Sunday, October 3, 2010

8 Months Later, The Games Live On


They're over. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games are over,done and gone. But what has been left and documented in their wake will live on forever in our hearts and minds as Canadians, Vancouverites and as the hosts to the best damn winter Olympics ever.

But it wasn't always that way. I for example, didn't want the games, didn't agree with the politics of it all and certainly didn't want the economic burden. But it changed. Somewhere along the way in February I, along with many many others, felt a change in the air as the games approached. I don't know what compelled me to do it, but one night about a week or so before the opening ceremonies I decided to create a new blog. A blog dedicated solely to the Olympic experience from the ground. Not the sports, not the gala events. The street level, the people. At first I thought I would just go down and take some pictures, I mean what else could I do? I had no affiliation with any magazine or publication. My greatest accomplishment journalism wise was guest blogging on a celeb gossip site, not really in the same arena as reporting on the goings on during the Olympic games.

Then something clandestine happened to change all that. My good friend Heather (Hez) tweeted me about an independent media house offering accreditation to bloggers called
True North Media House. Genius! This was exactly what I needed to be taken serious as a blogger and not someone looking for a free good time. I quickly signed up and printed off my badge while setting in motion wheels that would continue to turn long after the games were gone. I learned about using a creative commons license and about sharing my work on twitter using #hashtags, as well as meeting new people through TNMH before,during and after #Van2010.
Once the actual Games started I wore my badge everywhere when taking pictures or interviewing randoms on the street. I can't tell you how easy it made it to do this. Without a proper badge and affiliation, I would be just another tourist with a camera, another face in the crowd and lost among the "real" journalists. Sure, I never made it into some amazing things, but it wasn't about that. It was about the experience and that has paid off more than I ever imagined. I did get backstage and front of house access in Surrey at their Olympic site and that was pretty cool,but the coolest part of all this was the stuff that came after! By meeting someone at Surrey with my TNMH badge, I was able to gain access to Canada Day in Surrey, Fusion Festival, and Vancouver Pride.

True North Media House didn't just give us a voice, they gave us a chance and it was up to us to make the most of it. I truly believe I have and will continue to from being included in a Huffington Post article about the positives of Twitter, to covering the Queer Film Festival and International Vancouver Film Festival for my own blog. None of this would have happened had I not grasped hold of an opportunity placed in front of me by people seeking a new alternative to traditional media. The Games may have come and gone, but the legend of True North Media House continues to grow, one blogger at a time.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Saturday, February 27, 2010

The Super Bowl Isn't The Only One With Good Ads



I LOVE this commercial for Coke.








I would love to show THE best one,but they have disabled embedding on YouTube,so go there instead and see it.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Sam Roberts, Daniel Wesley & Mini Donuts


If you haven't gotten a chance to get out to Surrey Celebration Site or 'LiveCity Surrey", you really should. I've been out for a couple of events now. The first being Daniel Wesley and Mini Donuts and then Sam Roberts and Mini Donuts last week.

Unlike most of the free events downtown that are seeing long waits and lineups from food to bathrooms, Surrey is completely different. It's more family friendly, the crowds were manageable and the staff and facilities are top notch.


I showed up for Sam Roberts to find a large crowd at the front gate and was a bit worried I wouldn't get in in time because of security. After asking around with my True North Media Badge, I was directed to a different gate. I explained the situation to the guard and before I knew it he was calling his supervisor to the gate. Thankfully no one was around in case she came down and did the "sorry,not on the list" and me doing the inevitable walk of shame to the back of the line. A woman came down a few minutes later,looked at my badge,smiled,introduced herself as Melissa and handed me a Surrey 2010 Media badge. And before I had a chance to pick up my jaw, she told me to follow her as she escorted me backstage and out into the crowd.

Which brings me to the Mini Donuts or Do Nots as I call them. Seriously, they could lace them with arsenic and we'd still all be eating them. So good. And here is my only complaint. I had to wait 33 minutes in line for donuts. Ok, another...the food prices were insane. But it has been crazy expensive everywhere, so I've come to expect it, but come on, $9 for poutine? That's sacrilege. But I digress.

So both Sam Roberts and Daniel Wesley put on really great shows and I wish I had more to say about it,but the secondhand high I got from the crowd was so good, I spent the majority of the show in line for those damn donuts.


(Thank you to Melissa Snow and the staff @ Surrey 2010)

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Patriot Games Part 2










Perfection



This pretty much sums up my feelings on the International Media coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Vancouver Library.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The World Needs More Chris


Meet Chris. Chris and his friends have spent almost everyday downtown on Granville giving away free hugs during the Olympics. The world needs more Chris.

He even offered to give me the sign to try. Being an inhibited Canadian, I passed. But I kinda wished I did it now. Maybe tomorrow...

I have no idea what they are called, but you can find them on Granville. Great folk sound.

These guys were cool. They talked to the crowd through song,hilarious.

Local Aboriginals/ First Nations on Granville doing a drum/chant circle. Forgive my ignorance.

Good looking dude. 'nuff said. Homeboy in the striped toque ain't bad either.

Panasonic screen showing some cool animated sports.

Welcome to Vancouver. Cottonmouth Smoke Shop, highly recommended.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Street Magic





If you get a chance to check this guy out near Robson, do so. He's quite funny.

TMI



I mean really, it's a family show.

6 Minutes To Get To Know Canada

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Around The City

The Olympic Flame that was lit by Wayne Gretzky.

Granville Street


Why so angry, Carter? His menacing face I will not miss outside The Bay.

Foxtrim indeed. Traditional Hudson's Bay Co. wear...from 1867?

The coveted Pin Wall. Seriously people, it's just pins.

Outside Canada Place.


Well hello, Officer, Protector of The Flame.

This was taken with my lens poking through the fence...yes fence. I know.

Woohoo!

Surprisingly, Mikhail was quite lovely. If not paranoid..

No clue. Just looked cool.

It's always outside Starbucks though...


I called this guy Radio Raheem. Right on.

As opposed to American..or Portuguese?

This was taken in White Rock, it looked like cement up close.

The Royal Hudson Steam Train was brought out of retirement for a voyage from Seattle to Vancouver, here it is stopped in White Rock.