Review and Giveaway of EverStride Products

Are you a runner?  Do you live with one or some other kind of high performance athlete?  If so, EverStride--high performance skin care for athletes--is for you.  Okay, who am I kidding?  Even if you're not a runner, your feet would definitely benefit if you use EverStride products.  Their line is small (so far), consisting of Pro Therapy Foot Treatment, Anti Chafing Sport Stick and Fungus Rx Defense--three products designed to pamper hard-working feet and keep them functioning well.  This line was developed as EverStride folks were training for the Walt Disney World Marathon and found that available foot care did little to alleviate the problems of training: chafing, callouses, rashes, blisters, etc.  As a result, a product line was developed and tested extensively on athletes in locker rooms and doctor's offices. The folks at EverStride sent me a sample of each product which the hub helped me test.

EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment: Both the hub and I tried this rich foot cream that includes ingredients like shea butter, mineral oil and beeswax.  We slathered our feet before going to bed and covered them with socks to let the foot treatment goodness set in.  My feet were so soft in the morning!  It bought me more time on my pedicure! I also have a detestable habit of peeling the cuticle skin on my big toes when I'm nervous or worried.  (You wonder how I can do this but this is Hawaii and I never wear socks unless I'm working out--that's how.) Not only was the skin on the soles of my feet conditioned, but also the skin around my toe nail beds.  I was excited! Now I use the foot treatment once a week overnight for deep skin conditioning. In his job, the hub is on his feet quite a bit and his heels tend to dry out and crack because of that.  We're keeping the cracking in check with the foot treatment.

EverStride Anti Chafing Sport Stick: I love this stuff.  I've been using it before my walks so I can walk longer in comfort.  I also use it on one elbow that has a persistent dry spot.  It feels like you're gliding a greaseless emollient across your skin.  I photographed the Anti Chafing Sport Stick (right) next to another anti chafing stick (left) I have.  Can you see how the other product has less moisture than the EverStride stick?  Can you see the crumbliness (is that a word?) around the edges of the other product?  The difference in how they feel is significant as well.  The other product feels waxy.  The EverStride Anti Chafing Sport Stick is richly moisturizing.  

EverStride Fungus Rx Defense: I was sent this product as well but was relieved (albeit a little disappointed) that no one in my family was having foot fungus problems at the time of receipt.  Nevertheless, its in the medicine cabinet for when we need it.

Overall, I'm a fan of the EverStride product line.  I suspect I may get so addicted to the Anti Chafing Stick and the Pro Therapy Foot Treatment that I'll be ordering more.  A plus to the line is that all of the products are unscented and, therefore, unisex.

BUY IT: You can purchase EverStride products here plus free shipping on all orders over $25.  Remember to sign up here for the email newsletter to receive 15% off your order!  Also, you can take advantage of the special on the main page:

Also, mahalo to EverStride for offering Moana Saves readers a discount when ordering EverStride products on the website--use VIP20 and receive 20% off your order!

WIN IT: The folks at EverStride have graciously offered three lucky readers of Moana Saves product packages!

3rd Prize: One lucky winner will receive a full-sized EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment ($19.99 ARV).

2nd Prize: One lucky winner will receive full-sized EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment and Anti Chafing Sport Stick ($34.99 ARV).

1st Prize: One lucky winner will receive a full-sized EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment, Anti Chafing Sport Stick and Fungus Rx Defense ($52.98 ARV)--everything you need to keep athletic (or otherwise) feet healthy!

To earn a mandatory entry, check out the EverStride website, come back and tell me something you learned about their products. Mandatory means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the right side).

2. Subscribe to the EverStride email newsletter here.

3. Follow @Ever_Stride on Twitter.

4. Follow me on Twitter.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following (leave the tweet URL in your comment):
#Win high performance foot products from @Ever_Stride and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/91coK8 #giveaway ends 11/22


6. Like the EverStride Facebook page.

7. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

8. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

9. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

10. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Monday, November 22nd at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  Three winners will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winners via email and they must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner for that prize. Limit one win per person for this giveaway. 

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from EverStride to review their products or host this giveaway.  I did receive full-sized samples to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Halloween Photo Essay

Doesn't Halloween just speak for itself?  Pumpkins, costumes, smiling kids.  Its all here, folks.  No commentary needed.

Protect Your Kids from MRSA

With fall sports in full swing, equipment cleanliness and item-sharing on and off the field may get overlooked between carpools, homework and bedtime.  But, skin infections like MRSA, a potentially life threatening antibiotic resistant Staph infection, are the cause of 56 percent of all infectious disease outbreaks in competitive sports in the U.S. 

It’s important that as parents and coaches we do our part to help prevent the spread of MRSA.  You can begin by getting involved in the Equip them Well program through three simple steps – collect, disinfect, donate.

Aloha Friday #158

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is . .how is your family going to celebrate Halloween this weekend?

My answer: going door to door is still a big deal because we live in a small, fairly safe town.  In fact, people come from neighboring towns to bring their kids to trick or treat.  Since the weather is great, we'll probably sit outside on lawn chairs and visit with neighbors as we give out candy.  Both are kids will be going around with their friends.  I'll dress up Chevy the Super Dog as Superman and he'll nervously sit on my lap as kids come by.  Good times!

Wordless Wednesday: Childhood Memory

Custom Blog Design Giveaway From the Shabby Vanity

Ever since Madeline Mele of The Shabby Vanity did my blog design at the end of August, I've wanted to feature her and her business here at Moana Saves.  Working with Madeline on the blog design was great.  She is efficient and professional, listening to me every step of the way yet also adding her expertise when I dawdled.  I was almost sad to see the process end!  Further, Madeline has been great about answering my design questions or making adjustments after the original work she did. Here are some recent designs she's done.  Hard to miss mine and the other blogs are fabulous, too!

I interviewed Madeline recently for the readers of Moana Saves:

How did you get into creating blogs?  What do you like most about designing?
Since I am far away from most of my family and friends, I needed a way for them to keep up with my new little family. So I created a family blog with Blogger. I loved messing with the designs and reading tutorials on how to improve the look of my blog. Blog design uses a lot of coding such as html, javascript, and css.  So I committed to learning those codes by reading articles, writing codes, and ultimately working towards html certification. Then I realized that I could help others with their blog too! What I like most about designing blogs is seeing the reactions of my clients when they see their new blog design for the first time. That initial reaction of "I have a cute blog now!" is great!

What design tip can you give to bloggers?
Make your blog how you want it to be!  There are so many great tutorials out there that can teach you how to design your own blog. Having a great look on your blog not only increases traffic flow- but when your design looks professional, your content begins to improve too! Designing it yourself can be time consuming and require extra computer programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and other third-party resources. However, most of the time, basic things like adding a post divider, or uploading a background can be done pretty easily if you are following a good tutorial. When things get complicated because you want a design that no one else has, you don't have the resources to follow a tutorial, or you just don't have the time- that's when you contact a blog designer to do it for you!

As a mom and a business owner, I know you're busy and you work hard.  When you get some time for yourself, how do you like to pamper yourself?
Just like everyone else that has multiple responsibilites, I feel like life is a juggling act.  In order to make the most of my time for myself- I do what I enjoy. Whether that day it's make a batch of cookies, take a bubble bath, or update our family blog- I just make the most of it!  

Okay, so you know about my process of working with Madeline on Moana Saves and you know more about Madeline, the blog designer and mom.  Check out her blog here where you can see her custom blog designs she's done, grab a button or just hang out.  Madeline is also offering one lucky Moana Saves reader a complete blog makeover!  Check out the info below:

Enter to win a Full Blog (Blogger) Makeover from the Shabby Vanity.

You could win a free Custom:

Background 

Header

Button/Blinkie

Post Signature

Post Divider

Here's how to enter:

1. Become a follower of The Shabby Vanity and Moana Saves with Google Friend Connect (This is the mandatory entry).

2.  For the mandatory entry, leave a comment. For all of the extra entries, leave a comment for each.

Extra entries include 

3. Follow The Shabby Vanity on Twitter.

4. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (once a day) and post the URL: #Win a blog makeover from @TheShabbyVanity and @MoanaSaves http://bit.ly/bzXGu2 ends 11/9

6. Follow The Shabby Vanity on Facebook

7. Grab a Shabby Vanity button and post it on your blog!

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Tuesday, November 9th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner. 

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from The Shabby Vanity to host this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own. 

#Mamavation Monday: Where I Go to Work . . . .

I've fallen and I can't get up.  What's worse: this happens to me a lot.  I'm a Monday morning quarterback when it comes to dieting and I usually give up come the next day.  Now. I could either keep up this cycle (which doesn't seem as destructive as, say, 5 years ago) or I can change.  But I think the most important thing I need to change is my mind.  How do I get my brain to stop sabotaging itself (or my body, or me)?

First of all, I think I procrastinate working out and fail to plan healthy meals because of fear.  While not fully conscious of it, I think I fear change. Of having to take responsibility for my health and translate theory (the ideas to enable consistency in healthy eating and fitness) to practice.  I also think I fear trusting myself.  What if I actually followed through with my plans and . . . they worked!  I'm afraid of losing that entertaining cynicism about dieting. This might be confusing but as a woman, like many women I know, I use self-deprecating humor to connect to other people.  What if I couldn't make fun of myself as a way to connect with others?  If I love myself, will I be fun to be around?  Lots of questions here and no answers.  But I'm going to believe I'm on my way to change because I'm starting to isolate my reasons to not lose weight and . . . .

I've started thinking about when I've been successful.  Not as a way to whine and say, "I've done this and this and this.  Why can't I lose the weight?"  More as a way to say, "How did I accomplish something in these other areas of my life?"  And I think I came up with my answer: When I think of a set of duties as a job, I follow through.

I've only been fired in my life from one job--as a hostess at a sit-down restaurant.  I deserved to be fired.  I was bad at it.  But I've kept every other job I've had and I've been consistently praised within that context.  Also, I managed to collect three degrees.  For the last one (and the hardest one), I managed to get someone else to pay me on a regular basis to complete that program.  In all of these instances, I approached them as jobs.  I have this irritating habit of going to work and supporting the mission of my employer--even through sickness and pregnancy.  I come from immigrant pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps ideology on one side of my family and ethnic/cultural difference which drives us to prove how fabulous we are on the other side.  And work is often the context in which I get significant external validation.  Of course work is important.  And the areas in which I consistently struggle are the areas which I do not define as my job.  For example, if I thought of keeping my house clean as a job, I would schedule cleaning and organizing more than I do.  If I look at this blog as an enjoyable hobby, I would probably fail to work on it with any consistency.  But as soon as I tell myself, "Self, this blog is your small business," I sit up a little straighter, answer emails, network on twitter and pound out blog entries (all of which I enjoy, by the way, but *&%$ its a job!).

So . . . if I reframe how I think of healthifying my life as my job, then I'm more likely to do it, right?  That is what I'm doing.  It is a job that will pay me back in better mental attitude, healthier body, modeling activity and longevity for my daughters.  Win-win, people!

And I gotta say that every time I go to SUBWAY and see that image of Jared huffing and puffing his way to running a marathon, I get motivated.  Yeah, he doesn't look like he's enjoying himself but he's not letting himself be paralyzed by fear.  He is a role model.

• So, for this week, reframe-ing my attitude.  Taking care of this body and this life is a job.  As such, I will work on our meal plan tonight for the whole week
• treat working out like a job (I'll be starting as an intern so baby steps)
• put aside time each day to visualize job success
• stop eating and reading/computing at the same time (would I multi-task like that if my job is eating mindfully?  Noooooo.)

Aloha Friday #157

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is . .white or wheat bread? potatoes or rice?

My answer: wheat bread (firmer texture) and rice, rice, baby!

Wordless Wednesday

smiley sea, originally uploaded by fishndiver.

Winner of The Definitive Guide to Twitter by Shannon Evans

Congrats to @VV4Change! She won an autographed copy of The Definitive Guide to Twitter by Shannon Evans!

I Love This Video!

Review of Tiger Suit by K.T. Tunstall

I was lucky enough to get a copy of KT Tunstall's latest CD, Tiger Suit (released Oct 6th) so I could review it on the blog.  I don't consider myself a die-hard Tunstall fan.  In fact, I've mostly heard her name bandied about (in conversations or articles about 'serious' and 'talented' artists) and I've heard "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" more times than I wanted to on American Idol.  So I bring a particular perspective to this review that may have limited representation: that of the newbie KT Tunstall fan. Yes, Tiger Suit has converted me--I realized this when I woke up yesterday humming "(Still a) Weirdo".  For me, Tunstall's songwriting is often eclectic and at times opaque in meaning.  The real strength in the songs on Tiger Suit is in her song arrangement and performance.  Some of the songs are pulsing with raw emotion ("Difficulty", "Push that Knot Away").  Others, like current release "Fade Like a Shadow", "Uummannaq Song" and "Glamour Puss" are optimistically cynical as they juxtapose brutally honest lyrics with playful musical arrangements. And they're so fun to sing along to!

My favorite songs in the collection are "Uummannaq Song" and "(Still a) Weirdo" (that's right--I'm feelin' the weirdo vibe--like you didn't know) for that Tunstall mix of light and dark.  I also enjoyed the rest of the CD with the only exception being "Madame Trudeaux" (KT, you need to explain that one to me).  This album has me seriously thinking about going back to her other CDs to see what gold is to be had there as well.

For more info about Tiger Suit, Tunstall or upcoming tour dates, go here.  Check out KT Tunstall's official Youtube channel here. And you can check out recent reviews of Tiger Suit and buy all or some of the tracks here.

I did not receive any compensation for my review of Tiger Suit although I was given the CD to facilitate this review and I am entered to win a gift card through One2One Network.  Any and all opinions here are my own. 

Winner of $50 Shapeways Gift Code

The winner of the $50 Shapeways Gift Code was #78, hbomb. Congrats!

Aloha Friday #156

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is . . White bread or wheat bread? Rice or potatoes?

My answer: Wheat bread (I like firmer texture) and rice. But not together . . . ;)

What about you?

Wordless Wednesday

P7270016, originally uploaded by fishndiver.

Moms Making it Happen: Community Children's Theater in Laie

A curious thing has happened in my community for the past two spring and fall public school breaks. Some moms teamed up before the break to write an original play and then spend the week-long break producing it, featuring the elementary school aged children of Laie. The first production, during Spring 2010, was Peter Panipopo, a local musical improvisation on the traditional Peter Pan story. The second production, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, riffs on the Narnia trilogy and uses songs the audience knows and loves. My Second Born has been involved in each production and has loved it. The kids practice their parts/musical numbers, paint sets, work together on make-up and costumes and, best of all, have a great time together. In the spirit of sharing what resourceful moms can accomplish when they creatively collaborate and what kids can learn even when they're on vacation, I've included a photo essay of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, performed in the elementary school cafeteria on Friday, October 8^th. But, first, an interview with the moms who started it all and who keep it going: Michelle Blimes, Laura Blum and Emily Bradshaw (how weird that they're all Bs!).

left to right: Michelle, Laura and Emily

Why did you start putting on these plays during fall and spring breaks?

Laura: I was [sign language] interpreting a Social Entrepreneurial class where you (in the words of Ritchie Norton) "Rock your World.. by seeing a need in your community and doing something about it." He always stressed- you don't have to have all the skills, just an idea, and gather the people with the skills to accomplish your idea. So, around the time of the Spring Break- when there was a local production of The Music Man (my kids went both nights and I saw many of the community kids there), I thought, "Hey we have an amazingly talented community-- our kids should have more opportunities to do this kind of creative stuff." I knew I didn't have the skills to pull it off alone but I also knew I had Rock Star talented friends so I gathered them together and everyone was so excited and supportive. The kids are so talented and amazing. It's been a blast.

Emily: I started doing the play-in-a-week for three reasons. First, the state of Hawaii decided to Furlough teachers last year, leaving our kids with 3 1/2 days of school per week most weeks last year. I felt like I needed to pick up the slack and do a little more with my kids outside of school. Also, our school doesn't have a music or art program (or theater, but what school DOES have a theater program? Only on FAME.). This was the particular slack I wanted to pick up. Finally, I did it because my neighbor, Laura, showed up on my doorstep with the idea and asked if I thought it was possible, and how do you say "no" to that? Of course it's possible! That's how it started. 

It turned into a Fall Play, because Laura came back from Summer vacation all rarin' to go on another play. I think we should stick with one per year, personally. And it's been a real set-back for the janitors at the school, apparently. They made me promise not to do any projects during Spring Break this year.

How has it changed from the spring break play to the fall break play?

Michelle: Not much changed from the Spring Break play to the Fall Break play. We had a formula that worked; a narrator and a small group of main characters to move the plot along, plus several singing and dancing groups to include as many kids as wanted to participate. This time Laura and I kept saying to each other, "Next time we will do it this way..." But mostly it was small details that we would want to change. The overall process has worked well twice, so there is no reason to change a good thing.

How do you think the kids are benefiting from working on the production?

Michelle: What I hope the kids are getting from putting on these productions is a love a theater, a sense of confidence, and an opportunity to engage in a wholesome activity with their friends.

Emily: The major benefit of this play is getting all the kids under one roof together working on one project. You've got big kids helping little kids, kids making new friends, kids from different cultural backgrounds working together. Also, kids get to create all the elements of the play. They get to make props and costumes, paint scenery, learn songs and dances, and I think by the time they're done, they all feel good about what they've created. It's not about the polished performance. It's about the process of creating something together. Lastly, I just watched more than one child go from saying, "No I can't try out--I've never done something like this before," to singing a strong solo in front of an audience with no problem whatsoever. The kids gain confidence. It's good for kids to put themselves on the line, audition, and perform. 

The other benefit is for the adults. Most of the time, we drop our kids off at school, and leave them in the school territory. For the parents who are able to stay, it's a chance to step into that teaching territory, and interact with school community. It's the kind of collaboration where everyone takes a small piece--a pirate group or a dragon group, for instance--and then we put the pieces together. And it's really fun to be part of a team with fun, talented moms. I'd say parents, but let's be honest. It was the moms. 

#Mamavation Monday

Last week's #mamavation post was more of a plea to the sistahood to let me in.  I blogged, I tweeted, I pledged and @bookieboo notified me that I was in.  YESSSSS!  Now comes the work.  To the right, you see my newly pedicured toes on the scale. Yes, I'm posting my weight (gasp!) and I can only hope that my students never put this image in a powerpoint presentation for class (that's not funny, kids! especially when i'm in charge of your grade.).  Yes, in case you can't see that number on the scale, its 191.4.  To change habits, one has to be organized.  If anything, I have always had the desire to eat healthy and get active--I've just suffered from lack of organization.  So here's my map for success for this week:

Meal plan: in which I use prepackaged protein-rich food for breakfast and lunch (oatmeal, progresso light soups, lean cuisine, etc) supplemented with servings of fruit and/or veggies.  For dinner, I'll eat what my family is eating: protein/veggie/starch/fruit.  But I'll be measuring out portions on my kitchen scale which, I've discovered, doesn't feel like a chore. I've made a meal plan for our family dinners and a complete meal plan for all of my meals/snacks.  Both are on the fridge.  Yesterday the hub did the grocery shopping for this week's meals and on Wednesday we get a new fruit & veggie box.

Activity: Walking 30 mins MWF (for starters). 30 Day Shred TTHSat (as much as I can do for starters).

This week I purchased some tools I need for success:

• Salter kitchen scale
• 3 lb weights
• 2 pairs Keen walking sandals: Mary Janes and Newport H2s; I'll use both mostly for walking to/from work and 30-45 min walks.

This week's sponsor of our Mamavation blogging carnival is SUBWAY. They are giving away a green iPod and iTunes card to one lucky person who mentions them in their Mamavation Monday post.  Oh SUBWAY, I'm mentioning you!

Here is the Mamavation Monday post, http://www.mamavation.com/2010/10/mamavation-mondays-welcome-mamavation-finalists.html. Our guests will be the Mamavation Finalists.  I watched the finalists' videos this weekend and I loved them all!  You can watch them here and vote for your favorite finalist.

 I've got some shout-outs for the finalists:
@its_gail: you were hilarious in your video and nice graphics!
@rachelsteffen: you look really tall and such a great smile!
@momma_oz: i can relate to those voices in your head--they're the same as mine!
@CJinKY: I am totally reading your twitter handle as "See Jinky" & you're funny!
@bodhi_bear: you seem pretty zen. i'm jealous . . . in a supportive way, of course!
@couponprincess: jeggings! lol! and i like your kitchen!

SISTA OF THE WEEK: And a BIG congratulations to Amanda of @beeacutie2 for being the Sista of the Week!

Don't forget to RSVP for the Twitter party 10/18, http://www.mamavation.com/2010/09/mamavation-twitter-party-launch.html.

Can't wait to see what kind of personal growth and (loss . . . of inches and lbs, ha!) the sistas and I have this week!

Belated Winners Announcement

Congrats to Amy B, #9 who wins a set of die cut business cards from UPrinting.com!

Also, congrats to Angela, #27 who wins a Diva Cup!

Aloha Friday #155

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends! 

My question/statement is . . What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

My answer: cow's tongue

What about you?

Wordless Wednesday

Tai Chi for breakfast?, originally uploaded by fishndiver.

From Nutrisystem Updates to Mamavation Mondays

I missed my last Nutrisystem update.  My total loss for a month was 9lbs and I was feeling good even though I was more than a little worried about what would happen when I go back to meal prep on my own.  Combine the end of the Nutrisystem gravy train with the hub heading out of town for the second time in a month--for over a week each time.  I can usually get through the first few days of being a single parent before I realize how hard it is and beg the hub to come back pronto. 

Both of those currents running through my life led to The Weekend of Crappy Eating--which I've just now pulled my head out of (complete with crappy food hangover headache).  I'm back on my home-made plan with consists of me eyeballing the number of calories and grams of protein in the Nutrisystem servings and matching up regular ole supermarket equivalents.  I'm also stuffing the same amount of veggies and fruits down every day.  When I'm not feeling mentally drained from single parenting, this pseudo Nutrisystem works well.

Being on Nutrisystem helped me to realize the importance of portion control.  It was a useful month-long experiment.  I'm now pledging the Mamavation sistahood which is kind of like a sorority only cooler and without the annual dues.  So, to the Sistahood, I want in, ladies! I will support other Mamavation sistas on Twitter, on Mamavation TV and the network of sista blogs.  Because when I support you, I receive support as well--whether its a virtual pat on the back from a sista or whether its just getting inspired by the fabulousness of moms doing it for themselves.

At this point in my life (my early 40s and the heaviest I've ever been), I would love some cheer-leading.  I've dieted in secret for many years.  I don't know how secret it was--not like my size is a secret.  But to admit my problem to others was to admit my weakness so I wasn't hip to that groove.  In the meantime, because of work and family stress, I got bigger.  I'm ready to admit that I have a problem and that I want to do what it takes to solve it.

My big challenge is getting myself to be more active.  I know I need to do it but something in my brain is holding me back.  I need the sistas to talk me through this block.  I've taken the mini-van away from myself starting today when I rode the bike to work (and got rained on, mahalo sky!).  Everything I need is within walking/riding distance so I'm moving my body to get to work and to the store.

I have no idea how the Sistahood keeps track of weekly inch loss and/or weight loss so I hope any sista stopping by can tell me.  I also don't know the guidelines for eating and/or moving.  I do know I need a community in which I feel supported and can return that support to others.  I hope I've found it.

Review and Giveaway of The Definitive Twitter Guide: Making Tweets Work for Your Business by Shannon Evans

A few months ago, I dragged my mother (a woman in her late 60s) onto Facebook.  She has a hard time getting used to it.  In fact, she'd like to delete her account but she doesn't know how.  Unlike my mom, businesses need to use social media to build relationships, engage with potential customers, and promote themselves.  But businesses, like my mother, often don't understand how to use social media tools--like Twitter.  This is where Shannon Evans' book, The Definitive Twitter Guide: Making Tweets Work for Your Business, is most valuable.  This book will help not only businesses fully understand and use Twitter's potential but also individual Twitter newbies.

I should first provide a bit of context for my review.  I've been on Twitter for two years.  I've found it to be a wonderful tool for networking, making friends, and keeping up with the latest news (I love to be the first one to know things--just ask my hub).  However. Getting on Twitter and figuring things out can be a daunting and time-consuming experience.  This book provides both a history of the social media platform and an instruction manual for using it. First and foremost, Evans emphasizes that Twitter enables relationships and can aid your business only as much as you commit to building relationships via tweets.

Evans starts with the simple premise of twitter and builds on it.  At the beginning of each chapter you get the “dummies” version of a concept related to tweeting and by the end of it you've got a map for advanced and streamlined twitter use.  While her writing voice is authoritative, Evans explains things in layman's terms. This is a quick read and I love how the book demystifies social media without a lot of social media jargon.  In some parts, Evans is downright funny (like when she calles spammers "carnies" on page 73).  The organization and graphics in this book are great, serving to demystify the ins and outs of tweeting and advanced twitter use. While the title suggests that her audience consists of those wanting to learn more about Twitter for business purposes, Evans' book would be great for anyone looking to improve the quality of their tweets and the depth of their personal/professional networks. 

The book has two problems and they have more to do with the genre than with the acual text.  The 'real-life' examples of Twitter success in business and non-profits are really just excerpts rather than case studies. I wanted extended examples but then I'm a sucker for narrative (and that's probably why I wanted more). Newbie twitter users will be glad about Evans' judicious use of examples and the attention she gives instead to the hows and whys of tweeting.  Secondly, the nature of this genre (social media instruction) threatens the long-term value of this book.  Technology evolves so rapidly these days that, while I can't predict that Twitter will be passe in the next few years, some of these third party clients listed in the book might be. This kind of book loses cache after the second year or so because of the changing nature of social media. Still, if you want to learn how to use twitter or if you want to take your tweeting to the next level, this is a great book. I've been tweeting for over two years and still found a lot of useful information to hone my tweets. For example, I love the DM-ing tips on page 77 and also I realized I'm sometimes guilty of those “me, me, me!” tweets she cites as poor practice. Chapter 9 outlines ways to measure how tweeting can affect a business so I intend to use that info to gauge how tweeting affects my blog's traffic.  Bottom line: newbie tweeps will benefit *greatly* by using this book.  Experienced tweeps will enjoy Evans' book and learn some tricks they didn't know before.

BUY IT: You can purchase Evans' book at Amazon here.

WIN IT: Shannon Evans has graciously offered one lucky reader of Moana Saves an autographed copy of The Definitive Twitter Guide: Making Tweets Work for Your Business!

To earn a mandatory entry, check out The Definitive Twitter Guide: Making Tweets Work for Your Business at Amazon, come back and tell me something you learned about the book. Mandatory means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the right side).

2. Become an email follower of Shannon Evans' blog here.

3. Follow @shannonevans on Twitter.

4. Follow me on Twitter.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win a copy of The Definitive Twitter Guide from @shannonevans and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/ciWNip #giveaway 

6. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

7. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

8. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

9. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Monday, October 18th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner. 

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from Shannon Evans or her publisher to host this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own.