Happy New Year!

As another year comes to a close (wow, that was fast!) I can look back fondly on 2011, and look forward to the year ahead like a gift waiting to be unwrapped or, just like last year, another ream of blank pages stacked in front of me. 

I am always tempted to make resolutions which we all know can be counterproductive.  This year, however, I can tell you without reservation that I plan to do a few things that absolutely scare the bejeezus out of me.  The list isn't too long or complicated.  I will share one of them, the scariest of them all here with you tomorrow (gulp).  The resolve I am feeling for what is sure to be a very exciting new year can be summed up in one word.  The word is:  Focus.

The time has come for me to get a firm grasp on the ol' boot straps and pull!  I find myself surrounded by and in awe of folks who have done so and are succeeding - making their own success.  I am so passionate about promoting my fellow entrepreneurs that I often forget about my own *tongue-firmly-in-cheek* "hopes, dreams and aspirations".

Thanks to several very encouraging, supportive friends, the voices of doubt are dissapating and I'm ready to dive into two new personal projects this year.  One is a book of poetry and the other is a fictional novel based on the life of my grandfather...  Yes, I am aware that everyone is writing The Next Great American Novel.  I go into this with a realistic attitude knowing that there are so many books in the world, and that just because I write one doesn't mean it will ever be read.  It would though, be a huge personal accomplishment and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream...  And, anyone who knew my Gramps knows this will be one helluva story!

By sharing some of this information with you, my tens of readers, I feel accountable in a way that I think will help me reach my goals!  So, thank you in advance for being there on the other side of the screen.

Wishing all of you the very best that 2012 has to offer and, as always, thank you so much for taking the time to read.

Peace and Love xo

Dog's Gone Wild for Rotations Pet Food!

This is Cinnamon.  She may look demure in her pink feather boa channeling her inner "I believe in pink..." Audrey Hepburn, but don't be fooled.  Beneath the surface of that sweet Maltese face lies the fiery Scottish temper of a terrier (Cairn) bitch.  Anyone who owns a Cairn knows how they drive us mad by being so irresistibly cute, yet so aloof... If you've ever accidentally brushed an arm across the hind end of one sleeping on the back of the couch, you know what I'm talking about.

Cinnamon had the opportunity recently to sample Rotations Pet Food.  I will admit I didn't know much about holistic or all natural dog foods before now, and she seemed to be doing okay with the dry kibble from our local pet store.  She gets 1/2 a cup of food in the morning and 1/2 a cup in the evening.  Typically, it will stay in her dish for the better part of the morning and she'll just take a few pieces here and there to nibble on. 

When our rotational pack arrived (3 5lb. bags, 1 of each variety: Chicken and Brown Rice, New Zealand Lamb and Potato, and Wild Salmon with Peas and Carrots) I opened the Wild Salmon first and mixed several pieces of the kibble into what was still left in her dish from earlier in the day.  I kid you not- she took one sniff and immediately started rooting through the food picking out the Rotations kibble!  I liken it (not proudly) to the first time I let my kid eat a (NOT at all holistic) chicken nugget from McDonald's -she was instantly hooked.

By the third day I could say to Cinnamon "Where's your food?" 

By the end of the first week she had easily transitioned over to Rotations and now sits (and often lies) by her dish when she thinks it's time to eat!  There is no more grazing - the food disappears in short order. And check out that shiny coat!

A couple of things I noticed within the first three weeks of feeding Rotations were that her coat became (and still is) very soft and shiny, and she has definitely "filled out" a bit.  I actually feed her just a tad less than a cup a day so that she doesn't plump up like a ballpark frank!  We have also stopped buying expensive "treats" like bacon strips, etc. and now, when she's done something to deserve one (i.e., her business outside when it's 20 degrees), she gets a couple of pieces of kibble instead.

In light of recent dog food recalls, one by Proctor & Gamble, maker of big name IAMS and another by Advanced Animal Nutrition, maker of Dog Power dry dog food it seemed like the right time for a change.  I had no idea that many dog food manufacturers use rancid, or almost rancid meat in their food! What?!

I am happy to report that Rotations is one of the ONLY U.S. based manufacturers that peroxide value tests ALL meat used before it goes into their recipes to ensure with 100% certainty that it has not even begun to go bad.  This has to be one of the top reasons ROTATIONS® dog food feeds better and is liked by more dogs than most other meat-first all natural pet foods!

One of the coolest things about Rotations is that once your dog has transitioned over, you can feed them one or all of the three varieties at any time with no digestive upset.  It really is remarkable.  There's no rocket science involved, but if you follow these guidelines for transitioning you can't go wrong:

Day 1 & 2 - 25% ROTATIONS, 75% existing food

Day 2 & 3 - 50% ROTATIONS, 50% existing food

Day 4 & 5 - 75% ROTATIONS, 25% existing food

Day 6 - 100% ROTATIONS

Money Saving Note:  When you buy the Rotational Pack, you're getting 3 bags for the price of 2!

Why Rotate?  Here's a partial excerpt: 

"Once you have selected a quality dog food, that’s all you need to feed, right? Despite what many dog food companies tell you, the answer is NO!

Dogs weren’t intended to get all of their nutrients from a single food. Just like all mammals, dogs are meant to thrive on a range of different foods obtaining the unique nutritional benefits from each. They are not intended to eat "only chicken" or "only lamb" or any other food item for most of their life. Changing a pets food provides the nutritional variety they need in order to thrive."

Find additional information and all of your questions answered here: http://www.rotationspetfood.com/
We've switched completely to Rotations and won't ever go back!

And now, a GIFT for you! Please DO use this special Coupon Code - CINNAMON - during your checkout process to recieve 15 lbs. of Rotations FREE! This offer is also good for the 3 bag "Rotational Pack" (You pay shipping only).

This generous offer is limited to ONE per household and is valid until 12/31/2011.

Have a furbulicious day and thanks for reading!

XO

SassaB ~ Fun Fab Stocking Swag!

Christmas is around the corner and I'm always trying to find fun stocking stuffers at the last moment.  It's a double bonus when I can support a fellow small business owner and get a quality product. 

I love these new, fun, linkable charms from SassaB!  I recently interviewed Tracy Sanders, Owner and Creator of SassaB LLC about the upcoming launch of her very first product, and I couldn't be happier for her!  A little history - Tracy and I attended the same casting call for what would become Kelly Ripa's Homemade Millionaire during the Summer of 2009 in Chicago.  We didn't meet at the audition, but connected subsequently through her ProductX Blog.  There have been a lot of ups and downs for us both since then and she has never given up on her dream of bringing a product to market.  Well done T!

How fun are these charms?  I have spent many a dollar in the past on other charms found in novelty stores, etc., that either broke or fell apart within the first few days.  They say the devil is in the details, and the first thing I noticed is that the lobster clasp on SassaB is much better quality than those "other" charms.  They are easily linked together with connector rings on both sides of the charms. 

The girls were so excited to wear them to school and now they are finding all sorts of fun things to do with them! 

Make a necklace...

Add pizzazz to a zipper...

"Create your own style!"

Looking forward to collecting them all and spreading the word about these FUNtastic new charms!

You can also find SassaB on Facebook.

As always, thank you for taking a few moments out of your busy day to read.

XO Jen

p.s. I Love You, But...Aren't You Forgetting Something?

First, a disclaimer - I may be the queen of disclaimers.  It is important to note before I continue that, in the world of Social Media, I am not, by definition, an expert.  I believe that becoming a stand-out in today's vast landscape requires some very basic skills (not necessarily expertise)... the kind they don't teach in institutions for higher learning.  I am referring (once again) to manners aka "Twittequette".

And now, without further ado... When does one become such a BigTwig that they are no longer required or feel it necessary to acknowledge or say thank you to mutually influential folks who go out of their way to tweet, retweet, shout-out and generally spread the love about them?  Is it the sweet blue check mark?  Is it when you have become too busy traveling the world speaking and teaching others about Social Media?  Is it when you've authored books on the subject?  Hmmm, no, surely not that last one, because that would be like, totally *ironical* and contradictory right?

The clear answer is:  Never, especially when you have gone out of your way to solicit interaction with your audience.

Since joining Twitter in 2009 I have had the privilege of connecting with people from all over the world.  The common thread that keeps me connected and passionately tweeting and communicating with my modest 1,700 or so followers & those I follow is the fact that there is an effort made to share information in a mutually generous, mostly organic (i.e., non-automated), honest fashion.  I believe the smartest people in Social Media today are the ones who can see far enough past their own beaks to say those two little, but powerful words:  Thank You.

I've had the pleasure of tweeting with some insanely busy people, including mega celebs, moguls, major magazine publications, premium television networks, nationally recognized authors and fellow Social Media colleagues who are never too busy to say thank you publicly or privately.  These are people who despite working 12-18 hour days, understand the power of a Thank You. 

Recently, following a gathering featuring some "big" names in Social Media, I was thrilled to see that some friends had connected with a few of them and had even tweeted great pictures and quotes throughout their respective presentations.  I had a few "OMG" moments scrolling through their timeline, followed by a bit of "WTF" upon noticing that apparently, some are much too wrapped up in their own wonderfulness that they fail to notice their fellow Social Media man.
As it turns out, having an audience is a privilege... So, pay attention, remember who they are and take a moment to show some level of gratitude to those who are looking up to and being inspired by you. Unless you are receiving thousands of @ reply messages on a daily basis, acknowledgement in the form of a simple "Thank You" when you can legitimizes what you are preaching to all of us.

September is World Alzheimers Month

Hello neglected tens of readers! I’ve missed you!

This particular September means many things in my household. Kids are back to school and the youngest is now a full-fledged First Grader which means everyone is in school all day and I have a full 7.5 hours to do as I please (e.g., sit in silence, sip my coffee and compose this post at my leisure with no interruption! Ha!)

More importantly...

September is World Alzheimers Month. I have a dear friend whose mother is suffering from Early Onset Alzheimers, which I have recently learned is a much more aggressive form of this terrible and heartbreaking disease. Both of us are active in the many forms of Social Media including Twitter and she, along with other members of her family, and members of the Alzheimers Association community have been using this powerful tool to help raise awareness and share information about the disease.

I have talked about before, but cannot say enough, what a powerful tool Twitter can be for connecting people and removing the proverbial walls that exist outside of this arena. With that said, it is also important to remember that there are, unfortunately, seemingly well meaning folks who are not necessarily what they appear to be.

In the world of Social Media perception is reality – I can say anything I want or represent myself in a certain manner that might be entirely false. Integrity, trust and authenticity are the qualities I look for and value the most in my feed. If I connect two people together it is because I feel strongly that they might benefit from the introduction. I am passionate about this – it is what I love to do.

Tips & Twittequette:

Retweet the tweets of major organizations connected to your cause.

Include whatever hashtag they are using (e.g., #WorldAlzheimersMonth #humantrafficking #SusanGKomen).

Engage with and follow people within that community to see how you can work together effectively.

Do your homework before donating money to any organization other than who you know to be the main representative of the cause.

Do not expect to tweet a link directly to any celebrity or news organization and have them magically start clicking your link, following, or mentioning you!

Do not tweet the same link to many people in a short period of time with no other personal interaction. You will be viewed as a spammer and likely reported as such.

Do say thank you and acknowledge when others mention or retweet information for you.

Follow These Influential Folks:

@AlzheimersAssoc
@mariashriver
@Irememberbetter
@ewpotts
@cc4alz

Get Involved:

Please go to the Azheimers Association website to find out all of the latest about upcoming events in your area. There are Walks, Galas and other creative ways to help raise awareness and research dollars for Alzheimers conveniently listed on their site.

Final Thoughts:

There’s no ‘I’ in Team people!

Hope you’ll take a moment to give a Tweet for Alzheimers.

As always thank you for reading.
XO

At Your Service

JenCann Productions has a new look and a new attitude. Thanks to the very cool and talented Lizzie Sorensen for my bodacious new logo!!

If you or someone you know needs a "word up", I can help!

JenCann Write, JenCann Connect, JenCann Tweet

I Heart Wordle

I have recently discovered Wordle! I can hear the collective gasps of scrapbookers and geeks everywhere thinking "that's like sooo two thousand and eight!" Well, yes, I'm a bit late to the party - but hey - Wordle UP!

I stumbled upon (forgive the pun/linking opp) Wordle by accident in June when I was thinking about a birthday gift for Gramps who was about to be eighty-nine. What do you get a guy who's eighty-nine, has lived the life of at least two or three people, full-tilt, balls to the wall, never wasted a moment and not in need of anything? I wanted it to be something meaningful since I am his only granddaughter. I finally got it. I would write him a poem. Then, sitting on the plane from PHL to LAX I thought, hey, what if I could make a collage of words, 89 words/things about George for his 89th birthday? Viola!

The day before his party (I work best under tight deadlines), sitting with my cousin at the computer, I explained my idea. I was thinking I could create it maybe using a text box or boxes in a Word document (no laughing!) and quickly realized it would not be easy. So we start searching. First we Googled "word mashup" with no luck, then tried "word collage" and there it was that cute little Wordle logo beckoning us to check it out.

Sadly, I did not publish the Wordle I made for Gramps, but I did take a picture of it.


Fun, right? How could I have never known about this cool tool! Did I mention it is also free? It's free. All you have to do is download Java Script, also free. Very simple.

SO - because I am never satisfied with my Twitter background, I decided to see if I could make one using Wordle. I searched and found others who have done it (although they make it sound a lot easier than it has been for me, the technicalogically challenged). My only issue has been figuring out how to save it as a jpeg to be able to upload it as an image. I think I have finally done it by copying and pasting the html code here.




Here's where I need help! Stinks that it doesn't appear larger. If you click on it, you will see it full size... now need to go figure out how to take a screen shot and resize in Paint? Oy - getting frustrated, not giving up. Tips welcome.

Before I sign off for today, I must say RIP George "Gramps" "Doc" "Doc Shah" Dordigan (Shahanian to many) June 29, 1922 - July 23, 2011. Your story is for another day...

XO