Jenn Writes

Writing my way through life, one word at a time.

Science really does Rock!

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As a kid, one of my favourite places to go in Toronto was the Ontario Science Centre. Between the bouncy bridge, the electrostatic ball that made my hair stand up (mine went straight up and out to both sides), making paper, and the machine that said “coffee” in different pitches, it was a great place to spend a day. I went with school, with my parents, and with Girl Guides – usually at least a couple of times every year. Then when I was a teenager, I didn’t go as often – and when I did go I was helping out with younger cousins or my Brownie unit. As an adult, my experience with the Science Centre has been as a leader with Girl Guides (which includes 2 “Sleepovers” with my Brownie unit which mainly consisted of me chasing down 7 year olds who didn’t want to sleep at 3 am and trying / failing to convince them to go back to their sleeping bags) and taking my friends’ kids around the exhibits. While I won’t do another sleepover soon (my Pathfinders prefer to camp and are too old for the official “Sleepover at the Science Centre” program), I have quite enjoyed taking my friends’ kids to the Science Centre. The one problem I’ve had is that the while the Ontario Science Centre has a lot of exhibits that are of interest to adults, it can be hard to see them and almost impossible to interact with them when there are kids around. I mean I’m not going to push a little kid out of the way so that I can play with a fun exhibit – that’s a jerk move if ever there was one. Besides, it’s hard to enjoy the exhibit when you’re also watching to make sure that little Janey doesn’t disappear again or that little Johnny isn’t punching the kid behind him in line. [Please tell me I’m not the only one this happens to out in public]

 

 

All of this is why, whenI heard about ScienceRocks! at the Ontario Science Centre I knew I had to go check it out. ScienceRocks! is a chance for adults (19 + as there is alcohol available for sale) to explore the amazing Science of Rock and Roll exhibit without any children present. I got a couple of girlfriends together and we met up at the Science Centre not sure what to expect but hoping for a fun girls night out at the very least. We were clearly not the only ones with this idea, and a number of couples seemed to have chosen the event as a great place for date night. If you have only been to the Science Centre with kids in tow, you need to come and see it after dark.  There is something about walking through the Science Centre sipping on a gin and tonic that makes you feel like a rebel.

Keytar, rock and roll, music
The Keytar is from the 1980s time capsule.

There were so many things to do that I stayed for the whole event (which runs from 7pm-midnight).  I didn’t get a chance to see the IMAX movie about the Rolling Stones (but am aiming for it this time).  I did, get a rock and roll makeover courtesy of The Beauty Team. It was amazing.  I sat in the audience and listened to League of Rock do a few numbers (though if you’re more ambitious than I am, you can actually play with them).  I watched and participated in a presentation on neuroscience and music where we had to clap out different rhythms at different tempos. I ate some of the Fleetwood Mac n’ Cheese (topped with pulled pork – it was amazing).  Then, after taking in all of the various attractions, I headed into the main exhibit.  The Science of Rock and Roll exhibit has something for everyone!  I loved the history exhibits with artifacts from different decades in rock history.  The reactables were a lot of fun to play with and distort all the music and see what effect changing the balance or the instrumentation has on a piece of music. The hands on demo with the different instruments that make up a typical rock band was a ton of fun – I especially enjoyed the left handed bass guitar.  All the adults lined up nicely to take turns and nobody felt bad about trying things out because we weren’t taking time away from a kid who wanted a turn.

 

All in all it was one of the most fun nights out I’ve had in a long time. Sorry you missed it?  Don’t be – there is still one more ScienceRocks! Adults Only night left – Thursday September 18th!  The event on the 18th features all of the fun of the earlier dates plus a ukulele choir (I have to admit, this intrigues me).   There is a hands on session where you can make your own cigar box guitar to take home which looks pretty awesome. The headliners for the evening are Steve Cropper and Jonny Rosch.   I’m looking forward to finding out what Johann Sebastian Joust is all about.  It sounds fun.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door for non members and $12 in advance or $14.40 at the door for members.  Parking is free.

For more information and to purchase tickets, head to the Ontario Science Centre website.

 

Thoughts on She’s Connected 2012

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In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been blogging over at my other blog Adventures with my BlackBerry for the last few months.  I’m going to have another wrap up there but from the technological side of things – how my BlackBerry helped me make connections and made my conference experience more enjoyable.  This is more about the experience I had at She’s Connected (or SCCTO which was the twitter hashtag for the event), what I learned, and the great people I met.

Overall, I had a great time at She’s Connected.  The getting up at the crack of dawn wasn’t something I was looking forward to but I had great carpool with Courtney and Jacki and not only did we get to the hotel an hour before the conference breakfast was supposed to start, the fabulous people at the Renaissance Hotel were able to check us into our room super early (at 7am) so that we didn’t have to come back later and check in or try to do it after the conference when we were tired etc.  I have to say that the Renaissance is a fabulous hotel, and I wish I’d spent more than just one night there!   I’d go back for Grey Cup in the blink of an eye but it’s definitely out of my price range!

I learned a lot about myself at the conference.  I learned I can be funny and witty in real life even with strangers and when I’m scared to death that I’ll say something stupid and they will write me off as a moron.  I learned that mink eyelashes are pretty cool and very dramatic but take a long time to get used to.  I learned that having a professional do a blow out on my hair leads to the same result as me doing one – flat hair in less than an hour!  Not that the stylist from Blo wasn’t really good, but my hair is stupid that way.  It looked fabulous for the hour, but then it was just messy and full of product.   I learned that I really get a kick out of people complementing me on my business cards (which were super fabulous thanks to Lindsay from Grace Announcements).

The sessions were amazing.  It’s impossible to pick just one to single out as the best.  One of the best part of the sessions was that the panelists and speakers were more than willing to meet and speak with the attendees after the panels.  There were 2 time slots in which I couldn’t find a session that I really wanted to attend, one on Friday and one on Saturday.  This worked out pretty well because it gave me a chance to hang out in the McCafe lounge and get my nails painted and enjoy a chair massage.  On Friday I got to hang out in the Molson 67 lounge and learn about pairing Beer and Cheese.  This was really awesome and I’m never going back to wine and cheese again.

SCCTO - Molson 67 - Beer - Cheese - Tasting -
Beer and cheese = nature’s perfect pairing.

I learned a lot about trying to find a niche in the overcrowded world of online writing, editing and social media.  I got some awesome advice from awesome people.  I got to meet people with whom I’ve been tweeting and BBMing for over a year (I’m looking at you Christy and Christine).  I learned that if I love blogging (and I do) I should keep doing it.  That getting a chance at a community manager position isn’t as impossible a dream as I thought it would be and that some brands and agencies are okay with paying bloggers.

I missed the Friday ’80s Party because I wanted to go watch the Argos Lose Argo game and play with the Argonotes.  I love playing with the best band in the CFL.  Even when the team loses, we get to go out and entertain thousands of people.  I did, however, stick around for the Shades of Grey party on Saturday night.  There’s not a lot to say about that Party other than wow.  I got gel nail polish put on – it’s supposed to last 2 weeks and so far it’s lasted through me digging in sand and typing so I’m impressed.  The food was delicious!  It’s A Cake Thing made some of the best cookies and cupcakes that I’ve ever had!  They looked as good as they tasted.

Cupcakes - shades of grey - SCCTO -
The Shades of Grey Cupcakes

All in all it was a great 2 days.  I’m glad it was only 2 days because I was exhausted at the end of the party.  I know I’ve missed some wonderful people and things in this wrap up but the point is, it was a great experience and I can’t wait to go again next year.

The Camera Question Part II – PlayBook Edition

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One of the best features of my BlackBerry PlayBook is its portability.  I didn’t want a tablet I’d need a separate bag to lug around.  I wanted something truly portable.  With its 7 inch display, the PlayBook fits in my purse, meaning I can take it pretty much anywhere I go.  Case in Point – I went to the Honda Indy Toronto on July 6th.  The Toronto area Honda dealers all get together and sponsor the Friday at the Indy so that fans get onto the grounds and into the grandstands for free.  It’s an awesome promotion and a great way for people who wouldn’t be able to afford to go otherwise.  I was going primarily to watch a driver I’ve known for most of his life, James Hinchcliffe, race in the GoDaddy car.  The Indy Cars go in excess of 100 miles per hour so catching them on film isn’t easy.  I decided that instead of using a digital camera,  I would try to take pictures on my BlackBerry Bold 9900 and my PlayBook.

That would be James on track at full speed.  I was surprised at just how good the camera on the playbook was at taking pictures of objects moving quickly!  The quality of the ones on my bold were just as good.  I love me a good camera.

Sponsorship Questions

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I’ve been invited to attend the She’s Connected Conference in Toronto in September.  I’m really excited to go because I want to learn how to make my blog and Twitter and Facebook accounts more relevant.  In the last few days the excitement has started to be co-mingled with  trepidation (yes it’s a $20 word but I love it so I’m using it).  I’ve seen a lot of the other attendees actively seek wardrobe, travel, or shoe sponsors for the event.  Lord knows I’d love to have someone pay for the hotel room for #SCCTO – Money isn’t a luxury I have a lot of right now, but I’m wary because I’m not sure I want to sell myself to do it.  Right now, whenever I endorse something on Twitter, Facebook, or here, it’s because i use it and genuinely like it.  I won a new Blackberry Bold 9900 on Twitter in July.  I entered the #BB7FanNight Contest and won.  I got to go to a really fancy launch party and play with all of the new devices that use the BB7 OS and choose one.  I received it on Friday an tweeted that I love it.  I really do love it.  It has a touch screen and a keyboard and it’s really easy to use.   There were no terms in the contract that said I had to tweet about how much I loved it –  I gave Blackberry PR the right to use the tweets I entered the contest with in their advertising campaign, they liked one of the entries, I won a new Blackberry.   If I hated the device I would say that, but I don’t.

Incidentally I also won a pair of Skullcandy ROCNATION headphones at the BB7FanNight event and I love them too.  I’ve been looking for a new pair of headphones for awhile, and the ROCNATIONs in addition to looking really cool (they came with a cloth to make sure the outside stayed shiny!) are incredibly comfortable too.   The only problem may be that they’re TOO good – when I tried to do some transcription off of a cassette tape they conveyed every hiss and crackle of the tape!  I had heard of Skullcandy headphones before but figured they were too ‘hip’ for me – now I don’t care – I just love them.

I have an iphone that I got from my best friend.  I like it  a lot too – but there are some things about it that drives me nuts.  I’m sure after I use the new Bold9900 for a year, there will be things that drive me nuts about them too.  If I were to be offered a sponsorship by Blackberry, would I be free to voice any concerns I had about my device?

I’m afraid that if I enter into a relationship with a brand to get sponsorship for a conference, it will force me to not be honest about my opinions of products.  I like to support local companies and failing that, Canadian companies.  but I’m not willing to support a company that has crap products.  I want my friends to know that when I recommend something (like I did with the Adult Essentials vitamins this week to a group of friends) that I actually use and enjoy the product.   I’m still pretty new to the whole brands and blogs thing, but I’m not sure I’m willing to sell my soul for the price of a hotel room.

Venturing into Enemy Territory

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Every fan of a CFL team needs to go on a road trip with their team at least once in their lifetime.  It may not be feasible to go and see your team in every CFL city but hopefully you can go to the one closest to you.  It truly is an unforgettable experience.

For starters, just getting to Hamilton is an adventure in one way streets, streets that suddenly end, and road closures.  So much fun.  It’s almost like they don’t want opposing fans to find the stadium.

There is no real, designated parking lot near the stadium, instead you get to drive up and down all the streets around Ivor Wynne and (in my case) settle on a street in a not too bad in daylight but sketchy as all get out neighbourhood and walk for 15 minutes to the stadium.  At least it was free.

The game day experience is truly awesome though.  Granted I didn’t wear my Argo blues until I was safely in the stadium and sitting with other Argo fans.  As a female walking on my own, it just wasn’t worth the hassle.

95% of Hamilton fans are great people out for fun at a game.  The other 5% are drunken jerks who are not really football fans so much as they are drinking fans.  These are the ones who have already put back 4 or 5 beers before they get to the stadium, consume another 4  during the game (what happened to not being served if you were intoxicated?) and then resume drinking when they are either ejected from the stadium or after the game.  I like to actually watch a football game and remember that I was there, so I don’t get the whole “how much can I drink before, during and after the game” philosophy.

About 5 minutes into the game, the heavens opened up a bit.  It rained fairly steadily for about 15 minutes.  That’s the beauty of outdoor football people!  I brought a rain poncho for myself and at the last-minute had stuck in a package of the disposable ponchos – which came in handy.  The amusing thing was that all the Ti-cat fans around us ran for the exits to get out of the rain while the Toronto fans stuck it out.  Shouldn’t it have been the other way around since the Argo fans are used to the comfort of the Rogers Centre Skydome?  I love football outside – although I would think twice about bringing my piccolo out to play in the band when it would get rained on.

Halftime included an awesome tribute to  Bernie Custis, a true football pioneer. Custis was the first African-American quarterback to play in the CFL.  After an outstanding collegiate career with the Syracuse Orangemen, Custis was told that he could not play the position he had excelled at.  The Cleveland Browns, one of the more progressive teams in the NFL, told Custis that if he wanted to play, he would have to convert to be a running back.  Custis declined, and instead headed north to Canada.  As he said last night, in Canada he had the freedom that he had lacked in the US.  Freedom to play the position he excelled at regardless of the colour of his skin.  Custis earned the starting position in his first year in the CFL and went on to play 8 more seasons with the Tiger Cats.  As the first African-American quarterback in professional football, Custis blazed a path that many have followed.  Without Custis there would be no Damon Allen, no Henry Burris, no Warren Moon.  If Bernie Custis had simply accepted the position change to running back, who knows when the next opportunity for an African-American quarterback would have arrived.    A truly remarkable man with a great story.  There is a documentary film coming out in the new year and I can’t wait to watch the story of this hall-of-fame quarterback!

The PA announcer at Ivor Wynne does a great job of getting the fans into the game.  Toronto could learn a lot from the Ti-cats in this regard.  Even the amusing scoreboard animation when there was a video review got the fans geared up and making noise.  I was glad I brought earplugs, and not just because I was sitting between two Argo fans with very loud noisemakers.  There weren’t a lot of Argo fans in the stands at Ivor Wynne – but the ones who made the trip down the QEW made sure the team knew they were there!

The atmosphere in Ivor Wynne Stadium is a lot more electric than at the Rogers Centre.  The fans may be chanting “Argos Suck”  or some other equally inventive cheer but they’re loud and they’re proud.  Toronto fans could take a lesson from their Hamilton counterparts – on Thursday, be loud and brash (but please skip being drunk and obnoxious) and come cheer on your Argonaut football team.   I know it’s being called the “bottom bowl” and that both teams are 1-6.  Even more reason to come out and support the Double Blue – it’s easy to be a fan when the team is winning.  It’s much harder to stick by them when they’re frustrating to watch and losing games you think they should win.

All in all it was a great experience.  Yes there were a few drunken idiots who hassled me as i tried to get to my car.  Better alcohol control in the stadium would improve things immensely in that regard.  That said, I will still go back to Hamilton the next time the Argos play there and cheer loudly and proudly for the Double Blue.