50 Gifts for Writers, Bloggers, and Entrepreneurs

1. Code&Quill Softcover Traveler Notebook 

3. Leuchtturm 1917 Hardcover Notebook

4. 365 New Words-A-Year Desktop Calendar

5. Pilot Hi-Tec-C Gel Ballpoints, 0.3mm, Extra Fine

私はこれらのペンが大好き！

According to Google Translate, that says, "I love these pens!" in Japanese.

Even though I love pens and notebooks and other office stuff, it wasn't until this year, through the amazing SCRIBEdelivery.com service, that I discovered the magic of pens produced for the Japanese market. 

This particular pen arrived in my SCRIBEdelivery envelope without much fanfare. It didn't look like much. A Pilot? Eh. I had no expectation whatsoever when I pulled off the cap. 

But then, when I set pen to paper, I was stunned! The lines were so fine. So clean! I'd never had a pen write like this before.

I looked up this Pilot Hi-Tec-C marvel online, and quickly found it on Amazon. As I read and learned about the 0.3mm pens, I connected the dots. I realized that the Japanese need such 0.3mm fine-lined precision for writing those beautiful characters! 

Could you imagine trying to write those Japanese characters with a clunky, ink-blobbing, medium-sized ballpoint? If I were doing the writing, I'm sure it'd be an illegible mess.

Seriously, if you have not tried pens so smooth and fine, get yourself a pack of Pilot Hi-Tec-Cs. 

Get them for your kids. For your friends. For your clients! For your neighbors!

Stuff every stocking with these pens!

6. Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica Gel Ballpoints, 12-Color Set

While looking at the black 0.3mm Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens, Amazon was kind enough to show me the colored set you see here, the Hi-Tec-C Maica ballpoints. In color. 

Of course I had to buy a set.

And although the line comes in at 0.4mm instead of 0.3mm, you'll hardly notice. They write as beautifully as their black-inked counterparts. Only prettier.

The Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica set will make a great stocking stuffer for the creative in your life!

A little backstory...

You might be thinking, "What? A fidget spinner? Why does anyone need that?!?"

I thought the same thing, until I bought a spinner for myself just to see what the big deal was about. (The one pictured is not the one I bought originally.)

The very next day, as I sat listening to a webinar, I grabbed my new spinner and ... spun away.

I must say, I was impressed with how quickly and smoothly the spinner turned. I set it to spinning, and then waved it around, feeling the force of it shifting in my fingers. I spun it again and again, mesmerized by the seeming perfection of the motion.

I kept on spinning it throughout the webinar. That's when I decided my spinner was a keeper. It now had a home in arm's reach on my desk so I could use it while listening to audio.

Now -- as to the D-FantiX Fidget Spinner Cube pictured. I'm sharing it with you here in this gift-giving guide for several reasons.

First, its spin is MUCH finer than my first spinner, which cost $5 in the checkout line at Michael's.

Second, the colors and shapes. Do they remind you of something? Like, maybe ... a Rubik's cube? That's because this is a cube spinner. The pieces move oh-so-smoothly, and you can mix them up and solve the puzzle, just as you would a Rubik's cube. There's a video on the product's Amazon page, so you can check it out.

Third, I'm also sharing this particular spinner because it comes in a nice package, almost as if it were a wedding ring. In a clear, plastic box. There's a storage bag for the spinner as well.

The last reason I'm sharing is because I received this spinner as a gift from my son, a Rubik's cube fanatic. Did you know there are cubes in different shapes, sizes, and configurations? And there is such a thing as a cubing competition? I had no idea such things existed! When my son discovered that his university didn't have a cubing club, he founded one. And now he and other club members participate in all sorts of competitions.

But here's the thing. When this son of mine was home from college over the summer, he showed me HIS cube spinner because he knew I was using a spinner in the office. I mentioned how awed I was by his because it felt so much better in my hands than my original spinner.

Then, the next time he was home on break, he said, "Mom, I got you something."

I opened up the package and there was a cube spinner! This cube spinner! I was so touched! 

Until he told me, "Yeah, that was the one you played with when I was home last time. I thought the pieces turned a little roughly, so I ordered another one."

Kids! 

He gave me his reject, although it turns out that the roughness he originally felt had gone by the time he gave it to me. Lucky me ... lucky him!

Want to stuff stockings with boosted concentration, improved focus, and soothing spins? Check out the D-FantiX Fidget Spinner Cube. 

8. Miracle TimeCube Timer, 5, 10, 20, and 30 mins

One of the tricks I tell clients who struggle with writing -- and anyone else who will listen, really -- is to set a timer for 20 minutes, and then write just for that 20 minutes.

See how you feel. 

If you're feeling inspired, set it for another 20. Or maybe 10. 

And you can use this cool TimeCube timer to do it. 

Mine is sitting here on my desk right in front of me. I don't use it for writing though. I use my TimeCube for two things:

• To work on important business-development tasks for nine 20-minute blocks of time each day (an idea from Chris Brogan's 20 Minute Plan Jumpstart; I don't always use the technique, but it's a fantastic way to get things done)
• To force myself into doing tasks I don't want to do, like setting up course pages in Memberium, the idea being that once I'm 20 minutes into it, it's much easier to keep going

Yeah, it's a mind trick. But whatever works!

By the way, I initially discovered this timer when searching for a Pomodoro technique timer. Pomodoro traditionally works on 25-minute increments. You can also go that route, if you wish, and get a traditional Pomodoro timer.

<Sheepish grin>

The Blog Post Inspiration Deck is my product. I created it to help bloggers, writers, marketers, and business owners answer the question, "What should I write about today?"

Inside the deck you'll find 60 cards divided into three groups of 20.

• Type cards provide ideas for types of content, like how-to content or a checklist
• Topic cards help you reach into your own life and work experiences to create unique content, content no one else on the Internet can produce; a photo on your phone and something funny that happened are but two examples
• Vibe cards take the idea a step further by suggesting the possible vibe of the content, like zeal or courage; maybe it's the vibe you want your reader to feel while reading your post, or maybe it's the topic of your post by itself

The way it works is that you pull three cards from the deck -- one card from each group -- and see what comes up for you in terms of ideas and inspiration. Sometimes one card is enough to give you a handful of ideas. Sometimes the combination of any two cards gives you a great idea. Sometimes none of the cards gives you an idea, and you draw again. And sometimes all three cards work together to inspire you to create a piece of content you might never have thought of otherwise.

The Blog Post Inspiration Deck isn't just for blogs, either. Use it to get ideas for social media posts, vlog posts, email messages, assignments, and more.

One elementary school teacher I know used the cards for 30 days to teach her young charges a new vocabulary word AND inspire a daily art project!

So many uses!

The Blog Post Inspiration Deck fits nicely in a stocking as well

And with an always-on Buy3ShipFree offer, you can give them to more than one person on your list!

Gifts don't have to be sexy to be appreciated, which is why this particular headset made it onto this gift list. 

I've been using this GE stereo headset with my Android phone for many years; I think I've gone through two of them and two sets of ear pads. 

Why I love and recommend it:

• It's lightweight
• The microphone is bendy; it also swivels all the way up so you can move it out of the way or bring it closer
• The ear pads are replaceable
• Sound is transmitted and received well
• It's affordable

The plastic packaging might be a bit of a stretch for a stocking, but this little headset is worth the effort.

It sucks when you're out and about and your phone, laptop, or tablet is about to die.

"Why didn't I remember to charge it?!" you scold yourself.

That need not happen ever again with this RAVPower external battery pack. I bring mine with me whenever we go to places like Carowinds, an amusement park in Charlotte. My family loves to go on the rides, while I prefer to sit in the air-conditioned dining area and watch videos instead. (My back won't tolerate more than the merry-go-round, and I hate sitting around waiting outside in the heat.)

Because the charger has three hubs, I can charge my laptop, phone, AND tablet at the same time -- not that I bring all three devices with me to Carowinds. And it's sure nice to have a solution at hand when your son runs up to you after his 14th time on Fury 325 saying, "MOM! My phone is about to die!" I speak from experience.

The RAVPower external battery pack also comes in four colors -- blue, red, black, and white -- so each stocking can receive a different color and you can avoid the maddening "that one's mine!"  

Although I'm not a book purist, there really is no need to dog-ear your books, especially when you have a few sets of these lovely, leaf-shaped cherry-blossom bookmarks lying around.

After purchasing one set, I had to buy more.

I like to give these bookmarks, which are made from real leaves, as gifts by including them in with greeting, holiday, or birthday cards. 

A lovely stocking stuffer for readers and book lovers.

15. Team Oxford Comma Mug

I used to believe that the Oxford comma was for grammar snobs only.

And then I saw a meme in the form of a funny cartoon I am choosing NOT to display for fear of being sued for copyright violations. Again. (That's a blog post for another day!)

• WITH the Oxford comma: We invited the strippers, JFK, and Stalin
  (Here we are inviting three -- strippers, JFK, and Stalin)
• WITHOUT the Oxford comma: We invited the strippers, JFK and Stalin
  (Here we are inviting two -- JFK and Stalin, both of whom are strippers)

Here's another:

• WITH: To my parents, Ayn Rand, and God
  (To the three of you -- parents, Ayn Rand, and God)
• WITHOUT: To my parents, Ayn Rand and God
  (To the two of you, my parents -- Ayn Rand and God)

The point is that I'm a believer in the Oxford comma. Yes, we could eliminate the comma by rewriting, but the comma comes in handy more often than not.

This mug would make a great gift for a largish stocking -- but only if you're sure that the recipient is, indeed, on Team Oxford Comma.

Sometimes the best gifts come in small packages -- like the gift of uninterrupted writing time.

This plastic door hanger will let the writer in your life tell the world whether he or she is writing, door opened or closed. 

Fun, frivolous, 'ffordable, fits in a stocking 🙂

When you're sitting on your bum all day long, banging away at the keyboard, it's nice to dress up your desk with small, bright bits of art, such as these colorful stone coasters. 

<hint, hint!>

Even better, this gift is useful!

What writer or blogger or other desk worker doesn't work with a drink at their side? And when someone else pulls up a chair and gets ready to put their wet, slippery glass on your desk, you can say, "Ah! Wait a minute there. Let me grab you a coaster."

With cork on the bottom and an absorbent ceramic on top, your desk will stay safe, dry, and colorful. Just the way I like it. 

We, the desk-dwellers of the world, often need help getting the hydration our bodies require. That's where this gift comes in--the Cactaki Water Bottle with Time Marker.

It holds 32 ounces, and helps track your water intake throughout the day. Fill it twice a day, get your 64 ounces in. Fill it four times a day, and you've chugged a gallon.

The lid opens and closes easily, and the strap is nice for when your thirsty recipient peels her butt out of the chair and ventures outside, shading her eyes like a night-dwelling creature would on its first foray into the sun.  

Oh -- another bonus -- it also includes a strainer for making infused water, and an ebook with a few recipes. I don't go for infused water, but it's nice to know I can have it if I want! 

These little memo clip holders are a fantastic invention, and will make a great stocking stuffer for anyone who sits at a desk.

I use them to hold notes, photos, tarot cards, mini artworks, phone numbers, brand color hex codes, and so much more.

There are 10 pieces in this set, allowing your grateful recipient to use them in the office and around the house.

This is one of those "can't go wrong with it" gifts.

Get a set of these memo clip holders for yourself, and one for all of the teen and adult stockings on your mantel.

This set of 10 smiling, googly-eyed paper binder clips makes a perfect gift for office folk, especially the creatives who like bright bits of fun and color in their lives.

It's amazing how such a small thing can bring a smile in the midst of an otherwise dreary day.

Maybe you're  working along, doing your taxes, grouping your receipts, making sour faces about having to give up so much of your hard-earned income, and then you realize you have enough papers now to need a binder clip.

So you reach for one, and ... awww! Look how cute it is! Wiggle wiggle. <Smile.> 

See? By giving a pack of these cute binder clips to your recipient, you'll be gifting little moments of lightness and happiness all year long. 

Writers and bloggers as a whole tend to like to let the world know what they're thinking and feeling. That's why we're writing and blogging!

This Daily Mood Flipchart is a fun way to share your mood with the world. Mine has been set on Managerial for a while now, as I've been creating an online course and getting bogged down by a lot of administration and outsourcing.

I've also recently been Fabulous, Neglected, and Giddy.

And you better believe that I flipped my chart to let the whole house know  

A fun, affordable stocking stuffer that fits well on any desk or counter space!

When your desk doesn't have much room but you'd like to be reminded of important to-dos and people in your life, turn to the NoteTower Desktop Mini.

Sticky notes fit underneath and into the side clips, which are good for business cards, photos, and reminder notes.

The base has small suction pads so it won't slip-slide away as you're using it.

 A great gift for desk dwellers everywhere.

If you've been reading along in this post, then you know I'm a pen and paper person. I love pens and journals and all sorts of office supply stuff. 

So, naturally, over the years, I've wanted desperately to be one of those people who whips out a lovely planner when trying to schedule something.

***

Me: What's that? January 9th you say? <opens briefcase, pulls out lovely planner, and quickly flips to the right page>

Them: Yes, January 9th at 2 pm.

Me: <Reaching for my equally lovely Kuru Toga pencil> Great! I've penciled you in.

***

I've spent PLENTY of money over the years trying to find a planner I'd actually use for more than a few days or weeks.

Fancy ones, leather ones, ones with stickers, stiff ones, bendy ones, cheap ones. 

Seriously, I've tried a LOT of planners.

So when I heard about the Essential Planner from a friend on Facebook, and saw that it showed a week at a time across a two-page spread AND hourly time slots, I had to try it.

I wasn't expecting much though, thanks to the aforesaid fails in using planners.

But this one! This one was different!

First of all, unlike most planners that go from January to December, the Essential Planner follows the academic calendar. So if you buy the 8.5 x 11-inch version that starts in June 2019 and goes through May 2020 , you'll be missing the last half of 2020. Even so, the planner is cheap enough that you can give it a try without breaking the bank. AND, if you like it, you can reorder early next year, when the 2020-2021 version comes out!

Second, the size of this planner is PERFECT for someone like me who wants to see upcoming appointments AND have plenty of space to write notes and to-dos. It's also spiral bound, and the spirals are not thin and chintzy. The pages turn oh-so-smoothly, and I can either leave it open fully to see the entire week, or folded in half to see the half of the week I'm in.

Third, the Essential Planner has a hard plastic cover that won't bend and tear as you use it and travel with it.

By Jove! It's a planner I actually use! 

Maybe you or your gift recipient will love it, too.

The Essential Planner is perfect for students, writers, bloggers, small business owners ... and anyone else who needs to keep order in their busy life.  

I know what you're thinking... "Wait, another planner?!"

Hear me out on this one.

I just discovered the Passion Planner, probably from an ad on Facebook or Instagram. 

Despite the fact that I already have a planner I love, this planner lured me in for what may or may not turn out to be a long-term relationship.

First, the cover.

There are several cover styles and colors; I chose the green, engraved with a lovely leaf motif. 

The two-page, weekly spread on 8.5 x 11-inch paper has plenty of room to pencil in appointments and jot notes. 

The paper is smooth; I suspect it will be a pleasure to write on. 

And the planner just feels so good in my hands!

While not spiral-bound, which means it can't be folded in half (the way my current love, the Essential Planner, can), the Passion Planner does lie flat when opened.

Another difference between my current love and the Passion Planner is that the Passion Planner has been designed to give you a four-step process for achieving your goals. I'm not sure whether I'll use this feature or not.

Finally, for every Passion Planner purchased, the company gives one away to those in need. 

Will the Passion Planner replace my current love, the Essential Planner? Check back with me next year, because only time will tell.

28. Petite Post-it Sticky Notes 

A confession: I have more sticky notes than I'll ever use. So why did I buy these Post-It Notes?

I don't know. It's a sickness, I tell 'ya. 

But I do use these cute and colorful sticky notes for lots of things: small notes to self, small notes to husband, marking pages in books, and organizing ideas all come to mind.

They'd also be nice for planning on a large wall. Maybe blue is for blog posts, pink is for Pinterest, and yellow is for y-social. (Okay, so I couldn't think of a "Y" word for social media. Oh well!)

Ah ... we're just about to enter the cold winter months, when chapped lips make their appearance. Fortunately, I recently happened upon CBD Daily Salve and Lip Balm. 

What I love about this balm is that it isn't just for soothing and moisturizing your lips. You can also use it to target sore areas on your body.

It uses Hemp CBD and essential oils that do an awesome job at reducing dry skin conditions and promoting overall well-being.

CBD Daily contains hemp CBD and other lovely things that bring moisture where you need it most.

I'm sensitive to smells. Fancy ladies in fancy high heels reeking of overpowering, fancy perfumes send me running for clean air.

I also don't like greasy lotions.

So one day, while in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, I ran across a sampler of this Honey & Orange Blossom Hand Lotion in one of the shops along the main drag. 

I gave it a go, and then continued shopping.

It smelled a-maz-ing! Fresh, not treacly. 

But what really won my heart was how it made my hands feel! 

Soft. Baby powder soft. Or that pink baby lotion. My hands had never felt so soft!

I bought one.

And just now, while writing to you, I reached over and applied another few dabs of hand lotion. Ahh! The soft, lovely smell and freshness is back again.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I love cats.

I love art.

I love card decks.

The Spirit Cats card deck allows me to enjoy three of those loves at once.

Of all the gifts listed in this post, I think the Spirit Cats deck is my favorite. 

Each card is like a little piece of art. And the text on the backside is beautifully written. It's beautiful AND smart! 

Use the deck for daily inspiration, pull one for a special message, or, do as I do, and choose a card to inspire you for a week at a time. (I stand the week's card on my desk using the desktop memo clips I talked about earlier.) 

Nicole Piar, birth mother to all the kitties, also created a 2019 calendar showcasing her babies. Of course I had to have one! And she's created a new one for 2020 as well, although I don't know how many will remain from her first printing. 

Enjoy the sweetness!

My husband and I had a deck added to the front of our home in hopes of being able to sit outside to enjoy the (relative) quiet and cool mountain air. We bought squirrel-proof bird feeders, which now are regular stops for one or two pair of cardinals, tiny birds with little white spots on their heads, bluejays, mockingbirds, doves, and other feathered friends.

That deck is one of two of the best home investments we've ever made. (The other was getting a real fireplace to replace a fake, propane-burning gas fireplace.) I love going out to the deck when the air is cool and the sun is warm, listening to the birds, the wind, and the goats across the way. 

This National Geographic bird calendar is a perfect way to bring the birds inside when the weather isn't just how I like. I think you'll enjoy it, too.  

Selfie ring lights are required accoutrements for the online business owner who does live or recorded video or speaks to clients and others over Zoom or other video platforms.

I've tried a few different lights. Sadly, most have not been tall enough, as I have an extra-large monitor the light has to stand taller than.

THIS ring light though, works perfectly, and is tall enough to tower over my ultrawide monitor. You can change the light's brightness and color using the enclosed controller. 

If you know someone who's just starting with videos, or someone you're tired of struggling to see over video because they're basically in the dark, you may want to send this gift their way. 

I was so proud when I got this microphone. It made me look and feel just like a real radio broadcaster! 

Seriously though, I had just started creating online courses and attending Zoom calls, so a good mic was a priority. I had no qualms about laying out the cash for this model, as it came highly recommended by the gurus of the time. (They're still the gurus of today, by the way!) 

I can tell from the recordings of my videos (and from regularly asking the other parties I'm speaking with) that it transmits sound, crisp and clear.

And the Blue Yeti really does make you feel like a celebrity, at least for a while ... until it blends in and becomes another piece of schmutz on your desktop.

Just kidding ... no schmutz! The Blue Yeti is an impressive piece of hardware.  Your recipient will be thrilled!

Click click click. Click. Click clickety click.

Complain though I might, I used to think that I had no choice but to use those dull-sounding, plasticky keyboards. There was no satisfying "click" when I pressed the keys.

Then came the chiclet keyboard. UUGH. I hated that style of keyboard, and hate it still, as it's the only kind you can find on laptops these days.

BUT ... my youngest son is a gamer. One day, he said his keyboard died. "Can you buy me another?" he asked.

So I did. It was the Corsair mechanical gaming keyboard.

When it arrived, and he took it out of the box and plugged it in, I was like, "WHOA, DUDE! That looks amazing!" The keys lit up in many colors! I, being a lover of lights, had always wanted one of those pretty keyboards....

Then, I heard him type. Click click. Click click click. Clickety click click.

I was like, "Wait a minute! Let me try that!" 

And I was blown away.

This was the same sound and feel I loved, just like on those old electric typewriters. Each key gives a satisfying click when it lands, letting you know when your fingers have flown astray.

And did I mention the colors?!?

I'm not sure whom in your life you're thinking about getting this mechanical keyboard for, but I am sure that they're gonna love it.

Bloggers and writers are hoarders. I know, because I am one!

My digital haul includes free and paid stock photos, swipe files, writing samples, drafts and final copies of written work, course materials, spreadsheets of blog post and product ideas - and so much more.

I use Carbonite to automatically back up the contents of my main data drive. It works like a charm because I never have to think about it. 

Until I do.

The last time my computer crashed, my computer dude, Aaron Tracy of Asheville Computer Company, recommended that I get an external hard drive as a fail-safe for Carbonite for two reasons: 1) the data will be quicker to access the next time I have a problem, and 2) he could also set the drive to back up all of my programs, too. 

This is the model he recommended. 

And I have to say, I'm glad I followed his recommendation. I haven't had to use the new external drive--yet. But just knowing it's there, mirroring my hard drive once a week, automatically, is well worth the price of admission.

The world may have gone digital but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the pleasure only paper and ink can bring.

If you or the writers / bloggers / business owners in your life are the type who love snow and snowflakes, as I do, or Snow Patrol, as I definitely, 100 percent, in-a-true-fan-girl-way do, then add this self-inking snowflake stamp to your cart. 

(I have a similar snowflake stamp in Snow Patrol blue, but I purchased it from an online company that specializes in stamps because Amazon didn't have the right color.)

It's fun to stamp outgoing mail this way, during the holidays and, for snow lovers, all year long. 

I also use my snowflake stamp in my journals whenever it feels right.

It will make a fun stocking stuffer!

I don't just like to "work" in my home office. I like to WORK! 

As the years have gone by, I went from having a 17-inch laptop as my main PC, to adding an external, 21-inch monitor, to adding ANOTHER external, 21-inch monitor, to replacing the laptop with a desktop hooked up to this amazing, 34-inch Ultrawide monitor. 

Now, I use it in front of my face, plus the two 21-inchers stacked on top of each other to the left.

The new Ultrawide comes with software that allows you to split the screen in various ways. My favorite way is to split the screen into three equal parts. 

This means I can have open, at the same time, three documents or browser tabs on the extra-large monitor, and at least two more documents or browser tabs on the stacked, 21-inchers.

That's a lot of screen real estate -- and I love it! 

I have become a bit spoiled though. It's awfully hard to work on just a single laptop monitor anymore, which, in I realize, is not such a bad problem to have.

Although this gift won't fit in a stocking, it will fit nicely into any home-office worker's life (as long as they have room for it on their desk).

Really, this Ultrawide monitor has been a game-changer in my life.

I've been meeting with lots of people on Zoom and creating lots of videos lately. And though I love my office, with all of its nooks, crannies, and cubbies, I felt that those nooks, crannies, and cubbies in the background behind me was a little distracting. It looked messy.

On a call with the members of my mastermind, one of the gals had a lovely room divider behind her, which gave me the idea to look for one for myself.

It took a while, but I finally found one I liked, although not from Amazon.

This 4-panel room divider from Wayfair was the right choice.

You can see it behind me in this screenshot from one of my videos.

I initially thought I'd put up the divider for videos or client calls, and then take it down the rest of the time. That turned out to be a lot more work than I wanted, which was fine, because this room divider looks nice enough to keep up all year long. 

An amazing gift for anywhere in the home or office!

Not only does this LED floor lamp serve its function well; it's also a great conversation starter. Everyone who sees it asks about or mentions it.

If you want people to think, "Holy cow, this person gives amazing gifts!" consider giving this lamp. It makes MY day every time I turn it on. 

Planned obsolescence. 

A pain in the butt, but also this gadget-loving girl's dream 🙂 

When my last laptop started giving me signs of impending death -- like crashing all the time -- I started my search for a new one. 

I didn't have to look far, especially once I discovered the Microsoft Surface 2; it's sleek and professional. And cobalt blue?! Yes, please!

Beyond that, this awesome laptop comes with the latest processor, not to mention 16 gigs of RAM. It weighs in at just under three pounds, making it perfect for students and those of us who love to travel.  

Highly recommend.

P.S. This Surface 2 looks extra sweet inside the Samsung backpack I'll share with you in just a bit!

Alexa, add peanut butter to the shopping list.

"I've added peanut butter to your shopping list."

Alexa, set an alarm for 6:00 am.

"I've set an alarm for 6:00 am."

Alexa, who won the Flyers' game last night?

Well ... she can't give me everything 🙂 

I have a full-sized Alexa in my kitchen. One day, I got tired of forgetting to add things to the list simply because I didn't want to trudge out to the kitchen when adding to the list was on my mind.

That's when I bought the Amazon Echo Dot for my office.

You don't need the larger-sized Alexa for this to work. The Dot works on its own, too.

And you can do a LOT of stuff with it: check it out, here.

The Echo Dot will make a great stocking stuffer for the guy or gal who has everything (everything but the Dot, that is). 

Merry Happy!

I love flying. But I don't like having zero foot room remaining after cramming my usual laptop backpack under the seat in front of me. 

Thus began my mission to find the perfect combination of travel gear that would let me keep my laptop at my feet without stealing all the room from them!

I tried MANY different options and combinations. The last option before I discovered this Samsonite Business Backpack was a supposed "under the seat" rolling carry on. 

YEAH, RIGHT! Of six flights, that bag fit under the seat just once. And it left no room whatsoever for my feet.

It became kind of a joke at my house as I explained my ongoing travails to my husband and kids. 

So, naturally, when I came across THIS backpack, my husband was skeptical. It was kind of small, but I figured I could bring it and a small purse to have everything I needed at the ready.

IT WORKED! During my last trip, I didn't have to use the overhead bins. And I had room for my feet. Sweet relief!

Several security agents and flight attendants commented on how nice it was, too. I guess finding a small but sturdy backpack is a quest for many!

I don't recommend this bag for college students, as it's far too small to carry textbooks, but I do recommend it for travelers who don't need to have a lot of stuff on hand.

If there's someone like that in your life, the Samsonite Business Backpack will make a great gift.