Kari Traa’s Post

I'm not the biggest fan of radical self-restraint. But long ago, I promised myself I would never again take videos or photos of fireworks unless my job required it. Unless you're managing a fireworks supplier or you have a report to write. The best thing you can do is shut off your phone for a second, shove it in your pocket, hug the person next to you tightly, and enjoy the damn show. Nowadays, pretty much all severe fireworks are artistic endeavors. It's not just random lights in the sky. It is a serious director's work, with specially written music and marvelous accompaniment with lights, lasers, drones, and other special effects. Try, at least once in your life, to immerse yourself in this fairy tale, to understand the story, to feel what emotions were trying to convey a team of specialists who literally risk their lives creating pictures out of gunpowder. And let's be honest, you'll never watch these videos again, they'll just drown in the dust of the library of your phone, taking up space there.  Leave filming to the experts and enjoy the damn show.

Technology was created to enhance our life and enjoy it. Why do people care so much about capturing a video of the Arc de Triomphe lighting up in a million colors and posting it on social media? Why do they prefer this over putting their phones away and cheer, hug, kiss and laugh with their friends/family? Imagine the following conversation: - Gustav: "so where did you spend NYE?" - Gregoire: "at Champs Elysées, it was awesome man, so many people, lights, colors, fireworks. Here... look at this video I capture" (... shows video) -Gustav: "that's fantastic. Who did you get to kiss or at least hug?" ** awkward silence ** -Gregoire: "... but look at the lights, breathtaking!!!" ** awkward silence ** It's genuinely sad to see this plethora of people putting social media front and center in their lives, rather than living the moment and sharing it with their loved ones. (PS: I made up the names, no reference to an actual person is being made...)

I like to look at things from a different lens’s are most know. For me technology brings people together, I record, my best friends record every moment of our interactions or when they see something cool because I suffered trauma/stress to my brain causing short term memory loss and my brain doesn’t connect feeling to memory. That’s why we take pictures and videos. People aren’t always able to be present for moments like the new years, their in hospital or going through something dark and that person experiencing the video/photo moments thinks of them in that moment. That’s why we take pictures and videos. Someone has social anxiety or has disabilities that prevents them from seeing it for themselves. That’s why we take videos. It’s not sad that we are so consumed with our phones, it’s sad that we get bashed and ashamed, like sending a message with a fat bird was more efficient, better and useful. We miss moments because we‘re too busy judging other people on how they chose to be in the moment and live their life, it’s not technologies fault.

Not only is it Thankful Thursday, it's also my birthday! 🎉 As I celebrate another year of life, I can't help but reflect on the journey so far. Each year brings new experiences, challenges, and lessons, all of which shape who I am today. Check out my blog with some of these lessons. Here's to another year of growth, joy, and resilience! 🥂 Check out my blog post https://wix.to/TuiC8SG #newblogpost

Counting Down to a Milestone Celebration! As February unfolds, we can hardly contain our excitement for the upcoming festivities in March. Why? Because we are turning 21! 🥳🎈 As we gear up for this significant milestone, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to all our stakeholders. Your steadfast support has been the cornerstone of our journey, and without you, reaching this moment wouldn't have been possible. Get ready to join us on this journey down memory lane as we reminisce about two decades of growth, innovation, and success. Together, we've built something truly special, and we can't wait to share the celebrations with each and every one of you! Stay tuned for a month-long celebration in March as we mark 21 years of excellence and progress. #Pacific21stAnniversary #BuildingSuccessTogether #CountdownToMarch21 #PacificCigarreteCompany #growth #Trust #Responsibility #Excellence #ChallengerEthos #CustomerIsKing #growth #digitalmarketing #innovation #dreamchasers #marketing #Anniversary #2024goals

As Ascendion Turns Two this week (10/10), here is a message from our CEO. Although it's been only 2 years in the journey that we have taken towards transformation, it feels like we have been here for 2 decades. #Ascendion #Transformation #Innovation #Technology #PeopleMatters #AscenderAppreciationWeek #AAW

How was your week ? Do you take time to reflect ? I believe that when you take time to reflect, to acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, you increase confidence and motivation , leading to more happiness and productivety. So, as you think of the week gone by;- ➡️What went well ? ➡️What are you celebrating ? ➡️What have you learned ? Share your Reflections and Celebrations You may be an inspiration to someone 🫶🏼

For many of us today is the first working day after the holidays . Over the weekend we wished family and friends a Happy New Year 🎆 Secretly we probably all hope that the New Year will be good to us and will bring us luck. 🍀 But hoping for luck is maybe exactly what is hindering us from living the life we desire. It usually doesn’t happen and is probably the cause why so many people I know don’t like the New Year’s celebrations. 😖 In Germany we have a saying: “We are all the Blacksmith of our own Happiness”. It is not handed over to us by other people or the Universe. The first questions 🙋🏻♀️ I am asking myself over the weekend are: 🔹What has made me really feel content and happy last year? 🔹What was it, which gave me satisfying lasting happy memories (not fleeting short term ones)? 🔹 What can I actively do to build more of it in to my life? Let’s work on becoming the Blacksmith of our own destiny.

Age is just a number, but feeling good is timeless. Adonica Coleman of THE COMO 411 and A2D Events shares how we can embrace each passing year as a testament to resilience and wisdom, nurture ourselves, and find joy in the present moment. https://ow.ly/BxAy50Rfpn6

As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, it's a perfect opportunity to look back on the remarkable transformations that have taken place since the establishment of Cunningham-Limp in 1984. Over the past four decades, our lives have been shaped by technological advancements and changes in social norms, among other things, in ways that we could hardly have imagined. Let's take a journey through time and explore the top 10 ways in which life has changed since 1984. #40Years #BuildingBetterCommunities https://lnkd.in/gbZBB-Mi