Author: rinab715

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Heart Warrior

A fighter from the moment I was born until today. The journey began at 7 months of age- barely surviving and living. Can you imagine me being a blue baby? Seeing a precious baby in hand, you only wish for good health and lots of love. So imagine my parent’s surprise- knowing their precious daughter was born with a congenital heart condition known as Tetrology of Fallot. Tetrology of Fallot can easily be defined as a hole in the heart. Luckily, I am from Toronto, where I received the best medical care from the Hospital for Sick Kids. Known as my 2nd home, since I spent my early years fighting for the courage to live. To hold onto every ounce of my being. 

My name is Rina and I was born in the early 80s in Toronto. The place I like to call my forever home. My earliest childhood memories were being a kid and playing with my friends in school. It’s like I experience amnesia and everything was wipes out when I was a baby. The stories my mother told me of how she was there for me around the clock during my time in the hospital.

Surgeries

Wow, if I could count the number of times I had a surgical procedure done, I probably would lose counts.

  • 7 months old- Shunt
  • 2 years of age- open heart surgery- 8 hours.
  • 2 years of age- another surgery to help fix my rib-cage. After the opened heart surgery, since my rib-cage was tightly closed
  • 15 years of age – Implanted Defibrillator
  • 25 years of age – replacement of the defibrillator- minor surgery
  • 33 years of age- opened heart surgery- to replace the valve.

Charities

As a heart warrior hero- I felt it was my duty to help raise awareness for the heart. A place I like to call the Heart and Stroke Foundation. As a student at Algonquin College in 2008, I used to do my internship at the Heart and Stroke Foundation. My proud moment of working with this charity was not only to raise funds but to also to share my personal experience. February is heart month, and I helped create 2 events for the organization which happens to be a smashing success.

My current status

Seeing how my life turned out today, I never thought I would be lucky to be alive. Being married, working, and traveling, is not something I thought I would reach. At birth, I was known as the lucky ones. If I didn’t have my heart repaired, I wouldn’t have survived my childhood years. Every moment on earth is precious and I am very grateful to be alive. Years to come, I just keep my head held high and enjoy what life has to offer.

Do you have a heartwarming story that you would like to share?

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Social Media: Past, Present, and Future!!

Living in the early stage before there was a thing even called social media. Life wouldn’t be the way it is today. Social Media has a major effect on our daily life and routine. The future is only filled with endless possibilities, as technology is really shaping the way we use social media.

PAST

In the stone age, well I am not going that far in the past, let’s say the early 80s-90s. In those years, computers were just being invented, mobile phones, people taking photos with their Polaroid camera. Taking pictures with the disposable camera and waiting for days to see what it looks like was challenging. Life was crazy back then. Even my earliest childhood memory, we did the simplest thing as hangout with our friends after-school or go to the mall on the weekend. School- wow writing secretive notes with our pencil and passing it around to our friends in class was a thing. People were much more active physically and had more time to do the easiest thing as reading a book or watching TV. Businesses- wow marketing was a whole different outlook. Promoting your brand using the resources back then was so different.

TV commercial

Radio

Word of mouth

Magazine

Just think how life was so much different before there was a thing called social media.

PRESENT

Social Media was created in the early 2000s as I was in College. From that time until now, social media has taken a big effect on our life for the better. Personal and on a professional level. A young man named Mark Zuckenberg didn’t know back then when studying at Havard that what he has created, was a life-changing thing for billions of people worldwide. He has created a social media platform called Facebook, to help people connect with their friends, family, or colleague. Since Facebook has been created, there have been numerous developments of all the social media platforms that people use daily. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and much more. All these social media outlets help promote and generate businesses today. Marketers, us the platforms to help increase sales and drive traffic.

How people use social media today?

  • To connect with friends, family, an old colleague
  • Promote your brand by using the technology featured on your social media app
  • Texting or video calling

FUTURE

Dreaming of social media and how it will change our future?

With all the advanced technology being used on the social media platform, it will be changing for the better in the future. Businesses will rapidly grow as sales will be increased, driving traffic to the business, share – photos and live videos, blogging, people will connect more, etc.

https://social-eyez.com/socialspeak-the-past-present-and-future-of-social-media/

In conclusion, with or without social media, life would be unknown as we wouldn’t know how social media would change our lives for the better. We are social media!!!

Facebook: Social Media and the story of the past, present and future. https://bit.ly/34iSTrs

Twitter: Social Media: Past, Present and Future. #pastpresentfuture https://bit.ly/34iSTrs

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Does social media influence your purchase decision?

Businesses today are advertising their brand products using all the social media platforms to attract their target audience. Promoting new products and attracting customer needs. Business owners need to understand customer psychological behavior and put themselves in their shoes. You want to promote and sell your product; how will you influence your customer to buy your product?

With the technology tools used nowadays from posting, sharing photos, live videos and much more, it’s the best way to market your product brand. The important rule when marketing your brand via social media, you need to explain why your product is the best if you would like to influence your customer to buy your product. The product brand must stand out and tell a story behind it.

A survey found in Komarketing shows that 58% of the customers were influenced by their purchase decision using social media.

How does social media influence your purchase decision?

  • Photo of the product is shared and people will provide positive or negative feedback
  • Follow on Instagram – brand of your choice (MAC Cosmetics, Nike, etc.,)
  • Product has been re-posted – video, photos, blogging (Twitter- Retweet)
  • Meets your expectation needs

From my own experience, I follow my favorite brand, MAC Cosmetics which I am completely obsessed with. Every day or so there would be new and exciting products or promotions shared, and this has influenced my purchase decision. I was drawn to the products and ended up going to the store in person and purchasing my favorite brand. The way MAC Cosmetics portrayed their product, was how it was advertised. The way you advertise a product will affect the customer’s behavioral decision.

The question you need to ask yourself, will this work for you?

Facebook: Will social media impact your purchase decision? https://bit.ly/2YCQmay

Twitter: How will you persuade me to buy? #PurchaseDecision https://bit.ly/2YCQmay

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How does iPad affect the younger generation today?

With technology changing, more and more children are being expose to the new electronic device of iPad. Starting at the earliest age of being a toddler. Imagine coming home from a long day of work, and all you want to do is keep your child occupied, as you rest and take is easy. Whats the best way- letting your own child play with the iPad. The question you should be thinking, is this the best idea or not. Your  parenting skills has a major effect of  what your child will learn at an early age.

AGE GROUP

Between the ages of 2-5 years old, children are spending 2.2 hours exposed to the screen. Preschoolers spend 4.1-4.6 hours a day whereas the older generation of kids between the ages of 8-18 spends 7.5 hours a day. What has happened in this world? Using the iPad device has become a drug addiction for young minds. However, their mind is being washed away slowly as they spend more and more time hooked on the iPad. https://bit.ly/2DWp2KT

Pros

  • Children can use the educational app on the device to learn new things
  • Improves cognitive and motor skills
  • Keeps the child busy while parents are doing their own thing

Cons

  • Children are not being physically active such as playing sports or riding their bike
  • Becoming addicted to the device
  • Develop an academic problem, not being able to perform well in school
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

In conclusion, children need to learn how to balance their time when using the iPad device. As stated earlier- iPad can be very useful for children however it’s best to avoid the negative impact that it can have on a child.

Facebook: Are you interested in learning how the iPad is affecting your child’s mind? https://bit.ly/38fTEop

Twitter: iPad and the affect it has on your child. #iPadAddiction https://bit.ly/38fTEop

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Social Media Review- Good or Bad? (COM0011)

Ever look for a good place to go (restaurant, movies, trip, shows, etc..) and count on a good review. With millions of reviews on various sites from IMDB, TripAdvisor, Google, Instagram, Facebook and much more.  All these brilliant sites offer different reviews rating from 1 – 5 or 1 – 10.  You know that you’re always looking for the highest rating possible that will satisfy your needs. But the question is, is the highest rating review always the best choice? Trustworthy or a risk you are taking?

For example- you want go to a restaurant to celebrate an occasion and you have just read great reviews on Google, Facebook, and TripAdvisor– at 4.5/5, but its not what you expected. Can you ever trust a good review that can turn for the worse?  

Maybe your planning a trip of a lifetime with your significant other, friends or family and seeking the best accommodations.  TripAdvisor is a great tool to create reviews from personal experience for restaurants, hotels, and attractions to visit. TripAdvisor website offers (TripAdvisor Certification of Excellence Award) to Business owners who received high reviews online for at least 12 months.  

A friend of yours has just posted a raving review via Facebook about a new movie that just hit the theater that you were dying to see. However after seeing the film, you began to think, why did my time get wasted. Always trust your instincts, even if the IMDB rating is high, low, or average. In the end, you are the only person who can judge if the movie was a success or failure.

The main question is, why do people read online reviews or even trust it?

  • Provide personal guidance of the product
  • Experience
  • Indicate the pros and cons
  • Make it easier for consumers to decide on the service or product itself.

How can a good online review affect your business

  • Promote the business or services
  • Increase in sales
  • Create awareness

How can a bad online review affect your business

  • Decrease in sales
  • Not trustful
  • Online search engine- lowered

Reviews will always help you decide when you need more information on a product or services. Just remember that a review is not always sincere. The person behind the desk could be real or unreal. Trust yourself and make the right choice.