It’s been nearly a week of snow, snow and more snow. The Washington, D.C. area set records for snowfall and for consecutive days of the Federal government and the D.C. government being closed. My husband and I set records for consecutive days of talking to no one else except each other. How did we survive? Well, the Internet helped a lot. And my husband’s unbelievably huge DVD collection. And the fact that we only lost power for two and a half hours. But there were some other key things that I was really very glad we had with us, and I’d like to make a note to keep this stuff on hand, just in case disaster strikes.

• iPhone – I did not have to worry about whether we had power or not to check Twitter, e-mail and news websites thanks to my iPhone. Oh, and I could post photos of our deep snow to Facebook easily, too. It charges fast and keeps its charge. I’ve got a solar charger, too.
• Battery-operated radio - The radio offers updated information and music. In a power outage, sometimes you just need some tunes to keep you sane. Be sure to keep batteries on hand.
• Dry goods and canned foods - Fresh veggies are the best when you can get them, but when you can’t get out, it is a huge relief to have a good stash of things that are easy to make by just adding water, or by just heating them up. Stuff like ramen noodles, instant soup, canned soup and vegetables, as well as pasta and rice all keep well without refrigeration for long periods.
• LED nightlights that convert to flashlights when the power goes out or a circuit breaker trips. These are very low-energy and we keep one in every room, so when the power went out, these went on. They’re not super powerful, but they are enough to help you find what you need, like the other members of your family.
• Heavy-duty flashlight or camping lantern – It’s useful to have something like this to light up an entire room that isn’t a candle. Because candles are, well, flammable, and dangerous, especially around pets and children.
• Long-burning fireplace logs – If you have a fireplace — which I definitely recommend if you are going to experience a power outage in the cold — stashing a six-pack of these long-burning logs in your basement won’t keep your house toasty, but it will give you some light and comfort with much less work and ash than a wood fire.
• Water filter – Rather than a case of bottled water, which has an expiration date and creates plastic waste, we have chosen a large filter for our refrigerator. This works just fine for two or three people. Larger family groups may want to consider an extra filter or storing one or two large bottles of water for emergencies.
• Candles – Rather than candlesticks, if you have pillar candles or tall votives, these will be much easier to move around your house and safer to leave burning for a length of time. Be sure that you don’t leave any candle burning near drapes or on a tablecloth: use heat-resistant plates to catch any drippings. And never leave a flame unattended.
• Gas stove – This is a long-term decision, along with having a fireplace. Those of us with gas stovetops were able to warm up soup or make pancakes for breakfast even when the electricity went out.
• Matches – Most of our gas stoves have electric lighters now. So without matches or a lighter on hand, our gas stoves, fireplaces and candles would all be useless. Matches are much less popular these days as smoking is being phased out, so be sure you have a handy box of kitchen matches on hand, as well as a long barbeque lighter for those hard-to-get-at places.

P.S. Here’s a great recipe that is a tasty way to use your canned beans. Black & White Bean Primavera Salad

Got some other ideas? Please comment to share the wealth!

I was recently asked to define celebrity service. Donna Cutting is writing a book on Celebrity Service.  Hmm, what makes me feel like a celebrity ?

Outside of immaculate cleanliness, perfumed tissues, and beverages offered at no extra charge for the full extent of my stay, what are we really talking about here?

I think it gets down to a definition I included in my last post: gracious …

I have been to upscale establishments where the staff are aware that they are supposed to be providing 5-star service to me, but I don’t quite look like the 5-star customer, so they provide a reluctant, snobbish version of the service. They are meeting all the minimum requirements, but not with the enthusiasm they would for, say, a rock star.

What a shame. I found myself surprised this weekend. I was at a rock concert this past weekend that happened to offer table service. We had a table for two next to a group of 3 girls and a guy. I overheard the ladies talking about how the guy might be able to get them backstage passes, and I didn’t really think anything of it. Imagine my surprise when the show started and he was on stage, playing the bass!

Our server may well have known who he was, but we had no idea. Cheers to our server, who provided excellent service to both tables. Also — remember that all so-called ‘important’ people do NOT go around with neon signs on their foreheads, whether the people that are important to you are rock stars, CEOs or journalists.

Elements of celebrity service ( in my opinion)

• Eagerness to please
• The customer is always, always, right
• Extra touches: in packaging, purchasing assistance, follow-up
• Listening vs. telling: giving your customer the floor and following through with their requests

Of course you walk a fine line: especially if you are a consultant, like myself. You need to be able to listen to a client and be able to tell them if they are steering themselves wrong. That’s not easy, but it can be done tactfully. Or should I say, gracefully?

Check out the book: The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service

Personal recommendations are easily the most powerful – whether you call it viral marketing or word-of-mouth. But what makes it stick? As Seth Godin’s friend Megan at Squidoo notes, here are five key things to look for:

1. First-person experience.
2. Enthusiasm.
3. Specificity.
4. Sincerity.
5. Clarity.

That goes on the bulletin board.
Nice.

Making a change? Make a list.

I’ve just read a great reminder about John Kotter’s 8 errors frequent in organizational change efforts. I’ve always liked to turn these around into a ‘to do’ list, instead of a ‘don’t’ list…

1. Prevent complacency.
2. Create a sufficiently powerful guiding coalition.
3. Accept the power of a new vision.
4. Communicate the new vision clearly.
5. Let no obstacles stand in the way of the new vision.
6. Create short-term wins.
7. Declare victory when it is won, and not before.
8. Anchor changes firmly to the corporate culture.

As my fellow blogger Jason points out, these ideas can be useful for whatever change you’re making, whether your ‘organization’ is a relationship or a mega-corporation.