GeekSugar

Use Dial My Calls to Send One Message to a Group of People

GeekSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:02:15 PST

Ever wish you could send out a voice message to a group of people in your contacts list? Thanks to a neat site that I discovered on Lifehacker, this is now possible! With Dial My Calls, you can send one message to all your friends for things like sharing an announcement, telling them there's been a change of plans, or reminding them of an upcoming event. Kinda like sending a mass email, except this message comes with the sound of your beautiful voice.

Feeling Tempted To Call An Ex?

Annie Scudder — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:50:19 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

My "Stop, Drop, and Roll" technique is my tried and true, all-time favorite method for avoiding Relationship Groundhog Day (the insanity of doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result), which is what we do when we make impulsive, unconscious choices like calling an ex when we know better. Learning this skill is not only effective but, according to scientific studies, developing delayed gratification has been associated with success in all areas of life. It works just like a fire drill!

Stop:

True love does not have a shelf life, Real love will be here tomorrow, next week, and next year! Your life is not a movie, and healthy relationships do not thrive on drama, low self-esteem, neediness, loneliness, fear, etc.

Drop:

Drop the story you are telling yourself by thinking it all the way through. Ask yourself, "What do I really want? Why am I so desperate? What do I expect my ex to do for me on the other end of the phone?" Then sit down for a moment and listen to your answers. Don't get up until you have the courage to tell yourself the whole truth.

Most often we dial our ex because we are lonely, bored, need validation that we are lovable, are romanticizing the past, need a "fix," or want to avoid feeling something that makes us uncomfortable. When we drop in, essentially we are learning the most profound relationship skill of all, self-inquiry.

Self-inquiry is key to avoiding self-destructive patterns, developing self-love, and attracting a great partner! When we learn how to be with our discomfort (sit quietly and listen to our own real needs, let the pain, etc., come up and out) we learn we can give ourselves what we need, or at least get clarity. If we don't know what we feel, we don't know what we need. Once we have developed this critical skill we can avoid dragging ourselves and our ex through another unconscious round of voluntary pain and suffering!

Roll:

Once you have interrupted your impulse by stopping and dropping into what's really going on, then you get to choose. Our ability to choose is what keeps us from repeating self-destructive patterns and separating us from what our hearts truly desire. When we have given ourselves the space to think through what we need, then and only then can we access these real choices - primarily because we are now internally focused.

Finish reading the rest of the story on YourTango: Feeling Tempted To Call An Ex?

Written by Maryanne Comaroto for YourTango.

Dating Bad Habits to Give Up For Lent (or Anytime)

Annie Scudder — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:20:18 PST

Yesterday kicked off Lent, and whether you're religious or not, you might be giving up vices like soda or sugar. Why not make your love life a little sweeter while you're at it. Here are some bad dating and relationship habits to swear off. We have ideas for single and taken women.

Tipsy texting. Give up those drunk dials that only make a hangover worse.
Waiting for guys to make the first move. If you want to meet guys, you have to put yourself out there. Something as simple as a smile or flirty eye contact will do.
Living in the past. For Lent, let yourself forget your failed relationships, disappointments, or mistakes. Releasing that baggage will make you more open to new experiences and people.
Wasting time on a guy you're not into. He may be good on paper, but if you don't have the spark or see a long-term future, don't date him.
Wasting time on a guy who's not into you. For Lent, ditch the guy who's sending you mixed messages. Next!
Hiding your true self. You want to be that "cool girl" who doesn't care if he hangs out with the boys every weekend. But if it bothers you when he doesn't give you enough time and affection, tell him. It's the only way you'll find a truly happy, sustainable relationship.
Focusing on his flaws. Is his hairline receding? Did he talk about his job a little too much when you first met him? Did he make an awkward joke in front of your friends? If you focus on these minor flaws, instead of your overall connection, you're never going to get past the first date. Don't settle, but also give a guy a chance to impress you.
Focusing on your flaws. Whether you get down about the fact that it's been ages since your last relationship, or that you're more shy than your other friends, don't let that dictate your dating life. Instead this Lent, think about what makes you and your personality attractive and promise that you'll accentuate those qualities.
Worrying constantly about what your friends think. Don't let your friends' opinion of your man's job, personality, looks, or background influence you too much or turn you off from a guy. Listen to their earnest advice, while trusting your own feelings for him.
Limiting yourself to a type. Don't let the words "he's not my type," leave your mouth, whether you're online dating or getting set up on a date.
Waiting for his text or call. Stop letting his text or lack thereof make or break your day.
Always going back to an ex. It didn't work out for a reason. Instead of wasting emotional resources on an ex, resist the temptation to text, Facebook stalk, or meet up for a hookup when you're feeling lonely.

Get more ideas, including those for people in long-term relationships below!

A Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Expert Weighs in on Thanksgiving

Susannah Chen — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:41:38 PST

We may be living and breathing Thanksgiving plans this week, but we've got nothing on the experts answering phones over at the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, who stand by each holiday season to answer your every turkey conundrum.

I recently dialed the company's talk line headquarters in Naperville, IL, where I caught up with veteran talk-line expert Marty Van Ness. She's been offering turkey advice all day, every day, two months out of the year, for the past 20 years. Since - obviously! - she's got quite a way with turkeys, Marty shared some sage turkey advice, plus a few of her favorite Butterball hotline stories.

YumSugar: How and when did you get started as a talk-line expert?
Marty Van Ness: This is my 20th year. Years ago, in the 1980s, I went to work in a test kitchen and met a group of women who did the talk line. I applied, got the job, and was thrilled. Now I do both jobs, all at the same time.

YS: How do you gear up for the holiday cooking season?
MVN: We start Nov. 1; prior to that, we have Butterball 101 at Butterball University, where our staff of 55 in home economics trains on all different methods of cooking turkey. We learn different methods of cooking turkey and cook all our turkeys, from opening the bag until carving at the end. It's interesting to see 10 different turkeys and their different [cooking] methods; each is wonderful for its own reason.

Read on for more turkey talk-line questions, answered.

Applying Makeup While Driving Can Raise Your Insurance Rates

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 03:05:37 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

It’s not that insurance companies are sexist.

Or that they expect all of their female customers to go barefaced and disheveled.

But if you use your commute as makeup application time, you’re a crash risk. In fact, applying makeup is actually more dangerous than dialing a cell phone–it’s the fifth likeliest task to increase crash risk.

Talk about a dangerous tube of MAC lipstick.

About 3% of female drivers have had an auto accident while applying makeup, and 75% of those women are under 27 years of age, says Kevin Alsup, vice president of insurance at Foundation Financial Group in Florida. “We hear a lot about the dangers of driving and texting,” says David Miller, CEO of Florida-based Brightway Insurance, “but applying makeup while driving is just as dangerous.”

Whether You’re A Little Or A Lot At Fault

According to Nancy Germond, an insurance expert from Phoenix, AZ, an insurance company might “forgive” your first auto offense if you have a good driving record. Otherwise, if the accident is deemed to be your fault, you can expect your rate to take an upward hike.

Germond says, “If you are at fault in an auto accident and your insurance carrier pays more than a small amount, your rates will undoubtedly increase,” says Germond. Although some companies forgive the first accident, most will charge you “whether you’re 1% or 100% at fault.”

Find out how to lower your rates when you read on.

OnSugar TV Recap: Parenthood Episode "Slipping Away"

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:28:44 PDT

The following recap of Parenthood was contributed by community member gtettey, who posted it on the OnSugar blog Screen Time.

The Bravermans are going through changes; some for better and some for worse. This week we focus on the two teenage daughters of the family who seem to be slipping away from their parents. Haddie took the next step in her relationship with Alex and now has to deal with the repercussions at home. Amber is still reeling from her college rejections and has chosen to take her life in a downward spiral. Let's break down the episode after the jump.

I'm just going to go ahead and say it: Amber has lost her mind! She is down right destructive. She's smoking and playing golf with Gary in the office when she's supposed to be working. Didn't she just promise Julia that she wouldn't do that again? Doesn't he have cars to valet? She's not only putting her image and job in jeopardy, but Julia's also. But she has the perfect solution for this problem. She quits, because she doesn't need money for school anymore. There is such a thing as rolling admission, but I guess they've never heard of that. Since cars and law firm offices are no longer readily available she hooks up in Zeek's office. (Gross!) But when Sarah calls her out on her behavior and the drugs, things just escalate. Amber storms out of the house pushing her mother, purposely, to the ground in the process. She takes off smoking and drinking with Gary and, no surprise, they get in a car accident (a la Callie and Arizona). Honestly, after all the preaching she did to her brother and Haddie about addictions, you would think she would act smarter.

To read the rest of the recap, just click here

Chronicles of a Job Hunter: The Pitfalls of Being an iPhone User

Savvy Community — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 06:00:39 PST

SavvySugar Community member littlemissjobhunter is part of the sobering statistic: nearly one out of 10 Americans are out of work. Join her in the trials and tribulations of a job-seeker - a journey that'll maybe help you understand that the unemployment figures aren't just a number. Disclosure: this new series may incite sorrow, humor, and maybe even a little hope.

Since my return back to the US, I basically consider my iPhone to be an extension of my limbs. Not for the apps or even for the phenomenon of flinging angry birds at grim green pigs but for the ability to stay connected to my email 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on the go. I have the ability to correspond to recruiters with the push of a few keys without ever being chained to the confines of my home.

I had been in contact with a large-size Midwest retail chain - Company A - to keep this anonymous. In my four years of attending university in the Midwest, I had started to recognize the various local area codes; 847, 773, 630, and 224, just to name a few. One day as I was perusing the jobs section of Craigslist, I heard my phone rumble from the glass table not 10 feet away.

To find out who is calling, read on.

Chronicles of a Job Hunter: The Pitfalls of Being an iPhone User

Savvy Community — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 06:00:39 PST

To find out who is calling, read on.