Kindle Compromise: A new relationship that comes with its own pros and cons

I was thrilled to receive a Kindle for Christmas and I have been proudly showing it to everyone I know. Beside being just excited about my new gadget, I have been using it a ton. However, I’m finding that my relationship with my new e-reader has been more nuanced than I imagined. I probably shouldn’t be so surprised…after all I have cultivated a 30 year relationship with the paper book. Surely it is fair to have a few nostalgic hang-ups.

So after 6 weeks of use…here is my Pro/Con list. To be fair the Cons are NOT really a drawback of the Kindle per se…just e-readers in general.

(Pros) Things I love about my Kindle:

· As a commuter I love that it is light and thin.

· I love being able to easily carry multiple books with me at once. Also, since I am trying hard to drastically pair down my belongings at home, I appreciate not feeling guilty about acquiring more books that I will someday probably soon have to agonize about getting rid of…it has already been like Sophie’s Choice.

· I love that the newly-released books that I am buying are cheaper than the paper versions (for now)

· I love that it has a built in dictionary. My vocabulary (and joke) memory are about 3 seconds long, so it is nice to easily be able to look up the same word multiple times

· I love that you can electronically underline sections and store them together…all in one place

· I love the screen and how clean, crisp, and easy it is to read it is.

· It is easy to read in bed or laying down and doesn’t require the awkward flipping back and forth that traditional books do.

· Of course, it is amazing to instantaneously have the book that you want!

(Cons) E-Reader Challenges:

· I hate that I can’t lend books to anyone, not even to someone with a Kindle. My husband and business partner have both had to purchase books that I have recommended because I can’t lend my copy to them.

· My battery had died on the train, trapping all the 4 interesting books that I wanted to read inside.

· Which brings me to the fact that you have to remember to charge it.

· Not all books are available via the Kindle, which is ok, but it makes me less inclined to buy it. It is tough to navigate two systems of books and I was ready to take the full digital plunge.

· After a long day of computer work and an acute case of electronic fatigue I am often hesitant to pick up my Kindle and I instead long for good old paper. Although once I do start reading, I am always fine on account of the lovely screen and eye-pleasing screen that I mentioned above.

· The back of the Kindle is cold on bare legs! Bad for reading in bed, the beach/pool, and in the summer time.

· Despite the “progress bar” on the bottom of the screen you just don’t have the same level of satisfaction and accomplishment as you do when you are steadily seeing more pages stack up on the left side.

· If the book is pretty, you don’t get to enjoy the cover.

· I have my first book club meeting next week and my fear is that it will be hard to coordinate with everyone else, since I can’t match up page numbers.

· Speaking of book club…it is really hard to skim a book on a Kindle!!

While I’m certain that the benefits outweigh the costs in this situation and that e-readers will be the future, I neglected to realize that my breakup from traditional paper books may be painful and that it may take a little longer to negotiate my new digital reader relationship. And in the meantime I, of course, have to keep myself from reminiscing about paper books through rose-colored glasses. Each relationship comes with its own baggage, pros & cons, advantages and drawbacks!

posted by Adelaide Lancaster

A Simple List of Beautiful Gift Ideas for the Home Office

SusyJack* 2010 Desk Calendar




















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byrd & belle ipod and iphone case




















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a new twist on an old classic - Ice Cube Picture Frame








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CardStock - a year's worth of occasion cards

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turkish hammam towels - can be used as a throw or wrap

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Moleskine Color a Month Planner

Twitter was a well-needed kick in the pants to improve my grammar

Business communication is tricky.

My attention to detail and penchant for “resource gathering” is liable to turn any power point slide into a 30 page document. And, for me, email is a catch22 nightmare.

I do prefer email as I am really not a “phone person”. Yet, as someone who is not instinctively attuned to grammar and spelling (no shock to any of our blog readers) AND who has a direct tone, each email is fraught with opportunity for error and misunderstanding.

I have long relied on spell check and a two-prong email writing technique I developed a couple years ago where I write the content of the email, and then I go back and add in the conversation (ex. I hope you are well; it was great to see you) to keep me out of trouble.

As an avid reader and book lover however, I have great respect for skilled writers and clever, well-articulated communication.

I have always felt insecure and uncomfortable about my lack of grammatical and spelling prowess but it has really taken Twitter to motivate me to do something about it. (It took me a while to get on Twitter in the first place, but I'm here!)

Now I find this somewhat ironic since most tweets use “twitter shorthand” and may be incomprehensible to someone who is not yet familiar with the symbols and formulas used.

However, at the Global Innovation Conference in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, Peter Shankman said that the average attention span is 2.9 seconds (or about the amount of time that it takes to read a tweet). This, he said, coupled with the amount of mobile communication we engage in, really underscores the importance of being a good writer.

He is right, of course. And for the first time it really sunk in for me. I don’t email blog posts directly to the blog from my Blackberry because I’m sure there are too many errors. I do need to check over tweets a couple times before I send them out.

And while I probably wouldn’t hold small errors against another writer (in truth I probably wouldn’t even recognize them), there are too many smart people out there that would and do hold these faux pas against me.

So, recognizing that I am charged with representing my brand AND that I don’t want to be limited in using mobile applications and communication, I have turned a new leaf and have begun a concerted effort to improve my grammar (those damn commas) and spelling (those damn vowels).

Any suggestions of resources you may have would be greatly appreciated!

So far I am listening to Grammar Girl podcasts and reading Eats, Shoots, & Leaves. For those in my boat, both resources are highly recommended!

99% is a 100% Relevant and Needed Rx for Entrepreneurs!

Last night I went to a really cool workshop offered by Behance’s 99% initiative.

Behance, whose mission it is to organize the creative world, has developed tons of tools to help creatives get organized and get things done. One of their more recent initiatives is 99%, which is based on the premise that ideas are only 1% of the equation and that the real work is the other 99%. (adapted from Thomas Edison's famous expression that genius is 1% inpiration and 99% perspiration)

Currently 99% lives in the form of a website and a conference and the principles will also be echoed in a forthcoming book.

As an entrepreneur, I am a BIG FAN of the 99% insight and an admirer of the work that Scott Belsky and Jocelyn Glei have done to gather and organize some of the best practices related to, as they call it, Making Ideas Happen.

While they already enjoy quite a following in the creative and design world, the message and content is 100% relevant to entrepreneurs.

Which makes a lot of sense, right? There is so much overlap between the creative & entrepreneurial worlds.

* Our process is often similar –formulating, translating, executing, and evolving ideas

* Our mission is often common – make change in the minds of consumers, create a new experience, solve an existing problem, fundamentally alter the marketplace

* So naturally, many of our idols and icons are the same: Steve Jobs, the folks at Threadless, Chris Anderson of Wired, Google, & Behance, of course!

In addition to enlisting other smart people and writers to comment on the 99% principle, Scott and Jocelyn have interviewed tons of these smart and successful creative minds about how they consistently Make Ideas Happen and have synthesized their findings into some universal ‘getting stuff done’ best practices.

Two things I really love are best practices (admitted junkie) and learning about REAL suggestions/experiences from GREAT examples. So, naturally, I lapped it right up.

But I also was intrigued and encouraged by how much the content and takeaways hit on the two of the primary pain points that we often talk about at IGC and with IGC members, which are needing help with *sifting* and bolding.

*sifting* is about better filtering all the incoming information and stimuli you are subject to in order to connect with what is relevant and informative. Otherwise it is so easy to get overwhelmed.

bolding is about highlighting the 3 critical areas of focus out of all the priorities and projects you have so you can actually make progress. Otherwise it is often hard to know ‘where to start’ or ‘what is most important’ or perhaps more essentially ‘what matters most’.

Anyway, I am very excited about 99% as a valuable ‘venture-saving’ resource for In Good Company Members and entrepreneurs everywhere.

Thanks, Jocelyn & Scott!

(ps, photo above features Behance's idea paint which transforms an entire wall into a white board - we are totally getting this at IGC!)

My, what a gorgeous binder you have! Homage to beautiful and functional products for home offices and mobile workers

Many of us at In Good Company are captured by the back to school feeling of the fall. And for us this season is a time when we unofficially celebrate office products. Being a pen/paper/stationary aficionado myself, I polled a few IGC members on their favorite products for home offices and mobile workers.
Here are their beautiful and functional suggestions:

Erica Ecker of The Spacialist recommends:

The Rhodia Staple Bound Graph Pad as a great "fleeting-thought catcher". Small, easy to carry and made with perforated sheets – perfect when you are on the go.

&

Chalk Board Wall Decals (– genius!). They are easy to install and uninstall. Use them for a project, as a message board, or make them part of your home office décor.

Annie Lansing of Ann Lansing Design suggests the Dozi Paper Clip Holder from the MOMA store. A cute porcupine to keep you company when working from home.

Emily Wolper of E. Wolper, Inc. suggests the gorgeous leather Il Bisonte “A1” clutch, which only gets better with age (she has had hers since college!). The perfect size to carry little things you may need to take from meeting to meeting – pens, pencils, small stapler, highlighter, tape - you name it!
A helpful way to take your “office” on the road.

Jessica Silverstein of Attorney’s Counsel suggests See Jane Work for one-stop Binder shopping. A plethora of binders (some pictured above) and binder accoutrements makes it easy to both stay organized and brighten the office. (who knew you could apply your own label pockets to any binder you choose!)

(PS – A SPECIAL FALL SALE at See Jane Work allows you to get 25% off thru Sept 23rd – enter SEPTSALE at checkout!). Visit

What are your favorite products?

A Calm Force in the Social Media Storm

(photo courtesy of Lisa Slifko)

I have really taken a liking to Alexandra Samuel’s blog posts on social media.

Perhaps that is just because I have been secretly dying for someone with some authority (Alexandra is of course a social media expert and founder of Social Signal) to tell me “Don't Keep Up With Social Technology”!

But in all fairness to myself, I am very interested in social media, I just get overwhelmed by all that is new and the growing number of open channels. So more than permission not to get involved, I appreciate and respond to Alexandra’s understanding and reason.

An excerpt from Alexandra’s post:

“This year it's Twitter. Last year it was Facebook. The year before it was Second Life. Zoom down from the technologies making headlines and you'll find a much longer list of must-join networks and must-have tools…There is no hope…You can't keep up…And that's great news.

Keeping up is about following someone else's agenda: the bloggers and tweeters who trot out invitations to the latest beta. The marketers, publicists and journalists who blanket us with coverage about the latest hot tech phenomenon. And yes, the tech consultants who charge tens or hundreds of thousands to add new musts to your already long to-do list.

The minute you stop trying to keep up, you open a far more exciting possibility: getting ahead with what matters to you, your team and your business.”

Yes, thank you. A call to focus on what is important to me and permission not to worry about ‘keeping up’.

In another post, Alexandra discusses Three Instantly Effective Social Media Ideas.

What I liked about these suggestions was the format in which they were presented. Each idea is described (i.e. a suggestion box), punctuated by examples of actual companies who use the technology, and then given the following breakdown of advice: How to do it; Where to spend; Where to save; Where to get help.

It is clear to me that Alexandra is operating from a place of tremendous knowledge but is quite capable of speaking succinctly to novices like myself. The advice anticipates a small business owner's fears and concerns and quickly focuses on what you really need to know.

It is always a welcome pleasure for me to find a good, steady, reason voice amidst the social media storm. I have learned about wonderful resources and tips (like how to properly use Facebook friend lists) from Marci Alboher and received terrific advice from folks such as Katie Hellmuth (who advised to pick one or two times a year to mess around in the social media world and try something new, and otherwise do the best you can and not let it distract you from your bottom-line business activities).

Should you be interesting in keeping up with or boning up on the latest it social media tool – Twitter – a fantastic and equally reasoned and practical resource is the newly released Twitter Book, written by Tim O’Reilly and Sarah Milstein, who so graciously donated a copy to the In Good Company Resource Library.

Engaging Explanations for Complex Concepts all in 3 minutes or less

We recently learned, via Newsweek, of a really cool site that creates instructional videos that explain complex concepts “in plain English”. Better yet, the videos are interestingly illustrated and are all less than 3 minutes. Common Craft launched with a library of videos on technology and has expanded into some other areas such as finance.

Now there is a place to go to get clear and engaging explanations on Twitter, Blogs, Computer Hardware, Computer Software, Investing Money, Saving Money, and on and on.

The three minutes I spent watching “Electing a president” (pictured above) far surpassed many accumulated civics lessons in the Electoral College, and I even learned something new! (While I knew that the number of votes each state gets is proportional to the population of that state, I didn’t know that the exact number equals the state’s number of congressional districts plus 2 - for the 2 senators. Oh, just watch the video...)

We’re routing for Common Craft and hope that they continue to expand their repertoire. Their perspective is so refreshing and we are sure it can be applied almost anywhere - perhaps they can simplify some really thorny issues such as ‘Becoming My Mother’ or ‘Mid-Life Crisis’ or ‘He’s Not That In To You’. (Note: They can also make custom videos.)

Aside from selling really interesting stories, Common Craft (run by husband and wife team Sachi and Lee LeFever) has an interesting story itself. Read it and be prepared to fall in love.

Business Card Art: Making All Sorts of Statements

Business cards (and websites) are something that we receive a lot of questions about from the IGC membership. Some folks believe their business card is a central piece of their business identity, while others are happy with a functional placeholder.

Regardless, social networking, websites, and Google have all collectively challenged the traditional role of the business card and its centrality in helping you stay known, remembered, and contact-able.

Much of this discussion is reflected in a blog post by our friend Marci Alboher on her new blog at Yahoo! Shine, who queried about whether a business card was necessary at all.

So, given that it is a hot topic, we wanted to share the following resources if you are wondering about your business card, how you use it, and what it says about you!

SIMPLE:
Marci’s post introduced us to MOO which offers a really fresh and intuitive approach to business cards! I recently ordered some, not for IGC, but for a side project that needed an easy way to share information and the MOO minicard did the trick. All their products are beautiful, colorful, simple and easy to make…a cleaner look than our typical go-to VistaPrint.

STANDOUT:
On the other side of the spectrum, Marci found some amazingly unique and completely unforgettable examples of business cards. & InventorSpot.com recently featured some as well.

EDITED & RE-PURPOSED:
With many people’s employment status and career trajectories changing so rapidly, however, it seems that some folks are using their old business cards to make a statement about their transition.

Cards of Change is chronicling people’s positive changes through their “edited” business cards. Pretty cool idea, huh?

So in addition to thinking about what you want a business card to say about you, I think it is also important to be honest about what you do with the card that are given to you!

* Do you keep them? Scan them? Toss them?

* When you want to find the contact information of someone you have met before does the business card even play a role?

* Does that make you think differently about the expense or importance of your own cards?

Search Plus, Plus, Plus: New Search Engine Combines Several Successful Features into One Offering

So, of course, "Google" has become to web search what "Kleenex" is to tissue. However, that certainly doesn't stop Microsoft and Yahoo from vying for market share and other start-ups from challenging the search status quo.

We recently learned of new search engine that offers a bit of an interesting twist by working to incorporate feedback from users into the search results. Scour.com compiles top search results from google, yahoo, and MSN (you can also sort your results by search engine should you choose), but also allows you “vote up” or “vote down” results based on their relevance, thus letting you, the user, ultimately have an impact on the search algorithm. (Google lets you “promote” results as well.)

If you want to go one step beyond “voting” you can also leave comments on sites or search results for others to see. Other advanced Scour features include a reward program where you accrue points for each search you make that can be cashed in for Visa gift cards, and a social networking component that lets you connect with other users.

* So, what do you think of all the bells and whistles that Scour has to offer?

* Which (voting, commenting, connecting, rewarding) are important to you?

* Could you reprogram yourself to use something other than google?

* What if you could get a $50 Visa gift card for doing nothing more than using a different search site?

By Any Means Necessary: Extreme Goal Setting

Accountability and motivation are two things that many entrepreneurs struggle to maintain.

In the past we have seen a few offerings that are aimed at helping people to work towards a certain goal. Often the services are essentially "virtual tracking systems" or "reminder systems" that include goal setting, virtual reminders, groups of supporters, and financial incentives.

More recently however, we learned about StickK which seems to not only combines many of the features of other systems but also allows you to choose "the stakes" (either financial or reputation incentives).

StickK was built by Yale University economists who tested the effectiveness of Commitment Contracts through extensive field research, which demonstrated that people who put stakes - either their money or their reputation - on the table are far more likely to actually achieve a goal they set for themselves.

(Hummm, putting reputation and money on the line in order to achieve success....sounds like entreprenuership, right?)

Another interesting feature is that if you DO put money on the line, you can choose who gets it if you fail. It could be a person (friend or foe), a charity or even an anti-charity, if you find that to be more motivating.

What's an anti-charity? Good question! According to StickK, an anti-charity is any organization that you strongly oppose (they offer NARAL, NRA, Bush Library, Clinton Library, Freedom to Marry). You choose the specific charity that you theoretically REALLY don't want to support.

Yet another interesting feature is that if you do choose the (real) "charity" option, StickK wont tell you which one gets your money should you fail to meet your goal because they don't want you to feel better about having done so.

Seems like they have us all figured out!

WHAT STAKES WOULD BE MOST MOTIVATING FOR YOU?

Help An Entrepreneur Out?

Many of us are familiar with the fantastic PR lead email service, Help A Reporter Out, distributed by PR genius Peter Shankman. Help a Reporter Out (HARO) distributes about 100 free reporter requests per day!

Interestingly, we recently heard about HAEO, or Help An Entrepreneur Out, which distributes entrepreneurship Q&A as well as information on events and workshops hosted by entrepreneurs. It is free to receive the email and it is free to post your events, but most of the events have a registration or attendance fee. HAEO is an admitted copy of the HARO model and the emails look just about identical (though there is no single company sponsorship, instead it seems like there may be an opportunity to pay for your event/notice to appear in the first section labeled “featured”). The two men are very open about the similarity to HARO and talk about their initiative vis-à-vis HARO here.

We felt inclined to share this resource as many of you are always asking for great places to post your events and announcements, but we also wanted to garner some of your thoughts on this take-off.

* Do you think it is a good idea? Bad idea?

* In poor taste? Or totally fair game?

* Does the close modeling after HARO impact your thoughts about subscribing to HAEO?

Password Mania

"Your password must be 16 characters, include 1 letter, 1 symbol, and 3 characters, and mustn’t spell an actual word or have any resemblance to anything recognizable to you or others!"

Does trying to remember your various passwords to sites drive you crazy? Are you constantly requesting to change your password or user name, like us?

Welcome Clipperz! Clipperz is a fantastic resource that helps you to manage your digital life but storing all your passwords in one place online. You can even set it up so that Clipperz will automatically log in to sites for you. Store as many as you want and pay NOTHING! It is a free service. Of course, you do have to remember your Clipperz password in order to access the rest, but remembering one is not so bad!

Reply For All & Put Those Emails to Good Use!!

Feels like you send a lot of emails, right? Did you ever think, “I wish all these emails could actually be used for good”? No? Well someone did!

Reply for All makes it really easy to do some good and generate some money for your favorite cause by including a cause related signature in your gmail, aol, or hotmail email accounts.



Here is how it works: you select your cause from 8 possible choices (including things such as ‘find a cure for cancer’ to ‘defend animal rights’ to ‘stop global warming’), select whether or not you want a rotating fact adjoining the cause symbol and enter your email. Larger companies pay to attach their logo to various causes and those fees are donated to the cause you have selected. It is that simple. Your emails will then include a “signature” that looks like this at the bottom and you get to just email as you normally would.

What is REALLY cool is that you can see the accumulated impact of your generous email traffic in your account. For example, it may say: You have helped 11.5 persons from the effects of poverty. AND you can change your cause as often as you want; your own flavor of the month club! Reply For All also tracks and reports the collective impact of Reply For All users, so you can feel in good company in your actions, and ponder just how many gazillions of emails it took to create that amount of impact!!

See Erin Rock - BabyCakes CookBook Commercial!

Erin McKenna rocks. And now you can watch her rock. Seriously, you can.



As you may remember, we hosted Erin, of BabyCakes NYC, for one of our In Good Company Conversations back in October.

During our conversation she talked about her upcoming eponymously named BabyCakes Cookbook, which hits stores on May 5th.

In anticipation, Erin created just about the most rockin' cookbook commercial you could ever imagine! Check it out.



This girl is cooking and making moves. Entrepreneurs take note - this is a small business owner to continue watching!





posted by Adelaide

GETTING MORE FROM WHAT (TIME AND RESOURCES) YOU ALREADY HAVE

Let’s say I am your average entrepreneur and I spend much of my time doing things that don’t add unique value to my business. These things are administrative and operational, and they take time away from the more strategic efforts I could be (should be) working on. So let’s say that I recognize this problem, and decide to off-load some of the task that I am unnecessarily doing. Good step, good progress.

However, the challenge is that I do things in my way, and my way is NOT efficient - it is just what I am used to. And now, I have the headache of trying to train someone else in the methods of my madness and that someone is remote no less. So, the incredibly productive breakthrough in thinking (hiring an assistant) has now been spoiled by the stress training someone in your own insanity AND trying to find new ways to share information – date sharing, filing, storing, etc…

Productivity and efficiency aren’t things that occur naturally. But like many bootstrapping entrepreneurs, getting the most of what you already have is a key success strategy. I am someone who often looks for ways to trim time and increase output (especially now in this economic climate). However, I also am guilty of going with what I know rather than investing the time that it takes to change a process or system…especially when that process seems to be more trouble than it is worth.

But this will be NO MORE, thanks to Secretary in Israel !!

Ever since I got a call from Sarah Leah Gootnick in spring of 2008, I have been a big fan of her business. I love the social mission (creating well paying jobs for educated American women who are living in Israel and faced with a poor job market) and the innovative business model (connecting this talent with needy, time- and money-starved American entrepreneurs; the matchmaking element – which makes it easier to find the right person and get started; the low and flexible minimum usage – 5 hours a week; AND the productivity training that accompanies the service).

I don’t have a need for a remote assistant at this point (due primarily to our wonderful office manager Donna who keeps everything together and moving smoothly!!), so it is this last element – productivity training – which has been particularly interesting to me.

So, when Sarah Leah let me know that she also offers productivity training (which she will do for just you or for you and your in-person assistant), I jumped at the opportunity. She told me that there were probably tons of easy things that I could do that would save me lots of time each week, and that I might prevent grey hair if I learned these tings now! And, she was right, well, at least about the saving time part (grey hair delay is still TBD). In my hour with her, we focused on several things that I think take up a lot of time. Many of these new tricks are internal things, but one that you all will see right away is the new event RSVP system.

Here are some of the things that I liked best about Sarah Leah’s approach:

* One size doesn’t fit all! Sarah Leah wasn’t trying to peddle one right system, or the system that happens to work for her. She made several suggestions about each topic we discussed and listen carefully to my preferences.
* Focused on delivering immediate value. Sarah Leah asked me where I feel that I waste the most time and focused her energies there. I wasn’t learning about things that I would barely use.
* Budget conscious. Sarah Leah suggested services and products that were all free or very low cost
* Simple and straight forward. Sarah Leah’s suggestions and recommendations were all things that were easy to implement and maintain!! Who wants a system that makes things more complicated?

I began implementing my new system immediately and I am so grateful for the time saved. Now, time to focus on those things that are really important…

HELP WITH A SMILE - INDEED!

We are always asked for technology resources and referrals whether it is for help with software, hardware, troubleshooting, or consultative advice. I have always been very frustrated that I haven't had a great resource to recommend, especially when people feel that they need help with a minor issue. Until now.

I have finally found a GREAT tech resource for small business owners, or I guess I should say they have found us. Help With A Smile is designed specifically to service the technology needs of small business owners. Pledging that no problem or question is too small, Help With A Smile offers on-demand support either remotely or on site. Michael Spodaro, founder of Help With A Smile, and his team are not only skilled at fixing things that are broken, but also advising business owners on what software/hardware to use and how to use it most effectively. Above all they have reasonable rates and no monthly minimum.

For those of you aspire to be proactive with your technology needs, please note that Help With A Smile offers a Complimentary Consultation/ IT Evaluation.

And for those of us who are more content being reactive, be sure to bookmark Help With A Smile, so you have them when you need them!

STORE ADORE, WE ADORE YOU!

Store Adore is the answer to all shoppers' prayers. In the past, finding a new favorite boutique only came about from luck or lots of sleuthing. No longer! Part directory, part zagats, part daily candy, part facebook,...and exactly what you need!

Whether you're in boutique-overwhelmed New York, or an unfamiliar city altogether you can use Store Adore to find exactly the types of independent stores you need and want without a lot of hustle. Store Adore offers ways to find stores similar to those you love and it also shares exclusive deals, discounts, and sales. it is a one-stop shop for shopping information.

This is all on top of the fact that Store Adore is run, of course, by two fantastic women entrepreneurs: Meredith Barnett and Cristina Miller.

Building a profile on the site was fun and easy. It allowed me to mark LillaP and Tulle as favorites among others. And to scope out new stores in my neighborhood to visit, such as Pippen Home and Housing Works.

Check it out!

SUGAR SYNC!

I learned of this amazing resource through IGC Member Rossanna Figuera. SugarSync allows you to access all of the documents on your computer remotely, and sync documents from mulplie computers. Far cheaper and easier than getting your own server. It has already made a huge difference in my productivity and flexibility! Great for those who work from multiple locations...hint hint.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT - HELP A REPORTER OUT

Some of you may know that Help A Reporter Out started as a facebook group, but has recently launched as it's own website. It is a FREE service that helps to connect reporters with sources and experts. If you sign up you will receive three emails a day with a list of reporter requests. Peter Shankman, the founder, has gotten tons of press recently and is attracting of reporters and readers. This is a potentially great way to connect with press prospects. I have thought of many IGC members as I have read the listings over the last couple weeks.

If you can stand to get just 3 more emails a day - I highly recommend it. However, please heed Peter's warnings! As tempting as it might be to reply to as many queries as possible, it is important to reply only to those queries for which you are qualified. Read the reporters requests closely and follow the directions!

RESCUED PAPER NOTEBOOK!

green and cute simultaneously. this notebook is composed of discarded paper. perfect for notes, journaling, and to do lists.