Jian at Ryerson

Broadcaster/writer/producer/musician Jian Ghomeshi was at Ryerson University a few nights ago. I managed to be there early but not early enough to grab dinner so I had to settle for a bag of chips. It was an all ages crowd from 18 to 70. Surprisingly Jian is rocking it with the teens and the septuagenarians as well.

He gave a lot of advice for the young budding journalists on how to improve their skills. I was taking notes feverishly, like I always do, but a digital recorder would have come in real handy for some of the better quotes. I wish I could remember the shorthand I had learned in high school.

All in all, there were eager students asking clever questions. The best question of the night went to the young lady who was more or less asking Jian how to complete her class assignment. The assignment was finding a way to get the interviewee to provide anecdotes during the interview. Generally that is a really hard one. What’s harder still is trying to get someone to describe a place that is half way across the country that you have never seen before and have no way of ever seeing. An instructor I had for a magazine writing course said you should ask the person being interviewed to describe the situation, the room the colors, the smell and the sounds for scene writing purposes. They will conjure up an image so vivid that it will bring the story to life.

Some tips offered:

1)Have conversations as opposed to reading off from your list of questions.

2)Do lots of research before hand.

3)Observe the body language of those you are interviewing.

4)Make the interviewee feel as comfortable as possible.

Take The Car (TTC)

The TTC (Toronto Transit Commission which also stands for Take the Car) has many people peeved because no matter what they do there is a problem.

They have hiked fare prices once again.

When it was announced last month that prices were going up, people panicked. Everyone was guilty of buying tokens by the pound. The transit commission caught on and started limiting the amount of token purchases to 5 and then 2 and then none. Tickets were available but like milk, there was an expiry date. You were forced to use the tickets before January.

Just to be fair, TTC has decided that you can use the tickets, add an extra 25 cents or get a full refund until March 31.

There used to be perks associated with having a Metropass. You could park free at designated subway parking lots. But TTC said it was losing money and took that privilege away. You now have to pay $6 even if you own the pass. Toronto didn't like that and now the once full lot is empty. So TTC is really losing money anyway.

I've noticed that there are frequent subway delays too.

So when TTC chair Adam Giambrone makes his bid to become Toronto's new mayor this fall do you think there will be any hard feelings? Will people support or blame him as they wait for the bus on their way to the polling station? Maybe. Maybe not. They will most likely just think twice about taking the bus and opt for the car.

Stairway to Health

The Stairway to Health event was held last Friday at Ryerson University. It was organized by Health Promotion team members, to raise awareness about increasing daily exercise in our lives. This program encouraged both students and staff to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

People walking the halls glanced momentarily at gleeful students looking for recruits. I figured it would be a good a way to walk off my lunch calories so I signed up. I was enthusiastic until the stair climbing recruit motioned to the staircase and wished me luck.

A flight of 12 angry steps loomed before me in a stark white stairwell. There were signs of encouragement along the way including health statistics and “Half-way” there banners. It didn’t really help. I made it to the top winded and a little wobbly, but in one piece. Complimentary juice, fruit and cookies revived me and as encouragement I received a pedometer to chart future my stair-climbing progress.

Toronto should have an official “climb the stairs” day. Boycott the elevator at work.

Can you imagine climbing 30 floors of the First Canadian Place? Not.

There is the option of participating in the Annual Canada Life CN Tower Stair Climb for WWF challenge that raises money for the World Wildlife fund. Hundreds of people climbing 1,776, can get a little crammed if you need a moment to stop and catch your breath. One girl I know, who did the climb a few years ago, trained for 5 months.

Check out this story about Peter Doucet.

If you aren't up for the CN Tower climb, there is always the infamous stairs at Glendon College. The campus is beautiful but those stairs are an albatross. The crooked, winding stairs leading from the main campus to the athletics centre is a workout in itself.