The small and mighty

We read a great article by Tony Wanless today in the Financial Post. In Compact fits all (originally published in today's FP print edition), Wanless explains how many businesses are currently focusing on being smaller and more efficient, with major emphasis on personal values in order to succeed and win over customers. So it appears that bigger is not always better, and that compactness is quickly becoming the order of the day in the business world. A useful read for would-be entrepreneurs.

Click here to read the article or copy and paste this link into your web browser:
http://www.financialpost.com/small-business/succession/story.html?id=1443187

You share + I share = miShare

Being the tech-savvy career gals we are, we frequently hunt for shiny toys that add convenience and fun to our day-to-day life. When we heard about miShare, we knew we had to get our hands on one. This tiny handheld gadget connects two iPods together in order to share files between them. Now all those times you've wanted to grab a fave song from your friend's iPod, or give her photos stored on yours, can be done instantly--no computer or cable needed! With only one button on miShare, this gadget is about as easy to figure out and use as a tech tool can get. Why, we dare say this shiny find makes us as happy as two peas in an iPod.

$99.50 USD at Frontgate.com or visit mishare.com for retailers

Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days) - Monica

Ever have a work day that just downright sucked? Take Monica's advice and chalk it up to being "just one of dem days".



And now that Friday has arrived, you can forget about "dem days" and have a fret-free weekend! See you ladies on Monday!

Red red wine

After a long work day, we love pouring oursleves a glass of fine red wine and savouring its refined taste. The medium-bodied 2006 Pinot Noir Niagara River VQA from Lailey Vineyard is one we supremely enjoy for its delicate floral notes, smelling also of cherry and spice aromas. A pretty wine that embodies freshness, elegance, and sophistication all at once. Cheers, darling!

$24.95 at LCBO or for out-of-province purchases, visit laileyvineyard.com for details

Making Millions by Matchmaking

Get inspired to make your first million! Watch My First Million: Lavalife, a short clip where co-founder Bruce Croxon discusses how Lavalife turned into a multi-million dollar matchmaking success.

Comfy cubicle = improved posture

Many of us cubicle-dwelling gals most likely suffer from achy shoulders, wrists, backs, and more due to the number of hours spent hovered over our computers. Check out Creating A Comfort Zone: Ergo-Friendly On The Job, a great article found at Shepell·fgi, a Toronto-based company which provides workplace health and productivity services to organizations across the country. Follow the five tips for creating an ergo-friendly workspace, and say bye-bye to tense neck muscles for good.

Click here to read the article or copy and paste this link into your web browser:
http://www.shepellfgi.com/EN-CA/healthyhabits/creatingacomfortzone.asp

The Breadth of One's Breath

We recently read, and put into practice, the exercises found in Breathing Space: Twelve Lessons for the Modern Woman by Katrina Repka and Alan Finger. Canadian ex-pat Repka (who currently resides and teaches in London, England) has together with Master Yogi Finger written an enlightening resource in which she genuinely describes how breathing exercises have helped her develop a life filled with confidence and self-awareness. Repka also explains how to perform each exercise so you too can use the power of breath to bring harmony, positivity, and personal transformation into your life. Now what career gal out there doesn't want all that?

$19.99 at Amazon.ca, chapters.indigo.ca & other major bookstores

Escapade - Janet Jackson

The weekend is here once again! As Miss Janet advises, "Hope you can find the time this weekend to relax and unwind"!



Have a GREAT weekend ladies and see you Monday!

Refreshingly exotic

We might not be experiencing tropical weather just yet, but spring is definitely on the horizon. To celebrate the beautiful weather (and the end of another work week), mix yourself this deliciously exotic non-alcoholic beverage!

Roger Mooking's Mango Lassi

Ingredients:
4 cups frozen mango
2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp ground cardamom

Directions:
Place frozen chopped mangoes, yogurt, water, honey and cardamom in a blender, puree until smooth. Serve in tall glasses.

Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)

Learn about TFSA in one minute!

Contingency planning a must

With the uncertainty of the job market these days, we would all be wise to have a back-up plan. In fact, Janis Foord Kirk rightly suggests having even more than one contingency plan in her article If storm worsens in '09, you may need a Plan C (originally published in the Toronto Star on January 13, 2009). A great read on encouraging and emphasizing the need to make yourself valuable professionally, personally, and interpersonally in the ever-changing job world. Click here to read the article or copy and paste this link into your web browser:
http://www.survivability.net/products/article.php?articleRef=150

Delightful Flight

If you take business trips often, this adorable travel kit has your name written all over it. The Plane Friendly Travel Kit by Cake Beauty has the bath essentials you need to stay smelling sweet and feeling fresh no matter where in the world your work takes you. The five-piece kit meets travel product size regulations so if you've packed light (i.e., sans checked bagged), you can rest assured these bottles will pass through airport security without question. Though don't be surprised if the inspection officer takes it out of your carry-on just to get a whiff of the body mousse that smells like an orange creamsicle or the velveteen hand creme scented like a whipped vanilla milkshake. Yum!

Kit contains: two bottles of bath & shower froth, two bottles of body mousse and one hand creme.

$25 at cakebeauty.com or visit the site to locate a retailer

Perfekt World - Clara Lofaro

A mellow track to wind down your week...



Hope your weekend is "perfekt" and see you ladies Monday!

Fuel the passion

Passionate about your work? Then this fruity and delicious drink has your name on it. Santé!

Passionate Cocktail

1. Fill a champagne glass with 4 oz chilled Champagne (or sparkling wine) and 1 oz Alizé Red Passion liqueur.

2. Garnish with a star fruit slice.

Office-appropriate attire

Here are some awesome fashions for the office:

Chaotic day? Time to breathe and just be...

We all have those crazy days, you know the ones, those utterly ridiculously busy days where we're just go-go-go. For some of us, we have one chaotic day after the next, and it feels like they're never going to end. Take a break for just one moment and read How to Find Balance in a Busy World by Jane Schnurr. In this quick read, life coach Schnurr offers 15 tips, at least one of which you should be able to apply to your own life to bring some much-needed balance to it. Click here to read the article or copy and paste this link into your web browser:

http://content.monster.ca/14080_en-CA_pf.asp

Pretty Pulp

We are loving ecojot notebooks by Carolyn Gavin. The entire line of stationery is made of paper that's been 100% recycled from 100% post-consumer waste. What does this mean? That not a single new tree was used to make these notebooks with whimsical designs. Talk about a totally eco-chic way to pen down your schedule or to-do list!

$9.50 each at grassrootsstore.com or visit ecojot.com for other retailers

I'm Every Woman - Whitney Houston

March 8 is International Women's Day (IWD). This Sunday, go to the spa, treat yourself to a new outfit, or go for a fancy dinner with your other CCG pals to celebrate being the beautiful, intelligent and wonderful woman that you are!

Let other CCGs know how you celebrated IWD by leaving a comment on this blog post.

Happy IWD, ladies and see you Monday!

California Dreamin'

The laidback and no-fuss Twin Fin Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is the perfect wine to help you unwind. The fruity and refreshing taste is just as relaxing as how you'd feel when lying on the beach on a sunny day. And after a long work week, isn't that the kind of feeling we all need? Cheers!

Persist through C.R.A.P.

Watch this entertaining TEDTalk by author and motivational speaker Richard St. John, and in less than 4 minutes you'll find out the 8 traits that lead to success.

Investment SOS

We read a good article in the Report on Business section of The Globe & Mail, originally published on November 28, 2008. In Disaster relief, Bay Street insider Doug Steiner discusses the parallels between natural disasters and money market meltdowns–and provides 7 steps to follow to survive stock market shakeups. Click here to read the article or copy and paste this link into your web browser:

http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081124.rmsteiner1124/BNStory/specialROBmagazine/home

DIY Tax Returns

The tax season is upon us once again. As of today, you've got exactly 59 days left to file your 2008 income tax return (the deadline is April 30th). Most of us don't enjoy filing taxes but it doesn't have to be as dreadful a task as we imagine it to be. If you're doing your own taxes, get yourself a copy of QuickTax Standard by Intuit Canada and you'll be a lean, mean tax-filing machine. The tax software provides step-by-step guidance as well as handy deduction-maximizing tools to help identify all possible money-saving opportunities. You can prepare and file up to 8 returns which means everyone in your household can use the tax software to feel like a chartered accountant (at least for a little while!)

$39.99 at quicktax.intuit.ca