I Love Boomerang for Gmail

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I’m a Gmail addict.  Google Apps too.

We rely on Google Apps over at Artsy Geek — it’s fantastic for collaborating, chatting and — best of all — searching. I cannot imagine having to search for something in Outlook with the sheer number of emails that go through our inboxes every day.

A few weeks ago my great friend Becca introduced us to Boomerang for Gmail. You know how good a scoop of vanilla ice cream is when topped with hot fudge?? It’s pretty good without it, but AWESOME with it.

Boomerang is hot fudge for Gmail.

Instead of the piles and piles of starred images making my priority inbox utterly inbox, I can schedule them to pop back up in my inbox at a later date. Whether it’s four hours later, three days later or Monday morning at 9am, that image will be back in my inbox when I want to deal with it. Or want to force myself to deal with it.

Boomerang for GmailIt’s really handy when you work with people who don’t always deliver when they say they’re going to.* “I’ll have it for you on Tuesday,” they’ll say. “Yeah right!” I think. And then I schedule the message to pop back up on Tuesday evening so I can send a reminder email. And I can specify that there’s no need to pop up if someone responds (in case they actually do come through!). BRILLIANT.

I’ve been pretty stoked on it. Today I had an unpleasant surprise though. It turns out that it’s a premium service!! They lured me in, got me hooked, and now want to charge me a monthly fee for it!!

Suddenly the hot fudge seems more like crack cocaine.

I wandered around my house hmm-ing and huh-ing over this when I plunked down my credit card and subscribed. It’s a deduction, for one. And it’s one hell of a brain space saver. People should get paid for what they do well, and those folks over at Boomerang are rocking my world. Thanks guys!

Try Boomerang for Your Gmail. You’re going to love it!**

Post image courtesy of cookingfoodie.blogspot.com
*I know, I know. Don’t deal with people who don’t deliver when they say they’re going to. I’m working on it.
**Full disclosure: If you click that link and sign up I get entered into some sort of wheely spin contest.  Wheeeeee!! Continue Reading

Why would anyone put a QR code in a commercial??

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I’m seriously confused.  I posted this on Facebook and Al (who I find to be a reliable and informed source for tech news) said that a TV was as a good a surface as any for a QR code.

So, really, here in this Duncan Hines commercial, when all the cupcakes turn into a QR code, we’re going to pause our DVR and take a photo with our smart phone?

Really?

I think the Japanese have it right.  Put QR codes on stuff like headstones where it’s stationary.  Duh.

Continue Reading

$5 Lego Stop Motion

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Our new roommate (we found one! and he’s awesome) alerted me to what has to be the BEST WEBSITE EVER, fiverr.com.

At fiverr.com you can pay a mere $5 and get all sorts of amazing stuff…a British young lady will videotape herself shouting your message in a banana suit, an aging hippie will sing your message and play the accordion, a terrifying dude in a green suit will dance with your message on his chest.  That last one is pretty weird.  I don’t recommend that.

And they do stuff beyond making awesome videos.  I even saw someone who will design two logos for your company for $5.  That’s just plain ridiculous.

The first $5 I plunked down was for this video as a present for my father, the Great Arno.

LOVE IT!  What an affordable gift that he’ll treasure forever!  Or for the day.  But it’s the thought that counts, right?

I didn’t realize the finding a roommate would be so hard!

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Somehow we managed to write the best Craigslist ad ever. Or maybe it’s just the time of year. Joey says that people move a lot in November because of Mercury being in retrograde or something.

Regardless, we have had an overwhelming response to our ad.  I’ve filled the available room twice and never had this experience.  Every other time there was a clear winner — the lesser of the evils.  This time, I love everyone.  I want to live with everyone.  They are all so intriguing and so chill.

Living in the SF Bay. So many cool people. Most of the time it’s a blessing but today it’s a curse. Continue Reading

Life Lessons: Pumpkins Rot

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I carved a fantastic cocktail glass (GLOAT!) in a pumpkin the day before Halloween. That was a Sunday. I put it on a shelf in my kitchen, and could not wait to display it at our Lushes in Love Cocktail Lounge Salon that coming Friday. Could not wait.

Friday came. My house guest and great friend Jen E. called me while I was out running errands. “The pumpkin is rotted!” she proclaimed. “And there are flies everywhere!!”

“But it’s for tonight!! OH NO!” I was perplexed. I hate flies, but I loved my pumpkin.

“It has to go outside.” She was not going to budge. I growled into the phone for a little bit and then finally agreed.

Thank god I did. It’s five days later and we’re still battling the flies everywhere.

GROSS. No wonder people normally keep them outside. Continue Reading

Oakland Nights LIVE!

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

My old friend Jeremy got a bee in his bonnet to have a talk show. At first I was super jealous. After all, it was just over a year ago when I went through a disastrous dry run holding my own live talk show. I had to put off my dreams of producing my own talk show. Who was I to object to Jeremy following his?

Especially when he invited Will and I to be guests for Cocktail Corner with the Lushes in Love.

His set was amazing. His guests were amazing — hilarious and educational. And at the end, the whole audience shared a round of Oakland, by the Goodtime Washboard Three. Continue Reading