Sandra Winn
Freelance Writer and Home Educator
Pensacola, FL · Member since Aug 2008
441Published Articles
571.7KArticle Views
Sandra Winn is freelance writer and independent writing contractor but first and foremost a wife, and home educator of her two children who lives in Pensacola, FL...home to white sandy beaches, the crisp waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and the Blue Angels.
Sandy, as her loved ones and friends know, has a passion for family, life, nature, science, and history. In July of 2008, Sandy was asked by an editor of the Pensacola News Journal to write an article regarding free fun things to do in the local area. Her article, Seven Free Days of Family Fun , was run as a 3/4 of a page article in the Pensacola News Journal.
In her free time, Sandy enjoys spending time with her husband, Donnie, of nineteen years and their two children, ages 13 and 16 by walking, playing board and video games, going to the beach, camping, visiting friends, and everything else life has to offer.
Sandy, as her loved ones and friends know, has a passion for family, life, nature, science, and history. In July of 2008, Sandy was asked by an editor of the Pensacola News Journal to write an article regarding free fun things to do in the local area. Her article, Seven Free Days of Family Fun , was run as a 3/4 of a page article in the Pensacola News Journal.
In her free time, Sandy enjoys spending time with her husband, Donnie, of nineteen years and their two children, ages 13 and 16 by walking, playing board and video games, going to the beach, camping, visiting friends, and everything else life has to offer.
Featured Ideas
Horseshoes for Humans
Ponyplay Iron-Clad ShoesPonyPlay & More — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Designing comfortable and stylish shoes and boots with real iron horseshoes, catering to the niche market of ponyplay enthusiasts.Dating Shows for Average Folks
‘More to Love' Reality Series Features Everyday SinglesReality Dating Shows — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a dating show that appeals to a wider range of contestants, allowing everyday people to find love on television.Robot A-List Actresses
Photoshopped Celebrity CyborgsCelebrity Photoshop Cyborgs — The trend of creating photoshopped images of celebrities as cyborgs showcases the potential for using technology to explore new forms and styles of celebrity culture.Scanning Real Objects
RealView 360 Degree 3D Desktop Scanner (CES 2009)3D Scanning Technology — The RealView 360° 3D Desktop Scanner showcases the trend of advanced 3D scanning technology with its ability to capture objects in their full 360° topographic glory.Haunting Teen Photography
15 Year Old Channels the SupernaturalSurreal Photography — The trend of using surreal concepts and everyday objects to create captivating photographs presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the fields of advertising, art, and fashion photography.Outdoor Playgrounds for Internet Game Play
‘Smartground' by Tamer NakisciConnected Playgrounds — The rise of connected playgrounds like the 'Smartground' by Tamer Nakisci opens up opportunities for integrating technology and outdoor play.UFO-Inspired Architecture
John Lautner's Homes of the FutureUFO-Inspired Architecture — The trend of incorporating UFO-inspired design elements into architectural projects presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the construction and real estate industries.Face-Saving Photo Leaks
Chris Brown and Rihanna Snapped Snuggling on FilmCelebrity Image Rehabilitation — The leaked photos of Chris Brown and Rihanna cuddling highlight the trend of celebrities using images to attempt to rehabilitate their public image after controversial incidents.American Dreams Come True
President of the United States Barack ObamaRacial Equality — Disruptive innovation opportunities in promoting and advancing racial equality.High Tech Food Dishes
Hugx Pet BowlsErgonomic Pet Bowls — Disruptive innovation opportunity: develop new and improved designs for ergonomic pet bowls that not only prevent spills, but also consider the specific needs of different types of pets.Iconic Stoner Tee Shirts
Faceless Cheech and Chong ‘Up in Smoke' ApparelStoner Apparel — The rise in popularity of stoner culture presents an opportunity for businesses to create apparel that caters to this market.Right-Wingers in Tinsel Town
Celebrities Supporting John McCain and Sarah PalinConservative Celebrity Supporters — A trend of more public figures coming out as right-wing may disrupt the typical political leanings of Hollywood.Q&A with Sandra
What is unique that's not in your bio?
I'm really into natural and alternative health remedies. Colloidal Silver, honey, cider vinegar, garlic, cayenne powder, and Sambucol are just a few items that you'll find in my cupboards at any given time. Doctors, over-the-counter and prescription medications, are used as a last resort in our home.
What's your favorite accomplishment?
My children are not out of the house but, thus far, they are turning out to be wonderful individuals who are free-thinking, kind, considerate, respectful, passionate, intelligent, and independent--it's my favorite accomplishment because nothing is more important to me, as a parent, than raising children who will contribute to society in a positive way.
How do you define cool?
"Cool" is a term with many meanings and often depends on the mindset of the individual. What's cool to one person, may not be for another. For instance, some may find the latest techno-gadget "cool", whereas another would say such a person is a geek for thinking it's "cool"--and we all know that many think geeks are "uncool". See? It's all in the mindset.
What is your secret to uncovering trends?
My secret for uncovering trends is to weed through the plethora of all sorts of websites, from popular to unpopular and everything in-between, as well as take note of my surroundings off the web. Although some of my finds do not have thousands of views, some of them are my favorites because they are not mainstream trends, as of yet, which I think is the whole point of trend-spotting--finding "cool" before it becomes "cool."
What do you enjoy most about Trend Hunter?
The supportive and encouraging community is what I enjoy most about Trend Hunter. Writer's at Trend Hunter come from all over the world and, despite the fact that many of them are young, the level of maturity and intelligence is amazing. Not only that but Jeremy, Bianca, Jacob, and Marissa are awesome--even though Jeremy is the founder of TH and the others are employees, they are not "above" helping anyone. Whether I've partaken in a fun, "I need advice on writing" or serious discussion, the members of Trend Hunter have offered amazing advice and I consider a few to be more than just acquaintances--they are friends.
What is your favorite trend?
Oh gracious, only one favorite trend? But I have so many--I'll pick one of my own plus another member. I'm a home schooling mother who embraces the philosophy of children learning in freedom, my favorite trend is the article I wrote about unschooling. As far as a favorite written by another member, I love all the green trend finds written on Trend Hunter but my ultimate favorite was written by Lourdes Sanchez on cob houses.
What are your tips for writing a juicy post?
The best tip on writing a juicy post at Trend Hunter is to find at least ten saucy pictures related to the article and include words such as naughty, naked, sex, hot and more. If you're still unsure, study Ayman Helweh's portfolio because he is an amazing writer with a high view count. Reading through Helweh's Trend Hunter portfolio is like getting a college course on juicy article writing--and it's free to boot!
How do you reset to be creative?
I take a break from writing when I need to reset to become creative; sometimes short and other times long--I'm on a long one as of now.
What inspires or excites you?
Shifts towards green living, alternative healing, relaxed and gentle parenting, a wider acceptance of all humans despite their sexual orientation or race, and changes to how we view 'education' inspire me.
Predict something awesome for 2020?
I predict a major shift in the area of education by 2020. More parents will be home schooling worldwide and even within the public education system, learning will become child-led. Grades, SATs, ACTs and state proficiency exams will be a thing of the past and getting into college will be based more on passions and entrance made possible with a portfolio highlighting one's personal accomplishments