Category Archives: Fun!

Rent–Don’t Buy–the Special Occasion Dress

By Marilynne Rudick on October 22, 2012

Do you have too many wear-once dresses bought for weddings, graduations, bar mitzvahs, charity balls. or Academy Awards? Are men onto something by renting—not buying—duds for a special occasion? That’s the premise for RentTheRunway. Rent the special-occasion dress at a fraction of the purchase price. Wear it once, then send it back.

Also posted in E-Commerce, Saving Money
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Pinterest: Pin the Tail on an Image

By Marilynne Rudick on May 18, 2012

Does it seem as if overnight the Pinterest pushpin logo and “pin it” tag have appeared on every website? So what is Pinterest and why the phenomenal growth? Pinterest lets you tag or pin any image on the web and organize your images in virtual bulletin boards. It works like browser bookmarks, but each link is an image. You organize images in boards instead of folders.

Also posted in Social Networking
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Get 100 Free “Classic” E-Cookbooks

By Marilynne Rudick on February 6, 2012

I’m always looking for new recipes, so when I found out about ebook guru Morris Rosenthal’s list of “Free Classic Cookbooks for Kindle” I couldn’t resist. Classic, it turns out, means books that are in the public domain–no longer protected by copyright.

You’ll find books from the 19th and early 20th century with some as old as the 16th Century. Some stand the test of time. “Cassell’s Vegetarian Cookbook” (1875) includes recipes for carrot and lentil soups that seem straight out of today. And the “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes Cookbook” (1909) includes Chocolate Glace Cake and Chocolate Souffle that would delight any modern chocoholic.

But the real joy of these cookbooks is the window they open on the evolution of cooking, society, and the role of women. If you love reading cookbooks, you’ll find a treasure trove here.

Also posted in eBooks, Health
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Zoosk: Fast-Growing App Marries Online Dating to Facebook

By Marilynne Rudick on July 6, 2011

Zoosk is a fast-growing online dating site. It marries online dating to social media friending. You can invite your Facebook friends to write testimonials. Is this a good choice for over50s?

Also posted in Facebook 1 Comment

Etsy: An Online Marketplace for Handmade Crafts

By Marilynne Rudick on June 13, 2011

The usual flurry of summer wedding invitations reminds me of how much I dislike gift registries. I much prefer to purchase something unique and handmade. But finding the right handcrafted gift for birthdays, holidays, and weddings is hit-or-miss.

Etsy, an online market for handcrafted and vintage gifts, makes buying the unique gift much easier. It’s a portal for hundreds of thousands of artisans in more than 150 countries. So you are sure to find the perfect gift.

Also posted in E-Commerce 5 Comments

A Six Pack of Useful and Fun Websites for Women

By Marilynne Rudick on May 19, 2011

Googling websites for women turns up 161 million hits. There are websites for moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, single mothers, working women, stay-at-home women, single women, senior women, boomer women, straight women, gay women, entrepreneurs and job seekers. There are websites devoted to fitness, finance, fashion, and feminism. You name it and there’s a website devoted to it.

So, what are the best websites for women? Here are six that stand out from the pack. They all feature interesting, useful, and well-written content. Their organization and design are user-friendly. They are content-driven, not sales driven.

Also posted in Blogging 1 Comment

Google Translate: Can Computers Replace Human Translators?

By Marilynne Rudick on May 6, 2011

A friend’s daughter studying in Costa Rica wrote a daily blog post about her experience. She wrote the posts in Spanish. Since her parents weren’t fluent in Spanish, they used Google Translate to convert her posts to English. How good a job did it do?

Also posted in Blogging, Travel Add a comment

5 Painless—Even Fun—Ways to Save the Planet

By Marilynne Rudick on April 20, 2011

Despite the urgency of saving the planet, recycling and reusing can feel like flossing, something you know you should do, but it’s not much fun. Take heart. The web offers a treasure trove of resources that make saving the planet more chic than chore. And you can even save money doing it.

Also posted in Saving Money, Social Networking, Uncategorized Add a comment

5 Top Sites for Last Minute Travel Deals

By Marilynne Rudick on March 10, 2011

It’s true that the early bird often gets the best travel deals. But sometimes you need a quick get-away. Happily there are often rewards for last-minute travelers.Travel suppliers would rather get less money for a hotel room, than no money for an empty room. Check out these last-minute travel sites that offer hefty discounts.

Also posted in Saving Money, Travel Add a comment

Celebrate Read an eBook Week with Free eBooks

By Marilynne Rudick on March 7, 2011

March 6th is the beginning of “Read an eBook Week.; Celebrate by downloading and reading a free eBook. Here’s where to find them.

Also posted in Blogging, eBooks, Saving Money 1 Comment

Online Dating: Is It for You?

By Marilynne Rudick on February 28, 2011

Online dating offers time-strapped over50s an efficient and practical way to meet new people. Online dating maximizes chances of finding a relationship in a relatively safe way, while also having fun!

Here’s how to get started.

Also posted in Social Networking 2 Comments

What I Love About My Kindle–And Some Things I Don’t

By Marilynne Rudick on February 19, 2011

I love books–the feel, the heft, the act of turning pages. The idea of curling up with a good eBook seemed unappealing. But my book-loving friends who’d gone electronic were converts. And with Amazon now selling more eBooks than paperbacks, there’s no denying the inevitable. So, in December, I bought a Kindle. Do I love it? For the most part, yes.

Also posted in eBooks, Travel 3 Comments

What’s the Daily Deal? Groupon and Livingsocial Offer Deep Discounts

By Marilynne Rudick on February 3, 2011

What happens when you marry e-commerce and social networking, then add the age-old advertising tag: limited time only? The result is deal of the day. Here’s how it works. You sign up at the deal website, and everyday you get a special offer via e-mail for a deeply discounted product or service customized for your location. The catch is you can only purchase the deal that day. But typically, you have up to a year to use the deal you purchased.

Also posted in E-Commerce, Saving Money, Social Networking, Uncategorized 1 Comment

It’s a Wonderful (Digital) Life

By Marilynne Rudick on December 22, 2010

Have your holiday traditions changed? Do you now e-mail your cards or post your holiday message on Facebook or YouTube? No doubt the web and social media have changed the way we celebrate and send our season’s greetings. Here are my favorite four digital ways to celebrate the holidays.

Also posted in Social Networking Add a comment

Techie Gifts for Non Geeks

By Marilynne Rudick on December 15, 2010

It’s getting harder and harder and harder to find unique gifts for family members and friends. Here are some unique techie gifts that are sure to please the over–and some under– 50s.

Also posted in E-Commerce 2 Comments

The Social Network: Why Over50s Should See the Facebook Movie

By Marilynne Rudick on October 28, 2010

The Social Network, the movie that tells the story of the founding of Facebook, won’t change your mind about Facebook. But its compelling characters and universal themes will appeal to Over50s who love great storytelling.

Also posted in Facebook, Social Networking Add a comment

Are Your Spices Older Than Your Kids?

By Marilynne Rudick on August 19, 2010

Have your spices lost their luster? Find out how old they are by taking McCormick’s Spice Check Challenge. Warning: If the McCormick spice is in a tin or made in Baltimore, it’s at least 15 years old!

5 Comments

Half-Price Ticket Service Gets a Goldstar

By Marilynne Rudick on June 22, 2010

The online ticket broker, Goldstar, offers half-price ticket to event in 13 cities. Subscribe to a weekly e-mail customized by ZIP code for a listing of all discounted events.

Also posted in E-Commerce, E-Mail & Messaging, Saving Money
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Six Tips for Taking the Social Networking Plunge

By Marilynne Rudick on June 13, 2010

Ready to take the social networking plunge? These six tips will help you dive gracefully.

Also posted in Facebook, Safety & Privacy, Social Networking
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Social Networking: The Basics

By Marilynne Rudick on June 7, 2010

There are thousands of online social networks–from the “big box” Facebook and MySpace–to niche networks for business, travel, love–just about any topic or cause. All social networks are rooted in common tools. Once you’re up to speed, you are ready for wherever cyberspace takes you.

Also posted in Facebook, Safety & Privacy, Social Networking
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Great Explanations: Technology in Plain English

By Marilynne Rudick

Writing about web technology in plain English is hard work. But Common Craft manages to do it in three-minute videos that are not only clear, but fun. Topics include blogs, RSS, social networking and cloud computing.

Also posted in Blogging, eLearning, Social Networking, Video
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