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In the House festival – Halloween 2011

jessica — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:30:24 +0000

In the House Festival 2011: Halloween Haunted House and Ball

This year, why not check out an alternative Halloween event in contrast to the usual horror antics, sexy costumes, and candy? In the House Festival is all about that: this year’s theme, “Faerieland.” A whimsical approach of faeries and goblins is the theme, but an underlying tone of environmental impact is the entire idea. The faeries are angry at humans for destroying their environment, and the hour-long presentation will explain more with over 30 performers.

The setup is A) a haunted house with nightly tours, and B) a kick-off party on October 1^st.

The House of Faerie Bad Things includes 8 nightly tours through 13 faerie environments with 30 diffferent performers. The tours of 15 people are an intimate way to explore the setup and learn the ideas and concepts of the cause.

Photo Credit: Jay Wilson via Flickr

The Faerie Ball is a dress-up party with the theme of Faerieland. Live performances, fantastical and fictional creatures. Should be a lot of fun. For tickets, to book a tour, or any additional info, check out http://www.inthehousefestival.com/

Hummingbird604.com will also be doing a giveaway for a pair of tickets to the Faerie Ball on October 1st. To enter, comment on what you plan on dressing as on Halloween this year! Or tweet the following (you can earn up to 2 entries, one via comment 1 via Twitter):

Told @hummingbird604 about my Halloween costume this yr 2 enter 2 win tickets to In the House Faerie Ball. Enter here http://is.gd/Vyn2XT

We will draw a winner on September 30th at 5pm, and publish on this post. Good luck!

Charlie’s Angels (2011: Angel with a Broken Wing. Episode 1 review)

Raul — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:45:44 +0000

That I am a fan of Charlie’s Angels is no secret to anyone, but the most amazing thing is that I actually like this re-imagination of the iconic 70′s show. In this version, after a successful rescue, the Angels (Abby and Kate) are faced with the loss of one of their original members (Gloria) who is killed by a villain that shares some dark secrets with Gloria’s cousin, Eve. Much along the lines of Executive Producer Drew Barrymore’s previous incarnations of Charlie’s Angels, this version isn’t excessively gory. Although, contrary to the Barrymore-produced Charlie’s Angels movies, in this TV show you will find gun-toting Angels.

I did not expect the show to have an extremely thoughtful, articulate dramatic saga. It’s Charlie’s Angels, after all. Minka Kelly (Eve) is excellent as the somewhat vulnerable Eve, a rogue street car-racer. Rachael Taylor (Abby) is brilliant as the blonde, physically-nimble-and-strong cat burglar. Kate (Annie Ilonzeh) is perfect as the former tough cop (fallen from grace) who is now one of the 3 Angels. And finally, a hot man personifies Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez). And this Bosley does not pull punches.

The first episode opens with a successful “mission accomplished” that goes nicely until Gloria’s car explodes. The rest of the episode (and season opener) deals with how Abby and Kate need to learn to trust Eve, and how Eve fights to put her demons to rest, and avenge Gloria’s death. For a show that is as campy as its original, Charlie’s Angels (the 2011 reinvention) doesn’t disappoint. I had a great time watching the premiere.

If you are in Canada, and specifically Vancouver you can catch Charlie’s Angels on CTV.

Freelance Camp Vancouver 2011 #604free

Raul — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 13:00:28 +0000

This is the placeholder for all hashtagged tweets with the #604free hashtag related to Freelance Camp Vancouver 2011.

FreelanceCamp Vancouver 2011

Vancouver Canadians (baseball)

Raul — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:45:51 +0000

When I was a child, I used to play baseball. But I really didn’t pay much attention to it simply because I was first drawn to basketball (my Dad’s sport and afterwards, my brother’s main sport) and then to volleyball (the sport I played at highly competitive levels) and tennis (which I still play). So when JT asked me if I’d like to see a Vancouver Canadians game, I totally said yes.

Seeing a baseball game live is one of those things that you need to do at the very least once in your lifetime. While I really didn’t understand very well how the game went (I had to remember what an inning was, when it was top of the inning and bottom of the inning, what a foul ball was, when it was a strike or a ball, etc.) Absolutely delightful.

The game JT and I witnessed was the 2-0 Vancouver Canadians win over the Tri-City Dust Devils. It was beautiful seeing how people sang the Chubby Chicken song, how everyone was so enthralled with the game. And of course, it was a lot of fun to see JT how excited he was with the game. Of course, he had to basically explain the game piece by piece, which was in and of itself fun.

And of course I had to take a photo with the mascot

Seeing a Vancouver Canadians game is a spectacle in and of itself, to be quite honest. It’s the whole deal: the cotton candy, the burger combos, the hotdogs, the 50/50 draw, the waves and the music. It’s one of those really fun, family or friends’ oriented, very clean, very “wholesome” activities that you can do either with a friend or a group of friends, with your children, or your parents if you are (like me) close to them.

Disclosure: JT paid for both of our tickets. I am neither obligated nor expected to write about the game, but it’s something that I love doing: promoting local sports teams. As always I retain full control over anything that is published on my site.

Anything Goes at Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) (Review and a Giveaway)

Anabelle — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:30:30 +0000

On Saturday August 6th, I had the chance to see the other show put on by Theater Under the Stars this summer, Anything Goes. It was my first time seeing a show at the Malkin Bowl and I enjoyed the experience. I took a new friend with me and we arrived just in time to grab a glass of wine and get our seats (which were great).

The staff was dressed in nautical style (pale blues and whites, sailor hats) and were friendly and helpful. We figured pretty quickly that the story would happen on a boat, sometime before the 2nd World War (more precisely, 1934); the decor evoked the Depression era with its subdued colors and block-ish design.

After the announcements to turn off cell phones and cameras, the band (I was pleasantly surprised by the presence of a live band) played an introduction song as the actors set up the stage for the first scene. The show started promptly and the public was swept away on a transatlantic trip from New York to London. I absolutely loved the different costumes, especially the women’s. They were right on period–if you’ve seen Chicago, it happens at about the same time. Silky evening gowns and white beachwear, all were equally well done. Reno’s dresses were my favourites.

Photo credit: Tim Matheson, used courtesy of Theatre Under the Stars

The story is pretty much what you’d expect from a musical comedy: love triangles, mistaken identities and mothers marrying off their daughters for access to money. The actors were all competent and enthusiastic; they always had a big smile on their faces as they changed the decor around for each scene. Their enthusiasm was contagious, too, because I left the show smiling and happy.

Despite the fact that this is the story of Billy and Hope, the character of Reno (played by sultry and excellent Irene Karas) really stood out for me. She is the master puppeteer of the story and she enjoys this role tremendously. Seth Little in the role of Lord Evelyn Oakleigh was fun and right on tone for the ridiculously pompous Englishman.

There were some technical difficulties with Irene Karas’ microphone at some point, but they quickly gave her a hand microphone so she could keep on singing. Some of the musical numbers lingered a bit too much for my taste, especially the long dance for “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”. The choreography could easily have been cut in half. I really enjoyed “Friendship”, which was about something else than love or sex, for once. Because trust me, even though this is totally family-friendly, there’s a lot of sex going on that ship for those who can see it!

All things considered, this was an entertaining show with great performers and amazing costumes. During the intermission, even the snack vendors sang songs! The show finished just in time to let the spectators reach English Bay for the fireworks.

GIVEAWAY:
You can also enjoy a show of your choice with 3 friends (or, if you are a parent, with your partner and children) before the end of the run on August 20th. If you’re interested in Bye Bye Birdie, you probably want to check out Jessica’s review as well to give you a little taste of what you’re going to see. To get your 4-ticket pack to either Bye Bye Birdie or Anything Goes, comment on this post telling us which is your all-time favourite musical. To get an extra entry, tweet the following:

I told @hummingbird604 about my favourite musical for tickets to @TUTSVancouver. Tell us yours here http://is.gd/tdOLNm

Raul will draw a winner on Friday, August 12th at 2PM. As usual, the winner will be announced in the comments section of this post and will also receive an email, so make sure you enter a correct email address when you comment and check your inbox on Friday afternoon.

Disclosure: Hummingbird604.com was offered media tickets to both shows and Anabelle attended Anything Goes. We were not paid to write a review nor were we required to do so, but we like to review shows before giveaways when we can and highlight the varied theater productions in Vancouver. Raul always keeps full editorial control over all content on the blog. You can read more of Anabelle’s thoughts on her blog.

AutoWest BMW unveils first commercial wind turbine

Anabelle — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:17:49 +0000

There’s a bit of irony in a car dealership that’s doing its best to be green. As Pete Sargent, project manager at Auto West BMW, told me, “there’s stigma attached to the car industry as user of fossil fuels”.

Auto West BWM just unveiled their new vertical axis wind turbine at their Richmond dealership, which I had the chance to see on July 27th. Unfortunately neither sun nor wind was with us, so I couldn’t see the turbine work or the beautiful view from the roof that the staff raved about.

So why does a car dealership go the sustainability route? Well, Joachim Neumann, the president of AutoWest, explains that it’s all about “being part of the community”. The dealership wants to come out as a leader—not only as a business, but also as a community member—on reducing carbon footprint.

The Richmond dealership was built in 2007 with carbon footprint in mind. It started out with geothermal heating, to which they added garden space on the roof with a honey bee colony to pollinate the plants and a grey water recycling system to irrigate them, a recycling building topped with solar cells that handles everything from office paper to food scraps, and finally a wind turbine to reduce the dealership’s reliance on grid electricity.

Cleanfield Alternative Energy conceived the turbine and I also had the chance to talk with their representative, Brian Gusko, about the technology behind it. As you can see, it’s not your typical countryside turbine; Brian explained that the wind in urban environments is too unpredictable to work with the traditional horizontal axis turbines. Instead, they developed a smaller, vertical axis turbine that can catch wind coming from any direction.

At maximum capacity, the turbine can produce up to 3.5kW of energy—at the end of a year, it’s equivalent to 150 kg of carbon emissions not released in the atmosphere. The turbine is made out of carbon fiber and requires little to no maintenance.

I enjoyed my tour of the facility and appreciated the efforts that the dealership is making to make a positive impact on the environment. It’s easy to focus on the fact that they sell cars, but I think that these efforts give a great example to other businesses or institutions that are thinking about increasing their sustainability. Every step is important, even if it is small.

AutoWest plans on renovating its other dealerships to bring them up to par with the BMW facility, thus extending its sustainability program over several installations. They plan on opening new gardening spots on the roof where employees can grow their own herbs and vegetables. That makes for healthy, local lunches!

Disclosure and editor’s note: AutoWest BMW invited Hummingbird604.com to visit the facility and see the turbine, and Anabelle attended on my behalf. Anabelle was not paid for her review, nor was she required to write one (neither was I). As usual I (Raul) retain editorial control on anything published on my site.

Pinkberry Canada (The Village at Park Royal, West Vancouver)

Raul — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:00:04 +0000

While I did attend the opening day of Pinkberry Canada, I didn’t have the time nor did I want to brave the masses of people waiting in line for a cup of frozen yogurt, so I decided to come back the next evening with JT. We had to rush since we went there right after watching Captain America: The First Avenger. To note: driving all the way from Metrotown in Burnaby to the Village at Park Royal in West Vancouver took me all of 20 minutes at the very most, and that was driving normally on the Highway 1. Had I taken transit, that would have never happened. Sigh. One of the drawbacks of being a proponent of sustainable modes of transportation.

But I digress.

I’ve tasted frozen yogurt in many forms, and from very different providers. Two of my favorites are Qoola (usually on Denman and Davie in the West End) and Scoop! (in Kitsilano, near 4th Avenue and Maple). I was really eagerly expecting Pinkberry as my friend Melanie Hoyt from Chicago had mentioned it was really good. I did try it and I’ll fully admit that while it was really fluffy, light and tasty, I wasn’t as impressed as I expected to be.

The staff was kind enough to provide me with samples of all flavors, but I settled (not surprisingly) on mango. I added toppings of kiwi, mochi, strawberry, mango and a few others. The yogurt was really tasty, not tart but just light and easy to digest from what I consumed (8 ounces).

The service, however, does deserve special mention. All the kids working front line at Pinkberry Canada are extremely eager and keen to provide you with great service. I will admit that for an 8 ounces portion of frozen yogurt, $7.50 was a tad steep (considering that if you want to keep things the frugal way, by comparison, lunch at Spin Roll Sushi is that much, $7.50, a frozen dessert treat costing the same is a bit on the steep side).

The above said, as a day trip (e.g. as part of a series of activities, like hanging out at The Village at Park Royal and then finishing your day with a frozen yogurt treat) Pinkberry Canada is definitely worth the trip up to the North Shore. But if I want to just satisfy my frozen yogurt desire, I’ll definitely stay within the Vancouver area.

Disclosure: I paid for my frozen yogurt on my own dime. I just wanted to write about my experience visiting Pinkberry Canada after the press junket. As usual, I retain editorial control over anything I publish on my site.

Mamma Mia in Vancouver, The North American Tour (Broadway Across Canada)

Raul — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:00:43 +0000

The North American cast of Mamma Mia. Photo credit: Joan Marcus. Used with permission.

My teens were marked with reprises of ABBA’s songs. One of the songs that has always stuck in my head is Mamma Mia. Combine ABBA with a fantastic cast and you have MAMMA MIA. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ MAMMA MIA! is a fantastic musical based on the songs of ABBA, and it returns to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre August 16 – 21, 2011 and runs Tuesday through Sunday.

While I haven’t seen the movie with Meryl Streep, I’m really looking forward to checking this production in theatre, particularly as it’s here at home.

The North American cast of Mamma Mia. Photo credit: Joan Marcus. Used with permission.

An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna is about to let go of Sophie, the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends—practical and no-nonsense Rosie and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya – from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.

The performance schedule for MAMMA MIA! at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre is Tuesday, August 16 through Saturday August 20 – 8pm evening performances, Sunday, August 21 – 7:30pm evening performance with Saturday and Sunday 2pm matinees. Tickets for MAMMA MIA! range from $25.00 – 88.00 plus applicable charges. Tickets went on sale Monday, June 20 at 10am and are available through Ticketmaster online, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone 1-855-985-5000. Groups of 15 or more call 1.800.889.8457.

Produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East and Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal. Music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. MAMMA MIA! has choreography by Anthony Van Laast, production design by Mark Thompson, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch.

21 Steps Kitchen & Bar (Whistler, BC)

Raul — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:19:52 +0000

Best way to enjoy a new-to-you-restaurant? Don’t even think about what the restaurant may bring you. JT and I were walking around Whistler Village looking for a place to eat and we found this cute place with two floors that didn’t even seem that exciting. The decor was nice, admittedly, but it looked like standard fare. What a cute hidden gem we found in 21 Steps Kitchen & Bar.

We ordered a fixed price ($35) menu which was fantastic value for our dollar. My starter was Garlic Chili Prawns ($11), which were absolutely delicious and very well served. My advice, though – don’t eat garlic chili prawns if you are planning to have a full meal. While extremely flavourful and strategically including nuts and other spices to mellow the chili down, I was full by the time my “Small Plate” was done.

My “Large Plate” was Moroccan Spiced Chicken ($23), which normally would be delicious to me. But with the overpowering (and tasty) flavour of the garlic and chili of my starter, I almost felt my Moroccan spiced chicken a bit bland. Extremely well cooked and flavourful, but sweet, I missed the power of garlic. Advice for next time – order something less overpowering for a Small Plate.

For the dessert, we totally went all the way and we both enjoyed what we love the most: in my case, the pie shown below.

A hidden gem and a really nice surprise for both of us. We’ll be back to 21 Steps next time we are in Whistler.

Disclosure: Both of our dinners were paid for by JT on his own dime, within the trip to Whistler to check out what to do when you’re not a winter sports person. However, I covered every other single expense I incurred during this travel, including (but not limited to) breakfast, lunch, dinner and transportation (except when explicitly indicated). I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to describe and document my experience at a restaurant I really liked. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Happy birthday Yvonne! (@ylizabeth)

Raul — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:27:11 +0000

I still remember freshly when Minna hired Yvonne to work for The Network Hub. She said “we need someone amazing, who can run the things we need, whom we can trust, someone who will be there and do amazing stuff and grow with us the way we have grown”. And she found (via our common good friend Michael Yurechko) the lovely Yvonne Lum (@ylizabeth on Twitter).

Yvonne is the second from the left. Photo credit: Nicky Tu

Yvonne, I think I speak for all of us at The Network Hub in saying that we absolutely love having you in our team, we love your commitment, your capacity to work and your ability to just be fun with us and have fun and build a strong, cohesive team. We do love you, sweetie. Enjoy your birthday!

6 good reasons why YOU should attend Northern Voice 2011

Raul — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:28:41 +0000

6. You’re a newbie, advanced, intermediate social media person and you want to connect with people. And you are aware of the fact that the most relevant element of social media is its capability to enable new relationships and interaction with other human beings interested in the social web. And Northern Voice provides the best environment for cross-fertilization (of the mental kind, you pervert!).

5. My good friend Theresa Lalonde will speak about being an empath in social media training. And the awesome thing is (and not known by many people), both Theresa and I are half-Betazoid. Just in case you needed to know (Deanna Troy references, Vulcan mind-melds and batteries not included).

4. You need to learn about how to deal with legal issues and avoid being “Courtney Loved” (commoner speak for “being sued for something I said on Twitter”). My good friend Gillian Shaw is organizing a panel on that very topic (Social Media and Online Defamation).

3. You love raising a ruckus as much as my good friend Morten Rand-Hendriksen who is going to ruffle a number of feathers by speaking about the ethics involved in social media. Social media snake oil salespeople, this session is NOT for you. Everyone else, most welcome.

2. My good friend April Smith will be keynoting Friday. April has documented for several years now the struggles, lives, despair and triumph of folks who live in the Downtown East Side of Vancouver. Using video and photography, April has demonstrated that it is possible to transform your life with social media.

And the NUMBER ONE REASON YOU WANT TO ATTEND NORTHERN VOICE 2011:

1. Because my good friend Arieanna Schweber and I will be speaking on how to build online communities that rock. All those questions you had on how do you build and sustain an online community? We got answers for you. And you may even get a hug from me. No, seriously. After this incentive, you can’t say no.

At the time of writing this post, there were only 100 more tickets available. Snap them while they’re hot!

Disclosure: I’m a speaker this year, but that does not in any way affect my promoting Northern Voice. I would promote it anyways even if I weren’t speaking (as I did in 2008 and 2009, when I did NOT speak).

Happy birthday, HZ!

Raul — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:52:36 +0000

Eons ago, it would seem, I met one of my former PhD advisor’s PhD students (HZ), when he came to visit our common PhD supervisor and work on his doctoral dissertation. We hit it on, became good friends and stayed in touch throughout the period when we both finished our doctorates.

HZ moved to Vancouver to become faculty at the same university where I teach right now, and our friendship has grown enormously. You may have read about him several times on this blog. His friendship inspires me not only to be a better scholar (we are currently working on a research project together), but also to be a better friend, human being and (in the future) father.

His ability to think is only matched by his ability to love. He’s a true friend, a great father to his daughter, a wonderful partner to his partner and to me, he’s yet another brother, one I love, respect and admire profoundly. His research is in the environmental field (not surprisingly) and his birthday coincides with Earth Day (today), and with my 5 years’ blogiversary.

On this day, I remind myself of how lucky I am to have you in my life, brother. Much love always.

Simple Math (Manchester Orchestra)

Raul — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:18:18 +0000

A beautiful tune, surprisingly outside the range of what I normally like, by Atlanta band Manchester Orchestra. Beautiful, graceful, slightly nostalgic and longing. I love Simple Math (almost as much as I love math itself).

World Book Day 2011

Raul — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:48:48 +0000

photo credit: Phil_Parker

Thanks to my very good friend Lisa Thomas-Tench (who like me is a bookworm and a total academic geek), I learned about World Book Day. Not surprisingly, I’ve been so busy writing my own book (I have two coming out this year, one on North American environmental politics and one on neoinstitutional theory as a framework to study multilevel water governance in Mexico) that I totally missed it. While I continue to see the debate between whether we should continue to print books normally, having written a book continues to be, definitely, a (sometimes debatable) measure of knowledge and expertise. Lots of folks right now write books or e-books to demonstrate that they are experts in their field.

photo credit: paparugaruga

I write my books to put my research out for the public to read and learn. It’s been A LONG WHILE since I last read a book, just for entertainment. I normally read because of my scholarly activities. But as a child, I used to read 30-60 books a month, and given my photographic memory, I can capture a lot of details. So, I’m thrilled to celebrate World Book Day 2011. How are YOU celebrating?

Urban decay photography and industrial archaeology

Raul — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:33:19 +0000

Photo credit: NARIBIS, on Flickr

While I’m not the lucky owner of a DSLR, I can totally see how they can provide better photos of a phenomenon that I am interested in: urban and industrial decay. I had promised myself that in 2011 I would try to work on improving my photography, but I’m not exactly sure if I can create photos of this quality without a DSLR. Urban decay photography is actually something I’m interested in, and I’m also interested in industrial archaeology.

Photo credit: Jasmin Cormier, on Flickr

For those of you keeping count at home, one of the areas I have undertaken research in (actually, the topic of my doctoral dissertation) was industrial and urban restructuring. I have long been puzzled by what factors influence the transformation of cities and the decline of industrial plants. I’m also a bit puzzled by industrial archaeology.

Photo credit: Swissrolli on Flickr

At some point I might go on an urban decay photowalk. Just because actually Vancouver also provides great opportunities for this type of photowalk.

Photo credit: Justus Hayes / Shoes on Wires / shoesonwires.com

Have you ever tried to do urban decay photography?

Wear Pink Shirt Day Vancouver 2011 (Feb 23rd)

Raul — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:16:29 +0000

Photo credit: John E. Kaminski

Many people find it surprising that I mention I was bullied as a child when they meet my current self (also trained in martial arts and with a rather assertive and self-confident personality). But it’s true, and I have blogged about it here. And every year I try to always remember to wear a pink shirt for Wear Pink Shirt Day (which this year is this coming Wednesday February 21st).

I did not realize this, but London Drugs is selling Wear Pink Shirt Day Vancouver 2011 t-shirts for less than $10, with all proceeds going to Boys and Girls Clubs. I also know my friends from Take 5 Cafe are selling pink cupcakes and fundraising for Boys and Girls Clubs.

You can learn more about Wear Pink Shirt Day on their About page. And you should definitely join us for Fashion’s Night OUT! (a fundraiser fashion show I am co-organizing with Erin Gee, Niki Blasina and Ashley Mangat, with all proceeds going to Out On Schools). Bullying happens to people of both genders and any sexual orientations. Let’s work together to stop it.

Because bullying stops here.

7th Annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival

Raul — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:38:10 +0000

And so begins my 2011 coverage of theatre, dance, film and arts in general in Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and British Columbia. Actually, I had been contacted by the PR folks of PuSh about a month and a half ago, but I was in the throes of grading final research papers so my life was insanely busy.

I feel remiss that I hadn’t written about the upcoming 7th Annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. I’m really happy to see that the PuSh Festival has embraced social platforms so much, with a blog, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube channels.

The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is Vancouver’s mid-winter festival presenting acclaimed local, national and international artists. The 7th annual PuSh Festival takes place January 18 – February 6, 2011 at venues in and around Vancouver and offers work from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Poland and Germany.

The PuSh Festival presents groundbreaking work in the live performing arts with theatre, dance, music, and various forms of multimedia and hybrid performance. The 2011 Festival boasts 17 Main Series shows, a mapping symposium, and the triumphant return of Club PuSh and the PuSh Assembly networking event.

I can’t wait to check out some of these extraordinary performances. I’ll be starting a new term at the university teaching 2 courses (both courses I’ve taught before, but with definite changes to the syllabus), so I’m not sure how much of the festival I’ll be able to see, but at least I hope I will be able to capture some of it.

You can buy individual tickets and PuSh Passes here. I’m really excited about the PuSh Festival, to be quite honest.

The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is one of Vancouver’s signature events. Produced over three weeks each January, the PuSh Festival presents groundbreaking work in the live performing arts.
The PuSh Festival expands the horizons of Vancouver artists and audiences with work that is visionary, genre-bending, multi-disciplined, startling and original. The Festival showcases acclaimed international, Canadian and local artists and mixes them together with an alchemy that inspires audiences, rejuvenates artists, stimulates the industry and forges productive relationships around the globe.

Happy New Year 2011

Raul — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 08:26:44 +0000

While 2010 was challenging because I had to work insanely hard to manage all the four things that make up who I am professionally (consulting, research, teaching and social media), I had decided that I was going to try it out. I wanted to be an integrated person again and thus I came back to working out every single day (6 days a week, with cardio 6 days and weights 3 days). I also scheduled EVERY SINGLE HOUR of my life, and I worked hard at only accepting one, and to a maximum, three invitations to an event the same day. Admittedly, the number of people who follow me on Twitter and read my blog has increased exponentially. Of course I am happy.

But my online persona is not what makes me, it is what compliments me. I’m a former stage actor, a former competitive dancer, a former competitive volleyball player, a humanist who loves to volunteer and make a difference in the world. I’m again an integrated person again. I learned to dance a new dance again, I am back doing sports every day, I’ve volunteered and my academic work is blossoming again.

And more importantly, I’ve stayed faithful to my values and beliefs. Ultimately, my goal with Hummingbird604.com is to make a difference in the world. My goal is to be the one who can change the situation of a desperate cause and use the sheer power of the number of readers behind my blog to support that cause. My goal is to entertain and inform my readers while still blogging for myself.

My mantra in 2011 still stays the same: In 2011, I will take care of myself before I take care of others. But that doesn’t mean I won’t care about what happens in my world. I’ll still continue to try and be an agent of change. Exactly what my parents raised my brothers and I to be.

Happy New Year, everyone. May 2011 bring you as much success as I forecast it will bring me, and as much as 2010 brought me. And more importantly, may you be healthy and loved.

The #Movember Canada closing party

Raul — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:51:12 +0000

Much fun was had. Great music. Fantastic people. Wonderful friends (thanks Emme Rogers for coming along with me). The End.

You can check the rest of my photos in my Flickr photo set.

Communication Shutdown – Nov 1st (to raise awareness for autism)

Raul — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 05:23:37 +0000

I am a big supporter of the Developmental Disabilities Association and I am also very keenly aware of how misunderstood autism is (one of the developmental disabilities that are often misdiagnosed/mistreated). So when I found out via Beth Kanter and Scott Stratten that tomorrow (November 1st) would be Communication Shutdown to raise awareness (and funds) for autism research, I had to join in.

Thus, in observation of Communication Shutdown, there will be no Facebook nor Twitter for me tomorrow November 1st. I have blog posts that are pre-scheduled and thus, they have a tweet associated with them (via the WordTwit plugin). But other than that (and perhaps some pre-scheduled tweets), I will not be in Twitter nor on Facebook.

We realise that nothing can truly simulate what it is like for people with autism.

Our aim is to simply encourage a greater understanding from people outside the autism community. Social network users have become reliant and even addicted to platforms like Facebook and Twitter. And if they shutdown for 1 day, they will feel a sense of disconnection and a sense of frustration. By creating a little empathy, we hope to encourage a wider understanding and acceptance of people with autism – an understanding we recognise those in the autism community already have.

Which is why we are in no way asking people with autism to give up their tools of communication.

You can purchase and download the Charity App (CHAPP) which will connect to your Facebook and Twitter to indicate that you support Communication Shutdown.

Happy belated birthday Minna (@TheNetworkHub)

Raul — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:36:06 +0000

Since I was stressed to the maximum trying to make sense of my presentation at Social Media Camp Victoria 2010 (it was a brand new talk so I wanted to make sure it was perfect), I neglected to write a blog post celebrating one of my absolute best friends in the world’s birthday, Minna Van (co-founder of The Network Hub and three other startups). It was really a great conference, but I am very sad to have missed her birthday.

Minna, you know I think the world of you and I believe you are the epitome of what a true friend is. You push and encourage me every day to be a better academic, policy analyst, researcher and educator. You go out of your way every day to make sure I am doing well and to help me achieve my goals. And you are generous not only with your time but with everything you do, not only with me as a friend but with entrepreneurs and society at large.

I am absolutely blessed to have you in my life and I look forward to celebrating your birthday this week. Much love as always.

The Musqueam salmon habitat restoration project

Raul — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:00:52 +0000

One of the things I appreciate the most is work that challenges me to think beyond the boundaries of the work I currently do, and habitat restoration is one of those areas that really makes me ponder what other environmental impacts are affecting the urban environment I live within. Rachel Thexton invited me to join her in a tour of the Musqueam nation’s salmon habitat restoration project last week, and I jumped at the opportunity.

I learned a lot from the site visit and several conversations with Wade Grant and a number of folks from the crew who work in the habitat restoration project. It was really interesting to me to see how they link the Musqueam elders’ traditional ecological knowledge with the scientific understanding of salmon spawning patterns. Moreover, knowing that this particular stream is the only one that is still operating in Vancouver was particularly interesting.

I had a chance to meet 26-year-old Christina Nahanee, who has been working as a volunteer in this area since childhood and at 19, officially joined the Musqueam Conservation Ecosystem Society. She is now a team leader on the Musqueam/Gateway project, which is a partnership with the BC provincial government. Right now her team is working to replace a title TIDE gate between river and stream to provide an ideal environment for salmon to spawn.

Christina is out daily with her team, doing hands on work on creek clean up, planting native plant species around the creeks to shade and protect the waters, all to maintain a protected environment for salmon. She gave Rachel and myself a full tour of the creek area, and Wade gave us a look at the upper side of the stream. From our conversations, I learned that the salmon habitat that the Musqueam are restoring is actually a project for habitat protection, since they don’t actually consume the salmon from the stream (we were talking about this while touring the project).

Really cool stuff that we don’t actually get to hear often. I’m glad I’ve had a chance to observe this first hand, particularly because my research has barely touched habitat restoration and conservation, so this was a nice departure from my work in pollution control.

Lighthouse Park (West Vancouver)

Raul — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:46 +0000

Despite the fact that I’ve been to Lighthouse Park more times than I can remember, I never wrote about it. But today I was browsing through my Flickr set and found a few photos from the very first time I visited WITH a digital camera (I had been before without a camera). To get to Lighthouse Park we took Marine Drive (the North Vancouver version) and followed it Then we turned left on Beacon Lane. You need to hike a short distance to get to the actual viewing points. While the drive took us from Denman and Georgia to the actual park about 25 minutes, this was without driving over the speed limit of 30 km/hr (a bit crazy, if you ask me!)

I think Lighthouse Park is one of those attractions in the Lower Mainland that everybody should do at some point in their lives.

Season Finale for @DelilahsMartini Conviction Kitchen VIP Reception

Raul — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:30:59 +0000

Delilah’s (in the West End) has owned my heart for a long time. I have had the best martinis in town. Admittedly, also the most lethal. Really enjoyable, they go down well and the service is impeccable. You may recall my earlier post on Conviction Kitchen and the project that Biana Zorich and Chef Marc Thuet launched last year, bringing the second season to filming on location in Vancouver.

I was invited to a VIP reception that included local TV, film and theatre stars, as well as a very small and select number of media folks, thanks to my good friends Alex Lee-Behan and Janis Behan (Alex’s company was handling Conviction Kitchen’s PR project).

This wrap-up reception celebrated the conclusion of the 8 grueling weeks of training for the reformed ex-convicts that staffed Delilah’s. Honestly, having eaten there and talked with the staff, I am very heartened and optimistic that more restaurants might consider doing this kind of project.

Kudos to Chef Thuet and Biana Zorich and their team for such a worthy project. It’s people like them that make a difference in this world. My respects too to Daniel Hospitality Group who participated in the project and believed in it. And the food and service are amazing.

I had the pleasure of chatting with many of our excellent Vancouver-based TV and movie actors, including Sonja Bennett, Stephen Lobo, Mark Ecklund, Sebastian Spence and other local personalities (my friends Dawn Chubai, Erin Ireland and Riaz Megjhi were there too). I made some new friends, including Zahf Paroo and his lovely partner. Really great evening.

My whole Flickr photo set can be found here

Other coverage of this worthy project
- Janis Behan’s post
- Erin Ireland’s post
- My review

My summer wardrobe and cologne choices

Raul — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:21:03 +0000

Academic and professorial as I like to portray myself, I do still enjoy fashion and modeling. I don’t have by and large the body that a professional model would have, but I am in decent enough shape (my Mom was super sweet when she said “sweetie, when was the last time you wore something in size Small? I’m SO happy that you look in such great shape!. Geez, thanks Mom! (*eye-roll). But honestly, I do feel much better now and the attire I’m showing on this post is what I wore today to a lunch with my friends Liv and Allie. Both of them are fashion geeks and I wanted to wear something that would make me look professional, yet summery.

My Mom was unsure of my wearing a necklace, but I think this one is sober and fashionable. I am trying out again Oscar de la Renta Pour Lui, a cologne that was en vogue a decade ago, but I think it’s a nice smell. For the feet, I went with open-toe sandals that would allow my sparkling glittery nail polish show (yes, I did paint my feet nails – heck, what’s a pedicure without nail polish). The shorts and v-neck t-shirt are by Banana Republic (dressy, and comfy).

So, what do you think?

Heading to the @CalgaryStampede

Raul — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:43:14 +0000

My brother, my nephew, my sister in law live all in Calgary (my nephew is as a matter of fact, a Calgary boy). My Mom is visiting them right now and I decided that I need a real, honest break from all the hard work I have been putting on my volunteer work (Mental Health Camp and my social media events) and my client work, as well as my teaching and research. So I am taking a week off and heading to Calgary to visit my brother, his family and hopefully my good friend Tanya Desrosiers (aka NetChick) (who moved to Calgary with her husband, Barry Desrosiers).

It shouldn’t be a surprise to people who know my academic side that there are additional reasons why I like the idea of going to Calgary. Yes, of course I want to see my family. But I also want to see the Calgary Stampede.

You’ll see, I wrote a doctoral dissertation that studied the lower nodes of the beef commodity chain (leather and footwear). I have analyzed in some way or another processes of animal husbandry and the environmental impacts of cattle. So, going to “CowTown” makes sense from every angle you look at it. I hope to see my other good friend, Nathan Tippe, who will be there visiting for his birthday.

Get ready, Calgary, because the Hummingbird604 is coming to town!

Happy 4th of July!

Raul — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:14:25 +0000

photo credit: Loren Sztajer

While I made the very conscious choice NOT to live in the US and NOT to teach at any of the awesome American universities where I could easily find a position as an assistant professor, I have many reasons to have an appreciation for the United States of America (USA). Two of my brothers live in the US, very happily, and with their families. Three of my brothers did their graduate degrees (two of them, PhDs).

Two of my brothers have taught at American universities and educated US citizens. My research is on North American environmental policy and that includes US environmental policy. I have spent extended periods of time in the US doing research. And I have had numerous students from the US who have been extremely bright, and I have a lot of ex-pat American friends here in Vancouver. So, for many reasons, I wish the US a very happy birthday!

Filipino Independence Day Celebrations in Vancouver

Raul — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:00:06 +0000

photo credit: (nutmeg)

I have a lot of very good friends from the Vancouver Filipino community and I’m always happy to share news that will celebrate their heritage. My good friend Jay Catalan (cofounder of The Network Hub) alerted me to some events that are going on this weekend to celebrate Filipino Independence Day – and I wanted to repost here. I’m linking to the events’ URLs for your information

Philippine Independence Day Vancouver – Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Philippine Independence Day in Vancouver is the biggest gathering of Filipinos in lower mainland Vancouver. Join us as we celebrate the 112th Philippine Independence Day on Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 9:00am – 6:00pm at the Waterfront Park, North Vancouver, British Columbia (200-Block West Esplanade, North Vancouver, BC V7M3K7)

With an estimated attendance of over 5,000 Filipino families, friends and other cultural minorities all gathered in one park, 45 stalls/booths of general merchandise and souvenir items, an array of international cuisine and Filipino delicacies,”dancing at the park”, multicultural and bombastic shows and stage presentations, fantastic raffle prizes, giveaways and games, a safe play area, balloons and favors for children, and amazing surprises – this is expected to be the best and the biggest event of the year for the Filipino Community in Vancouver!

Happy birthday Tanya (@netchick)

Raul — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:32:23 +0000

It’s amazing to think that my good friend Tanya Desrosiers (aka NetChick) has been blogging for more than a decade. But when you reflect on the fact that I have been blogging for more than four years, it’s not so shocking anymore. I recently had the privilege to liveblog Tanya’s wedding (something that I had promised I would do since a long time ago). It was great to be part of such an important milestone in her and Barry’s life, and while I am a bit saddened that they now live in Calgary, I now have more incentives to come visit. Tanya, today and every day I hope you know how much you mean in my life and how grateful I am that you are part of it.

Much love always, and happy birthday.

Raul’s rules of spring cleaning

Raul — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:17:15 +0000

photo credit: cdsessums

My Mom is arriving on June 23rd and I want to make sure I have a clean apartment with everything she might need. I also want to make sure that I have gotten rid of everything I *don’t* need, so I’m spending my Sunday morning/afternoon doing spring cleaning. I am trying to set some rules as to what I’m going to get rid of (and since I have a tonne of clothes that don’t fit anymore, there’ll be a lot of clothes going to the Sally Ann or some other charity).

I thought of what I rules would I follow to get rid of stuff, and pondered whether there there any general rules? Productivity fiends would probably say “if you haven’t used it for X months, then you should chuck it”. So this is the set of rules I’m following (for now, I might update throughout the day).

Clothes
- If they don’t fit me now that I’m slimmer, I’m getting rid of them.

Books (academic)
- If they’re not for courses I am teaching/have taught, I’m getting rid of them.

Paperwork
- If tax-related or business-related, archive.
- Pack in a box previous years’ of phone bills, credit card statements, bank statements.
- Only keep the current year (2010) of house paper items (e.g. credit card statements, phone bills, paperwork).

Winter clothing
- Only keep 3-4 pairs of gloves, scarves, etc.

Can you suggest other rules? And more importantly, can you suggest where to give all the stuff

What A Fool Believes (M People)

Raul — Sat, 29 May 2010 16:50:12 +0000

I was having a meeting with Cecilia Lu and Sofia Ribeiro from Kiwano Marketing this past Friday at Blenz on Richards and West Hastings and I realized that the song that was playing was “What A Fool Believes” but it was definitely not the Doobie Brothers’ version, but a much more fun song. You should check it out.

What A Fool Believes

The Yorkton Film Festival 2010 #yff10

Raul — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:26:26 +0000

I have covered film festivals in Vancouver on my blog a few times, but it’s rare that I write about other province’s film festivals. But this one is special to me.

My good friend Erica Hargreave (Ahimsa Media Inc) has partnered again with the Yorkton Film Festival and will be bringing her team (including the sexy Emme Rogers and Liz Kearsley) to Yorkton this week to provide some interactive storytelling (follow the #yff10 hashtag to keep track of all things Yorkton Film Festival) as well as follow the @YorktonFilm Twitter account). From the Festival’s website:

That fated night was 60 years ago, when thanks to brain-child of James Lysyshyn, a young National Film Board field officer, the Yorkton Film Festival was born – the first and oldest film festival in North America. A film festival that over the years has brought together great minds such as the likes of Bruno Gerusi, Gordon Pinsent and Garry Morse. Individuals like Oscar Nominee animator Cordell Barker have won a Golden Sheaf at the Yorkton Film Festival, as has two time Oscar Award winner Frederich Back.

Maximize Your WordPress Installation by @JohnOverall #wcyyj10

Raul — Sat, 15 May 2010 18:02:49 +0000

I’ll be liveblogging the Top Ways To Get More From a WordPress.org Installation.

- Total control
- Premium themes
- SEO control
- Site generator
- Monetize
- No TOS
- Any site type
- Custom plugins
- Custom widgets
- E-commerce
- Admin Tools

Custom and Premium Themes – allow you to create the website of your dreams.

There is something magical in photos of three people

Raul — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:00:56 +0000

I was having a quick online conversation this morning with Steff on Twitter about a very cute photo of us (which you can see if you check my Northern Voice 2010 wrap up post). I was telling Steff that I think there’s something magical about photos of three people. For some reason, I find that these photos (where 3 people are pictured) are a lot of fun. These are some of my own photos of threes (some with me, some just of my friends).

Where is the best Margarita in Vancouver? #CincoDeMayo

Raul — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:50:25 +0000

Since everyone is doing it, I’m going to jump in the bandwagon for celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, and recommend that you give two of my posts with suggestions on Mexican restaurants here and here a read. Also, I’m curious to know where would you get some of the best Margaritas in town? Leave your suggestions in the comments section!

Wearing jeans for @BCCHFJeansDay #JeansDay

Raul — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:01:36 +0000

I am headed downtown to my office at The Network Hub to continue marking final exams and papers, but beforehand, I’m going to stop at an event dubbed #MarksOver.

The thing is, today is also Jeans Day (organized by the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation). So, I am actually wearing jeans (I’m not wearing this same outfit but I don’t have a photo with jeans in my Flickr stream other than this one right now).

What is Jeans Day?

Jeans Day™ is a fun and easy event for people of all ages to participate in and show their support of BC’s kids. Simply by purchasing a $5 button or $20 pin, you get a chance to wear your jeans to work or school on April 29 and help the kids at BC Children’s Hospital.

How Do I Get Involved? You can become a Jeans Day™ Champion.

Champions are people who coordinate Jeans Day™ at their workplace. By inviting colleagues, family and friends to participate by purchasing a Jeans Day™ lapel pin or button you can help us raise over $1 million, through Jeans Day™, for BC Children’s Hospital.

dirty white by Theatre Terrific (review)

Raul — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:39:35 +0000

A modern reinvention of Ovid’s Book 2 (the Raven and the Crow) dirty white by the folks of Theatre Terrific offers a re-examination of lust, greed, immaturity and jealousy. In dirty white, we see a young girl (Cora, sublimely performed by Sindy Angel) who is being lusted after by an immature and sometimes childish God (excellent Christian G. H. Prohom). The Raven (Manuel Shulte in a great performance) and lovely Charlie Wilson who plays the Daw, are two excellent additions to the conflict (as Raven works for God, almost like an automaton).

The Boy, lovely Adam Lindgren, was fantastic as well (and a surprising turn of events that I can’t really give away). I went to The Cultch (which has been impressively renovated and I absolutely love – I was there with Chris Walts for Ali and Ali 7 a couple of weeks back) last week, with one of my best friends, ML – we wanted to check dirty white as I have always been unable to check any of Theatre Terrific‘s productions.

We both really enjoyed the play (90 minutes all told, without intermission) although I found the first 15 minutes and the last 20 of the second part of the play a bit slow, as the characters seemed to be taking a tad too much time to develop their character.

Overall, I really enjoyed this reinvention of one of Ovid’s most popular books (I was a Greek mythology fiend a couple of decades back). Thanks to Theatre Terrific for inviting me (thanks Andrew Templeton too for hooking me up with TT!). I couldn’t get a winner for my tickets giveaway so I’m re-drawing. To win a pair of tickets for a performance before May 1st, comment on this post or RT! I will draw a winner tonight at 8pm.

There will be a Wine and Cheese Affair and special performance of scenes of dirty white at Performance Works on Granville Island from 5 to 8pm, with additional jazz by Michael Klein Duo (tickets are $40 and are for sale before in the lobby).

Recommend an inexpensive camera for less than 150

Raul — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:44:05 +0000

photo credit: lett -/=

I used to have three digital cameras but two of them are now defunct. The other one, I gave to my Mom. I was looking online and asked on Twitter whether people could recommend a camera for around $100. I decided to increase this to up to $ 150. Let me explain the rationale behind my camera needs (and before you even go there, no, I’m not buying myself a digital SLR).

My blogging itself does not bring me income. I do it because I love it. But I do eat out a lot, and I feel that lately, the restaurants where I have eaten have offered excellent food that would look oh-so-much-better on my blog if I had a nicer camera.

I am, however, bound by said problem that I have mentioned repeatedly on my blog (the fact that I have a crushing debt and I am very good with my finances – I run a tight ship). I am willing to part with up to $150 to get a reasonable camera. So, I’m taking any and all advice in here. And why here? Because Twitter has very fickle memory, and I want a permanent record! So, if you suggested something on Twitter, pretty please, suggest it here too on my blog?

Thanks!

Joyeaux Cafe (Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:15:40 +0000

Despite the fact that my downtown courses were taught literally three doors down from Joyeaux Cafe, I never ventured in, for whatever reason. I guess I never really felt the need, although I am always puzzled by those little cafes that seem to be wildly successful in such a cut-throat industry like the food and hospitality services in Vancouver.

Joyeaux Cafe, while I may have described this place as quaint, nothing further from the truth. With high ceilings and ample space, Joyeaux Cafe is one of those places I can’t wrap my head around. How can a place that offers breakfast all-day starting at $4.35 stay open when there are so many other restaurants downtown? I guess the service and the quality of the food help.

I went there with my friend Shawn Smith, co-founder of Global Agents for Change, for brunch before he returned to complete his MBA. I ordered a breakfast ($ 4.35) with scrambled eggs, potatoes and toast and ham. As I expected, it was good, similar to the kind of food I’d get at any other greasy spoon (like The Nice Cafe on Main Street or Theresa’s on Denman Street).

Now that I know that it exists, I will definitely come back! It’s so inexpensive I’m not even sure I should be writing about this hidden gem!

What lessons can be drawn from the Twestival global fundraisers?

Raul — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 05:20:46 +0000

Last night, I (and hundreds of other folks) attended Vancouver Twestival 2010, the third in a series of Twestivals that my good friend Rebecca Bollwitt has organized. The photo that accompanies this paragraph is of Rebecca and myself at Twestival (as I was leaving, because I was exhausted). I sponsored two silent auction items – a workshop on strategy alignment (from my consulting practice) and an evening out with me for dinner at Regional Tasting Lounge (r.tl) and a theatre show at the Arts Club. It was great for me to have a chance to be part of such worthy event, and more importantly, to contribute to the fundraising process.

From the Twestival website:

“On Thursday 25 March 2010, people in hundreds of cities around the world will come together offline to rally around the important cause of Education by hosting local events to have fun and create awareness. Twestival™ (or Twitter Festival) uses social media for social good. All of the local events are organized 100% by volunteers and 100% of all ticket sales and donations go direct to projects. If you would like to get involved, please Register your City, Register your School, or Volunteer and we will get in touch. Organizers will be given a handbook and invitation to our collaboration workspace. Follow @twestival for updates.”

As someone who has advised a number of non-profit organizations in their social media strategies, I’ve been puzzled by the success of Twestival at the global level, when other campaigns are able to accomplish very little even if lots of retweeting happens. What makes the Twestival fundraising campaign so successful, what lessons can we draw from this fundraiser and implement them when we do another fundraiser, and is this model of fundraising sustainable?

I ask these questions because, as always, I’m always puzzled by the success of some fundraisers and the lack of success of others. We organize fundraising tweetups, meetups and the like, with certain regularity, but consistently, Twestival seems to be the most successful. Lots of people in the social media for non-profits world have written about the social media philanthropist fatigue phenomenon: when people are out-fundraised on the web. Yet, people seem to have embraced Twestival worldwide. So, what made Twestival such a great success and how can we apply that to our own fundraisers?

I only have the question, I don’t have the answer. As for Vancouver Twestival 2010, I want to commend Rebecca and her organizing team for a fantastic event. Thank you, sincerely!

[Arieanna and Ianiv Schweber, Alex Lee-Behan and myself]