My sibs came through in a wonderful way for the big bday… Rob has been wanting to give this gift to me for over a year – I had no idea! I am thrilled… can’t wait for you to come home Rob so we can cruise the mountains with The Capo!! Merci mon frere.
I started my blog a year ago this January, so that my family and friends could witness my 5 weeks in Torino, Italy. It was meant to be a kind of behind the scenes look, from my perspective naturally, at the Olympic Games and life in Northern Italia – the day to day reports and updates of my journey while I experienced working for the CBC on the world stage. I wanted to share that with them. That was the beginning.
Now, at the end of 2006, as we are all about to embark on “the new year”, and, for many, reflect about this past year, I find that I have opened up a lot of my life to the internet, for all eyes to see (admittedly, a phenomenon I find both strange and challenging at times). But I have happily embraced it for the most part and have had many positive experiences, having met a slew of wonderful people, both personally and professionally. That said, I don’t think I will divulge my thoughts and feelings on all that I have gained, loved, lost, learned… that’s too personal.
I’m not big on the whole New Year’s Resolutions thing, but I am big on creating lists and in setting some goals, both short and long, so why not do that at the start of the new year? A woman whom I admire inspired me about a decade ago to start this fulfilling ritual. I hope to do the same for someone else.
So here goes my goal list for 2007, in no particular order of importance (I like to think of #14 as my mantra):
1. Keep Running – always.
2. Listen.
3. Caution whilst on the sloops…
4. Piano – get back on the horse, or stool.
5. Play more guitar… and sing in a pub, just once…
6. Focus on what I am passionate about and what makes me tick.
7. Qualify for Boston.
8. Be true to myself. Make my choices and decisions in life for me, and not for what society says, not for other people, pressures or acceptance. A toughy, but a goody.
9. Be a stellar mum to The Capo.
10. Judge Less – never be quick to dismiss another human being.
11. Play more tennis: competition shape.
12. Stay close and in touch with the family and friends that are so far away.
13. Grace.
14. Enjoy the moment, not the end result.
I am very much addicted to the Read/Write Web, that is to say: it’s where I like to surf for all the latest and greatest. And this upcoming week is no exception.
You want reviews of 2006 and all that shook down and what it all means as we launch into 2007? Richard MacManus and his 2.0 crack team of writers always seem to hit all the issues, news, conferences, and sum them up well, with honesty and realism in their writing, reporting and critiquing.
SO – I’ll be watching and reading and hopefully reporting back and linking on The Standard, as per the usual, but let’s be honest, it’s 11 days, yes, ELEVEN days, until the stores close and the 12 Days of Christmas (technically are supposed to, in theory) begin. So while I shop, or rather, make my homemade gifts (oh my family love me for it, really they do) and we all feast over and over again, you can always take a spin through the read/write to catch what you’ve missed.
That is, if Grandma’s house has that wifi hook-up so you can escape away to feed your addiction between eggnog and Santa chocolates.
Pilot R. Cole is headed off to Bangkok today… then onto his first official post as helicopter pilot for CHC International in Bangladesh!! We’re so happy for you Roberto, proud of you, can’t wait to read YOUR NEW BLOG about all of your adventures. You better speak some mean Bangla upon your return. We’ll miss you.
… in Vancouver?!?!
Thank-you Tampa International – I have wifi as I wait!! My withdrawal of a week mostly offine, I feed my addiction once more… does that make me crazy?
Happy Thanksgiving America. While tables across this country I find myself in this day are covered with piping hot turkeys and apple pies, with most bellies to be stuffed and eyes glued to the day long extravaganza of football, I am happy to throw sweats over my bather and eat a steak, and not have to partake in the US traditions, even though today could be a great excuse to have a big turkey feast no. 2 of the year.
And while the biggest shopping day of the year, and grandest example of consumerism, starts tomorrow morning at (gasp!) FIVE A.M.!!, I think I’ll sit that ritual out too, and wake up at a civilized time, have my java, and head out to the beach for a slow, long run along the Gulf.
Oh, and here’s the sunset tonight. It’s mostly been quite chilly here this week, relatively speaking of course, but a wonderful respite nonetheless.
How does one effectively utilize the internet to promote and market a film project?
That was the question raised by filmmakers and members of the National Film Board and Telefilm Canada that spawned the workshop “Marketing Your Film Online”, an event sponsored by Telefilm Canada at this year’s St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival that wrapped up this week in Newfoundland.
Pattie Lacroix from Catapult Media in Halifax and I held a panel talk on this very issue for the participants at the festival this year. It was a ton of fun and the people in attendance gained a lot from the session, based on their positive responses in the aftermath. We gave the talk from the perspective on how filmmakers, producers and directors could potentially freely, literally, tap the internet and the many social networks that are out there to explore, to better promote their work. This information on the basics of online social networking can obviously be applied right across the board to just about anyone with something to sell, show or share!
Pattie started the discussion off with an introduction to the next generation of the web: social networks and softwares and how user-generated content effects users today in how people connect and collaborate online, and how the web is more about event driven experiences than about sites.
Before heading off to the East coast, I sat down with the person who first taught me all about this world of social networks and softwares, to formulate the talk in a constructive and useful manner for the specific audience: krug – THE social software guru junkie.
And here’s how that all looked and unfolded in the end:
Case Studies:
I then moved into highlighting several examples to better illustrate how other television and film projects used some of these free social softwares in the past for promoting their work:
The whole talk, with questions and conversations that were generated from it, took up about 2.5 hours – we could have gone all day!
As I mentioned, the info was all really well received and most of the people were truly blown away by the vastness of this space. We, who live in this web 2.0 bubble, can perhaps sometimes take it for granted. There is a whole world out there that knows very little, or sometimes, nothing at all, on how powerful the internet has become, and it felt great to have the opportunity to transfer what I have learned to those people who are open and ready to learn it as well.
Thank-you to Pattie for having the foresight to bring someone like me back to the East to take part in this endeavor. We’re hoping to continue working as a team on more workshops in the future – it was a lot of fun teaching this stuff!
Thanks to Telefilm Canada for sponsoring the event.
Thank-you to Krug for all of your help, knowledge and support, as always!
And a thank-you to Kelly Davis, the festival’s Executive Director, and her crew this year. You did such an outstanding job. I look forward to seeing the festival grow in numbers and participation in the coming years and to hopefully coming back to take part again!