My Favorite Bookmarked Websites

Ok, I could admit that it's CNN, WSJ and New York Times, and I do check in with news outlets on a regular basis. But it's easy to get news anywhere, anyway these days. But I'm judicious in what I choose to bookmark these days. So what bookmarked sites do I visit the most? Herewith, in no particular order:

Trademark Search: Being in the business of communication, it's helpful to check if someone else has had your novel idea before you. We often work on naming assignments, or branding assignments. Imagine how depressing it is to present weeks worth of work, only to be told, "that name is taken." While this site cannot take the place of a trademark lawyer, and just because a name looks taken, doesn't always mean it is, it's a great first step to see if there's trouble on the horizon. It's a government site that works! (Corollary site for domain names: I usually check out Go Daddy or Network Solutions.)


Jen Lancaster's site, Jennsylvania, is an acquired taste, but one I rarely miss. Author of "Bitter is the New Black" and "Bright Lights, Big Ass", Jen is alternately annoying, entertaining, bitchy, and sweet. Her posts are light and fluffy, take moments to read, and usually make me laugh out loud. For anyone who gets annoyed with city life, married life, work life or dieting in general, I highly recommend Jen. She's constantly pissed off, and hilarious.

Visual Thesaurus:While you can use website for free for a couple of tries, it's so worth the $20 bucks per year for a complete registration to get all the bells and whistles. It's an interactive dictionary and thesaurus, that creates word maps, rather than sterile listings. It's intuitive, inventive and helps me out of word pinches on a regular basis.

Shelfari : A booklover's dream. You post the books you've read, want to read and are reading now. You can get feedback from other readers, check out what books others who like books you like like (did that make any sense), and you can post your shelf on a blog or website.

Alltop: the best search engine out there if you want information, rather than a sales pitch. It aggregates top posts on almost any subject, which allows you to find the information you're looking for without having to scroll through pages of sales listing on google. Try it, you'll never look back.

Page Six: I'm a displaced native New Yorker. And cannot get the New York Post anywhere in the Midwest in printed form. The online version of my favorite gossip column does not disappoint. Ever.