CauseWorld
Are you out shopping or eating and want a quick easy way to donate to charitable organizations without spending any extra money? Check out this app. It looks for where you are in the world then tells you participating locations where you’ll then “check in”. Once you check in, you earn “karmas”. Get a certain number of karmas and donate them to the charity of your choice. Pretty simple, right? I’ve donated karmas for classrooms and drinking water, but now I’m saving so I can help give vaccines. It’s yet another app with Facebook connectivity (sorry but I’m still on the old school basic Facebook), so you can invite folks you know if you want or share your good deeds. Sometimes I do have problems with the app finding me & local stores, but when it does it’s great. Download it and get to work!

TwitBird
I saw this app in the app store and I had to check it out when I saw it had the ability to find twitterers near you. So I downloaded it just to check that out. It’s a pretty solid twitter app and while the free version may not replace TweetDeck for me, it’s great to see what people in my locale are talking about. Even the twitter homepage can’t do that for me right now (I know it can for some places but not where I am). I really like the features it has including being able to check tweets from the lists you made in twitter, having multiple accounts easily accessible without accidently sending from the wrong one, and push notifications. Rock on!

NYCWAY
Since Ellie lives in NYC and I like to visit her there, I’m always looking for great apps to help both of us out. This app is very good. The only thing I didn’t see listed in any category was bookstores (though they do have all the libraries listed!), but I emailed the app developers and they emailed me back within minutes and said they’d work on adding it to the next release. That gives them major kudos in my book. It’s well organized and I found things I needed quite easily. Pick the category of what you’re looking for and it will locate what is nearest to you by using the GPS on your phone or any location you put in. So if you’re just planning a trip, it can be very useful if you can give it a landmark to search from. You can even use it on their website!!!

BrightKite
I’m still really trying to get the hang of BrightKite but the premise is neat – a social networking site based on your geographic location. Of course you can talk to and see what people all over the world are doing, but you can leave messages at random places in your town and when another BrightKite user is near it, they can see them! Isn’t that cool?

xkcd
If you’re not familiar with this cartoon (xkcd is the name), please download immediately. If you love this cartoon, do the same. It’s exactly what you think it is, a quick way to view cartoons (and probably have people on the bus looking at you funny). You can even see the alt text that can be even funnier than the actual graphic.

last.fm
At first I was in love with Pandora. Until I started getting too many repeats and songs that were nothing like what I asked to listen to. Enter last.fm. It’s exactly what I needed. I can pick an artist, a genre, a random mix, etc. Based on what I’ve played on my iPod or iPhone or computer (using the scrobbler application), it will give me suggestions of artists to check out. I can make playlists of songs I like and listen to just those. The iPhone app is very functional for what you need it for and you can control the site from your computer as well. I really like that it can show me the patterns of my listening by artist. Mine currently tells me that I’ve listened to a lot of Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds lately! If you’re listening to radio as opposed to your library, great download.

Period Plus
Ok ladies, listen up! (Sorry fellas!) Have you ever gotten to the doctor and had to fill out the dreaded “last day of period” on a form? Can’t remember exactly, just kinda when in a range it was? Not sure about something that happened 2-3 months ago? Put it all in this free app. That’s all I gotta say.

IMDb
Like the website? Get the app. Look up info on movies, actors, tv listings, etc. Full reviews, just like on the website, and the top film listings are here too. Want to know when that DVD you’ve been waiting on will be released? It’s got the new list of DVDs and Blu-ray discs available. If I even need a suggestion for movies to suggest to my worst enemy, I can check out the bottom 100 films (as rated by users).

Kernel Mobile
I love reading my campus (UK) paper every day. It’s the greatest source of news for what’s happening on campus right now and a lot easier to understand than the university web site. At least from a student perspective. Anyway, this app keeps me from picking up a paper copy of the news from the newsstand (I’m trying to be green). Instead, I can read all the latest news on the go and even check out archives. Need the classifieds? Check. Sports news? Check.  (And to be biased, this is my 3^rd school so I have to pause here to give props to The Appalachian and The Pitt News, though they don’t have iPhone apps).

Indeed
Even though I’m STILL in school, it is almost time for me to be done. So I’m job hunting. I really got turned on to the site Indeed a few months back and they’ve got a great app that works almost identically to their website. Put in all the necessary info and voila! Search results. Check it out, I think you’ll like it! You’ll even be able to quickly re-search a previous search (it keeps track).

In a couple weeks, look for another post – this time a non-iPhone related one. The next post will be on how to spring clean – the advanced version. In the meantime though, tell me what you think about the iPhone apps I blogged about today!

Related posts:

1. 15 Really Cool and Free iPhone Apps
2. More Free iPhone Apps for the Holidays!!
3. Ten More Cool and Free iPhone Apps

Fudge Drops – If you like brownies, or if you’re just a choc-a-holic, these are a must do. Feel free to change around the chocolate types and forms you use in the recipe. I’ve used dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. I’ve also used chips and bars individually and combined them at times.

Peanut Butter Cookies – This recipe is the one I used and I used crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth peanut butter. This recipe yielded only about 18 cookies for me, so the second time I doubled the recipe.

Chocolate Chip – A favorite year after year. If you make em right, lots of people will be happy. I didn’t try the rocky road bar mentioned in the article though certainly that’s on my “to do” list.

Snickerdoodles – One of my all time favorite cookies. Simple, quick and tasty. The recipe calls for a certain amount of sugar and cinnamon in the mixture you roll the dough balls in – I mix according to my taste, so I actually put in more cinnamon than it called for.

What kind of cookies do you like? What do you have with them? (I prefer a huge cup of whole milk with mine)

Related posts:

1. The Great Peanut Butter Scare
2. Mastering the Art of Grocery Store Shopping

Chorus – A pretty neat application I came across that works far better than the standard App Store. It works like a social networking application and you find applications based on your interests, your friends interests, or just by a regular search. When you find an app you like, Chorus lets you know what apps are similar that you might find interesting. Just like the regular App Store, it lets you search through paid and free apps and even gives you friends to start with as you build your friend base in the program.

Dropbox – Actually just came across this really cool storage application. Dropbox is an online storage solution with up to 2GB free, then paid levels above that. You can use Dropbox online, on your computer and access files via your iPhone. You can have all kinds of files – music, photos, documents – and share them with others if you choose. Either way, your files are secure. Only downside is that you can’t upload anything from your phone or download to the phone. Definitely useful though.

Chipotle Ordering – If you’re working hard and find yourself craving Chipotle but don’t have time to stand in line because you need to get back to work (or truthfully are just too lazy to stand in line after you get there), order your food with this app from any Chipotle location and pick it up. You pay via the app (which is linked to your online Chipotle account so none of your info is stored on your phone) and just pickup at the time you specified. I used it and it made me happy! (Just in case you’re wondering, I’m a steak fajita bowl type of girl)

Starbucks Mobile Card – As a student/professional I rely on some coffee or tea to make it through a lot of busy/hectic days. I have a Starbucks card since they are on my campus but I can’t always get to my computer to check my card balance or add money. Never fear this app is made by Starbucks to help you manage your card on the go. Mmmm I can taste that Venti White Chocolate Mocha now!

PS Mobile – I’ve been disappointed with the iPhone camera sometimes but this app makes it all better. Just like regular PhotoShop, you can crop and edit photos and make them look great to then send to others. You can upload your photos to PhotoShop.com if you choose (you’ll have to setup an account). While this doesn’t offer everything the regular application does, it makes me happy to be able to crop and brighten some of the dark photos the iPhone seems to routinely take.

Nikon L&E – Speaking of photos, the Nikon L&E (Learn and Explore) app helps you learn more about different photography methods and tools. If you know a lot or just know what a camera is, you’ll find something useful to learn or look at and read about photography. There are articles on shooting techniques, image editing and other fundamentals of photography and all are written to make sense to normal people. Of course since this is made by Nikon, it refers to a lot of Nikon info especially in the image library, so just be mindful about that as you work with it.

Women’s Health Workouts Lite – Do you need some awesome workouts for on the go? This free version of the Women’s Health Workouts app is useful to pick up some new exercise ideas and for some pretty neat workouts based on your needs. It’s designed for women, but there is a free app for men as well. These workouts can fit in your time available and give you the best for your time. Want more? Check out their website for some video downloads for your iPhone.

Sherwin Williams ColorSnap – Do you see a color you really like on say your friend’s sweater and decide that’s want to paint your walls? Open this app, take a picture of what you see and it’ll tell you the color. It’ll even give you a color palette to pick from. The only downside of this app is that sometimes it gives me a slightly more dull color than what I saw but hey, use the PS Mobile app, lighten it up and come back to it! Then when you’re done, find a Sherwin Williams store and go pick up your paint.

F-MyLife – Ok this is the beginning of the procrastination section. If you’ve ever been on the FML website, you know how much fun and time consuming it can be. I could spend hours reading and laughing (and saying “ew”) at the entries. Now you can do it on your phone. Not only can you browse, you can search through entries by entry date and even “shake” to get a random FML. There are several other FML apps and MLIA apps out there as well, including “official” apps. Check those out too for endless laughter!

Paper Toss – The procrastination game here is a computer classic paper toss. Need I explain more? You can toss a ball of paper into a garbage can and aim for a high score. Lotsa fun.

What iPhone apps do you use? How do you like these? Talk to me folks!

Related posts:

1. More (yes MORE) free and great iPhone apps!
2. Ten More Cool and Free iPhone Apps
3. 15 Really Cool and Free iPhone Apps

If you’re looking for ideas, here you go:

photo credit: betsystreeter

Backpack – Classic back to school item. Backpacks have 2 straps (and should always be used with both straps). Typically the best bag to use if you have a LOT to carry or if you have shoulders that easily get sore with messengers, or if you’re always on the move. Can be professional (don’t get the loud colors though) and laid back at the same time.

One of the all time classic backpacks is the Jansport Superbreak. Simple and can carry a few books. I have another classic bag, the LL Bean Turbo Transit. You want to look for a durable material. Always make sure to match the bag to yourself, not just look at whether it’s cool looking or not. If it doesn’t fit the purpose or the amount you need to carry, don’t get it.

photo credit: ndanger

Messenger Bags – Popularized by bike messengers (hence the name), messenger bags are great for carrying items around. Timbuk2 is a popular company for messengers (and other gear) and they make the bags to last a long time. I really trust their products (my current Timbuk2 is the medium laptop messenger…itching to get the Commuter 2.0!). You can get a variety of features on a messenger, such as a laptop sleeve, pockets to hold your goodies, dividers for different uses, padded straps, key hooks, etc. They are available in a variety of sizes from tiny (almost purse size) to extra extra large (for real messengers that have to carry packages).

Some tips on selecting a messenger bag:

• Get a bag with a good strap and one that is durable.
• If you ride a bike, get one that has a space to clip on lights or hook your helmet when you’re not on the bike. I
• f you’re really into recyclable products, another company to check out besides Timbuk2 is Osprey – the Osprey ReSource line is really nice.
• If you carry tons of heavy books, test out a messenger if you can before buying because they can dig into your shoulders and make your back hurt if too heavy.
• If you don’t like Velcro on the flap, put some colored duct tape over the Velcro and voila you have no annoying noise!

photo credit: Russell Crosswy

Sling bags – These are really popular, but usually do not hold as much as a messenger or a backpack. If you have shoulder and back issues beware. Great bags if you’re carrying just a few items (notebook, maybe small laptop and a book) or running errands. It is very easy to bring to the front and get your items out of while keeping on your body. At least for me, I have difficulty biking with this on and keeping it from sliding around but when walking, it is great. Have  a brother that swears by his Jansport sling backpack and uses it frequently for work, school and play. Has plenty of pocket options and a variety of colors.

While I only presented three types of bags here there are so many more options. Check out eBags (the main place I buy bags from) or local stores. Don’t forget a lunch bag to save some dough and a toiletry bag for when you are on the go! Try on as many bags as you can, especially if you don’t buy bags often and if you’re working in a set of must have parameters. Just as when you buy shoes, if a bag feels uncomfortable in the beginning, chances are it’s going to be uncomfortable down the line.

If you have a set price range, stick with it. Or if say your max that you want to spend is $75 and a bag that is known to last for years and is exactly what you want is $85 or even just a little more (up to $100 but not $150!), find a way to pay that little bit now so you aren’t selling it and buying the bag you really wanted later on. It may feel bad to eat tuna for a week so you can pinch it, but you’ll be happier in the end and not be wearing an uncomfortable bag.

What kind of bag do you use? Any suggestions on great styles or brand names?

Related posts:

1. What’s in your bag, HarriMac?
2. Getting your desk space organized
3. Travelin’ for the Holidays

Tips for Flying with Technology

If you own a laptop, chances are you get really tired of having to pull it out and then run through the metal detector so some creep doesn’t grab your stuff on the other side (for the record, nothing against TSA but I really don’t feel TSA makes me safer or more comfortable flying). You’re in luck. There are several TSA approved bags and sleeves that allow you to leave the computer in when sending it through the x-ray machine and then it’s a quick pickup on the other side. No one is the wiser and it definitely saves a few minutes. Some of the offerings – from Mobile Edge, FlyThru, Timbuk2, Targus, etc – don’t scream LAPTOP!! and several of the offerings are pretty cool looking bags. [If you’re new to reading Soulville, HarriMac LOVES backpacks and luggage; it‘s also next week‘s topic!].

photo credit: koalazymonkey

Gel-inserts in your shoes may have been a technological advancement in the foot realm, but they are a no-no on planes (except in checked luggage). Instead of getting to the gate and having to go barefoot, try some different insoles that do not contain gel or go to an orthopedist or podiatrist to get insoles specific for you. There is no one size fits all in this category. Chances are, if you were down to gel only inserts, you might be wearing the wrong shoes to begin with and on top of that need professional assistance anyway.

Before you turn your phone off on the plane, if it is a smartphone (iPhone, Blackberry, etc), turn it on the airport mode. Some airlines don’t even like you using this mode, but it just turns off the phone part of your phone and allows you to use the other neat stuff you’ve paid for. In case they don’t allow it, remember a backup like a regular iPod or a Sony PSP (come on, you were really gonna do work on the plane?? In that case, just pull out your laptop).

Headphones on a plane are always my must have. I could be sitting next to a screaming baby and a good pair of headphones would make me forget (well almost). The headphones don’t have to be noise-canceling, but you definitely need over the ear phones that have a bit of cushioning. Earbuds don’t cut it. My current pair is a pair of Sennheiser HD 202. The reviews on Amazon said they were great on planes and I would say they are in the middle. If I concentrated I could hear only my music (without it on full blast), but even without concentrating, the noise of the plane was diminished a great deal. I previously had some really nice Altec-Lansing noise canceling that seriously erased all the noise. I am saving up for the noise canceling Bose headphones or the noise-canceling Sennheiser’s.

Test the headphones before buying if possible.The closest you’re going to get to a plane is a busy electronics store like Best Buy. If they stink then, they’ll probably stink on a plane. Some headphones actually do need a break-in period to become comfortable and sound their best. Find out what retailers or other consumers say before purchasing. Look around for deals online, not just on the major retailers. I picked up my then 150 dollar Altec-Lansing headphones for $40 including shipping. The deal is there!

photo credit: nosha

General Flying

Don’t wait til you get all the way to the conveyor belt to take off your shoes and get your laptop out. The faster you can get all your stuff in bins, the faster you get through the line.

Don’t forget the 3-1-1 rules!!!! Do NOT be that guy chugging a 100 year old bottle of wine at the security belt because he didn’t pay attention.

Some souvenirs from museums and such cannot be carried on planes via TSA rules. Ask the museum if you plan on carrying it on to find out – they should know and might agree to ship it to you free of charge.

Try not to have anything checked if you don’t have to. The prices are steep for a service you probably don’t need (at that cost anyway) – going for a week? Carry it on and pack half what you were planning on. Use a washer and dryer and double up the outfits. If you really do need it and are traveling with others, see if you can combine the luggage to save the extra fees.

With the great times of sitting on the tarmac, try to plan your connecting flights out a bit more. You don’t have to take a connector within 15 minutes of the other plane landing. If need be, call the airline. If you’re going to have to wait a day because of their incompetence, it’d be nice to know in advance. I’m not an advocate of having to be asthmatic sprinting through airports (been there, done that) so that extra cushion time might just save your breath.

photo credit: doevos

What tips do you guys have for flying with technology?

Related posts:

1. Travelin’ for the Holidays
2. 5 Not So Geeky Things To Do When Waiting at the Airport Gate
3. Buying On The Internet: What to Do and What to Avoid

1. TweetDeck – Now my new favorite twitter application for the iPhone, Tweetdeck helps me quickly see what tweets mentioned me or my DMs without having to wade through all my tweets. Very useful if you follow quite a few folks.

2. WordPress – This is extremely helpful for posting quickly to blogs. Recently I was at a conference and needed to update to an organization’s blog and bam! it was done!

Image from http://www.urbanspoon.com

3. Urbanspoon – Those days where I can’t decide what I want to eat when I want to eat out, this can decide for me with the pretty cool random restaurant generator. It allows me to see menus, get phone numbers and even directions!

4. Epicurious - Another cookbook on the go! Similar to Betty Crocker Cookbook, this allows you to search what you’ve got and what you want to find the perfect dish to make at home. Even cooler, I can add all the ingredients of a dish to a quick to pull up grocery list!

5. Facebook – Ok, so I’m addicted to Facebook. Though it certainly doesn’t have all the functionality of the website, it at least lets me see what’s going on, read my messages and post to walls.

6. PayPal – If you are on the go and want to send or receive money quickly or want to check your account status, this is a pretty cool app. Perfect for a secure login to pay for your auctions while away from the computer or to send a friend a dollar!

Image from: http://www.imapmy.com

7. iMapMyFitness/iMapMyRide – I’m a big fan of the iMapMy sites. I regularly keep a log of my exercise there and it allows me to track my bike rides quickly with maps! On the go, you can add to your fitness calendar and check your stats. You can also time yourself and use the GPS function of the phone to add a real time map to your account. How cool!

8. Units – I’m always getting units confused (I attribute that to high school chemistry but shhh don’t tell anybody). I also tend to deal with fields that use both metric and english measuring systems so this app is great for quickly converting within a system or to a different system. Just pick what type of measurement you’re using and run for it!

9. ESPN ScoreCenter – This will prove more handy during a major sports season, but ESPN allows you to pick what teams you want to follow and get a one stop shop for scores! Only downside is that all sports aren’t included (can I get the T&F Grand Prix race times or throwers distances please??).

10. iHandyLevel – Ok, I’m lazy now. Just kidding. When I was moving recently, I needed to set my desk (with adjustable legs) up and make sure it sat correctly. So I downloaded the free iHandyLevel and voila! I had an even desk without guesswork! I also used it to make sure my marker boards and picture frames were straight. Awesome!

What are some of your favorite apps? How do you use your iPhone?

Related posts:

1. 15 Really Cool and Free iPhone Apps
2. More (yes MORE) free and great iPhone apps!
3. More Free iPhone Apps for the Holidays!!

1)    No protection from the sun. When just walking around in the sun, how often do you slather on the sunscreen? I’ll bet never. Usually we don’t think about sunscreen unless we’re playing softball games or at the beach or the pool. And when we do think about it, we often don’t follow the instructions. Yes, the bottle says put it on 15-20 minutes or more PRIOR to going out in the sun. Summer also means less clothes, etc. So what can you do to stay safe? Don’t be outside unless you have to be – I hate to be a spoilsport but we have this thing called an ozone problem and not a lot of protection from UV rays. Wear long sleeves and pants when you can bear it in the heat. Regardless, wear a lot of sunscreen and pick one that is specific for your purpose. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and a hat to protect your head. Don’t forget sunscreen under those sandals!

photo credit: eL mAnu sORia

2)    Diving in the pool without knowing how to swim. It’s dangerous and not smart, but a lot of times we’ll splash around or let kids splash around in the pools shallow end when no one knows how to swim or there is no lifeguard on duty. Anyone can drown in just inches of water, let alone a 3 foot shallow end. You can get swimming lessons for yourself and kids on the cheap at a Y or similar club. Be safe, not sorry! It’s easy to learn how to swim!

photo credit: sanderals

3)    Heat exhaustion. Being outdoors and not drinking enough fluids can easily have you dehydrated and your body starts to shut down or does shut down. It’s easy to avoid – carry a water bottle or 2, a hydration pack, grab some popsicles and keep yourself cool and wet down. Scout out water fountains in advance and bring your own water cooler. Avoid mixing alcohol with the heat – this can accelerate dehydration and push you over the edge. Should you feel the effects of the sun a bit too much and get nauseated or dizzy while out, go to the emergency room. They can handle your condition far easier than you could attempt in your own home.

photo credit: B Rosen

4) Undercooked food. Summer is synonymous with grilling out. But don’t forget – the outside of the meat cooks (or looks cooked) faster than the inside. Use meat thermometers – they exist for a reason – and check the inside of your meat before serving. If it’s pink in the middle, it’s done to little!! Salmonella and E coli are not fun and definitely will impair your summertime fun. Medium well tastes just as good!

photo credit: queenkv

5)    Bug, bugs, bugs. If you’re lucky, you don’t have many bugs this time of year outside your home. But some of the rest of us have red ants, mosquitoes, chiggers, ticks, fleas, etc and they are NOT fun. Be very careful and use repellents and don’t be out longer than you need to be. If you have standing water in your yard, get rid of it – it breeds mosquitoes. Tall grass can be a hiding place as well so keep it trimmed down. There are “environmentally friendly” repellents if that’s your kick. Red ants can be the worst, but bugs that bite can carry disease that can hurt you so don’t scratch and touch. Clean the bites carefully and then wash your hands carefully.

photo credit: PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE

What are some of your summer health worries?

Related posts:

1. The Great Peanut Butter Scare
2. How to Protect Yourself from Salmonella
3. 10 Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Gym Membership

Here are 5 great ways to work it out:

1)    Important things first. You must fit your important things first for the room. I imagine you sleep on a bed or a futon (or a mat or something else besides the hard floor). Can what you have fit in the space? Determine if you really need that California king bed or if a twin bed will suffice. Personally I’d not like to give up my queen size bed (so I didn’t) but a larger bed in a small space can create some difficulties you’ll have to plan around. They take up more floor space and can keep room doors or closet doors from opening, can keep you from standing up and opening windows, etc. How much hassle do you want in your daily life? If you’re sleeping alone, cut it on down to the twin. It’s okay, we know you’re not a kid anymore. If you are sharing, get the smallest bed that you can both comfortably fit in. Do you need a desk in your room? Do you need bookshelves? Does your room have a closet? Dresser? Once you know the big items, this task becomes slightly easier. The things that you could live without you might actually have to live without to be comfortable. So focus on the important stuff that you have to have.

photo credit: taberandrew

2)    Map out your space. Be like an architect or an interior designer and draw out a floor plan of your space including where windows, doors, closets and other impediments are. Be as accurate as possible – use those ruler skills from fifth grade and make some straight lines! You could use an online tool if you choose (SeeMyDesign.com, Armstrong.com, MyDeco.com, etc), but I always prefer paper (graph paper works well, print some from sites like this). You decided in the first step what all the big items were that were going in the space so now you have to use their dimensions in this space and see if they will all fit. If you have a long narrow room, you might want to think about lofting your bed – you might not have the width to put the bed and a desk and a dresser in the room AND be able to move around. If you have a phobia of heights, try putting your bed lengthwise across the width of the room and then arranging the rest of your furniture.

photo credit: dombrassey

3)    Elevate the bed and use underbed storage. If you can, get some risers or some concrete blocks and lift your bed a few inches. It allows for taller under the bed storage or you to store big duffles etc under the bed. If you can’t raise the bed but have a few inches, get some under the bed storage that you can easily pull out. Even in a small space, don’t be afraid to buy long storage boxes. There’s always a way to make it work. If your bed is really crammed in a space and you don’t want to put up with a daily hassle of getting things from under the bed, store things that can stay there rather long term – luggage, sheets, blankets, winter clothes, etc. If you don’t already have a bed, think about in investing in one that has built in underbed storage, like a captain’s bed. You can also try to build your own captain’s bed.

photo credit: re-modern.com

4)    Use furniture and storage that goes up. I already mentioned the captain’s bed as one piece of furniture that goes up, but you can get a chest of drawers instead of a long dresser (example), narrow but tall bookshelves instead of short wide ones, install shelving up the wall (like the container store’s elfa units), etc. If you need a closet (one doesn’t already exist in the space), the modular wall units can really help you go all the way up the wall and keep your clothes organized and off the floor. They can allow you to not have the clothes too far out in the space and are meant to fit whatever space you have available. If you are forced to have a rather narrow desk (or even if you have a wider one) get a filing cabinet to go underneath and use a hutch. This can add space for books, pictures, papers, etc. Ikea has a pretty nice set of modular desk furniture – pick your top, your bottom, your hutch. In addition, if you’re good with tools there are plenty of directions available online for building your own custom furniture to fit the space. One of my favorite things to do is to use 3M hooks on the walls to hold my sporting goods, sweatshirts, backpacks, jackets and hats.

photo credit: adselwood

5)    Make the space seem bigger. If you don’t have a carpeted room, try a throw rug under your bed or one in an open area of the room. This will help offset the visual of the space and can help “divide” your room. This is really helpful if you have only one space to yourself and want to make it seem like 2 spaces.

Some other places to look for ideas:
About.com
Treehugger.com
HGTV
ApartmentTherapy.com <– One of my favorite places to look for ideas for my place

How is your small space? How do you arrange it and make it work? Post pics!

Related posts:

1. Organizing your Bed and Bath in a Dorm (or small space)
2. Getting your desk space organized
3. Reorganizing Yourself After Moving In

FastStone Photo Resizer – I can quickly resize entire folders of photography. This comes in handy when I’m trying to quickly get a folder up to share. If I need to crop a photo first, I look towards IrfanView, another free program, to do basic edits of a photo before I turn into something a bit more advanced. I admit if Im trying to prep my photos for something major, I do in Photoshop, but I used IrfanView to prep the photos I gave my mom for X-Mas.

photo credit: etharooni

Mozilla Thunderbird – I’ve got Microsoft Outlook, but I don’t like it nearly as much as Thunderbird. Thunderbird doesn’t require as much RAM and is simple to install and use. Some folks may think it doesn’t look fancy enough, but it sends emails, recieves emails and has great tech support. Plus it is from the makers of Firefox, what could be better?

FileZilla – I swear by this FTP program. It is not resource intensive, can process huge numbers of files at once (I process about 150-300 files at a time usually), and can easily store ftp connections for future use.

doPDF – Forget downloading Adobe Acrobat Pro just to print things as a PDF. This program is very small and allows you to print anything as a PDF. It installs as a printer so just print as you normally would and choose doPDF as the printer instead of something else. I find it really helpful when I’m shopping online – I can print my confirmations and shipping info and store online instead of wasting paper. Or I can use it when I’m doing school work and send my professors PDFs instead of documents that can easily get corrupted.

photo credit: James Mooney

IZArc – I was really bent on using WinZip – it was all I knew and I hadn’t found anything else to replace it. Until I found IZArc. This program is quick and works just like WinZip plus it’s free!

twhirl – I’m all over twitter, but I like the instant messenger like look of twhirl when I’m on my computer. Of course, there are lots of different twitter programs, this one is just the best and easiest one I like. I can change the colors easily and don’t follow so many people that this becomes burdensome.

photo credit: Jaboney

Google Earth – What’s a cooler way to check out what the earth looks like and explore monuments and ruins than to use satellite imagery? Google Earth is pretty awesome for what it does. I like being able to see the overhead views of where I am and then zoom in as much as the program allows. Plus you can easily email others what you’re looking at. Very helpful if you’re trying to use topography for a project.

Picasa – I just started to use Google’s Picasa software but I really like it. It’s easy to organize all my photography and upload to the Picasa website. One day while in class I used it to regroup and upload 3 different albums to their website – awesome!

Avast – My choice of anti-virus programs. It’s professional grade and has worked better for me than McAfee or Norton. Catches problems as you browse the web and has a nice graphic interface to help you browse for problems on your own or set up regular checks. Always free for home users with free registration.

photo credit: wenzday01

JAlbum – JAlbum is a pretty neat program with downloadable extras to create slideshows for your website. I used this for several batches of photos to create really cool displays of photos I had taken on trips. Really basic to use and self-explanatory for the most part.

Arachnophilia – When I need to work on my website, this is one of the several programs I know I can rely on. Having used it since I was in high school, it has remained pretty much the same – easy to use. It has tools to help those that are beginners or advanced. I like that it is now a Java based program so it’s usable on many machines.

Sunbird – Another Mozilla project, this allows you to create and print your own calendars as well as share with other people. Very simple to use, I even used it to do project calendars for my paid job. If you would rather not have a stand-alone calendar program, try the extension for Thunderbird called Lightning.

Related posts:

1. Geek Girl’s Software Pack
2. Great Open Source and/or Free Replacements for Windows Software
3. Have you updated your software lately?

Memorial Day is QUICKLY approaching. I can’t wait for it to get here because I’m getting to go to NYC and spend that time with Ellie. Jealous? I know you are. (But before you get too jealous, realize I have to take a weeklong doctoral exam before I get there) Money is tight but you’re anxious to get out the house and do something. This entire recession is killing the social life/travel life for some folks – gas is high, food costs are high, entertainment costs are high. Well what can you do to rock it out? Check out these tips – the first three are typical things we think of when celebrating time off work, but the rest are ways that could probably better honor the holiday and those it is meant to remember.

1) Stay local. There are plenty of things to do where you live. Try looking at your local chamber of commerce’s website for ideas. Some awesome movies just came out (“Star Trek” and “The Soloist” just to name a couple), plus there is always Blockbuster or Netflix to make it a night in with the movies. Catch the matinee if possible to save a few bucks. Tired of sitting inside to watch movies? Grab a sleeping bag and a tent and go watch the movies outside with a laptop (true the extension cord running from inside the house might ruin the occasion, but still). Other than watching movies, try finding local free concerts, check out the local farmers market, go enjoy local free/cheap museums or exhibits, rediscover the public library, play WOW, or get together with some friends and make up a photo scavenger hunt.

photo credit: wertheim

2) In-State Road Trip. If your state is pretty small, you could probably discover the whole state in a weekend! Just kidding. Keeping yourself in-state means probably not a ton of miles to drive, finding out more about where you live, and taking advantage of all the state parks and campsites (or other cool things). I live in Kentucky so I could go see where KFC started, see handmade quilts, see pottery being made, see tobacco barns, check out Red River Gorge, etc. What all is there to do where you live? Find out!

photo credit: Brooklyn Hilary

3) Fly somewhere. Go somewhere you haven’t been but really have wanted to go. Find a cheap ticket somewhere and just go. You could have an awesome weekend just because you let go of inhibitions! Don’t forget the camera and a list of things you want to do when you go – no need to come home without accomplishing at least 1 thing on the list! (or you could just use as an excuse to go back). Make sure to try and use the new wi-fi service on different airlines and let us know how it works! (I’m giddy just thinking about it)

photo credit: Adam Sacco | VacancyMedia.com

4) Hug a serviceman/woman and buy them lunch or dinner. It’ll probably make their day and certainly will be a cool way to honor their duty to the country. Maybe get together with friends or family and make a box or two to send to some troops overseas – don’t forget the batteries, magazines, qtips, and condoms (the condoms are for keeping sand out of the weapons…get your minds out the gutter!). There are tons of sites to get a list of cool things to send the troops.

photo credit: Poppyseed Bandits

5) Do community service. There are so many in need in this country, so why not spend the weekend helping out? Some ideas are to help do a community build or find out from a local service office if there are homes that need the grass cut or painting. Other ways to serve are to go to a soup kitchen or to bag up those clothes you’re not wearing anymore and take them to a shelter (nothing against goodwill, but this time we want folks who really need it to get the stuff for free). As a geek, you can use your technological know how to serve the community as well by volunteering to repair computers for non-profits, donate and fix laptops for soldiers, show the elderly how to use the internet, play educational games with kids, etc.

6) Go to a memorial service at your local cemetery and go to a parade. Who doesn’t love a good parade or some great fireworks? Take the time to remember the fallen soldiers and celebrate with the living. Some cities have big concerts and things like that planned. GO! Then go have some good old BBQ!

What do you have planned for Memorial Day Weekend?

Related posts:

1. Social Networking – On and Offline
2. 6 Steps to Having Great Time Without Many Dollars
3. Moving Time – How to Get Rid of Stuff