LilSugar

Do You Carry Pictures of Your Children?

babysugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:23 PDT

Back in the day, moms didn't dare leave the house without their brag books. These days, parents carry their cell phones, which often have cameras included. At a moment's notice, they can whip out digital evidence of their wee ones adorable mugs.

For months now I have been meaning to buy a book and fill it with snapshots of my daughter's various stages. As number two quickly approaches, I better get on it sooner than later.

Do you have a brag book?
Source

Burdened by Brag Books, Sonogram and Pint-Sized Pics?

LilSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:00:23 PDT

In the 1980s, families forced hour long home videos of junior taking a bath on their helpless victims. And, while that is truly something only a mother can love, the latest trends for showcasing kids are a bit less time consuming.

It seems everyone has a sonogram snapshot, Flip cam clip or brag book to browse. Along with the easy share capabilities that companies like Shutterfly have opened up for emailing milestone pictures by the hundreds.

And, it's not proud parents, toting and transmitting images of the tykes, it's grandparents and other relatives.

Do you think these methods are awesome or overkill?

Source

Maurice Sendak: 5 Lessons the Legendary Author Taught Us

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:16:56 PDT

When I learned I was pregnant with my first child, I dreamed of decorating the nursery and picking out a layette. But what I really couldn't wait to do was fill the bookshelves with my childhood favorites. The first to be placed was a collection of Maurice Sendak books. Sure, every kid deserves a copy of Where the Wild Things Are, but it was the Nutshell Library that earned the place of honor on the shelf. I can still recite every poem from Chicken Soup With Rice and couldn't wait to lull my little one to sleep with Sendak's rhythmic words.

Perhaps that's why I feel like a relative - you know, that kooky uncle everyone has - has passed with the author's death this morning. Though Sendak bragged, "I never wrote a book where I taught a lesson," his influence on my and countless other parents and children's lives is immeasurable (and he is still as relevant today as he was when his original books were released - just check out his not-safe-for-children interview with Stephen Colbert from earlier this year). So though he may have been disappointed in this list, here are five lessons I'll take away from Maurice Sendak's library of work.

11 Ways to Print Instagram Photos

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:09:01 PDT

Instagram is the easy way of creating dreamy iPhone photos in a flash. The filters work their magic so well that nearly every picture comes out looking like a keepsake. Making those memories permanent can be just as easy with these tools for turning Instagram photos into a lasting work of art.

PostalPix - Use this iPhone app to print four-inch squares from your Instagram library for only 30 cents each. Fast shipping, matte finish, professional quality resolution, and the convenience of mobile shopping make this our first stop for Instagram prints. They even sell just-right square 4-inch wooden frames.
CanvasPop - Those filtered photos are worthy of an at-home gallery. Create a high-resolution 12-inch square or 20-inch square stretched canvas print for the temporary price of $30 and $60, respectively. Buy multiple canvases for an artful wall vignette.
Printstagram - The company offers multiple ways to print Instagram photos, but the 20-by-40-inch posters will make the most stunning addition to a living room wall. Between 50-400 photos are arranged in a clean grid on thick, archival paper for $25.
Blurb - Haven't looked at a photo album in a while? Blurb brings back what now seems like an antiquated way of sharing photos with a modern, Instagram twist. Softcover books with 20 pages of Instagram photos runs $11 and a hardcover is $22. Christmas present, perhaps?
Postagram - A fun way to show people you're thinking of them, Postagram mails a postcard with popout Instagram photo and message to friends for 99 cents each. A thoughtful alternative to a birthday e-card!

Three more ways to print Instagram beauties after the break.

Daily Tech: Tweets That Go Bump in the Night

GeekSugar — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:39:08 PST

Follow Goosebumps legend R.L. Stine as he tweets a horror story - Geekosystem
Why you need to stop Internet bragging - Cracked
Anonymous could shut the power grid via cyberattack - Newser
How to photograph the daytime sky - Tecca
The BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2 has arrived - Geek.com
Watch the trailer for SXSW documentary Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines - SlashFilm

Apple Fans Add Elusive Grand Central Gear to Wish List

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:15:36 PST

You might think the biggest draw for Apple fans camping out for the latest company store opening is the privilege of being among the elite first people to set foot in the store, fresh with the smell of clean MacBooks and new employees so eager to help. But the major bragging right associated with an Apple opening is snagging the limited edition t-shirt handed out to the first thousand or so customers to enter the store.

Last week's unveiling of the New York City Grand Central terminal store also showcased the free t-shirts with the store's location spelled out in graphic letters resembling the train station's arrivals board. Four thousand shirts were distributed to the Grand Central store's first customers. Just like their tech products, the shirts are carefully packaged into a white box fitting of the Apple logo despite its free contents.

As expected, those who scored the rare t-shirts after camping out in Grand Central are looking to cash in on the cult of Apple, listing the shirts on eBay, with current bids varying from $25-$385. Have you ever stood in line for an Apple store's grand opening? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments!

Photo Source: eBay user spictacular002

Living in the Middle Place

babysugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:00:00 PDT

I always loved my mom . . . even when I "hated" her during those fleeting teenage dramatic moments. But, almost nothing can make a child appreciate their parents more than becoming one themselves. Author Kelly Corrigan details balancing her life as a mom, wife, and daughter in her story, The Middle Place. She aptly starts one chapter:

It is one thing to be a man's wife - quite another to be the mother of his children. In fact, once you become a mother, being a wife seems like a game you once played or a self-help book you were overly impressed with as a teenager that on second reading is puffy with common ideas. This was one of many things I had learned since crossing over into the middle place - that sliver of time when childhood and parenthood overlap. One day you're cheering your daughter through a swimming lesson or giving her a pat for crossing the monkey bars or reminding her to say "please," and the next, you're bragging to your parents about your newest trick - a sweet potato recipe, a raise at work, a fix for your ant problem. It's a giant Vin diagram where you are the only member of both sets.

A perfect metaphor for my own familial relationships, I am certain Corrigan speaks the truth for many moms the world over. Perhaps we all share that inner space of the circular graph.

Geeks We Love: Om Malik of GigaOM

GeekSugar — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:08:28 PST

Shows like Beauty and the Geek give male geeks a bad rep. I have news for you folks, not all geeks think pocket-protectors and worn corduroy pants are trendy. In fact, I know plenty of eligible geeky bachelors that showcase the very best of geekiness: smarts, passion, chic clothing, success in their field and the ability to program your TiVo, computer or Blackberry when you’re not in the mood. In an effort to celebrate this month of love, I have put together a series of interviews with some of the most interesting geeky bachelors I know.

Om Malik, who is the founder of GigaOmniMedia, Inc. and executive editor of GigaOM.com, a popular tech blog that offers news, analysis and opinions on topics ranging from broadband to online games and Web 2.0, is the epitome of geek chic. He just happens to love clothes as much as he does gadgets – and has an awe-inspiring gadget collection and closet to prove it! For the full interview with Om,

GS: How did you get into the tech world?
Om: I have dreamed of being a journalist all my life, ever since I was a kid. I started as a rookie reporter at a teen magazine, The Weekly Sun in New Delhi, India.

GS: What’s the geekiest thing about yourself?
Om: I often brag about the total computing power in my apartment, and proud of the fact that have a terabyte of data around the house.

GS: What you are looking for in a significant other?
Om: Intelligence, kindness and humor. Someone who I can look at from the corner of my eye and be pleased as punch that I am her guy! Virginia Madsen, except for real!

GS: What are your Top 5 favorite gadgets?
Om: MacBook Pro, Nokia e70, Sonos Music System, iPod Nano, and my LCD TV.

GS: What are the top 5 luxury gadgets you really want?
Om: Sony Bravia LCD TV (50 inch model), iPhone, Aston Martin, The Prada Phone and Bang & Olufsen phone.

GS: Your first computer was a…
Om: A no name laptop with Windows 3.1. Yuck!

GS: What are your favorite websites?
Om: PopSugar, Gawker, TorrentFreak, WebWorkerDaily and Fark.

GS: Your line of work means you are exposed to more gadgets and tech news than your average citizen (and blogger) how do you decide what is relevant or necessary?
Om: I have a lot of friends who are not really interested in technology. I hand them the device, and then watch how they react. If they like it or are intrigued by it, it is something worth paying attention to. Otherwise, I go for elegance, simplicity and intuitiveness of the gadget.

GS: How do you feel about people calling you a “geek?” I suppose I should first ask, have you ever been called a "geek?"
Om: Not to my face, but I am sure people say that all the time.

GS: What do you consider to be your greatest contribution to the tech/blog industry – don’t be modest.
Om: I get to tell the greatest story to be ever told – technology – that’s as good as it gets.

GS: How many hours do you spend online a day?
Om: I am connected all the time, except when I am sleeping.

GS: What is one geeky habit you’re trying to quit?
Om: Instant messaging – I hate the sound iChat makes.

GS: What makes you an eligible geeky bachelor?
Om: I like clothes and the good life as much as I like gadgets. I think I am kind, thoughtful and thanks to my training as a writer, I do have the ability to listen and pay attention.

GS: Describe your ideal date.
Om: I have not been on one yet. If you have expectations, then you are going to be disappointed. If you are disappointed then even the best date can never be an ideal date. That said, I want a date of thousand surprises, little ones, that make every minute worth remembering.

GS: What do you look for in a significant other?
Om: She should take as much interest in men’s shoes as she does in Jimmy Choo’s.

GS: Tell me more about GigaOm!
Om: GigaOM started off as a personal blog five years ago, but since then has become a daily chronicle of the technology industry. I left my job at Business 2.0 in June 2006, raised venture capital and turned it into a little media company. Think of us as rapidly aging former yuppie brother of Sugar Publishing.
My inspiration is curiosity and the desire to learn new things every day. As a kid my grandfather used to warn me to not mistake education for a finite process. My profession is my education, my motivation. My writing is a mix of analysis, sarcasm, humor and plain old news reporting.

Editor’s Note: Before launching his own publishing venture, Om was a senior writer for Business 2.0 magazine covering telecom and broadband stories. His site, GigaOM.com, is now ranked in the top 100 IT news sites by Hitwise, an Internet tracking service and is among the top 50 blogs as ranked by Technorati, and part of C/Net 100 Most Influential Blogs.

Want more Om? Check out GigaOM.com. Given Om’s flair for fashion you may have to act fast to beat FabSugar to the punch!

Photos courtesy of Thomas Hawk