Just Do It! Running In The Digital Age

I love to run and when the weather is nice, I would prefer to be running outside than on a treadmill. I am considering training for my first half marathon this winter and as I start increasing the distance of my runs, I don’t always want to drive them first to check the distance and I don’t like to run on a track so figuring out my miles has always been a problem.

With regular pedometers, my gauge is always off. I’m never sure if it’s because they’re attached to my hip in the wrong place or if I am doing something wrong when I set them up and I tend to get frustrated with them and give up after a few months. For the past year, I have been using a new method of mileage tracking, the Nike + iPod Sensor. If you have an iPhone or an iPod and like to run or walk, this is the greatest invention since sliced bread.

The kit comes with a tiny sensor that fits into a pocket on your running shoes.  If your shoes don’t have pockets – mine don’t – you can buy separate little pouches that strap onto your laces to hold the sensor for about $5.  The kit costs $39, but if you have an iPod touch or an iPhone 3GS or newer, the receiver is built in and you can buy just the sensor for $19. Once you have the sensor on your shoe, you open the app on your iPod and start walking. The receiver picks up the signal, starts tracking your mileage and you’re on your way.

There are a few things I really love about the Nike+ system, the first is that it saves all of your data from every run so you can keep track of your speed if you are trying to decrease times for marathon training.If you run different routes from day to day you can title them and save them. The next time you run that route you tap on it in your list and all of your previous information comes up for comparison. The app also uses music you already have in your playlists to play durng your workout. You can build a new playlist specifically for the app or use one already in your library.

The only con I have found in the system is that the sensors do burn out.  My first one lasted about 9 months before I had to replace it, but that’s longer than I have ever had a single pedometer last before. All in all, it’s a great tool for runners and walkers looking to keep track of their workout information whether it’s simply for exercise purposes or for marathon training.

Old Technology Finds a New Home at Gazelle

Recently-ish I wrote two posts about the best tech blogs and tech podcasts to stalk. I have since found another tech blogger and podcaster to stalk: Girlhack, aka Meg Campbell. She is geeky AND girly so I need to mention her to you. Meg wrote a perfect post about how to buy a computer that articulates perfectly what criteria to consider when buying a computer for yourself, and you can even use that guide to discuss with someone else what their needs are then buy them a computer as a gift! Here’s Meg’s link.

So, now that we’re up to speed on how to buy a new computer, what do we do with the old one? Or any gadget, for that matter?

First of all, I’d like you to erase any sensitive data from any of those devices, including your credit card numbers, tax filings, address book, naughty Las Vegas pictures, music, life’s work, and all the video evidence of you dressed as Princess Leia wiping the floor with Darth Vader in a Star Wars convention fantasy cage match. (I made that last one up, but that sounds awesome.) Once you’ve done that, take a look at Gazelle.

Gazelle helps you sell or recycle your used electronics so they’re not cluttering up your home. How do they do that? You do a search on their website for the item you want to get rid of, answer some questions about your device and its condition, then have Gazelle calculate how much they’re willing to pay you based on fair market value. They pay you by check, PayPal, or let you donate your entire amount to a charity of your choice! If the item has no market value Gazelle will gladly recycle the item for you. In both cases, Gazelle will send you a postage paid box for you to mail your gadget to them! All you have to do is package it up and send it to them. Any owed payment is sent within a few days of receipt of the object, assuming that the gadget you return is the gadget you said it was, in the condition you said it was in.

Easy peasy! No more clutter in your home! Friendlier to the environment than if you sneak it into your garbage! And you make some cash when you need some, or get that warm and fuzzy feeling from giving to charity. Win-win situation!

Currently Gazelle accepts the following items: cell phones, digital cameras, desktops, external drives, tablets, video games, PDAs, calculators, streaming media, e-readers, movies, gaming consoles, LCD monitors, home audio, laptops, GPS devices, camera lenses, projectors, MP3/music players, camcorders, satellite radios, and Blu-ray players. They’re adding more gadgets to their list on a frequent basis, so check back often if you have something you really want to send them but it’s not on the list yet.

And for those of you worried about what happens to your gadget on the other end, Gazelle is a green company, so more than 80% of the gadgets received find a new home, while the rest are properly recycled. There is even a new Gazelle Recycle Network program in which Gazelle partners with local recyclers so you can bring items currently not accepted for money to authorized recyclers. Learn more about this program at the Gazelle Recycle Network page.

If you work for a business, school, or organization that needs to send items in bulk, fill out their business gadget form and an official offer will be emailed to you, which you can accept or reject.

To learn more about Gazelle visit their help page, Like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter! They rock!

Girlhack logo: Girlhack’s Twitter page
Gazelle feature image and logo: Gazelle

Turn Lemons to Lemonade – Amco Citrus Squeezer

Several months ago, we received an Amco Citrus Squeezer as a gift.  I remember wondering how much we’d really use a citrus squeezer.  But it was small, compact, and let’s face it, kind of cute and cool at the same time, so I was game to give it a shot.

Oh so cool.  I love this thing.

The way it works is that you cut your lemon, lime or orange in half.  Then, you place it flat side down in the half circle, clamp it closed and squeeze.  It really doesn’t take a lot of strength of squeeze it, either.

Unlike old-school juicers, you don’t get your hands wet and sticky.  And, I can report after doing a side-by-side test that I got easily one and a half times the juice that I did doing it with an old-fashioned citrus juicer.

Another benefit is that you don’t get nearly the amount of pulp in your juice as it all stayed tucked in the juicer.

In addition, I swear this thing actually has saved me some money over the past year.  Because every time I use it, I am getting way more juice out of the fruit that I would have doing it the way I used to.

It’s easy to clean.  You simply rinse it off and, if you have one, it can be placed in the dishwasher as well.

Like I said, I did wonder if I really had a need for this.  And I surprised myself when I looked back and realized just how often we do use it.  It’s great for making drinks (think mojitos and margaritas for sure), for sauces that call for fruit juices, it was a tremendous help when we made key lime pie, and then there is, of course, fresh squeezed orange juice.

The Amco Citrus Squeezer is available on Amazon.

Kitchen Gadgets I Want (To Learn How To Use)

My friend Deanna has the most glorious kitchen. And while her cabinetry is beautiful and her granite counters are to die for, what really makes me swoon are all her kitchen gadgets.

Cooking in her kitchen is like being on a cooking show.

I’m convinced the reason everything she makes turns out better than when I make it is because of her kitchen gadgets. That’s the only logical explanation. Clearly.

10 Kitchen Gadgets I Want – Even If I Don’t Know How To Use Them

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