Just my opinion...

It seems to me that if you're going to be in customer service, or sales, that it would be a tremendous asset to be fluent in the language of your customer -- especially in their country. C'mon people, when I ask for a fork at a fast food restaurant, I don't expect a blank stare...

or is that asking too much?

One Creative Cat

Anyone who's ever had a cat will appreciate this. But think about it... why shouldn't every stair be savored?

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http://digg.com/pets_animals/Slinky_Cat_4

'Obama's Challenge': A Transformative Opportunity

Robert Kuttner has reported on elections for more than 30 years. His new book, Obama's Challenge, looks at the Herculean obstacles the president-elect faces — and what it will take to tackle them.A great interview by Terry Gross. Outlines some common sense, practical stuff that I think most of us have realized, but seems to escape Washington.Check it out: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96694999

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Eve Ensler and her life's passion of helping abused women

Listen and you cannot be unmoved. The level of abuse of women and children around the world leaves me speechless. Eve Ensler reminds me once again that I have to do something about this.We hear of hunger. We hear of disease. Do we hear of women being beaten for eating ice cream? Or not having dinner ready for their husband? Or children forced into sexual slavery, tortured and beaten? It's not entertaining. It's definitely not easy to hear. But I am scared that we, once feminists, are afraid of that word and what it stands for. And in that fear, we are betraying the women of our world. We may have rights and respect in this country (although many still do not, and much work needs to be done), but in most of the rest of the world, women are treated as throw-away objects.I've seen it in Israel, Egypt, China, Eastern Europe... and I've seen it here, in our own country -- first hand. The insecurity of our world cannot tolerate the real strength of a woman, so they beat them down. They make them believe they have no strength, so many women never even become aware of this immense power within them.Our world persists in believing the lie that physical strength and dominance are meaningful. Would that any of those hellbent on displaying their "strength and bravery" would ever even attempt to endure the pain of creating life, perhaps they would have more respect for it. Or if people could witness, first-hand, as I have, a mother's unwavering love and sacrifice, the strength of taking on the medical establishment, and the countless hours of comforting special needs for a disabled child. Perhaps if we could comprehend the strength and power of this love, we would bow in humility and respect -- for women, for each other, for the most powerful life purpose of nuturing and loving life.

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Make a Smilebox scrap pages

Boys Toys

I promised my son a new toy as a reward for a great parent-teacher review of his first month in kindergarten, so we headed out to Toys R Us. I thought maybe, just maybe, this would offer us more non-violent toy choices than our usual shopping places.

There were quite a few science-oriented toys and kits -- mostly for older (8+) kids. Then there were quite a few building/imagination toys -- pretty much all for ages 3 and under, or again, 8+. Our choices whittled down to some basic magnetix kits (great toys, but still geared to older kids), a very few lego kits (lots of duplo for younger, lots of complex kits for older), and lots of hot wheels.

I was not prepared, however, for the overwhelming amount of violent, scary-faced, weapon-toting monsters, aliens, robots, dragons, fighting/action "heros" (hmmm), star wars, et al.

The choices for girls were equally as dismal: barbie, dress-up, pop-star/diva (I know nothing about Hanah Montana other than I never want to watch the show after seeing her plastered on every conceivable product), princess, and fairies.

Basically it seems to boil down to this:

Boys are being play-trained in neanderthal "might is right", violent weapon use, desensitization and war games.

Girls are being play-trained to be image-is-everything, pop star is the ultimate career goal, you'll marry someone rich and everyone will cater to your every princess whim, and you can only be liked if you have the right clothes/accessories.

I thought we realized the harm of all of this in the 60s when Barbie and GI Joe went by the wayside and became "collectibles."

What the heck are we teaching our children? Where's the balance? Where are the choices to the mass market?

And where are the positive role models for kids 5+?

America's Most Stressful Cities - Forbes.com

Chicago tops the list. This is not news to anyone who lives -- or drives -- here. I'm constantly amazed at how people here feel the world revolves around them, that traffic laws don't apply to them, that it's all about how they feel. I would add that, in comparison to all of the other cities I've spent time in and driven around in, Chicago tops the list for rudeness.

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Michael Dell 'Friends' his customers

How Mr. PC is using Facebook and other Web 2.0 sites to help turn his company around.Yet another validation of the power of Web 2.0. The big guys are paying attention to the little guys. Shouldn't we be paying attention to the big guys?

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Radian6 � Social Media Monitoring Tools For PR Professionals

The value (and rise) of Social Media to the next generation of business marketing and growth. This company exists to monitor social media for relevant posts. Further exemplifying the need to get serious and get in to social media for your business.

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Be more productive with your online life with Flock web brow

Flock, Facebook, Twitter & Digg -- the new business tools for a competitive edge.Have you ever wanted to be on the edge of business trends and technology? Intimidated by the learning curve or expense of doing so? Web 2.0 give everyone the opportunity and is gaining viral attention. You can just barely make it in on the ground floor if you start using these tools now. Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, Ryze, My Space, Digg, YouTube & Delicious are the heavy hitters. And to organize them all and stay sane? I highly recommend Flock for your browser. I've been using it for a few months now & will never go back to the other browsers. And -- it will only get better. Then there's blogging, article marketing, viral marketing, email blasts, newsletters. Is it worth investing time in all of this? The results are just beginning to come in, and the answer is a very big, very profitable YES. It's not about marketing only your business. It's about marketing yourself.Jump in. The water is great!

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'Dancing Beijing': Story behind 2008 Games logo

The story behind the design of the Beijing 2008 Olympic logo. A great creative brief showing how the best design incorporates intelligent thought on many levels.

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You Have to Get Better at Believing the Impossible

Who could've imagined our current internet 10 years ago? A good "reality" check in expanding our reality.

Embedded Video

Blogged with the Flock Browser

ABAY'S RETURN: One Woman's Story of Empowerment

I urge everyone to watch this story of what one woman can do... and it started when she was only 8 years old. What a heart-wrenching and inspiring story. And add your name to the "Power Circle". This is a testament to how women can and will change the world... and perhaps save it.

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Security

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."

Alan Cohen

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Sherri Lasko : photos : 401 S Maple Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

Gallery of my 1893 Queen Anne Victorian (mix of very old & very new) in the heart of Oak Park, IL. For sale!

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Do schools kill creativity?

Courageous talk... listen. He says creativity should be equally important as literacy. I agree. Creativity is the key to our economy, our culture & our souls. Ignore it and we will lose it all.

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How one star in the universe (you) becomes the center of all things

Fascinating, beautiful, genius... especially his last creation: "Universe"

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How the Japanese do crop circles (PICS)

Amazing rise field art from Japan!

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TED: Rick Smolan: A girl, a photograph, a homecoming

Photographer Rick Smolan tells the unforgettable story of a young Amerasian girl, a fateful photograph, and an adoption saga with a twist. Brilliant story!

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Sing!

Do you know that when you sing, you move yourself into a different mental frequency? Music does hath power....

The Cobbler's Child

So... I routinely instruct my clients to post listings on all of the social and business networks, contribute articles to docstoc.com, and create a blog -- even two! And I scold them if they haven't updated their website in the past six months. And here I am -- a few years after I started doing web design and marketing, finally getting to doing a blog, joining all of the social and business networks, and writing some articles.

Will wonders never cease.

So now it's time to tackle those books, finding a name for the new company, start the exercise program, list the house. It's the domino theory of life.

A New Twist

As a designer/marketer, I meet people every day who are looking to start a new business or move their busines to the "next level" (the ubiquitous term for making more profit). Each time I'm kind of amazed at how afraid they are to stand out or differentiate with their company image and materials. Here they are, maverick entrepeneurs, and they want a safe, conservative image. Problem is, our current culture is not inclined to notice safe and conservative. As a matter of fact, safe and conservative will almost ensure you're company stays undiscovered -- well-camouflaged in the sea of safe and conservative image and marketing that proliferates.

So my biggest challenge in working with clients? Convincing them to have courage -- to stand out from the crowd. People are looking for new, different, more for the money -- and they like to associate with prosperity. These are the things that will help you and your business stand out... and move to that next level.

Not surprisingly... business/art reflects life. Safe and conservative may be good for a long-term portfolio, but you also need some more aggressive & risk to have some balance. In the portfolio of your life, you need some risk and challenges to spur growth.

So where's your risk? How are you differentiating your life? "Design Your Life" is about discovery, growth and getting to that "next level."

And yes, this is a real tree.

photo credit: c. 2008 Sherri Lasko. All rights reserved.