The Value of a Dollar

 These are serious times in our economy. We all know that...but do our kids realize how much has changed over the past year? My son is 9 and is very curious about all this economic crisis talk. So, tonight I decided to remind him what the value of a dollar really is. I took him to the grocery store, gave him $20 and asked him to pick out items he knew we needed for the week...milk, cereal, etc. and I would stop him once he has reached his limit. To Kevin, $20 is a lot of money (fortunatly for me) so he was very surprised to find with his $20 he could only buy one gallon of milk, one box of cereral, one package of juices, a box of granola bars, a package of paper towels and a bag of apples. He didn't even get halfway through the list of items he wanted. It's so important to teach our children that we can't always buy what we want, when we want and to be thankful that we can still afford the items we have to have and even more thankful we can afford the items we want. 70,000+ jobs were lost yesterday and more layoffs are expected this week. We have to communicate this with our children without worrying them, but showing them it's time to take the dollar seriously. 

Google Preferred Sites...Kristen Preferred :)

There is nothing like an improved Google search...but they have managed to make that happen. I use Google it seems like 50 times a day. Everytime I think of something and need info, I head straight to google without giving it a second thought. Like an inner instinct. But when I read about the Google Preferred Sites option last week I had to look into it.

So the first thing I did was download the newest Google Browser "Google Chrome" which I have been thinking of doing for the 6 months but just haven't had the time. If you search in google for "google preferred sites" then you will see a listing for the Google Help Page that takes you right to the area to add preferred sites. You must have a Google Account though. Make sure you get that first. It will give you the rest of the instructions from there.

Start adding the sites that you prefer to get your information from. They offer you a list of the most popular first but you can also look through their directory and from there choose from a list or search by the sites you often use.

This is such a neat tool and let's people get to the information they are most familiar with from they sources they trust most. Personalization at its best.

Thanks Google!

Obama in Rural America...What Does This Mean to Online Behavior?

After reading all the "Top Priority" projects for Obama when he begins official duties this month, I was surprised to see that bringing High-Speed Internet and Cell phone service to Rural America up there. We all know there are some major obstacles to tackle ASAP but I'm pleased to see that he has included this in the mix. Believe it or not, there are thousands of small businesses in these rural areas, many not owning one computer much less being able to utilize all the benefits of good 'ole Google. It's a shame. I can tell you right now; after having lived and worked online over the past decade, I would feel lost without it. No Google? I mean, how do people survive!!!!??? So, for anyone who know people in rural American towns that don't have the luxury of anything more than dial-up access and land lines...leave a message on the Answering Machine! Send a telegram! They will soon understand the phenomenon such as YouTube...and Facebook...and Google Maps.

Thanks Mr. Obama for keeping the little (but extremely important) tasks on your list!

Until next time...

What's In Store for '09

When I start this blog by saying '09 is a year of THE 'trend'...I mean that in a big way. So much happened last year to pave the way for big ideas and big to dos in 2009. So I've made a little 'trend' list of my own to give people a sense of ME before I give you all a sense of what I do and love which is Interactive Marketing and PR. So here goes...

This year I want to trend toward :)...

• Revitalizing the environment around me and the people that make my life so enjoyable. We all need a little refresher every once in a while.
• Helping the less fortunate in more ways than one. I want to encourage people to think more about themselves this year but remember to help the ones who want to help themselves.
• Spend a little more time on ME.
• Keep the peace all around me...kind of like an invisible aura...
• Throw away all my flip flops and house shoes...this year is the year the heel comes back into play.
• Focus my engergy on building a network of friends and collegues that are true to themselves as I want to be to myself.
• Give back to the family and friends who made the most influence in my life in 2008 and those of you reading this blog know exactly who you are. I love you guys.

Well, there you have it. Not so much a list of resolutions but a consistent list of wants and needs that I will make sure to incorporate into my life and my family's life this year.

Thanks all for reading and check back soon for my next blog post. This year is the year of the bloggers and the bloggettes so keep following! And remember I'm HOT on the Interactive Trend Watch.