Productivity @ Home

Be a Busy Body

The kids are back in school, we're almost mid-way through January, and it's time to get busy on those resolutions - or even just back on track after the busy holiday season.  If you're looking for the perfect calendar to help you keep it all together, please check out my favorite planner:  the Busy Body Book. 

I'm an iPhone and Google Calendar girl, but I also can't do without my Busy Body Book - I've been using it for the past several years to keep my personal life, my faith life, and my professional responsibilities in order all in one place.  I love the BBB's multiple columns, which help me track my daily food log, my prayer intentions, my "to do" list, the 100+ contributors to CatholicMom.com, my travel schedule and much, much more.

If you're looking for a great planner, please visit www.BusyBodyBook.com and take a look at the varying options.  They also currently have some great specials, as well as free printable home organization pages.  

Send It Over, Steve

Dear Mr. Jobs,

I know you’re likely getting a lot of fan mail today, what with the release of your new iPad and all.  You likely have all kinds of folks falling over themselves to tell you how much they love the new gadget you Apple guys shared with the world today… its sleek curves, its many features, its reasonable (well, for some…) pricing…

Well you can put my letter on the top of the pile.  You probably don’t have many Catholic mom bloggers who would proclaim themselves geeky enough to actually throw their hat into the ring as reviewers.  So I’m offering my services.  Send over that new gadget of yours, and I’ll put it through its paces.  I’ll hand it to my teens and their friends and let them watch YouTube videos via 3G.  I’ll go to unknown places and test out its map features.  I’ll use it to respond to the tons of emails that are currently clogging my inbox.  And I’ll do it all with a smile on my face…

I’ll admit it - I was hoping not to like your new iPad.  I didn’t know what you’d call it until you unveiled it today.  I’d been listening to all of the speculation and reminding myself that I needn’t fall prey to coveting whatever gadget you introduced.  I have my iPhone - shouldn’t that be good enough…

But Steve, you did it again.  You have me coveting my neighbor’s iPad and trying to figure out how I can save up my pennies to splurge on a 64GB 3G version.  So you could help me out by simply sending one over for review - I promise to tell the moms and dads here at Faith & Family how cool it is!!

I’m sure your staff will be getting in touch with me any day to request my mailing address, so until then I’ll be clipping coupons and giving up Starbucks to save for apps and a cool carrying case!

Congrats on your cool new iPad!

Your favorite Catholic Mom fan

Giving Thanks for Tech Tools this Thanksgiving

In the overall scheme of things I’ll be thanking God for this Thanksgiving, technology falls fairly low on the list.  Number one will always be my relationship with Him, closely followed by my abundant gratitude for my incredible family.  Also on the list this year is my successful breast cancer treatment, and thanking God for His hand in the developments related to my book, which will be released in February.  The bounty of things I have to say “Thank you” for is astounding, and tech toys feel a bit frivolous.

But there on Productivity @ Home, I feel compelled to pause and give thanks for some of the many tools that make my life so much more simple and fruitful.  So in the spirit of giving thanks, the following are my top ten tech related thank you notes this year:

10.  My Amazon Kindle – This little six-inch piece of hardware has revolutionized my reading habits this year.  It’s always tucked in my purse and ready to go.  I love the fact that I’ve downloaded dozens of Catholic classics for free or very low prices this year.

9.  Skype – Skype and I got off to a bit of a rough start, but I’ve grown to know and love it this year.  I use it for podcasting, for keeping in touch with friends around the world, and even occasionally for videoconferencing with my boys.

8.  Podcasts – These simple mp3 recorded files from SQPN.com and other content providers have entertained me, inspired me, and educated me – and all for free!

7.  YouTube – I love learning, so naturally I love YouTube.  It’s helped me out of many a pickle this year, including one “emergency” situation where we needed to learn to tie a double Windsor knot immediately.  I’ve even become a video producer myself and am now creating a series of children’s videos related to the Sunday Gospel readings.  Again, all for free!

6.  My Solar Panels – This year, after so many years of paying exorbitant electricity bills, we were able to save up enough money to purchase a small solar system for our home.  We have not been able to completely replace all of our electricity usage, but we’re making a dent!  It also just feels like the right thing to be doing…

5.  My MacBook Pro – I was able to upgrade my computer this year and have fallen in love with my new MacBook Pro.  I’m also eternally grateful to the geniuses at the Apple Store who have trained me on how to best use this amazing tool.

4.  Twitter – In 140 characters or less, I’ve vented, communicated, learned, laughed and prayed with thousands of friends around the world. 

3.  Facebook – My favorite social networking site helped me to write a book this year!  Honestly, without my Facebook friends, I would have had a very difficult time coming up with many of the rich examples that will be shared in my upcoming book.  Additionally, I love Facebook for keeping in touch with my “real world” friends who are scattered across the country.

2.  My DVR – I’m not a big television watcher, but I do love being able to watch the few shows I enjoy exactly when I want to view them, and without commercials!

1.  My iPhone – It’s so much more than just a telephone!  My iPhone is basically a computer, an entertainment system, a camera, a prayer tool, and more.  And oh yes, it makes phone calls too!

What tech tools and gadgets make your world simpler and more enjoyable?  Are there any on your “wish list” this year?

Saturday Stuff - Links Lisa Likes

On Saturday, we share a roundup of links from around the blogs during the past week - stuff we enjoyed and thought you would too!  Have a link to share?  Drop a note in the comments below with your favorite post of the week.

Lisa Likes:

How Lifehacker Readers Find Value at Fancy Restaurants
5 Tips for (Almost) Free Travel
Use the Bubble Test to Get Your Grill Ready for Fall
Get Less Done: Stop Being Productive and Enjoy Yourself
Start Your Christmas Planning in August

Humorous Speakers Bureau

Amid depressed economics, the Humorous Speakers Bureau is experiencing a call to the comedy front.  People still need and want to laugh.  The Humorous Speakers Bureau was founded by Catholic mom, Sally Edwards, who is a clean humorist and comedian who brings her fun, interactive, one-woman performance “Family Laughter!” to churches across the country.

Sally Edwards started The Humorous Speakers Bureau (HumorBureau.com) to fill a need for good clean fun.  The online booking site provides names, videos and biographies of the professional humorists and comedians who offer intelligent and relatable clean humor.  In addition, Sally Edwards offers consultation and contract writing services to secure the ideal comedian or humorist for your party, meeting or event.

“Clean comedy is being greeted with open arms,” says Edwards.  “The comedy audience is tiring of the constant use of four-letter words on the comedy cable channels.  People are seeking a higher form of humor dependent upon clever thinking, wit and insight.”  Chase Bank, UPS and the Business Aviation Association are just a few of the businesses who welcomed laughter at their holiday parties.

Clean comedy is welcome in the corporate workplace where senior advisers and human resource directors are seeking a way to elevate the mood of employees who have witnessed layoffs.  The Humorous Speakers Bureau provides stress relief through laughter. It is the ideal solution to bringing clean, customized and non-offensive humor to your place of business in order to raise the company spirit.  And best of all, it’s “mom friendly.” Now that’s a positive change!

For more information see http://HumorBureau.com.  To visit with Sally Edwards, visit her site at http://SallyEdwards.org. Thank you to Sally Edwards for submitting this article!

St. Patrick's Day Meal Planning

To help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style, download these great recipe cards containing the following fun family recipes:

Luck of the Irish Potato Stew
Boxty - Irish Potato Griddle Cakes
Leprechaun Candy
Fun St. Patrick’s Day Non-Alcoholic Drink Ideas

Have a safe and fun St. Patrick’s day making these recipes in the kitchen with your family!

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine.

With your membership to Dine Without Whine, every Thursday You Receive In Your Personal E-Mail Box A Complete Weekly Menu That Covers The Following Week (Monday-Sunday). Included Is: A Personal Note From Christine Main Dish Recipes For Dinner Every Night Of The Week Suggestions For Side Dishes Brunch Ideas For Saturday And Sunday A Couple Dessert Recipes To Be Used Anytime During the Week In addition Christine will include a grocery list (categorized by aisle) for the week that includes all the necessary ingredients to prepare the recipes highlighted in the newsletter! All you have to do is cross off any items you may already have on hand - add breakfast, snack or lunch items you may need and you're ready to shop! Recipes will be fairly simple and family friendly - meaning hopefully your children (or picky husband) will enjoy them as well; and they will include ingredients that you have actually heard of. (You won't have to search all over town for that special ingredient!) Dine Without Whine - A Weekly Menu Plan & Grocery List Delivered To Your E-mail Box

Kindle 2 iPhone App - Can it Replace the Real Thing?

Amazon recently announced the availability of the new Kindle 2 App for the ubiquitous iPhone.  As an iPhone owner and someone who's been coveting the Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation) since its release, I hustled over to the iTunes app store to download the free application.

I've had Stanza on my iPhone for a few months and have been slowly working my way through my free download of Emma.   The truth is, I don't have a lot of time these days to curl up with fiction, so I've wondered how much I would truly use the Kindle 2.  I'm attracted by the thought of discontinuing my periodical subscriptions and going paperless via the Kindle.   As of now, the Kindle iPhone app will not allow access to periodicals.

Having downloaded the app, I've used it to get a few sample chapters of books that have caught my eye.  At this point, however, I likely wouldn't actually purchase a full Kindle book and read it on my iPhone.  For the brief amount of time I spend reading on the iPhone, I will likely stick with sample chapters or free downloads of classics via Stanza.

It's not surprising that a free app won't replace a $359 tech toy.  For a complete and extremely thorough look at this new iPhone app compliment to the Kindle 2, check out this awesome article by CNET's Nicole Lee, who owns the real thing! 

Lisa Likes: Vaseline Intensive Rescue Clinical Therapy Skin Protectant Body Lotion

Another entry in an occasional series on things Lisa Likes.

I was recently able to review samples of Vaseline's new Intensive Rescue Clinical Therapy Skin Protectant Body Lotion in conjunction with a wonderful promotion they are running.  I found the samples I tried to be great on my winter-worn dry skin.  As someone who's particularly sensitive to heavy fragrances in products, I found the "lightly fragranced" version to be very acceptable and the unfragranced version to be perfect for me.  Both versions are non-greasy, hypoallergenic and do a great job in moisturizing even the dryest of skin.

I wanted to share the following promotional information from this campaign with you - be sure to read the entire article below to learn about your chance to win a trip for four to Alaska.  If you win, I'm available to come along!  Check out the details at www.prescribethenation.com

      SMALL TOWN ALASKA HELPS HEAL NATION OF ITS DRY SKIN

      Residents of Kodiak Star in National Campaign for Iconic Skin Care Brand Vaseline® and its New Prescription-Strength Product

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ (October 17, 2009) -- Can one person living in a small town in Alaska help people across the nation find relief for their dry skin?  The Vaseline brand thinks so and turned to Petal Ruch, mother of four, vocal instructor and resident of Kodiak, Alaska (population:  6,000) to start a word-of-mouth campaign for new Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion, the most efficacious lotion in the Vaseline product line.  Vaseline Clinical Therapy is a prescription strength moisturizer available without a prescription, so people can “prescribe” it to themselves and others. 

The Vaseline brand is so confident in the effectiveness of new Clinical Therapy Lotion, clinically proven to be 60% more moisturizing than a prescription lotion, it went to one of the harshest skin environments in the world and gave the lotion to one person to try.  If she liked it, she could then freely “prescribe” it to anyone else she thought needed it.  Nearly 1,000 members of the community were prescribed in the first two weeks including a family of 39 first cousins, a Russian music group, a knife maker, a police detective, and more.  Many of these people’s stories are featured in television and print spots and online at prescribethenation.com, a site that encourages the rest of the country to prescribe the lotion to themselves and others with dry skin.  

Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion sought to put the spotlight on Alaska well before the state became top-of-mind.  That is because Alaska is iconic for extreme weather conditions including blistering cold weather and high wind chills.  Kodiak residents face daily fluctuations in temperature and their skin is in a constant battle to hold on to moisture and can become bone dry.  
 

“The concept behind the campaign was to let the product’s efficacy speak for itself.  We wanted to see what would happen if we gave one person the new lotion to try and invited her to prescribe it to anyone else she thought would benefit from it,” says Fernando Machado, Global Brand Director, Vaseline.  “Our belief was if people who live in extreme weather conditions could find relief for their dry skin, then who better to inspire the rest of the country to prescribe new Vaseline Clinical Therapy lotion to themselves and others.” 

For months, in reality TV style, small towns across Alaska were scouted and casting calls conducted with their residents in an effort to uncover their personal skin stories and find the best person and town to be featured in the national campaign. Kodiak was selected as the final town due to the stories shared, its beautiful scenery, and its tight-knit community, making it ideal for a word-of-mouth campaign.

Petal Ruch, a nine-year resident of Kodiak, was selected to try the product and begin the prescription chain. Petal was selected because she has extremely dry skin, is very active in the community and exemplifies the values of living in a small community.  After Petal tried and liked Clinical Therapy on her own dry skin, she “prescribed” it to her friends and family, ultimately reaching nearly 1,000 people in the town.  

“I was very pleased to discover that the new Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion worked so well on my dry skin and even on my two sons,” says Petal.  “I was utterly shocked and amazed when I learned that just from my initial prescriptions, I had passed the lotion on to literally hundreds of people in the town,” says Petal.  “We are such a tight-knit community and it reinforced to me that in one way or another we are all connected.”

The Vaseline production team learned about the residents of Kodiak by spending 19 days in town and capturing nearly 200 hours of footage.  The crew shot documentary style spending days with the residents to get a real look at their lives as told through their skin.  The footage of townspeople trying the product, prescribing it to others and sharing their skin stories is featured in the television and print campaign and online.    The advertising spots were produced by Bartle Bogle Hegarty New York in partnership with Radical Media.  Derek Cianfrance directed the shoot and Elinor Carucci was the photographer who shot the print campaign.

To learn more about the residents of Kodiak and how you can keep the prescription chain spreading throughout the country, log on to prescribethenation.com.  At the site, you will be able to view more than 100 videos of Kodiak residents and track the spread of the lotion across the nation via an interactive map which will be on the site in the coming month.

Vaseline Clinical Therapy prescription-strength lotion is available over the counter at supermarkets, drugstores and mass merchandisers nationwide.  The Vaseline brand introduced Clinical Therapy because it knows that skin is amazing.  Healthy skin naturally repairs itself but when skin is not healthy it can’t perform optimally.  About 45% of people are concerned about or actively tackling chronic dry skin with symptoms including redness, tightness, cracks, scales, flakes and soreness, skin’s way of signaling proper functioning has broken down.  New Clinical Therapy Lotion helps make skin amazing again by providing instant relief, long lasting protection and sustained recovery to dry skin. 

Lisa Likes - Starbucks Vivanno

On Fridays, I share my thoughts on Health and Fitness. 

I've decided to start a new series of posts entitled "Lisa Likes" - just simple little things I run across in my day to day life that bring me satisfaction.  There's great joy in sharing stuff like that with friends, right?  "Lisa Likes" is an homage to my good friend and blogging buddy Rachel Balducci and her precious "Rachel Raves". 

Today, I want to share with you about a beverage I tried this week at Starbucks - the Orange Mango Banana Vivanno Nourishing Blend.  Whew, even for Starbucks, that's a mouthful.

Normally, when it comes to Starbucks, I am boring and utilitarian, and cheap.  I am a "Venti Decaf" girl, rarely straying from the norm because I'm too cheap to spend a lot of money on coffee and too concerned with my calorie intake to waste calories on a drink.

But this week, I walked on the wild side and ordered one of the new Vivanno blend drinks.  I was prompted by the near 100 degree temps outside and a slight midafternoon hunger pang to try this concoction, and I ended up loving it.  I will say that this is a pricier choice than my normal coffee, but at $3.50 was less expensive than my coffee and a pastry would have been, while also being more filling and healthier.

The drink is basically a smoothie, filled with good for you stuff like whey protein and fiber.  You'll find the nutritional info here and for those who count Weight Watchers points, I point this out at a four (unscientifically, I disclaim!).   I typically don't like these types of drinks (for example, I dislike Jamba Juice which to me tastes like grass).  But this drink was different - light and tasty, yet quite filling.

If you find yourself in Starbucks looking for a mid afternoon snack that is a healthier alternative to a pumpkin scone, check out one of these Vivanno blends and let me know what you think.  Of the options, the Orange Mango Banana has the fewest calories.

Do you have a favorite mid afternoon "pick me up" that's halfway healthy?  I'd love to hear about it!

On the Bookshelf:
How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else