GeekSugar

Geek Out: Where Won't You Whip Out Your Laptop?

GeekSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:05:09 -0700

In the movie Motherhood, which opens today, Uma Thurman plays a multitasking stay-at-home mom trying to raise two kiddos and keep up her passion for writing. Her busy schedule of feedings, cleaning, meal making, and party planning means she has to sneak short moments of computer time in wherever she can. She blogs in 10-minute increments at her desk while baby plays, at the playground, and even in the stairwell of her building.

I'm not a mom, but I can relate to whipping out my laptop in usual places (you know, the car, the laundromat, the camping ground) in order to get work finished and stay connected. Where won't I blog or log on? The bathroom. Unlike Brooke Shields' character on Lipstick Jungle, the idea of bringing my Mac to the powder room makes me cringe. Where is your no-tech zone?

Don't Blog Me Poster: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:44:18 -0700

These days, I'm not so worried about people gossiping about me to their friends, but more like the entire world on their blog. Not that I ever do anything worth blogging about of course, but still, the threat of being called out online is bigger and scarier than anything the town gossip can say to their friends on the bus ride home. Especially in the world of dating, being a subject for your dates' followers may just make a girl not want to go out at all.

Enter the Don't Blog Me ($11) poster. Not only will it let your friends, family, and dates know that you've got an eye on them, but it's also a fun conversational piece in this fast-paced and Internet-based world we now live in. But what do you think - do you love this poster like I do, or would you rather leave it behind?

Blogs and Beverages: A Perfect Pair

GeekSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:05:54 -0700

The Internet gods know that I can't fully function in the morning without surfing my blogs and sippin' my coffee, which is why I'm particularly partial to the I Love You, Blogs and Coffee print from MadeByGirl. At $20 it seems like a steal, plus you can totally start a new tech-print trend, and toss those old Keep Calm and Carry On posters to the curb. And you don't have to be a java drinker to appreciate these works of art. You're more of a tea lover? Well, there's a print for that too.

Are You Blogging Less Because You're Twittering More?

GeekSugar — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:01:47 -0700

Since the Twitter whirlwind took the world by storm, I've never felt more connected to some of my friends, colleagues, and favorite celebrities.

Unfortunately, I've noticed that some of my favorite blogs - written by copious tweeters - have had posts fall by the wayside (I'm looking at you, Mindy Kaling).

And it's not just celebs - I've watched the blog posts of my personal friends decease in frequency as their twittering has skyrocketed.

For many it seems the immediacy of Twitter satisfies the need to get your voice out there - not to mention that Twitter gives you the instant gratification that blogging doesn't. You may see a comment or two on a carefully crafted rant about soy milk on your blog, but if you Twitter it, your friends (and random Twitterers) post @ replies to you at rapid-fire pace. It's exhilarating.

Anyway, I miss some of you bloggers. And I need to know: have you been blogging less because you're twittering more?

Geek Out: What's Your Office's Policy on Blogging?

GeekSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:33:47 -0700

An internal document reveals that employees of J. Crew are not allowed to blog at work, but wait - their definition of blogging is not just limited to keeping a personal online diary, it's also "any other form of posting information on the Internet, such as postings on a personal web site, business networking, social networking or affinity web site, on a bulletin board, or in a chat room."

I assume that means Facebook and Twitter, which employees are further instructed to not mention J. Crew if they are going to post anything anywhere. Fine if you don't have much to say about work, but they really stick a fork in it when they say, "Do not engage in blogging using any company resources." There go your Twitter updates about what you're eating for lunch.

I understand that the company wants to protect its image and interests, but we all know how cranky it makes worker bees to be denied their Facebook time.

Does your company have a stringent blogging/Facebook/Twitter policy?

Photo courtesy of AMC

Definition: Blog Burnout Guilt

GeekSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:02:13 -0700

If you've ever started a blog post with the words "Hey all, I know it's been a long time since my last post . . . " and feel the need to explain why you haven't been posting, then you've experienced blog burnout guilt. It's a condition that generally occurs after you have run out of time/ideas/inspiration for your blog, and you feel the need to update your audience as to the reasons for your disappearance.

Similarly, you may also be experiencing Twitter burnout guilt, in which you really want to update your Twitter, but just can't seem to find 140 characters clever enough to make up for your absence.

Photo courtesy of The CW

TV Characters Who Would Have Been Bloggers

GeekSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:00:36 -0800

Perhaps it's the constant internal monologue of TV main characters, but the more you get to hear the inner workings of these people, the more it makes me realize: These people would have blogged their life's troubles today. Whether it's angst, a proclivity for TMI, or job-related, check out the characters I think would have had blogs, were their shows on today.

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OnSugar Tip: Turn on Anonymous Comments For Your Blog

GeekSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:27:07 -0800

If you have an OnSugar blog, you may have been annoyed in the past that only users registered with OnSugar could leave comments, but happily, now anyone can leave them!

Just go into your site settings and you'll now see a check box for "allow anonymous comments."

Check it (since by default, it's unchecked so that you'd only be able to get comments from registered users), and you'll be ready to unleash your blog into the commenting universe.

8 Ways to Pimp Out Your Blog and Get More Visitors

GeekSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:03:49 -0800

You have a blog, I have a blog, everybody has a blog (or two). So how do you make yours stand out and get lots of eyes on it? There are a few very simple ways to make your blog unique and more personal, and to get more pageviews, with things you probably already use every day. Check out this slideshow and pimp out that blog!

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Don't Make Me Blog You Shirt: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:42:25 -0800

This Don't Make Me Blog You T-Shirt ($28) may have been created as a tribute to devious blogger Silver on 90210, but I can think of a few people I know personally who this would apply to.

With all the implications that new tech means for dating, blogging's a new problem, especially when people are threatening to blog about you or begging you to not blog about them.

What do you think of this shirt? Fun and silly, or stupid and silly?