On Sunday, as I was walking up Telegraph Hill toward Coit Tower — admiring the colony of fluttering, squawking wild parrots in the treetops — I saw a group of work glove-clad hipsters with rakes and bags in hand, clearing twigs, leaves and other debris around the area. Who were they? They seemed too clean-cut to be performing punitive community service. But they looked too hip to be associated with a squeaky-clean church group. Was I about to have my stereotypes challenged?
Posted January 31, 2006 by Mariva in community, social
I found out about the Free Budget Kit on one of Dr. Phil’s “Money Disasters” shows (which are like watching a train wreck — horrifying, but impossible to turn away from). But I was wondering, couldn’t Quicken or Microsoft Money — or heck, even an Excel spreadsheet, such as a template for a personal budget or a monthly budget — accomplish the same thing? 
Posted January 30, 2006 by Mariva in finance, resources
I walked into Pure Beauty to pick up the perfect Smoothies hair clips, which had always been in stock. But I noticed this time that the selection was very low, and I asked the sales clerk what gave. She informed me that Pure Beauty’s current CEO has decided to give the store — and the business model — a makeover. "It’ll be less of a beauty supply shop and more of a beauty boutique," she said. Huh?
Posted January 27, 2006 by Mariva in beauty, business, fashion, news
I love Macy*s. So chic, yet affordable. Get your sweetie a nice gift for Valentine’s Day — or better yet, get something for yourself! Jewelry, lingerie, fragrance, gourmet gifts, ties and cufflinks, electronics — it’s all here. Plus, you can find a nice selection of pretties for under $25. 
Posted January 26, 2006 by Mariva in edibles, fashion, gifts, holidays, jewelry
When you’re away from home — whether spending a lot of time at the office or going on a picnic or a trip — you’ll appreciate Minimus. Here you can stock up on a plethora of individual- and travel-size products, including food and beverages, laundry supplies, personal care and over-the-counter medicines. You can also purchase preassembled kits and care packages of snacks, mini-meals, personal supplies and medical kits — some specifically for men, women, college students, air travelers, campers and even cold and flu sufferers. Many kits make ideal care packages for military personnel. And speaking of the military, the preassembled package called the "military field kit" — comprising an emergency blanket, a small flashlight and a rain poncho — is something you may want to keep in your car or home storage area.
Posted January 24, 2006 by Mariva in edibles, gifts, health, home, resources, travel
Ever wish there were a radio station that played exactly what you wanted to hear? Well, there is — sort of. Pandora is an online project put together by music experts who’ve spent the past five years analyzing recorded songs from over 10,000 different artists. The analysts have assembled hundreds of musical attributes — or "genes" — into a massive database, which they call the "Music Genome."
Posted January 23, 2006 by Mariva in entertainment, fun, innovations, music
Just counting the legitimate, non-spam stuff, are you overwhelmed by email? You’re not alone. Email overload is a problem facing everyone from students and teachers to high-level executives to Congress. Too much email consumes your time, stresses you out and even impairs your mental acuity.
What to do? Organizing guru Julie Morgenstern says it all in the title of her new time-management book: Never Check E-Mail in the Morning. And Merlin Mann, proprietor of 43 Folders (no relation to 43 Things), seems particularly fascinated with email management and personal productivity. For those facing information overload, Mann advises canceling something and getting a fresh start with email, among other email management tips.
Posted January 20, 2006 by Mariva in business, career, resources, social
We use technology all the time — telephones, computers, the Internet, television, cars and so on — but do you ever wonder how these things work? What happens after you press the "on" button or turn the key? In plain English, Marshall Brain (yes, that’s his name, and no, it’s not a pseudonym) demystifies everyday things from tattoos to airplanes to cell phones in How Stuff Works, a fun reference book featured on today’s Oprah. 
If you’re not sure whether to invest in the book, start with the HowStuffWorks.com web site, which features explanations of Google Earth (how it works), dieting (how it works) and chocolate (how it works), as well as experiential things you may not have even realized had explanations, like laughter and dreams.
Posted January 19, 2006 by Mariva in books, education, fun, innovations, resources
Knowing that I have an addictive personality — at least with regard to the "soft addictions" — I do my best to stay away from treacherous time traps like Freecell Solitaire. And if I owned a game console that could play Super Mario, I’d probably never see the light of day. 
Posted January 18, 2006 by Mariva in entertaining, entertainment, fun, gadgets, games, gifts, home, innovations, news
