I haven’t been on public transit in over a year! I had no idea that my bus ride home on December 20, 2019 would be my last for a long time.
Browsing Tag
TTC
American Idiot tells the story of three miserable, rebellious young men seeking freedom from suburban life. The angsty plot, powered by poppy versions of Green Day hits, covers romance, friendship and politics.
In the opening scene, I was intrigued by the Nam June Paik-esque backdrop of TV screens and newscasts. The pop culture references were an effective way to establish the setting and create a youthful vibe.
If you want to dress like an American Idiot character, here’s a short shopping guide:
Start your shopping spree at American Apparel for logo-free basics, then visit Bluenotes to keep your youthful look intact, followed by a stop at Urban Outfitters for overpriced hipster necessities. For footwear, I recommend picking up a pair of Converse, Vans, Keds or Dr. Martens. When you’re browsing the stores, look for clothing made of leather, denim, or flannel. If there’s a bearded salesperson wearing a plaid button-down shirt and multiple piercings, he can probably steer you in the right direction. Studded blazers can make your grunge look more professional (which is key if you’re going straight from work to see the show). A toque can protect your hair from the cold weather, while adding just the right amount of flare. If your attire strikes a balance between goth, punk and pastels, then get ready to pose for a Broadway-obsessed street style photographer.
Western University graduates Josh Stern and Russell Citron are inspiring Gen Y to pay it forward and people are listening. Their charitable initiative #FeedTheDeed discourages people from playing an online drinking game and encourages random acts of kindness.
#FeedTheDeed has sparked a huge conversation about the power of social media. Instead of producing videos of themselves chugging beer, #FeedTheDeed participants are donating blood, clothes and toys.
How It Is Promoted
In the last 2 weeks, my Facebook news feed has been filled with photos and videos of friends distributing popcorn, coffee and TTC tokens. To extend the reach of #FeedTheDeed, participants are nominating friends, family and celebrities around the world. For example, Josh Stern nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Nikki Yanofsky and then she handed out candy in Montreal on Valentine’s Day.
What I Did
I love Twitter. I like Starbucks.
When my friend Sam Pollack nominated me to #FeedTheDeed, this is what I did to support a few charities I care about:
I used Twitter to send Starbucks gift cards to Anaphylaxis Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation and Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Non-profit employees deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and I hope they will encourage more people to continue the chain.
What You Can Do
Here are some ideas:
- Volunteer
- Pay for a stranger’s bill at a café
- Send handwritten notes or cards
- Buy a ticket to attend a charity event
- Contribute to a Kickstarter campaign
- Loan money to an entrepreneur on Kiva
For more information, follow Kindness Counts on Facebook!
Photo: Terry Fallis
On Tuesday I had a chance to connect with some industry peers and see not just any Canadian marketer, but one who’s so influential that he’s verified on Twitter! Mitch Joel, bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and president of Twist Image, was the featured speaker at the Third Tuesday meetup and he was awesome.
Surprisingly, the highlight of my evening was not the opportunity to meet people from Twitter in real life. It wasn’t Mitch’s jokes either (and there were a few). The best part of the event was the feeling I had when left. For the first time, spending two hours in a bar inspired me to be that girl sitting in the TTC’s red seats typing away. That’s why I like going to book signings – you always leave feeling inspired and last night was no exception.
Mitch made an interesting comment: “Writer’s block doesn’t exist. It’s bullshit.” From there, he went on to talk about how he likes to embrace the chance to write wherever and whenever he can, even if that means sitting on the floor at a conference.
Second City’s new show, The Meme-ing of Life, which examines technology’s impact on modern relationships, induces nostalgic feelings for a time when people spent more time talking than texting. From sifting through online dating profiles on Lavalife’s website to coping with YouTube addictions, The Meme-ing of Life essentially covers everything in today’s zeitgeist.
One wonderful sketch features a driver (Jan Caruana) intensely frustrated with a border crossing guard (Nigel Downer). The majority of Torontonians seem to have a funny story about discretely indulging in shopping sprees abroad or hiding beer in the trunk, so this is remarkably relatable material. Next time you and your partner drive to the United States and they ask if you have anything to declare, perhaps you should test out the following line as your response: “Yes, officer, our love.”
While it’s easy to bond over stories about crossing the border, few local experiences compare to encounters with sketchy people on the TTC. Another sketch effectively pokes fun at how single people can potentially find love amidst all the smelly commuters. Through interactions that gradually become flirtatious, a man’s efforts to sit in the seat a woman reserves for her purse eventually lead to a make-out session on public transit. Local newspapers are filled with stories of missed connections, so theirs is perfectly suitable for a dating story about Generation Y’s hook-up culture.