A discussion on Twitter this past week about book recommendations started me thinking what a powerful influence that can be.
Jennifer Banks was asking for new ideas for authors and novels to read. Then the discussion turned to creating a book exchange.
An observation from attending Edmonton networking events has been slowly festering in me for a while and it peaked after participating in Pecha Kucha Night 7 (PKN7) last Thursday.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the social aspect of these events such as tweetups and various camps. However, does any concrete action or change happen in our community as a result? There has been fundraisers, which many have supported, myself included.
When I was out for a walk earlier this week on a path that overlooked warehouses, I couldn’t help but notice the increased graffiti or tagging in the area.
Many find tagging or graffiti is a way to express themselves or as a method to mark their territory. But it comes as an expense to others’ property. A 2007 Edmonton Journal article examines the opinions of street art. But for myself, graffiti is what it is – taking advantage of a blank wall without permission and spray painting it with terrible markings.
Art has a dual purpose in life. It’s meant to be admired, to be displayed and to be bought and sold. But art’s most important role is to gather people together.
I was fortunate to be part of a blogger’s tour of the new Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) yesterday. The building, which opens to the public on Sunday, is striking with its curves, its texture and its colours. What stayed in my mind is how the AGA will bind Edmontonians together because of art.
Do labels define us or limit who we are? I think both but it shouldn’t necessarily be that way. As a society, a community and as individuals we are constantly evolving.
Consider our province. Alberta is known as a Conservative redneck and oil rich province to Canadians across the country. But if you examine Alberta’s history, it has changed over the last 100 years. Immigrants came to farm and homestead and it was only the discovery of oil in 1947 in Leduc that our province’s focus shifted.
If you asked me a year ago what was a hashtag, a tweet or a retweet, I would have looked at you blankly.
As a member of the CPRS Edmonton chapter, I decided to attend a luncheon in December 2008 that focused on the topic of social media. Walter Schwabe of fusedlogic was the guest speaker. Schwabe said one line that sold me on Twitter – (to paraphrase) if you aren’t on it, you are out of the game.
Have you ever thought how charity defines you? What does it communicate about you to yourself and to your community?
John Winslow (aka @Sirthinks on Twitter) inspired me to write how charity fits within communities after reading his thoughts about charity. He wrote, “Charity begins at a place where the heart is. Simple, eloquent, and not requiring any redefining of anything. I like it.”
While listening to Stuart McLean on the Vinyl Cafe today, I was struck by the image of how families used to gather around the breakfast table reading newspapers.
McLean posed the question, “Are we all on the same page?” in his “In Praise of Newspapers” piece. He made a great point when newspapers were king, everyone was reading the same front page and this was a key connection to building a community.
What’s there not to like about food? It nutures the soul and the body. It’s also a great communication tool.
Friends and family gather around meals. Successful community events are highlighted by food. New friends love to discuss what their favourite treats are. Food is an easy way to connect to an audience.