Erica Hargreave

Bringing Stories to Life as a Speaker, & Digital & Immersive Media Strategist & Storyteller

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Pokemon Go: Teaching Your Kids to Use Pokemon Go Safely

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Pokemon spotted at the at Mei Foo Skatepark.
Pokemon spotted at the at Mei Foo Skatepark, by Warren RM Stuart.

Love it or hate it – if you have school age kids, you can’t simply ignore the Pokemon Go App, hope it goes away or hope that your kids don’t discover it.  The fact of the matter, even if your kids don’t have a smartphone or tablet, they’ve probably already been playing Pokemon Go with their friends on their devices.  So just like having that dreaded sex talk with your kids, I’d advice not hiding the smartphone or tablet, hoping that they don’t try it.  Have the Pokemon Go safety talk with them before it’s too late.

Pokemon Go hunter in Japan.
Photo of a Pokemon Go hunter in Japan, care of Nagi Usano.

If you think, “not my kid – they won’t play – I’ve told them not to”, think again. A friend and I were chatting about this the other day on the phone.  She’d told her teens the app was dangerous and had them delete it from their phones; then as we were talking, she saw them wandering up the road, staring into their phones, oblivious to the rest of their surroundings.  They are good kids and are smart, but friends had been playing it at the beach, earlier in the day, and they were hooked again – “what harm could it do?” So my friend hopped off the phone with me, to sit down with them and have ‘the talk’.

Pokemon spotted by by Charlie Boy Criscola.
Pokemon spotted by by Charlie Boy Criscola.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not against the Pokemon Go App – it kind of opens up a world of magic, which I love, but I’d love to see it kept in the realm of good magic, as oppose to opening up to tragedy and horrors, which often go hand in hand with good magic in the storybook realm.  In that bent, it is good to understand the potential dangers associated with the Pokeman Go App, so that you can advice your kids (and yourselves) on how to stay safe while you have fun playing. Here is a great video on just that, that the Miami PD recently shared: Social Media 101:Pokemon Go.  Do give it a watch.

Here are a few tips to keep your kids (and yourself) safe while playing Pokemon Go:

Hunting for Pokemon.
Photo care of Angie Six.
  • Stay aware of your surroundings.
    • Predators have been known to hangout at Pokemon Go hotspots, watching for the unsuspecting players.
    • Watch where you are going, so you don’t put yourself in harm’s way – like in traffic.
  •  Don’t meet up with strangers to hunt Pokemon, especially at night.

  • Hunt Pokemon with a friend (that you actually know from the real world – not just online), rather than on your own.
    • Watch out for each other’s safety.
    • Just because someone approaches you that is also playing the game, does not mean that they are safe. Listen to your spidey senses and use the usual cautions that you would with a stranger.
  • Put the game away while riding a bike, roller blades, a skateboard or driving a car.
  • Respect private property.
    • A virtual critter inside someone’s home or someone else’s land does not give you the right to enter, and by doing so you could put yourself in danger or at risk of criminal charges.

On the note of respect, also remind your kids to be respectful of the places they are in.  Just as you should respect other people’s property, it is also important to respect memorial sites.  They are plenty of other places to hunt Pokemon, without disturbing a sacred place and upsetting others.  (I suspect with how the app works, Pokemon are only showing up in those places, as they are geolocating where you are, and popping Pokemon up nearby. If you leave this area be, those Pokemon will pop up in more respectful place instead.)

A couple of kids making new Pokemon friends with their Dad.
A couple of kids making new Pokemon friends with their Dad. Photo by Andrés Alvarez.

Now go have fun hunting Pokemon with your kids, and teach them how to be safe and respectful about it in the process.

Digitally yours,

Erica

History & Technology Merge with the Fairmont Château Laurier’s History App

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I am a bit of a history buff!  One of my secret desires is to one day write a historic thriller.

For that reason, one of my favourite past times in a new place is actually taking a historic tour of the place I am staying in.  I can almost hear as I say this, the cringing of some of those I’ve travelled with, who find hotel tours to be a sales / marketing pitch, and while some can be, others can be the most magnificent journeys back in history.  As I write this, I am remembering a glorious afternoon in Memphis spent with the Assistant Duckmaster & Hotel Historian at the Peabody, Doug Weatherford. I really could not have asked for a more delightful way to have spent the afternoon, then walking back in Memphis history with Doug.  In fact, this visit was one of the highlights of trip to Memphis, better than my tour of Gibson Guitars, better than my visit to Stax Records, and WAY better than the circus that was Graceland. At any rate, I will write more about my adventure back in time with Doug another day on Roamancing. Today, I want to to put my tech specs on in combination with my historian hat, as I take you further North to the Fairmont Château Laurier.

Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa
Fairmont Château Laurier, an Ottawa hotel rich in history.

This past spring on a visit to Ottawa, I was fortunate enough to stay at the Fairmont Château Laurier, a hotel steeped in history, a history I wanted to learn more about. Rather than give me an actual tour, the hotel asked me if I could try out their new interactive history tour.  Being a bit of a tech nerd, and loving seeing and experiencing examples of technology being used to educate and tell story, I readily agreed.

Right now the Fairmont Château Laurier’s history tour is available on iPads and tablets, although I rather hope that it will at some point be available on other devices, like smart phones. Anybody with an iPad or tablet can take the tour for free, whether they are a guest or not, they just need to download the Fairmont Château Laurier History App (from the links I’ve provided in this paragraph).  If you don’t have an iPad or tablet, but are fortunate enough to be a guest of the Fairmont Château Laurier, you can borrow an iPad for the tour from the front desk.

Fairmont Château Laurier History App
Beginning my walk back in history at the Château Laurier.

Once begun this digital tour takes visitors to the Fairmont Château Laurier on a walking tour, starting in the hotel’s lobby. It provides an informative and interesting narrative, including historic photos, as it walks you through various rooms of the hotel, intertwining history with the current space visitors see before their eyes.

Fairmont Château Laurier History App
Discovering fascinating past visitors to the Château Laurier.
Fairmont Château Laurier History App
Wandering through the historic halls of the Château Laurier.

So my take on the experience?  I very much enjoyed it, as it gave me context to the space I was walking through (oh, if the walls could only talk), and snippets of history I’d been hearing about (like, did you now there is an historic connection between the Château Laurier and the Titanic?). It also got me to explore deeper into the hotel, right into the depths of the basement.  I only wish that I’d taken this tour at the beginning of our stay, rather than at the end, as it would have ensured that I made it down to the basement for a dip in that fabulous art deco pool, and would have enriched my stay so much more, with the stories of the history that surrounded me.

Now does this compare to the kind of tour that a Hotel Historian and Storyteller, like the Peabody’s Doug Weatherford gave me?  No, but afternoons such as that one are special, to be cherished, that cannot happen all the time due to scheduling and the likes. There are after all only so many Historians and Storytellers, like Doug Weatherford around, and they can’t be scheduled around the clock to suit visitor’s schedules. Catering to visitor’s schedules and the access to historic imagery are what made this technology driven digital walk back in time such a win in my mind. The weary traveller could even take the tour digitally from the awfully comfy Fairmont Château Laurier bed, as a form of a bed time story, or the uber organized traveller could watch in prep for their stay, even on-route to Ottawa on the plane or train. I, however, think it is enjoyed best as a leisurely stroll through the Fairmont Château Laurier’s historic halls.

Enjoy!

A Holiday Activity: Vegetable Scrap Gardens

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As is tradition at Ahimsa Media, we take a few moments over the winter holidays to write up an activity for you, our wonderful community, to unwind over the holidays. This year, as News Year’s Eve has past and much of Canada is covered in a wintery wonderland, I for one am craving fresh vegetables, so I thought I’d share some fun ideas (for all ages) for turning your vegetable scraps into a kitchen garden.

These are really very simple, allowing you to dig in the dirt in the winter (which I dearly love) and reuse your vegetable scraps, creating something green and growing in the kitchen.

Before getting started, gather the following:

  • potting soil
  • small pots or clean plastic containers (with drainage holes poked in the bottom)
  • plates or plastic lids (to sit under the plastic containers, once potted, for drainage)
  • clear glasses or jars

 

Avocado Pits

Photo by Jeremy Zilar
Photo by Jeremy Zilar

The pit of an avocado is, of course, it’s seed, and as such you can grow an avocado tree from it. Here is how to get it sprouting …

You’ll need:

  • an avocado
  • a clear glass or jar
  • water
  • sturdy toothpicks

Simply,

  • Cut open the avocado (make something scrumptious with the flesh inside) and remove the pit.
  • Skewer the pit near the top (pointed side) with 3 or 4 toothpicks (like shown in the picture above) so that the toothpicks will act as a bridge over a glass of water.
  • Fill the glass with water.
  • Suspend the pit with the toothpicks over the glass of water (pointy side up), so that 2/3 of the pit is covered by water.
  • Now patiently wait, making sure the water levels stay up.  If you are successful, you should see the beginnings of roots in 3- 4 weeks.
  • After 2 weeks, you can gently peel off the outer skin of the avocado pit to speed up the process.
  • Eventually when you have a sturdy root and stem, you can transplant your avocado tree into a pot.

With a lot of loving care and a little luck, hopefully a few years down the road, you just might be able to show up at a party carrying your very own homegrown guacamole.

 

Photo by Michelle Tribe
Photo by Michelle Tribe

Sweet Potatoes

Technically, this one doesn’t use leftover vegetable scraps, but rather a full sweet potato.  I’ve decided to overlook that detail for the simple reason that I love sweet potatoes.

You’ll need:

  • a sweet potato tuber
  • a clear glass or jar
  • water
  • sturdy toothpicks

Simply,

  • Place the tuber in a jar of water, pointy end down. You can place it suspended on the jar with toothpicks, or just as is.
  • Wait a few days for the shoots (or slips as they are called) to appear.
  • Once the slips are about 4 or 5 inches long, pull them off of the tuber and place them in another little jar of water. Wait for a few more days, and little roots will appear.

Congratulations!  Your sweet potatoes are ready to plant!

 

Carrot Tops

Photo by Alice (the plastic girl)
Photo by Alice (the plastic girl)

One of the cool things about carrots and parsnips is that you can replant the tops after chopping a carrot or parsnip up, provided you leave a bit of the tuber attached.  In fact, if you look closely at a carrot or parsnip, you’ll see it has tiny hair-like structures growing on the tuber. These are roots and the reason why this works!

You’ll need:

  • carrots (or parsnips) with their tops on
  • mid-sized, clean plastic containers (with drainage holes poked in the bottom)
  • plastic lids (to sit under the plastic containers, once potted, for drainage)

Simply,

  • Cut the carrot, leaving an inch or two of the tuber at the base of the stem.
  • Place the carrot in a pot of soil, covering the tuber with soil, while leaving the green stem exposed.
  • Place in a sunny window, water regularly and transplant into a bigger pot, as necessary, as it grows.

*Apparently this works with pineapples too. I haven’t had any luck with this yet with a pineapple, but I know people that have.*

 

Roots on Your Veggies?

Photo by Janet Lackey
Photo by Janet Lackey

Many of the vegetables we purchase, have live roots on them.  Just think about the leeks and green onions you buy.  If replanted, these will grow.

You’ll need:

  • vegetables with live roots (green onions, leeks, lettuce …)
  • clear glass, jar or dish (in the case of the lettuce)
  • water

Simply,

  • Place your cut vegetable (leaving about an inch of the vegetable attached to the roots)  in a glass of water, roots down.
  • Top up the water as needed.

Before long you’ll have the beginnings of what appears to be new plants.  Either chop it up for a meal or plant them, as desired.

 

It’s Sprouting!!!

Photo by Corey Harmon
Photo by Corey Harmon

If you’re like me, then from time to time you’ll discover something sprouting in your vegetable drawer, like cloves of garlic and potatoes.  Rather then composting them, why not plant them.

You’ll need:

  • sprouting vegetables (like cloves of garlic or potatoes)
  • clean plastic containers (with drainage holes poked in the bottom)
  • potting soil
  • plastic lids (to sit under the plastic containers, once potted, for drainage)

Simply,

  • Place the sprouting vegetables in a pot of soil, covering it with soil, while leaving the green stem / leaves exposed.
  • Place in a sunny window, water it regularly and transplant into a bigger pot, as necessary, as it grows.

 

Collecting Seeds

Photo by Angela of Pillowhead Designs
Photo by Angela of Pillowhead Designs

Don’t forget those seeds in your fruit are the beginnings of new plants. Why not save them and try to germinate them in some soil.

You’ll need:

  • seeds from fruits
  • clean plastic containers (with drainage holes poked in the bottom)
  • potting soil
  • plastic lids (to sit under the plastic containers, once potted, for drainage)

Simply,

  • Fill a small pot with soil.
  • Bury fruit seeds shallowly beneath the soil
  • Place in a sunny window, water and transplant into a bigger pot, as necessary, as it grows.

Have fun planting and eating!

You can also catch up with some fun winter treats for your feathery neighbours with this post we did on Holiday Decorations for the Birds for one of our clients.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays!

Happy New Year!

~ from the gang at Ahimsa Media

Managing the Social Networking Feed for an Event? Check Your Ego at the Door.

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Effectively managing social media for another (whether individual, brand, traditional media or conference) means checking your ego and personal biases at the door, and being true to the client’s community, voice and needs.  It’s about them and their community, not about you.  If you do things untoward or disrespectful to their community when representing them, it reflects poorly on them, and ultimately on you.  This is never more true then in the case of a conference or festival, as conferences and festivals are all about community. As such you want to use an event’s social feeds to be supportive of that community, especially if you want the community to support the event in return, through sharing and using the event’s hashtag.

A twitterfall from a past conference, where all tweets with the event hashtag showed up in the stream.

I was recently reminded of this at a recent conference.  The conference had a hashtag, and tweets using the hashtag were shared in a live twitter stream or were they?  Tweeting from 3 different handles, it didn’t take me long to realize that only my own personal tweets were being shared in the live twitter stream, while those of my company and one of our characters were not.  Since these tweets were live I looked to see if either the company or the character had said something that could be construed as offensive.  They had not.  In fact, typically at a conference, our company tweets most of the ideas being shared from the company feed, our personal opinions from our personal feeds, and items of a lighter nature from our storytelling characters.  I could understand our one characters’ tweets being edited out of the feed, as she has a reputation for being racy, but our company’s tweets that were the tamest of the lot?  Our company, I might add, that had been supportive of the particular conference for a number of years.

In pondering this oddity, I discovered we were not alone. Others were discovering that the twitter stream was selective about what was being shared too.  Given a good reason for this, like keeping the tweets focused on the business side of the conference, this would have been understandable, but then why were our company’s tweets not being included?  As best as anybody could tell, it came down to reducing exposure to a potential competitor for those managing the feed. Their company’s tweets showed in the live twitter stream, but not those of any company that potentially competed with them in the market.  The result?  Many at the conference that noticed this were left with a bad taste in their mouth.  A Social Networking FAIL for sure, at a conference that was suppose to be helping people to move forward in the transmedia space and demonstrate positive examples for them.

Science and the Arts Are Not Polar Opposites

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I often have people look at me with surprise when they learn that I am a scientist.  “But you are so creative???”

This attitude towards science, has always perplexed me, as a true scientist is highly creative … these are after all our Out-Of-The-Box thinkers.  Just look to history, and you’ll see that some of our greatest scientists were highly creative and accomplished artists ~  Leonardo da Vinci for example.  I mean for heaven’s sakes, it takes a creative mind, like that of Galileo, to challenge the perception of our whole world view in the 1600s from seeing it as a sphere, as opposed to flat.

 

Leonardo da Vinci’s Paddle Boat, as photographed by Érinn Cunningham.

 

I was reminded how perplexing I find this disconnect in people’s minds between science and creativity when I was sitting in a Merging Media session this morning on successful tech start-up business tools, presented by the Canadian Film Centre.  The tools were basically apps for building a business plan (Business Model Canvas) and to apply the Scientific Method to your business plan (Validation Board), or in the case of this room, your storytelling project. I started getting excited at the idea of the Validation Board (although it did strike me that a such research, experimenting and hypothesizing should be a given to any transmedia project). That is when the presenter started to discuss what a pain and how dull working through the Scientific Method is.  This was intended to be their way of saying that even though they hated the process, it was useful to the success of their project.  How this impacted me, however, was with incredulance that the Scientific Method would be treated as a dull necessity.  The Scientific Method is both a creative process and an engaging one.

 

A Slide of the Validation Board

 

Now, not everybody may get as excited about the Scientific Method as I do.  That aside, when teaching, you don’t want to set your students’ minds at odds with the process you are asking them to partake in, and given that this room was comprised of a good deal of academics, I am sure I was not the only one offended by the poor treatment of the Scientific Method. Put on my  storytelling hat, and the notion that the storytelling community would not understand something labeled in scientific terms is equally as offensive. Furthermore, having been involved in organizing many of the original events in Canada on bridging the traditional media and technology communities, encouraging storytellers and technologists to work together to build transmedia, this attitude creates a step backwards in that conversation.  It puts the two groups at odds, which is not where they should be, especially given that we were at a transmedia conference. I am happy report that once we started to apply the discussed applications to select projects in the room, the participants of the Master’s Class were highly engaged in the process. They enjoyed it and saw the benefits of it.

I look forward to continue to build transmedia in the manner it should be, in which both the storytellers and the technologists (scientists included) are treated with the creative respect that they both deserve.

Three Women in Tech I Admire

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Apparently today is Ada Lovelace Day.  I didn’t know about this day until a few hours ago when Tris Hussey told me about it. For those of you similarly unaware, Ada Lovelace Day is a day in which we honour women in tech that we respect by writing a blog post about them.

The day is named after Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace. Ada is mainly known for having written a description of Charles Babbage‘s early mechanical general-purpose computer, the analytical engine. She is today appreciated as the “first programmer” since she was writing programs—that is, manipulating symbols according to rules—for a machine that Babbage had not yet built. She also foresaw the capability of computers to go beyond mere calculating or number-crunching while others, including Babbage himself, focused only on these capabilities – from Wikipedia

Ada Lovelace - The first computer programmer and 19th century mathematician by Aristocrat.

 

Pretty amazing to think of anyone, female or male, being so advanced and forward thinking.  She did this in the early-mid 1800s, whilst I myself am only just learning to code.

When I think of the women in technology that I have interacted with in the past year and a half, it is pretty difficult to limit this post to one woman.  There are so many women in tech that I respect and are amazed by.  I know last year I was impressed with all the women that were involved in putting Bridging Media together with Meg and I. I want to make this celebration special, however, so I am going to highlight three women whom I was fortunate enough to recently share a panel with at the Women in Film Festival New Media Day – Monica Hamburg, Carol Sill and Gillian Shaw.

 

Photographed by Tris Hussey

 

Monica Hamburg, because she never seizes to surprise me with how many ways she can use social media to bring a smile to my face and a chuckle to my belly.

Carol Sill, because she was one of the first people to introduce me to blogging and social media.  Even though she came from a world of traditional media, she immediately recognized the value of emerging and social media, embraced it whole heartedly, and shared it with those around her.

Gillian Shaw, because she is a testament to the fact that we can bridge traditional and emerging media, and by altering the manner in which we tell our stories, we will see media evolve rather than die.

Ladies – I do hope we get to do the second half of our panel, sometime in the not so distant future. I feel most fortunate for knowing and sharing with each of you.