On the GO with a Cinnabon...

remember a few posts back i talked about the guy sitting next to me with a sandwich... the smelly sandwich (i'm hoping it was a smelly sandwich because if not, then it was definitely the guy... yuck.)

anyways...

the kid across from me... probably 14 or 15... he's brought aboard a delicious, warm, sticky, cinnabon in a box, and is wolfing this monster down - like he hasn't eaten in months.

the smell is driving me crazy. i almost want to offer him $2 and rip off a piece.

i wish people wouldn't do that.

bring delicious smelling food on the train, I mean.

and just before dinner.

i accidentally called him a bastard under my breath.

okay, no i didn't. but i wanted to.

a new commute on the go

yes. have no fear. i am alive. i haven't died. haven't retired (hehe) or been playing hooky underneath the sheets in my "bat cave" of a room. truth is, despite my incredibly uneventful life, i have been busy. since i wrote my last post, i have accepted a two-month internship at a canadian broadcasting company... yes, it's probably the one you are thinking of. and no. i'm not going to use their name because i'm not sure of the legality of the whole thing.
however, i assure you that it is an incredible opportunity and i am beyond excited. i can't believe i've already reached the halfway mark!

in addition to my new downtown commute, i have kept my part-job at a local spa and work there three times a week. i know it sounds like i'm crazy, but i have to pay the bills somehow!

for the last month i have been commuting into toronto on the go train. let me tell you. if you don't commute on the go train and choose the ttc instead...boy are you missing out.

don't get me wrong. the ttc is great for you down-towners, but the go train is a whole other world entirely. welcome to suburbia, i guess!

one difference i have noticed is that people riding the lakeshore eastbound to union train are very chatty in the mornings. once you hit minico station, it's game over. the train floods with perky people. well i don't want to be a downer, but it's 8 a.m. i haven't had my timmy-ho's this morning nor do i pay $167 a month to listen to you tell your work-buddy about what you had for dinner last night. ok. ok. it does make for some interesting listening sometimes... but is it really necessary to yell in my ear? you are sitting 4 rows away from me and its still too loud. please stop.

another thing i can appreciate about the go train is that its almost never late. unless the happy man over the p.a. system from the accessibility car says its "track maintenance" season... which it is... but so far so good. so... go with the go.

Stilettos in the City

Dear Men of Toronto,

a word of advice: women in heels hate to walk over subway grates.

be a man and get out of the way.

Sincerely,

Me.

Inside and Out

A major question that our generation asks everyday is: How do I make myself happy? I know I ask myself this everyday. And every day I struggle to find a medium between the goals that I’ll achieve in my life, and the upsets which I’ll have to let go of. I am completely responsible for my past, present, and future. On the other hand, I have no control. Can I be in between?

I have some notes on my Blackberry where I write down my blog ideas as they pop into my head, as well as quotes or excerpts from things that I read. I do this not only to remember them for later on, but I do this to challenge myself and to remind myself of where I am going in life. There is one note that I keep adding to. I've called it "You are just fabulous" (I can't believe I just admitted that).

One entry reads:

"The fact is, you are totally capable of experiencing happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment right now. All you have to do is start living life like you count. Like you matter. Like what you do in each moment makes a difference in the world — Because it really does."

More than half of the quotes in “You are just fabulous” I have memorized by heart.

I was reading something the other day about paying attention to how you take off your shoes. It sounds very silly, but a lot of the times I struggle with this… I pay virtually no attention to the relationships, people, and things that I have at the moment and focus all of my energy on what will be coming or what I have lost. I constantly need a plan, and like the true over-analyzer that I am, when something doesn't work out, I replay different scenarios in my head. What if I had said this instead? What if I had done this differently? It's enough to drive anyone completely bonkers. When I’m busy I tend to ignore phone calls, people, and the things going on around me because I’ve immersed myself in my goals, failures and in my journey through life in general. Sometimes I know that I exude a stand-offish vibe, especially in these times where I am immersed in my own life in my own self-indulgent way. Sometimes I think, isn't that what being 23 is all about? Being a little selfish and focusing on what you want and where you want to go? I'm not really sure how to answer these questions yet, because to be honest, how I feel changes on a day to day basis. 

But let me ask you this ... How do you take off your shoes? Do you throw them to the side with no care in the world or do you place them gently on the shoe rack? It’s about how much attention you pay to the things and the people who are around now — Everything which you have now. I’m still trying to figure this one out… And I’m trying to be more careful with my shoes...

Prime Minister Harper reaches out to the YouTube community

His video might not be as popular as a laughing baby, but Prime Minister's YouTube response to the Throne Speech shows that political leaders are attempting to reach out to new and younger audiences.

Canadians were asked to submit questions and then vote on what they thought were the best questions for Harper to answer in regards to the Throne Speech.

Stephen Harper and TalkCanada partnered in hopes to reach out to new (younger?) audiences. He is the second political leader (U.S. President Barack Obama was the first) to use this method to communicate with a wider range of audience -- a much larger audience. At the beginning of this year, almost 79 million users watched more than three billion videos in the month of January alone.

Success on YouTube may soon be a major factor in shaping public opinion, with the power to make or break a celebrity, politician or idea. While many see YouTube as an idle distraction or procrastination tactic, it is for the motivated and interested observer that YouTube affords the greatest power in providing thousands of interviews, speeches and broadcasts to sift through. Users who want to make a difference can by the use of simple video editing and creating thoughtful or political statements of their own.

As an aspiring PR professional, I think it makes sense that political leaders would want to generate support from a new audience and make use of all the tools possible to do so. Despite the fact that these videos might open one up to criticism and negative comments, there is something to be said about being transparent in broadcasting an interview, reaching out to Canadians and answering their questions and addressing their concerns. All I can say is kudos to Prime Minister Harper for embracing new media!

I have to admit, I didn't hear about this YouTube video until I watched The Rick Mercer Report on Tuesday night. Rick's rants are my favourite part of the show and definitely a fun way to learn about politics.

Anyway, he brings up a theory he has about web cams in Parliament and how the Internet can single handedly save Canadian democracy. Now I don't know about that, but I think that this video is definitely entertaining to watch nonetheless.

Organizations trading in the water cooler for social media

I recently attended Talk is Cheap 3.0, a social media networking event held at Centennial College and hosted by Social Media Group and the Corporate Communications and Public Relations department. The night was a great success, and I was fortunate to be involved not only in the planning of the event, but to be able to attend two sessions during the evening.

 Although it was difficult to choose which sessions to attend, I settled on one focusing on Social Media for Internal Audiences... who knew there was such a thing? Seeing as how most organizations have blocked sites like YouTube and Facebook so that employees cannot access them during the work day. 

The session was held by Amanda Laird from Canada Newswire and really opened my eyes to organizations can benefit from integrating social media within their internal systems. 

With technology constantly changing the way people search for, find, share and communicate information,  its not the communications content that needs to change but the tools through which those messages are distributed. Employees want to be communicated with, and more importantly, employees want to feel engaged.

Employee connection = employee engagement = employee happiness :o) 

So if you’re organization is still a little hesitant about integrating social media internally, consider the following:

1. Transparency is a beautiful thing, and social media allows companies to have real-time, authentic conversations with employees.
2. Social media knows no rank and thus allows all communications to flow from the top right to the very bottom, and side to side if need be. It also knows no physical boundaries and can be accessed across the world (as long as you’re logged in, of course)
3. Leadership teams who use social media to converse with employees are generally well liked and well read by employees. Employees like to know that their leadership cares enough to have a venue for conversing with them. So cover your bases, whether its Twitter, Yammer, a blog, wiki’s or podcasts, there is a tool for many - so make use of them!
4. Gen Y and younger Gen Xers are already used to the two-way communications that they really don’t pay attention to anything else. They give the most credit to the friends they text for information.
5. Social media is a fantastic recruiting tool! Companies who do not make use of this tool are often at a distinct disadvantage. 

So forget the water cooler and log on!

The "New" Commuter

Since I have started commuting into the city of Toronto.... early.... very early...everyday, I have discovered that as “convenient” as public transit systems, like the TTC are...between the rude customer service representatives scoffing at you as you purchase tokens and the constant delays that make me late for class,  the TTC really isn’t that convenient nor pleasant to ride at all. I thought to myself on my first trek down the Bloor/Danforth line to Pape Station, my stop for school... “Wow. This beats the St. Catherines bus system...I’m living the life of a commuter.” Call me crazy, but I almost felt grown up.

Since then, the TTC has demonstrated less then satisfactory customer service each and every time I have to buy tokens. I get stared at everyday by some creeper who doesn’t have something better to look at. I can’t tell if the guy sitting next to me eating the sandwich smells or whether it’s just his sandwich. Shouldn’t there be some form of public transit etiquette? 

Putting Yourself Out There...

SO, because I am part of an online PR class this semester, I feel it is only appropriate to talk about social media and role it plays in our lives.

With the emergence of the Internet, Facebook and Twitter there is only one rule: Share everything.

Since I enrolled in this course at Centennial College, I have tried my best to stay up to date with the latest and greatest social media inventions.

I jumped on the Facebook bandwagon during my first year of university. I thought it was a great way to stay in touch with people who I went to high school with, but it was also a great way (and cheaper way) to stay in touch with close friends who had gone to university far away from home. More recently, I have realized the power that social media sites have in bringing people closer together... even people you might have never had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

Today, I am still on Facebook, and although I wrestle with the idea of deactivating my account everyday, I can't seem to bring myself to do it. Recently, I have booked a 7-week European Adventure beginning at the end of June. I am traveling with Contiki Tours and of course joined the Facebook group that coincided with my tour dates. Since joining the group, I have met and talked to several Australians who will be joining the tour as well.

The fact that I can talk to people across the world before ever meeting them boggles my mind... so here are a few facts:

• There are over 350 million active users on Facebook



• More than 350 billion pieces of content are shared each week (including links, news stories, blog posts, photo albums, etc)



• An average user spends at least 55 minutes a day on Facebook



• An average user writes 25 comments on content each month



• More then 70 translations are available on the site



• About 70% of Facebook users are outside of the United States

So although I think "The Book" is a great way to expand your social network, such as meeting new people from all over the world, but there is one thing that "urks" me about this new fad. There is a sense of personal contact that has been lost. I no longer need to pick up the phone and call someone to find out how they have been over the last few weeks. I don't ever wonder how "so-in-so's" New Years Eve party was, because I can view their photos the next day. I can even tell who my boyfriend messaged today without even talking to him directly.

I can't help but wonder, has social media taken the "social" out of "social life?"

The Beginning...

It's January 28, 2010 and I am 23 years old... almost.

After four years of University I decided to pursue Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Centennial College in Toronto. That meant moving out of my university house and home to Mississauga with my parents and younger sister. Do you feel like I'm moving backwards?

Sometimes I do.

To quote Marie Forleo in her book, "I should be much farther along by now". Since I have moved back home, I have felt the urge to bang my head against my Ikea desk, while my Brock University degree stares at me questioningly. Even now I am struggling with what theme to write for this blog, but why not start with introducing myself.

There is not much to know about me as of right now.... perhaps I'm approaching a quarter-life crisis?

Pretty much just young, broke and fabulous.

But seriously, I will tell you that I am a firm believer in rich ingredients... not just in food, but in love and life. Although I have lived just outside of Toronto (Lorne Park, Mississauga) all of my life, I still feel like a tourist and have been spending the last few months getting acquainted with the wonderful city of Toronto.

With an itch for traveling, a passion for arts and culture and a career in public relations (hopefully), I am excited to explore this glorious city, and share my adventures with you along the way.