Merry Christmas!

We're wishing you a most wonderful and Merry Christmas today!

Not quite sure what the "traditional" celebration brings for each of you this year. There have been a couple of losses and hard times, and there have also been some births and joyous times. We are holding each of you in our thoughts as a new year begins!

In our own non-traditional way, we woke up here at home together this morning. No giddy children, no good-night reading of Silent Night last night... but we have each other, we have Bromley, and we had waffles! We also took a long walk on the beach, and we're closing out the day with Kevin& Danielle and their families.

This past Sunday was the grand Hedman/McClarran family Christmas in Connecticut! The kids were definitely building up their excitement, as adorable as ever, and the food and cookies were overflowing! Coming from a very small family myself, it's a wonderful feeling to have almost 20 close relatives laughing and sharing stories with each other in one home - even if only for a day at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is nice to look up in any direction and see someone you share that family bond with. Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful gifts and warm hugs!

More Opinions

It just occurred to me to turn the TV on while working from home. I tend to be busier on Fridays than any other day of the week because I'm home and can concentrate better. I hardly even think to turn music on, nevermind TV. But today is a quasi vacation day and I'm just needing to work on a couple of quick things.

So this led me to CNBC's Power Lunch segment. Of COURSE I tried TLC, E! and others first - including a cooking channel I'm researching for work. But somehow here I am back in business.

The point of my post... Best Buy is whopping Circuit City's toosh this holiday season. Now I was literally just at Best Buy this morning and I don't get it. I wanted to tap on the shoulders of everyone there. As you know, I've been working to build my new camera system, and I really wanted to snag an external flash before this weekend's holiday festivities. They're charging $50 more for one flash than Amazon is, and $150 more for another flash! I think I pretty much will never walk into Best Buy again... I give up. I heart Amazon.

And to keep in line with the power of blogging and the uber-transparent sharing of customer opinion... You MUST visit Siena (Italian Grill & Bar) in Mashpee Commons, Mashpee, MA. They have an amazing $25 four-course dinner menu Sunday through Thursday. Full portion apps, salads, soups, entrees, desserts... Fair wine prices, great ambiance. We had a wonderful time last night with friends.

Off to CT tomorrow - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Holiday Pre-Game

I’m starting to figure out that the bus is the best place to blog from! I’m coming off of a pretty stressful two weeks of work to meet a deadline, and now I’m pretty much ready to bring in the R&R to close the year out. Gary, on the other hand, will still be working through next week to meet his own deadlines.

Last weekend was a busy one on the social calendar as well. On Friday, we attended the infamous eggnog party that Gary’s co-worker throws every year. Real, homemade, 98% proof eggnog. We decorated our tree that night too!

Saturday morning was all work, but then we were off to enjoy our friends Kelly and Joe’s wedding in Falmouth in the afternoon! CONGRATS to them! Since we were hosting a slumber party, the lights went out at 2am and then back on again at 7am for the Patriots game! Yep, we were there. Covered in snow and rain and having an absolute blast. Unfortunately, Sunday night was more work.

Looking forward to celebrating Christmas with the Hedman/McClarran family this weekend!

Welcome Winter!

Welcome to Snow Storm Numero Uno of the 2007/08 season! I hope this note finds you all safe and cozy at home. I thought this occasion deserved a flash back to 2005...


Yeah, I married that man a week later.

Though it would have made for another eventful company party, mine was postponed until late January when you need it most. We're both home, cozy, and I've gained another few hours to get my work done.

A few observations this week:

1) I was going to rant about how no one writes in holiday cards anymore, but suddently I myself am sitting at a table literally spread out with 97% work papers and 3% holiday cards and there are just a few days left to get them out. We're at least going to sign our names.

2) The bellhop at the Copley Plaza was out walking a black lab with a gold collar around the 40x40 foot patch of grass in Copley Square. If that was your dog, please stop reading my blog.

3) My taxi driver had a better BlackBerry than most executives I know.

The New Years Conundrum

Every year, without fail… No plans, no one wants to commit to plans, the time comes, still no plans, laugh about how we never have plans, and everyone ends up in their pj’s at La Casa de Hedman accidentally drinking all the champagne before midnight. I’ve loved these New Years traditions!

But this year, just when I was about to shoot out a note to see who wanted to repeat it, alas! We’re going OUT! I’ve told you about our vet friends, Kevin and Danielle (<-that's Kevin tonight). I never hurts to have your vets as friends, particularly when they live a mile away with a 10-person hot-tub and a fry-o-later (buffalo wings and Pats games!). But these two are really darn cool people. We’re joining their tradition of renting a limo that night, dining out, and maybe hitting the beach at midnight!

I hope you all have wonderful New Years Eves this 2008! What would you rather be doing? Take the poll to the right and let me know!

Bloggers Abound

Wow! Our blogging contest at work is in full swing! I encourage you all to check out a few of these posts from friends of mine you may know:

Jessica: http://aroundthehydrant.com/

Heather: http://sibliving.wordpress.com/

Alex: http://makingarunforit.com

Kate: http://gossipgrl.wordpress.com/

It has been fun to finally see the work that our bloggers have been doing! More to come as I see them. Anyone else out there want to start a blog?

By the way, you’ll now see Del.icio.us links in my sidebar. That means, when I see something I like online, I click the button that says “Add to my Del.icio.us”. Check in when you have time and maybe you’ll enjoy as well!

The Jump

I work in the strategic planning group of the public relations agency that I so enthusiastically (really) commute two hours to each day. Along with my ten-year career in competitive intelligence and strategic corporate analysis, a major charge of our group is digital strategy. That’s a company’s presence on its website, in social networks, on discussion boards, through widgets, through mobile platforms… and in blogging.

Multinational corporations and small homegrown businesses are blogging. There are huge benefits and huge risks, but it’s happening and it’s awesome. Even those without an established blog are able to engage and respond and share with bloggers (also known as consumers, partners, investors, the media, you name it).

I’m not even touching on what this free, viral, borderless technology is doing for non-profits (examples to come). Or celebrity brands like John Mayer and the very pink Pamela Anderson.

So anyway… We have a lot going on within our agency walls right now, including a whopping $1,000 contest for the best blogger! I don’t qualify – apparently being a digital strategist is cheating ;-) But will be finally taking my professional blog live, so stay tuned. I signed up over a year ago and am now vowing to make the time for it.

What could I possibly have to talk about now? Many of you know my love of all things international… I always said my life would be complete when I had an international cell phone, but that doesn’t mean much anymore. I’m 30-something now, I have an international Blackberry, and I’m still in the United States. Have been all year. So if I can’t go to it, I’m bringing my international to me (for now).

WhatUnites.com – Global views on branding, technology, cultural changes, motivations and more. Improvements to come on the look and feel of the site.

SaltyHedman.com – The same Hedman household you're used to...

Thanks for coming along!
Stacey

The Capital

We're home! Gary, Bromley and I just returned from our road-trip of the upper east coast, heading down to visit friends, babies and new homes in Virginia, Washington DC, and Baltimore. A GREAT time. Felt like such a long vacation away, but as with most, it's also quite nice to return home.

Thanks to our friends who hosted us along the way!

We enjoyed the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History. We took photos of Bromley at more monuments than any Vermont dog could probably ever dream of! We toured the Capital, we toured the vineyards (did you know VA is the fourth largest wine producer after CA, WA and OR?), we toured the botanical gardens...

We probably ate and drank a bit too much, so the first things I did when we got home yesterday were (1) hit the gym and (2) buy 12 bags of healthy food and veggies at the store. Gary, meanwhile, put together our new living room furniture last night! We discovered that Ikea - with its good food and adventure - is an awesome (albeit long) rest area on the drive!

This is the TV-unit and this is our new coffee table. A contemporary turn for me - exciting.

Anyway, I must get on with a bit of working, cleaning, unpacking, yogafying, shopping and general relaxing. Hope many of you enjoyed the New England snow! We were sad to miss it. So far we have a wreath up and two holiday parties to kick off this weekend! Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating this week!