Home Office for the Holidays

Cursing your scrooge of a boss because you have to work over the holidays? Well, rest assured, you are not the only one forced to focus through a holiday hangover.

According to an online survey by conferencing technology provider InterCall, even if employees get out of the office this week, most of them will be taking work with them, with 74 percent of respondents planning to work during the holidays.

Not that workers will be tied to their desk; it’s more about taking work where ever they go (ah, the blessings of technology). The survey examined where Americans will be working from during the holiday, shedding some light on our sometimes sad need to squeeze work into every "free" moment.

-- 85% will use their home office;
-- 24% will work at a family member's home;
-- 18% ignore travel delays at the airport by working;
-- 17% report working while shopping and running errands;
-- 15% work while they're vacationing at a resort or hotel;
-- 6% plan to work in bed;
-- 2% work while working out at the gym; and
-- 2% are working instead of mingling at holiday parties

Liquor on the Front End

Drinking alcohol has long been rumored to cure the common cold. While there is no scientific evidence to substantiate these claims (usually made by folks who cite Jack Daniels as ubiquitous cure-all), research has shown that alcohol consumption can help ward off a cold prior to infection.

Two large studies have found that although moderate drinking will not cure colds, it can help keep them at bay. One, by researchers at Carnegie Mellon in 1993, looked at 391 adults and found that resistance to colds increased with moderate drinking, except in smokers.

Then, in 2002, researchers in Spain followed 4,300 healthy adults, examining their habits and susceptibility to colds. The study, in The American Journal of Epidemiology, found no relationship between the incidence of colds and consumption of beer, spirits, Vitamin C or zinc. But drinking 8 to 14 glasses of wine per week, particularly red wine, was linked to as much as a 60 percent reduction in the risk of developing a cold. The scientists suspected this had something to do with the antioxidant properties of wine.

So as you trudge through the holiday party circuit and inevitably find yourself putting egg nogg and assorted spirits to lips, feel good that you are doing your immune system a favor. Though, in the morning, your head may disagree.

The 'Snow Miser' Touches AZ

Though it's a just small, National Forest ski area, this is the earliest this long-time Phoenix desert dweller can remember for the Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff to open. Yes, the lifts are operating up near the San Francisco Peaks in what hopefully is a sign of a great ski year for the West and the rest of the country.

"What a beautiful sight," says a Snowbowl staffer.

"See you up there this weekend," replies this Off the Grid poster.

Cultural Trends for 2008

While we're on the topic of lists and things to come in 2008 … cultural trend “experts” Iconoculture has unveiled its perspective of the top eight cultural trends that will drive consumer behavior in 2008. While most of items on the list illicit more of a “duh” than an a “hmm,” there are a few interesting tidbits and one or two thoughts that are germane to our little world.

The eight major trends identified by Iconoculture's “Consumer Strategists,” complete with subtle sales pitches, include:

TREND I: Group Solving - From the subprime mortgage meltdown, to the health insurance conundrum, consumers are facing intense personal financial crises in the coming year. There is an emergent cultural desire - even a demand - from consumers for companies and government agencies to intervene and help solve problems on a group level.

TREND II: Experts 2.0 - Consumers today are saturated with user-generated content and information from a million (sometimes dubious) sources. This year looks for the return of the expert. Companies that can reestablish credentials with consumers looking for credible, reliable sources of information will benefit.

TREND III: Dislocation! - Consumer technology is at a deflection point, where mobile phones, PDAs, BlackBerrys and iPods are ubiquitous. In 2008, it will be all about instant mobile access for the consumer. Look for "virtual storage lockers" to catch on big time.

TREND IV: That's What Friends are For - Social networking was one of the biggest mainstream media stories of 2007, and businesses have been pushing to get more information on how to maximize effectiveness of these networks. As these networks mature, Iconoculture is seeing shifts in how people relate with their networks, both social and professional and will help organizations understand these changes.

TREND V: A New Afroholistic Age - This year the African American consumer is moving toward a more holistic self-identity that is less encumbered by community traditions and expectations. Iconoculture is observing how black consumers who are breaking more barriers and stereotypes than ever before are transforming market opportunities.

TREND VI: The New Propriety - Retro-chic goes mainstream with a return to traditional manners -- from formal dinner parties to handwritten invitations, door-opening and umbrella-sharing--and is part of the transforming social environment. With a resurgence in interest in alternative medicine, traditional forms of education, and more restrictive child protection measures, Iconoculture is looking at how this amplification of traditional values will affect corporate marketing plans.

TREND VII: Beyond Green- With all the labels and info -- organic, GMO free, Sustainable, All-Natural, carbon neutral, etc -- how is a consumer to know if he/she's really green enough? Consumers in 2008 will begin to abandon the complicated calculus of what's green and what isn't, and they'll begin to embrace their own definition of what's ethical. This represents an important shift away from feelings of guilt to feelings of passion and proactivity (sic).

TREND VIII: Latino Media Explosion- In 2008 in the Latino consumer space, global and national companies will increasingly create, produce and distribute media vehicles - magazines, radio and TV shows, Internet sites and email newsletters, direct mail and events. These media vehicles will go beyond promoting corporate brand offerings to directly connect with and improve everyday Latino lives.

2008: The Year of the Beast of Burden

Goal-setting Web site myGoals.com has released its annual predictions for the top 2008 New Year's Resolutions, based on the current year's third quarter goal-setting activity seen on the site. The top predictions largely remain unchanged from last year (with weight loss still topping the list) sans one exception.

"In 2008, we expect people to focus a lot of time and energy improving their careers and getting out of debt," said Greg Helmstetter, CEO of myGoals.com. Indeed, “career-related” goals are expected to comprise 21% of all New Year's resolutions, up from just 12% last year, says Helmstetter.

C’mon people, that doesn’t sound like a very fun 2008. Didn’t we learn anything from the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens?