On April 15, 2013, someone set off two pressure-cooker bombs during the Boston Marathon, irrevocably changing people’s lives. People are mourning the loss of a friend or family member, and are coming to terms with the fact that they could have died as well. Talking to kids about tragic events is difficult because you don’t want to frighten them further, so it’s a delicate balance between just enough information and too much.

176 people were injured, and three people were killed by the explosions – 29-year-old Krystle Campbell of Medford, Massachusetts, Boston University student Lingzi Lu, and eight-year-old Martin Richard of Dorchester, Massachusetts.  How do you explain to a child that some nameless, faceless person decided to kill an eight-year-old boy?

We all want answers when something horrible happens. We want to know that there is a reason – it’s human nature. If we know “why” we can logic it out.

Social Media

I was tracking the Boston Marathon results on Twitter. Some of the people I follow either were there or knew someone who was, so I learned about the bombings almost immediately afterward. Oddly, I knew before the traditional news outlets.

I’m sure that many older kids found out similarly, either on Twitter or Facebook. The problem with social media is that there is no buffer for the information that gets out, and it isn’t always accurate. People can just post whatever they want without having to filter it, including graphic photos of the victims. Younger children might learn about the events from older siblings, or overhear someone talking about it. They will then try to piece together what happened. Inevitably, there will be questions because kids can’t process tragic events like adults. The question is, how do you answer them?

What do you say?

How do you explain what happened and why, when it doesn’t make sense to an adult?

From the World Vision Canada website:

Find out what they know, or think they do. Undoubtedly, some kids will hear from classmates, friends, or social media that something has happened. Explain to them what happened, find out what they have heard. Let them ask questions, guiding the conversation, and give them the truth.

Clear, simple answers are best. Limit your answer to what’s been asked, and use simple language when explaining, whether it’s a family death or a much larger one like in Boston. Don’t get bogged down in details that your child doesn’t need or want to know. Also, using terms like “went to sleep,” or “passed on” mean little and will confuse them.

Limit exposure to the news. Watching a little is OK, but don’t overdo it because it isn’t good for anyone, young or old.

Make them feel safe. Children will naturally wonder if the same thing could happen in their hometown. When natural disasters occur, and it can’t happen near you, make sure they know. Empathy is a good thing, but make sure your child doesn’t develop anxiety.

Tell them if you don’t know the answer. Kids ask tough questions. They want to know what’s happening and why it happened. You won’t know all the answers, and that’s OK. Find the answers for them. If you’re a member of a faith community, reach out to them – the sense of belonging, comfort, and sharing will go a long way to help.

Resources:

Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA):

• Talking to Children About Violence and Other Sensitive and Complex Issues in the World by By Susan Jones and Sheldon Berman [PDF]
• You can also contact the Public Health Unit in your area, or dial 8-1-1 for more information

Greater Victoria Public Library & Vancouver Island Public Library. The GVPL and VIRL offer several dealing with talking to your children about traumatic situations.

• Talking to Your Kids in Tough Times by Willow Bay. Offers advice for parents on how to deal with the harsh realities of the modern world, explaining how to discuss difficult issues with children and how to raise children with love, honesty, confidence, and self-reliance.  – Baker & Taylor

After the school shootings in Newport, Connecticut, Victoria School District 62 wrote a blog post with resources for parents wanting to talk to their children about it. It can be found here.

MediaSmarts.ca

• Helping Kids Cope with Media Coverage of War and Traumatic Events and Dealing with Fear and Media contain tips to help recognize and cope with frightening images in the media.

PBS:

• PBS Boston Marathon reaction
• PBS collection of videos on talking about scary things in the news [YouTube]
• Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, VP of Research and Education at Sesame Workshop on how to answer children’s questions about scary news
• Strategies for talking to kids about the news

The Fred Rogers Company:

• Fred Rogers talks about Tragic Events in the News: an great resource on how to talk to your children, what to say, and other helpful hints.

Sometimes a simple answer is best and give your child only the information they ask for – let them lead the conversation. If you don’t know an answer, tell them that then find the answer by contacting one of the above resources.

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So, put on your eco-superhero cape, and let’s go shopping!

Shopping + saving the world = awesome!

There a many benefits of buying and selling second hand, a few of which are listed below:

Buying and selling online

Buying and selling online also has its bonuses: less wear-and-tear on your car (saving you money), less gas consumption (also saving you money), and by not driving from store to store to store, you’re lowering the pollution level! You can browse local online marketplaces, eBay, craigslist, and Amazon from the comfort of your home.

Let’s say you have a bridesmaid’s dress from your sister’s wedding that’s been hanging in the closet for the past five years. Why not sell it online? You get rid of that dress, and the person that bought it will enjoy it.

On the flipside, what if you’re looking for a vintage dress? Online market places like Diggit Victoria or Etsy are great places to find one-of-a kind clothes. Simply type in your search, and off you go!

Upcycle – make it new to you!

Another option is called “upcycling,” which is taking something old (your dress) and making it new with a minor (or major) redesign. People have been upcycling for years, we just had a different name for it. This is a great example (and how to!) of upcycling an old dress.

Upcycling works for furniture too! I wrote a post on upcycling a few weeks ago, using an example of taking an old dresser and repainting it, and jazz it up with new hardware? You won’t even it, you’ll save money on a new dresser, and old furniture was built so much better than the press-board stuff we have now.

Give it away, give it away, give it away now

Another option is giving things away. If you know someone that needs something and you have it, why not give it to them? Not only does it solve their problem, you get rid of that item that’s been collecting dust in the garage.

There are great websites out there that can help: Diggit Victoria and Used Victoria are a couple of local options. Another option is the Freecyle.org Network, a “worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.”

Garage sales & flea markets

Garage sales and flea markets are a boon for anyone looking for vintage items, or frugally priced clothes, toys, or household items. Who hasn’t been to at least one garage sale and said, “I’ve been looking for one of these!” An excellent example of this: a few years ago, we came home with a handful of McDonald’s Masters of the Universe action figures we didn’t even know we needed.

If you live in a neighbourhood that has lots of families, you don’t even need a vehicle to go to a garage sale. Why not grab a handful of reusable grocery bags or your child’s wagon and take a walk around the neighbourhood, armed with your list of garage sales? You never know what you will find, and you can still get it all home, no gas required.

Thrift stores and consignment stores

I know I love stumbling on a good deal at the thrift store. My most recent one was five 1920s-1940s Bobbsey Twins books (with dust jackets!) that I found at the Sooke Salvation Army for $15. By simply taking them to the thrift store, someone saved those from going to the landfill, and now I can enjoy them.

Local thrift stores and second-hand are also great places to find things. Every city has at least one of each. I frequent the local Salvation Army Thrift Store for clothes, books, and the odd CD. There are also a couple of consignment stores here in Sooke. Personally, I love The Bee’s Knees. They have some good quality stuff, and the prices are reasonable. I’ve bought several items of clothing there for myself and my son.

There are lots of ways to save money and the planet at the same time – check out your local markets, garage sales, church sales, scour the internet. If you want it, someone’s probably selling it!

This article was sponsored by Diggit Victoria. Diggit Victoria is a new way to go to market. The marketplace used to be a place to share news and stories, to barter and trade, to buy and sell and to get to know your neighbours. We’re bringing it back. Local. Family friendly. Tightly moderated. Dig in.

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Whether you’re shopping locally, or across the world, more and more people are using the internet as a world-wide shopping mall. The internet has no borders, which makes it both the most amazing place to shop. It also makes it difficult to regulate and police. Because there is anonymity, it makes it easy to scam people.

According to Statistics Canada, Canadians placed nearly 114 million online orders in 2010, totalling $15.3 billion (or an average of $1,362 per person per year). 89% of people used a credit card online, and 31% used an online payment service. The 2010 Canadian Internet Use Survey found that 80% of Canadian households had internet access, with more that half using more than one device for access.

These statistics underline the wide use of the internet. It also underlines how vulnerable we are to scams and fraud. Below are a few ways to keep your information safe.

Tips to avoid scams

Diggit Victoria has some great tips on avoiding fraud and scams on their website:

Secure websites

Online sellers may direct you to their own site, so be sure that the page is secure. How do you know if a site is secure? There are two ways:

1. The site will have https:// in the address bar, instead of the usual http://. This denotes a secure server.
2. There will be a padlock in the web address.

These are two sure-fire ways to tell if the site you are on is secure.

Spoofing or phishing

Email spoofing is when the sender changes the name in an outgoing email so that it looks like the email came from somewhere or someone else. Scammers use it to look like they come from a reputable company.

The “bounced” or returned email goes to the person who actually owns the website, which will be deleted. Remember: the “From” field can be easily changed, so it isn’t a reliable indicator of who actually sent the email. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to stop this.

Don’t give out private information

Whenever contacting a potential seller, never give out your credit card number over email. Legitimate sellers like Diggit will NEVER ask for this information.

The best way to ensure that your credit card isn’t compromised is to use payment services like PayPal. PayPal monitors accounts for suspicious activity and will contact you if they notice something. (I know this because I had purchased a DVD, and they called me when there was an issue.)

Mobile Shopping

Mobile phones make it so easy to make purchases when we’re out and about. While they are definitely useful and oh, so handy, they also pose a risk. When shopping using your phone, use only apps that you have downloaded from trusted app stores like the Apple App Store or Google Play.

An extra word of caution, never purchase anything over an open, unsecured internet connection, like at Starbucks. Because it’s an unsecure connection, your credit card info will be accessible. Wait until you have a secure connection before making that purchase!

What if something goes wrong?

The best thing to do is be to use common sense and be vigilant. Check your credit card statements when you’ve made a purchase online just to be sure no unusual transactions have gone through. If you notice anything you don’t recognize, contact your credit card company or bank. PayPal’s help centre has more information if you pay through them.

Diggit Victoria safety page

This article was sponsored by Diggit Victoria. Diggit Victoria is a new way to go to market. The marketplace used to be a place to share news and stories, to barter and trade, to buy and sell and to get to know your neighbours. We’re bringing it back. Local. Family friendly. Tightly moderated. Dig in.

The post Online Shopping Safety appeared first on City Mom Now.

Are you a DIY King or Queen and looking for just the right thing for that project that’s been bouncing around your head for the past two weeks? The internet is a great resource for the do-it-yourselfer – you can find ANYTHING there, from antique dressers to fabric.

Online marketplaces like Diggit Victoria make it easy to find what you’re looking for because you can search from the comfort of  your living room. Think of the time and gas you’re saving! They are also excellent resources for crafters, seamstresses, people looking for Halloween costumes… the list goes on. Maybe a particularly talented person can turn that seafoam monstrosity in to a restyled dress, or even pillow slipcovers.

What is “upcycling”?

Upcycling is taking something old or unused, making it better or giving it a new purpose. It can range from repainting and adding new pulls to your furniture, or re-cutting and redesigning an older dress into something new. Remember when you went to your cousin’s wedding 10 years ago, and got stuck wearing that ugly dress ? Vintage is all the rage right now, so why not sell it? Remember, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

What’s the plus-side for upcycling? First, older furniture was far better quality than the furniture we have now. It was built to last. How many times have you purchased furniture only to have it fall apart in two, three, or five years? And where does that poorly made furniture end up? The dump. Imagine if we reused/repurposed more of our belongings how much less would go to the dump?

Upcycling in action!

It isn’t just recycling, it’s taking one thing and making it something else. Other great examples: 1) taking salvaged barn wood and making a table from it, 2) bags made from crocheted plastic bags, 3) felted toys from old wool sweaters. The CBC did a report on upcycling in October, 2012.

Let’s say you want to make a one-of-a-kind dresser for your bedroom, like this chalkboard dresser DIY project I found via Pinterest, but you need an antique or vintage dresser. Sure, you can go to a store and then paint or stain it the way you want it, but that gets expensive and is time-consuming. Why not save yourself the time of driving around and check out what’s online?

A site search for “dresser” came up with this older dresser that looks like it’s in good shape. A little sanding, paint, and some new drawer pulls, and – voila! – you’ve got a new showpiece for your home!

Diggit doesn’t just sell household items and clothes. They also sell vehicles and boats, search for a job or list a job, and community listings, and real estate and rental listings. There’s even a free section for those looking to get rid of something fast or find a free treasure.

This article was sponsored by Diggit Victoria. Diggit Victoria is a new way to go to market. The marketplace used to be a place to share news and stories, to barter and trade, to buy and sell and to get to know your neighbours. We’re bringing it back. Local. Family friendly. Tightly moderated. Dig in.

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For those dealing with pregnancy and infant loss, it’s one of the most difficult times for any parent or family member. How do you reconcile the fact that this child you were hoping for, planning for, and looking forward to meeting isn’t coming home with you?

Located in a wooded grove at one of Saanich’s Royal Oak Memorial Park’s highest points, it provides privacy for family and friends to mourn their loss. Memorial ceremonies can take place in a pavilion, and when cremation has taken place there is an ossuary to place the ashes.

Communities of “Spirit Houses,” commemorative stones, and cedar memory flags hanging in the woods are touching ways to remember. The Garden will be made available to all families, regardless of financial situation, or location or time of loss – it’s for anyone who has lost a child.

Stigma adds to the tragedy

One in four families have experienced stillbirth or miscarriage. What that means is this: each year in Greater Victoria, 500 families suffer miscarriage or stillbirth. Chances are, someone you know has been touched by this tragedy.

Read Kate and Sean’s story.

There is a stigma around stillbirth and infant loss – part of the of purpose of Little Spirits Garden is to show there is a community of mothers going through the same thing. There are support groups to help families deal with this unfathomable tragedy.

Talking with others who understand what you’re going through makes the burden lighter – it’s therapeutic and cathartic. A group that Little Spirits Gardens recommends is Empty Arms Support Group. Empty Arms ”is a support group in Victoria, B.C. supporting families who have experienced a pregnancy or birth loss. We meet the first and third Wednesday of every month. Our aim is to provide a gentle, relaxing place for parents to join together to grieve, cry, laugh and find support.”

Private and public support needed

The Board of Cemetery Trustees of Greater Victoria contributed $50,000 to develop the plan for the Little Spirits Garden. The board partnered with the Saanich Legacy Foundation to raise the remaining $275,000 needed to complete the project. The Saanich Legacy Foundation (supports community-based projects that continue to make Saanich a vibrant and caring community) and Royal Oak Burial Park (a non-profit organization) are in the process of fundraising $10,000 towards completion of Little Spirits Garden. They are in need of sponsors to help get to their goal. To help with this, they have launched a campaign at IndiGoGo, a leading crowd-funding site. In June, Little Spirits Garden will be hosting “A Walk To Remember,” to honour little spirits, and help raise funds to complete the Little Spirits Garden.

Little Spirits Garden on Facebook | Little Spirits Garden on Twitter | Website | Little Spirits Garden Brochure

Photos from the Little Spirits Garden Facebook page.

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Have you been meaning to take the kids to The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, Royal BC Museum, or The Victoria Bug Zoo? Why not treat that special someone to a Spa Day at The Fairmont Empress Hotel’s Willow Stream Spa? This is your chance!

Participating Businesses

The Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown coupon book (valued at $500!) is filled with free admissions and amazing discounts on 50 of Victoria’s premier sights including:

Tickets are $10 each, or buy four, get one free, and are available online or at Tourism Victoria’s Visitor Information Centre, Thrifty Foods (All Victoria and Mill Bay Stores), Shopper’s Drug Mart (Downtown and Tillicum locations), participating BC Lottery Outlets (The Bay Centre, Mayfair Mall, Hillside Mall, Esquimalt Drycleaners, Safeway Foul Bay), Peoples Drugs Fairfield Plaza, Canex CFB Esquimalt, Sooke Region Museum and Necessities and Temptations (Port Angeles, Washington).

Dates: February 28 – March 3, 2013
Ticket Prices: $10 each, or “Buy 4 Get One Free”

For more information, go to the Attractions Victoria website.

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The Spencer Mansion was designed by William Ridgeway Wilson and built in 1889. The property originally stretched from Fort Street to Rockland Avenue, with formal gardens, two tennis courts, stables and a coach house. From the belvedere at the top of the house, you can see out over the ocean. The Spencer Mansion was donated by Miss Sarah Spencer in 1951, with the purpose of becoming the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Today, the art gallery houses over 17,000 works of art – the largest collection of public art in BC – and has been expanded with additional exhibition space. The original building now houses The Gallery Shop and Art Rental & Sales and administration offices.

The art gallery’s website has a wealth of information and online resources: virtual exhibits, an archive of previous exhibits, and education, just to name a few. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is alive and well in the community!

Emily Carr Permanent Exhibit

The AGGV has an extensive collection of Emily Carr’s paintings, excerpts from her books, and archival images on permanent display. She had a near-spiritual attraction to the West Coast of BC and it’s First Nations people. Her paintings document their lives with simplicity, elegance, and beauty.

Asian Collection and Garden

The AGGV also has an impressive collection of Asian art, second only to the Royal Ontario Museum, with examples of  beautiful carvings, and objet d’art.

Did you know that the AGGV is home to a Ming Dynasty bell? The Chinese Bell was cast in 1641, and was presented to the City of Victoria in 1903. It hung in Beacon Hill Park until 1989, when it came to the Art Gallery to ensure its preservation.

The Asian Garden has the only authentic Japanese Shinto Shrine in North America, an excellent example of a Meiji period Shinto Shrine.

Current Exhibits at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

There are currently four temporary exhibits on at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Viruous Vendetta – The Story of the 47 Ronin in Prints tells the true story of Lord Asano Naganori and Lord Kira Yoshinaka, and how Lord Kira forced Lord Asano to draw his sword, an offence punishable by death. As a result, Lord Asano’s Samurai warriors lost their status as samurai, becoming ronin (masterless samurai). The exhibition details their plan to revenge their master’s death. It features 50 woodblock prints by various well-known artists, enhanced by video footage of the many movies and TV films about the 47 Ronin.

Date:  December 7, 2012 – March 31, 2013. Curated by Barry Till  |  Drury Gallery

TRACES – Fantasy Worlds and Tales of Truth Like the work of all good storytellers, the artists in this exhibition captivate the viewer with their imagined worlds informed by eerily familiar narratives. Through each artist’s distinct vision of humanity, these illusory spaces—in some cases haunted by either memory or mythology—reflect back to us ugliness, despair, complexity, beauty, opulence, and frivolity.

Date:  January 18, 2013 – April 21, 2013. Curated by Nicole Stanbridge

Koshashin – The Hall Collection of 19th Century Photographs of Japan provides an exciting glimpse into a pivotal time in Japanese history (1860 to 1899), when Japan was beginning to open up to the rest of the world and its influences. The exhibit consists of 230 photographs, and is from the personal collection of Arlene Hall, from Edmonton, and debuted at the Alberta Art Gallery in 2009.

Date:  February 15, 2013 – June 9, 2013 | Pollard Gallery. Curated by Catherine Crowston and organized & circulated by the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Emily Carr: On the Edge of Nowhere On the Edge of Nowhere will include an historical survey of Carr’s artistic career, featuring pieces in all the media and styles she explored and perfected. It will also focus on Carr’s influences and inspirations, such as European modern art, members of the Group of Seven artists, First Nations artists, Carr’s spirituality, and her interest in developing an art that speaks of her personal experience and her connection to the West Coast landscape.

Date:  June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013

Contact the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

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The five people will get two tickets, one for yourself and one for a guest. Names will be drawn randomly.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen stars Ewen McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Kirsten Scott Thomas, and centres around a British fisheries expert (McGregor) approached by a consultant (Blunt) to help a sheikh (Amr Waked) introduce salmon fly-fishing to the desert. Scott Thomas portrays the Prime Minister’s press secretary who decides it’s a “good will” story that must be told. You’ll want to get in on this giveaway!

About The Mount Saint Mary Foundation

The Mount Saint Mary Foundation in Victoria, BC is a charitable foundation that raises funds to purchase hospital equipment and fund programs at Mount Saint Mary Hospital. In particular, it raises funds for programs and equipment either not funded by or only partially funded by the government.

Mount Saint Mary Hospital was founded in Victoria by the Sisters of Saint Ann in 1941, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the Mount Saint Mary Foundation was set up. The Foundation continues the mission of the Sisters of Saint Ann, improving the quality of life of those with complex needs.

Watch the Salmon Fishing in the Yemen trailer on YouTube.

Enter to win!

Fill out this form to enter. Note that you will be subscribed to our mail list:

Contest Rules for the Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Giveaway

Mount St. Mary Foundation

Mount Saint Mary Foundation | Twitter | Facebook

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Starring Ewen McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Kristin Scott Thomas, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen will “lift your spirits and makes you feel good about life.” (Los Angeles TImes). The film is about “a fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik’s vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.” (description from IMDb.com)

About The Mount Saint Mary Foundation

The Mount Saint Mary Foundation in Victoria, BC is a charitable foundation that raises funds to purchase hospital equipment and fund programs at Mount Saint Mary Hospital. In particular, it raises funds for programs and equipment either not funded by or only partially funded by the government.

Mount Saint Mary Hospital was founded in Victoria by the Sisters of Saint Ann in 1941, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the Mount Saint Mary Foundation was set up. The Foundation continues the mission of the Sisters of Saint Ann, improving the quality of life of those with complex needs.

You can get tickets and more information on The Mount Saint Mary Foundation website.

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It’s a family thing…

Bobs & LoLo (aka Robyn Hardy and Lorraine Pond) are originally from Nanaimo, and use music to teach children about the natural world through music, dance, and imagination. Both have a background in education – Bobs in teaching and linguistics, LoLo as an environmental educator and kinesiology major – and use this to help teach and inspire kids to care about the environment, their neighbourhoods, and others.

This is truly a family endeavour. Bobs and LoLo’s parents help at the ticket/swag table, and Bob’s husband Mario and LoLo’s husband Kavie help out behind the scenes. LoLo’s daughter, Anisa, also attended the show, spending part of it on Uncle Mario’s lap.

Whimsical fun

Their concerts have a whimsical, storybook-like atmosphere – the set has bright green, chunky wooden bushes (to hide the speakers), pale blue clouds, painted wooden trees, screen-printed banners and curtains make up the backdrop. They are also fun for the kids as well as the adults, and fully interactive. They encourage dancing in what they call a “baby mosh-pit” – this go-round it was a grouping of mats on the floor in front of the stage. And believe me, it was a true mosh-pit because kids were jumping up and down, singing along, and having a grand old time. I got tired just watching them!

The show started with Connecting the Dots, and included fan-favourite Raindrop Pop, Cindy Seahorse, and my favourite, The Log Song (“I’m havin’ fun with all your fungi, I’m likin’ all your lichen…”). One of the sweetest songs they sing is Family Tree, which is all about generations of family. There are two lines I really like: “… and now a bud is starting to show…” (about LoLo’s Anisa), and when Bobs says “… mine is full of nuts.” Who’s family tree isn’t full of nuts?

Check out more of  Bobs & LoLo’s music on their website.

After the show, there was a little meet and greet where the kids could get a photo and autograph from them. It’s really sweet to see them interact with these little kids, taking time to chat with each of them, and take photos. I know that I thought it was cool meeting Raffi in October, and I’m a “grown-up,” so I can only imagine what it would be like for a child to meet *cue booming announcer voice* BOBS AND LOLO! *end booming announcer voice*

As someone who has been to three (or is it four?) concerts, I can say that every show is as enjoyable as the last. Each is organic – while the basis is the same set of songs, the kids ensure that it’s never the same show as the one before. If you go to a Bobs and LoLo show, don’t get too comfortable, because you’ll be dancing around in no time.

I have a personal highlight from the show. I have known Bobs and LoLo for a few years now, initially through their music and chatting with them on Twitter. Before the show yesterday, my son wanted to show them a magic trick or two. After he showed them his Cups and Balls trick, they were so impressed that Bobs suggested he be their “opening act.” He was really excited, and did an excellent job. Mario was kind enough to give him a proper introduction, and he performed the trick again in front of approximately 100 kids. I am one proud mom! Thanks, ladies!

(A little disclosure: LoLo gave me and my son tickets to the concert. In exchange I was their “media partner”.)

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