Without a doubt the bedding industry has some of the best marketing strategists in the home furnishings industry. They have to keep on coming up with new ways to sell mattresses just to stay ahead of their competition. Even in these tough economic times the mattress industry has been faring quite well.

One of the most rewarding things I've done for past 10 years or so is chair the Home Furnishings Advisory Board at High Point University. Made up of leading manufacturers, retailers and suppliers, its purpose is to keep the faculty informed about what's going on in the industry and to suggest how current marketing methods and business innovations might be incorporated into the academic curriculum.

By the time most of you read this, Cyndi and I will be enjoying a quiet lunch - complete with a pint of stout - on the patio of an idyllic pub in a small village not far from Galway. This will be our first trip to Ireland, ancestral home to my wife of 34 years and a ninth generation Canadian, as well as our first true vacation away from home in several years. Frankly, I need the break, so I'm hoping you'll understand why Home Goods Online isn't being updated regularly for the next couple of weeks.