February Editor's Letter

In honor of our ongoing 30th celebration, in this month’s issue you’ll find an article that first ran in the May issue of 1996 (the year I was married!). So fun to look back at the beginnings of the “net”! $10 for 5 hours online each month in 1996! I bet the average family spends at least 5 hours online a day! And, I remember in the early days with dial up, entering a web address and then leaving the room to take care of other things while the page loaded. How far things have come in the past 18 years!

Back in 1996 when this article was published, the term social media was a foreign concept. Today, it’s a part of daily life for many. Most social media sites say that no one under 13 can have an account, but how many people truly follow those rules?  Do you have kids under 13 and are they on social media? My 13-year old got a text and talk phone for her birthday. She’s allowed to text, but no social media for her at this point. After studying the pros and cons of social media, we’ve decided at this point the cons outweigh the pros. I know we’ll be revisiting the topic in the near future, and writer Carolyn Jabs provides some great insights.

Although the shortest month of the year, February always feels L-O-N-G to me. To help keep the winter blahs at bay, I’ll be using ideas from Jennifer Duxbury’s article. Lots of great ways to get inspired on these cold,  dark, dreary days.

Happy February and Happy Valentine’s Day, Kansas City!