GeekSugar

Tech Dating 101: He Texts, But Won't Call - Am I Being Played?

GeekSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:30:32 PDT

Welcome back to my Tech Dating 101 series, where I help guide you through the rocky terrain where tech and love collide. It's a wired world out there, and if this next story is any proof, it's hard to tell the difference between a geek and a player. A friend of mine offered up this situation that she recently went through in hopes to gain some insight from me, as well as from you.

She met a guy through a friend who was a total charmer and seemed to be right up her alley in the looks and personality department. After a few weeks of arranging meet-ups via text and email, she realized she couldn't get him on the phone. He somehow got out of every telephone conversation, and ended up conversing online or through a series of texts. She wants to know: "Am I getting played?"

Find out my answer to this question and hear my advice to her about this phone call challenged dude when you

read more. My first instinct is to tell her to drop this guy like a hot potato - anyone who can't converse with you over the phone has got to be hiding something, right? Maybe he's sending you texts because he's too busy with his bevvy of other babes to risk speaking to you when you call. It seems kinda shady. But on the other hand, maybe this guy isn't wise to the rules of dating, or perhaps he's just text obsessed. In any case, someone has to lay down the law about proper texting etiquette, and it looks like it may be you. If you can't carry on a normal phone conversation with your prospective beau (and that type of thing is important to you), you may want to move on. However, if everything seems normal in person (with great conversation to boot), he may just be one of those guys that doesn't like to chit-chat over the phone. Either way, my only real advice here is to follow your gut! If the situation seems fishy to you, and you can't shake the uneasiness about this phone call road block, then swim on. There are plenty of other guppies in the sea, my friend, and there's no need to spend this much time worrying about a guy you just met. Source

Geek Tip: Quickly Emailing A URL Link

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:00:05 PDT

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to email co-workers, friends, or family members cool links from your MacBook, give this geek tip a whirl.

Press command-shift-I, which will open your email and automatically insert the URL from the website you were visiting into the body of your email. Just type in the recipient's name, give it a subject and click send, and in seconds your website will be shared with others.

Welcome to DistrictSugar and Win a Trip to The Hunger Games Premiere!

Molly Goodson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:36:30 PST

To celebrate the most anticipated movie release of the season, we're so excited to introduce DistrictSugar, your destination for all things Hunger Games. We've lined up interviews with the cast, exclusive looks at the amazing fashion and beauty from the film, and tons of behind-the-scenes details of the making of The Hunger Games. Check out a preview of the specials to come starting Feb. 20, and enter to win a trip to The Hunger Games premiere below.

Enter to win a trip to The Hunger Games world premiere at the Nokia Theatre in LA below! One lucky fan will win a trip for two to California to attend the red-carpet premiere of The Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor.

Enter to Win a Trip to The Hunger Games Premiere!

Handy Everyday Gmail Tips and Tricks

GeekSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:01:03 PST

If you've moved to Gmail recently (congratulations!), it's possible that you could get overwhelmed with all of the options, settings, and possibilities at your fingertips. We've got a ton of tips to share, but let's start with a few basic and handy tips that you could use every day. Check them out below!

Make voice calls - You can easily make voice calls in Gmail on the cheap. In the "Chat" section, just click the "Call Phone" button and enter the digits. You'll then be able to make free calls to landlines the US and Canada, and for super cheap you can call cell phones and landlines worldwide.
Search with options - If you haven't discovered the "Show Search Options" link to the right of the Gmail search bar, you're in for a treat. Clicking it reveals a host of helpful options, including the ability to search by sender, date, attachment, subject, and more. It's extremely helpful if you are less than diligent about labeling and filing emails in your inbox.
Use rich text signatures - Tired of those boring text-only signatures or canned responses coming from your Gmail account? Take note: Gmail supports rich text signatures! Add links, colors, images, or formatting to your Gmail account signature, or any other account you've set up to send from Gmail. It's super easy to set up - just head to your settings page, scroll down to the Signature section, and design away!
Use keyboard shortcuts - First, enable keyboard shortcuts in your Settings menu. Then, use these fast and easy keyboard shortcuts to navigate!

See the rest of the list after the break.

How to Share Your Food Photos on YumSugar

Susannah Chen — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:15:32 PST

Have you cooked, eaten, or seen something amazingly delicious recently? If so, don't let anything hold you back from sharing it with the rest of us. Case in point: the tobiko (smelt roe) and ikura (salmon roe) sushi that I savored at Ebisu in San Francisco.

We've got a group called Savory Sights, where you can upload mouthwatering images of foods and drinks you've made, consumed, or just salivated over. Start sharing your photos now! There are lots of ways to participate, so read on to learn more.

4 Savvy Things to Do This Weekend

Emily Co — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We usually come up with plenty of fun, social activities for you to do over the weekend, but let's get savvy and down to business this weekend. It may feel like a chore to complete these tasks, but you'll feel so much better after you're done with them!

Do Your Taxes: Crank that music up and get to it! If you've been procrastinating on filing your tax returns, pull up your sleeves and tackle them this weekend. It's better to do them on the weekends when you're relaxed rather than a workday when you're all weary from working the 9 to 5. Set aside Sunday night to do them, and you'll thank me for it!.
Organize Your Receipts: Dump all the receipts out from your bag, wallet, and pocket, and put them in a designated box or folder. You can also test out Shoeboxed, which is a free online service that can automatically track and organize your online and offline purchases. All you need to do is snap pictures of receipts on your cell and email them to Shoebox or mail in paper receipts to the company, and they will organize the information for you.
Plan Your Work Lunches: If you're resolving to bring your lunch to work every day, you need to craft your meal plan on the weekend so you won't be rummaging around your fridge for scraps during the early mornings.
De-clutter Your Home: Spend the weekend de-cluttering your home and getting rid of the excess things that you don't need. First figure out what areas you need to tackle and take a look at a list of my suggestions.

Watch Out For Fraud When Trying to Score a Date Online

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:12:16 PST

There are lots of ways to find your geeky love match online, but as they say on The Bachelor, not all online daters are there for the right reasons. According to a new report, online dating fraud rose 150 percent in 2011, making Internet dating sites a hotbed for fraudulent links and phishing scams.

With over three percent of interactions being of fraudulent nature - including those misrepresenting themselves to get personal information via links or spamming - how are you supposed to tell who is genuine and who isn't? I mean, you're there to meet new people, right? Some red flags to consider are the use of the word "love" early on in correspondence, someone urging you to take messaging off-site to email or Facebook (where hackers have easier access to your personal information), and weird syntax and language discrepancies. Basically, if their message sounds like one you might find in your spam folder, keep your guard up.

Of course, the only way you'll really be able to tell if someone is really into you, or if you're flirting with disaster, is to trust your gut instincts. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

From the Fit Community: Leave Your Phone at Home When You Work Out

Fit Community — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:25:08 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wants you to know: you're hurting your workout when you bring your cell phone into the equation. She shared her three reasons you should stay cell phone-free at the gym in our 10 Pounds Down! community group.

1. It’s hurting your workout (and could cause you to get hurt)

If you can text or talk on the phone during any part of your workout, you aren’t working hard enough. Exercise requires a mind/body connection (yes, even the time you spend on the treadmill) and your cell phone seriously disrupts the communication signals between your mind and your body.

Even if you think you are the most talented texter, or multitasker to ever walk the earth, don’t kid yourself - many studies have shown cell phone distraction as even worse than being drunk – so if you wouldn’t run that mile, take that spin class or do Pilates totally wasted, then your phone shouldn’t be out during your workout. Not paying attention during exercise is dangerous and can cause you to hurt yourself - in a big way. Not to mention, it slows you down! Even if you stop to text in between exercises, you are slowing down your flow - and your heart rate. Not a good way to get results.

Read more reasons for keeping your cell phone at home after the break.

3 Sticky Wedding-Related Email Etiquette Situations to Avoid

GeekSugar — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:07:06 PDT

Have you or someone you know fallen victim to one of these bridal email etiquette situations? When you're dealing with a busy wedding party scattered throughout the country (or even just scattered across your town), digital communication is a must. It keeps all of the bridesmaids and other VIPs in the know and is a quick, easy way for the bride, maid of honor, or anyone else to communicate thoughts, ideas, plans, and other important info to many people at once. However, it can also create problems. When you're writing while stressed, it can be far too easy to misinterpret the tone of an email (since body language is nonexistent), and then it's open season on hurt feelings. Here, three sticky email etiquette situations to avoid.

MOH on a power trip. If you're involved in a wedding, you know there is an endless amount of parties, gifts, and expenses associated with them. While she may be trying to help, an overzealous maid of honor may become a little pushy - especially if she's a planner.
How to deal: If you're dealing with one of these types, it's best to keep your correspondence professional and to the point. If she demands an RSVP to a party invite or gift contribution, and you can't give her one just yet, be honest. Quickly explain your situation, apologize, and stand your ground. If it's appropriate (like, if you can't make it to an out-of-state shower), be sure to explain your position to the bride, too. Just keep any potential conflicts out of the communication you have with the bride - if you have beef with the maid of honor, better to deal with it just between the two of you.

Keep reading for more sticky wedding-related email situations

Gisele Bundchen Consoles Tom Brady Following Tough Super Bowl Loss

Molly Goodson — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:03 PST

Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady met up and hugged as he stepped out the Patriots locker room after a difficult Super Bowl loss in Indiana on Sunday. Tom and his team lost to the NY Giants in a close game, which Gisele watched from a luxury box. Gisele apparently rushed down to comfort Tom at the end of the Super Bowl, and was even overheard defending his performance.

The Patriots were unable to pull out a win, despite Gisele's now-famous email asking for best wishes from friends and family on "Tommy's" big day. Even so, he gets to come home to a happy personal life with Gisele and his two adorable sons. Hopefully now that the season is over they'll find time for a romantic getaway, considering how much they love hitting the beach and we've seen how much all-star quarterback Tom also enjoys a waterslide.