of a world that is compassionate and inclusive and one in which we are all able to do an honest and good day’s work that has meaning and pleasure for all of us and each of us. Yes.

So… if anything inspires or incites you to want to comment or respond or add or, or, or… please do. Although I’m sort of getting used to sending stuff out into the ether, it is lovely when someone answers :o)