7 Easy Ways to Celebrate Veterans Day

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

— Cynthia Ozick

I don’t know that there is anything quite like the feeling of visiting a military base and watching the troops training or marching for a ceremony.  The awe of a Harrier jet taking off and landing or having to say goodbye to a loved one leaving for boot camp.   I come from a family who served in various branches of the military.  My grandmother first in the Army, my brothers both Marines, my cousin in the Navy.  So on this Veterans Day my heart is filled with gratitude and I wanted to share some easy ways to celebrate Veterans Day,

1. Know the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Veterans Days is November 11 and designated as a day to honor all who have served in the military.  Memorial Day is celebrated the last Monday in May, and pays tribute to those who died serving in the military.  However, any day is a good day to say Thank You – amirite?

2.  Ask your favorite She-Roes and Heroes about their service and favorite initiatives.  Meet a few of mine here!

Lara DiPaola - @dipaolamomma  on Twitter  US Navy ABF3 Gulf War Vet

Lara also has a son in active duty – we are grateful for his service!    She is a busy mom, travel blogger and social good advocate.   Lara is a fierce champion for many Veteran initiatives and shares some of her favorites with us.   She is a strong supporter of Operation Delta Dog  an organization that rescues homeless dogs and trains them to assist Veterans suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury.  WINC  (Women Injured in Combat) – this organization helps women Veterans by providing meet-ups, retreats, scholarships, peer support groups, resources and more.   The Bob Woodruff Foundation which finds partnerships to fund and shape programs to meet the emerging and long-term needs of Veterans and their families.  The Bob Woodruff Foundation also gives 80 cents of each dollar to Veterans (that’s roughly 8 times the average according to Lara).

Isaiah Winters @IsaiahRW on Instagram > US Air Force

Isaiah is a talented photographer and online Creative.  Isaiah is passionate about helping fellow Veterans suffering from mental health issues and supports organizations like The Soldier Project which provides free and confidential treatment to military service members and their families.  You can find more resources like Soldier Project at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Tim Snow - @SnowinRI on Twitter > USAF "83-"91 Tactical Air Command / Pacific Air Forces

Tim is a respected social media expert, digital correspondent and brand journalist.  Tim works hard in the fight against Homeless Veterans and supports online groups who help Veterans suffering from PTSD like #PTSDChat http://ptsdchat.org/

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Judy Davis an expert on Military Life who leads a huge community of active Duty Military Spouses.  We celebrate you every day!

3.  Show your gratitude by saluting and supporting our Veterans at local parades and events!   Find one in your area here> http://www.military.com/veterans-day/events.html

4.  Learn the Pledge of Allegiance, The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful or the Armed Forces Medley so you can join in at the next event.  They’ll be pretty impressed!

America the Beautiful

http://www.metrolyrics.com/america-the-beautiful-lyrics-whitney-houston.html

The Star Spangled Banner

http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-star-spangled-banner-lyrics-whitney-houston.html

The Armed Forces Medley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoNj8qsptjA

The Pledge of Allegiance

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/pledge.htm

5.  Research easy ways you can help Veterans all year long.

Donate Frequent Flier Miles

http://fisherhouse.org/  / http://fisherhouse.org/programs/hero-miles/how-to-donate-miles/

Send a care package or write a letter of gratitude

http://www.operationgratitude.com/

Share Their Stories

http://www.loc.gov/vets/

As with all charities and donations always check to make sure you know how monies are being spent.  Two great resources /rating sites are Charity Navigator and Charity Watch

6.  Support brands that support our troops and Veterans.  Like my favorite > Verizon!

More than 10,000 employed who self-identify as Veterans.  Verizon also made the 2017 Military Friendly Company List!

http://www.verizon.com/about/news/higher-calling

Discounts and savings for Veterans and Active Military to keep them connected to friends and family no matter where they are!

https://www.verizonwireless.com/discounts/military/

7.  Say Thank You!

THANK YOU to ALL Veterans and active Military personnel for your service and sacrifice.  We appreciate and honor you!

Feb 5th is National Wear Red Day – How Technology is Making a Difference #VZWBuzz

“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.”

— Jim Rohn

In participation with the Verizon Wireless #VZWBuzz Influencer program- I’m sharing about how telemedicine and mobile tech are advancing healthcare.  Sharing my experience and what I'm learning in no way offers medical advice nor does it endorse any medical procedure.

It was probably ten years ago I was putting groceries away in the pantry when I felt a weird movement in my chest, I became lightheaded and then all of a sudden my heart started pounding.  By the time I was rushed to the hospital my arm was aching and I could barely breathe.  A quick check of my vitals showed 200 beats per minute and all of a sudden it turned into television episode of ER.  A surge of medical people working fast and furious, removing my garments, applying electrodes, hooking me up to monitors, stabbing me with i.v.s and the doctor yelling orders over all the chaos.  I remember laying there thinking oh.my.god.  I’m having a heart attack.

NO.  I didn’t have a heart attack.  What I was having was an episode of SVT.  A condition I wasn’t even aware that I had.  An extra nerve that I was born with that essentially short circuits and causes the heart to race.  I’m lucky in the sense that although I have a “condition” I am free of heart disease and any structural damage.   Are you?

February 5th is National Wear Red Day – this is a day to show support for the awareness of heart disease. It’s also a good time, especially for women to schedule a wellness visit and learn about cardiac health.

Did you know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year?  That’s approximately one woman every minute!

Did you know that up to 1.3 million Americans alive today have some form of congenital heart defect? 

Did you know that In the United States alone, about 36,000 children are born with a heart defect each year?

Did you know that there is a low-cost, highly-effective, and painless bedside screening for newborns that can be completed in as little as 45 seconds at less than $4 per baby?

Did you know that state-of-the-art technology like nuclear stress testing can help determine blood flow to the heart and detect blockage?

Did you know that tech companies like Verizon Wireless work hard at supporting and evolving the telemedicine industry by combining applications for timely patient diagnosis.  Stuff like remote heart monitoring?

Give yourself a gift for Valentines Day -  get your heart checked out!

Photo Credit:National Heart Assoc

Click Here to learn more about Go Red for Women

Click Here to learn more about Macy’ Go Ted Total Makeover Events

Click Here: To take the online Go Red Heart-Checkup

E-Gift Ideas for Holiday and Christmas Shopping #VZWBuzz

“Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries not Included”

— English Proverb

I’m sharing about E-Gifting as part of my mobile life in participation with the Verizon Wireless #VZWBuzz Influencer program.

Giving is good.  Science says so.  Actually, some scientific studies say that giving makes us happy.  Some even believe that altruistic behavior releases endorphin in the brain giving us what they refer to as “helper’s high”.  Good news, right?  But what if we’re stuck in a long line, in a hot store, behind someone who is buying an entire clearance rack of crap with coupons!  So much for your helper’s high!  Cue the E-Gift.

What is an E Gift?   E-Gifts are used just like regular Gift Cards online or in stores but sent and received digitally via your mobile or email ORRRR it can be a service or product that is purchased, transmitted, delivered, received and used via mobile.

What’s great about E-Gifting is everything!  It’s instantaneous, it’s accessible any and everywhere and it’s virtually impossible to lose.  Unlike a gift card that you lose immediately after receiving it.  Can I get a witness?   There are so many great options to choose from, even from your mobile device.  Here’s my short list on how to shop smart with E-Gifting and avoid going to jail the night before Christmas.

PayPal – it’s fast, it’s easy and there are gazillion choices.  You can send it instantly or you can buy ahead and pick a date.  I like it.

iTunes – I don’t know if all the Apple Fangirls and Fanboys know you can E-Gift from iTunes.  Maybe I’m just late to this party.  Either way, Muy Bueno.  And you can do it right from your mobile device!  Buy from iBooks Store, and App Store, you can gift dollar amounts, books, audiobooks, music, movies, TV shows, or apps. I love it.

Digital Magazine Subscriptions – magazines have always been my favorite stocking stuffer but magazines are big and bulky and need to be recycled.  So go digital instead!  There are magazine apps like Texture, Zinio and countless others.  But sometimes “I” prefer to go right to the source.  What a great gift.  I like it.

Verizon Messages E-Gifting - for Verizon customers, directly from your messages app it’s unbelievably easy to use.  Choose from over 30 popular retailers, including AMC (love the gift of movies) and YOU choose the denomination.  Yaaass!  Right from your mobile device.  I love it.

Data – go on, give a gig!  Who can’t use data!  And with my preferred carrier Verizon, you can give a gig of data for only $10 bucks!  Data hogs rejoice!  I love it.  

IFTTT – if you really messed up and didn’t get anything out because you were under a rock somewhere.  At least you can use this IFTTT recipe to preschedule a Happy New Year greeting to everyone who may or may not be speaking to you by then.

Did I miss any?  Sharing is caring!

Click Here for more tips on how to shop smarter this holiday season

Click Here to learn how to get 2 free GB of data per month for life! (only from Verizon -thru Jan 6 2015)

Click Here for top mobile security tips to make holiday shopping safer

Disclosure:  As a #VZWBuzz influencer I was provided a device at no charge with a line of service from Verizon.  No additional compensation was provided.  There has been no editing by a third party (obviously), nor any promise of positive feedback.  All opinions are my own

Great Tips and Takeaways from Last Friday's Verizon #VZWBuzz Chat

“To travel is to live.”

— Hans Christian Andersen

As you may, or may not know – I am a Verizon #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Blogger.  I’m so honored to be part of this cool team of influencers who share information about mobile living.  Every Friday at 3pm ET there is a Twitter Chat about a current topic of interest.  ALWAYS great information, tips and prizes!

With Spring Break right around the corner last Friday’s chat was about planning your vacation.  Here are a few of the great tips and takeaways that can help you plan your upcoming vacation!

Great tip from Barb at Mom off Track

Put an EXTRA/ OLD phone in your luggage in case you break or lose yours.

Great tip from Robyn at Robyn’s Online World

Check out apps before traveling so you know how to use them.

Great tip from Chantal at Take It Personel-ly

So important to take pics of your passport, credit info, etc. in case you lose them.  Makes it easier to replace them.   

Tripit - Travel Organizing App

Sit or Squat – Restroom Finder App

Trover – geotagged traveler photos

Disclosure:  As a #VZWBuzz influencer I was provided a device at no charge with a line of service from Verizon.  No additional compensation was provided.  There has been no editing by a third party (obviously), nor any promise of positive feedback.  All opinions are my own.

Click here to see the upcoming #VZWBuzz Chat Schedule

Click here to see recent episodes of the #VZWBuzz video recap

Click here for a free pony (just kidding)