Archive

Five Blondes in London

in Fashion Blogger, Ontario, Personal Blog, Photography and niche blogs
09/14
0 

comments

Five Blondes header

Erica grew up on a farm in western Ontario with four younger sisters – they are all blondes. Throughout their childhood, they’ve always been ‘the family of five blonde girls’ and that fact defined them. Today things are different. They don’t live together in an old farm house and share one bathroom anymore. Now Erica, Micaela, Kate, Leah and Lauren share their lives online. This is how they stay in touch with each other.

Erica BlondeFive Blondes was born in July 2007 in a Facebook message from Erica asking her sisters if they would like to contribute to a collaborative blog. Over the course of the next two days, the clan picked a project name (that wasn’t hard) and registered the domain. Erica promptly installed a Wordpress engine, and in just over one year they’ve all worked together and built a terrific portal that’s both entertaining and informative. The writing is as diversified as the authors, Kate might post about assembling a new barbecue, while Erika describes innovative cell phone marketing strategies. Michaela and Lauren might write about fashion and new social trends in university, and I wish Leah would update us on her life in Calgary more often.  The comment box echoes a chorus of questions and opinions, and evidences a wide readership - sometimes mom and dad chime in to offer insights and support.

I read in Micaela’s First Week of School where she describes her anxiety at the prospect of starting teacher’s college in Windsor, alone.  But she goes on to describe how today that loneliness is mitigated by the popularity of Facebook.  Imagine that - now its easy to hook up with old friends on a new campus. How has Facebook changed Frosh week? The internet keeps all the girls together. Sometimes the group meets in chat rooms to play Cheeky Bingo, or other games of skill, with strangers.

The five sisters’ blog contains a wonderful flickr widget that showcases some genuinely proud moments in their lives. Readers will notice engagement rings, fiances, lemon blueberry muffins and hay bale athletics. The Flickr photos contain descriptive text. Each sister has a slightly different writing style, and it takes a while to figure them out and put them into perspective. Flickr helps, and here’s what I get:

Erica is the oldest and the leader of the pack. She has a degree in film theory, and is scheduled for marriage in Spring 2009. She lives in London Ontario and rides a bike to work everyday. You can find her on Twitter.

Five Bloneds familyMicaela just entered teachers college at the University of Windsor.

Kate is the middle child. She went to the University of Guelph and studied agriculture, following in her mom’s footsteps. Kate married her sweetie Scott in October of 2007 and together they bought a farm. Kate is also on Twitter.

Leah moved to Calgary with her boyfriend and relies on the blog for updates on her sisters back in Ontario. She works in the non-profit sector and has a degree in Gerontology.

And Lauren, the youngest of the five is a criminology student in Ottawa.

Five Blondes is a fascinating look at the lives of five farm girls filling a technological conduit with fragments of the Canadian female experience.


Bookmark and Share

The Conveyor Belt in Vancouver

in British Columbia, Fashion Blogger and Vancouver
09/11
2 

comments

The Conveyor Belt
Terri Potratz started her blog back in September 2007 to post portfolio pictures online and attract potential employers. After seeing the surprising daily traffic stats, she decided to continue and rebrand the site as her own blog. Eight months later, she’s glad she did.

The Conveyor Belt is not a personal web log. It’s a fusion of art, fashion and beauty tips from a refreshingly down-to-earth West Coast female perspective. Terri keeps it Canadian by awarding kudos to prominent designers and keeping her nationwide audience informed with unique and intelligent insights on popular trends.

Terri PotratzWhile Terri Potratz is the founder and editor-in-chief of the site, her team of talents keeps it fresh. Carleen McLeod is the Beauty Editor, and she’s an experienced make-up artist that provides styling tips for the readers; Pariya Kaligi is a Contributing Writer with a day job as a public relations consultant; Kris Krug is a well known photographer. All together they’re the driving force behind this powerful West Coast fashion blog.

As an informative reader-driven site, The Converyor Belt runs through a wide variety of interesting subjects. This is the place to find make-up advice, and thrift store strategies, event coverage and designer/artist profiles. Terri hopes her readers “laugh, learn something new, [are] inspired, and leave with a positive experience or impression”.

Terri Potratz feeds off her readers. Like most bloggers she gets a real kick out of reading the comments. She tells me that when she writes for a print publication, she has no idea who is reading her work, or what they are thinking about her ideas… But with The Conveyor Belt, she can track readership and collect remarks and use these metrics to improve her own communicative abilities. Blogging has also opened doors. She’s meeting more people, networking, and attending more exclusive events that have relevance to her readership.

larry - clothing labelTerri’s clothing line, “larry.” uses all natural, local products for its scarves and shawls. Each item is hand-knit by Terri herself, using alpaca and sheep’s wool. And while she will mention “larry.” in her blog from time to time, she likes to keep them as separate entities. The Conveyor Belt is not a promotional blog for her entrepreneurial endeavors.

Here’s a wonderful example of Terri’s work, titled Vancouver Thrift Store Scores. This is shopping advice with a personal voice that makes readers feel like they’re listening to a close friend. And if you read The Conveyor Belt everyday, Terri Potratz will probably become a close friend.

Social Capital Value Add

in Ontario, Scholar, Toronto and Web Designer
09/10
4 

comments

Social Capital Value add Michael Cayley is a web entrepreneur that studies culture and communication and prognosticates on the future of social networks. Those of us who read the scraps of wisdom he leaves lying around in his posts hope to profit by actualizing his ideas.

Michael Cayley goes white water raftingMichael Cayley met Rob Campbell (that’s me) on Sept 4th 2008 at Timothys coffee shop in the Carrot Common on Danforth Avenue in Toronto. We spoke for two hours. After the meeting I walked away with a profound new understanding of social media, and a bold new vision of the charitable future of Canada Blog Friends.

Social Value Capital Add is one of the most prophetic and important blogs in Canada.  It contains a lot of graduate level ideas, and I find myself cross referencing terms and rereading phrases… Yes the material is rich like good chocolate cake.

Here’s the skinny: the world has changed since broadband has become more popular than dial up. All of mankind’s corporations have moved online, and all of us individuals too. The way we do business has changed and is still changing as findability becomes pivotal to success.  In short, the Internet business world has outgrown contemporary business valuation models. And I say this not from a venture capital ‘how much will I make from this deal?’ perspective, but also from a risk management ‘why are we not making our bottom line anymore?’ stand point. The enterprise 2.0 age needs better social value metrics; the role of the corporation could change dramatically as profits are spent developing positive social capital.

On October 24th 2007, Microsoft bought a 1.6% share of Facebook for $240 Million and that placed the valuation of Facebook at $15 Billion or thereabouts… and I say wow. But tell me how did they arrive at that number? The SCVA outlines the fundamental precept that ‘understanding how and why messages are transmitted electronically from one person to another is a source of power and value’.

Michael Cayley, a Principal at Context Creative, has just been published in the Change This manifesto along with other web gurus and visionaries Seth Godin and John Kotter - Leading Change, The Heart of Change. Andrew Abela, a PhD, consultant, and the New York Times best selling author Vince Poscente.

Michael Cayley bio picMichael announced the publication of his SCVA work in a quirky piece of writing entitled How did this dog get in the boardroom? which I interpret as a metaphor for how hard it is for corporations to pick the perfect logo, tagline, and image in the age of memetic brands. How do you make your message resonate in an online world filled with user submitted media? And of course the dog is barking for change.

The Social Value Capital Add has been proposed as a guide to new investors and corporate mangers alike. The theory is an extrapolation of traditional brand management that Michael hopes will bring talent and resources to the undervalued social components of online business.

Get Michael Cayley’s SCVA ebook http://socialcapitalvalueadd.com/share-the-scva-ebook/

Bookmark and Share

Product of Newfoundland

in Newfoundland, Photography, Tourism and Web Designer
09/09
1 

comment

Slide

Robert Hiscock lives in Gander, Newfoundland and writes a perfectly styled East Coast music and culture blog that’s peppered with beautiful original photos. The text is direct and confident as Robert blogs with purpose and a good sense of his own importance.

Product of Newfoundland is the first and best place to find out what’s happening in the province. Go here to read about local rock bands (especially Hey Rosetta), folk singers, comedians and other culture makers in and around St Johns.

About Robert, I know from his profile that he was born in 1976, and that would make him 32 years old. He grew up in the tiny community of Happy Adventure, in northeastern Newfoundland, and then earned three university degrees from Memorial University. Now he works as freelance writer, and owns a splendid golden retriever named Jake.

Robert Hiscock

Robert is also a successful local photographer who supplies images to the BBC, EnRoute Magazine, MUNTO.ca, Anglican Church of Canada Website, and various calendars, magazines, and newspapers including in the Newfoundland Herald. Suffice to say, Robert Hiscock’s Flickr Gallery is filled with breathtaking landscapes.

On his homepage, Robert writes this signature text:

I don’t need last names to know who Debbie and Toni-Marie are and I can find my way from Happy Adventure to Misery Point in the fog. My morning comes a half hour earlier and any day without ‘RDF’ is good. I’ve seen a mummer, tasted toutons and the image conjured by the word Dildo might be different for me than you because I’m a product of this place.

Product of Newfoundland

That’s a terrific statement and very compelling. Suddenly I want to read everything this guy writes. Robert makes interaction possible with a Facebook Group and a MySpace Page.

After scrutinizing Product of Newfoundland, I’ve found posts detailing traditional Newfoundland cuisine, folk song lyrics, and local poems. Robert writes about street festivals and art exhibits, radio plays and sporting events. Last May he reviewed a bath supplies shop in Lawn called Down by the Sea Store that makes and sells its own ‘fisherman’s soap’.

Two weeks ago, Robert reviewed Kenneth J Harvey’s novel Blackstrap Hawco which is ‘said to be about a family from Newfoundland.’ Some of Robert’s work carries place names like Milltown, Gaultois, and St. Mary’s. There’s even a Joey Smallwood t shirt for sale in the site store - this writer is proud of everything that makes him a product of Newfoundland.

Bookmark and Share

Dead Robot in Downtown Toronto

in Blogging, Ontario, Personal Blog, Photography, Toronto and Web Designer
09/06
3 

comments

Dead Robot

A signed scream by Dead Robot

Ted is a 43 year old fountain of wit. He’s a good photographer, and a skilled graphic artist.  A barrel chested weekend warrior, this robot is very much alive. He writes with a sharp keyboard, and a keen eye on queer happenstance, local Toronto events, arts and culture. His blog explores web development Toronto new technology, gadget fetishes, web innovations and games.

Dead Robot is an existential personal blog, and by that I mean it has existentialist themes like alienation, dread, and bad faith. There’s an overall ‘reduced to nothingness’ feeling that affects readers, both in the visuals and the text. The name of the blog, and the banner image plant existential thoughts in my brain, as I perceive old technology and broken dreams fermenting fresh new insights into life. Please understand, this blog is Fine Art simply because it’s excellent - every post is carefully concocted and cleverly styled (and often reinforced with good original photos) to make readers question social rituals.

blogger Ted from Dead RobotTed understands that he’s playing a role as Dead Robot, and while keeping an eye on the grand prize of changing the world, he writes about current events and bad corporate behaviour and whatever unpleasant things his caustic wit might colour and could change. He’s a keen observer and transcriber of all that he witnesses. He commonly blogs about the small details he stumbles upon every morning and the events and businesses that affect him. Trips to a Toronto dentist and behind the scenes photos of Toronto Gay Pride parade. This example, published Thursday Sept 4th, 2008 after he witnessed the repetitive abuse of a local food service worker. This post subtly reminds readers of the infectious nature of our emotions, and the healing power of kind words.

Black Sheep Reviews in Montreal

in Quebec and movie reviews
09/05
0 

comments


Black Sheep Reviews

Joseph Belanger writes about movies in a snappy review blog with cute seasonal banners. Black Sheep Reviews was born in September 2005 just after Joseph realized that he could combine his love of writing, and his love of watching movies in a recipe for success online.  This blogger’s natural passion for cinema, and his literary aptitude are equally obvious - that’s what makes his blog posts so delightfully personal and easy to read.

Joseph Belanger at laptop computerThis guy is an expert on vintage cinema, and something of a student on the old Hollywood studio system. He seems quite familiar with the careers of veteran filmmakers Roman Polanski, Howard Hawks, and Canada’s own Norman Jewison. Black Sheep Reviews is packed with the same kind of detailed information found in professional movie critic’s daily newspaper columns, and specialized film magazines. In my humble opinion, Joseph’s blog is better than most newspaper film reviews, and that’s because he’s real. He writes first from love, and second for money (coffee money).


Three years later, Joseph is more committed to this volunteer project than ever, and doing daily reviews has patterned itself into his overall identity.  Perhaps only the other bloggers reading will understand that sentiment. Joe takes it seriously. He believes that this vocation is the most important job in his life, and as such it defines him. In his own words, “It’s a part of me.  I wouldn’t know who I was without it.” As an example of this blog’s quality, here’s Black Sheep’s review of the animated Wall-E movie, Hello, Wall-E!  Meet Dolly which reads like a transition piece - unless I’m mistaken, this post actually marks the first time Belanger has branched out past singular film reviews to write about film trends. He scours the papers and reads Entertainment news and has personal relationships with editors and ‘gate keepers’ that hold the secrets and leak the tasty tidbits to alternative press. Be sure and check out (and join) Black Sheep Review’s Facebook Group which now has almost 500 members and it’s growing as people all over Canada discover Black Sheep Reviews.

Canadian Heroes

in News Media and niche blogs
08/29
1 

comment

Canadian Heroes logo

A digital cenotaph,  this is the best place online to remember and honour the Canadian soldiers that have died during Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan. Each fallen hero is presented in some detail, and eulogized as he is laid to rest.  But this respectful Canadian blogspot is also filled with pictures of the living. In some stories there are images of children in Afghan farm villages, and civilians herding livestock alongside military vehicles - the blog communicates a subtle understanding of life in and around Kandahar, from the sombre perspective of funerary anecdotes.

Canadian Heroes is authored by a volunteer committee of news media writers. It shares some some connection with CTV. Paul, the primary contributor, seems very knowledgeable about the overall mission, and in some cases he describes the people he’s met, and the places he’s seen first hand. The tone is always courteous, and the text is void of any opinions or political debate. The comment function has been disabled.

soldiers

This week, August 22-26 the unique and necessary blog laid to rest three more Canadian soldiers. From left to right: Sgt. Shawn Allen Eade, Cpl. Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden, Sapper Stephan John Stock (Canadian Forces Combat Camera)

Canadian Heroes is a respectful flagpost on the Internet; it’s an information rich reminder that Canada is at war, and young Canadians are sacrificing their lives to help make Afghanistan safe for the men, women and children who live there.

One Old Green Bus

in Ontario, Personal Blog, Photography and Toronto
08/28
2 

comments

One Old Green Bus blog banner

Matthew Didier - historical reenactorMatthew James Didier lives in west end of Toronto, but his readers would never know it. He seldom writes about the city. When he pens his blog, Didier escapes the GTA and hops around Canada (and back in time) profiling Canadian authors and showcasing vintage film clips he finds on YouTube. He writes about old and new science fiction classics; specifically the TV program Dr Who. Last month Matt dredged up some classic CBC radio interviews with Peter Gzowski (much to my delight). Yes, Matthew Didier is a proud Canadian, but to my ear his blog has the same kind of thick British accent you might have once heard on a Routemaster double decker bus.

One Old Green Bus started in April 2006 when Matt and his family were going through hard times. Like so many other creative souls he went online to license his imagination and explore the possibility of infecting others with a unique vision. And his idea? He had a rather strange idea actually.

Unlike all other bloggers at the time, Matthew fixed his blog quest on an old green bus parked in a wrecker’s yard in southern California. Inspired by One Red Paperclip and Pay It Forward etc, Matt made it his blog’s mission to resurrect this vintage personnel carrier, for the benefit of all humanity, and for his own personal reasons. Sadly, he’s met little success in this endeavour. “We were called cyber panhandlers and generally discouraged at every turn”, Matthew explains “…now the blog is what it is, a place for me to write ideas, report things, and generally kibitz with the online world.”

One Old Green Bus Here it is, a 1950 AEC Regent III double-decker bus in a 1999 photograph. Complete with London Transport fleet names and lots of other cool authenticities, the vehicle looks to be in reasonable condition - only the radiator and most of the engine cooling system is missing.   The story goes that this vehicle was imported into the United States from England and came to be owned by two women from Oregon. It was sold in Santa Rosa California when it broke down on the highway and was deemed too expensive to repair. Now if it could be properly fixed and completely refurbished, it would certainly be a novelty on the streets of Toronto. Mathew was consumed checking vehicle insurance quotes in Canada so I’m sure that’s just what he was thinking.

Matthew DidierIn keeping with the same spiritual idea of raising the dead, this blogger is also active in the Toronto Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society website where he continues to serve Canadians by conducting paranormal investigations in historic Toronto properties.

Anyone can find Matthew Didier on the PSICAN Message Board, a science fiction discussion forum he operates under the moniker “Inconvenient Facts”, and this according to Matt is not a play on anything to do with former Vice President Al Gore’s efforts, but from a book entitled Roswell : inconvenient facts and the will to believe.

Suffice to say, One Old Green Bus is more than a Dr Who fan blog.


Cariboo Ponderer in Northern BC

in British Columbia, Personal Blog and Photography
08/27
3 

comments

Cariboo PondererVic GraceVic Grace is an expert on many subjects relating to life in Northern British Columbia. She lives in a very remote, ultra scenic region of Canada; her blog posts are filled with gorgeous VIA Rail quality calendar shots of rock strewn rivers under the Rockie Mountains.

Cariboo Ponderer chronicles the life of Vic Grace, a charismatic sixty year old woman with an enviable life spent sailing, hiking and taking pictures of rare plants and animals found in northern BC.

Vic Grace map interior BCIts obvious from her writing, Vic Grace is enjoying her retirement.  She puts a particular emphasis on time spent with her older husband.  In one post earlier this spring she worries about their health and the prospect of living alone. To reaffirm her independence she recently bought a laptop, and then traveled alone to Calgary.

Vic is a wise woman and speaks with some authority on taxes, travel, kitchenware, nature photography, insurance and municipal politics. She’s an artistic woman and is now collecting beads in preparation for a big necklace? Each entry this month has been an update on her gadgets as she documents her own technological evolution into a first rate blogger.

fireweeedUnique to Cariboo Ponderer is the site banner. I expected cariboos. Instead I was presented with the pictorial representation of Vic Grace’s own quest to winter in Mexico. A collage of assorted winter activity contrasts a tranquil beach scene - its obvious what she wants. Her opening profile lists the extreme winter temperatures (-22F) and her deep freeze phobia and continues on, almost suggesting that it might be possible for her to escape her surroundings by blogging and sharing her life online… No, this is not the prelude to a John Chow affiliate program, but rather the digital manifestation of a retired woman’s plan to escape Canada in the winter. Will she blog from Mexico? on her laptop? I’m looking forward to that.

Cariboo Ponderer is Vic Grace’s observations and reflections on nature photography, indigenous animals, local cuisine cooking recipes, scrapbooking, and seniors issues steeped in BC politics.



Young Chic and Social in Burlington

in Ontario and Personal Blog
08/26
2 

comments

Young Chic and SocialKeely Valentine must type as fast as she thinks, for her writing seems as natural as a seventeen year old girl talks. Each post flows together into a wonderfully feminine, refreshingly amateur blog spectacle.  This girl is supremely confident and that’s manifest in her devil-may-care writing. Its all attitude and Keely’s got it, and she ‘brings it’ with good information rich posts. It really doesn’t matter that her prose is littered with typographical errors, and run on sentences, because that somehow adds to her juvenile authenticity and the presentation of her unique content.

It all started in September 2007 with Keely Valentine’s first post entitled ‘The Evil Skank vs The Good Girl’ which is so full of unique insights into life as a teenager girl it should be considered modern literature.  Ironically, in March of 2008 Keely lamented about her failure to pass Grade 11 English class. Perhaps she could submit her blogspot for extra credits?

Keely Valentine

Young Chic and Social just gets better and better. Over the summer Keely had her 200th post and has since increased her writing frequency; she now uses the platform to tell the world about her quest to get a pop music band together (she’s a singer) and perform her songs, or get photo shoots organized to help clothing designer friends. Its not written like that of course, its crafted in anecdotes and make-up tips, travelogs and semi-confessional diary entries. She mentions meeting boys, and going on dates, and she likes to document creeps, iPhone apps and mobile app developer but its her sincere appreciation of her closest friends that fills the most paragraphs.

Keely’s profile on Blogger says it all:

Young, Chic and Social is run by a fabulous young soicalite who is a singer/songwriter thats had a brush with internet fame and always seems to find herself in the middle of the seasons hottest events and partys that are usually 19+. She’s a makeup pro, fashion guru and has the craziest most dramatic and not typical teenage life out there

And its all true. She is a real Canadian high school girl and her posts are packed with her precocious curiosity.  She writes about everything relevant to her life and her plans, and anything that impacts her existence at her local high school. Its a fascinating peek at a pretty girl with no disconnect blogging about being Young, Chic and Social.

Blog Directory for Ontario