I had the wonderfull experience of presenting at Mesh on the topic of "The Always-On Generation - What Do Youth Do with the Web?" While I had been a little worried about the amount of youth that would be attending due to the cost I had expressed my concern about this to the founders of MESH. I found it weird that the panel I spoke at was well attended and there was tons of questions but there really wasn't to many youth at the conference which I figure is due to the costs and there being a limited amount of studet rates available.

Here is a little recap of the first day of the conference.

After a wonferfull flight from WestJest and landing down in Toronto, I hopped on the Express Shuttle and headed to the Global Backpackers Hostel pulling along what I soon would find out to be way to much luggage.

To my luck the patio had just opened and after a pitcher or two of draft I had a long enough day and hit the bed bunk style room that was the only thing in my price range for accomidations.

The conference started up early at the MaRS Discovery District which is an amazing facility.

The opening Keynote on The Future of Media with Mathew Ingram talking to TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington

The second Keynote was very enjoyable with the topic of The Web and Philanthropy. Rob Hyndman talked to charity 2.0 entrepreneurs Tom Williams and Austin Hill which I sadly had to miss part of due to needing to check into a hotel.

After a few problems with checking in at the Pantages Suites Hotel and Spa – Toronto’s newest boutique and lifestyle hotel I was back to the MaRS for lunch and to meet up with the other panelists who would present with me later that day.

The food was excellent and to my luck Tom Williams decided to sit with us which more than made up for me missing part of his talk.

After a extended lunch and lots of conversation I took in the last portion of the Panel Conversation Barbarians at the Gate - Should Old Media Be Afraid of New Media? which had Mark Evans talking with Rachel Sklar, Cynthia Brumfield and Loren Feldman.

After taking in that much information I decided to take a break even though I had wanted to take in David Crow's Workshop on Wikis.

So by this time I am getting a little nervous with how professional the other panel have been going and would soon have to present. To my luck the panel that I was most intersted was next The Future of Entertainment - "The People Formerly Known as the Audience" which had Jian Ghomeshi talking with McLean Mashingaidze-Greaves, Amber MacArthur and Ethan Kaplan

Now this had to take place at the same time as when I presented which made me want to take up Stuart MacDonald's advise in the morning for people to feel free to get up and attend parts of sessions and take in the whole experience but I thought that might be a little unprofessional so I stuck it out with our topic of The Always-On Generation - What Do Youth Do with the Web?

With a wealth of questions from parents/marketers, a MuchMusic representative and everyone inbetween our session wrapped up to end off with a small social with an open bar. Which in my opinion was a great way to celebrate our panel.

For the mesh social we went to Archeo Trattoria which had a wonderful atmosphere and the food was to die for. To my luck yet again I was assigned to a table with Jian Ghomeshi and Mathew Ingram which allowed for some great conversations and even found out that Rob Hyndman has a cottage a few short minutes from when I grew us and his father had a plane at the airstrip directly across from my parents house.

Not to shabby for only the first day of MESH who knows what today will include. I will give a follow up once I unwind from todays events and might even have some video of the panel that Will Pate, who I found out is also an Islander and perhaps even the intersting and querky Michael Sikorsky,