aloha lekika kana

If you've ever wanted to know what your name might sound like in Hawaiian, visit The Coconut Boyz and type your name into their translation engine.

I am now Lekika, my daughter is Palikane and my boyfriend is Lukekini. What fun nicknames! What's your Hawaiian name?

create some buzz

How would you like to come home to a box full of the newest, hottest products on the market? You can, with BzzAgent.

Most people who know me know I'm a BzzAgent -- I participate in viral marketing for products that fit my lifestyle. I signed up with BzzAgent, the leading word-of-mouth media network, and then sat back and waited for the emails. Every month or so, I get an email that asks me to join a particular campaign. If I'm interested, I sign up. If it doesn't appeal to me, I do nothing.

Most campaigns come with free stuff for yourself and for you to share with friends, and coupons to buy more. It's really fun because you get to try new things (without paying for them) and share them with your family and friends. I've been a BzzAgent for over two years, and have done campaigns for Pledge Multi-Surface Wipes, Hershey Take 5, AquaPod water, Ziploc containers, Listerine Whitening Strips, Wrigley 5 gum, and Eucerin lotion.

What BzzAgent asks of its members is to try the products, share them, and then give them feedback. It doesn't have to be positive and it doesn't have to be an elaborate marketing scheme. It can be as simple as giving all your friends a sample, leaving a coupon in a strategic place in the grocery store, or mentioning the product in a conversation.

I used to think this was really weird (I first read about it in Pattern Recognition by William Gibson) because strategic word-of-mouth buzz seemed so, well, contrived. How fake is it to promote something to others that you might not really like or even care about? But the thing I like about BzzAgent is that I don't have to do anything. The more you buzz, the more campaigns you get to join, but you don't have to give false positive feedback or spend a lot of time or money to participate.

There are short surveys to fill out before, during and after campaigns, and then you submit BzzReports which are just detailed accounts of your buzzing. You are awarded points for these activities, which can be traded in for prizes.

I'm usually skeptical about this kind of thing, but it's actually pretty cool and fun. I've done the BzzAgent thing now for a while, and I totally recommend it!

motherhood is hard. admit it.

I have a new blog obsession. At times hilarious, poignant, scary and right on, the True Mom Confessions blog has become my new lunchtime reading. The concept is that "moms" (although many posts have nothing to do with motherhood) can anonymously post things about their lives, pretty much anything you want.

They can be hilarious and self-baring like:

Or sad, enraging or self-effacing like:

And they can be short and sweet confessions:

You can't respond to posts with comments, but you can click on "me too" to show that you've been in the same situation or feel the same way as the writer. People often respond to certain posts by writing their own post.

Hundred of posts appear daily, meaning that you can never read them all...unless you stayed on the site for hours each day...but there is always something entertaining to read....

And you learn a lot. Or at least I have. I've learned that there are others just like me (and some much worse!), and that I'm not the only constantly worried, daily harried, overprotective, neurotic mom out there. I've read about things I've never experienced myself. I've read things that disgusted me, things that empowered me, things that inspired me, things that made me crack a smile or even chuckle.

And the cool thing is, even though the site is called True Mom Confessions, and many of the posts do concern motherhood, many of them do not. This site really reaches all parts of women's lives, written by women for women, read by women ... it's just really cool, and addicting.

Check it out!

free snack from kashi

The Kashi Snack Drive wants you to trade in your favorite sugar-coated or salt-loaded snack for one of their healthier alternatives. And they're so positive you'll love their snacks that they're willing to send you one for free. I just traded in old-fashioned cotton candy for a free oatmeal dark chocolate cookie. And wait till you see the format of their online forms ... tres cool.

If you live near San Diego, Chicago, Boston or New York, you can visit the Kashi Snack Drive for free snacks. Tell all your friends and let's make the world a healthier place, one Kashi at a time :)

I've never actually tried their snacks. I've tried the cereal and wasn't really a fan ... too hard and crunchy for my taste. But I'm willing to give them another try. Anyone a Kashi lover?

worst ice cream ever!

Have you ever had Fish ice cream? How about Octopus ice cream? Corn? Tulip? Charcoal? Nope, me either. But they all exist.

Many come from Japan, where seafood is a much bigger part of their diet. There's Seaweed ice cream, Shark Fin Noodle, Whale, Squid Guts, and much more. Some of the flavors are environmentally friendly, like the Miso ice cream or Rice Straw. Others, not so much. Would you like Raw Horseflesh with that?

There are actually some I might try, like Red Wine ice cream ... or maybe Barbecue. I don't know ... I'll have to think about that.

Check out the other crazy flavors on this list of 101 Frightening Ice Cream Flavors from around the world and post your favorite or the one you find the strangest.

Remember to post a comment to our Giveaway entry for your chance to win a $120 Horse Bit Belt from Twisted Silver!

the multi-purpose game

My six-year-old daughter and I recently started a new game where we choose an object and think of as many different ways that object can be used as we can. For example, a tree might be a home, mailbox, paper, maple syrup maker, etc. This portfolio piece, A Dozen Pencils, reminded me of that game. Manipulating size and context, the artist shows how an ordinary object can take on unconventional roles, if you let your imagination and creativity flow.

This also reminds me of Wallace Stevens' "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird," a similar concept. I did a copycat piece of the poem in college (16 Ways of Looking at a Bed) ... but I won't share that here :) To be honest, I wouldn't even know where to find it.

i want to hold your hand

As humans, we are always finding new ways to blur the line between nature and man-made creations. Point in case, a door handle shaped like a human hand. Ingenious. Why are doorknobs shaped the way they are anyway?

This one, created by French interior and product designer Naomi Thellier de Poncheville, offers a pleasant, although kinda creepy, parting gesture: opening the door is a partnership, a communal effort. I’d wonder, “Whose hand am I holding? I wonder if he/she is still alive?” while I’m reaching for my hand sanitizer.

(From GeekAlerts.)

free earrings from twisted silver

While browsing Design Mom, a great blog for unique kids designs, I came across this fantastic opportunity for free earrings from Twisted Silver. Yes, FREE!

All you have to do is go to Twisted Silver and a box will pop up, asking you to subscribe to their website. Fill in your name and email address, and the first 500 will get a free pair of ultra-light lithe earrings, shown above. I signed up today, and mine are already on their way!

Not to mention that Twisted Silver has some super-cool jewelry for decent prices, and has been getting quite the buzz recently. Check out their Celebrities section to see who's been spotted wearing their jewelry around Hollywood.

The thing I really like about Twisted Silver is that a lot of their pieces are "convertible" and can be worn in several different ways. As their site says, "Belts become necklaces ... become chokers ... become multi-wrap bracelets!" I'm saving up for the Trinket Necklace.

i'm clueless about starbucks

Reading an article on Slate.com about all things Starbucks, I came across the Starbucks Oracle, a fun site where you can type in your favorite Starbucks order and learn a little about yourself.

Me? I like Mocha Frappuccinos, and here's what the Starbucks Oracle said about me:

Personality type: Clueless You don't go to Starbucks much; when you do you just tag along with other people since you have nothing better to do. You would like to order a Tazo Chai Crème but don't know how to pronounce it. Most people who drink Mocha Frappuccino are strippers.
Also drinks: Wine coolers
Can also be found at: The mall

It's true that I don't go to Starbucks much and I have no idea what half of their menu items are, but I swear I'm not a stripper!

rainbow flames

Is this not the coolest thing you've ever seen? These colored-flame candles are from Rainbow Moments and are made from organic and inorganic salts and "safe" metals (instead of wax), which, when burned at high temperatures, gives off vibrant, colored flames. What a great idea to add a little fun to your next party!

Aside from birthday candles, Rainbow Moments also offers dinner candles (including a cool icicle shape), tea lights, and fluid lamps with colored flames, and taper candles that drip colored "wax."

To order from the site, you must be a retailer (or want hundreds of candles) so I'll be looking for these online and in stores. Let us know if you see them somewhere!

--Jessica

their trash, your treasure

I just wish I was this creative. This chair, which I found at Uncommongoods.com, is made out of actual vintage road signs. It doesn't really look all that comfortable and a little pricey, but that's not the point. It's just cool ... and what a great conversation piece. I also found a stool made out of a metal pot (that looks exactly like one I own) and a clock made from an aluminum can and a whisk. And there's so much more.

--Jessica

one less plastic bag

I found these reusable totes last night at my local Kroger and was stoked! I've been wanting to stop using plastic grocery bags for a while now, but I didn't have a Wild Oats or Trader Joe's near me (where most people seem to get them). I even looked online but the only ones I could find were really expensive. I guess Kroger finally realized the market was ripe for these totes, with all the recent environmental press, and now they offer these for 99 cents! I grabbed 5 right away.

The only thing I don't like about them is how heavily branded they are. I guess you can't really expect them to NOT brand them, but I think I'll feel weird using them at Meijer or Wal-Mart. Then again, maybe I won't feel weird. I'll feel proud because I'm helping the environment, after all.

If you can guess what I bought at Kroger, you can win a chance to guest blog for us!

--Jessica

do you like free stuff?

Who doesn't? I love to get free stuff in the mail, so when I found out about Vocalpoint, I just had to sign up and I haven't been disappointed. Sometimes they send you actual free product in the mail, and sometimes they send you a coupon to get something for free. So far, I've gotten a new Venus Breeze, Pur water bottle, sneak peek Meerkat Manor DVD, Kashi cereal, and discount tickets to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, along with tons of great coupons. And I've only been a member for a couple of months!

The program is designed for women, and run by P&G, and in exchange for all this free stuff, all they ask is that you subscribe to their weekly newsletter, answer a couple of quick surveys each week (they are 1-2 questions long), and share your coupons and information that they send you with others.

It's cool to check out new things just before they hit the market, and to try new things you might never have bought on your own (like Kashi cereal, for me)!

Enjoy!
--Jessica

Jessica's Top 5

Hey, I'm Jessica, and I'm so excited to be a blogger on Braesan. My friends and I email each other cool stuff we find on the web all the time, so it will be great to share with a wider audience.

MY TOP 5
1. goodyblog.com: As a parent, I love this website by Parents magazine. Updated several times a day, it has that perfect blend of news (that I care about), cool sites that parents will love, and kitschy parents & kids stuff.

2. tmz.com: I admit it, I am a pop culture buff. As an avid reader of TMZ for over a year, I can honestly say that it never gets old. Who needs pop culture rags or TV shows when you can read and watch it instantly online?

3. slate.com: I like to stay up on the news, but I also like smart writing, which is why Slate is perfect for me. They ask the questions I always wanted to know (in Explainer) and cover the news with a wry sense of humor and unabashed reporting style that I can't get enough of.

4. mugglenet.com: Because I, like my daughter, am totally obsessed with Harry Potter (yes, I've read all 7 books, seen all the movies, and been to HP parties), I love this site for keeping me up to date on the latest HP info.

5. visualthesaurus.com: So this site may not excite most of you, but to a writer/editor like me, it's awesome! You have to buy a subscription to see the full product, but you can try it out for free. Instead of giving you a list of words that mean the same thing, it maps them out and shows how they connect, which ends up giving you far more choices and being much more dynamic and useful than a desk thesaurus. Trust me, it's really cool. Try it ... I dare you!

--Jessica