Social Media and the G20

There was one topic on the lips and fingertips of Toronto this weekend: the G20.

During the rioting, Twitter and Facebook were constantly providing a stream of information between people in the city and around the world. Twitter allowed people on the scene to report the news as it happened and gave the average person the chance to be a news reporter. Shortly after the rioting happened, pictures and videos began to surface on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and PicFog. Each of these social media sites provided users with a different communication tool.

Twitter
Twitter turned average people into reporters. My boss was at work at King and Spadina on Saturday afternoon as protesters rampaged the city. He posted pictures and updates every few minutes as they happened. He was on the street and I was far more interested in his tweets than what was being broadcast on CP24.



Another interesting aspect to Twitter is that it allowed people to connect with their loved ones instantly in a time of crisis. A speaker at Social Media Day spoke about how his sister was at work in the middle of all the chaos. He saw on TV that the front window of her store was smashed in and immediately became concerned. He jumped on his twitter, begging people on the street for information about his sister's safety. Within five minutes he had a number of replies informing him that the police were at the store and everyone was unharmed.

Facebook
Although Twitter allows realtime updates and instant connections, I believe Facebook was a more influential tool during the G20. I had many friends posting their opinions and comments throughout the weekend as their Facebook status. Debates were raging before during and after the riots. In the days after the G20, pictures and videos were posted all over facebook and people were on a campaign to educate people about their side of the issue. Facebook was instrumental in sharing information and people were really trying to sway others to join in their personal opinions.

The Quake felt across social media

This week, as we sat discussing our future career prospects, the building shook.

It wasn't the lecture that moved us; it was an earthquake.

The quake was relatively mild, it only registered 5.5 on the Richter scale. It was only enough to feel a gentle shake of your chair or desk and many people did not feel it at all. In fact, as a couple students raised their voices in alarm, a few students vocally denounced the danger or existence of a 'quake.

Before I even stopped shaking, students were on twitter and facebook, trying to figure out what just happened. Seconds later, it was verified: Toronto had an earthquake!

What was most interesting was that Twitter was viewed by the whole class as being a credible source for this kind of information. Anyone can open a Twitter account and post anything they like. However, there is something about the power of people In number that validates anything that is posted in great numbers. One student even commented, "Isn't it funny that everyone is on Twitter and not cp24's website?" I have to agree. We all (myself included) sought out information from our closest social media source. Facebook and Twitter told us that the quake was felt in Ottawa and Sudbury. CP24 could not give us that information as quickly as social media.

Why does social media react so quickly to current events? I think it has something to do with the desire of people to proclaim that they were part of something. Also, people want to "be the first" and those who got on their twitter fast enough were likely very pleased that they were the first "reporters on the scene." Although I was immediately Tweeting on my iPod, reading a tweet from cityTV was more valid in my mind than the random tweets from my friends.

Impermeance

Everything around you is changing.

There is no escaping from the reality that nothing remains the same and everything in our world is in constant flux. A seed grows into a plant, buds, blooms, fades and withers away. The seasons change, warm to cool, hot to blistering, thunderstorms to flurries. Babies are born, grow into children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and they too wither away. Feelings change, grow, blossom, pop like a bubble or wither away. Love can easily turn to hate and sometimes the people closest to us are also the ones that are the easiest to push away.

The Earth itself is also changing. Whether it is deforestation, extinction of animals, rising sea levels or not-so-natural disasters the environment today is different from the environment yesterday. You may argue whether the human influence as caused these changes to our world, but my perspective is it doesn't matter.

Whether BP spilled the oil or not, the oceans were bound to become polluted. Whether Borneo protected its forests or not, globalization would continue. Whether my hairspray has CFCs in it or not: the Earth would still change and flux and human's time on this planet remains limited.

I believe the day will come when our Earth will become uninhabitable for humans. I am glad that I will not live to see it and I intend to reach enlightenment so I will not be forced to return and try again. However, regardless of whether it will be caused by humans, it is bound to happen. The dinosaurs did not foresee their demise and could not have prevented it. The bright side is, the Earth will continue with or without us. It will change, regenerate and support life.

Communication and dining out

I have been blessed by having dined at some of the best restaurants in Toronto as well as over the world. In Dubai, I had a lunch of caviar and oysters in Al Mahara, the underwater restaurant. In Paris, I celebrated my 27th birthday with a five course meal at Altitude 95, one of the restaurants in the Eiffel tower. In Toronto, I have been to more nice restaurants than I can remember, but most significantly Accolade, Scaramouche, Centro, Pangaea, North 44... the list goes on.

Although I have been working with food for years, I have only recently been working as a server. I have realised that many people simply do not know how to dine out in a high end restaurant. Here is a simple guide to communicating with your server in this environment.

1. Water. When the server asks you if you prefer sparkling or flat water, he or she is asking you to make a purchase. Flat water does not mean tap water. If you want tap water, you must ask for either tap water or ice water. If you tell me you prefer flat water, you have just purchased an $8 bottle of water.

Side note: You actually, really, really should buy that water. Not only will it allow you to taste the wine more acurately, I guarantee it is way cleaner that the ice water you want to drink. I have seen disgusting mouldy, rusty ice wells in high end restaurants where you would not expect it. Trust me, buy the water.

2. Would you like to have fries or sauteed mushrooms with your steak? This is a classic upsell question. The fries or mushrooms will be an extra charge on your bill, so don't be suprized.

3. After you place your order, remove your napkin from the table and place it your lap. Your appetizer will be arriving in only a few minutes and the server will have her hands full when she arrives to the table. You know the food is coming, you ordered it.

4. When you see the servers coming to the tale with the food, remove your elbows from the table. In fact, don't put them there at all. There is reason for the "no elbows on the table" rule. It exsits because if you are leaning your arms on the table, the server cannot place the food in front of you or clear your plate.

5. When you are done, place the cutlery you have used together on the side of the plate. This signals you are finished with the plate. If you place your cutlery with the knife and fork creating a "V" shape, this is a signal that your are not finished with that course. Also, do not hold on to your cutlery or place it on the linen. We will bring you fresh cutlery for your next course, and we do not want you to put your dirty cutlery on the clean fresh white linen. A dirty tablecloth is insulting to us.

6. At this point, your water or wine glass may need to be refilled. Please do not attempt to fill your own wine glass. This is why I am here to serve you. If your glass becomes empty, I have failed in my job. Most people don't understand how seriously we take this part of our job. If a guest in my section fills their own glass of wine, I could be seriously repremanded or even fired if it is a recurring issue.

7. Your main course is about to arrive. This is the time when many people get up to go to the washroom. It is perfectly acceptable and appropriate at this time. However, you should know that while you are fixing your lipstick, the server is folding your napkin and refreshing your drink. Also, if your food is ready then the food runner is standing in the kitchen with the plates in his hands, waiting for you to return. We will never bring the food out when someone is missing from the table, so hurry your ass back please.

8. As you are eating your main course, the server is likely to ask you, "How is everything tasting?" Something that people don't realise is that we actually want the truth. Don't lie and say something is good when is undercooked, or inedible. This is our chance to fix the problem for you. If I take something back to the kitchen, the cooks will not spit in it. They will not be angry with you. They will be more disappointed in themselves for not meeting your needs. Also, if you eat everything on your plate and then tell your server afterwards that you didn't enjoy it, sorry, I can't do anything for you. You must speak up. If you ate it, you're paying for it.

9. After dishes are cleared, the server will return to table to crumb it. Please don't brush the crumbs off the table onto the floor. Again, this is why I'm here. I will neatly comb the crumbs off the linen and onto a napkin.

10. At this point, you will be offered coffee, tea, cappucino or after dinner drinks. If you order coffee, I will ask, "Do you prefer cream or milk?" "Yes" is not an answer to this question. I am asking you if I should bring one or the other.

11. After you have had your dessert, I will propmtly bring the bill. You can stay as long as you like, but please pay the bill in a prompt fashion. I need to close the table so that I can go on with my other duties. Please, sit and chat for another 30 minutes, but for the love of God, pay the bill first. Otherwise I have to keep hovering around you, irritating both of us.

12. Gratuties. In a high-end restaurant, the servers are expecting to be tipped about 18%. This is not to say it is always appropriate to tip that amount. When I dine out, I use this rule: 10% for mediocre service, 15% for average service, 20% for excellent service. The other thing to note is that often the tips are shared amoung the wait staff, bar staff, hosts, bus boys and sometimes the kitchen staff.

Often we get people in restaurant who are awkward and uncomfortable. They obviously don't dine out often and this environment is foreign to them. I wish I could explain the to them at the end of the day, I am here to serve you, and you do not need to feel indimidated by me. If you don't understand the wine, don't feel uncomfortable, simple ask. It is the whole purpose of my being there.

Body Language

If the eyes are our windows to the soul, then our hands are the doorways.

About ten years ago I began studying Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dali Lami were my instructors, and I absorbed their wisdom from their many published books. The first answer I sought was "How do I meditate?" I thought there was a hard and fast rule. I wanted a list: Do this, this and this. Do not do this. Sit this way. Burn incense. Say "Ohm." I did eventually find some guidance about how to calm my mind enough for stabilizing meditation, but as I got older I learned it has very little to do with the way you are sitting. Hahn was the first to introduce the idea of walking meditation and working meditation to me and I often use his techniques to achieve some calm in my daily life. The only constant I use is my hands: always together to create a circle of energy through my body.

As soon as I lace my fingers together, I immediately start to relax. As I am preparing to sleep for the night, I wrap my hands together on my chest. I often wake up with my hands clasped above my head, to my side, or in any number of strange positions but almost always with my hands together. If I am going through my daily life and feeling introspective, you may notice my hands are together and that usually means I am meditating on something.

While I am doing my walking meditation, I often see couples holding hands. It never fails to make me smile and I wonder if they feel a calming sense when they grab the hand of their loved one. I can remember walking through Barcelona in the middle of what seemed to be a riot, my grip on my partner's hand getting tighter as my anxiety grew. He immediately sensed my discontent and guided me to walk behind him through the crowd, holding my hand behind him and creating a path through the crush of people. His calm energy flowed into me and calmed my frazzled nerves.

When I was a child, I was plagued by worry and restlessness. I shared a room with my Nana and we had our twin beds pushed together. When I tossed and turned at night, she would awake. I would complain of being unable to sleep. She took my hand and instructed me to lie still and not move and sleep would overtake me. She knew I was a worried child, and I'll never forget her words of advice: "Don't waste your time worrying over what might happen. The worst things that will happen in your life you will never imagine- they will come out of nowhere and you will never be prepared for them. The things you waste your time worrying about will never happen." I fell asleep every night that year holding my Nana's hand.