VALENTINE'S DAY! 5 GIFT IDEAS FOR HIM & FOR HER

Remind with Roses. Yes, the classic rose bouquet. But instead of the cut stems, make the scent-sation last with fragrance. For Him, Hermes Pamplemousse Rose plays with simple notes of grapefruit and rose. It has a spicy citrus beginning and ends elegantly with the depth of rose. Leave it up to Hermes to know how to make a man smell delicious. And for Her, Dolce & Gabbana Rose the One reveals a timeless rose blend petal by petal. A tribute to elegance and beauty. Or get a classic unisex Voleur de Roses Cologne by L'Artisan Parfumeur and Voleur de Roses Eau de Toilette to share the bouquet.

Indulge with Chocolate. The go-to gift of this holiday, chocolate can be especially endearing. For Him or for Her, These organic, hand dipped strawberries from Shari's Berries are delicious ... and much healthier than a box of nougats. The festive array is a treat for the eyes and for the lips. And they go really well with a glass of champagne! Also try the chocolate dipped pretzels (you can add 'em on to your order).

Pamper with Skincare. One way to say you care is to give the gift of skincare. Skin is the largest organ of our bodies. What a great way to show you care. For Him, a STUF™ Classic Shave Kit will give him a smooth, soothing shave. And it will leave his face irresistibly kissable. For Her, a selection of derma e® Natural Bodycare potions to pamper her lips, her eyes, and her body.

Motivate with Gear. The Jawbone UP wristband inspires a healthier life for Him or for Her! It tracks activity. It monitors sleep patterns! It audits food intake. Based on these stats, UP recommends the best time to sleep, when to wake, what to eat, and when to get moving. There's an iPhone app to use in conjunction with the bracelet. Sync and see totals on the go!

Wrap with Warmth. One way to warm up on winter evening - from the inside out - is with a shot of brandy. Always have a sip on hand with a cheerful, easy-to-carry Color Spectrum Flask. You can even have it personalized. This classic gift is the perfect way to carry a favorite potion in style. Pair it with a specialty liquor and the gift gets more grand.

These are five great ways to tell your Valentine that you care. Smile and bring it on!

8 GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR GUYS!

GEAR. Great gear is a motivator for exercise all year round. Some of my faves are the Nike Sport Watch for your runner guy and of course, Nike has an array of stuff to help him suit up for his game.

SKINCARE. The primary problem in men's skin care is neglect. Most guys just don't take the time (and it only takes a little) to care for their largest organ - their skin. And when it comes to skincare, natural based products are best. I like STUF Men's Skin Defense natural skincare for men. The Maximum Performance Kit is perfect for a Christmas gift (or as my girl friend plans, her guy gets STUF men's skincare for the 8 days of Hanukkah).

MEDIA. Music and movies to be exact, plus video games, books and

magazines. I'm liking the ease of finding my guy's faves at Barnes & Noble or Amazon for movies, tv series, music, or video games. Shopping is simple. And, an easy one is to get his favorite Magazine like Men's Health or Golf Digest.

GADGETS. What guy doesn't dig the latest tech toy? If he doesn't already have one, an iPad2 (or a Kindle or a nook) is necessary! And, you can download his magazines to it too! Another gadget that is right there with the remote - a Roku2 to rock his world.

ACCESSORIES. Yes, show him how to add style with a handsome scarf (also good for warmth during the chilly holiday months), or a fancy Fedora.

EATS. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, my granny says. She also likes dancing, but I digress. Feed him healthy snacks that he can enjoy while watching his fave football game. Pork Rinds, literally deep fried pig skin - no carbs, lots of protein, and less fat then chips. Particularly fun is Dynamite

Redneck Fishing Lure Pork Rinds and Hot Sauce Set. I am also a fan of gourmet natural beef jerky with healthy omega-3 fats.

DRINKS. A good micro brew is good for you (for him, too). So treat him to some local flavor - one that will especially tantalize his taste buds.

SPORTSWEAR. His favorite team emblem on a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or jersey is always a pleaser (and then it can replace a ratty piece in his closet). My son loves the LA Clippers while my hubby prefers the Supersonics. Easy and fun to cater to their team alliance and treat them too!

PRIMPING & GROOMING ARE BLOOMING

Throughout history, women have focused on pampering and primping. And men are now catching on. The way you look has a lot to do with the way people look at you.

According to a recent survey by Allure and GQ, men spend only seven minutes less than women on their beauty regimen. Men use an average of 11 grooming products compared to an average of 16 beauty products for women.

The marketplace is meeting this swell with new products designed especially for men. A recent entry, STUF™ Men's Skin Defense, is brought to the market by Olympic icon Mark Spitz who enlisted derma e® Natural Bodycare to design the line of natural men's skincare. derma e® manufactures with wind energy and is an eco-friendly company.

Men's skincare needs are unique. Men's skin is oilier, thicker, more sensitive, and more acidic than women's skin. And in preparing and protecting the skin, natural men's skincare products are preferred for efficacy and for health. Ingredients like green tea, tea tree, aloe vera, vitamin A and vitamin E are top choices for soothing, anti-aging skincare.

There is opportunity to cater to men regarding their appearance - from grooming and skincare to fashion and style, men's attention to how they look is becoming more acceptable. The fact that men take care of their skin is universally accepted. Fashion and grooming will become a growing arena of interest for men. This market segment is developing and has legs... ooh, that reminds me of Joe Namath.

The Process. There are nine things of which great men must be mindful: to see when they look; to hear when they listen; to be gentle in appearance; to be respectful in manners; to be faithful in words; to be earnest in service; to inquire when in doubt; to think when in anger; to be just when they have an advantage. ~ Confucius

After reading Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions by Guy Kawasaki, I am excited to put forward the next big idea for my clients. But first, it is critical to discover the opportunity and define the goal. To do this, have a conversation with the world. Well, more clearly, listen and observe. You can gather clues from many sources whether it be the news, the web, or the neighborhood. Check out the landscape most relevant to your business ... and consider the frontier of alternatives.

One of the many sources I have found is ten by ten - a site the reflects the times in 100 words and pictures. Without human input (since the developers launched it), the site scans sources, analyzes text content, and presents the top 100 words and corresponding images. You can look back in time as far as 2004.
Give it a try and let me know your impressions.

As always, more to come.

Exuberance is beauty. — William Blake

Politics. We have too many politicians and we need legislators. In my humble opinion, most politicians are overly concerned with their personal agendas and thus cannot see clearly what is best for the country.

I am a humanist and a realist relative to government. Tough love is sometimes the right answer. I see benefits in both parties, though I don't rely on either. Am discouraged with the system that, at its foundation, is based on some really cool stuff.

It saddens me to hear people talk of America as a "Christian" country. It is a country under GOD - whichever way one chooses to embrace or pursue GOD, or not - and it happens to consist of many "Christians." The very heart of America began to beat with Freedom of Religion at it's core. Let us separate church (and temple and mosque and cathedral ...) and state (all government). Each of our selected rulers and officials must follow the calling in their own hearts to do what is best for the country to thrive in the freedoms that define America. GOD bless America (that one universal creator GOD regardless of the prophet who one may or may not wish to follow).

And the only "race" with which we should concern ourselves in this country is the Human Race--the rest is bias ... but don't get me started : )

This country is like a petri dish of the world.

To find wisdom, we would benefit from the awareness of a greater history than that which is presented. Perhaps with such an awareness, we would find compassion, common dreams, strengths to share.

American History needs to be complete, and presented objectively, if possible. The reflection needs to include all natives of America - the Navaho, O'odham, Havasupi, Apache... As I understand it, in example, "brown" Mexican murder and enslavement of "red" natives throughout the Southwest is as awful as that which the "whites" committed. The Spanish, French, Dutch, and English warred with one another and with the natives of the "new world." Throughout time and across Earth there has been struggle for - what - power, a sense of success, supremacy? ... even the native tribes killed, raped, looted, and took land from one another.

And then there were the atrocities among the "yellow" people who toiled to build the west. Plus the tortured women in the east ... "witches" burning at the stake. Not to mention women in general, fighting for equality with men - equality in rights. I have hardly turned the pages of history - imagine what else would be uncovered.

Looking across the world, it appears to be the unfortunate history of mankind. Remove the race-color card and see the power-control struggle that haunts us all. The issue appears to be deeper ... innate and based on fear. What wonderful things could we accomplish if we could embrace strengths across differences in a spirit of working together for mutual success. If we could move forward with the knowledge that every person has merit, and should only "serve" another by choice of vocation or by choice of compensation for mis-deeds (as prisoners might be required to clean up roadways, etc).

Let us find respect for one another. There is always a solution, a compromise perhaps, that can satisfy. The atrocities that haunt us need not divide us. Let them strengthen us as a community of people who will not allow fellow humans to suffer at the hand of ignorance and disrespect. Let us become bigger by learning from one another's strengths; sharing the rituals of one another's cultures - embracing some, allowing differences to exist side by side, letting go of that which no longer serves.