I have so many mixed feeling about the Susan G. Komen/Planned Parenthood saga of the last few days. When the decision first broke that Komen intended to de-fund their grants to Planned Parenthood I felt dizzy with grief. So many things in this World of late have seemed illogical and unfair. How the poor and middle class have been sadled with work like slaves to the rich. How banks and credit card companies have practiced loan shark like extortion over people with barely two nickels to rub together, keeping them down, struggling in quicksand that continues to pull them under. How CEOs and Company Presidents have wreaked havoc in their businesses, and then slinked off to their yachts and Summer houses, stepping on their workers’ quality of life like Godzilla stomping on Japan. It’s been horrifying. But through it all I have remained steadfast in my belief that, despite our differences as human beings, those of us in the trenches, those of us just trying to survive every day, possessed a basic human respect for each other and a belief in goodwill. I beleived that ultimately we all longed for every one of our community members to be safe and cared for. And then Susan G. Komen, a foundation who I believe to be a beacon of goodwill, did the unthinkable, they abandoned an entire population of people who are desperately in need of protection, because of politics and religious ideaology. It knocked my earth off its’ axis.

Then something amazing happened. People all around the country spoke up. They tweeted, updated, and shouted to anyone who would listen, that this was not okay. They took charge and flexed their individual muscles, creating a massive set of arms that wrapped around Planned Parenthood and all of the women that they care for. At first Komen stood stoically. Then they responded by deleting some of the dissenters’ comments. Then they posted a video response saying we the people were just misunderstanding the situation. Then, after the outcry got louder, Senators joined the chorus, and donation dollars vanished by the hundreds of thousands, a new statement was posted. The Komen Foundation, 72 hours after their devastating announcement, reversed their decision. They announced,

“We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.”

Wait, what? After the last decade of listening to double speak and empty promises my ears are a little more finely tuned to BS and that is exactly what that sounds like. I hope that I am just feeling a little raw, and my fatalist reaction is just the result of the open wound I live with from the pileaging of the economy. So let’s read this together.

We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.

The events of this week have been deeply unsettling for our supporters, partners and friends and all of us at Susan G. Komen. We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not.

Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.

Our only goal for our granting process is to support women and families in the fight against breast cancer. Amending our criteria will ensure that politics has no place in our grant process. We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.

It is our hope and we believe it is time for everyone involved to pause, slow down and reflect on how grants can most effectively and directly be administered without controversies that hurt the cause of women. We urge everyone who has participated in this conversation across the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue. We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics — anyone’s politics.

Starting this afternoon, we will have calls with our network and key supporters to refocus our attention on our mission and get back to doing our work. We ask for the public’s understanding and patience as we gather our Komen affiliates from around the country to determine how to move forward in the best interests of the women and people we serve.

We extend our deepest thanks for the outpouring of support we have received from so many in the past few days and we sincerely hope that these changes will be welcomed by those who have expressed their concern.

It is our hope and we believe it is time for everyone involved to pause, slow down and reflect on how grants can most effectively and directly be administered without controversies that hurt the cause of women. We urge everyone who has participated in this conversation across the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue. We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics — anyone’s politics.

We weren’t the ones who allowed our politics to mar  our mission. We weren’t the ones who created the controversy. Pausing, slowing down, so The Foundation can move past this issue, that would be convenient now wouldn’t it? But the war isn’t over. There are still people out there who are not guaranteed care. The last thing we should do is quiet down.

I am not saying that the Susan G. Komen Foundation doesn’t do good for many people. Nor am I saying that they do not deserve our support. I believe that they do. I have great hope that the subtle message between the lines of their statement does not come to pass. That instead SGK rises above the pressure of politics and religion to put all women at the top of their priority list where they deserve to be.

The knot in my stomach is not as tight as it was three days ago, but it most certainly isn’t unraveled. But at least I know I am not alone. There are others out there that feel its’ presence, and as well, feel compelled to do something about it. What we all need to remember is that just as each tweet and comment made a difference in this saga, so does every vote count in every election. Therefore, no matter which party you subscribe to, it is your duty to your community to let your voice be heard, respectfully, definitively and with intent. So many people fought and died for you to have that right. In honor of their sacrifice it is your responsibility to exercise it.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista ,ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

What are you doing the evening of Wednesday, February 29^th, 2012? Laundry? Driving the kids to a game? Trying a new recipe?  I’ve got a better idea, why don’t you get sassy? Join Sassy Moms in the City along with WBBM Newsradio, K-HITS and B96 at the “Girls Night Out Benefiting Go Red for Women” event at Alhambra Palace in Chicago. A $30 VIP Ticket includes red carpet treatment, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, swag bag filled with goodies, mini spa services, fashion show and more! (So much better than a new chicken cacciatore recipe don’t you think?) All ticket sale proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign. But that’s not the only heart warming plan. Guests are also encouraged to bring gently used handbags and professional shoes to help support Dress for Success. (Donations will be accepted from 6 pm – 10 pm at Alhambra Palace.) So dig out that little red dress, dust off your pumps and #GoRed with me, and Sassy Moms in the City. #GNO!

SMILE On!

ML

This is a * Level 7: Miss Lori was provided with transportation, food, lodging, tickets, and/or other incidentals for the trip mentioned in this post.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista ,ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

On Tuesday January 31st a tweet passed through my Twitter stream. That single tweet led me to an article that, no kidding, rocked me to my core. Marie Diamond posted an article on ThinkProgress.org entitled:

Nation’s Largest Cancer Charity Caves To Right Wing Pressure, Ends Relationship With Planned Parenthood

I was very pleased to see swift and intense reactions of dissent from people in the social media sphere. It was soothing to know that so many were feeling just as mortified as I was. It restored some of my faith, and helped to right my World back on its’ axis again. Instantly influencers were pledging to transfer their donations from the Susan G. Komen Foundation and invest them in Planned Parenthood. Definitely welcome news to Planned Parenthood and all of the women who depend on their gynecological services. But what about Breast Cancer Research? That still needs funding. Would potential donors have to swallow their disgust with the Komen Foundations’ decision to deny lower income women free mammograms just to keep momentum up in the race for the cure?The answer thankfully is NO, not at all. Komen isn’t the only runner in this race. You have many choices for your donations that will pack just as much power in their stride. Below is my list of five such organizations.

1. National Breast Cancer Foundation

2. Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation

The Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation (LSCRF) is one of the nation’s leading breast cancer research and education charities. It was founded in 1985 in memory of Lynn Sage, a Chicago-area woman who endured a six-year struggle with breast cancer with her spirit and dignity intact before she died at the age of 39. Our mission is to support the understanding, research and treatment of breast cancer in partnership with Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

3. Dr Susan Love Research Foundation

 The Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation works to eradicate breast cancer and improve the quality of women’s health through innovative research, education, and advocacy. Learn about our programs. Find out how you can support the Foundation and the groundbreaking research that will end breast cancer in our lifetime.

4. Avon Foundation for Women

 The Avon Foundation has been improving and saving women’s lives since it was founded in 1955, and we are proud to be the largest corporate philanthropy dedicated to women’s causes globally.  Today our mission is focused on breast cancer and domestic violence, as well as emergency and disaster relief, touching lives across the country and around the world.  Through 2011, Avon global philanthropy has raised and donated more than $860 million worldwide.

5. A Silver Lining Foundation

Founded in 2002, the mission of A Silver Lining Foundation is a labor of love and committment to medically underserved individuals. In five short years we have raised over $2,000,000 in monetary and equipment donations. Through the Chicagoland Cancer Information Coalition, our cancer resource and informational program, we can provide access and support to individuals both locally and across the country through our participating organizations. Closer to home our Community Outreach Health Fairs offer multiple free health tests, educational information and seminars. And through our partnership with 311, Chicago’s City Services Hotline, callers with cancer related questions and concerns are referred directly to us. This service is the only of its kind in a major metropolitan area.

This list is by no means complete so please feel free to leave a comment and link to any others that you would like to bring attention to. TOGETHER we will make a cure for breast cancer a real expectation for ALL women and not just a chosen few.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista ,ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

If you are familiar with my efforts you know that I am desperately focused on increasing the overall health and wellness of children and their parents. One important piece of armor in this fight is physical activity. A great way to get an abundance of that is to have your child participate in organized sports. Not only do organized sports help develop gross motor skills, but the cardio vascular activity helps keep the mind alert and focused ready for learning. And organized sports aid in socio-emotional development, encourage teamwork and leadership skills, all things that we as parents want for our kids. That’s why I am a big supporter of extra curricular athletic programs like the POWERHOUSE Volleyball Club here in Chicago. My daughter just started with them this year and it has been an enriching experience already. She is gaining skills, building confidence and establishing some relationships that are extending beyond the court. POWERHOUSE is great for my daughter, but it is great for everyones’ daughter, no matter their race, economic status or background. POWERHOUSE is committed to keeping their doors open to all of our children, but in order to do that they need money. Hey, don’t we all? “Why yes Miss Lori we do.” Well, with that in mind I believe I have a potential answer for all of us.

POWERHOUSE Volleyball Club is having their annual fundraiser raffle right now. First prize is $10,000. Second prize $2500. Third prize $1000. There are other cash and prizes too. The drawing will be on February 14th at the Flight Center in Plainfield. No worries, the winners need not be present, but you do have to have a raffle ticket to be considered. Raffle tickets are $10 a piece and every POWERHOUSE athlete is selling them, including my own. Even if you don’t live in Chicago you can still win. Anyone holding a ticket is eligible. So how do you get a ticket? Well, if you don’t personally know a POWERHOUSE athlete, from now through Tuesday you can get them through mine. Just email me and I will give you details.

Regardless of whether you enter the raffle or not I hope that you will take a moment to check out the POWERHOUSE Volleyball Club Facebook page I am helping them populate it with pictures and video. I have one video up now with some more on the way that will be useful to SportsParents like me out there who are looking for guidance and information, no matter where you live, or what club your child is playing for. So be sure to “Like” the page you can stay connected and in the know. And feel free to post questions you would like to see answered in future emails Such as demonstrations of technique, explanations of calls, or even how best to prepare your child on game day. I believe parenting is a team sport just like volleyball. We can’t do it alone. So let’s come together and share our experiences. That way we can all be better on the court of life.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista ,ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last night during the state of the union address by the President I was particularly moved by his talk about the unified mission of our troops regardless of their race, creed, political affiliation or sexual origin. How, in order to carry out their missions, they know that they have to trust one another and have each other’s backs at all times. That makes sense to me, I only wish our government worked that way. Growing up I believed that even though we have a two party system and varying ideologies amongst us, ultimately the good of the constituents should and would always come first. But in my adult life I have yet to see that, but I still have hope. That is I did until I took my kids to Washington this past October. We traveled there to witness the historic dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial. It was an amazing experience. Then we spent a few days being tourists in the city.

Senator Dick Durbin’s aides were kind enough to schedule a tour of the Capital building including offering us passes to visit the House and the Senate. The House was not in session, but there was some business being handled in the Senate. (Well, sort of.) Shortly after we arrived in the gallery we heard Senator Cardin from Maryland take the floor. (We only heard him because he was below our gallery seats. We never did catch a glimpse). Who we could see was his Republican counter part, patiently waiting his turn to answer. The subject at hand was the appointment of the National Printer, William Boarman. Judging from the rather lengthy and detailed resume that Maryland Senator Cardin shared Mr Boarman is a pretty impressive guy in his field of printing. I remember Senator Cardin said that Boarman was the youngest president of his Union, and has been working at his craft for over 40 years. Seemed like an easy yes to me, and to my kids. When Senator Cardin was finished it was time for the Republican answer. I don’t remember which Republican Senator was there, but I do remember that he said he was speaking on behalf of himself, Senator Hatch and one other Senator, and then he said, in effect, “No.” (He actually used a few more words than that, but not many.) Then he sat down. That was it. It took about 30 seconds and it was over. Over. My jaw literally dropped. I kept waiting for the Republican Senator to get up again and explain his position. “Surely he has to give a reason. He cant just say no.” My kids looked at me dumbfounded. but I had no answer for their silent queries. As a parent who teaches her children that they need to support their opinions, that just dissenting is not enough, the example the Senator was setting wasn’t working for me. I tell my kids, “If you want to say NO to something, you need to be clear about the why. You owe it to the person you are conversing with to give your explanation.” That is unless you are a mom saying no, then all you really have to say is “because I said so.” (But I digress.) In all seriousness I couldn’t believe my eyes, my ears or my mind. Was this really happening? Was a Presidential appointment of the National Printer, a job that most of us don’t even know exists, being held up for over 18 months with just a “No”? The answer is Yes. Yes it was and it can.

Watching the State of the Union last night, (now with a deeper connection after having sat myself in the seats of  the gallery of the House, I couldn’t help but think of that moment in the Senate back in October. So this morning I looked up the appointment of the National Printer. I was curious as to what has happened to Mr Boarman’s appointment since I was in DC. What I found disheartened me even more. Here’s the story, as posted in an article on AllGov.com:

William Boarman was nominated in April 2010 to head the Government Printing Office (GPO). The Senate Rules and Administration Committee unanimously endorsed Boarman in July 2010, but he was never given a full Senate vote. It is thought that his union affiliations led some Republicans to try to derail his confirmation. On December 29, 2010, Obama gave Boarman a one-year recess appointment. But he never received his mandatory confirmation hearing before the Senate recessed for the remainder of this year. Consequently, Boarman has no choice but to step down.

Despite the best efforts of President Obama and the Democrats on the hill, Mr Boarman joined the ranks of the unemployed in December 2011, because his appointment was never approved, all it got was a No. Mr Boarman was out of a job and we the people were once again out of luck. Senator Schumer spoke passionately about his frustration with the situation on the Senate floor December 17th. However, it was to no avail. Because according to a piece that ran in the Washington Post on December, And for what I ask you? What did anyone gain by thwarting it. Mr Boarman said in a Washington Post piece,

“I don’t know of anybody that’s opposed to me. It’s really a strange situation,” He said in an interview late Sunday. “I’m very disappointed, but I’m honored that the president chose me and we were able to make some changes at the agency.” 

Some of the comments on the Post piece reflected what I sensed in the Senate Gallery that day,

“This is great!!!! Another Obamacrat don’t make it. Making the federal gov’t smaller one Obamacrat at a time.”

But here’s the thing. When government stalls like it did with Mr Boarman, and the passage way for appointments becomes jammed up by unsubstantiated “No’s, it’s not just the President these Senators are sticking it to, it’s the American people as a whole. The National mission of our representatives is to take care of all citizens; to keep government moving so we can address the cataclysmic issues of poverty, unemployment, fair housing, taxes and war that are in desperate need of their attention and action. But those pivotal issues do not command full attention, because they cant be seen over the pile of tabled appointments that are stacking higher and higher each day, all on a bed of No’s.

Our mission is a unified one, and we will only be successful if we pull together and push through the door as one nation. We all speak highly of our American troops, maybe it’s time we start emulating them more, working together no matter our differences political or otherwise. Then, and only then will we be able to declare “Mission accomplished. America has won.”

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista ,ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

My dog Swayzee is  a rescue dog. We got him two years ago to help round out our family. He wasn’t the dog we had intend to adopt, the shelter gave that one away before we arrived for our appointment. It was a devastating blow. Through the blur of our tears we chose Swayzee instead. I have to tell you, adopting a dog while freaking is not advisable. We had a really tough time with Swayzee in the beginning. He was too big for my daughters to walk him leaving the responsibility to my son, which made him resentful. Swayzee had a history that we weren’t aware of. But as time passed we realized it must have included starvation, because he was very protective of his food. A bite on my hand taught me that. We tried taking him to obedience training classes, but he would get riled up with the other dogs. It was really awful. But Swayzee was a part of our family, for better or worse, so we just kept trying. Over the course of the past two years we have found a rhythm that is tolerable, but I wouldn’t say that we have found obedience nirvana. That is why I was so happy to get the call from Collective Bias to profile some training treats from Milk-Bone® in their #ILoveMyK9 campaign. Two years in I think both Swayzee and I are ready to go to the next level in our relationship.

First I broke out the treats. LEAN Pup-Peroni Beef flavored treats, Milo’s Kitchen Chicken Jerkey, and Milk-Bone® Crunchy Original Dog Treats. Swayzee was immediately curious., sniffing vociferously.

Then he got impatient and just started barking at the treats as if they could answer him. I ended his torture and commenced our foray into obedience training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Not only did Swayzee respond well to the treats I think he performed beautifully on camera. Oh dear, another budding performer in my family. Between him and my kids, I will have to retire to become their full time manager just to keep up. Well, maybe not just yet. But if Swayzee and I keep working with the Milk-Bone® treats, perhaps Hollywood will come a calling down the road. A dog can dream can’t he?

SMILE On!

ML

This post is:

* Level 3: Miss Lori was compensated for inserting links from a specific website in this post.
* Level 4: Miss Lori was compensated for including a product in pictures or videos in this post.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias

For more pictures of my entire expereince Walmart to home check out  my Google + photo essay HERE.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

If you are on social media or listening to any news program, in the Chicagoland area in particular, you have probably heard about the viral youtube video of a 17 year old boy being savagely beaten and robbed by a gang of teens in the Bridgeport area. It got millions of views before youtube pulled it down…TWICE. I was not one of those millions of views. (However, I do applaud the people who watched and immediately reported the video to the police.) Nor have I watched any of the numerous video clips that have shown up on my television and in my facebook newsfeed. Why? Because I don’t need to see it. I don’t need to have any more images of violence against children in my head. I especially don’t intend to give the assailants what they were looking for when they posted the video on youtube in the first place, attention and celebrity status. People don’t commit a crime and post it on youtube because they believe they want go to jail. They do it because they want…no scratch that, they expect they will earn 15 minutes or more of fame from it. Well, they are not getting one second from me.

But that’s not the only issue at hand. It was bad enough that this horrible incident happened, and to add insult to injury it was posted on youtube, but now there are a host of hate spewing, violence inciting video responses on youtube in reaction to the original posting. Someone has even posted the address and telephone number of one of the alleged attackers. (The one attacker who wasn’t wearing a mask, and who, with his father by his side, turned himself into the police.) His family is now fielding death threats, which are gaining momentum and fervor thanks to social media. If you are a frequent reader of my posts you know that there is nothing that I would not do in defense of children. I can certainly appreciate the wealth of emotions that have stirred up in people as a result of this hate-filled, senseless attack. But if we allow such hate to plant its’ seed and penetrate our psyches, inspiring violent rhetoric or even actions, then we are no better than the original attackers.

I love social media. I celebrate the way it can connect us all over the World. But it can have a darker effect… if we let it. So my suggestion, don’t let it. Don’t watch these kinds of videos. Don’t share these video links. Instead share the written news story. (Trust me, your friends don’t have to see the video to be outraged by the act.) You will still be keeping you friends in the know, but you won’t be increasing the youtube Klout of miscreants like those who created this particular video. Keep your screen clean and your conscience too. We will all be better for it.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Social Media Influence on consumers is becoming more and more relevant with consumers and not just hype. Which means more influencers will be working with brands than ever before in 2012.  If you haven’t pitched a brand before, chances are you will this year. But before you do that you will need to make sure you know who you are. (Refer to my earlier post about researching yourself here.) Once you know who you are you can formulate a plan for your brand pitch. Here are my six top suggestions to get you going.

1. Research! Research! Research! Know who your talking to. Know their history of working with social media influencers, reviewers, bloggers, ambassadors and spokepeople. The joy of the internet is the easy accessibility of information. Search out the brand objectives, mission statements, slogans, past and present. See what other social media campaigns they have engaged in. Read the disclosures on influencer posts, do they mention being compensated? This will give you some insight into what the brand is used to, and what they might be open to entertaining in your proposal. The more you know the smarter, and ultimately more effective your pitch can be.

2. Show your reach. Even though Social Media is all about relationships and conversations, PR is still about numbers and ROI. Don’t make the brand reps search out your reach, give it to them plain; stats, Klout, friends, followers, pins, circles, shares. If you are nervous that your numbers are too low, don’t embellish, exaggerate, or flat out lie, it will come back to haunt you. Instead talk about how mighty your community is. Give examples of your success. Share some community feedback. Remember, just because brands get hung up on numbers doesn’t mean they don’t understand quality over quantity. Respect their intellect, and they will respect yours.

3. What makes you successful in social media is your ability to communicate with your community creatively. Inspiring interest and loyalty. In your pitch identify your original idea for furthering the brands’ objectives for interaction with their targeted consumer base. Now, I realize that some influencers have experienced unfortunate situations where they have shared ideas only to be cut out of the loop going forward. It’s happened to me too. It happens in every industry, especially when people are just getting started professionally. In the beginning you have to give more than you receive. But that’s okay. This will not be your last best idea, I promise you. But even though that is true, you don’t need to give the cart and the horse with every proposal. You can identify your idea, but you don’t have to include every dimension in your blueprint. If you have a network of influencers you intend to work with you can talk about their number s and areas of expertise, but you don’t necessarily have to identify them by name. If you have a slogan you intend to use, you can talk about it in general terms without giving the exact wording. There are legal ways to hold onto your intellectual property such as an NDA, (Non-Disclosure Agreement). However, when you are cold pitching that’s not a reasonable expectation. Remember, you are a creative thinker and wordsmith. You can perform your magic without letting your audience see behind your curtain. Trust your communicative ability.

Click here to view the embedded video.

4. Consider making a targeted private video to accompany your pitch. Video is the new black for 2012. If you want your pitch to cut through the din add some video talking directly to your brand audience. Show them, don’t just tell them, what you propose to do for their campaign. Be sure to keep the video under 90 seconds. (For additional suggestions about making good videos refer here.)

5. If your proposal has been requested it is best to give a very detailed idea of your fee. Hopefully you have asked for, or have been given an idea of the campaign budget. Stick to it in the front of your proposal, but don’t be afraid to give them a glimpse of additional items that could be produced down the line in the form of an “option” to be picked up as an extension to the original agreement. If you are pitching unsolicited, you don’t have to be exact, but you do have to be clear about your parameters. Do you blog in trade for product, gift cards, ads, trips, consideration,? Is there a monetary  target that “trade” has to be comparable to? Don’t be vague or shy. If you don’t value your work, why should they. (Still trying to establish your rate? Refer to my previous post about how to find it.)

6. I tell my actor clients that when they audition they are not only auditioning for the immediate project, but for future projects as well. The same goes for social media pitches. You may not be able to close the deal on this particular project, but your pitch can put you in line for future opportunities down the pike if you are clear, concise and relevant. You want to tailor your pitch to the brand you are interested in, but make sure that you accurately paint a picture of your talent, focus and reach. That way a brand rep or PR leader will be able to imagine you on future campaigns, or with their other clients.

These six suggestions are just the start. There are many more details I can share with you as you navigate the World of brand social media influence for hire. If you are in need of a coach, strategist, or idea creator please contact me about private consultation. Together we can make 2012 a social media firestorm of opportunity.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

President Barrack Obama is the embodiment of Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have  a Dream” speech in Washington DC, August 28, 1963. On October 16th, 2011 President Barrack Obama made a speech of his own at the dedication of the newly installed Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in DC. My children and I were there for this historic event. The energy was palpable, because the need for dreams is even more desperate today than ever. The journey of Dr Martin Luther King is not over, it is still in motion. The hope is through his guidance and the guidance of those who have been touched and inspired by his example will ultimately lead us to the promised land of realized hopes and dreams for all humanity.

Click here to view the embedded video.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista, ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

When you think of Walgreens you probably think of prescriptions, photo processing, or cosmetics. I also think of late night trips for last minute supplies for school projects, and quick snacks on the run. There’s a new Walgreens though, a flagship store on State Street in Chicago that might change your mind. Well, it’s a new store, but Walgreens is not new to the area. it used to be right there, in the very same spot, from the 1920′s to 2005. But even though Walgreens was a staple in the community for decades, this store doesn’t scream dusty history, it screams shiny innovation Don’t take my word for it, take a look for yourself. When you see these pictures from the #ChiWalgreens store opening event like this,

and this,

or these

and this,

or even these

what words come to mind? Politics, luxury, movie stars, Sushi? The words on my tongue are Nice and DeLiISH. Coincidentally the very same names of two Walgreens brands, that in my opinion, are great parenting partners because of their taste, high quality and affordability. You may have found them before at your neighborhood Walgreens, but at the Walgreens flagship store you will find them in abundance.

So Monday through Friday from 7am-7pm or Saturdays’ from 8am-3pm you should definitely add a trip to Walgreens to your “todo” list. You will never look at Walgreens the same way again, I guarantee it. Not heading to Chicago anytime soon? Don’t worry, you can also find a Walgreens flagship store in New York on Wall Street. (Yup, main street is doing business on Wall Street, score one for us!)

SMILE On!

ML

This is a * Level 5 post: Miss Lori was compensated for attending the event mentioned in this post for Collective Bias. #CBias #ChiWalgreens.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Last Friday I launched a new regular segment my Friday segment, a Follow Friday profile. With my first launch I added a Giveaway, my MLTVFFGive of a Jabra Freeway Speakerphone. I am pleased to announce that the winner of that MLTVFFGive, by random draw, is:

Rachel Tiller of the blog According to Rachel at AccordingtoRachel.com.

A mother of three beautifiul girls, Rachel is a fellow Social Fabric blogger for Collective Bias, and she is also a part of the Chevy Girls on the Go team in Oklahoma.

Thank you to rachel nad all of the wonderful people who took the time to enter my inaugural MLTVFFGive. Stay tuned tomorrow for your next chance to participate in a Follow Friday adventure.

SMILE On!

ML

This is a * Level 10 Post: Products, services or tickets were provided to Miss Lori to give away in a contest and to keep for her own use, attendance, or for review.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The road to better health is best traveled in the company of supportive friends, and in this day and age, superior gadgets. This week I had the pleasure of trying out one such amazing piece of technology, the Omron Strapless Heart Rate Monitor.  A big name for big performance. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Best that I take you through my experience step by step.

Last year I became a Fitfluential Ambassador. Fitfluential is working with some amazing clients in the health and fitness industry. Omron is my first collaboration with Fitfluential Inc in the capacity of Ambassador, which meant I was doubly excited when the Omron Strapless Heart Rate Monitor arrived.  I couldn’t wait to get started. I tore open the box as soon as I got in the house and dug out the instructions. (If you want to do something right you should always read the instructions.)

The directions were a small font making it hard to read, but ultimately they were fairly easy to follow. I strapped the monitor on my wrist and activated it with a simple touch of a button. Before my first use I had to set the time, date and also input my weight and my birthdate. This is very important so that the monitor can accurately calculate my calories burned based on my heart rate. How you say? Well, With my age and weight the monitor can determine my MHR, (Maximum Heart Rate). You can figure this out for yourself by subtracting your age from the number 220. In my case that would be 220-41 equals 179.  With the MHR I can structure my workout based on my health goals; maintenance, aerobic or anaerobic. Since I am still on my personal weightloss journey my target aerobic heart rate is where I want to live in my workouts, approximately 60-70% of my MHR. This is something I have known for years, but unless I have been on a piece of equipment that can periodically check my heart rate, I have had to guess if the intensity of my workout is actually meeting my goals. Now, I have used heart rate monitors before, but experienced chaffing from the chest strap. Plus my available workout time is very sporadic and sometimes comes in places and moments when I least expect them to. With the Omron Strapless Heart Rate Monitor on my wrist I am always prepared for a maximized workout with minimal interference. So let’s get to it.

Once my monitor was programmed I checked my standing hear rate so I would have a sense of where I was starting from.

Taking my heart rate with the Omron monitor was easy. All I had to do was place my two fingers on the metal areas at the top and bottom of the monitor face. The HR appears with a beep and within a few seconds the number pops up. Once you remove your fingers the display closes out. Simple huh?

Next step was to activate the stopwatch to monitor my workout time. I pressed mode, then chose Chrono, and then pressed start, (ST/SP). And I was off. Now I don’t have any cardio equipment in my house so I have to get my heart rate up the old fashioned way, jumping jacks, karate kicks, squats with a weight bar, and lungs to name a few. It requires a lot of determination because it’s very easy to dial down the intensity, or dial it too far up. Having the stopwatch on my wrist reminding me that I am on workout time was helpful for keeping me on track. Plus I would check my heart rate after every exercise to make sure I was achieving my target heart rate zone. It took some time, but I got the hang of it.

The hardest thing was capturing a picture of my heart rate before the screen disappeared. (Lucky for you that isn’t a necessary part of a good workout.)

Once I established my aerobic heart rate target it was easier to stay there, (but it still took some effort, plus serious concentration and self awareness). Staying there increased my calorie burn. How do I know? Well, it said so right on the face of my monitor!

That’s all there is to it. The Omron Strapless Heart Rate Monitor is an empowering workout tool. It has already empowered my own workout, but it’s also identified a serious weak point. It is clear that I would definitely be getting more bang for my workout effort if I had a piece of exercise equipment that could keep my in my target heart rate zone more consistently and for a longer period of time. Maybe my next Fitfluential review will be of a treadmill or a Treadclimber that I could pair with my Omron Monitor. With Fitfluential anything is possible. Stay tuned.

Want to learn more about Omron products? Be sure to join the @Fitfluential Twitter party to get #FitWithOmron, Monday January 9th or Monday February 6th, 8pm CST. How are you getting fit this year?

SMILE On!

ML

FitFluential LLC compensated me for this sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a * Level 2: The product or service mentioned was provided to Miss Lori free of charge and Miss Lori was compensated to post about the product or service.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

I shop all the time for my kids, for my job, for my parents, even occasionally for myself, but this week I made an extra special shop for my dog. Collective Bias gave me the opportunity, or should I say shoppertunity, to try out some new doggy training treats from Milk-Bone®. Well, I’m not going to try them, my dog is going to try them. I am just going to use them to inspire some obedience from my giant rescue pooch because #IloveMyK9! But I will get to Swayzee soon enough. (Yes, you heard me, his name is Swayzee. As in…). But I digress. The story started at Walmart on West North Avenue. I’m not sure what the neighborhood is called though. (We have soooooo many neighborhoods here in Chicago I can barely keep up.) I had to be in the neighborhood anyway to pick up my daughter’s friend. The deal was I would pick up Kaiann’s friend as along as they helped me on my shop. (Yes, I am not opposed to blackmailing my own kids.)

So the three of us made a late night trip to Walmart in search of three items:

Milk-Bone® Treats

LEAN Pup-Peroni Treats

Milo’s Kitchen Treats

I am getting better at this Walmart navigation thing though. The trick is to keep your gaze high. Once we found the Pet Care aisle I double checked my shopping list on my smart phone. (It’s supposed to make me smarter I think, but the jury is still out.)

There were so many products to choose from, an entire aisles’ worth. We scanned the shelves in search of the correct items. Up, down, left and right. We found the Milk-Bone® Treats  and the LEAN Pup-Peroni Treats, but there was no sign of Milo’s Kitchen Treats. Since I had never purchased them before we googled a picture. That way we would have a visual cue for our second and third scans of the shelves.

But the picture only proved that the item wasn’t there. Ahhrrgg. Well, two out of three isn’t all bad. It just means I have to make a second trip to another Walmart tomorrow. Time to pay for these and close out this day.

I think Swayzee had an idea that something was up when I got home, but I didn’t share the treats with him just yet. I want to have everything in hand…and a plan, before I do that. So, Swayzee’s first lesson is patience.

Day two, I hit Walmart again on my continued #CBias shoppertuity, but this time on the South side, in Evergreen Park. Yes, this time I actually know the name of the neighborhood. It helped that they kept announcing it over the loud speaker in the store, along with special offers and calls to action. (A nice touch if you ask me.)

I followed the overhead signs to the Pet Care Aisle, conveniently in relatively the same spot as the other store. (Nice to have a layout you feel familiar with no matter what neighborhood you shop in.) There, armed with my cell phone photo from the night before, I located exactly what I was looking for, Milo’s Kitchen Treats. They were right there in full view, coincidentally near the Milk-Bone® Treats  and the LEAN Pup-Peroni Treats that I bought the night before. (No sense in lamenting, just move forward Lori.)

I grabbed a couple of other items that I hadn’t thought of during last nights’ shop and made my way to the check out. In and out in under 15 minutes. That’s a powerful shoppertunity if I may say so myself.

Now I am ready for the real task, training my 5 year old rescue shepherd mix Swayzee. Yeah, I better get something to eat first. I have a feeling I am going to need my mental strength for this task, otherwise it might be me who gets trained instead of Swayzee. Care to place a bet? Come on Team Lori or Team Swayzee who will get trained first? (Remember I have Milk-Bone® Treats on my side.) We’ll see soon enough.

SMILE On!

ML

This post is:

* Level 3: Miss Lori was compensated for inserting links from a specific website in this post.
* Level 4: Miss Lori was compensated for including a product in pictures or videos in this post.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias

For more pictures of my entire expereince Walmart to home check out  my Google + photo essay HERE.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

On this the first Twitter #FollowFriday of 2012 I have a #FF, a Shareview and a giveaway all in one just for you in the first #MLTVFFGive! But for me it is also the beginning of the fulfillment of one of my 2012 blogging wishlist objectives:

10. In 2011 I had the pleasure of driving over 14 cars from brands such as Cadillac, Chevy, GMC, Buick,Nissan, Chrysler, Dodge and Ford. It was wonderful, until I had to return to my own used vehicle. While I used to be satisfied, after experiencing all of the bells and whistles of a new car it feels like returning to the dark ages when I have to get back into my 2005 minivan. But I don’t have to stay there, not with all of the products out there that I can add to my car to bring me into the twenty first century. In 2012 I would like to team up with companies like Jabra, On Star an others and do a post about how to soup up your used car to give it that new car feel of power and connectivity.

As a used car owner I get some serious car envy when I see the high tech new cars that some of my friends drive. Spending as much time in my car as I do I would benefit seriously from a few bells and whistles that could make my drive time, easier, more pleasant, more productive and even safer. Well, I have found one bell that will have me whistling while I drive. The  @Jabra_US Freeway Bluetooth Speakerphone! It is the Cadillac of car speakerphones, but it is so easy to use.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I love it when my tech talks to me. And talk to me this does. When I pair it and my phone with a special text to talk service called voice assist, my Jabra Freeway chatters away at me almost incessantly. But that’s okay, because it means I am keeping my eyes where they belong, on the road. Making me not only safe but legal! Best of all my first year of voice assist comes FREE with my Jabra Freeway! All I have to do is log on and register and my World leaves my hands and lives in my ears.

Press the Voice button on your Freeway and say “Voice Assist”

With Voice Assist, you can safely dial contacts by name and:

 

Voice Assist is AWESOME, but that’s not the only reason to love my Jabra Freeway. No, I love my Jabra freeway because it isn’t just good for the freeway, it’s good for all-ways I live and listen. It can follow me wherever I go that I need an audible power boost. The Jabra Freeway pairs with any bluetooth item you use that produces sound like your mp3 player, your tablet, your computer, thanks to the 3-speaker enabled virtual sound and audio streaming technology (A2DP). It’s crisp, its clear and it rocks.

But what is most rocking about the Jabra Freeway is it’s affordability. Face it, I don”t own a used car by choice, I own one because it is all that my budget will allow. Lucky for me the Jabra Frewway is a high-end gadget at a bargain price, only around $113 on Amazon right now! But on this Follow Friday you could get your own Jabra Freeway Bluetooth Speakerphone for FREE! As my inaugural #MLTVFFGive giveaway. One lucky reader will win their very own Jabra Freeway with a full year subscription of voice assist for FREE! All you have to do is follow the directions in the trusty dusty Rafflecopter form below, and you will be on your way to winning a JabraUS Freeway Bluetooth Speakerphone.

So what are you waiting for? Get to commenting, tweeting, sharing, etc so you can get on your way to being handsfree, with a JabraUS Freeway Bluetooth Speakerphone of your very own. (Contest ends at 12:01am Thursday January 12th! Winner will be contacted via email and other social media outlets. Open to US residents only.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SMILE On!

ML

This is a * Level 10 Post: Products, services or tickets were provided to Miss Lori to give away in a contest and to keep for her own use, attendance, or for review.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

One of the hardest tasks I have every day is feeding my children afterschool. It is a monumental task because my children are absolutely ravenous when school lets out. If I don’t get them fed immediately they start gnawing on each other, and that can make a mother want to pull her hair out by the roots. Sure, I can throw bars, jello, puddings and crackers in the car. It’s super easy, but not very effectual. You see my kids are ages 13, 10 and 8, but more importantly they are 6’3″, 5’2″ and 4’10″. (Yeah, I don’t breed ‘em small.)  Therefore, if I don’t want my monstrous children to turn into real live monsters I have to fortify them with some protein after school, or else. The other hurdle has to deal with temperature. My kids generally take a bag lunch with them to school. (School lunch, they say, is just too frightening to contemplate.) As such, after school they don’t want any more cold items, especially in the cold of Winter. So my other task is to pack snacks that will warm them up. I have been known to bring microwave dinners with me in insulated bags, but they don’t always travel well, not every kid likes them, and they take a lot of time to prepare. What’s a Mom to do? Well, I will tell you.

Yesterday I bought a new product that is the answer to all of my dilemmas, Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches. Don’t let the word mini fool you. These sandwiches pack a BIG punch. They come in packages of two, with four packages per box. And the box only costs a little over $5 at Walmart. That’s less than 65 cents per sandwich. But that is only good news if your kids will eat them.

I have hungry kids in my house, but they are also pretty darn picky too. So I wasn’t sure how they would respond when I brought the sandwiches home. I decided to throw caution to the wind. I cooked up one package right away and set it out on a plate. It didn’t take long for my eldest daughter to come sniffing around. She snatched the sandwich off the plate and took a bite before it had even cooled! Once her mouth stopped burning she was quite happy. So happy she called her younger sister over to share in the experience. (No, not the burning experience… at least not this time.) Without hesitation she also chomped on the mini sandwich and came up smiling. Double thumbs up, crumbs and all.

What about my giant son you say? Well at 6’3″ he eats anything…and everything…and fast. So fast that I didn’t even notice him when he swooped into the kitchen, heated up his own package, ate it, and was back outside playing basketball before I could even ask him what he thought. I will take that as a positive.

What more could a mom ask for?

How about a a special offer? Right now if you buy two boxes of Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches at Walmart, they will send you a $5 Walmart giftcard for use on future purchases. That’s like getting a box of #TysonGoodness for free! (Be a smarter shopper too. Find out which Walmart carries the mini’s before you shop by logging on here.)

This is great! Heading back to school next week I will be armed with a new tool, Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches complete with #TysonGoodness. A great parenting partner for this Mom and her growing kids.

What are you feeding your kids after school? Please share your ideas in the comment section. Remember, parenting is a team sport. We are all in this together!

SMILE On!

ML

This post is:

* Level 3: Miss Lori was compensated for inserting links from a specific website in this post.
* Level 4: Miss Lori was compensated for including a product in pictures or videos in this post.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias

For more pictures of my entire expereince Walmart to home check out  my Google + photo essay HERE.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

I have been blogging now for several years. In the beginning I blogged to help promote my concerts, and to share my insights about my life as a mother and artist. Since that first post my brand has grown and so has my coverage. Now a full blown Marketainer I blog about everything from tech to parenting, to social causes and cars! It is a very rewarding development. But I am not one to stand still. I always want to grow and develop. Which is why on the heels of creating my WILL DO list of resolve for 2012, I have created a wish list of 12 subjects that I would like to blog about in concert with brands and initiatives. This is my effort to push forward on my blogging journey, further my education, and continue to inspire of my loyal and deserving community. “If you build write it they will come.”

1. I am adopted. And even though I discovered my birth mother in 1991 and my birth father in 1997 Is till feel like an alien dropped from outer space sometimes. I found them, but I don’t really know or understand my ancestral history. In 2012 I would love to partner with a company like Ancestry.com and dig deep into the lineage that made me possible. I am curious if it will show any patterns that would make me feel more grounded on this earth. If knowing the people in my line would shed any light on who I am in this life. I think it would be a interesting journey that I would love to share with my community

2. In 2012 I had the pleasure of driving so many cars, but the ones that intrigued me the most were the electric cars. After speaking with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn last Summer at his energy press conference, and then test driving the Nissan Leaf, I am convinced that electric cars are a great answer for our future. I believe that electric cars are most definitely a positive future answer to our negative present. But that can only be true, in my opinion, if it is an answer that families can readily take advantage of. But when I watch the ads for cars like the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, and the Toyota Prius, I don’t see me, a 40 year old mulit-cultural mother of three growing kids living in the city. I see 20 somethings, and they are mostly caucasian too. Definitely not my reflection. (It’s like my first PBS Kids audition all over again.) I would like to be the first city family to do a long term demo of an electric car. I believe that by demonstrating how an electric car can fit into my crazy life, (three kids with various sports and artistic obligations, over 80 concerts a year in Illinois, and numerous marketainment meetings and meetups), will prove that a more typical family can make the leap to an electric car with ease. My mission is to improve the overall health and wellness of children and their families. Giving families a viable answer to their transportation needs that doesn’t rely on high priced gasoline would help to do just that. I don’t just want to live in te future I want to help make it happen.

3. I am a college graduate. A BFA in Musical Theatre from the Boston Conservatory. Although I actually did a four year program in only 2 1/2 years of actual school time. Long story. Odd though considering how much I really like school. I love learning. My original goal was to get a graduate degree, but there has never been the time. It feels as though I have a graduate degree in life however, with all of the work that I have been doing with kids and families through my company. People look to me as an expert. I’d love to legitimize their confidence with an actual degree. In 2012 I would like to team up with an online graduate degree program like Phoenix, Capella or even one attached to an adult program at a college or university here in Chicago, and show all of the busy people out there like me that they can still achieve their education dreams without disrupting their fast pace of life. At least I hope that is the case. Only way to find out is to dig in and try.

4. I feel like a teen-ager again. It’s not my energy level or zest for life. No, it’s my skin! And it’s not pretty. I am living the life of a teenager with breakouts constantly. It’s awful. Even though I am old enough not to base my self confidence on my skin it does have an effect on me. I mean I am human and all. But I know I am not alone. There are a lot of women out there my age experiencing a fluctuation of hormones that are causing a battle in their pores. In 2012 I would like to team up with an adult skincare program like Oil of Olay, Dermalogica, Proactiv  or a spa specialty that could give me the tools to get the skin that reflects my true age and stage in life. One that reflects the pride that I feel about who I am and who I have grown to be.

5. One of the tasks on my 2012 WILL DO list is to self publish on of my book ideas on parenting or social media. But truth be told I have no idea where to start. In 2012 I would like to take my WILL DO publishing task and document the process for other would be authors to follow, from idea to finished product? Is it really something anyone can do? At what cost? Those are questions I hope to answer for me and for everyone else out there with something they would like to share with a broader community.

6. In the market for new tech? How could you to be with so much to choose from out there, and new things popping up everyday. It’s hard to keep up. At least I find it hard. It’s especially hard because we all have fewer dollars to go around. So we can’t just dibble and dabble willy nilly. We have to make informed choices. But who has the time to do that level of research. No one really, but luckily we have the internet and blogs like mine who try and do some of the work for you. Now I am not a tech reviewer I am a shareviewer., sharing my personal experience with brands and products in much the same way that you might use it too in your daily life. The big question for me this year? New Tablet or a new PC, which will serve us better? In 2012 I would like to team up with brands like Motorola to help document, through video and pictures, how a tablet or a new PC would fit into our lives. Which will give us the most bang for our personal buck? Inquiring minds want to know, so I intend to inquire!

7. At the beginning of a new year most of us resolve to get healthier and improve our exercise regimen. Which sends us scouring the internet for the best diet, the most effective equipment and so on. I am not immune. Although for me the journey towards better health is a continuous process, not just for me but as a positive example to my kids ad my community. Being involved in social media has afforded me the opportunity to work with many great people brands and products in my efforts to get me and my community healthier and stronger. The one item I have yet to profile that I think would make a huge difference in my progress is a Treadmilll. Having a treadmill ready for me to use in my home, available at the odd hours that I actually have free, could be life altering. And not just for me, not just for my athletic kids, but also for our giant dog. (Bet you didn’t see that coming!) I am serious! In the Winter it’s harder for our dogs to get the kind of exercise they need to stay mentally at ease. I watch the Dog Whisperer! I know there are dogs making their lives better running on treadmills. I would love to see what happens if both my pooch and I were able to amp up our activity on a treadmill. Who do you think would get fitter faster?

8. “Side by Side by Phone Plan.” This winter my mother was in desperate need for a new phone. When she went to her local Verizon store they steered her in the direction of in my opinion a truly crappy phone, that didn’t really meet her needs and will probably break down far sooner then her contract expiration. So I started doing my own research. I couldn’t believe how hard it was to find a phone that would just be a phone. We are all so preoccupied with SMART phones we forget that there are people out there who feel smart enough on their own. There are also people who simply can’t afford the extra costs of a data package in this painful economy. I want to get down to brass tacks and document which phone plan or plans from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Cricket, US Cellular, or Sprint would work for regular folks who just need a phone to be a phone.

9. These days I am wondering if I am truly hot enough to handle all my tech. No I am not talking about my dress size, more so the size of my wifi coverage. I can’t be the only one asking these questions. People are armed to the teeth with tech these days. Phones, tablets, laptops, game systems… Then we are slaves to available wifi in the ether. I have solved that problem a long time ago by getting an aircard for my laptop, but for all of these other gadgets, my aircard doesn’t work. Maybe it’s time for me to carry around my own hotspot? In 2012 I would like to do a comprehensive post evaluating what all of us tech saves need to stay powered up and connected.

10. In 2011 I had the pleasure of driving over 14 cars from brands such as Cadillac, Chevy, GMC, Buick, Nissan, Chrysler, Dodge and Ford. It was wonderful, until I had to return to my own used vehicle. While I used to be satisfied, after experiencing all of the bells and whistles of a new car it feels like returning to the dark ages when I have to get back into my 2005 minivan. But I don’t have to stay there, not with all of the products out there that I can add to my car to bring me into the twenty first century. In 2012 I would like to team up with companies like Jabra, On Star an others and do a post about how to soup up your used car to give it that new car feel of power and connectivity.

11. Learning a second language. I get ads for programs to teach me a foreign language all the time. They say “it’s easy”, “it’s fast”, “it’s possible”. Being fluent in a second language, particularly Spanish, is on my life bucket list. In 2012 I would really like to team up with a language education product like Rosetta Stone Primsleur Approach Language or another, and chart my journey to bilingualism. My hope is that my effort would inspire people of all ages to make learning additional languages a priority in their life opening up more of the World for their participation and consumption.

Click here to view the embedded video.

12.  I am so concerned about how dehydrated our kids are. I think it is as much a contributing factor to childhood obesity as anything. For the last four years during the Summer months in my AWESOME Health programs on the WTTW Great Food Fan Van tour I have had the opportunity to share my concerns with kids in Illinois. Encouraging them by example to make better liquid choices to keep them hydrated so they will have the energy to grow. In 2012 I want to take my message further. I want to team up with a company like Pepsico or P&G and be a “Hydration Ambassador” for kids and their families. I want to spearhead a movement that will change what we drink, how much we drink. Improving the health and wellness of not just our children but our Nation. Let’s change the course of our future and ride a wave of hydration towards better health.

So that’s what my wish list. Do you have anything you would like to see me add to it? Let me know. Together we can make things happen for 2012 and beyond!

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Since one of my WILL do tasks for 2012 is to not just try and get healthy but to actually and definitely lose 30lbs this year. In order to be successful I need to do a barometer check on where I am at to start. I have been working with the fabulous nutritionist David Grotto since September. He has been arming me with so many suggestions. But arming is no good if you don’t pull the trigger. So I want to  examine what David has prescribed for me these last few months, and measure that against what I have actually added into my health routine. Here we go!

Post 1

1: Read Insomnia chapter in David Grotto’s book 101 Optimal Life Foods

2: Buy Nature Made Fish Oil and Sleep supplements

3: Keep a food diary on Nutrihand.com

4: Eat whole grain carbs towards the end of the day

5: Eat final carb snack 90 minutes before bed

6: Stop eating 60 minutes before bed

7: No food after 9pm

Post 2

• Eat a bowl of Go Lean Toasted Berry Crumble
• Drink a smoothie made with whey protein, Garden of Life Perfect Food Raw, Flax Seed Oil, Psyllium Husk, Berries and Coconut water.
• Add a whole grain english muffin, a Vita Top, a low carb tortilla, or some Flat Out bread to my meal
• Make a scrambled egg mug, with eggs, pinto beans, low fat cheese and some salsa.
• Puree beans, freeze them in ice cube trays, and add them to soup, or pasta sauce.
• If I am not able to get my fiber and potassium from food, then the last resort would be to add aBenefiber packet to my water.

I start my day with Ensure Muscle Health Shakes most days. Or at least I have it by noon.

I have integrated beans into my diet at least once a week

I have reduced my peanut butter intake to only 1 or 2 times a week.

I have cut my protein intake in half without even blinking

I keep a jar of almonds in my car for quick snacking

I keep protein bars and Skinny Cow clusters and bars in my bag to satisfy any sweet cravings

I am eating more apples every week, still working on the bananas.

My air popped popcorn goes hand in hand with a glass of milk now.

I make a habit of sacking on baby carrots.

Water, tea, milk, fluids are my friends!

Most days I finsh eating 60 minutes before bed, and do so with a whole grain carbohydrate.

I always end my day with milk when I am at home.

I am dressing for success and wearing my new found confidence like a badge of honor

On this the last Follow Friday of 2011 I have a a very special list to share with you. Theses are 11 people who held 2011 together for me and helped me propel it forward with intelligence, laughter and community. If you aren’t following them yet in any social media outlet I encourage you to do so. They are as loving as they are inspiring and are sure to add a little special something to your World. I know they have in mine.

Mj Tam @MjTam I can’t say enough about MJ Tam. She is my idol. I am so in awe of all that she does, especially because she is so unassuming about it. She accomplishes more in a week than most of us do in a month. I swear she doesn’t sleep. there is simply no way that she can. As the operator of the Chicagonista conglomorate, head of Social RevUp, creator of the new Brands and Bloggers summit, master event planner, Mayor of nearly every Chinatown restaurant and, oh yeah, mother of three! Every time I sit down with MJ I learn as much about the industry as I do about myself. She has such insight in to this social media sphere. Just a casual conversation reveals valuable ideas and strategies that can help even the most seasoned pro. But when I tell her that she just scoffs, which makes her all the more endearing. But for as much as I love having her as a professional booster, I am most thankful for her love, support and friendship as a woman and fellow mother. I can’t imagine my life without her.

Liz Strauss @LizStrauss You know that little voice you hear in your head sometimes, the voice of reason or encouragement or caution? That voice for me belongs to the irresistible Liz Strauss. I first met Liz when fellow friend and social media influencer Beth Rosen brought her to my OfficeMax teacher event in 2009. We didn’t get a lot of time together that day but she was kind enough to share a story form her teaching days with me. The first of many stories of inspiration she has shared with me consistently since that night. She has so many. However if I were to say that I don’t understand how little ole me became good friends with the Liz Strauss she would give me a stern look and remind me that I am worth more than I give myself credit for, so I won’t say that. What I will say is that having her voice in my head, having a little Liz on my shoulder, helps me find the resolve on even my most difficult of days to stand taller, to weed out things and people that aren’t relevant, and to plot out a path towards personal and professional accomplishment and fulfillment. That is utterly irresistible.

David Grotto @DavidGrotto If you don’t know why I love David you haven’t been paying attention to my site for the last several months. David Grotto is the master nutritionist who has so kindly shared his expert guidance with me on my path to better health through more sensible eating. His suggestions, his weekly phone check ins, his online nudges have empowered me in a way that I have not been able to empower myself in years. I am standing taller and slimmer thanks to David, and it feels AWESOME! I am not yet fully able to walk alone on this path, but I don’t have to because I know my friend David Grotto is there for me in whatever capacity I need. And that is a nutritious blessing for my soul.

Priscilla Dee Dixon @PDeeDixon Priscilla Dee Dixon may not be a name you are familiar with outside of Chicago, or even inside our fair city for that matter. She isn’t a Social Media guru or blogger, or anything like that. She is a lawyer, she is a mother of three, she is a vocal and concerned citizen, she is the smartest woman I know and she is my friend. I have known Priscilla since just before my third child was born almost 9 years ago. Our relationship has traveled over many peaks and plains. but this year we have bonded more closely than ever before. She is my nearly daily phone call checking in on reality. Hearing her voice say, “What’s up Chick?” or “Hola Chica” brightens even my darkest of moods. Oh yes, I have dark moods. There are very few people who experience them though. Priscilla is an expert in my moods, my life and my trials and tribulations. But our exchanges aren’t all blue. We laugh like there is no end to the humor. We are loud, we are boisterous and we are unstoppable. And that’s just what I hope our friendship will be totally unstoppable.

Connie Burke @ConnieBurke  Connie Connie Connie. What can’t I say about Connie. She is the force behind General Motors’s Social Media. She is HIGHsterical, she is smart and she is supportive. Though I have know Connie for about two years she became a huge part of my life this year, starting with a random December tweet I posted in 2010 asking Santa for a car for Christmas. Well, Santa was too busy to answer, but Connie wasn’t. She said she couldn’t give me a car for Christmas but she could lend me a Chevy Cruze for a week. And that’s where our story began. About 70% of my viewership on my MissLoridotTV youtube channel are men thanks to Connie. Her generosity, her belief in my talent and influence afforded me the opportunity to promo over 8 cars for GM this year. By giving me such a great opportunity she opened up another chapter in my resume leading me to promo cars from other brands as well. It has been such an exciting journey and I am forever thankful for Connie putting me behind the wheel first.

Renee M Martinez @ReneeMMartinez “Jo-laaanda!”I had actually met Renee Martinez a few times before my trip to BlogWorld LA, but like Adam and I we hadn’t really had a chance to talk. I don’t remember what brought us together exactly but it doesn’t really matter, because once we connected in LA we were instantly bonded. We laughed so much I had to keep visiting the bathroom so I wouldn’t wet my pants. It’ was just one of those connections those meant to be connections that doesn’t need a definition or structure, it just is. Renee and I have talked texted, emailed and more since LA. Living a time zone apart is an obstacle, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I know in my heart that no matter the distance, no matte the time in between contact that somehow Renee and I are going to remain soulmates, and that is priceless.

Ted Rubin @TedRubin You must know Ted. If you went to any conferences this year you probably saw ted live or in your twitter stream. Ted is everywhere it seems. But what I love most about Ted is not his energy, his social acumen, his dynamic personality, no, all of those are awesome and true. But what I love most about ted is his commitment to his children. We didn’t get to hang out at Blogalicious this year because he cut and run after speaking. Why? Because it was his weekend with his girls. And even though they are teen-agers and would probably ignore him the whole time he wasn’t about to miss any chance he has to be in their presence. Now that’s what life is about. That’s a true leader, and I am so proud to be in his community because of it.

Adam Keats @AKeats and Renee Radbill Keats @WindyCityMomma: Adam Keats and I have been circling each other’s hemispheres for the last couple of years, but it wasn’t until BlogWorldLA that we got to spend some very concentrated time together. So much so that I was convinced he had a tracker  on me. But then later I realized it was more likely that I had a GPS on him. Whichever it was we seemed to share each other’s company at every turn. And what a treat it was. Adam is easy going, intelligent and has a great dry sense of humor. We laughed a lot! What I like most about Adam though is his taste in wives. I didn’t realize at first that I had just met his wife prior to BWELA. At a screening of Oprah’s Life Class program I sat next to this delightful woman named Renee aka WindyCityMomma. I was casually aware of her, and new that we were following each other, but as is often the case in social media we had never met in real life. Again she knew me for the TV and was incredibly complimentary of my work. So much so she had me glowing all day after our conversation. Special that I am it took me several weeks before I put two and two together and came up with Adam and Renee. But once I did it made perfect sense. I am so in awe of the way they balance each other personally and professionally. They aren’t perfect human beings, or a perfect couple. (Geez who is!) But they have established a rhythm that works to this lay persons eye, and I applaud them. I am thankful for their example, for their hard work, and for their friendship.

Lisa @NewYorkChica I made a great new friends this year at Blogalicious. It started with a tweet from me in search of a roommate. We had never met before, though she and her kids were aware of me form my television work. She arrived ate the first evening. we had a timid hello which lasted all of about 2 seconds and then after that we were fast buddies sharing thoughts laughs ideas and a bathroom! It was the girlfriend experience I never had in college. I am so thankful for those 3 days. Our lives are lived many states away form each other so continuing that level of intimacy achieved is hard. But life is rich from little moments not just big ones. And those this moment was short it was by no means little in it’s impact on me. For that I thank my Blogalicious roommie @NewYorkChica and remind her, “you don;t have to call me Miss Lori, Lori is fine. But remember it’s Mistress Lori after midnight!” Tee Hee

Cynthia Wheeler @NapWarden Cynthia is also one of those people I have seen around the social media water cooler since I joined the crew a couple of years ago, but it wasn’t until this year that we really got to know each other. And get to know each other we have done. Cynthia was my very special date to the absolutely memorable Nintendo party at Blogher this year. I don’t even remember how that came about but I am so glad that I invited her because there is no one else I would like to share that particular memory with than Cynthia. She was a perfect match for the experience. Since that bonding event we have been consorting more professionally as I am one of Cynthia’s numerous blog design clients. She has been slaving over the redesign of MissLori.TV. Well, maybe not slaving, more like chasing it…or me to be exact. She has to chase me down, bless her heart. But we will finally get it done in 2012 and it will be as spectacular, because she is spectacular. Until then, we will always have the fire pit!

I would be remiss if I didn’t add YOU to the list. All of YOU who have followed my stream, followed my concerts, followed my posts, followed my life. It is because of YOU that I push myself harder, reach further and love deeper. Thank YOU for being there for me this year. I hope to see YOU in 2012 as well.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista, ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

We all talk about resolutions for the coming year, but they rarely get put into action longer than a few months. So for 2012 I am laying down a blueprint for my own personal success. I am specifically stating, not resolutions, not intentions, but a certified to do list that I WILL get done. Not TRY but DO. Because if you want something done you don’t just try to accomplish it, no, you put your nose to the grindstone and you do it. There simply isn’t enough time in this lifetime to be wasted on limp efforts. Thus, I have compiled a list of 6 tasks that I intend to accomplish in 2012. Why 6 and not 12 like everyone else? Because my tasks are doubly important to me, and therefore, worth two points each.

Counting down, in no particular order. (Because that is what you do with New Years’ lists):

6. Acquire the financing to finish my long awaited second album. I have 6 songs produced and another 8 written and ready to record. I released my first album in 2007. I released my first DVD in 2010. My fans have been so patient, but 2012 is the year for me to finally deliver on my promise to provide new material for their education and entertainment. Writing my first album made me overwhelmingly proud of myself. It was something I wasn’t actually sure I could do. Then the response from families was so positive. My music made a difference in their lives. Selfishly, I want to experience that HIGH again.

5. Sell my house. I have been living in a state of limbo for the last two years. In 2012 I want to finally close the book on this chapter of my life and move forward. I have learned so much about myself, about my needs, and most importantly about what I am worth in these last few years in particular. It’s time for me to finally put that new found understanding to use and embark upon a new chapter of more fulfilled living. Selling my house is the catalyst that will propel this new effort forward. I deserve it, and so do my kids.

4. Book at least 3 speaking engagements. In 2011 I had the great fortune of speaking at Midwest Moms Media Brands and Bloggers Conference, ( now known as Social RevUp), and at BlogWorld LA. Nearly my whole life has been spent in front of an audience, singing, dancing, performing, but there is so much more to me professionally than that. I have done speaking presentations and workshops in schools and for special groups, but Deb Ng, Rick Calvert and MJ Tam gave me the opportunity to step in front of the Social Media World, and it felt good. In 2012 I want to add more conferences to my resume. Sharing my unique understanding of branding, media training, personal development and edutainment to more bloggers, influencers and professionals. Many people have knowledge to share, but I know that I possess the talent to not only educate, but inspire. And that’s just what I intend to do.

Click here to view the embedded video.

3. Get back to broadcasting. One of my great achievements in life was the cultivation of a following based on my work on the PBS Kids Preschool Block from 2006-2009. I am very proud of the work that I did as the first ever live host of that series. In its’ first season my efforts on air contributed to an overall double digit percentage increase in the ratings of morning viewing on PBS nationally. While that work was fulfilling it wasn’t solely my own, and it didn’t specifically address my mission to increase the overall health and wellness of children and their families. That is why it was even more rewarding to produce my own healthy interstitials which aired for the past year on Chicago’s PBS station, WTTW 11. Having children approach me at my more than 80 live concerts in Illinois alone, singing my Miss Lori’s CAMPUS anthem that they heard on my interstitials, and excitedly asking to attend Miss Lori’s CAMPUS wherever it may be, well, as they say, that was priceless. In 2012 I intend to find a regular place on air again, to continue to serve children and their families.

2. Publish a book. If you have attended any of my Miss Lori’s CAMPUS Playstory Time programs, or my WTTW Readers are Leaders tours, you have heard one of my “Little Miss Lori; Adventures in Five Year Old Living” stories. I write the stories to fill what I see to be a void of multi-cultural based human characters serving as literary parenting partners for all of our kids. I have been performing the stories for years. And every time I perform them parents and children alike ask me where they can buy my books. It’s time that I gave them a positive answer. But I know, realistically, to produce the series as it deserves to be produced requires a solid, reliable foundation that can be built upon. Which is why in 2012 I intend to self publish ebooks about parenting and about social media. In doing so I will increase my audience, and lay the foundation of notoriety and bankability necessary to produce my LML series in 2013; on-line, in print and as an interactive app. Now that’s a plan for success!

1. Become the healthy me that I deserve to be. As those of you who are frequent visitors to my MissLori.TV site know health is very important to me, mine and everyone elses’. I have been steadily documenting my own personally journey of imporoved health starting with my ambassadorship for the AHA Go Red for Women BetterU program in 2010. I embarked on this journey because, since the birth of my third child my weight has steadily escalated from stress, building my business, stress, raising a family, stress, travel, stress, sleep deprivation, stress, stress, stress. Surprisingly this high weight time is the first time in my life that  have ever felt truly beautiful. Crazy huh? However, now that I have achieved this greater sense of inner self it’s time for me to match my outer self more appropriately. It’s not that I can’t be beautiful inside and out as a plus size, but my current plus size is slowing me down and costing me time. Time with my family. Time with my friends. Time to achieve all that I want to achieve in this lifetime. So it is time for me to stop working at losing weight and just DO it. I will start 2012 at around 200lbs and I will end it at least 30lbs lighter. Because if there is less of me, there will ultimately be more of me to dedicate to my kids, my work, to me…and I deserve it.

What will you do in 2012?

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV ,

Wearetherealdeal.com, YoungChicagonista,ChicagoMomsBlog, and ChicagoMoms.com.

You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

One of the reasons I fell off track last month was because of all of my traveling. I was okay at the beginning of my adventures, still ridding high from my stellar September and October, but that burn could only take me so far, and last so long. My big downfall was the fact that I couldn’t be in control of my own food. I would do my best to make the “healthiest” choices on the menu’s available to me, but that didn’t always make much of a difference. I mean bad is bad right? Anyway, when nutritionist David Grotto and I were finally able to get our schedules aligned and get back together on a consultation call my first and most important question to him was, “What can I do to keep me on track when my World takes me out of my comfort zone?” And as always Master health guru David Grotto had an answer for me. even better it’s one that will be easy for me to assimilate into my home routine, and use as the basis for my new out of town routine as well. There are four components, a banana, an apple, nuts and Ensure Muscle. These are items that I can generally have access to even when traveling. BONUS!

Why these four things? Well, they will help me stave off hunger, or as David says, “Keep me satiated.” (I love those SAT words.) The nuts help with my munchie crunchy habit too! But let me not get ahead of myself. Let me explain how I intend to use these items.

First of all the all mighty banana. David suggests that I eat the banana before I eat ANY meal, particularly a meal that may not be as much on the nice list as it is on the naughty list. The banana will help me fell fuller sooner, especially if it is a little under-ripe. Why? Because an under-ripe banana has more starch in it and thus it takes the body longer to break the starch down, causing your blood sugar to rise more slowly than with a ripe banana. One more reason to go green!

Next the nuts. They are the easiest thing in the world for me to carry around with me. Best to buy a large bag and pre-make smaller snack baggies to throw in my purse, my carry-on, my car…you name it. The protein, the omega 3′s, the fiber, all will help me satisfy my hunger pangs. Plus the effort that is takes to chew them, well, that’s satisfying to me mentally as well. Gotta soothe the psyche as well as the tummy. Peanuts are great, walnuts, and my personal favorite…ALMONDS. Stay away from the cashews, because you get less bang for your chew with those, and a lot more calories. Yes, nuts do pack a calorie whallup in general, but that’s why it’s in your best interests to pre-make the snack baggies. You will be less likely to overindulge that way.

Next up the infamous apple. An apple a day and all that. Apples provide some good healthy fiber and vitamin C. Both go a long way towards helping not only keep the doctor away, but your hunger as well. Keeping an apple on hand for a snack at any time in any place. (Well, except maybe the library. Don’t want your crunch to get you kicked out!) These days, even while traveling, finding an apple is fairly easy. A lot of hotels have bowls of them at the front desk. And now even drugstores like Walgreens and CVS even offer some fresh fruit for purchase at the counter. So, keep an apple with you at all times. That way you never get caught in a desperate search for food.

Lastly Ensure Muscle Health Shakes. Now this you can’t carry on the plane, so you would have to buy it once you reach your destination. But like apples, many drugstores carry this brand. And lets face it, there seems to be a drugstore on every corner these days, no matter where you are staying. I find that breakfast is one of the hardest meals for me to get right while traveling. Hotel continental breakfasts are loaded with carb and sugar options, but less like to have plentiful protein choices. My day has to start with protein or my tank runs dry fast. Drinking Ensure Muscle Health Shakes gives me 13g of protein to get my engine revved up. “But Miss Lori you can get that kind of protein from most protein shakes. Why Ensure Muscle Health Shakes?” Because the Muscle version contains Revigor™, the amino acid metabolite HMB, and protein to help rebuild muscle and strength naturally lost over time. The only thing I want to lose is fat. I am guarding my precious muscle! Your fat to muscle ratio is a lot like your debt to income ratio. You want the first low and the second high. Although these days most of us carry as much fat as we do debt, ie TOO MUCH. Not healthy at all. Ensure Muscle Health Shakes are a line of defense against that. The more muscle yo have versus fat that healthier you are. The healthier you are, the more productive you are. The more productive you are, the more income you can produce or save! Ca-Ching!

One thing I want to add to the list that David didn’t mention is some sort of treat. When you are traveling, especially to conferences or for the holidays, there are always treats…everywhere! You are only human, of course you want to have a taste. Geez, who wouldn’t. I have found that by carrying around some of my own sweet treats I can satisfy my taste buds without derailing my healthy progress. I was introduced to Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp Candy Bars and Dreamy Clusters at Blogher this past Summer in San Diego. What a revelation! Only about 120 calories, each dripping with flavor. I don’t have to feel left out or overstuffed. I can have my treat and my mini dress too! BONUS!

Our list isn’t the only list. I would  love to hear some of your goto items. Remember, the more we help each other the more we help ourselves. 

So, pack your bag with all that you need to survive in this big bad World of food. Whether in town or out of town you no longer have to feel out of control. Empower your food, empower your health, empower yourSELF!

SMILE On!

ML

This is a:

* Level 1 post: Some of the products or services mentioned were provided to Miss Lori free of charge.

*Level 13 post: The Nature Made product mentioned was bought and paid for with Miss Lori’s own hard earned money that she doesn’t have a lot of, and thus doesn’t like to part with, so it must have been important.

Miss Lori is not a Doctor nor does she play one on TV. However, David Grotto is a licensed nutritionist, and Miss Lori is his patient. The suggestions that Miss Lori has relayed in this post are the one’s offered by David Grotto, designed to meet her personal needs. Please consult your own physician for specific guidelines concerning your own health regimen.

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista ,ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.