I’m sure many of you are already signed up for this, but if you’re not and you live in a [major] city where they offer their services, you should definitely check out Groupon. So what is Groupon? This video explains it best.
I was surprised when I went to embed this video that I actually know the motion graphics animator who made it. For those of you who have read some of my earlier posts, you may recognize his name (Brad Chmielewski) because he co-hosts a video podcast with my friend, Ken, called the Hop Cast (yes, this is the specific episode that I got a shout out).
Anyways, back to Groupon. I’ve seen some pretty cool offers for things like golf lessons, spa deals, restaurants/bars that I already go to, events, etc. Probably the most interesting thing that came out of signing up for Groupon is that it has introduced places that I didn’t know about or things that I never thought about doing previously but they seem more appealing to try because the risk has been reduced.
I found this on ESPN.com. It’s kind of depressing but I found it still pretty interesting. It not only shows you the amount of time it would take you to earn that athlete’s salary but depending on what sport he/she participates in, what it would mean for them to earn your salary.
I like to think by keeping up this blog I am helping out at least a couple friends know about technology related things that they aren’t aware of but my co-workers and I take for granted knowing since that is our field. Most of the stuff I mention is more on the “this is cool” or “this is funny” side, rather than this is going to help you become a more productive individual. Well, I’ve found a site if you are looking for those types of tips: lifehacker.com. Most are a lot of technology related tips but then there are posts every now and then like how to grill a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, how to keep yourself from snacking, or how to remove a stripped screw with a rubber band. Yes, there is a debate whether better technology is actually making us more productive, but at least now, you can learn how to make the maximize the technology you might already incorporate into your lives, whether or not it is helping you do more with your time.
As a front end developer, it was very useful for me to know Photoshop for basic image creation and manipulation, especially before the days that we had in-house designers. You know for like putting your co-worker’s head on various photos like a giant blue unitard. Anyways, I learned using a book and just basically playing around with the tool. Since those days though, there have come out a couple of sites that make it easier for people to learn and also to expand their skills.
For basic to intermediate users, I would check out “You Suck At Photoshop“. There are two seasons worth of videos, covering different topics such as layering, cloning, stamping, distorting, masks, etc. I find the guy pretty funny which makes learning photoshop less monotonous and boring.
Another place that I feel has excellent tutorials (but may be for the more intermediate and advanced users) is PSDTuts. Most of the tutorials are written step by step instructions with images, rather than video, but I find them descriptive enough to follow along. (I should add they do have videos too) The pictures are also helpful for any details that they might have left out. This site also offers alot of icon, brush, and filter freebies, which is nice.
Aren’t you glad that you have me to share with you more sites that probably don’t really add more value to your life, other than increasing the amount of laughter into your daily lives?
Yet another website for you to use up your time instead of doing something productive: The Oatmeal (http://theoatmeal.com/). It’s a mix of comics and quizzes that find pretty funny. I think the most amazing part of the site is it’s just one guy who writes, draws and codes the entire thing. It’s not filled with annoying advertisements. He just puts a non-obtrusive link at the end of all his different comics if you would like to donate to him through paypal.
As a web developer, sometimes I have designs that I come up with that need an image to spice things up a bit. For others who do not share my profession, maybe you want to liven up your home or office with some new photos. Rather than spend anywhere to spend from $1 to $24 on iStock for a picture, you have a few options. And no, you can not just rip off photos you find in Google Images.
The first is stock.xchng (http://www.sxc.hu) I’ve been using this site for a number of years and usually I’m able to find something that works with the theme I’m going for.
Flickr is also another good site. You have to check creative licenses and it’s probably best to source the photo if you’re using this site for online purposes.
If you are not going to heed my warning and source from a picture you find a google images, please at least download the image and do not link to it directly from the original source. For one thing, that person is going to take a bandwidth hit for your traffic. Should that person can find out that you are sourcing their image, he or she can then change it without you knowing to something inappropriate just to get back at you for doing that.
Looking to buy a house or just curious about the values of other properties in the neighborhood? Well, then zillow.com is the place you are looking for. According to their website, “Zillow.com is a leading online real estate marketplace dedicated to helping homeowners, buyers, sellers, renters, real estate agents, mortgage professionals, landlords, and property managers find and share vital information about homes, real estate, and mortgages.” As someone who is thinking about purchasing my very first home, I think this site is especially interesting these days as you can see the highs and lows of what people purchased their properties for on the same street. It will give you a better sense of your possible property value and reasonable bid amounts.
I’m not generally someone who reposts youtube videos all over my facebook page or wherever else but I thought these were worthy enough to make the blog:
Yes, it’s Budweiser but I thought it was a pretty cool video though the city of Chicago. The “look at me” part is my favorite.
Yes, someone else shares my opinion that Snuggies are stupid.
Alright, I’ve got another site to add for you to check out that’s sure to give you a laugh. I’m sure everyone has gotten the forwarded emails with the classic Olan Mills photos. Well Awkward Family Photos takes those and adds even more humorous ones to the pile.
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