Hemlines

Little things add up

2010-02-22T13:32:00Z

I used to schedule my hair appointments every eight weeks without fail. I gave no thought to swinging through Starbucks a couple of times a week. Dry clean clothes went for cleaning each time they were worn. My magazine racks at home and work were filled to overflowing. And I had both a land line and a cell phone.

Not anymore.

Apparently, I am not alone. A new Harris poll out today reveals that as few as 8% and as many as 63% of consumers over 18 have made little changes like me. From buying more generic brands to carpooling to brown bagging it to cutting back (or out) on their cable service, everyone is finding something they can do to save a little money.

Is it working? Well, the economy does appear to be making a turn for the better. But every other day (it seems) there is news that makes you wonder. Truth is, sometimes you have to believe change is happening and then act as if it is whether or not it is true yet. Consumer Confidence continues to bump along, a sign that we all want to believe things are getting better. All I know is that I feel better when I am doing something about my own financial situation.

Can you single-handedly turn the economy around? No. But you can make a difference in your own household budget and your attitude toward money. And if we all do that I can't help but think the collective economy will surely improve.

Advertisers creating family-friendly programming to pitch their products

2010-02-11T16:44:00Z

For quite some time parents have been complaining about the lack of quality family television. In fact, an Association of National Advertisers 2009 poll reported than less than one quarter of parents say they are satisfied with their options. As consumers, all we can do is avoid the programming we don't condone and hope our absence will encourage producers to work harder to get us back so they can sell more ad space. That plan has obviously not been successful.

Imagine my delight to learn that leading advertisers P&G and Wal-Mart are taking the high road and creating original programming that is family-friendly (by their terms anyway). They say that they are having a harder and harder time finding programming that aligns with their brand values and appeals to their target audience--parents.

According to a Wall Street Journal article, "Secrets of the Mountain" will air on NBC this April. The two-hour movie will feature a single mom and her children in situations where family values like generosity and honesty are celebrated. P&G is funding the production; Wal-Mart is the presenting sponsor. Both will have products placed within the film and advertising running during commercial breaks.

What do you think about advertisers creating programming to feature their products and ads? Is it a win/win for everyone or just another commercial intrusion into our home?

The controversy that wasn't

2010-02-08T12:58:00Z

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There were a lot of firsts in last night's Super Bowl 44. The New Orleans' Saints made their first showing and earned their first victory. Pepsi made no showing in the much-hyped advertising competition. And an organization that supports family values made its national debut with a commercial that generated more controversy than we've seen in a long time.

Whether you agree or disagree with Focus on the Family's position on a variety of issues, you couldn't argue the intelligence of their decision to run an ad the first year since CBS changed its guidelines that it hosted a Super Bowl. In 2008, CBS agreed to allow advertisers who are promoting a cause, rather than a product or service, to run an ad if it was "appropriate for air." Focus not only took advantage of the policy change but also the national interest in a young quarterback from the University of Florida who has made headlines not only for his athleticism but also for his values which include among other things avoiding pre-marital sex.

The National Organization of Women cried foul early on, saying Focus had no right to espouse their pro-life views on abortion during an otherwise non-politicized national event. They made all kinds of statements about the inappropriateness of the ad when no one, including them, had even seen it. They even went so far as to make their own ad featuring two other athletes and placed it on You Tube. (Apparently, NOW didn't have the same support as Focus who received funding for the ad from anonymous donors.) Many came out for and against the ad. But perhaps the best unexpected support came Sally Jenkins, a Washington Post columnist and publicly Pro-Choice supporter, who made many excellent points, chief of which was the fact that if men avoided pre-marital sex like Tim Tebow, many women wouldn't ever have to ever face the pro-life/pro-choice decision.

Despite all the hype, the spot said nothing about abortion, but instead took a very low key approach to every mother's dream of making sure her children are healthy. Who can argue with that? My advice to NOW and other organizations like them is to listen before they leap. And to focus more on building their case for the issues they support rather than tearing down organization's who take an opposite view. Above all, NOW should consider what a double-standard they are demonstrating by suggesting that Pro-Choice means Pro-Abortion. On the contrary, it means a woman has the right to choose between the options. To make that most critical decision, all women should have the benefit of the facts from both sides.

What did you think of the ad? What did you think of the news surrounding it?

Dominos turns consumer feedback into action and advertising

2010-01-26T17:14:00Z

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If a consumer complains about a product or service online or offline, does anything really change as a result? Good question. And one I'm sure we've all asked after we've hung up the phone or read a Twitter response to our complaint. Sure, we may have received some type of temporary "satisfaction" such as a replacement product, a coupon toward a future purchase or even a well intended apology. But short-term fixes don't usually result in long-term change.

Domino's is out to prove that companies do really care about what we have to say. And more importantly, they are acting on our concerns by changing their products or services. Domino's is taking it one step further by offering a money-back guarantee for trying their new product. And they are showing the public through some of their new advertising the process they went through to get consumer feedback and make the changes we can now taste.

Jane Nation is about affecting change on an individual and collective level. We invite you to share the challenges, concerns, victories and goals, friends and detractors that are helping you face whatever lifestage transition you are in within our Sisterhoods. In addition, we invite your feedback on related topics and products through our Quick Polls and product, service and ad reviews.

In a few short weeks we will be updating our site to make it even easier for you to share your points of pain, points of gain, and voice for change with each other and us. In turn, we'll share with you what we are doing to try and make the change we all seek a reality.

Until then, keep telling companies how you feel about their products or services. They are listening. And so are we.

Moms feel left out of health care reform debate

2010-01-19T13:34:00Z

I confess I've been a bit like an ostrich about health care reform. I don't understand it. I feel ill-equipped to try and impact it. And I didn't think anyone was really interested in what the mother of a tween and the wife of a self-employed stay-at-home dad had to say anyway.

According to a new study by WhyMomsRule, I am not alone. Ninety-three percent of the 600+ moms surveyed in the national poll said they didn't feel the U.S. Congress was in touch with their issues, needs or point of view on health care. And that's a big miss given that according to Census data, 82 of the 108 million adult women in America are moms. And 32 million of those moms have kids at home. These moms are the primary decisions-makers or influencers not only for their own care but also that of their children and their spouses. Start to do the math and you quickly realize that millions of people feel left out of the reform conversation and consideration.

The survey went on to explore a variety of issues relative to moms and health care. And one thing was clear--moms want reform--nearly 80% said so. But they want reform that helps overcome the issues they face right here, right now--the fact that they have trouble paying their medical bills at times or have delayed care due to cost. They are also very concerned about maintaining their freedom to choose their physician, get a second opinion and ultimately get the treatment they need when they need it without unnecessary delays.

Click here to read more about the survey. To get involved in the conversation, contact your legislator. You can email or text him if you don't have the time or patience to make a phone call or send a letter. If we moms don't start making our voices heard, regardless of the outcome, we won't ever see the change we desire. That's good advice for me and you!

Hand-me-up trend hits close to home

2010-01-05T13:11:00Z

For Christmas my daughter got an iPod Touch. Or, better said, I got my iPhone back.

It seemed every time I was with my daughter, my iPhone was with her, too. She loaded it full of apps she enjoyed playing...a lot. In addition, she had filled her 8GB Nano with music, movies and photos and it couldn't hold anymore. Can you believe that? And she's only 11.

Needless to say we were both thrilled when Christmas Day dawned and an iTouch was under the tree. To her credit, one of the first things out of my daughter's mouth after "thank you" was "do you want my old Nano?"

Little did we both know but her simple offer to share her old electronics with me was an example of a trend being observed by the smart folks at JWT (an ad agency that has been tracking trends for years). They call it the "hand-me-up" trend. In their description, adult children are giving old electronic devices such as phones, video cameras and MP3 players to their adult parents as they trade up to newer devices. But I have a feeling they would agree that the experience I had is just as likely to happen as we Gen X parents strive to give our kids all the advantages we feel we didn't get as kids, often forgoing things for ourselves.

Have you shared an old electronic device with your parents when you bought a new one? Have you been the recipient of a previously owned device from your kids?

A new year means new things for Jane and Jane Nation

2010-01-04T15:42:00Z

Happy 2010!

I hope your new year is off to a strong start after a nice, slow holiday break. We enjoyed quite a bit of time off here at Jane Nation but are eager to get back into conversation with you about whatever is on your mind, heart and plate.

Very soon we will launch a revamped site with new sections and improved old ones that make it easy to share your thoughts and opinions with us. We hope you'll make Jane Nation a regular part of your new routine. More importantly, we hope you will help us help each other shape our world in ways that reflect what we like, value and find useful to improving the quality of our lives. More on that when the new site launches.

Until then, let me encourage you to make the most of each day. Show your family and friends you love them by giving them the gift of your time and attention. Show yourself you value you by investing time in caring for your mind, body and soul. Show the world what matters to you by investing your time and money in the causes, creations and people that are making a difference. As you do, tell us about it so we can celebrate, learn and grow with you.

We look forward to sharing the journey with you to a better Jane Nation in 2010!

Are you "swapping" this season?

2009-12-16T19:53:00Z

A few years ago the adults in my family decided to stop "swapping" money at Christmas buying each other gifts we either couldn't afford to give or may not want to get. Perhaps we should have considered another type of "swap"--the kind growing in popularity given recessionary conditions--swapping things we have but don't want for things others feel the same way about.

Several articles have been published this year about the rise in swapping, but the one that caught my eye today was about a new program from SunTrust banks...yes a bank...called "Swap a Solid". And while I don't love the name, I do love the premise behind the Facebook application that enables members to swap any goods or services. It is part of the organization's "Live Solid" campaign that celebrates consumer shift toward a more sustainable economic footprint that limits risk and exposure and maximizes enjoyment.

What about you? Have you participated in any swaps this year? Are you considering it this holiday season?

People of all ages making charitable giving a priority this season

2009-12-09T20:16:00Z

I was struck today by two conversations with colleagues at work who told me about children asking for a donation to charity instead of a gift for Christmas or a birthday. One child was aged 5; the other aged 14. Wow, I was impressed. And that got me thinking, how many others are like that?

While I couldn't get a handle on how many kids are deferring gifts, I did find quite a few blogs and web sites talking about the importance of teaching our children early to give instead of get. One website, Use Your Birthday, actually offers party ideas for hosting charity-based events. (NOTE: I blogged earlier this month about Tea Party Angels as well).

When it comes to adults, a recent American Red Cross Survey found that 4 in 10 people were asking gift givers to donate to charity instead of buying them anything. Moreover, 80% of people said they would be happy to give to a charity instead of a family member of friend if prompted to do so. Sixty-two percent of consumers say they plan to donate to charity, with half committed to giving $50 or more. A larger percentage (84%) plan to donate clothing or household goods; 75% said they'd donate food; 39% planned to volunteer and 22% said they'd donate blood.

What about you? Are you giving to charity in lieu of a gift? Are you asking others to do so on your behalf?

Don't let loneliness keep you alone this season

2009-12-07T20:04:00Z

For many this simply isn't, "the most wonderful time of the year" as the song suggests. Instead, the holiday season can bring sad reminders of the loss of a friend or loved one. People out of work may feel isolated from their employed friends and family. And people who suffer from loneliness can feel even more alone.

This vicious cycle of loneliness can be self-perpetuating, and it can be contagious. So says an article on msnbc.com about the recent study out from Harvard, The University of Chicago and the University of California-San Diego which suggests that people who are feeling lonely influence those around them to also feel that way. As friends and acquaintances continue to doubt their social skills and friend-worthiness they move apart not only from each other but also from people in general.

So what can you do if you are feeling lonely now or any other time? Researchers suggest that you recognize loneliness as a biological reaction to the human need for relationship. Loneliness is not a personality trait. And you can overcome it. But it takes work. To have a friend you have to be a friend. You have to recognize that you are someone of value who has something of value to offer another person. Quantity doesn't matter. One true friend with whom you can share your heart or mind with is better than 4,000 Facebook friends with whom you have little in common other than a web address.

Jane Nation was designed to help women going through life transitions find other women in the same boat so neither feels alone. As we head into 2010, it is our hope that more women will find friendship both inside and outside our community.

Books, tea, girls and giving...what could be better?

2009-12-04T13:40:00Z

This time of year it is easy to get caught up in the "have to do's" that we forget about the "like to do's." I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things to do is grab a book, a cup of hot tea and sit in a quiet place and read. What's even better is to get together with friends who have read the same book and talk about it.

Cheryl Beck took this simple pleasure to another level when she created Tea Party Angels, a non-profit organization that encourages moms and daughters to host tea parties with friends to raise money to help educate girls across the world. She was inspired by the books Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Leaving MIcrosoft to Change the World by John Wood. Funds raised go to one of four international charities: The Central Asia Institute (started by Three Cups of Tea author, Greg Mortenson), Rooms to Read, The Orphaned Starfish and Miracles in Action.

Simply visit the website and order a tea party kit. It comes with everything you need except the food you'd like to serve. Get your daughter (or granddaughter, niece, cousin, etc.) to make the invite list and prepare the invitations. Set an amount you'd like each guest to raise as entrance to the event. At the tea party, girls will learn more about the organization behind the concept and watch a short video about the work it (and now they) is involved in. They are asked to share what they did to earn the money to attend. Of course, you can talk about books, too!

The idea captured the interest of celebrity model Christie Brinkley. You can watch a short video with her and her daughter on the website, and is probably similar to the one shown during the party.

So the next time your daughter wants to have friends over, think about turning a social event into a socially responsible one. Happy reading!

Saying thanks to those who serve selflessly

2009-11-30T13:19:00Z

Thank You. Two words that pack a lot of meaning, especially for those who are serving our country during the holidays. I can only imagine what it must be like to be away from their families at such a special time of year.

At Thanksgiving, we were fortunate to be with one of our family members who served in Iraq until just a few weeks ago. You could tell he was thrilled to be home. But ask him if he'd go back and serve again and he wouldn't hesitate to say, "yes." Talk about selflessness.

During this season of giving, why don't we all take just a few minutes to say thank you to those who are giving their highest and best gift for us and our country? It's easy. Xerox is making it so.

Just visit Let's Say Thanks. You can select a post card like the one pictured here, designed by children from across our nation. Select a message or craft your own. Then hit "Send." Xerox will ensure the card gets delivered to someone serving in our military. Do it today! You...and they...will be glad you did.

Being thankful shouldn't be a once a year activity

2009-11-13T21:55:00Z

I love Thanksgiving. You get to enjoy great food, good friends and time away from your daily grind without the pressure of gift giving and over-the-top decorating. I also love the point of the holiday which is to remind us that no matter what we've come from or to in life, we have reasons to be grateful.

As a parent, I am always looking for signs that the life lessons I am trying to instill in my child are actually sticking. I was so happy to spot one the other day when I asked my daughter to decorate a Thanksgiving turkey (a cut out of a hand that you are supposed to make into a turkey) for me to take into work for our holiday pot luck. She happily complied and proceeded to create this interesting design with all the brands she loves right now like Betsey Johnson, Dooney & Burke, Tarina Tarintino and Coach woven into it. It looked cool but it made me wonder if that was all she was thankful for.

Then I noticed the 3 other designs she made on her own. One is pictured here. It features some of the things she is thankful for from me and her dad. Yes, there are material things like purses, clothes, food and pens (go figure on that one). But more importantly, she lists love, fun, advice, ideas, help and encouragement. Not only does she recognize those gifts, she is grateful for them. Now that is something to get excited about.

What are you thankful for? Have you shared that with the person or people who make you feel that way? I confess I don't always do that. So let me take a few minutes and say a word or two of thanks right now.

First, to those of you reading this post, thank you for joining Jane Nation and supporting us in whatever way you can. Whether you read our content or contribute to it, you are important to us...to me.

Second, to my fellow "Main Janes"--Elizabeth, Katrine, Jennifer and Kristen--this community wouldn't look or sound as beautiful and smart as it does without you. I appreciate you more than you know.

Finally, to all the "Joes" who have helped us reach this point, know that Jane adores you for your patience, commitment and belief in our mission.

The best you vs. the real you

2009-11-05T17:24:00Z

Funny story by Rachel Dodes in the Wall Street Journal the other day about the shapewear industry and its challenge to make women look and feel their best without constricting or constraining them to the point they can't perform certain biological functions easily. What's particularly interesting is the dilemma women who wear shapewear face when they realize that they have achieved the goal of getting the guy to notice them and now he's ready for a closer look.

First, there's the issue of how to get down to their "real" selves without hurting themselves or the guy in the process. Second, there's the issue of him seeing that they aren't exactly the shape they appear to be. Talk about bait and switch. Were we wrong to put our "best" self forward?

This brings to mind another interesting phenomenon regarding social media sites like Facebook and MySpace. People tend to use these to put their "best" self forward for friends and family to see. Think about it, most of the photos are either flattering or funny. The activities are enviable. The quotes are witty, or at least attention grabbing. The scores and promotions and badges and on and on always point to someone who has it going on. Who wouldn't want to be your friend? But is the you that shows up on Facebook the same one that would show up at my front door on a Sunday morning? I'm not so sure.

Reality is, a lot of young people are facing the dilemma of being one way online and another offline by turning to drugs and alcohol to make them more at ease in real-life settings where they have to try and live up to their online reputation. I wonder how many adults are doing the same.

What do you think? What is the line we walk between trying to be at our best all the time yet trying to be authentic? Are you two different people online and off? Dressed and undressed? Is that good or bad?

Next generation "Clue" offers something new

2009-11-02T13:36:00Z

"Christmas is only 53 days away," announced my daughter on the way to school this morning. Normally, this wouldn't cause me any pause for concern as I'd already have a list a mile long of gift ideas for her. But she is a middle-schooler now and the rules have changed.

Imagine my delight to find an article in the online newsletter, Springwise, about a new version of the classic game of "Clue" from Hasbro. The trailer makes me think of an animated version of a James Bond or Bourne Identitiy film. The cool part, at least for my text-loving daughter, is the use of text message clues sent at key times during the game to help you solve the crime. What I love is that they still use the classic character names like Scarlett, Peacock, Green and Plum, only they are all now secret agents trying to catch the evil Agent Black.

With the holidays around the corner and bank accounts lighter than ever, what is on your gift-giving list this year? Any great ideas that won't break the bank? Let us hear from you.