Archive for Social Media

A Blissful Staycation in Toronto

This summer has flown by for me. I have had several visitors and even got married this summer. With all this I didn’t get away but that is quite okay with me. You see I love my city, the city of my birth, the city of Toronto and the home of Blissdom Canada. So I stayed home.

I got to stay in my city this summer and be the hostess with mostess. What an adventure that was.

First my best girlfriend came from Nova Scotia..Gloria and I had a blast exploring the city. It was great to hang with her and visit and show her my city. We hit the Scarborough Bluffs visiting the Hilltop Park..nothing like this view.We joked around seeing who could get closest to the edge. I won.

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Yes this kind of beauty exists right here in Toronto.

We also hit the beaches..Did you know Toronto has many beaches that you can choose from? We choose the Rouge Valley beach..did you know that beach has a back area that is perfect for canoeing and fishing? We loved exploring the conservation area of this park.

248885 214493291924593 100000917712826 660089 778827 n A Blissful Staycation in Toronto We also hit up Yonge Street for dinner, and some shopping. If you haven’t shopped and ate on Yonge Street what are you waiting for? Later that night we attended a show that was going on at the University of Toronto. I love visiting this campus. I love the old buildings, and I love the energy you feel when you are on a campus.

A couple of weeks later it was time for my honeymoon and for the adventure of married life to begin, and since my man is from out of town..we choose to stay in town..right on Queen St in the heart of downtown. We stayed at the Sheraton downtown. We took advantage of the Club Level extras and absolutely loved our stay.One of our favorite things in the hotel was the lounge on the top floor. We loved the view, we could see much of the downtown from the lounge and the free breakfast and appetizers in the evening were a wonderful treat. We also ate brunch in the hotel and was it ever yummy, a blissful treat. Hard to believe but in just one month I will be hanging out here again with a bunch of socially connected Canadian women. This is not the hotel for Blissdom Canada but it is near by.

photo copy2 A Blissful Staycation in Toronto

 

My man and I explored downtown, shopped at Eaton Center where I happened to meet the men who are blogging at 500 Extra Hours. You can read what I said to them here.If you want to see what I bought clothing wise find me at Blissdom Canada. I found some great sales in The Bay. Any idea how many years The Bay has been a shopping destination downtown? Founded in 1670 by King Charles II, the Hudson’s Bay Company played a vital role in building Canada as a nation. One of the first places it set up shop was here in Ontario. So The Bay has been in Canada just a wee bit longer then my family who settled here before Toronto was a city.

We also hit China Town. If you are coming in from overseas and have currency that needs exchanging the place you want to go to is right at Dundas and Spadina beside the bank. There is lots to see on Spadina, trust me you can get lost in the crowds here.  As we walked from the hotel to China Town and back again we got to admire the CN Tower from another angle. Look way up folks and you will see it.

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We explored downtown restaurants  eating Indian, Thai, Canadian, Lebanese and more it can all be found within walking distance of where Blissdom Canada is being hosted this year at the Hilton Hotel.

Talking of Blissdom Canada, it is a great blogging conference that is coming once again to Toronto in October. Tickets for the conference sold out in 90 minutes. 300 Canadian women get to gather, learn, share, and grow together. I want to be there, I want to be one of them. Why?

Last year I managed to get one of the very last tickets sold, but due to starting a new job I was unable to attend the whole conference, and sold my ticket to another blogger who did get to enjoy the event.  With karma I am due.

I did get to the Costume Party. I had a blast meeting and greeting women from across the country, several have become friends and I want to hang with them, I want to learn from them, I want to party with them, and not just for a few hours. So I am entering this post about my great city and my choice of staying in my city this summer in Go Girlfriend’s Follow Your Bliss Contest. Blogging has brought bliss into my life in many ways and taken me on many a journey and adventure..may that journey just continue in this beautiful city of my birth.

For those of you coming to town for Blissdom Canada, if you haven’t been here before ..I promise to be a proper hostess, and thanks for visiting my city.

Are you a Blog Conference Newbie? 6 Tips To Help You Out

I am just getting ready to attend 3 blog conferences. One is by invite only, She’s Connected, Blissdom Canada and then Word Camp. So how should a newbie get ready for a conference?

First of all I remember the nerves I had last year. Last year I got invited to attend She’s Connected and attended the final party for Blissdom Canada. So how does a newbie get ready for an event where there are hundreds of bloggers and brands that you want to connect with? Here are some suggestions.

1. Breathe! It is so easy to get excited and paniced at the same time. So take some time to simply breathe and enjoy the getting ready and the day of as well. Remember most of us have nerves going on, you are not alone. Even big name bloggers have nerves, trust me on this one.

2. Business Cards Bring more then you need. Last year I didn’t bring any. What a mistake that was. You need them. As you meet and greet they are a great calling card. As well in expo areas biz cards are often how u enter giveaways etc.

3. Clothing Some bloggers think you need to dress to impress at all times but really now who can remember who wore what last year unless they look at pictures? My suggestion, be comfy but be looking good at the same time. Suggestions: jeans and nice top, maxi dress, skirt, and top combo..be yourself most of all.

4. Devices Bring them and do not forget your power cords, as trust me you will need to recharge these.

5. Shoes Think comfort first. For a party or two you might want a pair of heels but trust me you want shoes you can walk in.

6. A Bag There is always swag (gifts) at these events so bring an extra bag or room in your suitcase. Lat year as I left She’s Connected I was carry 3 bags.

If you are attending any of these evnts this fall, I would love to meet you so if you see me please do say hello.

Spheres of Influence and Lists

224690 10150226235710498 636835497 8898730 7583530 n Spheres of Influence and Lists Yesterday  Zach Bussey posted a list of the 150 Toronto Top Twitter Influencers.  When I first saw this list several thoughts came to mind.

First, was oh no not another list. Whenver I see a list thoughts come to mind like who really decides who is on the list. This list is supposed to be based to Klout scores. So it is supposed to be objective.  If you don’t know Klout does-it measures your influence on Twitter, Linked In and Facebook, and gives you a score. I happen to think there method of giving scores is a little off but that is my opinion, after all it is simply one measure and in no way shows a person’s value or real clout.

I have a Klout score of 64 today. That puts me in the top 50 influencers in the city. I am in the top 1/3 of Zach’s list. But there is a huge problem with the list. It is missing several influencers. All who have major Klout scores and clout in real life.

Does this list matter? No in reality it does not. Unless you want something to talk about or want to compare yourself to others. This list could of also been broken down into niches. Many who are on the list work in social media so one would hope by now they know how to play the number games. Several bloggers – especially Mom Bloggers were left off the list. According to Zach’s list I would be in the top 10 of Mom bloggers in the Toronto.  I know I am not. I would also be the number 1 Muslim Twitter personality in the GTA. I know neither of those things are true. I am good just not quite that  good yet. Klout you see measures just part of the picture. It does not measure the whole picture so we really need to take this list with a grain of salt.

Who’s missing from the list? Who has Klout and clout, especially with me. They influence what I read, and talk about and I have learned much from each of the 21 that should of been on the list. Many over my years on Twitter have become personal friends meaning for me there influence matters just a we bit more.They are those that really have an impact and can move me to act, share, talk about.

1. @unmarketing (pictured when I finally met him after Tweeting with him for 2 years). Scott has the highest Klout I can find in the GTA. Scott started on Twitter not as a brand but as a listener and conversationalist.His score is 81 today. (*I have been told that Scott doesn’t qualify for the list because he is a celebrity-meaning he has a verified account with Twitter-although I think it is important to note he does have the highest klout score I can find in the GTA)

2. @ThatEricAlper- Eric Alper leads those I listen to for music tweets and job leads. His score is 73.

3. @YummyMummyClub- Erica leads the great Mom Bloggers that make up the Yummy Mummy Club. Her tweets are all her own. She is a great gatherer of women who rock this city.Her score is 70.

4. @Journeywoman. Evelyn is the CEO of largest online travel resource for women. Her tweets are mostly about travel. Her score is 68.

5.@herbadmother – Catherine is a great Mom blogger who know social media and blogging. I have listened to Catherine for 5 years now. Her score is 67.Yes that means I listened to Catherine before Twitter.

6. @WonderMoms_CA- I have really gotten to know Tamara the last few months as we have met up at events. She is a sweetheart who happens to own a website. Her score is 67.

7. @Clippo- Alexandria is another sweetheart who gives to the Mom blogging community big time showing that she cares on a regular basis. Her score is 66.

8. @ChickyMara- Mara is a great friend who I happened to sell my Blissdom Canada ticket to last year. She is also one of few people in the blogosphere who have met my daughter in person. Her score is 65.

9.@KelliDaisy- Kelli is another mom blogger who gets the social media game as well. Her score is 65.

10. @nummiesbras- Alison is another mom blogger who owns her own biz, and shares great info and insight online as well. Her score is 65.

11. @lovelaughshop- Sarah’s blog is Wall Candy. Just the name makes me want to shop with her.

All the above have higher scores then me and would knock anyone with a score of lower then 59 off Zach’s list.

Let me go on to note there are another 9 that I follow who all  live in the GTA and have Klout scores of  60 0r above.

They are @joannewallace, @moeturner, (both who have scores of 64-the same as mine), @soulwhispers, @marcyberg, @joshmatlow, @partymummy, @aurielacotta, @TeacherMomofTwo, @SandraEMartin, @ivanvector. They are all real people who tweet for themselves. I have been influenced by all of them. Each has a different niche.

Does the list matter or is it comprehensive? No it is not, nor can be as Klout does not keep a geographic locator so we who try and make lists are at the mercy of knowledge. But we all know knowledge is limited. Where I may know alot about saving money, Aspergers, IT support, and being a mom I do not know every Twitter Influencer in Toronto and either does Zach so the list will always have some biases and some who should be on the list will be left off each and every month he decides to do this.

Does any list matter? Yes and No, a list of any sort will always have biases, and there will always be people left off. I think of Globe and Mail’s list of the best Canadian Money bloggers and I think they have not shared enough options to vote for. Many good money bloggers were not on their list. Yet, It does give a blogger an idea though of where they stand in the community. It also can give those who wish to engage influencers an idea of what they can get for their dollar.

For me yes being on the list strokes the ego. Does it matter when I go to bed?No. Should it matter to you-I think not. But do let me know what you think.

31 Days and 31 Ways to Save: Use Twitter to Save

3346248321 259f26a0fe z 31 Days and 31 Ways to Save: Use Twitter to SaveThere are so many great ways to save using Twitter. I have gotten freebies, coupons, discounts and I have even won some great prizes all from Twitter and by doing so I have saved money.

Every Friday there is a hashtag called #FollowFriday. For this Friday I want to introduce you to people I follow just for there ability to help me be in the know and save.

I follow:

1. Kim Clancy otherwise @FrugalShopperCA- she always tweets great ways to save.

2. @Wisebread from Wisebread is another great person to follow to save.

3. @Motherofadeal is another great Canadian site to follow for great saving tweets.

There are a bunch more and I will tweet them out.

If you are on Twitter as well you will want to follow certain hashtags to maximize your savings. The ones I follow:  #coupon, #savings, #giveaway, #freebie all help me to save.

From Twitter alone in the last 12 months I have gotten several free coupons, gift cards from participating in contests and even a playbook from participating in a Twitter based contest.

What are some of you favorite ways to save using Twitter?

The Frugal Girls Guide to Blissdom Canada

5153225420 012d5f22d9 z The Frugal Girls Guide to Blissdom Canada

This morning the dates for Blissdom Canada were announced. Seems that the bliss is coming to the Hilton Hotel in Toronto from October 13th-16th.

Tickets are only $198 and go on sale March 31st at noon.

So we all know I am a frugal mom so attending an event like this takes planning. I would love to find a sponsor for the event but am not counting on it, so this means getting to Blissdom Canada takes some finical planning.

So how does a frugal gal get to Blissdom?

She plans, prioritizes and saves.

What are the costs?

Well the ticket is $198

Hotel (if you share with 3 others will run you about $200 each)

Food ( there is plenty of food at the parties, but do plan $100 for food, if you drink besides the free ones you need to plan that as well)

Transportation for me this is only $6 as I am local and will take the TTC to get there, if you are flying how about using Air Miles? or when it is time to book your travel make sure you look for airline codes that you can use, you can simply do a search online for  them.

Clothing, Hair, Makeup ( plan your spending for these as well –but I say just go in your pjs- I dare ya!) Personally I am not buying new clothes just for a conference.

Total Budget for this frugal Mom $506

Breaking my budget down to a monthly total between now and the conference $101.25 (savings starts April 1st and goes to Sept 1st)

If you take time to plan, prioritize, and save if you really want to get in on this great chance to network, and grow you can make it there.

So today since I am now done tackling my Blissdom Canada budget, I can check out what everyone else is tackling over at 5 Minutes for Mom who is busy getting ready for the Ultimate Blog Party that starts on Friday! By the way 5 Minutes for Mom was at the conference last year.

So are you planning on going? Are you going to save for it or look for a sponsor? or do both?

*the picture above is from the wonderful @CLBuchananPhotography, who snapped most of Blissdom Canada and this comes from the Flkr pool.

Have You Heard?

blogher Have You Heard? Have you heard there is an electrical storm coming and it is going to knock out the internet?

I am an addict. So Oh Flipping No!

First and foremost..You all know I am passionate about connecting right? Well to each of my online friends I want to keep in touch so can you please send your street addresses and phone numbers? I love each one and don’t want to lose that connection.  I have invested in a great long distance plan. I can see me becoming a phone junkie and I will write too. I broke out my old typewriter just for that purpose. Now that I met you I don’t want to lose you. You are all too important too me.

Okay with that done I have so much to print and sort and organize. You know I also love taking care of my home while saving cents. I have get some Mabel’s labels as I am printing off about 40 Ebooks, and 4,000 photos and they will need organizing. I pray they get to my order before they lose their connection. Now that I have started printing like a mad woman there is more.

We should all get together in New York City in August for Blogher still. We will need lots of hugs and to connect with each other face to face and since we like to party, well it will be a big one, right? There are also more unknown friends to meet.

Now what will I be doing besides writing a weekly letter to you all? I will be out in my neighborhood connecting. What about you?

*The above is fictional and an attempt for me to win my way to Blogher in New York City this summer. Mabel’s Labels is sending one lucky blogger to the conference and guess what the icing on the cake is. A one year writing gig with them. So glad I have been a customer for years.