I was walking to the Skytrain station with my friend Minna (co-founder of The Network Hub and before we took the Skytrain we were commenting on how many of the improvements that were implemented in the city because of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. We both agreed that we quite like them. I think these are part of what many people have come the legacies of Vancouver 2010.
I quite like the fact that it is much easier to see the station from afar, even in the dark. This is one of the signs outside the Skytrain station Stadium/Chinatown, near the Tinseltown mall.
A few months back I blogged about professional blogging, but I don’t think I made my point very clear. While having lunch this week at Nuba with Erin McConnell, Michael Allison and Trevor Boudreau (all from Wilcox Group PR) and earlier in the week while on a walk along the seawall with Grace Carter (Invoke Media), I commented to all of them that I do book time to blog, even if I do not get paid.
The notion that I treat blogging as part of my work schedule has come up recently, and I don’t think many people understand what I mean by that. I receive a solid 100 emails a day from PR companies, theatre companies, dance companies, restaurants, etc. On top of those companies who have anything to do with environment and want me to profile them on my blog.
Thus, I need to set aside time to (a) read the email pitch, (b) decide whether I want/can write about it, (c) writing the actual blog entry (and sometimes, finding and processing photographs to make the post prettier), (d) in the case of ticket giveaways, I take time out of my day to contact the winners, organize the contest, promote it, etc. So, all in all, I do spend a substantial amount of time dealing with blogging stuff (outside of my social media consulting).
So, do I take blogging as a job? Yes and no. Yes, because I block off time out of my day, every day, to deal with blogging-related stuff. And it DOES take time (just notice that I’m running 5 contests this week!). But no, because I really love blogging and I do continue to blog for myself. And blogging has brought me access to a lot of cool stuff I wouldn’t have had otherwise. And I love giving away stuff to my readers, and honestly I wouldn’t be able to afford those giveaways out of my own money!
In the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of attending some challenging and intense performances by a few excellent local independent companies. I had also heard about Theatre Terrific, but had never had an opportunity to see a performance by any of the folks associated with it. From their
Theatre Terrific brings together artists that would normally never have the opportunity to work, create and perform together through professional and community productions, workshops and classes. Their diverse, inclusive ensemble practice includes professional and emerging artists with or without developmental, physical, or mental health issues, gender and language challenges.
I have been given the opportunity to give away a pair of tickets for a lucky reader for the opening night (which happens, unfortunately, the night of my 4th year Blogaversary party, on April 22nd). dirty white runs from April 22 – 24 & 27-30 at 8:00pm at the The VanCity Culture Lab at the Cultch (Vancouver East Cultural Centre), 1895 Venables St. Tickets are available by calling 604.251.1365 or online; $20 Adults; $15, students and seniors. April 27 is Pay What You Can; with a special promotion for April 28 at 2-4-1.
So, what is dirty white about?
A reimagining of Ovid’s The Raven and the Crow, dirty white, is a sensual parable that sets the natural world
against the purity of ideas; the physical against the heavenly. In a world where we are sanitized white, where we
communicate through electronic gadgets rather than human contact, what happens to our earthy natures and who
pays the price? Greed, lust and jealousy drive this ancient tale that is revitalized for today.
Written and directed by, Susanna Uchatius, dirty white’s performers include Sindy Angel, Adam Lindgren, Christian Prohom, Manuel Schulte and Charlie Wilson, with original music composed by Joel DeStefano and dramaturgy by Joanna Garfinkel.
I will be drawing the winner of my contest on Wednesday April 21st at 2pm. You can enter by dropping a comment on this post, or just by retweeting it. Good luck everyone!
My good friend Degan Beley is one of Vancouver’s most well known foodies, as well as an absolutely adorable girl. I have had a chance to hang out with Degan a few times, on a one-on-one basis, and particularly she’s always been a good sport and tried new restaurants with me. She’s smart, she knows her wines, and she is one of the people in the Vancouver social media community I have grown close as a friend. Degan is all sweetness, but can also tell things straight and that’s why I love her. On this day, your birthday, Degan, I wish you the very best! Much love.
This past Monday, I facilitated a workshop on “Sparking Conversations Around Our Research with Online Tools: Using Social Media to Raise Awareness of Research Findings” to a group of researchers with UBC’s Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics. The workshop took place within the framework of a retreat in Harrison Hot Springs (British Columbia). It was really cool to talk to fellow academics on how they can use social media to advance their research agenda, and more importantly, to inform the public about all the cool stuff they’re doing. I had also wanted to check out Harrison Hot Springs (heard great things).
Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to get into the spa nor to the springs. And also sadly, I couldn’t stay, not only because I didn’t have the budget to stay but also because I had to come back to Vancouver.
Since I couldn’t attend the full workshop, and I lost my drivers’ license, I had to take public transit and the bus system to get to Harrison Hot Springs. I had in the past used Canada’s interurban bus system, which I found incredibly dismal. I was NOT looking forward to the trip, but I had already committed to facilitate the interactive workshop so I decided to take the Greyhound and then the Agassiz-Harrison Transit System.
To say that it was an adventure altogether, as for the easy drive that it would have been (1 hour and 45 minutes), it was a trip that altogether spanned from 6 am (when I left my house) to 11 am (when we got to Harrison Hot Springs). By the end of the trip, I was ready to not take a bus ever again. It was possibly one of the most annoying commutes I’ve ever had.
That said, I made two new friends and thus I can’t complain. Since I searched Google and everyone seems to assume that you will drive to Harrison Hot Springs, here are my notes of how I got there without a car:
From the Main Street Skytrain station, the Pacific Central Station (1150 Station Street.
The station is open from 5:45 AM to 9:00 PM and from 9:30 PM until 12:30 AM), take the Greyhound to Chilliwack (I left at 6:45 am to arrive into Chilliwack at 8:15am- ish
From the interurban bus depot in Chilliwack, walk across to the bus stop right outside Walmart in Cottonwood Mall. It will drop you off at Main and Princess (almost any route will take you there). They don’t have an Information Centre right at the bus depot so don’t expect that!
From Main and Princess (it’s where all buses converge, and it’s close to an abandoned, former Safeway facility), take the 11 Agassiz-Harrison Transit System. Buses operate once an hour, so make sure you’re there on time. I took the 10 am
The bus ticket from Chilliwack to Harrison costs $ 1.50 with the transfer, and $ 3.00 without. Overall, it was an interesting adventure, but next time I go to Harrison Hot Springs, I will go by car. Not kidding. Sorry, environment, suburbs are to be driven.
Most of you know that I took intensive dance training, that I have taught dance and that I am working really hard in this 2010 to come back to competitive dancing. So, when The Dance Centre mentioned to me about International Dance Day I got really excited. IDD takes place every April 29 and each year The Dance Centre hosts a selection of events, many of them free: this year features flamenco, salsa, hip hop, contemporary dance and hula hooping.
The ticketed events feature contemporary dance company MovEnt, who are doing a noon show of excerpts and a question and answer period with the audience, and at 8pm perform a full length work. Inspired by New York, and called Around the Block, this full length contemporary dance work runs for 3 nights through to May 1st. I will be attending the April 30th performance with a Plus One (still to be determined). The full schedule for April 29th is below.
To win tickets you can drop a comment on this post. Re-tweeting the post will get you an additional entry. Finally, if you write about IDD and link back to The Dance Centre and here, you will get a third entry. I will be drawing the winner of my tickets on Thursday April 22nd at 5:30pmWednesday April 28th at 2pm, just before my 4th Year Blogiversary Party begins. Good luck!
Full event schedule: Thursday April 29
Lola Dance Exhibition of photographs documenting the work of the late choreographer Lola MacLaughlin. Ongoing April 26-May 10.
Vancouver Ballet Society Library open for visitors: dance books, magazines and other materials. 12 noon-5pm.
Choreographic Traces Footprints in and around Scotiabank Dance Centre trace choreographic sequences created by leading Canadian artists. Provided courtesy of Le Regroupement québécois de la danse, Montreal. 12 noon onwards
Discover Dance! series: MovEnt & Friends. MovEnt is well known for bold and kinetic dance creations as well as the hit series Dances for a Small Stage, and Co Artistic Producer Day Helesic’s choreography combines thrilling technical virtuosity and abandoned physicality. This mixed program features an excerpt from Helesic’s ode to New York, Around the Block, plus a sneak peek at new solo works choreographed by company dancers Amber Funk Barton and Shay Kuebler, set to premiere as part of a new collaborative piece at the Canada Dance Festival in June. 12-1pm. Tickets $10/$7 from 604.684.2787
Co. ERASGA gives a studio showing of Alvin Erasga Tolentino’s OrienTik/Portrait, performed by Tolentino and Andrea Nann, with pianist Alison Nishihara and taiko percussionist Jordan Riley. First created in 2005 during Tolentino’s artistic residency at The Dance Centre, the work has since toured across France and Belgium, and in May, will be performed at venues across Canada. 3-4pm.
Spanish Passion Productions presents a demonstration/discussion of the Arte Nuevo Project, combining interdisciplinary elements for a better understanding of flamenco dance and stage production. Followed by an open flamenco class with Artistic Director Eleonora Acuña. Demonstration/discussion 4-6pm, class 6-7pm.
No Hitting Collective of sound and movement artists presents a studio practice of live improvisation in performance, featuring dancers Laura Hicks, Jennifer Clarke, Caroline Liffmann, Anne Cooper, Cara Siu; and musicians Lee Hutzulak, Madoka Hara, and Dave Leith. 5-6pm.
Dance 4U Latin dance specialist Corey Solomon teachers a beginners class in salsa and merengue: all levels welcome. 5-6pm.
SVS Style Open hip hop class, all levels welcome. 6-7pm.
Pixie Hoops presents Hoopdance Momentum. Hula hooping fuses dance, exercise and play, keeping spirits high and bodies engaged. All levels welcome including beginners; hoops will be provided. 7-8pm.
Global Dance Connections contemporary dance series: MovEnt in Around the Block.
The energy and excitement of New York inspires Day Helesic’s Around the Block, a full-length dance work reflecting the spirit of the city and the people who live there. Four dancers travel the streets of Manhattan in a desire to find connection within the chaos, in a physical essay of boldness and intensity. With a driving original score by Marc Stewart, lighting by Rob Sondergaard and striking film by Aren Hansen and Reva Quam, Around the Block is a work of physical devotion and harnessed energy. The dancers are original cast members Day Helesic, Amber Funk Barton and Shay Kuebler, here joined by James Gnam.
Around The Block’s performances take place at 8pm, tickets $15 on April 29 only; then $26/$18 on April 30 & May 1 from 604.684.2787 or online at MovEnt
As it turns out, I gave away all of my pink t-shirts and shirts when I got rid of most of the wardrobe I used to wear. Given the amount of weight I have lost in the past few months, any of those shirts and t-shirts didn’t fit me. Very frustrating, as today, Wear Pink Shirt Day (the third BC Anti-Bullying Day in British Columbia), I am not wearing a pink shirt. I am in fact not wearing anything pink.
Not because I don’t want to, but because I actually don’t own any items that are of the pink shade. But I do have a personal story associated with bullying that I have shared in the past (those of you who have been reading my blog since its early inception may have read it). In honor of Wear Pink Shirt Day (BC Anti-Bullying Day) 2010, here is my story.
When I was in primary school, I used to be as tiny as a midget. For some bizarre reason, I started growing when I was 17. I am not kidding you. Nowadays, at a my 5’11” (6′ on a good day) and 165 pounds, it’s kind of hard to mess around with me (well, my height/weight and my martial arts and street fighting training kind of help). Unless, of course, you’re 6’7 and super strong… but I digress.
So back then, when I was short and wore glasses, I was bullied by taller, stronger young men. After all, “I was in an all-boys school and had to learn to fight” (their words, not mine). Many, many times, my brothers (particularly my eldest brother) had to intervene and calm some of these bullies. But I couldn’t have my older brothers always protect me. I had to learn to do it myself.
I have always been privileged in that my parents have always been my best friends, so I needed to tell them what was going on at school. After careful deliberation we (my parents and I) decided that I needed to take martial arts training. Not because I enjoyed kicking people’s butts, but because I wanted to be able to defend myself should I ever need to do so. As a young kid (and to this day), I always tended to be extremely sensitive, emotional and sweet. These were not traits that aggressive bullies would take in a positive light. But I didn’t want to be a victim or a target. I wanted to empower myself and be able to break through to these bullies.
One day (several months after I had started my martial arts training), a guy who had bullied me for a long while started picking a fight with me (Gustavo was his name), right before school was over. I was faced with the choice I never wanted to face – “do I fight or do I run?” I decided it was time to fight back. I grabbed Gustavo’s arm and applied a judo move on him. I threw him over the top of my shoulder and, strategically, forced him to land with his back towards a trash can. I did this purposefully as I knew that would immobilize him completely. He started crying on the spot and ran away from me as fast as he could.
My classmates were astonished. “How could Raul, the tiny little midget, defend himself now? What happened to him?” From that moment onwards, I never looked back, and never had to face another bully. The word was out: Raul was never going to let anyone else pick on him ever, ever again.
In celebration of British Columbia’s Anti-Bullying Day (Wear Pink Shirt Day), after class today I’m going to go and buy a pink shirt. I encourage you to do so, too. Because bullying is simply wrong, and because once upon a time, I had to fight back too. And if you know someone who is being bullied, there are resources out there that can help him/her deal with it.
In recent months, I had been pondering whether I should continue to maintain a diverse work portfolio. In the past few years, I have written freelance articles (some more tech-oriented, like what I wrote for TechVibes, some focused on coworking like what I’ve published with The Network Hub blog), taught university-level and college-level, coached clients (business strategy), undertaken consulting assignments.
My recent consulting projects have spanned a broad variety of fields, including social media implementation, public and environmental policy analysis and business and corporate strategy. Moreover, I have continued to do the rest of what traditional academics are expected to do: conduct research, write grant proposals and grant-funding reports, mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
For a while there, I had considered not taking on more coaching clients. Not adding any more students to my roster. But to be quite frank, I like a diverse work life. I enjoy being an academic while I am at the university, an instructor when I am at the college, a consultant when I am in meetings with clients, and a researcher when I am in non-traditional-yet-still-scholarly settings.
I think that there is enormous value to diversifying your work portfolio. Not to spread yourself thin, but to make the best use of your training. After all, as I explained yesterday to the academic folks who were at my workshop on social media to advance our research – I started out in the natural sciences and engineering, went to business school for my MBA and now have a PhD with multidisciplinary (public policy, geography, planning, environmental policy-social science) focus. I kind of like it that way.
I am a loyal customer of The Delly (a small deli within UBC’s Student Union Building). I have always passed by and almost without any doubt, I have bought a food item, for the past few years (take into consideration that I’ve done both my Masters and PhD at UBC and I now teach there too).
The Delly is where I get my fix of banana bread-chocolate chunk muffins, which I usually pair up with a coffee from Blue Chips! From the long lineups I have to endure when I finish my class (even at 1:00pm), I can attest to the fact that the food that The Delly provides is really good (they offer freshly-prepared sandwiches).
The Delly recently introduced a line of curry-based dishes). Not expensive, either. Overall, if I could, I would give The Delly a 9 out of 10. The service is super friendly and the food is excellent and accessible for student (and faculty) budgets.
If I could divide myself in six people (or clone myself) I totally would, because the quality of art that we get in Vancouver is amazing, and I don’t have nearly enough time to attend everything I’m invited to. But I really want to make an effort to attend this fantastic play, Prodigals. This past summer, they invited me to their performance of Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love but I was overbooked and I couldn’t make it. So I’m going to try this time.
I have been invited by Sabrina Evertt (Twenty Something Theatre) to the opening night of Prodigals, their feature play. It looks like Natalie may be my Plus One for the evening. Thanks Natalie!
From the producers who brought you last summer’s sold-out production of Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love comes a brand new play about the trials of life and love coming from small town. Set in a small bar in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, six young underachievers await the results of a murder trial that’s hit close to home. Their world of drinking, sarcasm and missed opportunities is flipped upside down when a former friend returns from Toronto to testify in the trial, reopening old wounds and creating some new ones as well.
The fantastic cast includes Timothy Johnston (Ride The Cyclone), Tara Pratt (Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love), Abby Renee Creek (Salt Water Moon, Suburbia), Aslam Husain (Anne, Secret World of Og), Brandyn Eddy (Tick, Tick…Boom!, Little Shop of Horrors) and Jameson Parker (Arms & The Man, Romeo & Juliet).
Directed by Peter Boychuk, Prodigals, is on stage at the Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive from April 27 to May 2, 2010. For ticket pricing: $20 Regular. Discount Tickets: $15 for 35 & under and 65 & older (with valid id). $10 Preview. Tickets available at the door or from Tickets Tonight or by phone at 604-684-2787.
I am giving away a pair of tickets for a lucky reader. To enter the contest, you can retweet this post, and dropping a comment on this blog entry will give you one additional entry. I will be drawing the winners of the tickets on Monday April 26thTuesday April 27th at 2pm.
My good friend Shallom aka Indigo sent me a lovely email a couple of days ago to inform me that over six months of prep work is finally coming to a close and they are less than 10 days away from starting mural installation for Paint Your Faith Vancouver, a collab wall between Faith47, Peeta, Titifreak and Indigo, located just down the street from where her studio is. In addition to the mural, they’ll also be doing a group show at Ayden Gallery, featuring Chor Boogie, Mediah, Elicser and Siloette (the Paint Your Faith Toronto artists) as well as Dedos, Kaput, Misk, Scott Sueme and Phresha. The project starts April 21, gallery exhibit opens April 24.
On April 28th 2010, the city will be presented with a one-of-a-kind mural, located at 55-57 W. Hastings Street. It will be the collaborative work of four world-renowned aerosol artists – Faith47 from South Africa, Titi Freak from Sao Paulo, Peeta from Italy, and Indigo, a local artist and dancer based in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side. These four artists have been invited by the United Church of Canada to paint their interpretation of faith, as part of their ongoing Paint Your Faith campaign. See www.paintyourfaith.com or www.wondercafe.ca for more information.
This project is a first in many ways – it brings an international team of artists into the DTES. Also, it is the result of the United Church of Canada supporting aerosol artists who are often maligned for their work.
Since the exhibit is relatively close to my downtown office, and I love Indigo’s work and this project looks very cool, most likely I’ll be there. I might post it on Twitter in case people want to join me.
As it tuns out, my friend Andy Peatling (creator of BuddyPress, the series of WordPress plugins that can transform any WordPress Multi User platform into a social network, kind of like Facebook on WordPress) is still in the Old Continent, so I didn’t get to celebrate his birthday with him. Also, I was under a lot of pressure to complete a lot of client work and I’ve ended up being super uber busy, so I didn’t write to wish him a happy birthday.
But I’m back and I just had enough time to write a quick “Happy birthday”, so hope you had a good birthday, Andy! Looking forward to seeing you whenever you’re back!
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!
I had been working hard and staying late at UBC to finish preparing lectures and writing a paper, and I decided I needed a walk, so I asked my good friend Erica Hargreave if she’d like to join me for a walk around the UBC Point Grey campus (which is quite beautiful). Obviously, at some point during our walk we felt hungry so we wandered towards the UBC Village.
I will confess that I totally expected this place to be kind of sketchy (not sure why) but I am SO glad it wasn’t. The sushi was reasonable and not too expensive (between $8.50 and $10.00 for a bento box).
I noticed that Suga Sushi’s bento box included gomae, which is unusual from what I have seen at other sushi places (and by heck, it looks like I’m on a sushi bender). I am not much of a bento box fan, but I love rolls and nigiri sushi. The flavors of Suga Sushi’s rolls were pretty good and the fish and veggies were fresh. It’s student fare, from what I can see, and I can’t complain! Good food, good value and great company (thanks Erica for joining me)
JT and I had tried to have sushi at Sushiyama not once, not twice but seriously, probably a dozen times. But we always caught them closed, not sure why. Maybe we weren’t destined to try the delicious sushi that Sushiyama produces. Luckily, this Friday we were able to pick up take-out (we both chose a California Combo, for $ 7.95 – that includes miso soup). The sushi is definitely better than the one I had at Nikkyu (which, admittedly, is substantially closer to my house, but not as good). It’s also substantially better than the sushi at most Kishu’s (including the recently burned down Kishu Mountain).
While I am not one to try the fancy rolls unless the place is very well renowned for them, like the case of Zipang or Ebisu (both Robson and Richmond), so I’m usually trying the basic combos. For the California combo, I had more than enough food. It included miso soup (very light) and 4 pieces of nigiri sushi.
I am not too keen on any nigiri that is not the traditional salmon, tuna or shellfish, so the fourth piece was kind of weird for me. Also, I’m trying to eat more vegetarian rather than fish-based, so while I love nigiri, I am more concerned with eating fish that aren’t endangered (‘sustainable sushi’ places in Vancouver).
Overall, I really enjoyed eating sushi to take out from Sushiyama, but I could totally see how I would have to wait in line to get a table. It’s a very popular place!
Cancer has a way of following me around. I have lost my grandmother, my Mom’s two sisters to this horrendous disease, and I have loved friends right now fighting it. Cancer was, and continues to be my enemy. I have Blogathoned 3 years in a row, 2 of those raising funds for the BC Cancer Foundation. I am a big supporter of any charities associated with raising awareness about cancer.
I have also collaborated in fundraising for cancer research. I learned of Daffodil Day from the BC Cancer Foundation newsletter, and I wish I had written about it earlier. You can show your support today. More information from the Daffodil Day site:
CELEBRATE DAFFODIL DAY WITH THE CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY AT THE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY
The Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Region is celebrating Daffodil Day on April 9 with a special public art event at Fountain Square at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Members of the public are invited to show their support for friends or family facing a cancer journey as part of this event. The annual daffodil campaign is designed to unite our communities in the fight against cancer; remind British Columbians that there are many ways to reduce the risk of cancer; and encourage courageous giving so the Society can continue to invest in outstanding research, deliver caring support programs and lead prevention initiatives.
Where: Fountain Square, Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia & Howe) When: Official celebration is 11:30am to 1:00pm.
Opportunities to add the name of a loved one to the Field of Hope start at 9:00am
I am at the university so I can’t attend but I’d love it if you could.
EDIT – I received an email from Michelle Peters, Communications Coordinator for the BC Cancer Foundation, explaining me that Daffodil Day is run by the Canadian Cancer Society. Here is a brief abstract of her message.
Daffodil Day is actually a campaign run by the Canadian Cancer Society. They are a completely separate charitable organization from the BC Cancer Foundation.
BC Cancer Foundation is the fundraising arm of the BC Cancer Agency. We solely raise funds to support research and enhancements to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency. The BC Cancer Agency is responsible for all the cancer control in our province – prevention, diagnosis, screening, treatment, rehabilitation, etc. We are the largest charitable funder of cancer research in B.C.
The Canadian Cancer Society is a national organization with a BC/Yukon division. You can find out more about what they do at their website www.cancer.ca
Since there’s a gazillion new people in my follower list and a lot of new readers, I figured I’d post this note that is on my Facebook page. 25 things that you may or may not know about me. Actually, most of my friends would know this about me.
1. I sometimes sleep on my couch. Usually when I am watching TV. Makes me feel less lonely, as I do live alone.
2. When I am sad, I make grape Jell-O. Reminds me of my late aunt. It makes me feel emotionally better.
3. When I am peckish (i.e. kind of hungry), I boil eggs and add lime juice and salt. Really tasty snack. Trust me, you ought to try it.
4. I hate cheese. This is a rather known fact about me, but people seem to forget quite easily.
5. Despite my hate of cheese, I *will* eat pizza. I actually will be happy to eat pizza if it has lots of meat.
6. I don’t like creamy soups. It might have something to do with my lactose intolerancy.
7. It took over 1.5 years for me to turn on my TV. I bought one and never used it.
8. I can dream in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
9. I tend to misplace my keys quite often, despite my prodigious photographic memory.
10. I tried 8 different colognes (one each semester during my undergraduate degree) before I settled on my signature fragrance: Herrera for Men.
11. I am addicted to the TV show “Brothers and Sisters”.
12. I have bumped into lots of actors while I’ve lived in Vancouver. Most recently Michael Weatherly of Dark Angel and NCIS fame. Actually I saw him at brunch at Provence Marinaside in Yaletown.
13. I know how to say “I love you” in Japanese. I actually know how to say “I love you forever” – itsumo aishiteru.
14. Up until April 2008 I had never interviewed anyone in a different language. I had been interviewed in several languages, but I had never done it myself.
15. Up until early 2009, I was on EVERY SINGLE OTHER social media platform, except for Facebook. Now, I’m also on Facebook. Yes, I know. I caved.
16. I take at least 1 hour a week to meditate. I don’t take any phone calls, nor do I check email or anything. It’s MY time and mine only.
17. I have volunteered doing adult literacy programs. I have also volunteered doing science education programs. I feel much more fulfilled with adult literacy, quite frankly.
18. My favorite food right now is Ethiopian. Not sure why, but I just absolutely adore those flavors. I used to have a fascination with Japanese, Italian and Mexican food. Right now, Ethiopian is the one.
19. I have always loved taking a different approach to things. All my brothers play basketball (quite competitively). I chose volleyball, and became a pretty good competitive volleyball player.
20. I was raised listening to classical music. Yet, I absolutely love 80’s pop music.
21. It is widely accepted that the two most important environmental challenges are water and energy. I do research on water, but have never had any interest whatsoever in energy. Except in 2010, when I started teaching Global Environmental Politics. My best friend is an expert on energy, so we are quite complementary (I’m a specialist on water).
22. I used to work better late at night but right now it’s really hard for me to stay up late in the mornings.
23. I have worked several times 24 hours straight. It didn’t do any good to my health.
24. I hate waiting for the bus. Sometimes I walk (and obviously, sometimes I miss the bus because it comes before I can feel it approaching!)
25. Even though I am an environmental specialist, I do eat meat. I do have a 60-70% vegetarian diet, though.
I have previously blogged about how I “collect Kodak moments” (by the way, if you are new-ish to reading my blog, you totally should read that post. It will explain a lot). I live an incredibly happy and fulfilling life, and I happen to visualize it in a variety of ways, not only in “mental photographs” or “Kodak moments”, but also through music.
If you had to create a soundtrack to my life, you’d have to piece together a series of songs. So I thought I’d piece together a little soundtrack of what music I listen to and the different circumstances. Most of the time I listen to music as I walk or bus or Skytrain/Canada Line somewhere. Or when I am doing research or preparing a lecture.
On my way to the bus 99 B-Line (leaving my house in the morning)
Ashes by The Hush Now
If I feel like I need a boost of energy throughout the day, mostly when walking to and from the SUB (where I usually get lunch or a coffee during breaks in between classes)
Corazon by Titan
Leaving my office at the university and heading to the classroom to teach.
Pacific Coast Highway by Nils (I also use this one sometimes to get me started when I am heading from my office downtown to a tech/social media/PR event)
Reading academic papers that I am using to prepare my lectures
Golden Cage by The Whitest Boy Alive
Empty Streets by Late Night Alumni (one of my and Minna’s favorite songs)
Should I ever come back to modeling, this is the music I’d love to hear while on the runway
The Way it Used to Be by The Pet Shop Boys
The Look of Love by Nina Simone (Madison Park vs. Lenny B Remix)
The music I listen to while doing research:
There’s a number of songs I use to prepare myself and get me into the Zen of academic research, but these two are by and large my favoritest songs:
Sola Sistim by Underworld
A Day in December by Manoo & Francois
If I need to have a good cry, I normally listen to Sarah McLachlan. Elsewhere, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy and Hold On.
I have had an office at The Network Hub for over 2 years. During that time I have hosted several blogger outreach events, including a couple for The Community Against Preventable Injuries (@Preventable). For those of you who have attended those events (and several that The Network Hub itself has organized), here’s the answer to the delicious sushi you’ve enjoyed: Momo Sushi in Gastown
The fact that Momo Sushi is located less than 2 blocks away from our offices at West Hastings and Richards makes our lives oh-so-much-easier because we can just call and order a couple of platters and we will have enough food to feed a little army. Today my good friend Minna Van (one of the cofounders of The Network Hub) invited me out for lunch and I wanted sushi, so we went to Momo Sushi.
I do not think people realize just how big those rolls are and how filling they are, but let me tell you, the roll combos at Momo Sushi are big enough that after lunch, you may fall into a sushi coma. Really tasty, the fish is very fresh (if you eat fish, or you can also do all vegetarian rolls). For me, it was much more than I could handle, and right now I am fighting to stay awake.
I just hope I can make it through the Social Media Club Vancouver executive board meeting still awake! And Momo Sushi isn’t expensive, I think you can have a decent lunch for less than $9.00. Overall, my kudos to Momo Sushi for consistently good sushi.
I have been spending a substantial amount of time (not a lot of money, but time itself) trying to make my very-small apartment much more cozy and welcoming. I don’t have a PVR but I do have a TV and a couch, so for me a quiet evening is usually watching TV or a movie and ordering sushi or pizza in, or cooking at home. The weather in the past couple of days has been miserable, not conducive to go out.
I was thinking I would take a quiet evening sometime this weekend, and I wondered what a quiet evening meant for my readers (e.g. if my definition coincides to what they do if they decide not to go out on the town). Thoughts?
Whoever said that “beer before liquor, never sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear” clearly hadn’t had two Amaretto Sours and then one beer. I didn’t really drink that much last night at Media Leaders and the F5 Expo Tweetup, at all. I drank a lot of water in between. But I woke up to a splitting headache, and while not hangover (hell, 3 drinks in 5 hours is nothing!), I still had to have Tylenol 3Extra Strength in the morning (my very best friend) in order to be able to function properly for my teaching. In the future, I’m sticking with *only* beer, wine or cocktails, but just one of the same. No switching around!
Those sayings are total and utter rubbish.
[NOTE – I had to edit the Tylenol 3 comment as (a) it wasn’t actually Tylenol 3 which is prescription medication but Tylenol Extra Strength, which is over-the-counter, and (b) I had Tylenol in the morning, after having spent 8 hours asleep, not mixing it as Sam was suggesting in the comments below – thus, you’ll see the strike-through and inserted words on my post – all in the name of accuracy! :)]
Duane Storey (Brave New Code) is a very good friend of mine, someone with whom I have had drinks, intellectual discussions and geeky conversations about technology, science, academia and of course, all things WordPress. It is thanks to Duane that my blog and thousands of others look so pretty in a mobile device (WPTouch), and that you can see my blog posts as soon as I write them, linked on Twitter (WordTwit). I really appreciate Duane as a friend even if I do not see him often enough because he lives in Chilliwack!
Grace Carter (Invoke Media) is not only one of the smartest social media strategists I know, but also one of the kindest and sweetest of them all. Grace and I have had the opportunity to share not only the online world, but also the personal world. I consider Grace one of my closest friends, and she is (as I have mentioned before), one of the best Plus One’s you can get. She is an all-around awesome gal.
And in the purest and most awesome coincidences of them all, both Grace and Duane share the same birthday AND I found a photo by Ianiv (who along with Arieanna went to the same event that Grace invited Duane and me and other bloggers, for the Chip is Not Dead Yet blogger outreach event) that captured Grace, Duane and myself so that I can illustrate this post. How COOL is that!
I can’t make it to F5 Expo this morning because I teach until 1pm and then I have to meet with a PhD student, but I’ll try to make it downtown on time for some of the sessions and/or Malcolm Gladwell. In the mean time here is a live-tweetage capture for F5 Expo. Thanks Nels, Lindsey and Rossana for all your hard work!
I’ve been in love with the work that Fighting Chance Productions (led by Ryan Mooney) has been doing in the Vancouver theatre community for the past couple of years. In their 2009 season, they won 6 Ovation Awards for musicals, two of which I was lucky to see (Rent and tick… tick… BOOM!). This time, FCP have been kind enough to give me a pair of tickets for a lucky reader. I will draw the winner of my tickets on April 27th, at 2pm. The opening night is April 29th, with previews on April 27th and 28th (only $15 per person per ticket each of the preview nights).
From the FCP press release:
New Jersey in the 80s. Robbie Hart lives in his grandmother’s basement in New and sings in a wedding band. His dreams of being a singer/songwriter are long gone, replaced now by a burning desire to find the right girl and settle down. When his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar, he becomes a wedding planner’s worst nightmare by taking out his bitterness on stage and drowning in his sorrows. Then a new friend, Julia, catches his eye and his heart – but she’s engaged to a wealthy Wall Street broker.
6 Ovation Award wins for musicals in their 2009 Season (Rent and tick… tick… BOOM!) Fighting Chance Productions are delighted to present the BC Premiere of this exciting musical. Director Ryan Mooney says, “I’m thrilled to just have a fun show to do. Nothing serious, just a lot of laughs and a great love story. Not to mention 30 of the most talented musical theatre up and comers in the Lower Mainland.”
The Wedding Singer features Andrew Halliwell, Lexy Campbell, Cassandra Nantel, Tyson Coady, Alex McMorran, Sean Parsons, Jessica Kelly, Sable Strub and Linda Noble, and runs at the Jericho Arts Centre (1675 Discovery) from April 27th – May 22nd, 2010. Tuesdays – Saturdays at 8pm. Tickets are $25 – $30 and are available at the door. For reservations and information phone 604-224-8007 ext. 3.
Paradise Garden sounded like one of those romantic plays that will lift your spirits after seeing it. The truth is, it did lift my spirits, and I hope it did the same for Jason.
I’m someone who believes that there is always someone out there for us, that there’s that perfect soul mate that we are waiting to bump into.
Local boy Day, a free spirit, lives next door to worldly Layla, a career-driven intellectual. The two have nothing in common. Or do they? Over time these divergent souls come to understand each other in a way neither thought possible. A contemporary tale of romance and cultural divides so engaging it will change the way you see the girl (or boy) next door!
Written by Lucia Frangione, and starring Gina Chiarelli, Lucia Frangione, Meghan Gardiner, Michael Kopsa, Kevin MacDonald, Richard Newman, Marie Stillin with Morris Ertman as Director, Paradise Garden is playing until April 11, 2010 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (on Granville between 11th and 12th Avenues). You can buy tickets online here.
I found Paradise Garden had an eerie resemblance to some elements of my own life. I have a PhD and whenever I have thought about falling in love with someone, I have always measured people in terms of what they can offer me intellectually. Yeah, call me a snob.
But what I loved about the play was how each character developed him/herself, in a constant pursuit of growth. I would love to give out more details but you’d miss the whole play if I did.
In all honesty, I think everyone should go check Paradise Garden. Jason and I had the pleasure of bumping into my good friend AF, who took her friend SF (also a friend of mine), and her Mom and another friend to the Stanley. They all loved it, so I think their opinion endorses the play even more!
I want to thank The Arts Club, who always supports me whenever I do a contest, and in this case, when I am creating an auction item prize. Thanks also to Jason for joining me for the evening! One element I almost forgot to mention in my previous review of Billy Bishop is that the Granville Stage has been renovated recently! Good work by The Arts Club Company!
Disclosure: The tickets to attend the play for me and for Jason were sponsored very generously by The Arts Club. Thanks to Nicole McLuckie for making arrangements for the tickets. While I did not pay to attend the show, I would gladly pay to attend, as it is a great production. This post hasn’t been paid for 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.
I was walking to the Skytrain station with my friend Minna (co-founder of The Network Hub and before we took the Skytrain we were commenting on how many of the improvements that were implemented in the city because of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. We both agreed that we quite like them. I think these are part of what many people have come the legacies of Vancouver 2010. 
