I am a bit of a masochist. Well, no, that’s not exactly true. I have been thinking about reducing my workload, but I want to do more promotional stuff around meaningful dates (like I did last year with Father’sDaygiveaways). So this week and the next I will be launching a series of Valentine’s Day giveaways leading to February 14th. Although you are probably asking yourself why do I bring it on myself the burden of organizing more contests? Because I love it – also, because for me, Valentine’s Day has a very important meaning, more focused on friendship than romantic relationships. And I am very, very grateful for the friendships I have and for the loved ones in my life.
For all my Valentine’s Day contests, there will be three modes of entry: A first entry, with a comment on this post. A second entry, with a tweet as indicated in the post, and a third entry, with a brief note on the Hummingbird604.com Facebook Page wall. As usual, I’ll summarize all entries and do a randomized draw.
Hope all my readers enjoy the giveaways, because I put a lot of effort into thinking about what prize packages to create! And happy Valentine’s Day in advance!
I love my adoptive country, Canada. I have lived in several different countries in North America and Europe, but I consider Vancouver my home. This is the land where I have grown and flourished.
As an immigrant myself, I am keenly aware of the amazing ethnic and cultural diversity in our beautiful region. On the bus, I often listen to French, Japanese, Mandarin, Tagalog and several other languages I don’t even recognize. It’s fantastic.
So when my friend Kristi Ferguson (Double You Kristi) asked me if I would be interested in being a media sponsor for the Vancouver Diversity Health Fair 2011, I emphatically said YES.
When? – Saturday, February 12th (10 am to 3pm)
Where? -Croatian Cultural Centre – 3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
How much? – ZERO – it’s 100% Free!
The AMSSA (Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of British Columbia) presents their 7th Annual Vancouver Diversity Health Fair, the largest event of its kind in Canada which has evolved into one of the most exciting and dynamic multicultural events in the Lower Mainland. The Fair was created to provide newcomers, immigrants and ethno-cultural communities with access to a wide range of health and wellness resources, presented in a number of languages including Cantonese, French, Korean, Vietnamese, Farsi, Punjabi, Spanish and Mandarin. The Fair features over fifty health and wellness related exhibitors, interactive fitness and culinary demonstrations, health screenings and onsite tests, spectacular multicultural entertainment and children’s activities.
Featuring:
* Over 50 health and wellness exhibitors
* Free health screenings + onsite tests
* Healthy cooking demonstrations for the whole family
* Interactive fitness workshops
* Spectacular multicultural entertainment
* Healthy Kids Activity Zone with sledge hockey, gymnastics + lots more!
* Onsite translation services
* Fantastic prizes, including the grand prize of 2 night’s stay at Times Square Suites Hotel downtown Vancouver, passes to Spokes Bicycle Rentals + more!
Some highlights of the 2011 Vancouver Diversity Health Fair
• Multicultural Stage sponsored by REDfm – to feature Chinese Lion Dancers from Lok’s Martial Arts Studio; Caritas Children’s Choir; Nia Dance Workshop by Joi Works; music and storytelling from the Shanti Mala Collective; Mukutano African singing & drumming; Estilo Cubano (Cuban salsa workshops) with Karlos Reyes; The Carnival Band and more!
• Healthy Cooking Stage sponsored by Safeway – to feature Today I Ate a Rainbow founder Kia Robertson and her daughter Hannah (simple recipes to make eating rainbows – fruits and vegetables – fun); Easy, Healthy Indian Cooking with Vikram and Jasvir of Ace Curries To Go; Homemade and Health Recipes with Simone of The
Rustic Gourmet; Easy Asian Basics with Chef Thaung Yan
• Healthy Kids Activity Zone – to feature Sledge Hockey by City of Vancouver Parks and Recreation Access Services; Circus Fun by Red Fox; Button-Button-Whose Got the Button personalized button making crafts with City of Vancouver Parks and Recreation.
To encourage my readers to participate in such awesome health fair and promote healthy living in diverse communities, the organizers of VDHF 2011 have entrusted me with a prize package. I am giving away a one month flexi-pass from the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation to visit any of their community centres across Vancouver, and 2 passes to (any) half day bike rental from Spokes Bicycles (up to $100 value).
To enter my giveaway, all you need to do is to drop a comment on this post telling me what activities you engage to maintain a healthy living (or which ones you are vowing to do!). I do cardiovascular training every single morning and use weight training 3 days a week. How about you? Drop a comment on this post and let me know (contest open until February 10th, 2011 at 5pm). As usual, I’ll draw a random winner from all Twitter and blog entries. You can also enter via my blog’s Facebook page.
Alternatively you can earn an entry by tweeting the text below:
I entered @hummingbird604 and VDHF’s prize pack giveaway http://is.gd/9aJOvQ, you can too. Check @yvrhealthfair: Feb 12, 10am-3pm, FREE
Technically I should wait for Music Monday to post this song, but the truth is, I have 3 giveaways launching on Monday, so instead of cluttering both your Twitter and RSS feeds, how about I post it today. I am surprised that I had not written about Chromeo before here on my site, as several of their songs are absolute favorites of mine. Their latest album, ‘Business Casual’ seems to be their best, to be quite frankly. Also, nerdy as I am, one of the two guys from Chromeo (David Macklovitch) is doing a PhD in French Literature at Columbia University (PhD started 2002). Did you know James Franco is also earning a PhD?
For your listening pleasure, When The Night Falls with Chromeo featuring Solange.
It feels awesome when one of your (if not your most favorite) coffee shops support campaigns that are near and dear to your heart. I recently learned that Take 5 Café (the awesome coffee shop that is a mere 2 blocks away from my office at The Network Hub and where I have met many a friend for a cup of coffee) is supporting Pink Shirt Day (February 23rd this year). I have written about it before here and here).
The Take 5 Café team delivered a batch of pink cupcakes to my office, but I wasn’t there. I can only imagine how fast they were consumed!
Vancouver based coffee house Take Five Café™ is on board as a sponsor and supporter of this year’s “Bullying Stops Here – Pink Shirt Day” Campaign with CKNW on February 23rd. Throughout the month of February, Take Five Café locations will be selling Pink Cupcakes with all the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Vancouver. This year Take Five Café will also be selling the official Pink Shirt Day T-Shirts leading up to February 23rd. The delicious chocolate cupcakes are baked daily in the Take Five Cafe kitchen in East Vancouver and will be sold for $2.00 each.
Initiatives like this make me feel so happy about my choice of coffee shops. It’s true, bullying should stop and I’m delighted to hear that Take 5 Café is fundraising with this program. Kudos to them.
I am not a fan of the Iglesias (neither of them, Julio nor Enrique). BUT I absolutely adore “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)”. Even if I totally think the lyrics are absolutely dis-empowering and disheartening. I don’t care about the lyrics. The music is stellar.
Do you know what it feels like loving someone
That’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one
To know the lock on the door has changed?
If birds flying south is a sign of changes
At least you can predict this every year
Love, you never know the minute it ends suddenly
I can’t get it to speak
Maybe if I knew all the things it took to save us
I could fix the pain that bleeds inside of me
Look in your eyes to see something about me
I’m standing on the edge and I don’t know what else to give.
Do you know what it feels like loving someone
That’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one
To know the lock on the door has changed?
How can I love you?
How can I love you?
How can I love you?
How can I love you?
If you just don’t talk to me, babe.
I flow through my act
There’s a question: Is she needed?
And decide all the man I can ever be.
Looking at the last 3 years like I did
I could never see us ending like this.
(Do you know?)
Seeing your face no more on my pillow
Is a scene that’s never ever happened to me.
(Do you know?)
But after this episode I don’t see
You could never tell the next thing life could be
Do you know what it feels like loving someone
That’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one
To know the lock on the door has changed?
Do you know what it feels like loving someone
That’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one
To know the lock on the door has changed?
(Do you know?)
(Do you know?)
(Do you know?)
(Do you know?)
Do you know what it feels like loving someone
That’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one
To know the lock on the door has changed?
Do you know what it feels like loving someone
That’s in a rush to throw you away?
(Do you know how it feels?)
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one
To know the lock on the door has changed?
(Do you know how it feels?)
(Do you know? Do you know? Do you know? Do you?)
(Do you know? Do you know? Do you know? Do you?)
The more I have disclosed my ‘secret to having a full academic/consulting life and a full social media life’, the more people seem interested in knowing the routines I follow to make things work. The next one in my “Raul’s Productivity tips” series is this post, wherein I tell you Secret #3: I get up and work, first thing in the morning.
As I was walking back with my friend Lauren and talking about how I make my time count, she asked me what I did, and I said “Secret #2: I schedule my life to the very last minute, including time to sleep, eat and socialize.”. Then as I was walking home, I began reflecting about what would be the next secret. And this morning (I wrote this blog post on Sunday morning) reminded me that yes, it’s the fact that I get up and work as soon as I am awake.
Even during the week, when I go to the gym, the first thing I do is – get up and sit down and do some work. I wake up at 4:45am, set up my coffee maker, and if it is a day where I am supposed to go to the gym and do some consulting or social media work, I just pour a large glass of water and start writing (or analyzing data) until about 5:45am, when I head to the gym. If it’s a day when I teach or do academic work, I read a journal article, write a bit of a research paper or simply go over my lecture notes. I jump-start my brain as soon as it’s up. If it’s a day like today, when I’m not going to exercise (I take Sundays off), I simply put on a cup of coffee and start writing.
I find that if I get some of my goals accomplished even before I hit the gym, the work day seems substantially shorter (and ends up being shorter as I’ve already worked for an hour before I exercise). Maybe this productivity tip will work for you. I’ve read other folks can’t work before they even have their morning coffee – does this happen to you?
Dance has always been an integral part of my life. While my training included contemporary dance, I am now more of a Latin dance specialist (salsa, merengue, tango). Yet, I find myself always drawn again towards ballet, classical dance and contemporary dance. So when Ballet BC told me about their upcoming performances (VOLO, part of their 2011 programme, offering shows through February 17-19th) with 1 Vancouver premiere and 2 world premieres, I was thrilled.
Photo credit: Chris Randle. Used with permission. Photo provided by Ballet BC
The three performances of VOLO feature a Vancouver premiere and two World premieres plus a special treat with a performance by Guest Principle Artists from Netherlands Dance Theatre, Leslie Telford and Medhi Walerski, dancing all three nights in Jiri Kylian’s Toss of a Dice to music by Dirk Haubrich.
1st Flash, originally choreographed for Netherlands Dance Theatre by Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo to Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 47, is a work that shows off the dynamic beauty and musicality of Elo. Born in Finland, he is resident choreographer of Boston Ballet and a former member of the Netherlands Dance Theatre, Cullberg Ballet and Finnish National Ballet. The program also features a World premiere by the European choreographer/dancer Medhi Walerski to his own original music. Walerski danced with the Paris Opéra Ballet, Nice Opéra Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin in Mulhouse. A second World premiere is by Canadian choreographer Shawn Hounsell, formerly a dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. A recipient of the Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award in 1997
Photo credit: Michael Slobodian. Used with permission. Photo provided by Ballet BC
Tickets for VOLO can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 604-280-3311 or online at ticketmaster.ca and range in price from $35 -$70 (including HST) with discounts for seniors, students and dance artists.
Ballet BC is providing me with a pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader. To enter my giveaway I would love to hear when was the last time you went out dancing on the town. If I told you how long it was since my last competitive dance performance you wouldn’t believe it (probably 2008, before I started blogging more intensely). It’s a world I want to come back to. And I am always in awe of contemporary and ballet dancers because they do amazing stuff I am no longer able to do. But I may, if I put in the hours.
I will be drawing a winner on Monday February 14th (Valentine’s Day) at 5pm just before I head out for Valentine’s Day dinner. These tickets could be a nice non-February 14th Valentine’s Day date, as a matter of fact. Or you could also earn an additional entry by tweeting the text below:
Check out @hummingbird604’s giveaway: Tickets to @BalletBC ‘VOLO’. I entered to win, read how here: http://is.gd/gbd8hB
As you know, I tend to get obsessed by specific songs and this one is no exception. Known as BLZ (or Blaze It Up) in a Bob Sinclair ReMix, I listened to this tune recently and just HAD to have it. So, for your listening pleasure, here it is the song that is currently on repeat on my iPod.
I would LOVE to claim ownership of this idea, but this blog post is actually originated by a tweet Scott Stratten (UnMarketing) made a few months ago that just resonated with me. I hope I’m quoting what he said exactly (it’s coming from memory) (related reading from Scott – how to retweet):
Spend at least 30 minutes a day replying to @ mentions or promoting someone else’s blog or retweet someone
I have to say that’s perhaps one of the things I enjoy the most – retweeting. Naturally, I do promote my own posts, hence why I schedule a few tweets indicating to my Twitter followers that I’ve posted on my blog something that I think will be useful to them. But for the most part, you’ll see me retweeting stuff All The Time.
I find that while retweeting itself does not build community directly (or alone), it does help build the online relationships that you can then take offline and build a strong network of supporters. My tweets are frequently retweeted and even though it takes a lot of me to thank people individually, I do make a point to say “hey thanks for that retweet” (I will fully confess that in the past weeks, the number of retweets that I have gotten has been so large that I have been remiss in thanking people individually – same with the Follow Friday mentions).
So if I may give you a piece of unsolicited advice, follow Scott’s advice and spend some time promoting other people’s posts. It’s good karma, and it feels good (at least for me!).
I am a big fan of soup and sandwich combos. For some reason, I think a soup and half a sandwich is always enough food to keep me going until dinner time (remember, I now eat the way Canadians do, with lunch at 12, 12:30 or 1pm. If I were still in Mexico or in Spain, I would eat no earlier than 2, and I would have a very big breakfast). As I mentioned earlier last week, I’m being more budgeted than 2010 now.
Earlier at the beginning of the year I decided that I would make a conscious effort to bring my own lunches to the university and to my office downtown, and as much as possible dinner as well. I found a really fast and inexpensive staple to consume for lunch: a sandwich. Actually, with the amount of exercise I do, I end up needing two. But my normal lunch has consisted in the past week of 2 sandwiches, a can of pop and a little individual bowl of yogurt.
Given that I am often strapped for time, the fastest lunch sandwich I can make is composed of 2 slices of bread, a few leaves of greens, onions, and guacamole, on top of some sliced chicken breast, roast beef or sliced turkey breast. Quick and easy sandwich to assuage your hunger.
I wondered if the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa hotel didn’t have a name for its restaurant (many of the resorts I have visited do). But I couldn’t find it, so I’m just going to assume it goes for “The Kingfisher Oceanside Resort’s Restaurant”. At any rate, one of my readers asked on my review post whether there were any restaurants of note in the resort, and I have to admit – I absolutely loved it.
Courtenay/Comox/Royston was the third stop in my book writing retreat where I headed to Vancouver Island. As indicated before, I stayed at The Kingfisher, which is an amazing resort. Perhaps one of the best locations if you want to get away and complete a major project.
The restaurant’s decor is absolutely charming.
And of course, breakfast was spectacular. Their omelettes are to-die-for, and overall I’d say that their menu is great, and I look forward to visiting again sometime soon.
Disclosure: My breakfasts at the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort’s Restaurant in Courtenay/Royston were sponsored very generously by the hotel as part of my recent Vancouver Island writing retreat (which included stops in Victoria, Courtenay/Comox, Nanaimo and Parksville/Qualicum Beach). 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 the resort. 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.
A few months ago, I was invited by Tourism Victoria to participate in an outreach event where I and a few other fellow travel bloggers in Vancouver had a chance to chat with a few businesses in the Victoria hospitality industry. I participated in a raffle and won a 1 night stay at the Hotel Grand Pacific. I knew of the Grand Pacific because I had walked past it in my many trips to Victoria, so I was really delighted. I saved the gift certificate knowing I might redeem it sometime. Here’s some information from their website:
The Hotel Grand Pacific is modern luxury at its finest. Conveniently located on the Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia, the Grand has everything you look for in a great hotel — exceptional service, wonderful amenities and a premium location. Our award-winning hotel was named the Best Hotel in Canada in 2008 by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine.
So for JT’s birthday, I went all out and took him to Victoria by helicopter (post forthcoming) and then we stayed at the Hotel Grand Pacific. I was perhaps expecting a bit more luxury, but that’s maybe because I got used to the Fairmont Empress and the Parkside Victoria. But this should not detract from a good experience at the Grand Pacific. Much to the contrary, it IS a very nice hotel. And the view is spectacular (I paid $40 for an upgrade to have a suite that had a full view of the downtown harbour in Victoria).
I would definitely recommend The Hotel Grand Pacific for a short stay at a nice hotel and a reasonable price. I think the night was $109 per night when I visited (I forgot the gift certificate so I paid in advance and then got it reimbursed once I submitted the gift certificate). And the location is pretty unbeatable, in the Victoria inner harbour.
Disclosure: My stay at The Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria was complimentary, but not as a media trip but as a gift certificate I won in a draw at the Tourism Victoria event. 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 the hotel. 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.
It’s hard for me sometimes to write about cancer. People I love are currently affected by cancer, and I lost two of my aunts and my grandmother to the disease. Gynecological cancers scare the heck out of me, for obvious reasons. I ask my Mom to check herself on a regular basis, and perhaps I’m paranoid but I strongly believe in early detection. I have Blogathoned in support of the BC Cancer Foundation and thus I make an effort to write about fundraisers towards cancer research. Thus why I am writing about National Wear Pink Day 2011. I have donated to friends of mine who run in the Weekend to End Cancer. Also, I have a good friend from Montreal (Christine, aka @MuseCrossing) who is a breast cancer survivor.
A staggering one in seven Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancers in their lifetime. National Wear it Pink Day is about bringing attention to these staggering statistics, and raising awareness about the Shoppers Drug Mart Weekend to End Women’s Cancers benefiting BC Cancer Foundation.
To motivate a large number of people to get involved in fighting women’s cancers, we need your help. Please, invite your readers to consider some of the following actions:
1. Wear something pink on January 26th
2. Register for the 2011 Weekend on January 26th
3. If already registered for 2011, commit to getting at least 1 other person registered to walk.
4. Host a Pink Party, and let the Weekend office know about it by emailing vancouvercoaches@endcancer.ca or calling 604.684.9255.
And as I was finishing this post, I was informed that there will be a Pink party at Shoppers Drug Mart store at Granville/Dunsmuir, with The Beat Radio and their street team on site from 11 am-3 pm. I might drop by given that my office at The Network Hub is super close.
Consider participating in Wear Pink Day 2011 events, and/or donating. I certainly will.
Yes, that’s me liveblogging in CoverItLive. Photo credit: Tyler Ingram
I don’t actually make money out of writing for Hummingbird604.com. I don’t even do professional web development. Blogging on Hummingbird604.com is a labor of love. But one that is taking discipline for me, and for which I budget my (rather scarce) time. Given that I committed in the past 2 years to have both of my lives full time, I need to schedule myself to the minute. And I most certainly book time for dealing with blog-related matters.
I recently did an exercise where I monitored the time I spend on social media/blogging matters (purely the website, forget about the volunteering activities I do that are related/associated with social media). On a Sunday morning, I spent 1 hour and 15 minutes writing 4 blog posts (I only had Flickr photos available on my own stream for 2 of them, and I had to search my own website to find relevant cross-links). I spent 30 minutes connecting people with each other and crafting emails. I spent 15 minutes checking Twitter and having conversations. And I focused on each of the above tasks individually. On top of that, I have to liaise with PR folks, read press releases, write the post, make it pretty, communicate with winners, promote my posts on Twitter and Facebook. It’s A LOT OF WORK.
Do I expect to be paid for my blogging? You know, almost 5 years into it, I’m not quite sure. I do know for sure I want to continue doing it, and I take it so seriously that I do all the above indicated activities ON TOP of my consulting/academic activities. My friend Derek K. Miller wrote a rather compelling post a few years ago on whether blogging can bring you income. But more importantly, I found what Derek said and what my friend Arieanna Schweber commented on that post extremely applicable to my case (both quotes are taken from the same post I linked above):
Arieanna:
And yes, I can say emphatically that blogging for a living is a LOT of work. You are *never* done your work. Whether it’s finding more stuff to post, checking on comments, promoting, or reading feeds, there is always something more you can do. As your sites grow, they become more work to maintain, and you have more social obligation to update them each and every day. I work way too much – but I do love what I do. 🙂
Derek:
If you look at blogs that are popular enough to pay people’s salaries […] they tend to be very focused and updated many times a day. They often attract lots of comments, which require moderation and feedback, and their posts tend to be well sourced or individually researched, and also well written and concise. In many cases, the words are carefully crafted to attract search engine traffic, and the blogger may spend quite a bit of time writing about things he or she isn’t all that interested in, or at least (as in any job) may have days where the job is just a slog, rather than a joy. Money-generating blogs take a lot of effort, skill, and time to maintain. They’re work.
Blogging on Hummingbird604.com attracts A LOT of traffic and comments, and it’s hard work to maintain a high-quality blog (modesty does not become me, does it now?). But damn, do I ever love it. I absolutely enjoy writing, sharing my story with the world, showcasing food, arts, travel destinations. Even if it’s not direct income, the fact that I take blogging seriously as hard work (and that I put in the long hours that come with it) is giving me A LOT OF SATISFACTION.
I have a soft spot for the history of business districts, for many reasons. One of them being that I consider myself in many ways still very much an economic geographer (my PhD minor is economic geography and my doctoral dissertation had A LOT of industrial geography and business strategy). My research has sought to understand not only the environmental political dynamics of resource management, but also the nuances of creating environmental policies that also satisfy multiple additional policy objectives, including economic and regional development. Thus it is not a surprise that I fell in love with the Old City Quarter of Nanaimo, BC.
Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter is part of the original economic core of the city. Buildings in the area date from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The map shows the area’s boundaries. The Old City Quarter has undergone a revitalization of heritage buildings along with the addition of new developments which complement the period architecture. A revitalization program in the early 1980s attracted upmarket retailers.
The success and growth of this area as a destination shopping, business and dining area with the charm of yesterday resulted in the formation of the Old City Quarter Association. The association was incorporated in April,1993. The goal of the association is to collectively administer and coordinate the improvement, promotion and awareness of the Old City Quarter as a unique destination. [Old City Quarter website]
At the end of December 2010, I did a little bit of a photowalk around the Old City Quarter in Nanaimo, and was mesmerized. The diversity of locally-owned restaurants that are embedded within the actual urban development reminded me a lot of the lower West End (you may remember my post on the economic geography of the lower West End).
I truly hope that my travel posts will help make folks realize how beautiful our cities and towns are here in British Columbia (and in general, in Canada). I am betting many people didn’t think Nanaimo could be so much fun!
After careful reflection on the fact that I was NOT at WordCamp Victoria 2011, it just occurred to me the kind of talk I *could* have given had I remembered at the time of proposal submission. One of the things that I think facilitates my blogging and allows me to crank as many posts as I do per week is that I learned a little tiny bit of coding and HTML to facilitate my workflow. I know exactly which plugins I want to use, and how a plugin or a theme should be hacked to make it do what I want. I try to write for the web and think for the web (two very useful complementary skills). As Ariane Colenbrander said to me at my WordCamp Fraser Valley talk: “I’m a good art designer”. There’s also a little back story to this, actually two.
Photo credit: Peregrino Will Reign on Flickr
The first one: I started using computers when I was very little, inspired by the American TV show Whiz Kids. So, I have had a penchant for computer programming. Yeah, this is probably one of the reasons why I enjoy blogging so much, and doing my own stunts. Heck, the computer geekery has stayed with me even as I grew older. When I was deciding what to do a Masters’ degree in, I dipped my feet wet and took 1 semester of courses in a Masters of Science in Computer Science. Yes, I took Boolean Logic, Set Theory, C++ Programming and Visual Basic.
The second story has to do with my good friend Rebecca Bollwitt. When we first met, I was pretty much a newbie. I had blogged for over a year and a bit, but I hadn’t moved to WordPress, I hadn’t really learned much of the code behind it, etc. I was just a writer. I knew nothing about WordPress. Rebecca taught me A LOT of what I know about WordPress and the PHP and HTML behind/underneath it, over coffee, lunches, liveblogging the same events, etc. And she immediately understood what I meant when I said that I liked doing my own stunts: even if I’m not a web developer, I love being able to create my own websites. Basic as they may be, but I just love being able to do some of the basic HTML coding. Rebecca taught me and enabled me to do that with my websites.
Much of the customization you’ve seen here on Hummingbird604.com was done by good friends of mine: Rebecca taught me a lot of the basic inner workings of WordPress, J. Karen Parker adapted the Deviant art WordPress theme for me, and several other good friends have helped me with stuff here and there (Ianiv Schweber with some of the theme issues, Mike Yurechko, Tris Hussey, Andy Peatling and almost every time I scream for help, someone on Twitter is willing to help me.
But still, I code by hand a lot of the HTML tags that make WordPress do the things they do (e.g. embedding my photos and align them to the left or right, change fonts, etc). I *love* doing this basic coding. It makes me feel that I am independent and self-reliant. So, even if you are a blogger or a website copy writer, I would very strongly recommend you to learn some basic HTML and learn a bit more in-depth.
And a fun fact – I wrote by hand all the HTML code around the photo shown to force it to align to the left and provide the photo credit underneath with a link back to Flickr (pretty much the way my PhotoDropper plugin does). How cool is that?
As most of you may know by reading my blog, I’m addicted to lounge-style, deep house music. This is the kind of music I love listening to (and I’m addicted to Andy Caldwell’s music, as well). For your listening pleasure, Quiet Nights by Andy Caldwell featuring Gina Rene.
I don’t know who is teaching the newbies in the social media world in British Columbia, but whoever it is is about to get an earful from me (and an unfollow as well). Automated direct messages that say “thanks for the follow” must cease to exist. While some folks in the social media world may find them engaging, I find them annoying and generating absolutely zero engagement. Moreover, what happens whenever I get one of those automated DMs (direct messages) is that I unfollow that account immediately. It’s about as annoying as the “please follow me so I can DM you”. Uh, no, sorry. I’ve made it clear why I hate DMs. If I hate DMs as they are, can you imagine how much I hate automated DMs? As I have tweeted frequently:
An automated DM sends you directly to my unfollow list, fast than a rock in still water
Please, everyone, stop this annoying, disrespectful practice. RIGHT NOW.
JT and I have been lamenting for years that, with the loss of Sodas Diner (which used to be on 33rd and Dunbar), we’ve basically lost our beloved 50s diner-style restaurant. Diner-style restaurants have a lot of meaning in his and my world, because our friendship grew as our visits to Sodas Diner were more frequent, and thus it holds a lot of sentimental value for the both of us.So you can imagine my excitement when I found ANOTHER 50s-style diner. The only little caveat? It’s on Vancouver Island, in Parksville (BC).
But the decor is not only what makes it fun. The staff is fantastic. Owned by a team of Mom and daughter, the Chuffin Café provides your basic diner-style staples. And yes, the daughter does look like Marilyn Monroe! You can check for yourself. We (Mom, daughter and myself) had a fantastic time and talked for a long time about the history of Parksville, why restaurants close early, how they built the Chuffin Café, etc.
I wasn’t really hungry so I only ordered a hot dog and a pop, but I looked at their menu and it seemed like a very nice place to have comfort food. While I chatted with the owners, a number of visitors came by and had dinner, so it’s definitely a popular place. Hopefully I’ll have dinner there again next time, when I come to Parksville for Uncorked!
While I made a first stop in Victoria in my Vancouver Island water governance book writing retreat (and stayed at the Parkside Victoria), the second stop I made was in Nanaimo. And the first hotel I stayed in was the beautiful Coast Bastion Inn (one of the Coast Hotels, which have always provided stellar service to me). From their website:
Whether traveling to Nanaimo for a weekend escape or business function the Coast Bastion Inn has all the amenities and services you’ve come to expect from Coast Hotels & Resorts. Revceive oxygen therapy and treatments at the Pure Spa & Oxygen Bar, get pampered and look your best at Tan’s Hair & Nail Studio and stay in shape at our fitness centre. Take in a contemporary west coast designed dining experience at Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge. Featuring the freshest local seafood and meats, pasta dishes, gourmet breakfast and tapas.
This was the view from my room:
And this is what my room looked like (I was so exhausted that I crashed on the bed and thus I didn’t get to take photos of the room when it was all pretty and well made, so I used the photos provided by the Coast Bastion Hotel’s media kit). My room had a full-fledged desk which made it easy to work and write. The room was very, very spacious and the service was impeccable. And the restaurant (Minnoz, if I recall correctly) was stellar. Plus, the spa was fantastic.
Photo credit: Provided by the Coast Bastion Hotel on media kit and used with permission
I love the fact that the Coast Bastion Hotel not only is extremely close to anything downtown, but it’s like less than 5 minutes drive from Departure Bay, from where you would take the ferry from Nanaimo to West Vancouver’s Horseshoebay. Moreover, it’s a hotel that is interested in and dedicated to implement sustainability features, something that I appreciate in hotels where I stay, wherever I go. I would strongly recommend the Coast Bastion Inn as a destination, and will definitely come back.
Disclosure: My stay at the Coast Bastion Inn in Nanaimo was sponsored very generously by the hotel as part of my recent Vancouver Island writing retreat (which included stops in Victoria, Courtenay/Comox, Nanaimo and Parksville/Qualicum Beach). 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 my experience at the hotel. 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.
Well, that’s actually not exactly true. I just connect people, I don’t make a living out of it. Sometimes I wish I did, though. It’s a fact that I enjoy making the synergistic interactions amongst people happen, quite frankly. But I don’t like feeling obligated to introduce people to one another, but more so when those linkages seem the right fit or when the people to ask me to be connected aren’t using me. This last statement sounds harsh, but we all know those people. The ones who scour for connections (one of the reasons why I hate calling social events “networking events”). I feel that growing networks organically is the right way to do it. And I love helping people grow their networks, even more so when the kindness is reciprocal.
My good friend Meriko Kubota (Vancouver Foundation, Give Music) mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago when we met that she was amazed at the fact that I wasn’t afraid of connecting people. I’m not, it’s true. But more so because I know how to differentiate when someone is trying to use me than when I think someone needs help or I can refer business to. I am ALWAYS happy to connect my friends, in particular when I think there’s a chance for synergy.
On the topic of referring business, I think that’s one of the great things about having a rather extensive network, both online and offline. I am often able to refer business to other folks, or I retweet job advertisements. And I do so because I know that things have a way of paying themselves back. I have been referred consulting business and/or speaking engagements by great friends of mine and I am always grateful (and try to show it!).
I had already travelled by helicopter but I always knew JT wanted to fly by chopper and for his birthday I wanted to surprise him and give him a great birthday present. So for JT’s birthday, I accepted the kind invitation of Jay Minter, Director of Marketing and Product Innovation at Helijet International (also known as simply Helijet) and flew to Victoria.
When I first looked into taking the Helijet, I will fully admit that I had already flown via Harbour Air and Salt Spring Air. So I had already experienced float planes. But I hadn’t experienced this type of business-oriented air travel by helicopter. Considering the cost of my hourly rate, if someone needed me to undertake a speaking engagement in Victoria, it would be in their best interest to have me fly with Helijet.
Our trip was extraordinarily comfortable, and extremely fast. Without a doubt, it was a 35 minute trip downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria. It’s not the first time I have considered taking the Helijet and it will definitely not be the last. I am 100% sure that for Social Media Camp Victoria 2011 I will be taking the Helijet, because I will be unable to travel the day before, and I will need to be there early in the morning. And the money I will pay will be worth it, every single penny.
I took video from our take off in the flight from Vancouver to Victoria (bear in mind this was taken with a Canon SD 1300 so it’s not absolutely stellar and it doesn’t justice to how smooth travelling on Helijet is).
It’s hard to believe that Helijet is such a young company (founded in 1986). My good friend Erica Hargreave and I drove past the Richmond terminal for Helijet this past weekend. The terminal looks pretty impressive, I’ll admit. And again, the customer service at Helijet is beyond amazing. The customer service representatives I dealt with were absolutely stellar. I will definitely be back, Helijet!
Disclosure: My trip to Victoria and back was sponsored very generously by Helijet International Inc. 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 with Helijet’s service, and as indicated above, I would any day pay for the service. 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.
In the almost five years I’ve been fully immersed in the social media world (not only in Vancouver and British Columbia but worldwide, as I have built an online network that reaches beyond the confines of Canada and into the United Kingdom, Brazil, the United States, and other parts of Europe), I have grown to hear terms such as “community manager” and I almost shudder at the mention.
It’s hard for me to fathom the role of ‘Community Manager’ without feeling that it is some sort of reified notion (see the definition for reification I am using here). In a way, anyone who builds and grows a community organically IS a Community Manager. Whether this community is online or offline, whether you are getting paid for it or not, if you build and grow and maintain the networks and relationships required to build a community, for me you ARE a community manager.
Maybe it’s because I have actual graduate training in sociology, because for me the term ‘community’ is somewhat sacred (talk about reification!), I feel a bit uncomfortable with International Community Manager Appreciation Day. I heard about CMAD via Jeremiah Owyang, and I think my friend Kris Krug was looking to organize an event for today in Vancouver for CMAD.
All of the above said, I think it’s important to acknowledge those people who build communities, and if CMAD is the right vehicle, so be it. So, Happy International Community Manager Appreciation Day!
Ten year-old Sandra is distinctly African looking. Her parents, Abraham and Sannie, are white Afrikaners, unaware of their black ancestry. They are shopkeepers in a remote area of the Eastern Transvaal and, despite Sandra’s mixed-race appearance, have lovingly brought her up as their ‘white’ little girl.
Sandra is sent to a boarding school in the neighbouring town of Piet Retief, where her (white) brother Leon is also studying, but parents and teachers complain that she doesn’t belong. She is examined by State officials, reclassified as ‘Coloured’, and expelled from the school. Sandra’s parents are shocked, but Abraham fights through the courts to have the classification reversed. The story becomes an international scandal and media pressure forces the law to change, so that Sandra becomes officially ‘White’ again.
By the time she is 17, Sandra realises she is never going to be accepted by the white community. She falls in love with Petrus — a black man, the local vegetable seller, and begins an illicit love affair. Abraham threatens to shoot Petrus and disown Sandra. Sannie is torn between her husband’s rage and her daughter’s predicament.
Sandra elopes with Petrus to Swaziland. Abraham alerts the police, has them arrested and put in prison. Sandra is told by the local magistrate to go home, but she refuses.
Now Sandra must live her life, for the first time, as a black woman in South Africa — with no running water, no sanitation, and little income. She and Petrus have two children, and although she feels more at home in this community, she desperately misses her parents and yearns for a reunion.
After many more years of hardship and struggle, the chances of that reunion ever happening seem remote. But Sandra carries her father’s advice with her wherever she goes: ‘Never give up!’
SKIN is a story of family, forgiveness and the triumph of the human spirit.
I shed tears while watching SKIN. Several times, in fact. I will fully confess that growing up, I never really understood the Apartheid. And now that I have several close friends who are South African, I am almost scared to talk to them about it and their experiences growing up. There have been a few Mexican movies with a similar theme (the Mom is white, the daughter is black and there’s always a lot of drama). Thanks to Chef Rossana Ascencio who reminded me about the first one, Angelitos Negros, with Pedro Infante and Rita Montaner.
But knowing that SKIN was based on a true story (Sandra Laing‘s story) made the movie impact me much more. I still don’t understand how people could be segregated based on race (same way in which it boggles my mind to think about discrimination based on sexual orientation).
While SKIN is an absolutely beautiful movie, and all actors in the movie do a fabulous job, I couldn’t help but feel heartbroken and sad. For Sandra’s parents, who fought so hard to protect their daughter and her right to schooling. But even more, for Sandra herself. While the story tells us about how she overcame her challenges, it’s hard not to feel that there could have been better ways to do things and to improve communication between daughter and parents.
And seeing how much Sandra’s parents adored her and fought for her, I couldn’t help but think of my own. My parents’ adoration for me and my brothers is unequivocal. I am so grateful I have the parents I do, because they made me strong. I am as successful as I am because my parents loved me every single day of my life. As I think they did love Sandra, with that same strong love, until they passed away.
I would recommend that, if you have the time, you head to the VSAFF today. The quality of films they are showcasing is stellar, and the volunteer team is nothing short of spectacular. Super sweet, and the festival has been amazing. Thanks to the organizers for inviting me!
Disclosure: The tickets to attend the opening film and gala for me and my Plus One were sponsored very generously by the Vancouver South African Film Festival. This post hasn’t been paid for, and I am not required to post a review either. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times, and producers and publicists are well aware of this. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
Photo credit: Carissa Rogers on Flickr (Good N Crazy)
I am not rich, by any means. Thanks to my student debt (yes, I did a PhD, an MBA/MEng and thus I have student debt), I live a relatively modest and budgeted life. Despite the fact that I love going out (heck, I write about lifestyle, so I do often eat out, attend performing arts and sometimes I splurge on things), I recognized this year that I needed to be more budgeted.
I remember when I told JT last year that I needed to write “The Frugal Princess Guide to Living on the Cheap” (‘princess’ being a bit of a self-mockery as some people seem to think I’m rather ‘princessy’ at times). If I had the time, I totally would. But there’s a number of folks who write locally about living frugally, like Dianne Chow (Fabulously Frugal), the folks at CheapCouver and in Victoria, Scrimp or Splurge.
Do you know any other websites that focus on living great, but modestly and on a budget? If so, please share. Or if not, please share your tips “to living on the cheap”. I can tell you right now that packing a lunch and bringing it with me to UBC on the days I teach and to The Network Hub on the days I work at my consultancy, has led me to a substantial (and dramatic) reduction in expenses!
I do plan to continue eating out, travelling and doing art, but I am hoping to maintain a strong grip on my budget.
