Between my full-time job and blog, I spend a lot of time on social media. At the end of the day, I find myself looking for something calming to look at. Something that doesn’t make me obsess over followers or engagement metrics. Something that’s simply pretty. That’s why I rediscovered Pinterest.
Working on a mobile game about celebrities and fashion led me to spend more time on Pinterest. It lets me uncover the latest trends while seeing content that’s tailored to my style and I love that.
Unemployment is a crucial time to focus on priorities in your personal life. It’s important to establish a routine and create structure, as that’s the best way to avoid sitting at home with negative thoughts, which could lead to a downward spiral.
Once you’ve found an effective job hunting strategy that you can realistically execute, set aside time to relax. Take this time to lead the balanced lifestyle that you know you should strive for on a regular basis, but let laziness and the busy trap get the best of you.
It could be in a digital app that you can sync and access across your devices with password protection. I recommend the app Day One, which offers prompts to get you thinking and keep you on a schedule. Evernote is another good option. Create a new notebook marked Personal or something ambiguous so strangers looking over your shoulder will never guess you use the app to record private feelings.
Of course you can maintain a journal the old fashioned way with pen and lined paper. Store it somewhere safe at home. If writing down miscellaneous observations during the day is something you’re not used to doing, then keep it simple and start with something basic. Indigo sells One Line A Day memory books and if you make writing in it a habit, then you will have a fascinating log to reflect on months or years in the future. See how much you have grown, matured and changed in the process.
In case it wasn’t clear when I blogged about going back to Disney World, I’m proud to share that I’m a kid at heart. Toys “R” Us shares that sentiment and wants Canadians to share stories on social media about taking an oath to never grow up.
Where would the retail chain be if parents hit a certain age and decided to abandon their childhood fantasies and stop playing with toys for good?
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Toys “R” Us is going all out. They’ve partnered with Transat Holidays, AIR MILES®, Lego and Mattel to offer Canadian shoppers major promotions and host exciting events for kids of all ages. Visit www.toysrus.ca/events for more details.
After hearing speakers from Mondelez and Starbucks at QMAC, I started thinking about how fun it would be to promote food and drinks as your day job. Chris Tindal, co-founder of Postmedia Labs, does the next best thing; he oversees the operations of Gastropost.
Since Gastropost’s Toronto launch in May 2012, it has expanded to Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary, and it now has over 10,000 members. Recognizing its success, I was excited to hear Tindal speak about the content strategy behind Gastropost’s growth. Tindal explained that his team’s goal is to inspire people to love their city by encouraging community members to share their expertise.
Gastropost offers anyone with an internet connection and camera the opportunity to share pictures of food with a large audience. The main incentive to participate in Gastropost’s weekly missions is the chance to see your name and photo in National Post. Each mission has a different theme, such as holiday treats or Father’s Day BBQs. Some themes are created based on brand partnerships between Gastropost and CPG brands, such as Kraft.
Anyone can become a self-proclaimed foodie. Gastropost, however, differentiates amateur food photographers by featuring a selection of food lovers online and in the newspaper every week. 50 likes on your Facebook photo of a fancy appetizer doesn’t qualify as a claim to fame in the same way that being in the National Post does.
Gastropost proves that print newspapers still have value, authority and credibility. There’s no doubt about how exciting it is for a photo of your dinner to be featured in one of Canada’s most popular newspapers. Even though Gastropost doesn’t offer any monetary compensation, the personal validation members receive is evidently sufficient motivation to keep the #gastropost hashtag and community alive. “Every week we send people an email to do something and they do it,” said Tindal. How many email marketers can say that?
The annual OHM Fashion Show on Friday raised money for the Canadian Cancer Society and focused on street style this year.
The show’s passionate executive team created a sophisticated atmosphere, which made Centennial Hall look much nicer than the bingo hall it resembled when I saw Chantal Kreviazuk and the Barenaked Ladies play there.
Well-known youthful brands seen onstage included French Connection, American Apparel and Danier Leather. This men’s graphic tee by American Apparel caught my eye and reminded me that I’d like to make a similar shirt at the Bang-On store in Toronto.
A show inspired by Pinterest would be incomplete without some nice DIY designs. For the ‘Salvage’ segment, Leah Brown transformed thrift shop purchases, such as these denim shorts, into runway-ready outfits.
OHM not only highlighted some upcoming trends for spring, but also entertained the crowd through phenomenal choreography. As you can see, it’s never too late to learn how to make a ballerina-style hair bun!
