Tag: blogger

In the Belly of the Beast

The Life and Times of Casey Palmer — The State of the #BloggerLife, August 2018 — In the Belly of the Beast (Featured Image)

Last updated on April 13th, 2021 at 12:30 pm

Photo courtesy of Chris Luckhardt.

I told myself that once I made my way through my never-ending pile of paper, I’d get myself a Nintendo Switch with the latest Mario and Zelda games to reward myself for all the hard work. Which is great, because getting months ahead in my content by getting all of this done is the only way I’d find the time to play them.

But if you’re new around these parts, my problem with paper’s not entirely new.

It’s not the paper itself that’s the problem—I’m my most creative when I write things out by hand—but all that creativity leads to a ton of unfinished ideas, piling up to the sky as they await the finishing touches that’ll let me share them with the world! I’ve kept a high standard for my work—easy wins like question posts and blindly following trends isn’t my style… I’m trying to create content that’ll forever outlast me. We’re in a world right now where few want to invest in anything needing more than a few minutes of their time, but I’d rather not sell my soul for the sake of popularity.

There’re bigger prizes at hand.

CONTINUE READING about where I’m at as of August 2018 and what I’m hoping for in the months and years ahead! “In the Belly of the Beast”

BConnected 2017 | Small But Mighty!

Photo courtesy of Mostafa Photography

Last updated on April 14th, 2021 at 12:08 am

I am small but mighty.

When I pack for a blogger conference, I do not mess around!

You wouldn’t know it to look at me on the surface, but I went to 2017’s BConnected Conference feeling kinda down about my brand. I was doing better than ever, yes, but I didn’t feel like I was growing anymore. I had a wealth of contests out, consistently put content out that had people paying attention, and found myself able to do things with my blog I’d have never thought possible. If I were the Casey from five years ago, I’d be living the dream.

But you see a lot on any journey you take, and the year spent getting to this point still had me unsatisfied, feeling like I could still do so much more.

The first day of the BConnected Conference didn’t quite help. There were plenty of amazing things that went down that Saturday, like meeting Elayna Fernandez and her daughters, a family I’d love to keep in touch with, or Dani Gagnon showing me how to find value in Instagram Stories in ways I never really did with Snapchat. But it was Susan Getgood’s talk that stuck with me. The one that said the jump from microinfluencer to mid-tier content creator was having 100,000+ fans and followers.

100,000.

CONTINUE READING about my experience at the BConnected Conference, including a GAME CHANGING testimonial from an unexpected source! “BConnected 2017 | Small But Mighty!”

Rachel Lambo | Tales from the 2.9, Vol. 2 #27

Last updated on April 20th, 2021 at 12:27 am

If I can agree on one thing with Rachel Lambo’s Tale from the 2.9, it’s our need to expect more from ourselves as a community.

It’s 2017, and there’re so many options to help a people thrive. We can bolster our business with think tanks and workshops. Or pool our resources to give opportunities to those who wouldn’t have them otherwise. We want to see the Black community thrive and prosper, but with other cultures so ahead in the game, we’ll need some creative solutions to bridge the gap!

With the second-last Tale, we’re looking for a paradigm shift—making use of tools, technologies, people and methods to excel beyond the limitations thrust upon us. It’s easy to dwell on the things that’ve held us back and cry foul on the situation… but it’s time to rely on our strength and resilience to reach out for the future that’s completely attainable.

We just need to work for it. Together.

Enjoy today’s Tale and we’ll see you tomorrow for one last go at 2017’s Tales from the 2.9!

Until then,

What does being Black Canadian mean to you?

It represents and means community to me.

What’s your experience been like as a Black Canadian and how has it shaped who you are today?

It has been a great experience to see so many people get involved and how much information is being shared on social media, radio, and TV. Last year’s Black History Month was very uplifting, learning about the great achievements of Black Pioneers in Canada and Worldwide.

What’s something you’d like to see more of within the Black Canadian community?

More events that include think tanks, tech- and business law-related workshops. There is certainly a need for more opportunities so people cannot only network but have discussions and build consortiums.

Continue reading “Rachel Lambo | Tales from the 2.9, Vol. 2 #27”

Alicia Bell | Tales from the 2.9, Vol. 2 #26

Last updated on April 20th, 2021 at 12:30 am

Having lived in the Toronto area my whole life, I’ve had the benefit of a highly multicultural Canada.

Half of Toronto’s made up of visible minorities, with 8.5% of that pie being Black. It’s quite possibly the best place in the world to raise my mixed-race family, in a city known for its diversity and acceptance. There’s something for everyone in The Big Smoke, and I don’t see my family living anywhere else!

But what about the rest of Canada?

Toronto’s but a 7.7% sliver of Canada’s population at 2.8 million strong, yet the 220,000 Black people who call it home make up more than 23% of the country’s total Black population! In fact, 80% of our country’s Black people live in a mere 0.1% of the country’s landmass, which makes you wonder what life is like for the 20% in the rest of the country.

Hailing from Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, Alicia Bell’s view is one of optimism, seeing how far she’s come and filled with hope for her years ahead. Check out what she has to say below!

And me, I’ll be prepping for tomorrow’s penultimate Tale from the 2.9!

Until then,

What does being Black Canadian mean to you?

Being Black Canadian means that I’ve never had to worry about the colour of my skin or who my friends are. I’m proud to live in an amazing country that accepts everyone regardless and I feel blessed to be Black Canadian.

What’s your experience been like as a Black Canadian and how has it shaped who you are today?

Being Black Canadian has shaped who I am today because I grew up in an area of New Brunswick that was predominantly all white. Even though I was different I was proud to be different and happy to educate people on my background. Being diverse and Black in Canada opens me up to influence so many people with my passion for helping others reach their health and fitness goals.

Continue reading “Alicia Bell | Tales from the 2.9, Vol. 2 #26”

Natalie Bell | Tales from the 2.9, Vol. 2 #24

Last updated on February 19th, 2022 at 12:09 am

Part of the duality of being Black is that you don’t want to be defined by your melanin, but you also don’t seek to forget everything that’s come before you to make you who you are today.

Natalie’s post reminds me that the world will inform you you’re Black no matter how you’re raised, but it’s up to us not to let the disadvantages of being Black Canadian hold us back. Instead, we must work hard to overcome them so we can shape the tomorrow we want.

Even through this series, we’ve seen examples of a number of Black professionals and the things they’ve done to carve their own paths—who’s to say you can’t do the same?

I hope Natalie’s story—like many of the stories we’ve shared this year—inspires you, and as for me, I’m off to prep tomorrow’s Tale from the 2.9!

Until then,

What does being Black Canadian mean to you?

Funny enough, I’ve never thought of myself in that context. I’ve always been Canadian. I was never taught to label myself in such a manner. If anything, I would state that I’m a Jamaican-Canadian, because I have been heavily immersed in my heritage from a young age, thanks to that good, good “broughtupsie’! I knew I was black, kids in school were quick to tell me, and I may not have completely understood what it was all about then but I knew was different, I just didn’t dwell on it. My parents would tell me afterwards how important it was to get an education and that I would need to work harder than others because I was a Black Canadian. I understand it now more than ever. Being a Black Canadian means I need to be a role model for my children and help guide them to see their worth in this world as they will be labelled the same way.

Continue reading “Natalie Bell | Tales from the 2.9, Vol. 2 #24”
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