Been here for a while, and I've always loved this space but it was time to grow up and move into my personal / professional blog space. Since the last time I was here I created ChristinePantazis.com.

I won't be posting here anymore and will slowly wind this blog down. I hope to see you and your comments at ChristinePantazis.com !

Have an awesome day!

Fairy Crash Godmother.

Tonight I wanted to head out somewhere for a coffee where I wouldn't see the usual suspects and would be able to walk sumo and do some reflecting.

The rest of this post may be a mess. I am feeling kind of emotional.

I stayed close to home and went to a Tim Horton's near by.

When I pulled into the parking lot a group of motorcycles caught my attention (I miss riding still to this day, and I am working with a new client that sells an aftermarket item that is great for bikes). I thought this would be a great opportunity to approach these guys and promote the company I am working for.

Long story short, there was a young woman in a wheelchair talking to the group. I had one of the riders introduce me to her. Her name is Lisa and she was T-Boned in an intersection by a drunk driver... Her situation was touch and go. Broken bones, head injury, cuts, bruises, nerve damage and a severed artery but, now she is sitting before me. I am in awe! I love how we were able to understand each other. This is truly the first time that I have ever met anyone who understood what I went through. 

Her spirit is strong, her passion for riding is reminiscent of what mine was during my recovery period. She looked at the bikes with longing as I did.

I feel like we're kindred spirits and I want to be her Fairy Crash Godmother! You know? Things like help her through the hard spots - be there for her when no one else gets what's going through her head. She's going to have some crazy bouts with anger and depression and the physical recovery! All things I am (way) familiar with. 

 

After talking to Lisa for a while it seems like she is going to be an inspiration to people who meet her for years to come. 

It was an honour to meet you Lisa, and it would be totally awesome if we became friends. 

Lisa, cheers to you, your passion and your recovery. If we never meet again, I would wish the world for you. 

I Almost Forgot How Much I LOVE Being a Speaker

Friday morning I had the pleasure of presenting to a small class at Trebas institute in Toronto. The Students are studying to become event coordinators and managers and were in need of basic help regarding the use of social media.
I feel honoured to have been asked to speak to such a great group.  There is no better satisfaction than sharing important and useful information with people who really are interested in what you have to say. I felt like they were hanging off every word!
It was awesome. 
Here are some of the points I shared today at #CrashTrebas (Clever aren't I?) 




Good Examples of Social Media Use: (Local Toronto Companies and accounts I follow)
@AcuraSherway
@LeDolci

With Screen Shots

Both of these local companies have been able to build a strong following and fan base through sharing good content. Content that is both relevant to their industries and relevant to their audience (Not the same thing). Both brands exhibit a sense of interest when engaging with members of their audience on social media platforms like twitter. Through their efforts @AcuraSherway and @LeDolci have gained the trust of their audience - fan base and followers.

Some Social Media Facts…
-Twitter users welcome 2012 with 16,000 tweets-per-second, more than doubling last year's record. (Source: MediaBistro) 
-3% of adults say they get news and information about local businesses from social media, while38% claim to use Internet search engines. (Source: Pew Internet) 

Other brief points shared:

-There are many Social Media tools and platforms, there will always be new tools – Social Media and it’s use is "Ever Changing and Growing"

-It can make a good product/service better or a bad one worse

-Share good and diverse content across a variety of platforms “Cross Pollination”  

-The number of online users will grow exponentially year to year

-Experts speculate Mobile devices will be the number one connector to the internet in the very near future

-Don’t feed the trollz – Be classy

-It's ok to post lol catz from time to time (the humourous portion of the presentation)

-Using the right voice for your audience and brand are paramount

-Differences in LinkedIn Facebook and Twitter and other platforms regarding what kind of content should be posted

I don't want to bore you guys with too many details, this is my personal blog after all.

Do you like Public Speaking? Share some of your experiences.

#Love4LexiTO: Let's Lend Lexi a Helping Hand.

As you all know I love lending a hand to individuals and charities. Today I would like to share with you the opportunity to help a little girl. Her name is Lexi and she could use our support. Let’s help Lexi. #luv4LexiTO Lexi is a stunningly gorgeous 15-year-old ballerina from Calgary who loves nothing more than to spread her wings on stage. She has been diagnosed with a bone tumour in her skull, an even more rare nerve dystrophy and is believed to have an undiagnosed genetic mutation. In excruciating pain, unable to eat and her internal organs at risk of shutting down, Lexi remains in Alberta’s Children’s Hospital. Lexi urgently needs to be transferred to Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital. The family’s monthly medical bills are soaring and the family can no longer afford to pay the thousands of dollars every month needed for medication. The costs to get her to Toronto accompanied by medics are incredulous. Lexi and her family need our help. A Toronto-based group of Twitter friends have come together to organize #luv4lexiTO to raise funds to help Lexi and her family cover the costs of mounting debts and save Lexi’s life. Here’s how you can help: Chocolate Cherry Pink Pearls of Hope for Lexi. Purchase pink chocolate pearls and ChocolaChocola will generously donate 100% to #luv4lexi. $15 for 200 grams. **Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery Make a donation. For every $10 donation made on behalf of #luv4lexi, we will give you a raffle ticket to win a special gift basket donated by ChocolaChocola. The draw will be held on Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. Donations can be made through paypal, sending an email money transfer to karensnider@hotmail.com, or send a cheque payable to Karen Snider to 112-50 Merchant Lane, Toronto, M6P4J6. Who wouldn’t want chocolate for a year? Anyone who donates more than $1000 will receive the special gift of “Chocolate of the month” from ChocolaChocola. Donations can be made through paypal, sending an email money transfer to karensnider@hotmail.com, or send a cheque payable to Karen Snider to 112-50 Merchant Lane, Toronto, M6P4J6. Get fit and help Lexi! On Jan. 28, we will be hosting a yoga class and a pilates class at Yoga Yoga East. Each class costs a $25 donation. To RSVP, please reserve your ticket on paypal. You must pay in advance in order to secure your spot in the class. Lexi’s Story In 2011, Lexi was diagnosed with a rare bone tumor in her skull that has caused an even more rare nerve dystrophy in her head called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS/RSD) Usually found in the arm or leg CRPS causes excruciating debilitating pain that is untouched by narcotics. There is no treatment for CRPS of the cranial nerves. Lexi has multi system issues. She is believed to have an undiagnosed mutation of the cryopyrin gene that has left her allergic to her internal organs. She becomes covered in painful rashes and struggles to take breaths. Her body spasms and her jaw locks. Her skin splits and bleeds. Her hearing is so sensitive breathing around her makes her cry. Every movement or trauma causes more pain. She can no longer eat and is currently being tube fed in the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Lexi is currently awaiting transfer to Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital to meet with specialists and genetic immunologists who may be able to save her life. Lexi’s mother, Jessica Taylor, has had to stop working in order to care for Lexi and stay with her in the hospital. The family has exhausted their savings in order to pay for thousands of dollars in medications for Lexi that insurance will not cover. In addition, the family is struggling to find a way to transfer Lexi to Toronto and may be required to pay for a commercial flight and the cost of accompanying medics and medical supplies. It is critical that Lexi remain under medical care because her heart rate and overall condition are extremely vulnerable.  Please lend a hand, even $10.00 can help Lexi and her family.  Ways you can support Lexi:

$10 Donation $10.00 CAD $20 Donation $20.00 CAD $50 Donation $50.00 CAD $100 Donation $100.00 CAD Chocola Pearls of Hope $10.00 CAD Pilates (jan.28) $25.00 CAD Yoga (jan.28) $25.00 CAD Chocolate for a year! $1,000.00 CAD

Contest: WagJag is giving away an Apple Prize Pack! Enter to Win.

WagJag is giving a way an Apple prize pack to celebrate the launch of their Holiday Shoppe! (click on the image below to enter for your chance to win)