Raul’s Year in Review (Social Media): July – December 2010

I don’t really have the time for a responsibly good recap of what my year looked like, so quick highlights include:

July 2010

- Isabella and I organized again Mental Health Camp Vancouver 2010, and helped with suggestions and feedback to Mental Health Camp Toronto. We were attacked online (as were some of the speakers) but as I said before, I would do it again. Stigma around mental health is still enormous and if MHC helped at least one person, I’m happy enough. If you want to read what I went through that month you can click here.

August 2010

- I made a conscious decision to cover Pride Vancouver 2010 (given that my blog is considered fairly mainstream, and that I feel a responsibility to the community) as well as the Vancouver Queer Film Festival (and I gave away tickets too. I met some fantastic folks in the GLBT community in Vancouver, without forgetting any I hope, the kids at V-Rag Magazine (Skipp and Cole), Homorazzi (Patrick and Tyrell), GayVancouver.net (Mark and David), Sean Horlor (Xtra West), Jay (who did the tweeting for VQFF), Brian Webb, and many more. I felt incredibly honored to share this time with all of these folks. Plus I got to be on the CiTR float thanks to Caroline McGillivray.

- I also covered and sponsored as media the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (thanks Veronica Heringer). I had been disconnected from the Latin American community and 2010 was the year when I reconnected. And very glad and proud I did.

- I was invited to the exclusive VIP reception for the end of filming Conviction Kitchen (thanks Alex Lee-Behan and Janis Behan). And of course I got to chat with several local Vancouver TV and film stars, including Sebastian Spence. And to hang out with my friends Erin Ireland and Dawn Chubai.

September 2010

- In addition to being the most important month of the year (it’s my birthday on the 19th), it was a fantastic month because for the first time, my birthday trended on Twitter in Canada (also, there were hundreds and hundreds of birthday wishes). It was very heartwarming.

- I got to be a Living Book at UBC, which was great. I got to showcase all of my facets. And the invite got to me not because I’m a faculty member at UBC, but because I’m popular on social media platforms. Go me.

- I also wrote a “this is what I accomplished in the past 12 months” post which was incomplete, because there’s always something I forgot to write.

October 2010

- I gave an actual academic talk on social networking and environmental transnational movements at Social Media Camp Victoria 2010. The reception was great and I’ve been asked to get involved with SMCV2011 so we’ll see what I’ll be speaking about in the 2011. What would you like me to talk about?

November 2010

- Along with a few other social media folks, I gave a speed-dating round series of short talks on Social Media 101 which were incredibly well received. I’m always flattered when people tell me that they look up to me for social media advice. Not because I am self-absorbed, but because it means that folks find my teachings useful. And I’m an educator, first and foremost. I do this for a living. Not social media, but educating people. So, that’s why I am so happy my insights are valuable.

- I spoke at WordCamp Fraser Valley 2010 on Building an Online Community. I organized a panel with the same topic at the Vancouver Blogger Meetup for November 2010 and I am grateful to my speakers Rebecca Bollwitt, Arieanna Schweber and Robert Ballantyne for sharing their insight. My own tips for building an online community are here.

- I considered shutting down Hummingbird604.com earlier in the year, but after careful consideration and assessment of my time, I decided to keep working on it. As I said, I wake up at 4:45am so that I can have a full time academic career with a full time teaching, research, consulting and social media life. And it’s challenging but I will manage in the 2011.

December 2010

I disconnected myself from the online realm for about a week in order to focus on writing my academic book, but I’ve continued to check Twitter occasionally. More importantly, this year I gave two workshops on social media in education and social media in academic research and reflected on something that allowed me to realize that any project I take on about social media will be in the non-profit, health/environment, public policy and politics and higher education realms. I will probably redirect any requests for projects that are not associated there to the appropriate consultants.

I also continue to be interested in speaking on topics of social media, technology in education, politics and public policy. It’ll be an interesting year. I’m sure I’ll get asked to speak more, but I’ll make my decisions and choices as to when/where to speak.

In short, 2010 has been an amazing year. And I’m grateful to all of you who day after day continue to read Hummingbird604.com. It’s because of you that I didn’t shut down my blog.

I love this photo of me. It shows a mirror reflecting my image. And as I reflect on what the year has been in social media, I come back to the same thought: I’m in social media because I love building communities, and I’m good at it, not because I’m in love with myself. Trying to shut down my blog or my Twitter account would probably leave behind a big void, one I don’t have any interest in having. I prefer to work hard and schedule my time in order to maintain some degree of sanity.

May people stop requesting “please follow me”, sending automated direct messages, stop the passive-aggressive tweets and then having to eat their own words, and eschew drama. May the snake-oil social media salespeople stop doing that.

Here is a toast to 2011.