Photo Credit: PressReleaseFinder on Flickr

I have been postponing a re-branding/re-focusing of MadameHeringer.com for a while now and before I really transform it into the journal of a marketer, I am asking for your help. MadameHeringer.com has been through a lot of changes in the past year. We finally bought a customized domain, added new contributors and implemented a WordPress theme, but now I am curious to know how these changes have been working for you, my valued readers!

The direct link for the online survey is http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RZ7J2ZJ. You can also click on the pop up to be redirected to Survey Monkey. I tried to make it as comprehensive as a survey with only ten questions can be. Please, be honest!

As an incentive, I am giving away a movie night for 2 to one lucky survey respondent. Just enter your email in the last question for a chance to win!

Thank you in advance for your help. It’s always a pleasure to do business with you!

Apparently, every time that I get overwhelmed by inspiring stories, I have a hard time translating them into a concise blog post. That’s one of the most ironic situations that a trained journalist can face. However, instead of ignoring Northern Voice 2010 and pretending that it didn’t happen in my life, I am showing up for duty and re-establishing this blog’s purpose.

Northern Voice 2010 was my first blogging conference and I still can’t understand why it took me so long to get out there and start meeting people like me. Well, according to Kimli Welsh’s presentation, I learned that I am not the only blogger who gets intimidated by the idea of leaving the safeness of a URL. Luckily, lots of familiar avatars stopped by to say “hi” to me, giving a friendly face to their strong online presences.

For me, this year’s conference was all about finding my voice online. I have been blogging for over 5 years now, but even after several metamorphoses MadameHeringer.com still feels like it only makes sense to me (Yes… I am completely ignoring thousands of monthly unique visitors and behaving like a drama queen!). However, Monica Hamburg and Dave Olsen’s workshop was the best validation that I could wish for. Blogging takes time and effort to find your niche and voice, but also it’s about having fun and experimenting with new mediums. Lesson learned!

Stefani Cameron’s How to Screw Up Your Personal Blog session was the most resourceful and sincere story that I heard at Northern Voice 2010. In a nutshell, stick to who you are and respect your boundaries. Readers are smart people and they know when you’re faking!

Northern Voice 2010 was a 2-day long event about blogging, Twitter and online marketing. From creating podcasts to copyright laws, it covered it all. I got a lot out of the sessions and plan to bring some multimedia experiments to this space in the following months. Stay tuned, my Northern Voice experience has just started!

Madame Heringer baby and Dona Alzira – December, 1982.

My mom is the most powerful woman that I know. You might argue that Oprah, Hillary Clinton or even Dilma Rousseff should be considered as strong contestants, but none of these women have had the impact that my mom had on my life!

Dona Alzira, today a 63-year-old woman, went through a lot in her life. She was raised on a coffee farm in a small town called Laranja da Terra in Brazil, but always dreamed of moving to the city and becoming a nurse. When she turned 21-years-old, she finally convinced my Granny to agree with her plans of moving to Rio de Janeiro. Since her uncle needed a reliable nanny to take care of his children, she volunteered to move in with his family to take care of his three kids during the day and go to nursing school at night.

After she graduated, she landed a job at one of the biggest hospitals in Rio and has been there ever since. It has been 35 years since my Mom entered Hospital da Lagoa’s doors for the first time! My childhood is filled with good memories of my mom as a nurse in action. I remember going to work with her and being always greeted by her patients and coworkers. I’ve never met anyone with more passion about their profession than my Mom. Even now, she says that she will only leave the hospital when she dies, and I believe her!

My Mom is a huge inspiration to me both as a professional and as a woman. She has always supported me in every single adventure. From drama classes to immigrating to Canada, she has always been there for me. I know, it is the type of thing that moms do for their children, but deep inside I know that sometimes it’s hard for her to cope with the distance and longing that motherhood has imposed on her.

Happy Mother’s Day, Dona Alzira!

I have one $60.00 gift certificate for lunch at Provence Marinaside, valid Monday- Friday from 11:30am to 3:00pm, that was generously offered by Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia to MadameHeringer.com. To enter this contest, leave a comment describing how your Mom’s teachings had an impact in your life. The best story will be chosen on May 21st at 3:00pm.

Provence Marinaside is a award-winning restaurant located at 1177 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver, BC. Chef Jean-Francis along with his wife and chef Alessandra, are the authors of New World Provence: Modern French Cooking for Friends and Family and the artists who have cooked the best meals that Mr. Ames and I have ever eaten in Vancouver.

Update: Maria is our lucky winner! Maria, please check your inbox for pick up details.

Charlotte, Angela and Daniela, thank you very much for sharing your stories with me!

Written by Roberta La Rovere

For all of you in Canada who were anxiously awaiting this year’s  first superhero film release, I am sorry to disappoint you, but Iron Man 2 probably isn’t what you are waiting for.  Unfortunately, I didn’t leave the movie theatre as excited about the mind blowing action scenes, well rounded plot, the moral identity crisis of Tony Stark, and the charming wit of Robert Downey Jr as when I watched the original Ironman. The film that initiated the sequel is one of my favourite super hero movies of all times (along with The Dark Knight andAng Lee’s Hulk).

It’s possible that my high expectations are clouding my judgment. This week’s research routine for my master’s degree may also be getting in my way. However, I am sure that the main reason that I didn’t like Ironman 2 as  much is the fact that the story wasn’t good enough to capture my full attention. It felt like the film didn’t flow smoothly in terms of plot development. Besides, the storyline is very similar to the first Iron Man: same glitches with the suit that might kill our main character, same mad scientist kind of villain, same flying around and blowing things up kind of action scenes.

Since it is a meant to be a blockbuster, I know I am being too harsh on Ironman 2. However, Ironman 2’s characters are interesting and the actors’ performances are generally good. Mickey Rourke is fun to watch as the Russian bad guy who has a mocking look in his face because he is just so much smarter than Sam Rockwell’ Justin Hammer character. Scarlett Johansson is pretty, as usual; and Gwyneth Paltrow serves well as the voice of reason for the passionate, clever, narcissistic Tony Stark. By the way, Robert Downey Jr. charisma is always an asset in any movie!

If you want to relax and have a great time, go watch Ironman 2. Just don’t take it as seriously as I did. Enjoy the AC/DC soundtrack and pop culture references and you will be fine. In terms of product placement, the movie is brilliant! I just want all the cool RayBan sunglasses and gadgets that are shown throughout the film. Finally, I should warn you that there is a “hidden” scene after the credits related to Iron Man’s future endeavours. If you can’t wait to know about Ironman 3, you can check the hidden scene here.

So, what do you think about sequels? Do agree that they all suck?

I recently invited my friend Dianne Russell to write a series of blog posts about her South African experiences in Cape Town. Dianne has been taking her role as a blogger seriously and her adventures at Yeah, but… are one of the best reads available online. She has also stepped up on her photography and has a very interesting page at JPEGmag.com. I am really happy that Dianne said yes to MadameHeringer.com and will write a series of posts direct from Cape Town for us. Enjoy!

I’m a Canadian English teacher with over 10 years experience, currently living and volunteering in Cape Town, South Africa.  I teach English to African refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, etc.  I also have an African heart.

Yesterday my class was given a survey that asked them to report any known threats of xenophobic violence against refugees in South Africa after World Cup 2010 ends.   After completing the survey, a female student looked at me carefully and said, “You like to work with refugees, don’t you?”  “Yes”, I replied.  She then said, “I know you. You came to Africa because of your heart.”

I couldn’t have said it any more clearly than that myself.

For years I had been dreaming and scheming of a way to come to Africa.  Perhaps this yearning was prompted by the endless National Geographic specials that I watched on TV as a kid or maybe the infomercials for Foster Parents Plan that made me cry every Saturday afternoon.  Whatever it was, my heart has been facing Africa for a long time.

Even a fortune teller knew about my heart’s African dream.  Not long ago, she predicted that I would live in Africa with “a house like the United Nations” – meaning I would adopt a number of foreign children and live happily ever after.  Just like Angelina Jolie, I suppose.

Two years ago I tutored a Kenyan student in Vancouver whose father runs an aid distribution company in Kenya.  The family travels back and forth, and as my relationship grew with the family, we started planning a month-long Kenyan dream trip for me in December 2008. I was to stay with family and friends across the county and in Tanzania and have opportunities to volunteer in the refugee camps, but alas, the political situation grew tense due to elections.  Sadly, the trip fell through – my heart wept.

Long Way Back Home

Then I met Adam, the man later to be known as the ‘life partner’ on my South African Life Partner Temporary Residence Permit.

When I found out that Adam is a South African citizen with dual Canadian citizenship, my stomach flipped.  So did my heart.  But determined not to throw myself unwittingly into anymore unsuccessful relationships, I played it cool and revealed nothing of my African heart.

A couple of months had passed when Adam looked at me and asked, “Do you want to go to South Africa with me for a few months this winter?”  “Are you serious?!” I shot back almost defensively, ready to protect my heart from another disappointment.  “Yes, I’m serious”, he replied. My heart passed out.

I approached the planning of our trip with trepidation, knowing that the bottom could fall out at any time.  But it didn’t.  We researched apartments, car, flights, jobs, day trips, etc.  My heart was experiencing the double whammy of being in love AND knowing it was finally going to Africa.  The excitement grew.

Unfortunately, the road to South Africa was a bit bumpy.

One of the potential obstacles was my job. I am always wearing too many hats at work and as a result, I’m a bit hard to replace.  I am lucky that my organization granted four months unpaid leave to live this dream.

We also had to sell property and move at the same time. Our life was frantic.  As we couldn’t afford movers because of our trip, we moved ourselves in the middle of winter. “It’s ok”, we chanted as we balanced the couches on our heads and humped box after box down the stairs on Christmas Eve, “we’re going to be in Africa soon”.

We booked our flight for January 27, 2010.  In our panic to prepare the house for rental before leaving, we made it to the airport with five minutes to spare.  After almost collapsing at the ticket counter, my African heart was finally on her way home.

Photo credit: Dianne Russell on JPEGmag.com

Illustration by Edel Rodriguez

I can’t believe it took me so long to go to the opera for the first time. And what a debut! Vancouver turned out dressed to the nines for the opening night of Vancouver Opera’s production of Marriage of Figaro at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. I went for the music and the opportunity to wear very high heels at the beginning of the week, but came home a true opera fan. Gosh, why did it take me so long?

Since I am a former TV producer and actress (I know… shame on me for taking so long to meet Mozart’s opera!), it’s always a challenge for me to truly appreciate any show. I am always looking for the behind the scenes gaffes, for the actor who forgets his line, for the lighting that missed the main character. Vancouver Opera’s Marriage of Figaro passed the test! Every single actor was fantastic and Jonathan Darlington’s orchestra nailed it from beginning to end.

Julie Boulianne’s Cherubino was the most delightful performance of Marriage of Figaro. I felt like a little girl when I noticed that it was a lady in a male role, but it took me less than 5 minutes of watching Boulianne to forget this detail. Chris Alexander’s stage direction is impeccable, his transitions are so smooth and involving that it really transported me into Marriage of Figaro’s world.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 4th) is Marriage of Figaro’s last night at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Yes… it’s sung in Italian, but you’re allowed to read the subtitles! If you need a second opinion before buying the tickets, Tris Hussey, Gus Fosarolli, Peter Andersen, Kelsey Dundon, and Vancouver Opera’s blog will provide  you with all good reasons to make this investment!

My online reading was very social media intense last month, so are the blogs and articles that I’ve been referring to. The social media bug definitely bit me in April! Here is my list of favourite websites and articles that somehow made me a better communicator:

PROBLOGGER.NET

The month started with Darren Rowse’s April’s fool joke about Google acquiring Problogger. It would have been smart move if a good chunk of readers haven’t believed that it was only a joke. Darren himself said here that even two of his family members and a reporter had fallen for it.

On April first, I was 5 days into Darren’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge and I must confess that I panicked a little before I realized that his “news release” was just a joke. Problogger.com is a real find for those who want to take blogging to the next level!

Thanks, Kiratiana Freelon for sharing this resource with me!

SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS SUMMIT 2010

Following my friend Rebecca Johnson‘s advice, I subscribed the Social Media Success Summit 2010 which starts on Monday, May 4th. It is an online conference facilitated by big social media names such as Guy Kawasaky and Chris Brogan.

I have been learning a lot about social media practices with the pre-summit materials and forums. Can’t wait to participate in the live discussions.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING INDUSTRY REPORT

This 33-page report is the result of the analysis of over 1,300 open-ended responses given by current social media marketers to Social Media Examiner staff. Even though it didn’t discover any unexpected behaviour, this report is a great formal profile of social media marketers, their employment expectations, and dedication.

Mashable: 4 Tips for Tapping Into Twitter Conversations

Sparkpr’s Managing Director Leyl Master Black shared a very insightful article on Mashable last month. Even though Black uses big brands to convey her ideas, her 4 tips can be easily adapted to any business.

ADVERTISING AGE: What Social Media Will Look Like in 2012

I was born in a time that people would publish predictions for the next 10 years and we would have time to watch them evolve and absorb the changes. Well, Freddy Laker’s predictions for 2012 won’t take long to become a reality since Facebook’s recent privacy changes and advertising integration happened only 20 days after Laker published his article. I am still not sure how Facebook will convice users to change their privacy expectations, but I can wait for social media to become common sense.  Definitely, a good read!

The last time I watched a performance by Grupo Corpo, I was living in Brazil and the soundtrack of the show was composed by João Bosco. I fell in love with Grupo Corpo while watching their performances of Bengelê and Santagustin at Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. Since 2002, I have been chasing them around the world and if it wasn’t for my good friend Lili Viera de Carvalho, I would have missed their performances in Vancouver.

Corpo means body in Portuguese. Grupo Corpo is the realization of Paulo Pederneiras’ ambitious dream of mixing contemporary dance with genuine Brazilian music. Grupo Corpo has given life to over 30 different shows and toured through several countries. Grupo Corpo is eye-catching for its powerful and defiant way of introducing a human body to movements and concepts that are beyond imagination. Its Latin American take on contemporary dance ads an extra sparkle for its audience, and watching one of their performances always leaves you having trouble believing what you’ve seen.

PARABELO

Photo Credit: José Luiz Pederneiras

Parabelo was the first act of the Vancouver show. Meant to be a re-creation of the Brazilian Sertão, it is described by its creator Rodrigo Pederneiras as the most “regional” concept that Grupo Corpo has brought to life. Parabelo is as intriguing as its title.

The impressive soundtrack created by Tom Zé, one of the most polemical Brazilian musicians, and José Miguel Wisnik brings to the stage the exact feeling associated with the hard reality experienced in the Northeast of Brazil. However, the beauty of Grupo Corpo’s choreography and audacity of mixing xaxado, forró and frevo with modern dance makes Parabelo an unforgettable experience.

BREU

Photo Credit: José Luiz Pederneiras

The rock and roll approach that Lenine gave to Breu’s soundtrack is conveyed by Grupo Corpo as a fight between darkness and sound. Lenine’s wild guitars also set the tones of violence and brutality that fill the stage.  Apparently, choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras asked Lenine to have fun while composing BREU’s soundtrack. Lenine certainly followed his instructions by adding uncomfortable and rebellious sounds to Grupo Corpo’s darkest show.

The second act of the Vancouver show completely challenged gravity. Jumping from the floor while twisting and balancing bodies against each other were ordinary tasks for the cast of BREU. Compared to the first act, BREU was too rushed and I didn’t feel that it conveyed a full story to me in its 45-minutes. It was beautiful to watch, but I’d love to see more darkness and young anxiety through a structured story that could better relay the spirit of Pederneiras’ vision.

Grupo Corpo is now on its way to Europe and will be back on the stage on May 8^th and 9^th at Teatro Municipal de Valencia, in Valencia, Spain, and May 12^th at Gare du midi, in Biarritz, France. For more information, visit http://www.grupocorpo.com.br/site

The 8^th edition of the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) is rapidly approaching and the final touches are being made on this year’s festival. Even though opening night is only happening on September 2^nd, VLAFF organizers are accepting design ideas for VLAFF’s 8^th edition poster only until this Friday, April 30^th .

The contest is open to all British Columbia-based artists. Submissions are limited to three entries per person. Design concepts will be judged according to their public appeal, content and marketability. The winning artist will receive a $500 prize and exposure on VLAFF’s website and newsletters.

Click here, for more information about the VLAFF 2010 poster contest.

Good Luck!

The National Volunteer Week is an opportunity for non-profit organizations to appreciate the work of their volunteers Canada-wide. I particularly see this week as a chance to inspire other people to engage in their community, share and connect with others.

You’re probably thinking that I am so pro-volunteerism because of my job at ISSofBC. You guessed right! Before moving to Canada, I would never consider working for free. Volunteerism was an activity only possible after retiring or winning the lottery! However, since my work requires me to engage, train and encourage volunteers, I realized back in 2008 that I had to roll up my sleeves and start my volunteer career in Vancouver.

After 2 years working as volunteer at different non-profit organizations, I can tell you that it is fun! From TV Host to dog handler, I’ve tried it all! I am currently balancing my full-time job at ISSofBC with my online communications coordination work at Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, and a pet visitor (with Ipanema) position at Yaletown House. I can proudly say that every single volunteer opportunity brought more opportunities to my life than I could imagine when I first accepted then. The feeling of accomplishment and both professional and personal connections that I gained from my unpaid positions have been working as a fair trade for me.

If you are excited about getting involved in the community, you can learn more about the organizations before you commit to a specific position by attending the Timeraiser Vancouver on September 23rd. If you can’t wait until September, Go Volunteer has been the source of all my volunteer positions and will probably have something for you as well!

Are you currently a volunteer at a non-profit organization? Where? What is the best story you have to share so far?