GeekSugar

I'd Take My "Looking Glass" With Me Everywhere

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:00:29 PDT

I have come to realize how handy it is to have an iPhone attached to my hip at all times. Because of its fast Internet and cool apps, I can find almost anything, anytime, anywhere. But realistically, as awesome as it is, my iPhone can't tell me absolutely everything. It certainly can't show me how to get to my three o'clock meeting via a 3D-floor plan, scan objects for fingerprints, and wirelessly transfer photos from my computer.

But if this picture into the future above is any indication, we might be able to learn things we never have before with something called a "Looking Glass" – similar to the "Magical Windows" discussed months ago – which seems to be a mobile computer complete with a camera, scanner, touch screen, WiFi accessibility, and photo analysis - all in one sleek device in a form we all know and (most of us) love.

View 3 Photos ›

To see why I would be the first on my block to pick up my own "Looking Glass", read more. Just imagine sitting down to lunch with the girls, and whipping out your "Looking Glass" to find out how many calories are in that basket of onion rings, or holding up the device to the stars, and having it tell you what constellations are in your sky. Amazing, right? I thought so, too. Here's to the future. Source

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

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

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

The Benefits of Homeschooling Your Kids

LearnVest — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:05:49 PST

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

In the past, LearnVest spoke to parents who chose not to use diapers with their children and dove into the stay-at-home parent debate. This time, one mother shares why she has decided to homeschool her children.

In 2002, we had our third child, 10 years after our second was born. Our eldest two boys were in a private school, but we began to consider the best way to educate our newest addition. Although we loved the school our boys attended, each year cost us about $10,000. We questioned how feasible it would be to put additional kids through there, too.

We had three more children in the following years for a total of six, and with each new baby came further confirmation that putting our four youngest through private school was out of the question financially. Our two eldest were approaching college age, which put even more pressure on us.

The decision was simple. We elected to educate our four youngest at home.

Why Public School Wasn’t an Option

We always knew that we wouldn’t send our children to public school. Parents who opt out of public school do so for many reasons: safety, quality of education, religious conviction, and many others. My husband and I both went to public school, but that was a long time ago, and I don’t know what schools are like today. For us, religion was the main reason. We believe that God gave parents the responsibility to raise, train, and educate their own children. Many parts of the Bible talk about training your children - to us, that includes education.

For more, read after the jump.

Mistakes You're Making on the Pilates Mat

Susi May — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:51:53 PST

Mat classes are the most affordable way to reap the benefits of Pilates. Taught across the country at gyms and private studios, group classes mean you don't have an instructor cuing and correcting your every move. Make the most of your time on the mat and be mindful of these common mistakes I've seen in classes over the years.

Not Going Deep
There are many benefits to Pilates, but getting in touch with the deep abs, aka the transverse abdominals, is, to me, the most important. If the deep abs are working, then all four layers of ab muscles will be working right along with it, making for a very stable torso. In class, use every exhale as opportunity to reengage your abs and pull them into your spine with a little lift up. If the abs are pooching outward, you're only working the top layer of the abs and training them to pull away from the spine - the opposite effect of what you want.

Momentum Is Not Your Friend
Deliberate pauses are built into the choreography of many Pilates exercises to prevent momentum from taking over the motion. The Pilates method was originally named Contrology (the study of control) to emphasize this very concept. Going slowly is key. Jayme Boyle, the group fitness coordinator and Pillates mat instructor at the SF Equinox, explains the importance of forgoing momentum like this: "Slower pace means you’re turning on stabilizing muscles and you’re creating more isometric contractions." And I have to agree. Pilates is not a race.

Keep reading for more common Pilates mat class mistakes.

Sketching on the Go For the Digitally Inclined

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:31:55 PDT

Whether drawing is a casual hobby or part of your livelihood the latest gadget from Wacom, maker of the Bamboo digital tablets, is likely to become your new favorite toy. The Inkling, a digital sketch pen, takes live rendering a step further than writing tablets, which must be connected to a computer, by capturing sketches when in use on any standard paper or sketchbook.

Graphic designers who prefer to sketch out concepts before working in a software application will love how the pen bridges free-form creativity with the practicality of high-tech innovation. The Inkling pen works with an included wireless receiver that clips to the edge of paper and records sketches via a line of sight with the tip of the pen. Use a basic USB cord to connect the receiver to a computer and import JPG, BMP, TIFF, and PNG sketches from the Inkling into Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Autodesk Sketchbook Pro.

The Inkling ($200) is available in mid-September on Amazon and the Wacom's online store. Follow the break for a video of the magic pen in action.

East Meets West: 5 Easy Feng Shui Fixes

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:00:54 PDT

The feng shui hype has died down in the last few years, but if you're into cultivating creativity in your casa, chances are you recognize that the spaces we reside in affect our general well-being. The colors you choose, how much light enters your bedroom, and the general ability to flow through your home are all concepts that affect our ability to live comfortably and happily. Above all else, the goal of feng shui is to create a harmonious living environment that promotes health and invites happiness. And I don't know about you, but I could use as much of that as I can get. The idea of feng shui may sound a little far out, but this ancient Chinese art of placement does not have to feel so foreign. Here are five easy feng shui fixes that will allow you to harness some good energy, breathe in, and zen out.

Clear out the crazy clutter. Clutter translates to unfinished business. The last thing you should feel is overwhelming when you enter your home, or sanctuary, at the end of a long day. Get and stay organized. This means everywhere.
Let the sun shine in. Natural light promotes prosperity and happiness. Coming from someone who has lived in a number of super-dark bedrooms, there's nothing more beautiful or inspiring than the way light enters a room in the morning.
Bedrooms are for relaxation. Not work. Treat yourself with delicious fabrics and surround yourself with scents you love. Your bedroom is not a place for catching up on TV or hanging out on your computer. When you enter your bedroom, you should have a calming experience. Limiting your activities in the bedroom will make it way more intimate.
Make sure your bed is in a commanding position. The placement of your bedroom is not just a stylistic choice, it can also affect the chi in your room. The golden rule of bed placement in feng shui? You want to make sure you're facing the door when you're in bed. It can be placed across the room with your headboard against the wall, or even diagonally, but you want to have a feeling of peace and safety in your bed. This alignment will help you achieve that.
Fresh flowers and plants keep energy awake and moving. You don't have to import Chinese bamboo in order to feng shui your spot. Bringing just a little green into your home will connect you to nature and warm things up. It's also a great idea to put some plants in a corner of a room; this technique is said to keep energy flowing in typically stagnant spots.

Does your home harness some serious chi? Share a photo in the Su Casa group, and we may feature it on the site!

Emmy-Nominated Choreographer Stacey Tookey on Inspiration, Health, and SYTYCD

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:04:48 PDT

Emmy-nominated choreographer Stacey Tookey is famous for her work on So You Think You Can Dance, but she's also worked with many celebrities, including Christina Perri, Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion, Bette Midler, and Michael Buble. Initially pursuing a career in classical ballet, Stacey has since done work across all dance genres including jazz, hip hop, and contemporary. We learned more about what inspires Stacey's work as well as how she keeps her body healthy and fit despite her demanding schedule.

FitSugar: What inspires your choreography?
Stacey Tookey: My inspiration definitely starts with music. Especially for So You Think You Can Dance, you have to get the music approved beforehand, so I don't start the choreography and the whole concept before approval. I pick music I'm drawn to, sometimes because the artist's voice is so pretty, raw, and passionate. I also love violin, because it tears at my heartstrings. I want to choreograph something that makes people feel something and walk away with an impression and an emotion. I am also drawn to new artists.

FS: Can you tell us how you "discovered" Christina Perri?
ST: When I choreographed "Jar of Hearts" on SYTYCD a year ago, Christina was not signed, and she was trying to make it as an artist while working at a cafe in Beverly Hills. The first version I heard wasn't even a produced version – it was on my friend's computer. She got the song produced so it could be on the show. Her manager put it on iTunes just in case viewers wanted to download the song. At the time, no one had heard of her. The night it aired, she was the number one googled thing in the world. The next week she was flown to NYC to choose from a handful of record labels wanting to sign her, just from her exposure on SYTYCD. I saw her last week at the end of her headlining tour, and seeing her on stage like that made me cry. I felt like a proud parent. People like that are unseen all the time, but I'm glad that I had something to do with her success.

Ruth Reichl Reveals What's to Come at Gilt Taste

Katie Sweeney — Fri, 20 May 2011 11:33:15 PDT

After hosting a launch party to celebrate the arrival of Gilt Taste in New York City, editorial advisor Ruth Reichl and her team headed to San Francisco where last night, they met with journalists and chefs to reveal more details about the venture. What you see now is only one-tenth of what it will be. More features, videos, a community, and a revolutionized recipe system are in the works. Although Gilt is known for being a daily deal site that offers consumers a discounted item or experience, Susan Lyne, chairman of the company, doesn't believe this concept can be applied to food, "it's hard to think of great deals as food because what's the discounted stuff? The food that's about to go bad?" she said. To get the scoop on what Gilt Taste hopes to be, keep reading.

Entrepreneurship 101: Q&A With Emily Dubner of Baking For Good

LearnVest — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:15:30 PDT

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

As part of our Entrepreneurship 101 series, we sit down with female entrepreneurs who inspire us and, we hope, will inspire you. Whether your goal is to start a little something on the side or to leave your current job in order to pursue your passion full-time, take heart that starting your own business may not be as hard as it may seem.

From selling clay jewelry on the playground to catering for her parents’ friends in high school, Emily Dubner, 26, has had an entrepreneurial spirit all her life. She finally decided to turn her initiative into a full-time venture after college. While working as a management consultant in New York City, Dubner and her colleagues bounced around ideas as part of an entrepreneur peer group.

In 2009, she left her consulting job to launch Baking for Good, an online bakery that donates 15% of each purchase to a charity selected by the customer–like the school bake sale, on a larger scale.

Dubner chatted with LearnVest about launching a business on a shoestring budget, learning patience, and where it doesn’t make sense to cut costs. Keep reading for her interview.

Entrepreneurship 101: The Ladies of Rent the Runway

LearnVest — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:15:30 PDT

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

Wondering if you could turn your macramé skills into a money-making biz? Looking for tips on how to sustain and grow your business? Dreaming of a time you can stop answering to others and be your own boss?

We hear you. In our monthly Entrepreneurship 101 series, we ask female entrepreneurs what it takes to run their own businesses, so you can learn from their mistakes and successes.

Jenn Hyman and Jenny Fleiss are the founders of Rent The Runway, a website that lets you rent designer dresses for a fraction of their cost. (We’ve recommended it for wedding season, along with other money-saving tips.) They realized that many women have a closet full of clothes but still find themselves without the perfect dress for a special event. So, they took on the macho world of venture capital, convincing a room full of men they had what it takes to run a successful company.

We talked with Fleiss and Hyman about their adventures in retail, how they found the confidence to pitch their idea and what skill they think every woman should have.

Tell me about your decision to leave your full-time job.

Jenny Fleiss: I was working in finance, and it wasn’t an industry I was really passionate about. It was good for my resume, but I knew deep down it wasn’t the best use of my skills. Deciding to leave was a little bit about getting up the courage, but it was also about putting a marker down and saying, “If I don’t make a decision by this time . . . ”

Were you really interested in fashion before starting RTR?

Jenn Hyman: I always loved fashion–I grew up as a shopaholic. I see shopping as a way to explore a new city and get a grasp on the culture. Women express their emotions through what they buy and wear.

Jenny Fleiss: I grew up on 59^th Street in New York, surrounded by department stores. I used to view fashion as functional. I’m a great test case: Rent The Runway enabled me to experiment, and now I love fashion.

Read on for to hear what advice the RTR ladies have for women who want to start their own thing.