Giveaway

March 1, 2012

March Came in Like a Lion and Brought Me an iPad Cover

Wanna win an awesome iPad cover from Skooba Design?…

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December 21, 2011

Candle 2: #HanukkahHoopla

#HanukkahHoopla continues tonight with Candle #2….

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May 29, 2011

"Saturday Summer Screwball" Contest Starts Today!

To inspire my viewers to have some fun, I am kicking off a contest. Read my blog for details on how to enter. And to see this twit dance. (By the way, all my moves are circa 1985.)…

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My blogging friend, author Elena Aitken, is offering an e-book copy of her new book Sugar Crash.

The book features Darci, a single mother working hard to raise her daughter after her husband dies. Everything is rolling along pretty well until Taylor is hospitalized and receives a diagnosis of diabetes, which rocks their world. And because Darci doesn’t like to ask for help, she finds her job in jeopardy. Even though the book is about diabetes, it is truly a survivor story – and a story about learning to lean on others in a time of need.

I read Sugar Crash while I was on vacation, and I couldn’t put it down.

Read Elena’s blog, LIKE her on Facebook and follow her @ElenaAitken.

Check out my interview with Elena about her new book & answer the question at the end for a chance to win a copy!

• • •

rasj: Hey Elena, readers know from your Prologue that writing this book was deeply personal for you because you have a friend who went through something like this.  How is that child doing now?

Elena: Well, that ‘child’ will be celebrating her fortieth birthday this fall and has lived with Type 1 diabetes for thirty years.

rasj: Shut the front door! That is soooo cool!

Elena: I am proud to call Deb my friend. She is an amazing role model for not only those with diabetes, but everyone. She’s a busy mother of 8-year-old twins and has run a few full marathons, more half-marathons than I can count and is also a triathlete, having recently completed her first Olympic distance tri. Deb wears an insulin pump now and has actually represented the company that manufactures the pump in an international running event and she is always raising money for The Canadian Diabetes Association. Diabetes doesn’t slow her down even a little!

rasj: She sounds like an incredible person! I like how you show Darci trying to trust her 12-year old daughter to make the right decisions about her health and manage her own sugar readings. I think that is one of the best parts of the book – and probably one of the most confusing things in real life for parents with kids with diabetes. Are you able to speak to how parents of children with diabetes ever feel safe enough to let their children participate in sports (like Darci does) or go to overnight camps — especially when the consequences of mismanaging one’s blood sugar can result in seizures or death?

Look how cute she is? Don’t you want to read her book?

Elena: I think, as parents, we all struggle with letting go when it comes to our kids, but it would be much harder in Darci’s situation. Ultimately, I think it would depend on the family dynamic, but in my personal opinion, I believe it would be crucial to let your child resume their normal activities as much as possible. With the right education and awareness of course. Something like diabetes, while most definitely a huge lifestyle consideration, shouldn’t define a child. They still have to be kids.

rasj: What was the hardest thing you had to do while researching to write this book?

Elena: Because so much of this book is based on the actual experiences of my good friend, I was very fortunate in that she was so open and willing to share with me. She set me straight on more than one detail. But that was also the hardest part. Because she is so close to the story I was terrified of what she would think of it. It is obviously a fictionalized version, but it still struck pretty close to home for her and I held my breath the entire time she was reading the first draft.

 rasj: I adore the romance that you slowly create between Coach Cam and Taylor’s very hesitant mom, Darci. What part of this book do you love the best?

Elena: I have two favorite parts. The first was when Darci and Taylor were in the hospital and Darci realized she couldn’t make Taylor’s ‘owie’ go away. That would be an incredibly difficult moment for a mother. The second was the very end, when Darci and Cam were standing in the race corral getting ready to run. I think it’s very symbolic and it gave me chills when I wrote it.

rasj: What is one question no one has asked you but you wish they would?

Elena: No one has asked me who my favorite character in this book is.

rasj: Really? I was going to ask that but I figured you’ve been asked a skillion times. So?

Elena: I loved Darci and Taylor of course. BUT, Barb was spunky and fun and — her best quality – she stood up for her friend, defending her in front of a crowd. And THAT is one of the best qualities you can hope for in a friend.

• • •

For a chance to win a copy:

Leave a comment about a fear you have had to face.

Tweet for another chance.

Facebook share for a third.

Leave a separate comment for each thing you do so I know you did these things.

Tweet and share as many times as you’d like for extra chances to win.

This contest closes on May 14 when I open a new contest. All blogoversary winners will be determined via Random Number Generator, and all winners will be announced on June 2nd — once I figure everything out.

Tweet this Twit @rasjacobson

Image representing iPad as depicted in CrunchBase
Image via CrunchBase

My husband bought me an iPad for my birthday. I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. I mean, I already had an iPhone. How different can this be? I wondered.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I immediately fell in love with it.

{I would have kissed it except it would have left lip prints on the screen.}

Suddenly, I could read blogs, read books, get email and play Words With Friends — without my glasses.

But here’s the thing.

I am kind of lax when it comes to taking care of my toys.

When Hubby gave me the iPad, he made me promise I would get a good protective cover.

I didn’t.

My friend, Michael Hess, Founder and C.E.O. of Skooba Design told me he would give me an iPad cover; I just had to visit his warehouse. A few months passed, and I finally got my act together and went to Skooba which is about eleventy-bajillion miles from my house.

(And by that, I mean about 6 miles.)

When I got out there, Michael graciously told me I could have any iPad cover I wanted. Seeing as he was being so generous, I pushed our friendship to the limits and asked him if I could have another cover to use for a giveaway on my blog. (Can you believe my nerve? Oy!)

If you have an iPad, I’m guessing you love it and you know that you’ve got to protect that sucker.

But in case you just got one or you are planning to get one for yourself or someone you love, here is the chance to win the best iPad cover in the world.

Seriously.

Because everything at Skooba is fabulous.

The one I use is the tablet sized neo-skin with handles shown in the picture below.

Click on the picture to see more about this bag’s features.


Cool, right?

The one I’m giving away on March 8, 2012 is a navy blue sheath with a gray pocket.

You can store all the cables in the zippered pocket.

In addition to being the head honcho at Skooba, Michael is an amazing public speaker. He has visited my classroom as a guest lecturer to talk to my students, and I can tell you they appreciate the way he explains the importance of possessing solid communication skills in today’s competitive job market.

He’s much bigger in real life. IYKWIM.

Michael also happens to write a twice-weekly small business column for CBS News. He has many fantastic pieces, but — as a educator — my favorite is “Hey, watch your language, will ya’?”

To have a chance at winning the free iPad cover:

1. Read Michael’s blog post and leave a comment here. Tell me something about his piece that interested you. Or you found funny. Or irritating. (I’m guessing Michael will be reading along, too.) Do this before March 7, 2012 at 6 PM EST and receive 1 vote.

**For additional chances to win the iPad cover:

2. LIKE my Facebook page and get 1 vote. If you have already LIKED my page, remind me in your comment.

3. Share this story on Twitter, and I will give you 2 additional chances to win. Feel free to copy and paste the following text: I just entered to win a free iPad cover from @Skooba via @rasjacobson — and include the link. If you do this properly, I will see it on Twitter.

4. Share this story on a public Facebook page — not mine — I will give you 3 entries. (Just be sure to come back and tell me which page you posted it on!)

I will make a big ole Excel spread sheet, and then Random Number Generator will do all the work for me. I’ll announce the winner on March 8, 2012. If the winner doesn’t contact me to claim the prize within 48 hours of being selected, a new winner will be chosen.

Oh, and if you would like to order something else from Skooba, Michael has been kind enough to extend the promotional code TWITS20 to my readers so you can receive 20% off any order of $50 or more (plus free shipping via UPS in 48 states) through the end of March.

How cool is that?

I told you March came in like a lion.

Rawr!

Tweet This Twit @rasjacobson

Skooba provided me with two iPad covers for this promotion. I am keeping one. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

Tonight is the second night of Hanukkah!

Check out these bloggers to get a sense of the Hanukkah experience:

  Nina Badzin’s Blog @ninabadzin

  Diary of a Paper Princess  @RishonaMyers

Enjoy this little Hanukkah video.

For people who have never heard Hebrew, this video features the blessings we recite and instructions on how we light our menorahs.

Our generous sponsors Streit’s and Mama Doni, the lead singer/songwriter of The Mama Doni Band, have provided each of the bloggers involved with this project with a little #HanukkahHoopla gift pack. For information on how to win, click on the little menorah button above.

To inspire my viewers and have some fun this summer, I am kicking off a contest.

We all work hard during the week, but it is important to relax whenever we can grab a moment. Every Saturday from now until September 3, 2011, I will post – videos of YOU, my beloved readers, doing the things you love to do! G-rated things. This is a family show, people! 😉 Think ziplines, epic water fights dressed as cyborgs, alligator wrestling.

Send me the link to your You Tube video at rasjacobsonNY@gmail.com anytime between now and September 3, 2011. Videos must be under 2 minutes and they should feature you doing something relaxing… that’s a little bit off-beat.

Between September 12-16, 2011, I will create a poll and ask people to vote for their favorite “Saturday Summer Screwball” video. If you mention this contest on your blog and link back here, you will receive an extra vote. If you Tweet an #SSS of your choice, you will also receive an extra vote. Just be sure to come back and let me know that you did!

To usher in the fall, one winner will be announced on September 21, 2011.

An uber-cool prize will be awarded.

You all know that I love to dance, so I’m kicking it off.

And, if you’ll notice, I’m kind of off-beat.

So here you are: for inspiration.

Seriously, it is a pity that you could not see my fabulous green wig in this video. I will have to spank Monkey talk to my tech guy.

Tweet this Twit @RASJacobson

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