The Social Media Kindness Project

The Social Media Kindness Project
by: Talin Orfali Ghazarian

Social media has become a big part in today’s society and some people use it for goodness, positive and inspiration, but others not so much. Some people tend to use social media in a negative and toxic way to spread hate, bullying, rudeness, and sending terrible comments to anyone. As previous generations have taught “If you have nothing nice to say or do, do not say or do anything at all”. That is the golden rule.

So, with that I have come up with the social media kindness project. You have no idea what someone is going through in their lives. It is always a good idea to be kind and use social media in empowering and positive ways. This is going to take a village to do. Social media needs a big makeover and we need to start somewhere.

I cannot believe that we have to teach people proper behavior and how to act these days, but we have to. It has become too much and has gone way out of hand. We are not perfect and we do mistakes, but being rude and unkind is not a mistake. It is a bad habit and we need to eliminate it as much as we can.

Social media should be a place where we can be free to post pictures, updates, videos, status updates, stories, ideas, opinions and suggestions. It should be used to get us out of our daily life and to unwind, have fun and share a bit of our lives, but not to the point where it can be misused.

Now, here are instructions of what we can do together to build a safer and happier community online:

• If you see unkind, rude and horrible comments made by somebody in any group, pages, or to an individual person, report it to the social media outlet that it is found on, and then if you are able to, send that person a private message to teach them kindness and to point out what they did wrong in a civil way. Remember, we are trying to make a difference and be kind to unkind people, so that they can hopefully learn from their mistakes.
• Vulgar language, inappropriate posts, swearing, threats and other profanity should have no place on social media, especially when shared with people of all ages from children to elderly. Respect each other and create a safe and enjoyable place for everyone.
• If you see bullying happen, someone being made fun of, being humiliated and ridiculed, step up, report it, take screenshots, record everything, time, date and names involved in the bullying and then find out who you can send the information to. If the situation becomes to the point where authorities need to be contacted, please do. Silence is not the answer. It could save lives, it could prevent from further escalation of the situation.
• We are all entitled to our opinions and how we feel, but there are all kinds of personalities and people in all walks of life online and we need to be general as can be, and we cannot discriminate. There needs to be 0 tolerance in racism, making fun of someone’s color, orientation, religion, beliefs and how they live their lives. We are all human and deserve love, respect and being treated equal, and fairly.
• Everybody needs a friend, we all need to feel included, to feel welcome, and be amongst people who care, who needs good advice, love, and being in diversity with all kinds of people. We need to give people positive empowerment.
• Some people have lived in a toxic lifestyle with nothing but negativity and bad days in their lives, and we need to make sure that these people can be in a place in their lives where they can count on us and it is important to mean it to make them feel better, to take them out of that negativity to be there for them in great ways, to mentor them and to let them know they are not alone and they can come to us at anytime.
• Social media is open 24/7 365 days a year and there are people in every time zone, It will be amazing and so incredibly beautiful to see social media blossom like flowers to see a fun place for us all to enjoy, be safe and to use it wisely.

This is not some kind of chain letter or those copy and paste posts. This is authentic and very real. This project is very important. I have seen so much as a person who has used social media, since it began before the MySpace days, Asian Avenue and all that. It has been a long time. I have seen a lot of rude and unkind people online and it is very disturbing. We need to combat and make a difference in people’s lives. So important.

What do you think should be done? What are your opinions or suggestions or other measures we can take to get this project underway? Would love to hear from you in the comments below.

This Kindness project will help billions of lives online, and it will make this world a better and safer place. Let’s do this, and let’s start to get things back on track. Now, are you with me on this?

I cannot do this without you. I would appreciate it. Thank you.

The Comfort of Disrespect and Ignorance on Social Media

In the many years of social media existence, we come across many strangers in all walks of life and different kinds of personalities and how people react to things seen. Now more than ever people are engaged into social media in some shape or form.

Not everybody agrees with certain things, and there are just some really nasty, disgusting and horrible posts with a lot of disrespect, rudeness and sheer ignorance. Some people do not think about what they post online for others to see.

Be kind and if you do not like a certain post or if there are things you do not adhere to, there is the magic of a scroll button on your computer or use your thumb to scroll down on your phone. It’s honestly ridiculous. Enough is enough with people’s criticism and rude comments. Like this world isn’t going through enough, people just add fuel to the fire.

I’m appalled at today’s society and comfort to hide behind screens to act in a horrible manner. Morals and respect is very rare. It’s getting too much! It is disgusting. People have certainly lost their way. As a social media blogger and writer, I have seen a lot in the many years I’ve been online and it’s getting worse. People just don’t care about others feelings. It’s very wrong.

People think that they are the only ones on social media and they think they can do whatever they please, but you are not alone. There are over a billion people in the world that use some sort of social media platform and all can be seen from all parts of the world. Use discretion. Everything has its limits. Just because the internet is a place that is open 24/7 365 days a year, it doesn’t mean that you are entitled to be ignorant and rude to others who you do not even know!

You know, comments and reactions that are negative in nature can do serious damage to another persons self-esteem, confidence, mental health, emotions and it can have consequences that can lead people to do physical harm to themselves and even worse. Yes, you maybe a stranger to another person, but when people actually get affected by it, its horrible. What you do online affects others too.

Ahhh if you think its not a big deal to insult others online because you don’t know them, then you are sadly mistaken.

Now, with the pandemic of COVID19 of more than a year now, a lot more people are spending more time online to pass time. It is always a good idea to reach out to people who are going through a lot. We all are going through our problems, issues, and all kinds of things and we want to get on social media to escape those troubles.

Social media is supposed to be a fun environment where people share photos, ideas, advice, videos, tips, sharing memories, a joyous place to laugh and to pass time without seeing so many negative, insulting, offensive posts by others.

Being kind to others is very important. There are ways to approach certain situations and to react in a civil, good-hearted manner. So many groups and so many posts on certain pages have so much disrespect and its just so disturbing by the amount of people that have become so cold. All of us go through things, but it doesn’t mean that you can use that as an excuse to be mean to others. To me, I have 0 tolerance with rudeness.

Just think about it. You wouldn’t want people to be disgusting and ignorant to you, would you? Can you imagine how that would make you feel? Life is too short everyone. Tomorrow is never promised. Love each other, appreciate one another. We are all human. Respect, appreciation and goodness go a long way in life. Practice good behavior on social media and in your daily life as well.

All the best and hopefully you make a wise decision about your actions. Think before you post anything. It is that simple. It will save a lot of problems and consequences in the long run. I am just looking out for everyone’s interest. Be careful, have fun and spread positive joy to others lives.

Just trust me on this. Social media needs a huge overhaul and makeover to kindness, respect and love. Spread this and just think about it and do it!

Celebrities Complaining About Being Isolated & Quarantined During COVID19

RANT from me:
Warning.
I am so pissed off right now!

Some celebrities are complaining that they are stuck in their homes during the COVID19 pandemic and some say that they are bored in their villas/mansions. Sorry but you are complaining about being stuck in your 6,000 to 20,000 sq feet or more mansions when you have swimming pools, hot tubs, ample space to move around to do things, movie theatres, workout rooms, game rooms, massive walk-in closets, pool tables, super expensive cars, super expensive clothing and so much more. I don’t feel for any of you at all. Try and be in people’s shoes right now and your complaining!

There are alone people in this world who are isolated, there are people who are suffering, there are homeless people out there, there are people who live paycheck to paycheck and some who are struggling to make ends meet, some people who have lost their jobs and got laid off due to this pandemic, there are people who can’t pay their bills, there are people who can’t be with their family and friends who are in hospital and YET celebrities have the audacity to complain while they are in the millions of dollars worth of mansions?

While front line workers, nurses, doctors that are pouring in their sweat, tears, exhaustion to help patients with COVID19 who are trying to save their lives, security guards, grocery workers, parents, fast food places, restaurant staff, delivery people, transit workers, pharmacists, truck drivers, post/mail servers, teachers and other essential workers out there who are busting their asses off working so hard to help YOU, who are working so hard to make sure you have food at home.

Kids who can’t go to school now, who were looking forward to seeing their friends, who were supposed to graduate, teens who are supposed to have their proms, graduation valedictorian speeches, and all these special pivotal moments, people who are supposed to have weddings, engagement parties, birthday parties, baby and bridal showers, milestone birthdays, holiday gatherings, travel plans, business trips, cruises, and all kinds of events that are canceled, and

yet Celebrities are complaining that they are bored and feel so isolated and cooped up in their HUGE ASS MANSIONS, GET OVER YOURSELVES!

Appreciate what you have, be grateful and be thankful. There are people who are dying every day from this pandemic and who are deeply suffering, there are other people who are dying from various diseases and illnesses around the world too. While you’re in your MANSIONS, there are people taking in their last breath. SO UNBELIEVABLE!

Rant Over.

How to Keep Busy at Home During The COVID19 Pandemic – Self-Isolation Quarantine

I know it is a difficult time for us right now where our lives were filled with our busy lifestyle, going and coming, going out, but now with COVID19 CoronaVirus pandemic going on, we need to really focus on being isolated and quarantined just for a while until things clear up. Our Governments want to keep us healthy and safe as much as possible keeping us at home so that we won’t become a statistic too.

We need to entertain ourselves while we are quarantined and isolated at home and social media, the internet, and communication with others are so important right now as it always has been. Some people underestimate social media, but at times like this, we need to connect more than ever right now.

I know it is serious what is going on in the world and I am thinking about the lives lost and families ripped apart and those who are currently in the COVID-19 condition and those heroes in the front lines Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists, Grocery workers, Teachers, public transportation workers, and others. I love you all, I respect you and I thank you. I appreciate all of you.

Some Tips from me to keep busy at home during this difficult time we are all facing during this pandemic of COVID19:

1. Play board, card, and other games do crafts, puzzles, and color, do things without screen time for a bit.

2. Have a baking or cooking challenge. Search for a recipe online or do something on your own, and then share your progress on social media. Hashtag it to #QuarantineRecipeChallenge

3. A good time to do spring cleaning around the house, organize closets, pantry, and drawers. look at your medicine cabinets, bathroom and organize and discard any expired medicine, shampoo, creams, and other things that have been laying around for a while.

4. Watch movies, TV Shows, and anything to steer your mind away from COVID19 related issues.

5. Read books or look up a subject online, do some research and write about it. Like a book report or something.

6. take out a pen and paper and start writing or do some doodling.

7. Communicate more on social media and phone and just keep connected with your friends, family and the world. Share funny memes, inspirational quotes with each other, and have fun with others virtually while being physically distant.

8. If you sometimes don’t want to cook, order some take out and have it delivered to you. Also if you need to stock up on food, go out once a week safely to the grocery store, pick up whatever you need and then come home, restock everything.

9. Take this time off from the fast-paced busy lives as an opportunity to catch up on sleep, rest and things that you wanted to do for a while around the house to accomplish it.

10. Work from home if you can.

11. Get some fresh air outside your home, balcony, look out the window.

12. Walk around your neighborhood being physically distant from others at least 6 feet for half an hour or less.

What other tips do you have? Share in the comments below.

Most importantly Stay Healthy, Wash your hands often, wash your clothes or put them in the hamper right away when you go grocery shopping for essentials and focus well on hygiene and keep safe.

 

My condolences to those lives who were lost during this terrible illness.

The Hard Truth & Sad Reality of Social Media – Devices That Consume Us

The sad reality of how smartphones and other devices are consuming us and face-to-face human interaction and communicating is diminishing and at a rapid rate. We need to set limits within ourselves to go offline, explore our world around us, connect with humans at a personal level, show emotions, and develop our personalities.

This is the fact and the hard truth and it has become a huge problem in our society, when we prioritize what’s on our screens, and play with apps. We no longer need to do any critical thinking anymore, we no longer need to learn the basics, even mathematics, spelling, counting. Everything is done for us and there are apps for everything.

We are putting smartphones and devices first in our lives, and physical communication with people second. Even paying attention to our families and friends have diminished. I see it happen far too often where people get together at restaurants and coffee shops and they sit around not talking, but they are on their phones and showing no emotion, and no personality. It is so sad. Why have we come this far? Why do we have to do this 24/7?

Here I am talking about this on a social media blogging platform.

We have become so dependent on these devices that we even ask Siri and Alexa to do basic chores around the house like taking down decorations for example, but we know that it won’t happen that way, but maybe one day. I wouldn’t put anything past it. Screen time is consuming our time at a very alarming rate.

So much of our lives are going by and we don’t realize it. Spend time with your loved ones and create memories without these screens. want to take pictures? Buy a digital camera and take pictures and then look at them later. Smartphones have made it easy to take pictures and to share instantly too

Our brains are no longer functioning without these devices that we stare at for hours and hours a day. People cannot even put these devices down when driving, walking, and even shopping. This has become a big disease and it is running people’s lives.

It’s very serious. I am very concerned about the coming generations.

These images are so powerful and the description exactly and spot on of what these devices are doing to us. Hopefully, it will make people think about their actions and take these matters seriously. What can we do to combat this? How can we take a break from this all?

I am definitely making changes in my life. Life is too short. 

NoGarlicNoOnions – Introducing Anthony Rahayel – Food, Travel Blogger

A couple of months ago, as I was going through YouTube to find some literature and information on Lebanon and Lebanese foods, I came across a video NoGarlicNoOnions, so I was intrigued and decided to click on the video that was close to an hour long, so I decided to watch the whole video, and a couple of minutes in, I became hooked, and then I watched another few following. So, these videos have been around for a few years now, and I just suddenly found this now, which is better late than never.

NoGarlicNoOnions was founded by Anthony Rahayel back in 2012. Anthony and his film crew began introducing us to Lebanese culture, food, taking us to villages, cities, and towns of Lebanon and amongst him visiting Armenia and Italy tasting all kinds of foods amongst other places he has traveled. He also travels and explores at the same time when he is tasting delicious food, that you just want to eat your screen.

Anthony’s contagious and positive approach and the way he explains how the food is made, the texture, quality is out of this world and so much fun to watch. He speaks Lebanese and also he says a few words of English as well. Thank goodness my mother and my neighbors who are my family now, translate words, phrases and sentences to me, so that I can understand what Anthony is saying and its incredible how many words and sentences I know now of Lebanese by just watching Anthony, NoGarlicNoOnions. Thanks to them all, I am more aware of what is going on when I watch.

His passion and drive toward the culinary world is extremely visible. His expression and enjoyment can be felt. He has over 2500 reviews on various topics from air travel, restaurants, gadgets, food and more.

He also goes out to search for restaurants, and small family owned eateries for them to gain exposure, so that tourists, Lebanese people who live in Lebanon and others can go to those places and support these vendors. These hidden eateries are discovered and explained so well.

NoGarlicNoOnions goes above and beyond when explaining. Thorough, detailed and never boring. When he went to Armenia especially really excited me even more about him. I am Armenian and I truly appreciate him going to visit, spending time with Armenians, tasting our food, embracing our culture and having his viewers know about Armenia and Armenians and the food. I truly appreciate him for taking the time to go there and to enjoy our Motherland. It means a lot. NoGarlicNoOnions has a special place in my heart.

You can now say that I am obsessed with Lebanon further and I have the desire to visit hearing all the stories and my desire for tasting the delicious food, desserts, ice cream, drinks, and everything. I have a lot of Facebook friends and I also have family in Lebanon as well. Anthony gave me the idea, and understanding on how Lebanon is and now I have a better picture in my mind of how it is.

Lebanon is such a beautiful country that is on my bucket list to travel to. Hopefully, in the next couple of years, my dream will come true. I hope that Anthony Rahayel will be there to give me a guided and professional tour around the beautiful country and take me to great places to eat and enjoy the ambiance of it all, to enjoy the nightlife as well.

My family and I are hooked on his videos and I have subscribed and followed all of his social media accounts online. Recently, I contacted him expressing my admiration toward him. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and he has his own website called nogarlicnoonions.com – He also have photographs of his travel adventures, food, and so much more.

Anthony and his team have received travel, food, blogger, awards and more. Search for Anthony Rahayel and NoGarlicNoOnions and you will see what I am talking about. I am hoping that I will meet him in person. I am now a fan of him for life. Thank you, Anthony, for taking me up close and personal through videos. Hopefully, I will come and see the real deal and soon.

Following links for more information.

http://www.nogarlicnoonions.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nogarlicnoonions
http://instagram.com/nogarlicnoonions

Tweets by NoGarlicNoOnion

https://www.youtube.com/user/rahayel
https://www.zomato.com/nogarlicnoonions

Propeller’s Turning The Deep Seas

As I am on the deep sea, gazing on the horizon seeing the sunset, sunrise and the moon from afar. As I am sailing through the waters, I can hear the splash of the water from the ship, hearing the propeller’s from a distance, enjoying the sounds of the cruise ship, and taking in the pure clean air. I am on my way to the aft of the ship and can hardly wait to listen to the propeller’s do its work. A lot of thought and positive goodness comes from it all.

I absolutely love seeing the beautiful bluish colour of the water and bubbles around it and the occasional splash. I love spending time looking at it during the day, and as it gets dark, all you can see is the dark waters, but still incredibly amazing to hear and to feel it in your soul. It was amazing and my eyes were so relaxed and it was great. Often times, we are so invested into screen time, and when I went to watch the water turning, it was such a great way to relax the eyes.

I don’t see many people on cruise ships often admiring that part of the ship, and enjoying looking at the sea. Passengers are often couped up into spa treatments, massages, in the restaurants, bars, pool decks, and inside looking and buying things from the shops, but how often do we take aback from all those and simply go out on deck, take a chair, lounging and taking in the true beauty of nature and disconnect from screens and just take in the moment? I don’t really see it happen. I am sure there are people like me, but it is scarce.

With little time we have to spend with the vessel, it is important to take time to smell nature and appreciate each second we have onboard on one of the most unique and awesome ways to see the world and travel. The propellers that turn the waters of the deep seas are incredible and a huge marvel of technology, engineering and it is so powerful and incredly amazing.

Life on the high seas is definitely different. I feel the positivity, the happiness, the joy and appreciating the simplest and yet most incredible things onboard such as the propellers and watching the ship sail. Often times we are too invested in reviewing the ship with feedback, but I feel that some passengers need to up their game and to really reflect on nature and the sounds.

I remember having conversations with the master captain and officers of the vessel’s I have been on, and I couldn’t help myself with so much excitement to talk to them about the ship, to give them compliments, and telling them my story of the propellers and how much joy it brings me and my life just watching it all unfold. They had never really heard of passengers being so invested into the very interesting parts of it and going behind the scenes and actually exploring these mighty ships. They really appreciated what I had to say and to relate to their passion of these vessel’s.

So, the next time you get onboard a cruise ship, don’t forget to see the simple things and enjoy the moment and take it all in, to not be so critical and to fully live life to the fullest extent and to really hear the sounds of nature and to appreciate each moment that comes.

Cruise Reviews and Cruise Ship Travel

Cruise Ship travel is incredibly awesome. Most of the time the things we read online about cruise ships and other people’s reviews on them misleads people and There are always people with a negative approach to everything. Well, here I am to debunk those reviews and to tell you the truth from an honest traveller like myself. When it comes to travel stuff of any kind, I am serious about it. I don’t just talk out of thin air. Here are cruise questions people frequently ask…

Aren’t cruises boring?

– Far from it. Not boring at all. There is so much to do onboard that you have no time to be bored. Cruise Ships are built so big now, and with so much to do on many of their decks. You hardly have time to spend in your own stateroom. You do not have time to waste. Everything is fabulous and you enjoy every second of it.

Don’t you get sea/motion sickness?

– Now, with the ships new designs, stabilizers and the massive and huge ships that are built, you barely even feel the ship moving. Technology has come a long way.

Why do we have to be back on the ship an hour or half an hour before the ship disembarks to another destination?

– Ship crew needs half an hour or so to take off the ropes/anchors (on tendering ports), gangway disassembles, need to put ship equipment back onto the ship, and need clearance from the port to give the okay to leave the port. Captain and his/her officers are in constant contact with the port workers and pilot boat operators to leave the port, so that is why people need to be on board.

What if we miss the ship?

You need to find your way to the next port of call – call the emergency phone line on your cruise embarkation/disembarkation card and notify the ship of what happened. Sometimes ships do wait for passengers, but sometimes due to the number of people onboard the ship, they need to leave because of time constraints. If a ship is late in the port, they pay fines.

How do we know what to do onboard the ship or in a port of call destination?

Everyday on your door or in your stateroom cabin, you will receive a newsletter of events happening on the ship and excursions or whatever else. You will see dining times, the dress code for the day, theme parties, and amongst specials going on at the stores and boutiques onboard. It’s always great to participate in everything onboard and make it a fun experience for you. They also show you what entertainment shows are on for the night. Some cruise ships, you have to book the shows due to the number of people on the ship. Also, now cruise lines have Apps that you can download on your phone and it will tell you everything going on for that day. All you need to do is put your booking number and your name and you are good to go. Ask or research the onboard cruise line APP and download it before you go on board and log your information in.

Any other questions, let me know.

Cruise Ship Etiquette – Kindness goes a long way

A crew member of a cruise ship of Royal Caribbean went overboard. As you may or may not know, cruise employees get depressed and spend a lot of time alone and are always working and are away from family and friends for 6 to 8 even sometimes up to 9 months from home on the oceans and seas and different ports of call.

I’ve witnessed passengers that come on vacation being so rude to them, demanding and say the most terrible things to them. They work their tail off and I see how hard it is to keep up a smile from them, how they manage to seem strong but passengers add fuel to the fire sometimes and the crew sometimes get to their breaking point. These people sacrifice being away from home from months at a time and the only way to stay in touch is by phone and messages. It’s really hard.

Kindness and patience go a long way. Treat them with dignity and respect. The way you treat others does affect the way they work and serve. Some people don’t realize that. Cruise work is a lot more difficult than an All inclusive resort. There are a lot more people on a ship to serve.
These crew people go through a lot and they have to make a living to provide for their families they hardly get to see. They go home for 2 to 3 months then back on the ship they go.

Kind attitude goes a long way. It does matter more than you think.

Atlantis Hotel, Resort, Casino – Nassau Bahamas – Disappointing

Atlantis Hotel, Resort, Casino
Nassau, Bahama’s.
MSC Seaside Cruise — Last Port of Call.
January 18, 2019
Disappointing –

In 2002, when we were on Costa Atlantica cruise ship, we went to Atlantis and we were able to visit the whole facility and to walk around without being heckled and stopped by hotel security saying these spots are for people who are staying at the hotel and we need to see ID. Now, in 2019, we decided to go after many years later, and we were not permitted to access key points to the hotel. Oh yeah and unless you pay a large amount to enter everywhere its ok.

After a day of walking, taking a water taxi boat ride for $4.00 per person per way, we walked quite the distance to reach the hotel/resort, we were excited to be back on the grounds. Little did we know that almost all areas were blocked off, except for the Casino and the shops where they know they are places where people will spend money, but then some areas where you do not have to spend money and they don’t allow you through. We were so disappointed. We had told the security that we just walk a long distance from our ship to come to visit, and we get turned away.

We told them that what if one day we come and stay here at this hotel? Now, we know not to. It is so overrated anyway. We were so tired and the sun was shining hot. We said time to walk the distance again and go to the water taxi and go back to our beautiful ship and relax. It was absolutely disappointing.

Cruise Travel Inspiration — Cruise Ship

Did a lot of thinking about so many details while I was on my cruise… ⚓️⚓️⚓️

As I was looking at the deep sea/ocean sailing through the many miles of salt water, I can see fellow cruise ships from different cruise lines and sizes, cargo ships, and other vessel’s from afar wondering where they are going. I also noticed parts of land which belongs to the Caribbean islands as we were sailing to our next port of call. I Was waking up fresh and happy every morning way before sunrise to see we have reached another place and a couple of days of sailing on the seas.

I was taking in the fresh clean air of the sea spending every day on my balcony morning and night, just looking at the moon shining down on the water so clearly and beautifully admiring mother nature’s beauty and gazing at the sunrise enjoying the little time I have on the vessel. I was living in the moment, embracing life and how beautiful it can be.

Often times we are too invested in being too busy with life, and we don’t take time out of our lives to embrace life’s pleasures and how beautiful it can be. I was happy to disconnect from my device that week to really remember to enjoy the scenery without a screen in my face, especially when you travel and when you are on a cruise ship.

I remember saying a few words to myself in my head, and thinking about how interesting travel can be and there were so many different types of transportation we used during that week starting from a van, aircraft, bus transfer to port of Miami, a cruise ship vessel, a water taxi boat and a tendering boat(which takes you to shore from the ship that is anchored in the water).

When we were visiting Costa Maya, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Nassau Bahamas and Miami all in a week, I said to myself cruising is the way to go and it’s such a great way to get around.

As I experienced cruising many years ago; the industry has come a long way since then with these vessel’s that are enormously huge and massive with thousands of passengers and crew onboard. The terminology and phrases used on ships are very different. I love the food, the entertainment onboard, the ambience, seeing different cultures and backgrounds, and so much more. I loved every moment.

Don’t even second guess, don’t look at negative reviews from negative people. If you ever get a chance to go on a cruise, please go and don’t waste any more time. Don’t even think twice about it. Just go. It was my 5th cruise and I can’t wait for the next one. Panama Canal is my next more than Europe. Europe is overrated and it gets tiring. Your life will change forever and it did for me. ⚓️⚓️⚓️

The Magic of the Internet on Imgur

In this day in age in technology and social media, it is very easy to transmit information, messages, articles, pictures, videos, gifs, interesting things and more. Just about a year ago or so, I discovered this website called Imgur. Imgur is a site where people become members and begin posting all kinds of images, gifs, visual stories, inspiring and uplifting content, and so much more.

Let me tell you a little bit about Imgur and to relax, kick back and have a joyful time discovering the magic of the internet. People from all over the world have joined the site. The website works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and people are up all hours of the night and day to add a little fun in their lives to come and enjoy themselves on Imgur.

Imgur has millions of members, so many billions of post views, and it is ranked as top site #15 in the U.S by Alexa. Imgur was launched in 2009. Alan Schaaf launched and created the site in his Ohio University dorm room as a simple, no-limits platform to shares images online.

Imgur has received many awards of best-bootstrapped startup, TechCrunch, crunchies, social media awards, best community website, Adweek’s readers choice for the hottest social platform.

There are options whether you would like to upvote, downvote, and favourite something you see. Once, you get enough views and upvotes, the content that you post goes viral and you get points. It is pretty fun. It teaches you what people these days look for in content. People love it when original content gets posted and when it is especially yours. People automatically know and feel that it is. You also get trophies too for many reasons all around for posting the cutest image, for getting the most favourites on a post, going mobile, beta testing, for multiple posts on the most viral page and more.

When you visit the most viral page, rising, highest scoring, and you will see the type of content that Imgurians love to upvote. There are certain posts that Imgurians do not enjoy politics, controversial images, and amongst other issues. When you check out imgur.com you will see what it is all about.

with the constant changes in social media, the kind of content people want to see, this website gives an idea of what kind of content is most popular these days and months. Imgur definitely keeps you engaged and it is such a fun and positive website.

They have a forum as well, where you can join and interact with other members if you have questions on how the site works and operates if you have things to share too as long as you follow the rules.

Once people really start to enjoy your content, your upvotes and points increase. Your notoriety increases. It begins from 0 points and you work your way up.

Bonus Medallions

Imgurite 80,000
Gold 70,000
Silver 60,000
Iron 50,000
Bronze 40,000
Copper 30,000
Glorious 20,000
Renowned 8,000 to 19,999
Idolized 4,000 to 7,999
Trusted 2,000 to 3,999
Liked 1,000 to 1,999
Accepted 400 to 999
Neutral under 400

After 80,000 points, your points increase more and more and it becomes unlimited. some people have over 1 Million points and even more.

Also, there is content you must steer away from. Imgur has all the terms and conditions written on the site which you do not want to receive suspensions, bans and shadow ban for whatever reason that the staff doesn’t like to see on the site.

If a post is doing well and goes viral and you get a few thousand points, and if you post it again, people always remember the content that does get posted, so you might get downvotes and go into minuses which will affect your points. You can also get upvote points when you comment on another person’s image, video or gif, but you can also get downvoted. If you get into minus, it is a good idea to delete it.

Imgur is also a website where people post clever, catchy and interesting memes which can also be funny. There are cake days where you can post the more bizarre cake or the most beautiful cake or however you wish. There are other days where they have for cat days, and so on and so forth. You will see once you get on Imgur.

Enjoy it and if you are not a member, become one today and you will enter into a really interesting world of the internet, have fun and enjoy the ride.

imgur.com
@Imgur on Twitter
Imgur on Facebook

Social Media Entitlement

Social Media has great benefits to it, but it also carries a negative approach as well. Has social media gone out of context in terms of finding comfort in disrespecting others and ridiculing them?

It gives some people leverage to write terrible comments and status messages. Some people are too comfortable now, and I am sure that they wouldn’t say half the things they would write online to people in person. Some people find that hiding behind a screen is something that makes them feel at ease.

Cyberbullying is one of the worst things that someone can combat. what you say and do online has a big impact and you really do not know who is watching, reading and observing. You really do not know your audience. When someone is in a vulnerable position in real life, the people who are bullying the person has leverage to humiliate them on the internet for so many people to see.

Although social media is a great tool to keep in touch, to make new friends, to communicate and transmit information instantly, however it can also be dangerous too. You need to be very careful to make sure things aren’t used against you and what you post online stays here forever even if you delete it. There is always a way to retrieve deleted posts.

People have this mentality now that they feel entitled, that they can disrespect people, they can post what they want without consequences. Some people have by now, but majority of the people out there who do and post terrible things online get away with it. Especially hurting others with insulting and terrible comments.

If you have nothing nice to say to others, and if you do not have anything productive, inspiring, nice, kind and good things to produce online, then you should not be posting. What you do and say does affect others.

With this digital age now when everything is out in the open on the internet, and privacy is minimal, you have to be careful. You have no idea what people go through in their personal lives, you have no idea the path people are on, so its a good idea to stay away from disrespecting others, and ridiculing others, and actually try to help them.

Spread positivity in ones life, and always lift people up when they are down. There will always be those people who will never learn and who will always continue to be rude and mean to others and it is terrible. Hopefully someday they will wake up and realize that what they are doing is wrong.

Help others, be kind, and be nice because you never know what another person goes through.

Worst ever mistakes travelers make at before and at the airport

Talin’s Travel Tips

– Checking for your flight status –

Check your flight status 3-4 times before you get to the airport. Usually, flight statuses are usually listed 24-48 hours before a flight, but it is a good idea to check your flight 24 hours before, 12 hours before, 8 hours before, and then once more about 4-5 hours before. just before you head for the airport in case of delays or cancellations.

– Not bringing a refillable water bottle –

Water is important to keep hydrated especially when you travel. Bring an empty water bottle with you because during the security screening. There are refill water stations once you pass through security and head towards your gate to meet with your aircraft.

– Not wearing socks –

When you travel, Always wear socks and do not arrive at the airport with just wearing flip flips, sandals and shoes that you don’t need socks with. During security screening, they may ask you to take your shoes off. Do not walk barefoot on airport grounds, especially through security. Comfortable footwear is a must.

– Not arriving early –

Some people think of arriving an hour before a flight gives them enough time… WRONG.. It is not a joke. Arrive at least 3 hours before your flight. You need time to check in, obtain a boarding pass, check in your baggage, then security, then time to arrive at your gate where you will meet with your aircraft. Plus you need to give the airport workers time to get your baggage to your aircraft to make it in time for your flight. Also, you need to take into consideration the crowds and lineups. Arrive early to be safe than sorry later.

– Buying snacks at the airport –

Buying snacks at the airport can cost twice as much. buy snacks and pack them properly in your carry-on baggage or purse. Chocolate cravings? Want to munch on chips or something else? Buy your snacks the day or couple of days before. Make sure they comply with what is permitted to bring through security. Always check with that through your local airport security laws through a website or by calling CBSA, CBP, CATSA, or TSA or going to their websites for information.

– Not having the proper documents – forgetting passport –

before you head to the airport, make sure you have all necessary documents before travel and never forget your passport. Always put those items in your carry-on bag/purse first. Make sure they get put in the bag and not taken out. You do not want to be denied boarding.

– Not having your boarding pass/passport ready –

We all know we cannot avoid it. Going through security that is. Always have passports and boarding passes on hand and do not look for them in your bag. keep them in your hand and then you will need to show them once again before boarding your aircraft. Keep lines short and keep things going quickly.

– Not doing research on permitted and non-permitted items –

Always check what is permitted and not permitted in carry-on baggage and checked baggage. very important. Also always check how much liquids you can bring and to make sure you comply with the rules and regulations before you get denied boarding, go into secondary screening and the risk of confiscating your items.

Francis Libermann Catholic High School 40th Anniversary

By: Talin Orfali – Student Alumni – Fall 1999 to 2003.

40 Years ago in 1977, Francis Libermann Catholic High School opened its doors to teachers, students and administrative staff, and this year in 2018, on June 3rd, we had the anniversary and reunion. Many past and present teachers, and alumni students were present.

A couple of months ago, I had opened up my Facebook, and on my news feed, I see an event from Francis Libermann of which a fellow classmate of mine from my time, invited me to it, I definitely said, I am going. At first, I had mixed feelings about it, and I was hesitant at first because my high school life wasn’t what I had expected it to be, but I toughed it out for 4 years. It wasn’t perfect and there were good times and bad times, but nothing really is perfect.

We envision high school to be perfect where everyone gets along, but that is not the case, however, I forgive those who have bullied me and belittled me throughout those times. I realize now that when you are a teenager going to school, all these emotions run high, going through the puberty stages where sometimes teens just don’t know what they are doing, plus getting through school with studies and everything else with making friends whereas some others don’t get so lucky about that. It’s a huge phase that kids go through before venturing out to college/university and maybe not and just going right to work or whatever the case may be.

Anyway, when I saw about 90% of the teachers at the reunion and anniversary, they all automatically remembered me even though 15 years have passed since I took my last walk out of those doors. I never visited back since then, but I feel like I really never left yesterday. I was so sad to hear about my favourite principal back in the day had passed away a few years ago from cancer. I was so devastated and cried. I truly know how to appreciate teachers and administrative staff for all the hard work and sacrifices they make and made to make sure we are educated and well looked after.

Some of the teacher’s names I had forgotten about and some that are still fresh in my mind, but they remembered me and some of the teachers said that they think about me from time to time. One of them said to me yesterday, Talin, you were my favourite student and I think about you all the time. I am so happy to be seeing you here today and in return, she was really one of my favourite teachers at the school. One of them always knew I was going to get into some sort of writing and when I spoke to her and told her what I do now, she got so excited to hear that I am doing what she thought I would do.

Anyway, I did a walk-through the school and I familiarized myself with the lockers I used to have, the classes I went to, the hallways that I walked around, familiar smells of the halls and classes, the gym, the library, and the staircases that was used to go up to the 2nd, and 3rd floors. The memories just came to me and some have faded and some have stayed with me. The washrooms and everything are also the same as I remembered where the washroom stalls are smaller.

I remember being part of teen voices, and other outreach programs. I was never really a sports person and I had joined into more interactive committees and creative writing.

I remember when I used to seldom take public transit home from school. I used to hate taking public transit up to now. That hasn’t changed. I remember getting a sign of relief when I saw I was being picked up by my dad or my brother and one of the teachers pointed that out to me yesterday, saying she remembers that I used to hate taking the bus and she remembers me being picked up. I said to her, nothing has changed on that front. LOL, and the only difference is that I drive now.

The 40th anniversary of Francis Libermann Catholic High School was definitely an eye-opener for me, which has overwhelmed me because time is flying and these are the moments of our lives that we will never get back and it teaches us to be grateful for each moment, even though they weren’t perfect and our expectations weren’t what we wanted, but we are getting older now and it truly makes you appreciate that little time you have in high school. Time never waits for you. You truly have to cherish life and the phases.

I was in tears while walking through the halls and I am in tears now as I write this now. I really miss high school a lot and I miss being a teenager. My advice to teenagers going to high school now, is to never waste a second of it, don’t take this time for granted. Even though it may not be a positive and good time for you, but also I want you to realize that high school is temporary and things do eventually get better and they will. It has for me. 4 years go by so quickly that you don’t even realize once you graduate and have your prom and then life changes right away. Well, it did for me.

2003 for me seems like yesterday, but in other ways, it does feel like its a long time. It really hit me hard yesterday and I just want to say how truly grateful I am for having a school to go to and getting to know many people of whom I am still in touch with. We didn’t really get along in high school, but we do now and that is what counts. Life and our personalities change and it’s absolutely amazing. You never truly learn to appreciate something until after the fact.

Thank you and congratulations to Francis Libermann and here is to another 40 years and beyond. I am super glad to be part of 4 years of it. All the best and may what happens between those walls be educational, fruitful filled with knowledge, respect, and getting closer with God in his teachings while learning valuable life lessons to take with you when you take your last walk out those doors. God bless Francis Libermann Catholic High School and all those in it.