Well here we are at the end of August, in the year of craziness known as 2020. The year is just flying by…or is it dragging by slowly, painfully, tediously? It all depends on your perspective, right?

For me, I’m always browsing social media for the “smart” things that lift our spirits, inspire us, and reveal that perfect new “must have” that we hadn’t discovered yet. This is part of the work I do with my clients as a Social Media Coach/Strategist at One Smart Cookie Marketing, and I’m thrilled to share the best tidbits with you every other week here.

Hit me up with the smart discoveries you’re making out there on the WWW, and maybe I’ll include it in mmy next article. Thanks for reading and here we go….

SMART ROAD TRIP

Who doesn’t need a getaway right about now? There are lots of themed ideas for the perfect road trip (National Parks, baseball stadiums, capital cities, etc) but this is my new fave – the Ultimate American Wine Road Trip! A tour of wineries across the U.S. – how can you say no? Lucky for me, the trail starts out here in the Pacific Northwest, so grab your car keys and let’s hit the road!

SMART TV

Anyone else watch TV lately and cringe when people touch, hug, or get more than 6 feet closer to each other? Oy, the life in the time of Corona…will we ever have shows that reflect our current pandemic conditions? YES, thanks to a new short series (4 episodes) called Love In the Time of Corona thatrecently aired on Freeform/Hulu (now On Demand). This entertaining and compelling series shows the effects of quarantine on relationships, featuring real-life quarantining couples, families and friends (actors, of course, like Hamilton’s Leslie Odom). Filming took place at their actual homes with a small crew using protocols suggested by Hollywood’s unions, as well as state and local guidelines….and robot cameras!!

SMART GREETINGS

It seems like there are greeting cards for every occasion you could imagine – but what about support for people in recovery from addictions? I never noticed this gap until recently, and I’m so glad to discover Sobriety Cards, an Arizona-based company founded by Shannon & Michael Stephens! They are creating irreverent greeting cards for people in recovery from addictions and those who support them. Fun, quirky, edgy, supportive – love them!

SMART RECIPES

My name is Karen, and I’m a pumpkin addict…I love all things pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and all the warm fall flavors. I try A LOT of pumpkin recipes so I was happy to find this fun list of ideas from the Food Network’s Pioneer Woman, offering both sweet and savory treats. Let’s give ‘em pumpkin to talk about!!

SMART DOG

I’m a sucker for rescue dog stories with a happy ending, and I love hearing about compassionate businesses that do good things. Put them together and you have one lovely story in Brazil about a Hyundai auto dealership that took in a stray dog, made it their mascot, and even gave him his own photo ID badge! How often does that happen? These are the dog days of summer… 😊

SMART QUIZ

As we approach Back to School times, many of us also get a “back to business” mindset, ready to reset our focus for the fall months. There’s a lot of stress in the air as navigate working with people effectively, without conflict and drama. How’s that possible? Take best-selling author Gretchen Rubin’s insightful quiz to discover your “tendencies” – Are you an Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel?  (can you guess which one I am??)

SMART SELF CARE

Am I the only one who’s run out of things to do, read, fix, and research? With all this extra time at home, you might be ready for a few new ideas to get you through the Fall months. This list of 10 Self Care Ideas to Help Get You Through the Pandemic into Fall is great…except for the crocheting. I just can’t bring myself to go there…

SMART HOLIDAYS

Always looking for any excuse to imbibe in a tasty treat or creative cocktail? Check out this comprehensive list of Food Holidays and you’ll never miss your chance to celebrate National Toasted Marshmallow Day or National Drink Red Wine Day or hundreds of other important dates to note – cheers!

What’s the smartest thing you’ve read, seen, heard, watched, or found this week? Send me an email and share your Smart Cookie finds with me!