As my own personal tribute to Thanksgiving, I thought I'd pass along sites that reflect the things I am grateful for. Some of my choices may see a bit odd at first, but for one reason or another, they all make my list.
www.familyfun.go.com. I am thankful for my family.
Although my extended family no longer includes young children, I still enjoy sharing some of the ideas and projects I find on the dozen different Disney sites. This one is particularly good, with great suggestions for all generations. Go today and you'll find food news for tomorrow -- from gobbler to cobbler everything fit for a feast. There are also a couple of free e-cards that let you send a message and either a recipe or a craft idea to your friends and family who won't be able to join you this year.
www.vintagewoodworks.com. I am thankful for the roof over my head.
Even though I'm more tom-boy than dainty lady, I truly love all things Victorian. So when we moved into our current home -- a Queen Anne style house built late in the 1800s -- decorating and collecting was a pleasure. Of course, with an older home, simple upkeep can be a bit of a challenge. Sites like this great one from Vintage Woodworks make finding historically accurate replacement pieces a no-hassle proposition.
www.heifer.org. I am thankful for my friends.
Even the ones I may never meet. You've heard the best way to make a friend is to be one. In this case, I'm making friends in places I've never even heard of by donating to Heifer International. If you haven't heard of this amazing organization, take a few minutes to visit the site and learn of the wonderful work they do towards improving life in impoverished places. Living the adage about giving a person a fish versus teaching a person to fish, this organization sends quality livestock to places and people that need it the most. But they also send the necessary personnel and materials to train the residents in how to make the most of the gift. You can contribute as little as $10, or get your family, church or company to pitch in and become "ark"angels.
www.freelanceworkexchange.com. I am thankful for my work.
I can't tell you how much I love freelancing. I'm not making a fortune (yet) and I'm probably working more hours a week than I used to at my "normal" job, but being able to plan my own schedule and set my own rules is incredible! I'm still looking through this site and a couple others for that perfect project or another good paying steady gig, but the freedom to work at home wearing my Pooh pajamas while the rest of the world sloshes to work over the winter -- as those ads on TV say -- is priceless.
www.cincypost.com/business/sitesarchive.html. I'm thankful for all of you.
I am always thrilled to hear from readers who want to suggest a topic, have questions about a site that was included in a column or need some help researching a specific subject. I'm also pleased whenever I get a request for a copy of a past column. The Web address above is for the Site Seeing archive where readers can find a list of columns from the past four years. Not only does this list serve as a reminder of all the subjects and sites covered in the column, but it also includes live links to every site making navigation a snap -- or more correctly, a click.
Jan Perry is a Kentucky-based freelance writer. She welcomes your questions, suggestions or comments at SiteSeer2K@aol.com.