09.7.10

My Bliss Has Arrived

Maybe I’ll get a much needed manicure since my nails could certainly use some attention. Maybe I’ll browse Barnes and Noble for a new good read. Maybe I’ll buy a cup of coffee and read a magazine. Maybe I’ll just sit in silence with my feet up.

Because I can.

Maybe I’ll catch up on emails and get a jump start on some work. Maybe I’ll shop for a cute new pair of shoes. Maybe I’ll catch up with a friend for breakfast or go for a long walk outside.

Because I can.

You see, tomorrow is the first official day “back-to-school” but this year is different for me. My son will be returning to pre-school but in addition to that, my daughter will be beginning a morning program so for two mornings per week I will be completely child free.

Yes, for the first time in five years, I will have six hours per week that will be mine. 

All mine.

Whether I clean my house, carve out some quality work related time or simply take some time just for me – it will be my decision to make and I will be able to do whatever I want. And after five years, this time is certainly well deserved.

So will I miss these faces?

Well, just thinking about the sheer bliss of six hours weekly of uninterrupted quality “me” time…

I think I’ll be just fine.

{ 68 Comments }
09.3.10

Featured TMC Blogger: C. Mom

Today, TMC welcomes C. Mom! I met C. Mom once I launched this community. She was one of the very first bloggers to jump on board and I am so glad to have found her. She is a wonderful blogger, teacher, writer and cancer survivor. She is one hell of a strong woman and one who supports other bloggers in this crazy bloggy world so be sure to check her out!

This is how she describes her blog in her own words:

“I am a mom. I am a wife. I am a teacher. I am a cancer survivor. And I am a blogger.  Life has always been a roller coaster, a bit of a magic carpet ride. There have been downs, like being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease at 23, having a bone marrow transplant, getting divorced, and suffering from depression. There have also been ups, like the birth of my daughter, successfully running two marathons, and meeting & getting re-married to the love of my life.  The ups and the downs have taught me lessons, and make me who I am. Add in some emotion (ok, lots of emotion), some sarcasm, and honesty…and you get me, C.Mom.

At C.Mom, I tell the story, my happy moments, my funny moments, my emotional moments, my sad moments, even my boring moments. I have always worn my heart on my sleeve so now I wear my heart on C.Mom.

Be sure to check out the blog  and follow her on Twitter!

New to TMC?  Join us! We LOVE new members!

*Instead of leaving a comment here, please show some love directly on the blog of the Featured TMC Blogger. Have a wonderful holiday weekend ladies! Enjoy those last few moments of summer!!

{ Comments Closed }
09.2.10

The 5 B’s of Blogging

In a sea of thousands upon thousands of bloggers, it is seemingly getting more and more challenging to draw in a loyal fan base, especially for new bloggers. With so many good blogs out there to read and so little time, YOU want to be one of the blogs on everyone’s “must read” list so you have to think about setting yourself apart from the many blogs that are already out there…

Here are the five rules I live by since I began this blog that seem to be the necessary elements consistent with maintaining a successful blog:

The Five B’s of Blogging:

1. Be relevant: We have all heard from the pros that it’s important to find your niche and know your audience. I think the more critical aspect of this idea is to be relevant. Who wants to read about topics that are clearly not interesting or posts that have no meaning or purpose? Keep content placed in an authentic context for your readers. This is a great way to bring readers back as you write about topics that they can relate to. Blog about ideas that will create meaning for your readers; you want your posts to resonate with your audience and keeping the content relevant will help you to achieve that.

2. Be original: Nobody wants to read a blogger that appears and sounds like an already established blogger. Everything should be unique from blog design down to the core of the writing. Keep your blog authentic and original. Don’t ever try to be like another blogger – it.just.won’t.work. Original bloggers are successful because they are original. Make your own mark in the blogosphere and make it count. Nobody likes a copy-cat.

3. Be thought-provoking: Whether your writing is rich with sarcasm, filled with humor or dripping with raw honesty, stick to what you know and do it well. Know your own voice and make it work for you. You want readers to walk away thinking about your post. Some of my best posts have come from thought-provoking ideas that generate discussion in the blogosphere and these are the kind of posts that have made an impact and gave first time visitors a reason for returning.

4. Be engaging: Stay active in conversation with your readers. Constantly make connections and make yourself available through social media. Ask questions within a post or encourage readers to begin a dialogue about the current discussion. Strike up conversation on Twitter and reach out to your audience. Showing your readers that you are available and that you want the interaction will keep them engaged as well.

5. Be yourself: Own your content. Be confident in yourself and what you publish. Know who you are and what you stand for. Set your own ground rules and live by them. Don’t ever compromise your integrity as a person, writer or blogger just for the sake of a post. Maintaining your readers’ trust is everything, so continue to define your own space and blog about the things that you are passionate about. Stay true to who you are throughout this process and this will easily translate to your readers.

Do any of these strategies make your list? As a blogger, what advice have you found to be useful? 

{ 71 Comments }
09.1.10

The Brand that Fits

Men’s Wearhouse was founded in the early 1970’s by George Zimmer. The very first store opened in Houston, Texas and by the late 1990’s this company was operating numerous stores from coast to coast. Men’s Wearhouse is committed to offering customers the highest quality professional clothing at affordable prices including expert tailoring, perfect fit and outstanding service which makes this brand truly stand out among some of its competitors. My husband was given a fabulous opportunity to put this commitment to the test…

We recently visited our local Men’s Wearhouse store. As we entered, we were warmly greeted and immediately given one-on-one assistance. Men’s Wearhouse wants to be your clothier for life and with such immediate and great service we understand why this company has been so successful in forming real relationships with its customers.

We met one of the store managers and he gave us a brief overview of the Men’s Wearhouse philosophy. He was so knowledgeable and informative. My husband and I knew any question would be answered accurately and honestly about the store, the clothing and the brand itself. And so, the Men’s Wearhouse experience began. First, the store manager properly measured my husband for a comfortable fitting…

 

He then started to select some suit jackets for my husband to try on. Based on what my husband was looking for in terms of color, style and cut, the store manger selected various suit jackets in different colors, cuts and styles that he thought would be a perfect match for my husband…

And after a few tries, my husband actually had a hard time choosing! They all looked perfect on him!

But when he finally found this one, he knew it was the “right” look for him.

And since we had our son with us, the store manager didn’t want him to feel left out so he grabbed a suit jacket especially designed for children and helped him to look just like Daddy. My son was thrilled!

“A future Men’s Wearhouse client…”

So, after my husband chose the perfect suit jacket the store manager grabbed the matching pants and my husband was off to his official fitting at the back of the store. An expert tailor came out to accurately customize the suit to fit my husband’s body. Once his fitting was complete, we then met with the store manage again at the front of the store to review all of the other suit options. This included various shoes, shirts, ties and accessories. The store manager worked with us to pick and choose that perfect “look” that my husband was going for. Each option was laid out on the table with an explanation and things to think about…

This is what you call excellent service. The store manager was there to answer all of our questions and provide sound advice, especially when we couldn’t make a decision on our own! And in the end, my husband looked awesome.

You can find a Men’s Wearhouse store near you here and follow Men’s Wearhouse on Twitter and Facebook.

The other reason I am so excited to share this post with you is because Men’s Wearhouse is hosting the third annual National Suit Drive during the month of September.

Men’s Wearhouse is partnering with over 200 nonprofit organizations across the country and during this event, every Men’s Wearhouse and Men’s Wearhouse & Tux stores will act as drop off locations for used professional clothing. This drive will provide men in need with the appropriate professional attire to transition back into the workforce. For many of these men in crisis, the clothing they receive from this National Suit Drive will give them a boost in confidence. Simply knowing that they will be appropriately dressed will assist them as they embark on the road to new opportunities.

Men’s Wearhouse knows that this kind of impact made by helping these men will in turn affect their families and communities in a positive way. Clothing donations collected from every Men’s Wearhouse store is then directed to local nonprofit organizations. To find a non-profit near you benefitting from National Suit Drive, click here:

You know I love comments and I look forward to hearing some feedback on this review. Moreover, what I would love, love, love for you to do is help to spread the word about The National Suit Drive – a great cause hosted by Men’s Wearhouse. You can simply copy and paste the following to tweet:

Visit local @Mens_Wearhouse store to drop off used clothing for National Suit Drive event. Details @ThetaMom http://bit.ly/bkFBBi Please RT

So not only is this a company my husband will visit again and again based on this amazing experience, but this is a company we can both proudly say is living up the their commitment and full expectations: offering customers the highest quality professional clothing at affordable prices including expert tailoring, perfect fit and outstanding service. In addition, this is the kind of company that is hosting a National Suit Drive to give back to those who need it most – and really, what’s better than that?

Theta Mom was contacted by Men’s Wearhouse and provided a $750 trade certificate to shop at Men’s Wearhouse in exchange for publishing a piece about the Men’s Wearhouse experience. These are my own, honest opinions reflective of my husband’s experience from a recent visit to our local Men’s Wearhouse store.

{ 37 Comments }
Newer Posts »