My Perfect Moment this week is wordless…..

Perfect Moment ~ Rockies Game from BanteringBlonde on Vimeo.

Be sure to visit Lori to read about more…

I wrote my opinion about the Kindle vs. iPad on Technorati a few weeks ago.  Since then, the discussion has come up over and over again with various people I have run into, so I thought it only fitting to share my article with my readers here….

Will the tablet kill the e-reader? More specifically, will Apple’s iPad mean death to Amazon’s Kindle?

Not likely. Those who predict a future without e-readers miss the point. The Kindle does not aspire to be a computer tablet. The Kindle is simply an e-reader with e-ink meant to simulate a real life book. No glare, no fuss, and we bibliophiles like it that way.

I love that the pile of books on my nightstand has been minimized to a simple little black leather bound reader that fits in my purse and goes with me everywhere. If you’ve ever tried to read on your laptop or any back-lit screen in direct sunlight, you know that it is nearly impossible to discern anything on the screen. Not so with the Kindle. I can read most anything, at any time, anywhere – including sitting on a park bench basking in the brightest of Colorado’s near daily sunshine.

Last week, Amazon announced two new models in the third generation of Kindle. The Kindle 3G and Kindle Wi-Fi will be sold at for $189 and $139, respectively. The original unit debuted in November 2007 at $399 and was reduced several times until June of this year when the price was slashed to $189.

The new price point has proven to be a successful move for Amazon. In a statement released June 19th, Amazon Founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos said that the growth rate of Kindle device unit sales has tripled since lowering the price. As the competition continues to drive down the price of e-readers and accompanying e-content, more and more self proclaimed “bookies” will jump at the chance to own a Kindle.

We have a saying in our house, “Books are our friends”, and it has developed avid readers in our children. So much so that I often catch one of them late at night with a book in hand on the bathroom floor, stealing the light. It makes for a cranky next day but I can’t help smiling to myself because I remember myself as a child doing the exact same thing.

The iPad is sheer awesomeness and will likely transform the world of computers in ways most people don’t yet see, but it will never deliver the feel of a cold bathroom floor and the satisfaction of devouring simple black and white words.

Read more: http://technorati.com/technology/article/the-ipad-will-never-kill-the/#ixzz100r76VCp

DON’T MISS THIS WEEK’S $25 VISA GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!!

Last week I shared my concern over the situation with the Fourmile forest fire in Boulder county. I outlined the three critical steps to creating an emergency preparedness plan for your household. Thankfully the fire in Boulder has been contained and residents are beginning to survey the tragically damaged landscape left behind. As officials in Boulder continue to monitor “hot spots”, the burn area remains dangerous. I imagine that residents who are able to return to their homes will have learned quite a bit about being prepared for a disaster like the one they have just witnessed. September is National Preparedness Month and I’m joining The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen, along with several other bloggers, to spread the word about emergency preparedness.

An important component of emergency preparedness is building a comprehensive emergency preparedness kit. Please feel free to use this emergency preparedness checklist as a base to building the kit specific to the needs in the area of the country you reside.

• Water (minimum three day supply for evacuations, two week supply for home)washing and drinking)
• Non-perishable foods (minimum three day supply for evacuations, two week supply for home)
• Assorted battery pack (purchase the pack that provides a variety of battery sizes so that you’re prepared no matter the need)
• Flashlight
• Multipurpose tool
• First aid kit
• Medications (at least a 7 day supply)
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio if possible)
• Extra clothing
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket
• Map(s) of the area
• Copies of important documents – In case of emergency, you’ll need copies of birth records, household lease or deed, medications list, passports and insurance policies
• Household liquid bleach. Did you know bleach, like Clorox Liquid Bleach, can not only disinfect surfaces but also can be used to create drinkable water? Here’s how:

To Disinfect Surfaces: Use 1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, or as directed on the label, to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces in your home.
To Disinfect Water: If you need to purify water during an emergency, (and do not have the means to boil it for 3-5 minutes), you may disinfect your water using bleach. If water is clear, add 8 drops (1/8 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. If water is cloudy, add 16 drops (1/4 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for about 30 minutes before using it. Properly treated water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn’t, repeat dosage and allow water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The treated water can be made drinkable by pouring it between clean containers several times.

Visit your local home supply store. Many of them stock pre-assembled emergency preparedness supplies that you can use to as a foundation for the full kit you will build. Emergencies can happen ANYWHERE so be sure to keep a kit at work and in your car, as well as at home.

Lastly, discuss the contents and locations of your kits with all members of your household. It is essential that even your children are aware of the kit’s existence and it’s location.

I’m giving away another $25 Visa gift card again this week and for the next two weeks – wouldn’t it be nice to be $25 closer to a completed preparedness kit?

Bonus Entries (leave one comment for each):

1. Subscribe to Bantering Blonde

2. Follow @banteringblonde on twitter

3. Like Clorox on Facebook and tell them I sent you!

4. Tweet this:      Win a $25 Visa GC from @Clorox @banteringblonde to build a http://bit.ly/d1ciou  #preparedness kit!

Winner will be chosen by random.org 12pm Friday September 24th

Are your pets included in your preparedness plan?  If not, they should be!  Next week we will create a plan for your pets.

For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now for Peace of Mind Later

*As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by The Clorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

CONGRATS Jessie C. Comment #13

Looking for a fun party idea that kids will love? MomSelect and Zhu Zhu Pets sent us a fabulous Party Pack  complete with recipes, games and activities, and enough Zhu Zhu Pets for each child to bring one home.

The Wild Bunch are adorable and all have their own personality and zany sounds. The set include Stinker the Skunk, Sweetie the Bunny, Rocco the Raccoon and ZuZhu the Hedgehog. Kat went straight for the pink Sweetie the Bunny! I love that she has so much fun with them, I only wish they didn’t drain batteries so fast!

Enter to WIN Kat’s favorite Zhu Zhu, Sweetie the Bunny! See entry directions below.

I created a video with my 5 Tips for Hosting a Zhu Zhu Pets Wild Bunch Prankster Party:

Bantering Blonde’s 5 Tips for Hosting a Zhu Zhu Pet Wild Bunch Party from BanteringBlonde on Vimeo.

ENTER TO GIVEAWAY FOR SWEETIE THE BUNNY!! Just leave a comment and tell me which Zhu Zhu Pet is the favorite in your household!

EXTRA entries:(Leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Subscribe to Bantering Blonde

2. Retweet this post

3. Follow @BanteringBlonde on Twitter

*Winner will be chosen by random.org at 12pm (Mountain Time) September 30

**I was not compensated for my time; however, Zhu Zhu Pets, Sidewalk Chalk and party planning packet were provided by MomSelect. All opinions, thoughts, and dreams are my own based on my experiences.

I love TED – I could suck up an entire week of time just sitting watching the different lectures. I’m always interested in different topics and how they relate to my interests, my world. I’ve been inspired by many of the segments and will often email a link to someone I think would find it interesting. This morning I watched one that would interest and benefit all of us from the geeky, techy to the artsy fartsy. I found myself listening to it a second and then a third time.

This is worth 12 minutes of your time:

We are obviously in the midst of an Arts Reformation, and I do hope that folks will embrace these concepts. Those of you who know my background in the arts will not be surprised when I say that I am always energized and inspired when my work in the social media space involves an artist or organization involved in the arts. I can say with certainty that 100% of the people I’ve consulted with in the arts have been astonished by the reach they achieve once they embrace social media. Blogging, live streaming, a web presence, webinars – there are literally endless ways to creatively promote the arts online.

I have a client that wrote the music for her entire album with producers via Skype. She then flew out to the studio to record her vocals. This arrangement reduced the amount of travel, and significantly cut the cost and the amount of time it took to produce the album.

One artist who has leveraged a number of social media platforms to promote his work is Dr Donovan Stokes. Stokes is a master bass performer, teacher, writer, composer – all around expert in his field. Most admirable to me, is his use of Skype. Stokes has developed a Skype Music Studio where he can instruct his students using the Skype video function. While this might not be the best method for teaching technique to young developing musicians, it struck me as an incredibly brilliant way to teach more advanced students from a remote location. A musician’s time is so precious and the day to day scheduling of students, rehearsals, lectures etc. can be incredibly difficult. The implications are huge – so huge in fact, that I reached out to “Dr D.” for an interview and will be working on a piece for Technorati on the use of Social Media in the performing arts.

Do you know someone in the performing arts that is using social media in an innovative way?

Growing up we didn’t have extended family around. My parents were immigrants from Scotland so while we stayed in communication with family, nobody could just “pop over”.

This weekend my Dad “popped over” to help Will and I out with our (I’m the bomb of all moms) skateboard ramp project. We didn’t have the proper power tools so Papa came to the rescue.  Although, it turns out he didn’t have the proper power tools either. It’ll be a skateboard ramp like no other you’ve ever seen. A definite piece of art.

It was fun to have my Dad here with us, working through the fine calculations and crafty guesswork involved in a project like this. He was awesome with the power saw, I was fabulous with the pencil, and Will worked the broom like a champ. At the end of a sweaty, dusty four hours, we had some fine lookin’ wood. This is wood just beggin’ to be formed into a ramp… soon, very soon.

Those were perfect moments but the part of the day that I enjoyed the most was later on in the day after we’d come in and cleaned up. I made BLT’s and called Henry, Kat and John to join us. The six of us sat around the table, it was nice. Of course, the kids slammed back their food and asked to be excused in about five minutes flat.

My Dad stayed and talked with John and I for quite awhile. It was nice. I hadn’t sat and talked to my Dad like that in a long time. He has a difficult time understanding me and our conversations are often via email, which is fine but not the same as sitting across the table from him. We talked about education, kids, life, history, all the things I miss talking to my Dad about. He’s a pretty neat guy, and I love the way he and John discuss things, they are both information freaks. They store everything they’ve ever heard, read, seen, experienced…. sometimes I think they both pull out BS that just sounds good, but for the most part they are some pretty smart dudes.

I love my Dad and moments like these are definitely perfect.

Le Skate Board Ramp from BanteringBlonde on Vimeo.