Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is a great time to show your appreciation for your family, your friends, your business, the roof over your head. Yes, it's a challenging time economically and everyone's felt it in some way, some more than others, but I bet you have things to be grateful for.
I am so grateful for the life I live. I feel blessed (not in a religious way) for all that I have, where I live, what I do, the people who love me.
One of the best things you can do for yourself and your small business is give back, do something good for your community, get involved. It'll come back to you ten-fold. How? Here are five ways:
1. It makes you feel good about yourself when you help someone less fortunate than you. Feeling appreciated and needed are basic human desires.
2. You meet people in the business community, make new connections.
3. You gain a new perspective on life. Help someone whose life is not as easy as yours but who's hanging in there and it will make your problems look smaller.
4. You learn something new about yourself. Volunteer in an area of interest and gain experience and skills that can go on your resume.
5. Doing something outside of your comfort zone gives you a sense of accomplishment.
If you live in Chicago check out CASA of Cook County for a volunteer opportunity that gives abused/neglected kids a voice in court. You can make a big difference in these children's lives. Check out National CASA for opportunities in other parts of the country.
CLICK HERE to learn more.

What's Your Favorite Kitchen Tool?

I totally love this little submersible blender. If you don't have one of these you need one. It's great for puréeing soups. Just be sure it's totally submersed - the first time I used it it wasn't and I was wearing my soup!
It also has a whisk attachment and a chopping cup - great for nuts and spices. What a handy-dandy, easy-to-clean little tool.
Do you have a favorite kitchen tool?

Overused Expressions and Expressions I Hate

1. Awesome (e.g.: "What's for dinner?" "Pot roast." "Awesome."
"I'll pick you up at four." "Awesome."
"No traffic this morning." "Awesome." (Well...ok, that IS awesome.)
But really, the Grand Canyon is awesome, space travel is awesome...but everything in the world is not awesome.
2. (Fill in the blank) rules (e.g.: I rule, she rules, Yoga rules, peanut butter rules...)
3. You rock (he rocks, she rocks, air travel rocks, peanut butter rocks...)
4. 'Like' instead of said (e.g.: "He was like, I don’t believe it, and I was like, No really...”). Or 'like' in place of...well, nothing. (e.g.: it was like, so hot yesterday...)
5. How cool is that? How pretty is that? How good is that? How fun is that? How (fill in the blank) is that?
HERE ARE MORE:
6. Good to go
7. My bad
8. No way. Way.
9. Homage, pronounced “O maj” instead of “Ah midj,” the way it’s always been in the dictionary
10. “Growing up as a kid…” How else do you grow up?
Do you have any of your own?