I use a variety of sources for my images, but most of the stock photography comes from stock.xchng, a source of free and royalty free images. To find out who the photographer or illustrator is that created a particular image simply mouse over the image and a credit will appear.

The photos of me, on the other hand, are the work of Tammy Lanham at Upwards Photography. If you're looking for a photographer in the Central Kentucky region I highly recommend her.

It seems as though everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to use the latest and greatest innovations in communication and networking on the web to get their message out and stay connected. And there's nothing wrong with that. The possibilities presented by these new tools are exciting and I use a number of them. But if everyone is doing it, how do you stand out from the crowd?

Try kickin' it old school.

One of my favorite old school techniques for staying in touch with style is with handwritten notes. I referred to this technique in a previous post, but I didn't go into the specifics of how to take your correspondence to the next level. Here are the three critical components for making your notes memorable:

1. Good quality stationary. Put away the printer paper or college ruled notebook paper and invest in some decent stationary. Something with weight, texture and in a neutral color such as white or off white. Standard options include personal letter paper (6" x 8"), correspondence cards (4.25" x 6.5") and fold over notes (3.75" x 5.75"). And don't forget the matching envelopes.

2. A fine pen. I'll admit that I love my Uniball pens for day-to-day use, but when I want to make an impact I always turn to a fountain pen. Some folks find a fountain pen to be an acquired taste, so a premium rollerball would be appropriate as well. If you've never tried a pen that you don't throw away when it runs dry you'll be amazed at the difference it makes both in your writing comfort and the way your words look on the paper.

3. Your words. While what you write on and what you write with are important, ultimately it's what you write that will set you apart from the crowd. The best advice I can give is to be sincere, be personal and be you.

Personal notes are appropriate when you want to give thanks, offer encouragement, acknowledge an achievement or otherwise provide a special touch to your words. But take my advice and make them even more memorable by using a good pen and fine stationary. It's a simple yet effective touch.