music tuesday: Scott Andrews

It's a long story as to how I came across this one, and unfortunately, I'm not going to bother to tell it here. But if anyone out there has any comments on this gent's voice, I'd appreciate the feedback. I think I like it.

Ruler express 1.0

When I was in elementary school I had an exceptional group of over-imaginative friends. In order to communicate while in class, one of this group of gals decided to invent the ruler express to pass notes between each other. The purpose? Half entertainment, one quarter boredom, and one quarter communication.

The ruler express was literally bits of plastic ruler broken up to which we would affix a little piece of paper. It didn't really matter the content of the note, what mattered was the act of getting the message through. We'd throw these babies across rooms, slide them into books and slyly look the other direction as the ruler express vehicles traveled the room.

We were seldom caught and to this day I wish I had a piece of those well worn little bits of joy.

Now here in 2009, I've been working pretty hard at learning the new communication tools since November. Mainly because I think as the walls of traditional media morph, the new social media will become as important as the print pieces, the tv interviews and the radio features. So, my twitter experiments have led me to spend time this weekend at Podcamp with a bevy of micro-bloggers in Toronto. If I were writing this on twitter I'd have to use a hashtag (#pcto09) to identify this line of thought, but since it's just on my blog, I can freely spew my mind instead.

My approach to twitter has been like learning a language. You need to learn the street speak to survive in this world - basic tools that have come in handy include learning to shorten links via a service like TINY URL, signing up for a BLIP.FM account so you can promote the songs you love to your friends, and referencing your new twitter followers (yes, it is the new cult of the webworld) by using @yournamehere and preserving the overwhelming opinion of the general twittership that this is not a stupid medium that is a waste of time, it is of use, it is a new way to weave a web, connect to friends of friends.

I've been converted this week mainly because I've been able, via the people I met this weekend at Podcamp TO, to run my fingers in a new virtual stream of conversation. You see, prior to this weekend, I was mainly connected to my friends who were of the Canadian Music Industry. Unfortunately, for all they know about the music industry, they don't know exactly the depth of interest that is out there for twitter. And people like @sarahprevette who runs the TO twestival and her gang of overwhelmingly overconnected friends and colleague have in three days, let me look through their perpective.

I'll give you some examples. When you're trying to connect with a new community of any kind, one of the first things you need to do is establish trust. By signing up for Podcamp - a free unconference led by people who are mutually interested in sharing information on social media - I was immediately trustworthy. So as I established trust, I found others who were already readily involved in the twittersphere - those who were already addicted (and I'm not kidding here) to the huge information feeds that can be filtered and accessed via tweetdeck technology. And just by showing up to a free lunch (and with no backup I might add) I was allowed to befriend and learn.

I'm currently self-employed and needing to find ways to simplify the tools needed to run a business and spend the maximum amount of time on the actual work, rather than the tedium of invoices and expenses. Thanks to my new friends I've learned about MOO.com where I can get business cards, I met the folks from the innovative invoice site FRESHBOOKS, and have accessed a whole new school of thought of how people really can communicate.

Anyway, just some stream of consciousness about all this communicating. It's a little terrifying to learn so much so fast, but hopefully in the end it will be fruitful and not just a fucking waste of time that takes away from your real world people friends (let's not call the real people followers, shall we?)

We shall see. Twitter is still on trial but so far, I'm quite convinced. This could be the new ruler express? Perhaps.

skype makes the world go 'round

My little sister is coming into town tomorrow. Although, lately, it's been nice to see her a lot.... via skype. Seriously, I don't understand why more people aren't on it. It's basically a really funny way to connect with people. The only catch is that you have to build your contact list so that you can call others... or that's the way I use it... so if you want to talk to your sister in another town, you can if you're both online at the same time. We talked for over an hour today via video chat. And it's free. So within our convo - she'd called me whilst I was getting quite overwhelmed by some stupid proof of claim form I had to fill out - by the end of it we were laughing (and seeing each other laugh) quite hysterically. There's some kind of delirious novelty that comes with watching your (often worse for wear) sister stare into her computer screen and chat. Strangely comforting. She's even banned her boyf from adding her on skype because she fears it will ruin the mystique of the relationship. And to some degree I agree. Only your eldest sister needs to see you moaning into the screen from your bed while you are sick. And trust me - she did that ALL WEEKEND recently and by the third call, I was like - PLEASE, for all of us - even me in another city - PLEASE go have a shower. It might make you feel better.

Anyway, it's some kind of eighth wonder of the world and the telecommunications companies are doing a damned good thing of keeping it under wraps. I signed up over 5 years ago now and I woulda thought it might have caught on by now?

True fact - my first skype call was with friends in Delhi, India. I had come home from a bar and was a little ragged around the edges when they called and I listened to their accents floating out of my computer. At the time, I didn't have a microphone set up to chat back with them, but I chatted back by typing just to say, hey keep talking, this is making my world spin!

Anyway, two cents on skype. Sign up today. There's really no catch. It's pretty easy and kinda great to see people via screens instead of not at all.

G'night world.

Tips from the little bro

It's Sunday of a long weekend. I'm about to make some food in my cosy apartment. I trekked over to the butcher this afternoon but unfortunately there's no lamb for the cinnamon lamb curry I was going to make, so that will have to happen later in the week. A little disappointing!

My little bro who lives in Victoria sent me a note about this Canadian band - Coeur de Pirate. He's really into them and it was awesome to get a recommendation from him.

So, in honour of family day weekend... here's a dedication from my family:

love the world, it's valentine's day

It occurred to me this evening that tomorrow (and by the time I post this, today) is Valentines day. I'm not feeling any kind of sadness or bitterness for this day, in the way petty single ladies are, i guess, SUPPOSED to feel. Rather, I'm pretty happy to be alive and well, and living and learning another day. It seems enough to get up in the morning for, and so, I embark on this 2009 Valentines day with a sense of optimism for the year ahead.

True, this year didn't lend itself to any great romances. I literally fell of a skateboard for one gentleman, and the ensuing wheelchair hospital visit the next day was a story for sure, and the month following in plus 35 degree humid weather while on crutches and working from my home which has a staircase to my bedroom was hard to navigate.

True, a lot of my friends made some HUGE life changes. One had a baby boy and moved cities and left her high-adrenaline government job. Another marked the second year of life with her boy with anticipation of moving into the suite of her husband's brother's home nearby. "There's a garden for Lukas" she said to me excitedly when we had coffee over Christmas time this year. Another realized her husband's career move to work as a teacher was a great decision since he's really found his calling. Most of my Toronto TFC soccer-friends all moved into houses in their east end neighbourhoods. Then there were the ones who had to reevaluate on account of losing their jobs, but there was always some kind of silver living to it. Mainly the fact that in the process of losing your job, you tend to find out who "your people" really are.

But when it comes to me, it seems, unlike my Granny Joyce, I am not worried about meeting someone. It took me a while to get over my past relationship, and it's nice to finally see the cloud lifting a little bit. I saw that boy last night, and it was strange because I can't remember the last time I saw him prior to that. It was more than awkward, since I wasn't prepared for it, but that comfort and ease of friendship and witty banter came back pretty quickly. I guess some things don't really get lost, do they?

I read this article today by the Welsh singer, Duffy. It was one of those "day in the life" type articles, but it was movingly candid and really struck a chord with me. I thought I'd take the time, on the occasion of the eve of Valentines day to share the link with you as well. I loved her album "Rockferry" and can't tell you how many times I played the track "Warwick Avenue" last year. Encouraging to see that she's figured out how to enjoy the madness of her quickly changing life.

Here's the link: DUFFY ARTICLE IN THE TIMES

Off up the apples and pears now to bed.... happy weekend! love love!

feeling twee?

Lykke Li - let the hip hoppers find her, please!

This is the youtube video from Webster Hall in NYC.... but last night when Lykke Li pulled out her Tribe cover for a Toronto audience, even the indie kids knew what to respond. The encore shoulda been the show. She's a hip hop diva just waiting to break out. Her flygirl moves were the subject of post-show sidewalk talk. Made friday night!

music monday: live at hollywood bowl

I listened to this album on vinyl this morning as I was brushing my teeth and making my way in the world. It's pretty amazing that someone has posted this moment of Beatles history on youtube as well. Happy Monday!

Corner of Paradise: Tango Palace Coffee Company

There's a bustle going on in this place. Coffee beans grinding, milk steaming with a shrill whistle, and the door from outside opens and closes with a rattle bang.

The laptop community is nestled here, fingers reaching and eyes intent. We're listening to a steady stream of Canadians mixing vocals into the aural landscape. I witness Alanis' acoustic version of Ironic for the first time.

The mood is set by a number of textures - the brick walls, antique glass windows steamed up with condensation, red and white striped cotton awning flapping in the blustering wind.

We've switched to a dramatic tune by Rufus Wainwright now. Stacks of biscotti share space beside the glass domes encasing artistic pizza wedges. The furniture is worn and love is worked into everything here.

Jeff, behind the counter, caters to everyone's whim. He'll ignore you at your request or indulge you in local history if you want to hear about it.

Life is progressing on the east side at a steady pace. Conversations murmur ahead at a steady hum as more browsers return for their weekly supplies of beans and neighbourhood dish.

There's a sign on the wall that announces that local psychic Lorraine will be on hand every Wednesday for a reading.

A local is chatting with Jeff now, stating her case for taking refuge this snowy afternoon rather than remain in the chilly laundromat nearby.

As their conversation about half-capacity dryer loads ebb into my consciousness, I realize that this is a place you come for a complete reset. You don't need a purpose to be here, you come for the warmth and you can reap the rewards in the breezy non-committal atmosphere.

I first happened on this place when an ex-boyfriend lived upstairs. He was adamant that his apartment coupled with the next-door park and easy-rider-ooze-cafe downstairs was an ideal life.

For a moment here, I'm inclined to agree. The double shot americano is definitely setting in.

MAP of TANGO PALACE LOCATION in TORONTO, ONTARIO.