Meet Katja Presnal of Skimbaco Lifestyle

Me: What is your blogs name and what is it about?
Katja: Skimbaco Lifestyle http://www.skimbacolifestyle.com/ My blog inspires modern moms to live life to the fullest and enjoy life. I feature cool products for you and your home, share fun travel destinations and feature interesting people, and share my own journey.

Me: What do you think about the new Mommy Blogger title changing to Digital Mommy?
Katja: I think it’s much better than Mommy Blogger – which tend to have a negative undertone.

Me: What kind of cell phone do you own?
Katja: iPhone and I love it!

Me: What do you use your cell phone for besides talking on?
Katja: I use my iPhone for everything! Listening to music, surfing the internet, it’s my personal GPS, I Skype with friends, send emails, I tweet and connect with people on Facebook – it really is my working tool on the go. Only thing I don’t do with it is blogging.

Me: What is your favorite social media website?
Katja: Twitter, but Facebook is a very close second.

Me: What are the three blogs you read on a consistent basis?
Katja: I don’t want to sound lame, but there are just too many to mention, I read so many blogs in such different topics.

Me: Do you shop online? If so, what are your favorite online stores?
Katja: I like Amazon because you can get everything from there and I’ve always been happy with their customer service.

Me: What is your online schedule like on a typical day?
Katja: I check my email first thing on the morning and normally answer a few emails even before taking kids to school. While kids are in school I work online 9-3 and normally get about 4 hours more on the evenings, even though lately I have really started trying to limit the evening working and try to close the laptop and spend more time with the family. Sometimes I start working after 9 again when kids are in bed.

Me: What blogger do you feel you have learned the most from?
Katja: I have learned a lot from Lori of ACowboyswife.com and MyWoodenSpoon.com, she is always nice to answer all the questions, and she has been sharing her experience and I am very thankful for her tips.

Me: What is the one piece of advice you would give to a mom that is just starting out in the blogging world?
Katja: People say that content is the king and you should always think what your readers want to read. While there is of course a lot truth in that, I also want to encourage people to write what they are passionate about. There are several topics that are super popular niches right now, but do a blog about something that you are passionate about – your passion will shine through and in the long run your blog will be much more successful.

Me: You’ve been invited to participate in some fun projects! Which one was your favorite and why?
Katja: You have tough questions! I have been very lucky to do so many great projects and events. The best blogging trip I have ever been to was a Disney Cruise to Bahamas, the experience was amazing for the people I was there with and yes, because it was Disney, they always make the experience magical. I also am very exited to be part of the Hanes Comfort Crew (they actually sent me to DisneyWorld!) and really liked doing a living room makeover with Better Homes & Gardens products via Real Girls Network.

Me: How do you balance your online life and your offline life? (or do you?)
Katja: I used to didn’t as well, mainly because my kids were still at home during days. Now it’s easier when they are all in school, and I truly try to limit my online time when they are at home. And I don’t always do that well, and sometimes it just means that I need to get out of the house to relax and do something fun with the family.

Me: What kind of car do you drive?
Katja: Volvo V70 and I love it. Safe, practical and it has integrated child seats, very important with three kids still using car seats/boosters. Also, Volvo offers an overseas delivery program, so we have bought all of our Volvos from Europe.

Me: What cool features does your car have? What cool features do you wish it had?
Katja: Sure I have the sunroof, leather seats and all the other nice features (you gotta have heated seats in the New York weather), but really what matters to me the most are the safety features, like the side air bags and the rear warning signaling and many other “boring” safety features. The integrated child seats and the safety features are my main reasons to drive a Volvo. I don’t have nor miss having my phone synced to the car, but I would like to have an inbuilt GPS. We drive to New York City often, and my GPS broke in Manhattan once – not a fun experience!

Me: Do you make money with your blog?
Katja: I make some money with blog advertising, I am in Real Girls Network and have their ads on my blog, and sometimes I am offered advertising buttons from Walmart’s vendors. I don’t sell advertising because I would hate to say no to someone who wants to advertise on my blog, but then again, I would never want to advertise something I don’t believe in. I have also done a few paid campaigns. But I have had my blog almost two years, and published almost 800 blog posts and just recently started making a little money with my blog, it hasn’t come easy for me.

Me: What gadget are you crushing on at the moment?
Katja: I have two things that I really would like to get right now.. Not really gadgets but related to my blogging and they are the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 Lens for my camera and the latest and the best Photoshop version.

Me: Why do you think you influence so many people?
Katja: I have no idea! Maybe because I help so many people without asking anything back and I am sincere in my passion to help other people. I don’t have an agenda to try to gain something, I just want to help people. I don’t try to be an influencer.

Me: What projects/events/contests do you have going on that you’d like everyone to know about?
Katja: One of my biggest blogging highlights was right after Memorial Day, I hosted a < http://www.skimbacolifestyle.com/2009/05/honoring-soldiers-with-wieners-panties-for-reals.html> hot dog BBQ for West Point Military Academy Flight Detachment sponsored by Oscar Mayer and Hanes. I put it together with my husband’s help and it was awesome to give back to the community and do that for our troops. That day I felt all the hard work I had put into blogging was finally paying off. One of my latest fun projects was being one of the 5 bloggers doing Pledge Multi Surface Cleaner cleaning intervention with Style Network’s Trish Suhr at HowICleanNow.com. But I like the most the campaigns and projects that I can give back and most of the time I have great <http://www.skimbacolifestyle.com/category/contests> giveaways going on, I always try to offer my readers fun products.

Me: Do you feel like your kid/ kids watch too much TV?
Katja: Some days I do, when I’m really busy working I might let them to watch more TV so I can easier to focus to work, but generally my kids spend more time playing with LEGOs than watching TV.

Me: What talk show host or news anchor would you love to be interviewed by?
Katja: Oprah. I would tell her what I did after I had the “Oprah’s touch”, when a product that I sent for Suri Cruise was on Oprah Show – actually Tom Cruise showed it to Oprah! That was a huge PR opportunity for my small business and I would like to tell Oprah how I chose not to use it to generate sales, but to do good and pay it forward.

photo: http://www.carolbarnstead.com/

Using Twitter Properly: it's a process

When I first started using Twitter back in 2008 my first thought was, "What a waste." I felt funny posting about what I was doing during the day when it had nothing of importance to someone reading it like, " Just sat down for a cup of joe. I need a pick me up!" why does anyone really care that I'm dragging around like a sloth and need a caffeine boost to get my booty in gear? Stupid right?!

Then, I went through the "What do I say now" stage and got very self conscious. I had started to gain a following and wanted to say profound things in order to keep my followers and not lose someone for lack of good content, so I took a 1 month break from Twitter.

Now, I have figured it out and am going to share with you how to use Twitter properly. You see, I have made money using Twitter both directly and indirectly. I've gotten customers to my online boutique via Twitter, I've made numerous contacts via Twitter and have done some freelance work because of Twitter, I have gotten tons of really cool free things and I have made some wonderful friends from using the social media site correctly. So now, I can honestly say that I love Twitter because it has changed my life tremendously!

To use Twitter to get the biggest bang, I am going to give you a Twitter tip of the day and by implementing these tips to how you are using Twitter, you should fall in love with Twitter too!

Tip #1:Use an avatar with a picture of "you." Don't use a logo, don't use a cartoon character. use a picture of "you." There are so many times that I won't follow someone back because of this tiny, yet important step. People want to get to know you and it is a turn off when talking to a picture of an object. We are having live conversations when on Twitter, so we'd like to see the face behind the conversation. This may seem insignificant, but believe me, if you want to gain followers, use "your" picture.

Sum It Up Saturday- Social Media Picks

Throughout the week I share my favorite reads via Twitter, so I thought I'd share a weekly list of awesome, read worthy posts I came across during my morning cup of Joe...

ANOTHER 22 Free Things To Manage Your Business & Your Life The Mogul Mom

3 social-media mistakes to avoid SmartBrief

Twave: Google Wave + Twitter Mashable

Meet Heather Allard of Mogul Mom The Digital Mommy

Do you sell stuff? Buying and Selling on Social Media Sites The Digital Mommy

Are You Optimizing Your Social Media Profile? WebProNews

Freelance Your Way Out of the Recession Yahoo HotJobs

Beware Social Media Marketing Myths BusinessWeek

Subway Needs to Rethink Customer Service

Oh Subway, "sigh", I've been having such a difficult time with you lately!

First, I encountered the shirtless wanna be rapper working at your downtown Rochester location who made me screech to a halt and scurry out the door in fear that an armpit hair might fall into my sub. I did find an excellent location in Rochester Hills to fill my empty stomach, so thank heavens there are still some shops abiding by the dress code and cleanliness that I expect a food establishment to abide by.

Then yesterday, on a trip to Lakeside Mall, I encountered "Terry" and now I'm wondering what has happened to my favorite sub destination. I have been a patron of Subway for many years and have never seen such a lack of customer service EVER! With the economy lacking in jobs, one would think that preforming above and beyond would be in one's best interest. I just don't get it!

Here is how it played out...
I walk up to the left side of the counter with my MIL and three daughters, facing the break room. Employee "Terry" is facing me, sitting down, staring blankly at me. I look around and notice the "order here" sign to my right, so I figure she's a stickler for doing things right and I need to stand in the right place to be acknowledged... sorry, my bad. So, I quickly sidestep to the right, girls and MIL in tow, and form a line behind a young lady waiting in line to place her order. Finally, after about a minute or so, "Terry" and a gentleman emerge from the back room and start the lady's order. Mind you, a smile has not even cracked on "Terry's" face once, she does not say hello and there is no enthusiasm at all in working for Subway. You would think they were shoveling manure by the scowls on their faces.

Now it's time to turn to place an order. I ordered the $5 foot long to split with the MIL and two turkey kids meals for the girls (baby is still on the bottle). "Terry" makes my sub just fine (doesn't know what cilantro is when I ask for it, but I dismiss that because I'm from Southern CA and we put cilantro on a lot of things including subs and doesn't have avocado) and then moves on to make my girls turkey subs and asks what I'd like on them. I say, One with cheese, one without and that's it." She says, "That's it?" and I say, "Yes." Then not even a second later, I think, "Tomatoes!" So, I say, "Excuse me." She doesn't hear me and proceeds to wrap the first sandwich. I say,"Excuse me," again and she looks up. I say, "Could I please add tomatoes to those two sandwiches?" She lets out a huge sigh and acts like I'd asking her to fly to California to pick me some fresh cilantro and then proceeds to unwrap the sandwich and slap on some tomatoes. Did I ask too much? HELLO lady, this is your job. If you don't like it, get another job (preferably NOT in customer service) and give your job to a deserving individual who needs and wants to be there.

So, now "Terry" proceeds to wrap up my girls sandwiches in the same manner you would wrap up the contents of an eaten sandwich that you are getting ready to throw away. If I had had my camera, I would have taken a picture of these events taking place and if my camera phone was working, I would have posted this "story" on Whrrl. It was really bad, and I'm not done yet...

We proceed to pay for our order :$16 for one foot long (no drinks, no chips) and two kids meals.(which were missing the apple slices and toy BTW). It seemed kind of pricey since I thought foot longs were suppose to be $5, but oh well. I was starving at this point and was just ready to sit and eat. Well, my MIL was not going to accept, "Oh well," and went back to ask for an itemized receipt. (This option was not offered at checkout. only the credit card receipt was given to us.)

My MIL walks up to the counter and sees the male employee playing "kissy face" with another employee who had just started her shift. WHAT IS THAT? I'm sorry, but I don't think playing "kissy face" is in the job requirements or even condoned. If it is, I'm speechless!

In conclusion, I just want to say that in my entire life, I have never had a problem with Subway and when we moved across the country last year, we ate a lot of Subway sandwiches! My sandwiches from Subway have always been good and fresh, they always get the order correct and the customer service has been top notch, so what is going on that has sparked this latest trend of bad customer service? I think Subway needs to implement some customer service training ASAP and weed out the bad seeds because I have decided to move on and try some of the local sub shops after having a bad Subway experience the last two times I have gone in search of a good sub.

Customer service should always be a companies #1 priority because everything else will fall in place if the customers are happy. Being in retail for 10 years taught me a thing or two about this subject.

Meet Heather Allard of Mogul Mom

Me: What is your blogs name and what is it about?

Heather: My blog is called The Mogul Mom and it’s a blog that offers free coaching and resources for mom entrepreneurs—those special ladies juggling raising a family and running a business.

Me: What do you think about the new Mommy Blogger title changing to Digital Mommy?

Heather: I think it’s great—Mommy Blogger is pretty generic whereas Digital Mommy is more specific and will give readers a better idea of what the blog is about.

Me: What kind of cell phone do you own?

Heather: I have a Blackberry Pearl.

Me: What do you use your cell phone for besides talking on?

Heather: Well, last fall I made a bold move and cancelled my email/Internet service on my Blackberry in an effort to be more fully present for my three children. I was constantly checking my email, tweeting from the parking lot or uploading photos to my Facebook and I realized it was ridiculous. I’m always trying to teach my children to not interrupt and yet here I was allowing my Blackberry to interrupt me all the time. So, now I use my Blackberry to make phone calls and send texts.

Me: What is your favorite social media website?

Heather: Hands down—Twitter. I love the speed, the fun and the opportunity to learn. Twitter is full of friendly people who are so willing to share knowledge, encouragement, laughs and resources. I love it.

Me: What are the three blogs you read on a consistent basis?

Heather: I read Seth Godin’s blog (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/), Simple Mom (http://simplemom.net/) and Zen Habits (http://zenhabits.net/). I learn so much from these blogs and Simple Mom & Zen Habits really help me manage life as a mother of three.

Me: Do you shop online? If so, what are your favorite online stores?

Heather: Um, YES! I most definitely shop online—it’s my preferred method of buying things. I am so overwhelmed when I go to an actual store, usually because my kids are with me and one of them has to go to the bathroom, one wants to go home and the other is running all over the place. J Ok, my favorite online stores are probably Sephora, Nordstrom and Ballard Designs.

Me: What is your online schedule like on a typical day?

Heather: Well, my two daughters are in school and my son is home with me (he’s only 2), so I have to get online whenever he allows me. ;) He literally swipes my hands off the keyboard in a desperate attempt to get me off the computer! LOL! If I can catch a few minutes here and there, I try to reply to a few quick emails or get on Twitter for a few minutes. I usually try to do most of my blog writing after dinner when my husband is home and can watch the kids. Each Sunday, I try to schedule my blog posts for the week so I’m not frantically trying to write posts every night. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s life with kids, right?

Me: What blogger do you feel you have learned the most from?

Heather: It’s tough for me to single just one blogger out—but if I have to, I’d say Darren Rowse of ProBlogger. I’ve read his book and I subscribe to his blog and have learned so much about writing, finding my voice, growing my readership (I’ve almost reached the 800 subscriber mark!) and carving out a niche. I also love Yaro Starak, Gideon Shalwick, Chris Brogan and Katja Presnal. I’ve learned a great deal from them too.

Me: What is the one piece of advice you would give to a mom that is just starting out in the blogging world?

Heather: Go into it knowing WHAT makes you stand out in a sea of bloggers and hone that, promote that and remain true to that. There are SO many mom bloggers out there and to be successful (assuming you are not doing it just for fun), you must somehow stand out and offer something that’s not out there right now. I’d also strongly suggest that you read Darren’s book, subscribe to his blog and use a self-hosted Wordpress blog—Wordpress offers so many wonderful tools that make blogging easy and successful.

Me: Do you ever feel like getting back to the 9 to 5 work day?

Heather: You know, there are definitely times when I envy moms who work outside the home, mainly because I think it’d be nice to go to the bathroom without a toddler following you in there and telling you how much you stink. ;) But most times, I’m quite happy being an at-home mom blogger. Before I began blogging, I had my own company (I designed two wearable baby blankets called Swaddleaze & Blankeaze—I sold them to Summer Infant last summer.) and I have really come to love working from home and being able to be there for my children, being able to put them first, as it should be.

Me: How do you balance your online life and your offline life? (or do you?)

Heather: I’ve put a few things in place that really help me balance my dual lives. Hee. I schedule most of my blog posts on Sunday and have recently had the good fortune of having a handful of guest bloggers write posts for The Mogul Mom—this has lightened my blog load tremendously and offers my readers new content from experts in their field. As I mentioned earlier, I also don’t have Internet service on my Blackberry and that has really helped me not become Internet obsessed. If you’re not careful, being online can swallow your day whole. I’ve also come to realize that there is nothing that’s so pressing that I NEED to be online all day. So, those things have helped me balance my online life and my offline life pretty effectively.

Me: What kind of car do you drive? What are your favorite features?

Heather: OMG—I drive a Honda Odyssey, which my husband gave to me for my 37th birthday when I was pregnant with my third child. I used to think anyone who drove a minivan should be shot and now I’m one of them. LOL! I’ve had my van for 3 years (yes, I’ll be 40 on 5/30!) and honestly, I can’t imagine my life without it. I love that both doors slide open, that my kids can climb into it on their own, and that I have such great visibility in it. The Odyssey is really good on gas which has been particularly great this past year with gas prices fluctuating so much. I’m over the “geek factor” and now I love the van. As the ad says, I respect the van. ;)

Me: Do you make money with your blog?

Heather: I’ve just started to earn money from my blog through advertising. My readership has increased significantly over the past few months and that has allowed me to offer advertising.

Me: What gadget are you crushing on at the moment?

Heather: Oh boy, I’m always crushing on the damn iPhone. I actually had one last year and returned it because frankly, I just wouldn’t use all the features AND I was petrified my kids would drop it and smash it. But every time I see those blasted “We’ve got an app for that” commercials, I have to suppress my secret yearning for one. It’s the coolest thing ever.

Me: Why do you think you influence so many people?

Heather: I think I influence a lot of mom entrepreneurs because I’ve “been there, done that” and have real knowledge to share with them. I offer free coaching and a very honest opinion and that goes a long way for these moms who are trying to run a business & raise a family in a very tough economy. The Mogul Mom has become a place of real community for mom entrepreneurs, a place where they’ll find not only great information but also camaraderie and fun.

Me: What projects/events/contests do you have going on that you’d like everyone to know about?

Heather: Let’s see, I have several things going on. Each month, I give away 3 ad spaces to readers who subscribe to my blog by email. Each week, I feature 2 mom entrepreneurs—if mom entrepreneurs go to http://www.themogulmom.com/2009/05/21/the-mogul-mom-featuresyou/ they’ll see how they too can be featured. I feature each & every mompreneur who fills this out—it’s a great way for me and my readers to learn from each other AND a great way for these talented mompreneurs to get some free press!! J Finally, I just started a B2B directory called Black Book—it’s a directory where companies can list their products or services for mom entrepreneurs for $150 per year. It will be free for mom entrepreneurs and I plan to promote it heavily through my blog, HARO and Twitter. It’s a great opportunity for companies to get in front of thousands of potential customers who need their products and services.

Me: Do you feel like your kid/ kids watch too much TV?

Heather: No, that hasn’t been a problem for us yet. Although I do have to say that my son is obsessed with Maggie & The Ferocious Beast and would watch it for 12 hours straight if we let him. ;)

Me: What talk show host or news anchor would you love to be interviewed by?

Heather: Probably a cliché, but I’d have to say Oprah—I really admire her and think she’s pretty funny. I’d love to be on her show—maybe a show about amazing mom entrepreneurs so I could help Oprah advise them—and give her a big hug. She looks very huggable.

The Digital Mommy

The Digital Mommy,formally known as the Blogging Mommy,has an iPhone/Blackberry/Palm in her purse along with a handheld video camera and a digital camera, oh yes, she’s prepared to do it all!

She has a blog, maybe two or even three and she does most, if not all of her own HTML coding and designs her own graphic banners. Her kids have the new toys, books, shoes and clothing that just hit the market because she does product reviews to release the creative talent she has had bottled up for years from not working and being a SAHM.

The Digital Mommy loves socialising on networks like Twitter and Facebook. She is an admitted Twitter addict and has made lifelong friends with other Digital Mommy’s like herself.
The Digital Mommy loves to party too! She gets invited to site warming parties all the time while the kids are fast asleep in their beds or watching the latest Pixar movie.

The Digital Mommy does a lot of shopping on the Internet, but goes to Target and Walmart for everything else. She might even have an online boutique of her own… she’s always trying to find ways to make money using her skills while staying at home with the kids.

The Digital Mommy is the *NEW* generation of moms and she’s a force to reckoned with! She speaks her mind and tells it like it is.

Buying and Selling on Social Media Sites

I know you have SOMETHING to sell...everyone has something! Just lost 20 lbs and those maternity pants you have a love/hate relationship finally don't fit...woohoo! Well, why hang on to them? Why not sell those maternity clothes and then go out and buy yourself some new, smaller digs?!

I found a super cool site called ToldYa! where you can make a store (it's FREE) and then you can share your items for sale on a widget where you can share on your blog, Facebook page, or other sites. You pay only when something in your store sells.

I made my own store and it was extremely easy! I just uploaded a picture of the product I wanted to sell, added a description, price and dimensions and that was it. After I was verified, I was all set! This is great for everyone, but really cool for moms with online businesses, selling crafts or just trying to clean out excess clutter.

Sharing Your Blog Posts

OK, so you write a fabulous blog post and want to share it with others who might benefit from the information. Or, you are having a contest on your blog and would like to get some traffic to your post. Whatever the case may be, the ultimate goal is to share your blog posts because that is why you are writing them on the www and not with pen and paper in a journal...right?!

Here are my favorite places to share my blog posts:

• Twitter- Twitter is the hot new social media site right now with millions of users world wide. I currently have over 3000 followers, so I have set up TwitterFeed to automatically tweet my posts once they are live on my blog. Setting up an account with TwitterFeed is free and takes about 5 minutes or less.
• FaceBook- Another hot social media site where you can connect with old friends, business contacts or whomever is Facebook. Go to your home page, click on links and then insert the link to your post. Then choose which thumbnail photo you'd like displayed, click post and then you are done.
• StumbleUpon- Go ahead...stumble your own post! StumbleUpon is a great place to discover cool websites and find important information. I have the StumbleUpon Toolbar which makes it easy to Stumble just by clicking the thumbs-up icon.
• TwitThat- TwitThat is an easy way to share blog posts. When you click on the simple to install TweetThis toolbar button, it tweets your post to your Twitter account. (You can also right click the TweetThis button and save it to your Favorites and click it from there to tweet it on Twitter).

How do you share your blog posts?

photo: hannah_leigh012

Feeding Your Kids Doesn't Have to Be Torture

Deciding what to make for dinner 365 days of the year is a challenge moms have to face as part of being a mom. Not only is it hard being creative, but getting your kids to eat what you make, so they are eating a well balanced meal is another challenge all its own.

I was watching the show The Doctors and the topic of the show was parenting and they were talking about everything from what different colors of poop mean to healthy baby food recipes. This topic was of interest to me because I have a 5 month old that is starting to eat baby food and I’d love to make it myself, but am not creative enough in the kitchen to do so.

The Doctors had Catherine McCord from the website Weelicious which is a website devoted to healthy recipes that are delicious, nutritious and easy, but most important, they’re fast. I am so busy during the day that the reason I was all ears when Catherine was on the show was because I liked her simple, yet healthy approach to cooking for her son.

Her site has a simple set-up which makes it easy to find what you are looking for. I’m starting in the 6-9 months category, but plan on dabbling in on the big kid recipes and snack of the week sections as well for my older kids. Feeding our kids doesn't have to be a treacherous task anymore. Just check out Weelicious and relax knowing your kids are being well fed.

Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle

I don't think I was really surprised this year when Adam Lambert lost American Idol. He was pretty amazing and since the past few years have been a disappointment, I wasn't surprised at the outcome. Here is a funny cartoon I came across of Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle singing together. Makes for a good laugh!

Barista Turns Frothy Coffee Into Works of Art: Video

Got Old or Unused Gadgets?

I'm sure you are like any household out there with a junk drawer that has old or unused cell phones, ear pieces or pda's. Or, you just got the latest laptop and don't know what to do with your old one.

Get Cash For Your Gadgets at gazelle.com!

All you do is go to the site, put in the info about your gadget and then they tell you how much they will pay you for your gadget. If you decide to go for it, they send you a postage paid box to ship the item to them. Then after they recieve your item and it looks as you described, they will send you a check or deposit money into your Paypal account. You can also have the money given to charity if you wish. How easy is that! What a great way to not only clear up space and make some money, but you are now helping out with recycling and keeping the earth clean!

Putting PR Reps Together With Bloggers

Jessica Smith is one of the smartest ladies I know and I have learned so much from her! She is actually why I decided to start blogging in the first place and then everything snowballed, which has resulted in three blogs of my own and two that I do product reviews for.

Jessica has amazing contacts and has experienced things that few bloggers have had the opportunity to experience. She recently decided to start a program where she connects bloggers with PR reps using all her contacts both in the blogging world and the media world to unit and help each other out.



The program is called Buzz Cooperative and so far, it has opened doors for me that wouldn't have opened had Jessica not combined her resources and started this great program. For example, I had 20th Century Fox and Paper Shouts run a contest on my blog and the grand prize was a trip to Cancun, Mexico! The same weekend I was contacted by the PR firm for Trump show and All laundry detergent to encourage my readers to vote on Joan and Melissa Rivers videos with All donating money to their charities. In return I got tons of traffic to my blog and swag from the Trump show. Fun stuff!

Do you have a blog? Would you like to participate in product reviews, contests and/or promotions? If you are interested, Click here to visit jessicaknows website!

I'm Crushing On the New Palm Pre

I had been crushing on the iPhone forever, but couldn't justify the price and with all gadgets, the price eventually goes down and/or something new comes out that is better, smarter, faster or all of the above.

Sorry iPhone, but I am no longer crushing on you. I am now crushing on the new Palm Pre.

It's suppose to arrive in stores this June 6 and you bet I'll be getting one!

From the press release:

“Palm Pre will be available nationwide on June 6 in Sprint stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack, select Wal-Mart stores and online at Sprint.com for $199.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate.”

Keep the Internet Safe For Your Kids

Being a mom, a lot worries me when it comes to my kids, especially outside of the home. I'm scared they might get hit by a car right outside of our home because we live on a corner and sometimes drivers don't stop at the stop sign. I'm scared at the mall when all of a sudden my child is out of my site only to find them hiding in a rounder or on the other side of the counter. With that said, home should be where you and your children feel safe and you can turn off the paranoid parent monitor.

Not a good idea! Since practically every household on earth has a computer these days, our children are no longer safe in their own home. Strangers can come into your home via the Internet and snatch your kids right out from under your nose (not literally, but you know what I mean).

There is a new web browser called KIDO'Z that makes a safe environment for your children while they are on the Internet.

-Safe & free web environment for kids.
-Easy to use. Kids don't need to know how to read or write.
-KIDO'Z is personalized for your child.
-Direct access to the best sites, videos and games for kids on the net.

FriendFeed Can Help to Organize all of Your Social Networks

Not another social network! I seriously am at the point where I can't keep up!

I've heard that FriendFeed is the answer to organizing all of your social networks into one place and it will let your friends know when you've updated your networks. I actually just got an invitation the other day to join FriendFeed and put it aside to check out later. I think I might just head on over and check it out now!

Listen to Podcasts on your TiVo DVR

As if I don't {heart} TiVo enough already! I just found out that you can listen to podcasts using your broadband connection. Saweet!

photo: geeksugar

Chuck Has Been Saved!

I'm ecstatic right now because I was on Twitter and I noticed that one of the trending topics was "Chuck", so I had to see what all of the buzz was about.

I'm a HUGE chuck fan and have been watching Chuck since day 1. I've never missed an episode because of TiVo and watched the episode "The Ring" at least 5 maybe 6 times. Did I mention...I LOVE CHUCK?

There were rumors that the show was going to be dropped, but it was just announced (just confirmed by studio Warner Bros.) that Chuck will return to NBC for at least 13episodes next season. I'm so excited because I've really grown attached to Chuck, Morgan, Awesome,Ellie, Sarah, Casey and the rest of the "Nerd Herd" on Chuck.

From @WarnerBrosEnt via Twitter:

"Congrats Nerd Herd! U did it! CHUCK will be back for Season 3. We can't thank u enough for your #savechuck support, now #watchchuck!!!"
about 1 hour ago from TwitterFon

photo: Trae Patton/NBC

Managing Social Media

If you are a Digital Mommy, then social media is a huge part of your life!

You blog, tweet on Twitter and share and connect on Facebook. How do you manage all of this and a family without getting overwhelmed, burned out or consumed?

Here are 6 steps to organize your time more effectively:

1. Use Simple Tools

Tweetdeck- I go back and forth with Tweetdeck. I love it because I can not only see my Twitter updates, but now i can also see Facebook updated as well. I don't like Tweetdeck because it slows down my computer. Other than that, love it!

Digsby is a great organizing tool that I am currently trying out. It combines email, IM, and social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.

Gmail recently rolled out a new add on, so now you can Twitter, Facebook and read your email all in one place!

2. Communicate Effectivly

Many people make the mistake of sending out a lot of useless info and then they wonder why their followers drop like flies.

Make every message count. Did you just read a great article, a funny joke, something inspirational or write a new blog post? If so, share it! Forget sending out messages like, "forgot to buy milk at store, gotta go back out." No offence, but who cares?!

3. Skim, don't read

There is no way I could read every email I get, every blog post on my RSS or every tweet that passes by on Tweetdeck.

Be selective, skim for exciting topics and move along. Read the things that seem the most interesting.

4. Sick with only a handful of social media

Don't try to jugle Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging and forums. There is no way to stay connected to all of these networks without neglecting the most important ones. I gave up Myspace for Facebook and update LinkedIn once a week, but mainly stick to Twitter and blogging. I have almost completely given up on forums, but have two that I frequent due to the overwhelming awesome info... Momdot and Mompreneurs Online, but I'm there 1-2 times a week and I only skim and reply when need be.

5. Form close relationships with those of value

I have 3058 Twitter followers and follow 1877. Of all of the people I follow, I would say that their are about 20-30 people that I actually pay attention to. These are the people that make me laugh, provide great resources, inspire me and provide me with great conversation. Focus on building relationships with those people rather that EVERYONE.

6. Manage your time

Every day I have the same routine. I wake up, start the coffee, feed the baby, check my email and check and update my Twitter and Facebook accounts. Then I write a few blog posts, go to the gym, shower and then do thinks off of the computer like laundry, organizing, ect. I try to get my girls to the park or take them on a walk when it's nice outside.

It's easy to get caught up in "socializing," but you need to set limits and set a schedule. I know I've gone off schedule when I hear my daughter telling my husband, "Mommy has been on the computer ALL day." That's when the red flag raises and it's time to unplug and get back on track.

Setting a schedule, picking and choosing the best social media for YOU and staying on track will help you to balance you life and your loved ones lives as well. It will also help you to be more productive and more valuable to others looking for experts when choosing who to follow.

photo: www.howard-winn.k12.ia.us/.../tech_good.html

Maternity Tee for the Digital Mommy

Are you preggers or know someone who is? This tee is hilarious and perfect for the geek mommy in us all! It takes 9 months to cook that little bun and this tee will hopefully remind all who sees it that there should be no complaints that the computer is taking too long to download that file...geesh!

Celebrity Twitter Overkill

Meet Amy Lupold Bair

What is your blogs name and what is it about?

Resourceful Mommy – www.resourcefulmommy.com Resourceful parenting and organization advice, Disney planning trips, reviews and giveaways!

What do you think about the new Mommy Blogger title changing to Digital Mommy?

I think that Digital Mommy is a much better term to encapsulate a diverse group of women!

What kind of cell phone do you own?

I just bought a Crackberry, um, Blackberry. And I hate to admit it….but I LOVE it.

What do you use your cell phone for besides talking on?

I use it mostly to tweet and check e-mail, access the web – rarely for calls.

What is your favorite social media website?

I spend most of my time on Twitter, but I miss Facebook! I’d like to get back to connecting there with old friends.

What are the three blogs you read on a consistent basis?

Type-AMom.net, JessicaKnows.com, and FromCribstoCarKeys.com

Do you shop online? If so, what are your favorite online stores?

I used to shop online all of the time, but now I can’t find time to shop at all!

What is your online schedule like on a typical day?

The mornings that my son is home with me – M/W/F – I do not get online until he goes down for his nap at 1:30. Then I am online off and on the rest of the day…and night!

What blogger do you feel you have learned the most from?

I’d say it’s a three way tie between Kelby Carr, Jessica Smith, and Amy Clark

What is the one piece of advice you would give to a mom that is just starting out in the blogging world?

Read and talk to everyone you can!

What is your all time favorite book?

The book that I’ve gone back to and re-read the most is definitely Wuthering Heights.

How do you balance your online life and your offline life? (or do you?)

Knowing when to say no is critical. It’s something I’m still working on.

What kind of car do you drive?

A very old Oldsmobile Silhouette mini van. I have a Mustang Convertible in storage for when my days with car seats are over.

What cool features does your car have? What cool features do you wish it had?

Cool features? Well, when it still worked I liked that it told me the outside temperature. That would be nice to have back again.

Do you make money with your blog?

That’s a tough question, because I don’t directly, but I do indirectly, I suppose. My business is SiteWarming Parties by Resourceful Mommy, but the blog itself isn’t monetized – no ads, no pay for post, etc.

What gadget are you crushing on at the moment?

A mini laptop from HP. I want one so bad it hurts.

Why do you think you influence so many people?

I think that because I am open and honest about who I am and what I can and can’t do, people appreciate my sincerity and take me seriously.

What projects/events/contests do you have going on that you’d like everyone to know about?

Right now my blog network, Momfluence (www.momfluence.com) is working on a couple of great campaigns. Our tagline is “Rocking the Cradle and Shaping the World,” so we are especially happy to be helping promote the grassroots campaign, Speak Now for Kids (www.speaknowforkids.org). We are also helping to launch a new site, Mamapedia (www.mamapedia.com), and there is a great promotion attached. More details are available at Momfluence.com.

Do you feel like your kid/ kids watch too much TV?

Yes, but they don’t watch that much. Our limit is three short shows a day (23 min. each, commercial free), and we try to keep it to two. It’s tough, though! I’m hoping that the weather changing for the better will keep it to a minimum again!

What talk show host or news anchor would you love to be interviewed by?

Oh, that’s a good one. Ellen. Definitely Ellen.