If your family is like most, thoughts of the approaching Christmas season are coupled with mixed emotions.

You might have feelings of anticipation when you picture piles of colorful presents under a brightly decorated tree. When you imagine the delicious aroma of an elaborate feast roasting in the oven. Eagerly await your home to be filled with children’s laughter, family members, and delightful memories.

You might also feel some apprehension. For example, there’s that secret stash of credit card bills - and you’re still not sure how you’ll pay them off in the new year. The exhausting hours you spend shopping, cooking, and cleaning for the big day. Family fights, overtired children, and the hope this will all be over soon.

Budget-friendly Christmas? Stress-free holiday? It seems impossible… unless you cancel Christmas altogether, and tell everyone to stay home this year!

But celebrating a magical Christmas is still possible. In fact, with some planning, your simple, Read the rest of this entry »

For anyone questioning whether social media connections are advantageous, I have a success story! Today begins my newest contract with a San Fransisco start up that I acquired as a result of my social media efforts.

For anyone who has been following my blog you already know that I often post to a new citizen journalism website. I also have several other social media accounts including a Twitter account, a book club account, Facebook and many others. Recently these efforts have been fruitful in helping me obtain a new contract, proof positive that social media efforts help not just businesses, but individuals as well!

Over the course of the past few months I had gotten to know the community guru at allvoices.com, and had Read the rest of this entry »

Many years ago my girls and I participated in the recording of Christmas songs for our family. My girls were young and far more eager to be party to such “traditional craziness” back then, and actually enjoyed the effort, though it took weeks and weeks for us to complete all the songs. We even named ourselves the “Average Family Carolers”, and I created CD covers and realistic looking labels. Below is one of my favorite songs from the first album we created, sung by my youngest who was then only 4 years old. A little older now, she will be turning 15 at the end of this month.

I never seem to get bored listening to these every year, though my kids groan every time I take them out Read the rest of this entry »

It has become very clear that the mood this election year has transcended the frustrated voter into the angry voter, but many are outraged at what they see as an all new low from a North Carolina parking lot owner. The parking lot owner decided that any cars with Barack Obama stickers are no longer welcome to park in his lot.

Although in an interview the parking lot owner states he was just “trying to make light” of the election year, he also made it very clear that Obama supporters are not welcome, and he has no intention of taking down the sign until after the election in November.

This outrageous behavior is just the tip of the iceberg of what has lately become a very polarized election year. Many are attributing the increase in anger among voters by John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin, who have openly been encouraging ideas that are divisive and Read the rest of this entry »

As a middle-aged women, I implore all my follow middle-aged brothers and sisters (okay, friends) to realize just how important it is that we ALL vote this election year.

Growing up I recall hearing how the generation after us would be the “new frontier”, a new century of technological wonder and excitement as everywhere on the news people focused on the children starting kindergarten who would graduate in the year 2000. The generation before us was the “age of exploration” Read the rest of this entry »

The most significant thing about tonight’s debate between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain - McCains vain attempts to try to use Obama’s own words to confuse voters. But more about that later; most significant now is - did this debate make a difference or change a course for the next four weeks before election day? Nope, not at all.

What the candidates did right.

First, McCain controlled his facial expressions better during this debate. He was able to come across more naturally in a format that he is very comfortable with and seems to enjoy. That doesn’t mean it always came across well for McCain, but at least it was a far better showing than the last debate.

As for Obama, it took him the first answer or two to warm up, but once he did he showed a marvelous Read the rest of this entry »