Start your engine

With a new year comes the promise of a fresh start for some people and this is particularly timely from Amber Strocel as she explores getting laid off from her job as the Managing Editor of VancouverMom.ca. She says that’s she’s “going to be okay,” but losing your job–especially through no fault of your own–is “never fun.” Stay hopeful and keep your chin up, Amber!

As Tanya Desrosiers kicks off her 18th year of blogging, she takes some time to list off her new year’s resolutions for 2015. She is working on losing 20 pounds and being more patient with her husband, but perhaps one of the most profound goals is to reach out to her birth parents. It’s never too late for a fresh start with family.

Kids really do say the darndest things and they can offer some incredible insight to us as adults. Nick Downey provides an excellent example from his six-year-old son. The kid says that his relationship with his sister is going to go one of two ways: she’ll either be not annoying or get more annoying. Sounds about right.

This was my eighth time at CES this year, but Jeff Cutler was sadly absent. Even so, he is definitely looking forward to the new tech to be announced and revealed at the show. Indeed, he’s keen to receive those press releases and some companies have already shipped review samples his way.

And on the topic of tech, we finish this week’s speedlink with Ariane Colenbrander and her impressions of the Nike FuelBand SE. The fitness tracker won’t keep tabs on your heart rate or fitness machine usage at the gym, but if you’re looking to start your year by getting out of a sedentary lifestyle, the FuelBand could be a useful tool. It’s good for tracking your sleep patterns too.