Last week I was so exhausted but after a weekend of naps and relaxing, I feel so much better. We went out for a mini-halloween on Friday and took the rest of the weekend off. I’m usually ALL ABOUT Halloween but this year, I was too dang tired.
Travelling the last month has been great but it started to catch up with me the last couple days. I was feeling sick, tired, sad, discouraged. I often rirng mum on days like that and she reminds me to take a nap and not be too hard on myself. Almost every single time I feel like giving up and ‘getting a real job’, something great is around the corner.
This year I’ve signed up for NaNoWiMo (National Novel Writing Month) after a few unsuccessful attempts ovefre last 5 years. The goal is to write a novel in 30 days with a little bit each day.
I’ve been working on a 10 year blog/book thinger for years a while and I’m determined to have it done by the end of 2016. I’ve got the framework all together and I just to actually sit in a quiet room and WRITE. Winter is always my ‘hibernation station’ time to focus and set goals for the upcoming year.
I don’t have any trips planned till after Christmas so this month is all about self care and spending quality time at home and with my computer.
Being on the go is a really exciting but part of my life but I also really love being at home writing on my computer. I’ve got heaps of stories to share so I hope you’ll stick along for the ride.
Last week I was in Arizona doing something I love, documenting my trip on my new iPhone and taking an adventure with friends to somewhere I’ve never been. Tech and travel have always been something I really enjoy so I’m always trying to bring more of those into my life.
RBC has a great new app for people who also like these things, like you, called RBC Rewards. The app is now avail on iOS and Android and allows you to do things like book flights, hotels, cars, or shop for your fav tech stuff at best Buy or Apple. best part is you can redeem your RBC Rewards points for all this stuff. The app will also reco products and show you offers based on interests. iOS users can use Touch ID to sign in.
Sean uses his RBC Business Avion card so he’s racked up a ton of points. We used RBC Rewards to bring a friend with us to LA a couple years ago. Knowing he can now use those points via the app at the Apple Store mean one thing…iPhone Upgrade!
My Fav Perks of the RBC Rewards App
– Search/book flight, hotel, car rentals, using a mix of points + cash
– Shop Apple & Best Buy w/ points + cash
– Use points for RBC Rewards merch and GCs
[metaslider id=38363]
My mum has been an RBC customer for as long as I can remember so in my research I asked if she uses their rewards program, and she does! Something she was really excited to tell me was how she uses Payback with Points to redeem points toward her RBC Rewards credit card.
“As a world leader in mobile technology, RBC is committed to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in order to meet the evolving expectations of our clients,” Jacquelina Calisto, Vice President, Digital & Commercialization, RBC
All of the major banks in Canada are represented in our house and knowing we can fully take advantage of the new RBC Rewards app is pretty great. We all work hard for that money so getting something back always puts a smile on my face. I love when I go to Shoppers or Sephora and can shave a few $$ off my total or get a few extra goodies. Now I’m thinking where we’re gonna travel next…
With RBC you earn points on ALL your purchases then can redeem for tech, travel and more using the RBC Rewards App. To learn more about the RBC Rewards app visit rbc.com/rewardsapp.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of RBC. All opinions are my own!
I loved Twitter’s Vine app. I used it heaps when it first came out and have 200+ thousand views and 400+ videos. Yesterday Twitter announced it’s shutting the app down (and cutting 9% of global staff).
This is a good reminder, it’s not about the platform, it’s about the content.
As someone who’s been on the internet, making stuff for over a decade I’ve seen a lot of apps have their rise to fame, go viral, get a huge user base, then die.
Lets look back at 12secondstv, I was one of their top users and in 2010 they got bought by AOL and closed up shop. I made short videos of almost everything I was doing and posted them on the app. Around the same time I’d been an active user on Dailybooth, a website where you shared a photo of yourself everyday (mostly from your computer webcam). When Instagram came out, nobody needed Dailybooth anymore, there was a new app with filters right in your phone. Dailybooth died in 2012.
Anyone remember Viddy? I hung out with the founders in 2013 at CES in Vegas and joined the app right away. It was the video version of Instagram! Justin Bieber and bunch of celebrities used it all the time. Then, one day, Instagram added video. It was game changer. In months Viddy was done. Users jumped ship to an app they were already on to share content to an existing audience.
“it’s not about the platform, it’s about the content”
SOME OF MY FAV VINES OF THE TIMES
Here are a few of my fav Vines from my channel and the Internet. I hope you enjoy. As a reminder, keep making good content and try all the platforms to see what is out there.
LADA GAGA SCARES LEO – Remember this? OOP!
https://vine.co/v/iMAHYTw00bH
https://vine.co/v/inAiBuI6UOX
THIS KID IS ALL OF US
https://vine.co/v/e6nLQQuYJPn
SPIRIT ANIMAL – 2 shots of vodka ‘free pour’
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/Oj3Hve1TXtK”]
LLAMA BE CRAY – This is funny. IDK. Lulzing too hard to type.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/MiAMY06TDUY”]
TREEHOUSE – April and I stayed at a treehouse with no running water in the dead of winter. I woke up in the middle of each night to fuel the fire so we didn’t freeze. I also brought smoke grenades.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/ihjjxlpXjwl”]
ONE OF MY FAV VINERS – Honestly. She is so funny.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/5MMUvZguKLr”]
LOVE THIS ONE – Like you a lot.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/Mn9bBTQp71V”]
FAV VINER – kyttenjane is so talented.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/e2dEx2miTlY”]
QUEEN BEY @ MTV VMAS – Beyonce, you saw it. No words. Well done Vine with this.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/5ep1AmTiblW”]
X-FILES – Rhys Darby is from New Zealand too and when I saw him on X-Files I loved it. He was a lizard man morph working in a mobile phone store and had a funny line.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/iJAnLW9PMmE”]
If you have never been to the jungle or want to remember what it sounds like, listen to this a few times. (Montezuma, Costa Rica)
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/iIbU3TedAxK”]
PERFECT LOOPS
IN CAR – Cottage drive feat. GRIMES
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/eVL6ODVwq7Y”]
WILDFOX – Cherry on top! ?
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/i1dEqMw9MZ6″]
DUBSTEP NONNA – Does your nonna make fresh past to dubstep? In my world she does.
[arve url=”https://vine.co/v/igTFAemiqi9″]
I really hope Twitter never dies, I will be so heart broken. Thanks Vine for all the great times. You will be missed. RIP in the app graveyard with all my other old pre-loved apps.
On that note, keep your eyes and ears peeled for great content opportunities. You never when you’re gonna meet a goat and get 100k views in a day.
I recently attended the Enactus World Cup as a guest of Capital One Canada. If you aren’t familiar, I am here to fill you in. The main thing you need to know is that CANADA WON the 2016 competition with an innovative hydroponics system that’s bringing fresh fruit and vegetables to indigenous communities and schools across Canada. Iwas totally blown away by their hard work and ability to make a difference, and make it sustainable with ongoing profits ($90k+). I nearly had tears watching them present. GREAT WORK!
When Capital One Canada reached out to me be about attending I was rally jazzed to learn more because I too was a young entrepreneur. When I was 15 I won Young Entrepreneur of Cambridge after starting a publishing company, writing a book, and producing a quarterly newsletter for youth around the globe. [Note this was pre-internet/social media!] Through our efforts we also donated a portion of the sales from each book to the local women’s crisis shelter and spoke to kids in primary schools about bullying, following their dreams, and entrepreneurship.
What is Enactus?
Enactus stands for “ENtrepreneurial ACTion for others creates a better world for US all”. It is an international non-profit dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. The program aims to help tackle the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which have been set for 2030.
The Enactus World Cup is the world’s largest competition of business innovation and entrepreneurial action for social impact. This year, 36 countries were represented from 1,700 campuses with 69,000 students taking part.
Before making it to the finals, teams take part in regional and national challenges. One of those is The Capital One Financial Education Challenge where teams across the Canada present projects that most effectively use financial education and/or inclusion to empower people to improve their lives in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable way.
Since 2006, 7,125 Canadian students have taken part resulting in 779 financial outreach projects, directly impacting over 115k people in communities across the country. Pretty cool. I would have loved to do this in uni but I went to school in Australia and didn’t have the opportunity as an international student.
Canada Wins Enactus World Cup 2016
The winning team to represent Canada was Memorial University from St. John’s, Newfoundland w/ Project SucSeed. The team currently involves 82 undergrads from arts, business, science and engineering. Together, they run 13 community projects!
Take a minute to watch this video and see how they’re changing communities, employing youth, and providing fresh produce to people in need.
[arve url=”https://youtu.be/HtlphErTGfU”]
If you have young kids there’s a chance you could even see one of Memorial’s hydroponic units in their school soon, as the team is currently expanding the SucSeed program into primary school classrooms across the country.
I loved watching students present their ideas at the Enactus World Cup. I was so inspired and energized that day. Left me thinking, what can I do?
If you’re keen to learn more about other teams from around the world visit enactus.org/worldcup/meet-the-teams. To learn more about how Capital One is investing in communities and education across Canada visit capitalone.ca.
Thanks Capital One Canada for the opportunity to be inspired and educated by sponsoring this post! ?
Hi, I’m currently writing to you from our luxury van travelling to Route 66 through the Sonoran Desert. We just visited the iconic Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook.
Arrived late last night and will be on the road all week touring the highway staying at a different spot each night. We’re about to take a tour of the Petrified Forrest.
Yesterday was one of those full on go-go-go day. The night before I was so tired, falling asleep at my computer. I closed it down and told myself everything could wait till the morning. I make blog-life look pretty glam on the outside but behind the screen is a lot of hard work, late nights, meetings, and stress. I feel like I’m behind most the time, but some days I feel on top of the world. No day is ever the same. I remember laying in bed thinking ‘just get me through this week, then I can relax‘.
Had a great time speaking at a national Canadian corporation about my blog, social media, and influence marketing. A few talks booked on the topic of creators/influencers lately which I feel shows a that the market and budgets are shifting towards more digital.
Filmed a short video with new blogger Nneka Elliott. You might recognize her from CP24 where she’s been a news anchor since 2008. Had a diner with Saje Wellness and about 50 other young women. Did a class with Army of Sass. Then went home and read a bit before fall ing asleep with my Kobo. Just reading back over this makes me feel exhausted!!! The whole day was documented on Snapchat.
Tonight we’re going to the cottage for a couple days before I fly out to Arizona on Sunday. That reminds me, I have to pack! Gah.
Title quote is by Audrey Hepburn ?
FYI my contest for office space at The 48 inside 1 King West closes today – enter by visiting the post below!
Well, well well, did you watch Bachelorette Canada last night?! I watched most of it by myself and then Sean came home. He always says ‘urghhh, not this show‘ but then he watched it with me and his commentary was some of the very best. Last night there was another helicopter date, the guys did ‘manly’ things like carry logs and chop wood, they gave Jasmine massages, and went in the hot tub. It was pretty steamy! Was funny watching them struggle doing outdoorsy jobs, Sean does that stuff at the cottage all the time!
As you know my FAV part about the show is tweeting along with the hashtag and posting comments as the drama unfolds. It’s so funny. I love how fast the internet reaxting to things with memes, GIFs, and jokes. Years ago when I worked at Much/MTV I thought I had the best job watching TV and tweeting all day at my desk. Now through my partnership with Two Oceans Canada, my job is to sit on my own couch, drink wine, and tweet the show.
Lesson to be learned: FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS GUYS!
Yesterday I went to the Twitter Canada head office and one of the things I learned is everyone can now create Moments on Twitter. Until recently, this feature was reserved for Twitter and major news outlets. So, I created a Twitter Moment of my fav tweets from show last night.
For next week’s ep I’ll be in Arizona so I wont get to watch live but I’ll tune on online for the recap. Check out the Watch Kit for downloads and recipes to whip up a perfect cocktail to go along wth the show, or whenever really! For info on Two Oceans Wine Canada visit twooceanswines.com.
Until next time, keep fit & have fun! ?????
* I’m working w Two Oceans Wine to tweet and watch the Bachelorette this season. Great job if you as me! They’ve sponsored this but tbh the pleasure is all mine!
Last week Gracie and I had the opportunity to attend TD’s Your Story Your FutureSpeakers Series with Cheryl Strayed at the AGO. Name sound familiar? Cheryl Strayed is the author of WILD, which was made into an Oscar nominated film starring Reese Witherspoon.
The story documents Strayed’s solo hike up the Pacific Crest Trail. I’d watched the movie before attending the talk but hearing her stories in real life was really inspiring. Something that stood out was Strayed’s advice from her mum that reminded me of something my mum would say ‘this is character building’ in regards to getting through hard times.
TD’s “Your Story Your Future” program combines workshops and inspirational speaker events to help women feel confident about setting and achieving their financial goals. I’ve written about a few of my financial accomplishments over the last few years (read those here).
I feel it’s really important for us as women to grab the reigns of our finances and set goals so we can prepare for our future.
I remember when my parents got divorced, I was a teenager, and my mum was going back into the workforce after 16+ years. She stressed the importance of having my own money, not getting into a position where I had to rely on someone else when it came to my finances. Only 3 out of 10 women have a financial plan for their future and TD’s Women Investor Program wants to change that.
The Atrium + Frank Ghery Staircase at the AGO
The program was created for the growing number of women who influence a growing share of wealth in Canada and might be looking for a more personalized investment experience from men.
According to a representative from TD Bank:
“One of the key differences between men and women investors is a desire for a more holistic financial advisory relationship – one that is based on setting and achieving life goals rather than simply hitting a financial benchmark.”
Defining exactly what professional advancement and financial freedom looks like is different for all of us but the importance is something we share. Regardless of the type of advancement we’re looking for (career, family or legacy) planning for personal and financial goals is important.
Ready to take charge of your financial future? Get it girl! Visit www.td.com/womenatworkto learn more.
Note: This post was generously sponsored by TD. All opinions and life stories are mine, all mine!
Earlier this week I spent and afternoon working at the newly renovated offices on the 48th floor of 1 King West. If you’re following me on any social network, you would have seen my posts documenting the beautiful view. I got a lot of feedback asking where I was and how you can get there. Good news! I’ve partnered with The 48 to offer some free time in the offices. I’m also going to host a wee cocktail hour with all the winners.
The offices used to be 3 suites owned by the Mirvish family and were recently sold, then converted into 9 offices. At my first visit last week ago I was blown away by the view and how nice they were.
Offices vary in size, there’s a boardroom, reception area, washrooms, and full service kitchen w/ stainless steel appliances, marble counters, and of course coffee. Each office has a printer, flatscreen, and phone. You can also use the mailbox service, voicemail, or accept calls via the reception desk. Imagine ‘YOUR NAME’s office, how may I direct your call?‘ The wifi is good too, gotta have good wifi.
Another two great perks are VALET parking and catering available from 1 King West.
As a freelance, entrepreneur person, I love working from home but sometimes I need a change of pace and a coffee shop just won’t do. These offices are quiet and distraction free. I love that you can rent for a couple hours of uninterrupted work time/meeting, or set up shop in a more permanent style (weekly, monthly)
There’s also a lot of nice surfaces if you’re into doing flat lays for your social posts.
Last week I was so exhausted but after a weekend of naps and relaxing, I feel so much better. We went out for a mini-halloween on Friday and took the rest of the weekend off. I’m usually ALL ABOUT Halloween but this year, I was too dang tired.
I’ve been working on a 10 year blog/book thinger for 
