Techies.com revealed some interesting results of its survey geared to Net professionals. They responded to the question -- What is most important to you?

• Having my skills and abilities pushed to the max -- 32%
• Spending time with my family -- 30%
• Making loads of money -- 26%
• Having plenty of downtime -- 7%
• Contributing to the well-being of my family -- 5%

And on the retail front for those of you designing the interiors of new brokerages, Retail Operations & Construction Magazine reported these big-picture trends in retail fixturing:

• Sold surface materials
• Unpainted wood and composites
• Natural finishes, or very light stains that allow the material to show through
• Laminates, but with textures and finishes that make them appear to be something else (like wood or metal) and less like plastic
• Pre-dyed veneers
• Bright colors in injection-molded plastics
• Metal and metallic colors, both real and faux
• Continued use of wire
• Powdercoated wood, which allows sculpting for logos or other symbols
• Construction media in various combinations, such as wire with glass and plastic, or metal mixed with wood
• A comeback for stainless steel and chrome used for fixture bases

Transforming Tomorrow

Cavett Robert, the founder of the National Speakers Association shares these words of wisdom with us:

“It may be true that life is a grindstone, but it is equally true that whether it grinds us or polishes us is determined alone by the substance of which we are made . . . That which has proven to be a stumbling block to one individual is a stepping stone to a more courageous soul.”

Trials are part of life -- the way you deal with them is your choice. Are your trials grinding or polishing you?

Published: August 31, 2000

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Kathy Lamancusa is a trend strategis, professional speaker and author who tracks the forces that impact our lives. Over 1.6 million copies of Kathy's books are in print, and she has appeared on numerous television and radio shows including Oprah! She is a public speaker who can offer organizations entertaining and enlightening peeks into what is coming and what is shaping change so that they can better reach their own customer bases.